Guess who's packing?

This has been Jonathan and Jenna's humble abode for the past 8 months, but we are in the process of packing them up. God has called Jonathan to Crossgates Baptist Church in Brandon, MS and they will be packing up today and leaving tomorrow. We are so excited for this opportunity for them, but I have to say it is somewhat bittersweet. Please don't misunderstand me, there is no place I'd rather my children be than in the complete middle of God's will, but he is my baby and I will miss getting to see them all the time. He is going on staff to serve as the middle school pastor. This is an incredible opportunity for both of them and we are so grateful to our Lord for working in their lives.

We have spent several hours packing all these tubs. They have only been married since April, but they had alot to pack up. We are not going down with them for the move, but I will be going down next weekend to help.

I just want to say to both Jonathan and Jenna that I love you and am so very proud of you. I love watching your love for the Lord and how it plays out in your lives. God has great plans for you and I think I am thankful that for this move it is only across state lines and not oceans. I love my baby boy.

weekend fun with our babies

This past Saturday we had planned to take the kids to the Bartlett Christmas parade because the weather was so nice and the parade was to begin at 4:00. We thought this would be plenty of time to go to the parade before the cold front came through. Wrong. We took the kids to the mall first and we left at 3:00 to go to the parade. When we left it was very nice outside. By the time the parade started we were freezing. We had lots of covers, but it still was not enough. Lucy did not move the whole time. She was freezing.

Below is a picture of K, B, and some of their friends enjoying the parade. They did not seem to be bothered by the cold.

Before we went to the parade we met my friend Karen and my niece Amy at the mall with their children and godchildren. We ate, jumped on the spider jump, rode the carousel and played at the playground. A great time was had by all, except Pop who wears out pretty early and took Lucy home to give her a nap before the parade.

On Friday night we took the kids to Paint a Piece to paint their own ornaments. We did Lucy's handprints first and Pop took her on home while I stayed with the big kids to finish theirs. They loved doing it. Karis chose to do a Christmas tree and Brayden chose to do a dog bone in honor of their former dog Jackson. Go figure! Gotta love him.

We are so thankful for this Christmas season and that they are close enough for us to get to enjoy all the festivities of the season with them. We know not to take any time we have with them for granted. We are thankful for the time God is giving us. My mom use to refer to her time with my children as making memories and that is what I like to think we are doing everytime we are with them. I love them so.

Remembering a Gentle Man

Two days ago on December l, this sweet man, better known as Papa would have been 85 years old. It's been 4 years since he died suddenly of a massive stroke. Sometimes it seems like only yesterday since I watched him enjoying his grandchildren and then sometimes it seems like years ago that I heard him say "I was just calling to check on you".

My dad was as much of a gentleman as anyone I have ever known. He took care of my mom as if she was his princess. He loved my brother and I in the same way. Then came his grandchildren and great children. Oh how he loved them. He loved nothing more than having the grandchildren at his house.

I got my love for children from my Dad. I can't remember him ever seeing a baby and not holding it. He had a real love for babies and children. He loved everyone of our foster babies as if they were his. I even remember seeing his heart break a few times when a baby would leave our home that he had become especially attached to. I hated this for him because my parents didn't sign up to put their hearts on the edge like we did. They stood by us none the less and shared in the joy of each new placement that we got.

If you have your parents still with you this Christmas season, give them an extra hug and never fail to thank them for what they've done for you and what they mean to you. Both of my parents were here one minute and gone the next without any warning. I still miss them terribly and would give anything for them to see Mike and I enjoying grandparenthood as much as they did.