Trying to survive a couple of days at work...

with B-O-T-H of my girls with me! YIKES!! Last week Denise (our wonderful babysitter) had to have surgery and so she was taking the week off! Ray was busy with turkey hunters...and so that left the babysitting up to me...and since I work full time...you guess it, they had to come to work with me!
and we made it, but by Thursday, they were a little stir crazy and I was, well, just crazy! They did good, and I shouldn't complain at all, but it was still hard! We had a little bit of down time so I thought that we would have a little photo shoot in between patients...







You gotta love these babies! I am certainly blessed!

It's been 7 years...

and what a journey it has been...This week Ray and I celebrated our 7th anniversary (April 20th) and in some ways it seems like we have been together forever, (We did start dating in 1996- 13 years ago!) and then in other ways seems like just a few days ago we were making our final preparations to say I do and start the "rest of our lives together"! It is amazing how time flies and how much we have been through together! God has certainly blessed us more than we could ever have imagined...more than we ever deserved...
God brought us together many years ago, because we truly believe He had a plan for our lives...and though we have been through alot of challenges, and alot of celebrations, I can't imagine doing life with anybody else!
Ray, it has certainly been a journey! God has worked in and through both of us over the past 7 years (or 13!) and we have done our best to follow Him in all that we do! I pray we continue to seek His face...seeking out His will for our family, and that He will continue to bless our lives, giving us many more years together! I love you will all my heart!

Edit from previous post...

A good friend of mine (Thanks, Kendall) informed me that the website that I had given for Uppercase Living didn't work so I wanted to let you know that you can click here and it will take you there...I also have catalogs that you are more than welcome to look at!

Funny comments...

from both of the girls...they keep me laughing all the time...
We were in the car yesterday (SURPRISE) and we had several errands to make before Bren had to be at swimming lessons! Out of NO where, Brenly asks..."Mommy, why do people speed?" (I need to add a side note to let you know that I was NOT speeding...at that particular moment, I cannot promise that I do speed ever...BUT at that moment...I was doing the speed limit!) My answer was simply stated..."Sometimes people speed because they are in a hurry and are trying to get places real fast!" She thought for a minute and said, "OH, well we don't ever speed, we just get in a hurry sometimes" (Do you think that any police officer would go for that answer...no officer, I wasn't speeding, just in a hurry!)

Then we were driving through McDonalds, feeding my kids dinner, because well, we were still in the car and had a ways to drive...and Brenly was asking for her toy out of her happy meal! I opened it up and it was a blue alien from Monsters vs. Aliens (no, we haven't seen it) named B.O.B...I mentioned to her that B.O.B. was his name and Avery quickly replies, "Did I get Warry, Mommy?" (that would be Larry from Veggie Tales! She just figured that if Brenly got Bob-the tomato- that she was sure to get Larry-the cucumber!) Brenly and I both laughed!

thank you Lord, for my children and their funny sense of Humor! I pray that you always give them reasons to find the funny side of life!

Never the Same Again Moment...

Sunday Morning, April 19th...I, along with Riley Willard got baptized...What an amazing experience!! A day that God was able to work miracles in the lives of those around me...a day will not soon forget! I pray that as the days turn into months that God will continue to work on the hearts of those that I love...drawing them into a stronger relationship with him...allowing them to be freed from the deeds of the flesh, riding them up in the fruits of the spirit!
If you are interested in watching the video of the baptisms...feel free to go here on the Highpoint website...click on the tab 'Going Public' at the bottom and then click on my name!!
Praise the Lord for all that He has done/will continue to do in my life! To Him be the GLORY!!!
here are a few pics from the day..





Chariti Kupiec and I...one of my small group leaders and my Bible study leader...an amazing woman and I was honored that she agreed to baptize me!!

Just curious...

I am on my way to church (Ray is driving) and was checking my blog and decided to see if I could actually post something from my phone...If it works, I could be posted LOTS more...you know I am always on the go...
Today is my big day...I am getting baptized at Highpoint today...will you pray with me that God would speak through me and my story...that this wouldn't be about me, but it would ALL be about Him...The One that deserves all the glory!
Lord, as I stand before you and the cross...allow me to be transparent with my life...so that those looking at me would see straight through me and fix their eyes on You...Allow other others to see me as one who is continually imperfect...but one who has been made perfect by Jesus, constantly striving to live my life as a light for Him! Lord, I love with all that I am...

Great Grandaddy Jack...

bless his 93 year old heart...He is having a rough couple of weeks. His wife suffers from Alzheimer's and it has come to the point where her children have decided it is time for her to get permanent professional care. So at the end of next week, he will be leaving to visit his daughter in Florida for a couple of weeks while her sons get her settled into a new facility. It has been so sad to see this disease take over her body, and progress from bad to worse. Granddaddy has spent the past 2 years caring for a woman that has certainly not been "herself" and he is worn out! He is very upset about what is about to take place, but knows that it is a necessary part of the process...Chad and I, along with the girls decided to go by and visit with him for a little bit, to hopefully bring a smile to his face...and I think that we accomplished that! If you would, please pray for my granddaddy and her family as they deal with a very emotional issue! Pray that the transition will be smooth for everyone involved and that granddaddy will be able to make decision about his future and be at peace!
Here are a few pictures that we snapped before we left!

He is Alive...

and we couldn't be more grateful. What a wonderful day to celebrate the The RISEN Savior...
We had to wake up with the chickens...so that we could see what the Easter Bunny brought, get ready for church and be ready to leave by 7:50am...If you know my children...you know the oldest is not a good 'wake-up'er...She's my night owl, she LOVES to stay up late and sleep in late...However when she knows that she has prizes waiting on her...she was able to pop up out of bed! Amazing what a few color filled eggs can do to a girl! Avery was her usual happy morning self...Ready to hunt some eggs...



The HUNT was on...



next, we had to hurry and get all of our Easter attire on and get ready to go to church...

and this is Avery's new "pose" that she does all the time...and sometimes adds "I am beautiful!" Glad to know that she has a great self confidence...

Easter Eggs and Spinach...

Saturday night we went to grab a bite to eat and had to hurry home to dye the Easter Eggs...On the way home, Brenly decides to ask us if the Easter Bunny is real? (I mean, she JUST turned 5) We asked her if the Easter Bunny brought her stuff and she said yes...and that seemed to end that conversation...Then she needs to know where the Easter Bunny lives? Ray and I look at each other and cracked up, not having a clue what the answer "should" be...Ray finally said that he lives in a big garden somewhere, and Brenly didn't buy it...She said,"I don't think that you have that right?" (KeKe called and said that he lived in Bunnyville, North Carolina and she half believed her)and then she decides that we need to go home and make cookies for the Easter Bunny (YIKES...forgot that on the list) However, we have been eating lots of lettuce/spinach at our house, so I told her that the Easter Bunny would probably enjoy a plate of Spinach better and she thought it was a great idea! Man, this Easter Bunny thing is hard work :)
Anyway, we get home to dye the eggs and I snapped a few shots...








and this is my favorite...right before Brenly went to bed, she decided that she needed to write the Easter Bunny a letter, with the spinach and blueberry muffin...and here it is-

she wrote all of our names down, Happy Easter and then worte Jesus is ALIVE! Is that not the most precious thing ever! Praise the Lord that He has RISEN!

A busy weekend...

filled with lots of fun things...makes for lots of cute pictures!
This weekend we left Thursday night to go to MiMi and Grandfather's house. When we arrived Aunt Jenna and Uncle Jay, Aunt Donna and Uncle Scott and Papa Mac and Grandma Mildred were all there. We were so excited to see all of them! and my children were cracking us up! Especially Avery...she has sprouted this new personality that is hilarious! Here are a few pics from the weekend and I guarantee that you can "see" her personality in them!
Here is a little "sassy"ness...

Here are "Daddy Eyes"

Here is Brenly's big ole smile


Crazy Face...

Me and My Babies...God has blessed me like crazy!!