A Lifetime of Love

Lately I've been able to have some really meaningful conversations with the boys about theological topics. I love that I am able to have these talks because it reveals their hearts to me, and also it gives me an opportunity to share my own weaknesses with them. Lastly, it helps all of us to know how to specifically pray for the others. Tanner read a story for school that was based upon the passage of Luke 15:3-10. If you are not familiar with this passage, it is a parable (earthly story with a heavenly meaning) that compares a lost sheep to a lost person (person who does not know Jesus as Lord and Savior). In the story, there is a shepherd herding his sheep to the fold for the night. A fold is a safe place for the sheep to go because it is surrounded on all sides by a fence made of stone or brick. There is only one entrance, and the shepherd would guard the entrance to keep wild animals from attacking the sheep at night, and also to prevent the sheep from...

Today is Teagan's birthday. I am so thankful for her sweet, bubbly, joyful personality. She is truly a blessing to our family as she often reminds me to slow down and enjoy life simply by her infectious giggles and big smile. She had a rough start with all of her delays, but with each passing day, I am reminded of God's goodness to me and am so extremely thankful for walking through that valley. As a result, I have been able to encourage others who have children with special needs as they now walk through the unknown valley. Teagan's journey has allowed me to meet remarkable people and establish and maintain a relationship that otherwise would not have existed. Thank you on behalf of Teagan, myself, and my family. You helped shape Teagan into the person she is today. How can I express enough the feelings of gratitude? I can't, but please know, all of those who came week in and week out for all those years, you will forever be a part of our lives.

I had the privilege of bringing a devotional challenge at a bridal shower today for a member of my church. As I was leaving, several people asked me for a copy of my notes. Here they are... ******************************************************************* I'm not sharing anything new with you, but rather things that the Lord has really made clear to me over the years that TJ and I have been married. ·          Created for your husband (Gen. 2:18) o    Instead of the world's view that, as wives, we pick up the pieces , God created us to be our husband's missing piece . §   God knows his flaws, antics, tastes, etc. and He created us to be exactly who our husband needs as a wife and in a wife. o    We were created to meet the needs of our husbands, not the other way around §   Important to remember, especially down the road if you have kids and you are feeling overwhelmed with the increased res...

Summer has come to an end for us, and we have been so busy that I haven't even attempted to post on here... Our summer started in May with a trip to Ohio for my brother's high school graduation. It was nice to visit with extended family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins (and second cousins!) on both my mom's and dad's side of the family. The weather was hot and we enjoyed swimming while visiting both my parents. We also squeezed in a visit with one of my oldest and dearest friend, Chelsea, and her husband and 2 boys. As usual, the kids didn't want to leave and saying "Good-bye" was bittersweet. I look forward to my visits with her so much and cherish her friendship even more. Good, godly friends are hard to come by and I'm so thankful for the influence she's had on my life. Love you, Chelsea!! June brought on Vacation Bible School, swimming lessons for Thomas, Tristin-Grace, and Teagan, as well as Art Camp for Thomas. Probably the highlig...

It's been a while since I found time to post on here. Life has been busy (especially during baseball season) and now that we are full-swing into summer, time is again passing quickly as our days are filled with enjoying the sun! This post is not a typical recap of our household life, but instead is dedicated to the Lord's working in my life. I've wanted to share this for a while (since April), but I'm glad I waited because the Lord has continued to work. My pastor's message on resting in God prompted me to write this because I have found that in order to fully rest in God, you have to trust in what He's done for you. Here's what I mean... I found myself (questioning) doubting God's goodness to me. I thought the bad things I had done (major yelling at my kids, lack of patience with them, unrighteous anger) caused me to lose favor in the Lord's eyes, and His way of "correcting" me was to suffer the loss of the twin and live with tha...

It's hard to believe school is out for Thomas already. We have had a fun year full of great learning experiences. Below are some pictures of learning in action! September: Latta Plantation Homeschool Day Learning the 3 R's (Reading, Writing, & 'Rithmetic) Reading from a McGuffy Reader Learning about clothing styles & medicine from the 1700s on- VERY interesting! October: Riverbanks Zoo   Our science curriculum is broken down into the various days of creation. This year we started with Day 5: the flying creatures. Megabat- this year we learned the difference between a microbat and a megabat. :) November: Carolina Raptor Center  This field trip only enhanced what we were learning about & was probably Thomas' favorite since he has developed a passion for birding thanks to his study in science this year.  We felt a sense of honor & pride seeing our National Bird up close & in person. Red-tail Hawk: our favorite!! ...

My last post was so gloomy, and I'm happy to say my perspective has definitely improved over the past couple of weeks. With the help of others, I have implemented a new chore chart and I cannot express enough how much smoother our house runs now. The kids each have their own daily chart that is just for their bedrooms. It includes 4 items (each worth 25 cents) that have to be done daily (for a maximum weekly allowance of $5 if all check marks are received). The goal is to have the chores completed each morning, but I have made allowances to the time I check because Annie has learned how to open doors and will literally trash a room in a matter of seconds. The boys have started locking their door when they finish their chores so that she can't go in there before I have a chance to check their room...they learned from experience. =) I also implemented a weekly cleaning chore that pretty much covers the entire house. There are a co...