Family Time

It's Cotton Pickin' Time!

We took a family day on Sunday and went to the Cotton Pickin Fair in Gay, Georgia. We had a great day and God blessed us with beautiful weather and sweet memories. Claudia was so excited to wear this outfit...and it was bittersweet for me because while I think she looks adorable, how I miss the little girl outfits she used to wear! She was very pretty and comfy so she was a happy girl!

She has just grown up and changed so much. I'm so thankful for healthy children who are blessed with growing and changing. Chad and I both enjoyed them so much on Sunday!

Cooper was super happy to get a train ride, a trip to the bounce house, and a wooden car. He was also excited to buy cotton candy for Claudia. He really wanted to buy some...he just didn't want to eat any...so he bought some for her!

We went to Newnan afterwards to pick up what I needed to make birthday invitations. Miss Claudia is about to have a birthday...again...man they seem to be coming much faster than her parents would like. But as I said before, we sure are so THANKFUL she is healthy and getting to enjoy each birthday. Every birthday is such a gift from the Lord, no matter how old you are! We ate at Taco Mac for the first time and we really liked it. We tried to eat outside but it was too cold...can I get a hallelujah! I am so thankful for fall weather around here!

We are smack in the middle of another busy week, nothing like last week, but still busy. I went to my National Boards class in Jacksonville last night so that makes for a long night. I miss the kids and Chad so much when I know they are home at night and I am not. This secures to me that I cannot go back to school right now. This class is just a support class/mentoring class for National Boards candidates. It is not required but it sure is helpful. 3 of us go and we have lots of laughs and share each others stress on the drive up and back. I woke up at 4AM this morning, thanks to Cooper giving me a swift kick in the face, and could not go back to sleep. I immediately started worrying about my boards and all that I have to accomplish between now and March 31st and it almost made me physically ill. I just had to get up and try to stop letting it consume me. I know that God will work it all out and handle every detail for me. I am going to trust Him to use every bit of this to glorify Him! If it cannot glorify Him, there is really no point in me being a part of it to start with.

When I was ironing I listened to a sermon on truly enjoying your life. The point was that Jesus came and died to give us life and to give us life more abundantly. I am bad to think "I will relax and enjoy every thing when..." but when that when gets here there will always be something else because Satan's mission is to steal my joy. I do not want to give him that power in my life. I want to truly have a joyful heart and attitude and to enjoy everything about my life...including the chores and all the things that keep us running in circles. I really need God to work on my heart in that area. I need to be so much more like Him and I really need to put on the attitude of Christ. Lately I feel so overwhelmed and those who suffer are the precious ones who live with me. They do not deserve a mommy or wife who is short tempered or irritable all the time. They deserve for me to be Jesus to them at home. If I cannot feel like I am Jesus to the ones I love the most then how can I be His hands and feet to someone else? I am praying that God will work in my heart and help me to be more like Him to my family. The amazing, wonderful, holy thing about the Lord is how He is always listening and He wants to help me. He wants me to be more like Him because then I will be closer to Him, desire more of Him, and develop a stronger dependency on Him. And that is so what I want...