What's a Plauma?

That is the question I got tonight.
"Mom, what's a plauma?"
I told Emi I didnt' understand what she was asking. She kept saying it and then explained it...

A diploma!!!

She is getting her kindergarten diploma on May 14 but we are doing public kindergarten next year. So big and so cute!!!!

I Think I'm Losing My Mind

Okay, I know I'm not the only one, but I swear I think I am losing my mind!! I don't understand why I can't remember where I left something, what I was going to do when I get to where I'm going, what I went to the store for in the first place, and on and on. It is sooooooooooo aggravating!!!!

Here are just a few things I am talking about:
* - I CANNOT find where I put my birth control pills (okay, honestly this is VERY important - I cannot handle another child!!)
* - I lost a whole pile of mail, yes mail, and found it later in my Dollar General bag that I
had from the morning
* - I have gone to the store twice to get something and have come home twice without it (but
with other things I didn't go for in the first place
* - I call someone to ask or tell them something and then have no idea why I called when they
answer

Okay, that is enough embarrassing examples... I think you get the picture. I truly am losing my mind. Will someone vow to help me out when I am 80 and don't know my name!?!?!!?!!

Psalm 16:11

Psalm 16:11

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.



This verse is one that my pastor, Dr. Les at Westwood Baptist, used in his service a couple of weeks ago and it is one that has had me thinking a lot lately.



"You make known to me the path of life" - while studying this one section so many things have been revealed to me. The path of life is one that no one, but God, has control over or knows the outcome of. There are so many things that I don't understand about life and death but I always know that God is in control. Even though I know that, sometimes it still doesn't make it easy for me to understand. My Paw Paw is not doing well. His cancer has grown and he is rapidly losing weight. I don't understand why cancer even exists. I don't understand why it has taken so many lives and has affected literally everyone I know in some way or another. I don't understand why there is no cure for it. But then I remember what Dr. Les was saying. God is a God of compassion, understanding, and love but he is also a God that brings His wrath down on a people that have constantly turned away from him. If we didn't have things such as cancer, there would be no way out to get to be with God in eternity if we didn't die. We have to die to be with Him. I then prasie God that my Paw Paw accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior last year and that he will get to be with Jesus in eternity when he does pass. This is so comforting. So this path of life that I am on is one that will be full of ups and downs and uncertainties and questions and unknowns, but if I continue to trust in Him and know that He is in charge of my life and really give that to Him, then there really is nothing for me to be concerned or worried about.



"you fill me with joy in Your presence" - again a part that I have been thinking about. There are days when I am just not joyful. Days when I really honestly can not fathom how I am going to make it through. Days when I feel like such a failure of a mom and wife and friend. Days when I want to just crawl up in a hole and go to sleep. Days when I feel I can do nothing right. But then there are days when the sun is shining and I am so happy. Days when it might be raining outside but there is joyful laughing inside my house. Days when all seems to be just "right". Days when my relationships seem to be working. Days when even when things go wrong, I seem to be able to handle them better. So that got me thinking. What is the difference in those days? (Yes I am hormonal and yes I am on medication....) But the difference in those days is when I spend time with my Lord and Savior and time praying and reading His Word. He fills me with His Joy!!! If I am not spending time with Him, he can't fill me. When I do, His Joy spills over in every area of my life. I have to be "in His presence" for Him to do this. Knowing that and putting it into actual practice is something I have to do. Something I want to do. Something that I need to do. Joy comes from Jesus and no where else.

"with eternal pleasures at your right hand" - eternal pleasures... not earthly pleasures, but eternal pleasures. Now that is what should matter. Earthly pleasures are nice and there is nothing wrong with wanting them. We are human and that is a natural fleshly desire. But when we really start to think about it, we are only here for a very short time. Where we spend eternity is where the pleasures will count. I know that I am a born again Christian and that I will be spending eternity with my Lord and Savior in heaven. So that means that I need to be concentrating on my eternal pleasures that will come from Him. Not my earthly pleasures that will be gone when I am. My eternal pleasures that come from being a mom and wife that God would have me be. This is where my focus needs to be. It needs to be on sharing my testimony and sharing Christ with all I come into contact with. Not being ashamed or afraid or embarrassed to share my faith with everyone around me. This is what will give me the eternal pleasures from Him.

Where do you stand? Let Him guide you and lead you and fill you with the joy that can only come from Jesus. Stop and think about this verse. It has a lot to offer and a lot to ponder. At least it did for me....

A new Easter Tradition

We went to my mom's house yesterday, Good Friday and we have officially started a new tradition with the kids. We dyed 36 eggs! They had the best time. We got to pray, sing praise songs, laugh and just share and be with each other. It was a blessed time!!

We also did something called Resurrection Rolls. I have heard of all the cookies and some bread but this recipe was shown to me by a friend of mine. It was easy and very easy to do and easy for the kids to follow along with. All you need is marshmallows, melted butter, cinnamon and sugar and crescent rolls. We read the Bible with each step of the process so the kids got to hear the story and use visual aids all at the same time. The fun thing was the final product, the empty tomb!! It was a very yummy treat to enjoy at the end too.

Thanks Nana for taking the time to do this and making it such a special day!! The girls had a great time!!! (except for Graci who just isn't herself her lately... :( )

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

How Times Have Changed

Emi was almost 4 when she started gymnastics ... so hard to believe that she has only been taken for almost 2 years. She has come along in so many ways. Here is a picture of her the month before she turned 4...
This sport is so time consuming and it is causing us to sacrifice in so many areas of our lives, but God has told me many times that she will one day use this to glorify HIS name and share her testimony. You can't argue with that! She was given a gift, a talent, from Him and as long as she wants to do it, and as long as we can afford it, we will encourage this area of her life. She literally counts down the days until her next practice. She doesn't walk to her room, she tumbles. It drives her daddy crazy since she is always flipping in front of the tv, but I have learned to just watch "around" her. It's a way of life for us, every minute of every day.

I found this video of her doing her backward roll by herself and it was too cute, not to put on here.



What will she be doing in 2 more years.... I'll post a backhandspring video when I can find it.

Her First Real Battle Wound...

My poor little Emi has her first major boo boo from gymnastics. She is on a new team at Alabama Starz and is loving it!!! She is having so much fun and being challenged with new things everyday. She has been doing her back walkovers on the low beam consistently without spot and she wanted to do what all the other girls were doing on her team. She wanted to do her back walkover on the high beam without spot... and she did.

This first video is her doing it on the low beam -perfectly!!

Here's the video of the fall.... ouch!

She was sooooo brave though!!!! I am one proud mama regardless of the outcome. She is the only 5 year old on her team and she was trying this!! I HAVE to brag on her!!!

Here's the after pics:

She is embarrassed about the bruises but I told her to be proud of her bravery!!

Words from my kiddos...

The girls are growing up so quickly. I can't believe that my first born will actually be 6 this summer!!! I am going to have a 6 year old... what is up with that??? I remember being 6 .... I am not old enough to have a 6 year old.... much less a 4 year old and a 2 year old.... that means I am getting old... but I wouldn't trade my life for anything!!

All that to say, they are saying and doing things that are so funny right now. I always say I am going to write that down so I will remember that... and then I don't. So while I had a couple of things that the girls are saying on my mind, I wanted to do just that. I am putting them down so I won't forget them....

Payton: mom, my naked is hurting me (translation, my neck)

Graci: I'm Baby G and my name is Graci and I'm 2, i'm not chorttack (shortstack is what I've been calling her)

Emi: Mom, did you know you can pet cows but not bullies (bulls of course)

Man, I love love love my girls!!!!! They are always bringing a smile to my face. Except for when Baby G throws her only Ked out the window on 119 and I have to go buy her shoes now. I still love that girl though.

Gone Trucking

Well this was the last year that B got to drive for Student Life Ministry. They are canceling the tour from now on. So the girls each got to go on one last trip with their daddy. Payton rode in the "big truck" to Atlanta but Emi just rode around Atlanta with him instead of riding home. They have so much fun doing this and I know they will miss it and I know for sure that B will .....