First Day!

Well, say goodbye to summer vacation because off we went to the 1st day of school this morning. I ALWAYS get a picture of the kids right before walking out the door on the 1st day. Rebecca (going into 3rd grade and school being old hat now) moaned a bit when I pulled out the camara. Oh well...she'll understand one day. Andrew was so excited about his 1st day of 1st grade. He came into my room this morning at 5:30...(boy takes after his daddy on that) and crawled into the bed with me. I hoped (to no avail) that he would fall back asleep and I could enjoy the last sweet hour of sleep before being awakened by the alarm. Instead, we spent the hour talking about 1st grade and having desks instead of tables and Mrs. Folsom and the new kids in his class and his new bookbag and his new shoes and... and ... and...! :) Although I'm a little tired this afternoon, that hour with him was precious and I even got a little sappy (which if you know me, is quite uncommon) thinking how fast the years would fly by and I wouldn't have my sweet boy cuddled up to me sharing his thoughts, excitements and fears!

Rebecca was even up by 6:30 and I was afraid that I would have to drag her out of bed since she slept until 8:30 or 9:00 all summer! With all of us up early, I jumped into super mom mode (again, not my style) and made everyone omlettes! They enjoyed them so much that I didn't break the news that next week, we'll probably be back to cereal and maybe a piece of fruit! After they were safe in their new classroom, I met some friends (other moms who had just dropped off kids) for breakfast. We had such a great time!

Since I had already started the day with a bang, I decided to keep it up. So, before going to pick up the kids, I packed up the beach bag, boogie boards, shovels & pails and changed into my swimsuit for a surprise trip to the beach. I was so proud of myself because I was sure to be nominated for mom of the year after today. Well, God must have thought that I needed to be brought down a notch or 2 because about 1/2 way to the school (I only live about 3 miles away...), it started to drizzle. ...just a summer shower, it will be gone by the time I get there... well, by the time I got there, it was pouring. Teachers were using golf umbrellas to walk the kids to the cars. When Rebecca & Andrew got into the car, Andrew asked "why are you dressed like that?" thinking that his mom must surely have lost all sense to be in a swimsuit and cover up when clearly we were in the middle of a thunder storm!

So now we're home, I'm typing this blog and they're watching cartoons on pbs.

God's Blessings

Well, today my parents are celebrating 37 years of marraige. It is so awesome to see firsthand how 2 people (who, I promise, could not be more different) have stayed together in an age where divorce is so accepted. I have seen them walk through just about every hardship and trial possible and come out on the other side stronger and better because of it. Because of my wonderful parents and their shining example, there is nothing that Charles & I could face that would cause me to walk away from the vow that I made to him and God. Thanks mom and dad.. I love you more than you'll ever know!

Before I close, I want to ask you to keep Chris & Shelley Talbott in your prayers. They were blessed on Friday with a beautiful baby girl. They learned that she has Trisomy 13 which has a grim prognosis. We know that we serve a God Who is so much bigger than our minds can comprehend. There is a link on my page to their blog (The Talbotts). Please read their story and you will see how they have put everything into God's hands. They are a true testimony of faith during the hardships that we face as married couples. Please leave them comments of encouragement and most of all pray for their sweet family as they walk through the days to come.

Go See This Movie!!

On September 26, a movie called Fireproof will open. It stars Kirk Cameron and was made by the same people who made Facing the Giants (which if you haven't seen that one, it is great!) Anyway, Fireproof is about a fireman (Kirk Cameron) who is struggling in his marriage. In a day where movies (especially the romantic drama type) are filled with language and non-Biblical views of sex, it is so exciting to see a movie coming out that praises marriage and the idea of working through struggles instead of bailing.

I can't wait to check out this film! I must tell you, though, that when I was in high school, I was confident that I would marry Kirk Cameron (along with every girl my age, I'm sure). While I am now well over my infatuation with him and so totally in love with Charles, I am still very excited about seeing one of my childhood heart-throbs starring in such an inspirational film.

Charles & I lead a small group at church which consists of married couples and we focus a lot on marriage and relationships so this topic is near and dear to my heart. I hope that everyone will take time during the opening weekend of this movie to go see it. Because it is a Christian movie and a lower budget movie, the turnout opening weekend will determine how long it stays at theatres. As Christians, let's take a stand and show Hollywood that while we love the entertainment of seeing a movie, we want more that are uplifting and family oriented! I am posting a link to see the trailor preview for it.

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/