Three Months Photo Shoot

Joshua and I had so much fun playing in the yard yesterday and celebrating his three month birthday. Once again I'm typing with one hand and feeding him with the other, so I can't say much more other than this week has been filled with sweet moments.



 

 

 

What a difference three months makes!

 

Thank You, Lord for the gift of life.

Outdoor Beauty

Sometimes I believe that God allows me to want something for a long time and wonder if I'll ever get it, just so that when I do finally get it I really appreciate it. When we bought this house, the land was nothing but dirt and weeds. I thought I'd always live in a desolate place. Every tree, every shrub, every blade of grass (or green weeds that look like grass), every flower, every butterfly, every hummingbird...every little growth in beauty is significant to me. I appreciate it more. I'm thankful that God opened my eyes to the beauty of His creation and to a hobby that I'll now always enjoy--gardening.

Labor Day ...A Little Late

All of the following is typed with one hand...while holding my baby ;)

 

 

We spent Labor Day with my side of the family at Lake Martin. Joshua got to spend time with Poppa and listen to the sounds of my childhood.

 

Sunday, we went to church with Mama and Daddy. My intentions were to get a family picture but  Joshua was asleep in his carseat and waking him up would have made for a pretty fussy picture...maybe next time.



 

Here's Joshua after church.



He was such a good sport for a picture.

My parents' lake cabin is my retreat place. It's beautiful, peaceful, and their new porch and patio is the perfect place to sit with Jesus with my morning coffee and hear His Word. It's also the perfect place to visit with family.



This picture shows the second time Joshua met Granddaddy. 

 

 

I was so excited to get to see my cousin Jason.

 

Sweet little Abby Girl is always quietly by my side.

I was very excited about Joshua getting to meet his Great Grandmother...Mamaw :)



Joshua Randal, meet Reagan Kate

We finally met our niece!

I'm so excited to be an aunt. Layne and Kelli pulled up and I ran to the car...like a dork...then cried. Okay I didn't really "run" but I did walk briskly.

Uncle Nathan, Aunt Katherine, and Reagan Kate Thompson

 

Nathan, Joshua, and I traveled to Scottsboro, AL for the weekend. Joshua saw his daddy's home town and Nonna and Plow Daddy's house for the first time. I love firsts! He met Nanny, his great grandmother too.

 

Nonna playing with Joshua in their nursery.

 

 

Saturday was opening day of dove season. We all went to eat lunch at Pikeville then a big group of men hunted. Denise, Joshua, and I shopped. She found an outfit for her two grandbabies. Since Reagan wasn't there to try her's on, Nonna held it up to Joshua...Joshua was really wishing he was with his daddy I'm sure.... ;)

 

 

There that's better. And every man needs his hunting dog.

 

 

I don't have to tell you... "and Nathan had a good time."

 

 

Joshua meeting Nanny. He is her 12th great grandbaby out of 15.

 

 

"Joshua...meet your Cousin Reagan. Reagan...meet your Cousin Joshua." We all went to church with Nathan's parents. Center Point BC was actually having Homecoming which I thought was fitting :).

 

 

 

Uncle Layne and Aunt Kelli

 

 

Of course we had some time enjoying the pretty Scottsboro scenery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sigh........

Ahhh...I have a moment to post...but have nothing thoughtful to say. Life is good. Time moves sooo quickly. Our grass needs cutting...The roses need trimming...I have a load of clothes to dry...I need to start supper...I need to organize for our road trip Friday...I need to vacuum...I need to dust...I need to mop the bathrooms...

but I want to write for a moment. I want to pause the cycle of chores and take a moment to think...remember...God is doing a big work, and I need to remember. This summer I went through Kelly Minter's study on Nehemiah. I highly recommend it. Briefly, here's what we covered.

God placed a burden on Nehemiah's heart. Nehemiah's heart broke for his people. The people of God were back in Jerusalem. The time arrived on the Kingdom calendar for the people to return from exile and rebuild the city of God. They had a Temple...but they had no wall to protect the city. They had no knowledge of Scripture.

Chapters 1-6...Rebuilding the Wall:  The LORD enables Nehemiah to lead the people in rebuilding the wall in record time. It was truly an act of God. The people faced great opposition from both outside threats to inward conflict. They stayed the course and completed the wall...

Chapters 7-13...Rebuilding Relationships:   The wall of Jerusalem is not the focal point of Nehemiah...what God wanted to take place within the wall is the focal point. The rest of the book relays how Nehemiah and the other leaders re-introduced the Scripture to the people. They taught the people how they were to have a relationship with our Holy God.

I thought the study was timely given the season of life I'm in....building a home. Jerusalem's wall was important. They had to have a wall. Cleaning my house is important. We have to have order. But this "order" is a means through which I pray God will teach me and help me teach Joshua. I want our home to be a place of prayer, of throughful reflection, of grace, of "happy sounds" (as we call them) and happy memories. Nehemiah's heart broke (as Minter emphasizes) over his family's (the nation of Israel's) broken life. Through God's strength...he met their physical need then within the structure (newly built Temple, wall, and homes) they were able to re-establish worship/relationship to God as it should be.

So although my stomach still turns flips over the stack of unmailed thank you letters on the table and laundry yet to be ironed piled on the washer...I'm thankful for the freedom to pause and read my Bible and write in my journal, hold Joshua in my lap, and listen to "The Sound of Music" soundtrack ;) and to the rain outside watering my roses. God so tenderly loves us doesn't He.

So to end on a note as random the beginning's...

"Climb every mountain, search high and low
Follow every byway, every path you know.
Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream!

A dream that will need
all the love you can give,
Every day of your life
for as long as you live.

Climb every mountain, ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream!"

mmm...Nehemiah's dream: to see his people thriving in the LORD...
my dream...that Joshua will far surpass me in faith and love for Jesus!