fun at the park

Thanks to Larry and Susan Parks for helping us get a group shot on the greenway!

Jake's first swing time!
HE LOVED IT!!!!!!
Here with both Jake's and Sydney
I got to see the children I used to nanny for before my Jake was born. We had a good time at the park. My little Jake really seems to enjoy being around them. I think he is amazed at how animated they are.....hmm......maby time for siblings? :)

Spurgeon

I read from ''Beside Still Waters'' by Spurgeon this morning and really loved this passage. Thought I'd share.

''The way to a stronger faith usually lies along the rough path of sorrow. ONLY AS FAITH IS CONTESTED WILL FAITH BE CONFIRMED. I do not know if my experience is similar to all of God's people, but all the grace I have received in comfortable and easy times could lie on a penny. The good that I have received from sorrow, grief, and pain is incalculable. What do I not owe to the hammer and the anvil, the fire and the file? What do I not owe to the crucible and the furnace,the bellows that flamed the coals and the hand that thrust me into the heat? Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister's library. We may wisely rejoice in various trials, knowing that the testing of our faith produces patience(James 1:2-3). And through this we are exceedingly enriched and our faith grows strong. An old puritan said that if you go into the woods and you are very quiet, you will know whether there is a partridge, or a pheasant, or a rabbit in it. But when you move or make a noise, you soon see the living creatures. They rise or they run. When affliction comes into your soul and makes a disturbance and breaks your peace, your graces rise. Faith comes out of hiding and leaps from it's secret place. I remember Mr. William Jay saying that bird's nests are hard to find in the summer, but that anyone can find a bird's nest in the winter. When all the leaves are off the tree the nest's are highly visible. Often in prosperity we fail to find our faith. Yet when adversity comes, the winter of our trial bares the branches, and we immediately see our faith.
"Before I was afflicted I went astray'', said David, ''but now I keep your word.'' He found his faith was really there by keeping God's word in the time of affliction.''

Jake's room

Here are the pics of Jake's room. They would not fit on post before.

New dishes

I forgot to post pics of the dishes so here they are. The pics don't do them justice.They are very simple. Any suggestions on colors of napkins and I need to get napkin rings. I saw something on a craft website on making your own rings...I just might bust out some ''suzy housewife '' on ya'll and make them myself!!!!Scary. Any suggestions of what you all do to decorate and make your home purty is very welcomed and very needed! And here are some pics of Jake's room. Everything cool in there is either made by James or thought of by him, he is soooo creative. I feel like I need a bathing suit and sunblock when I go into his room.

So.....I have the best hubby ever! Not only did he take me out to the Melting Pot for fondu for our anniversary but, he surprised me with new dishes too! I had been thinking about starting with a nice formal looking dish set from target and had expressed a desire to start investing in finding deals on household decor.This new ''hobby'' of mine started by reading books on how we as women can bless our husbands/family with making our home more like heaven.It also was encouraging for a dear friend who excels in this area to take the time out to meet with me and give me pointers and ideas. I learn so much from her!......Anyway , come to find out that JAMES WAS LISTENING to all my ramblings about centerpieces and dishes and napkin rings and blah, blah, blah! He even surprised me with putting together a centerpiece idea I had told him about months ago!!!!I love him so much and too often I can assume uncharitably that he doesn't really care to hear about things like that...so, the dishes are BETTER than the target ones...they are from world market and are perfectly my style. they are white and kinda modern and formal like. What a nice surprise!
I did do something for him too, I snuck in to his car at work and trashed his car with balloons and sticky notes everywhere with little saying on them.He was very surprised...I know....his was better!!!!

Mommy is sooooo funny!

I was playing with Jake and snapped these.They are too cute so I had to share! He must really think I'm hilarious!

Jake's first Valentines Day!

This morning we met a lot of my friends for breakfast at chick-fil-a to partake of the cute little heart shaped biscuits they were serving. Then the older children played while the moms got in their morning chats. I hope we can make this a yearly tradition, we just might have to eventually rent the place out if everyone keeps getting pregnant! Rebecca if you read this I hope you and little Kathryn can join us next year! Although we might have to put a blocker on any more girls attending...the boys are being taken over!!!!!!!!!!