Red Envelope

Here is my envelope:

back of envelope front of envelope

Today is the day that we are to send a red envelope to the President of the United States to show our unwillingness to allow abortion to take place without a fight. Our God tells us this in His word:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. ~Jeremiah 1:5

He is the same God today as was was yesterday.

Speak out... to the Lord and to the Nation. We sometimes feel as though an act such as this is futile... but we are God's people and Americans.... we have a right to speak and show our thoughts and beliefs.
For more information go to The Red Envelope Project

Reflecting...

The past couple of days have been sort of weird. They have been the sort of days where you just step back and look at your life to re-evaluate everything. Don't get me wrong, nothing special or necessarily "bad" has happened these past couple of days: God is just really working in my life, and in my marriage. My love for Cal grows stronger daily and as our daily walk with God continues to grow and flourish- our love for each other only strengthens. We have been going through some tough situations lately that have really been weighing on our hearts and dragging our emotions through the muck. Through these tough situations, our love only seems to grow stronger and our friendship is much more inhanced. I know that situations such as these sometimes wear and tear on a relationship- but thank God- HE is only making it better. Please be in prayer for my family. God is going to bless us immensely- I am SURE of that. Please also be in prayer for my mother as she continues her journey with her issues with her heart. She is the strongest person that I know- I am so proud of her! ONE more request for prayer: My cousin, Jessi, is being deployed for Iraq. She is just a little girl ya'll! I remember holding her and burping her when she was a baby. How could this be? I pray for her safety as she takes this journey!

Onto ANOTHER topic:

Who watches American Idol? Who are you pulling for? I think I am all about Adam at this point! He is pretty cute too- I'm just not too sure about the hair and the black fingernails! ha! Who do you think will win???

Oh---- and for all of the "advice" I have been getting lately- this is what I think of it: (I thought this was hillarious) haha:

OH MY!!!- MY 1st blog award!

A new blog friend Terri at The Four Scarbary's has surprised me with the Lemonade Award! I am so excited! Teri is an amazing woman of God. She has 2 cute kiddos, and a seperate blog to share her moments with God. Be sure and check her out...

Now I am ready for some good ole lemonade.....Here are a few rules.....
1.Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post
2.Nominate at least 10 blogs that show great attitude or gratitude
3.Link to your nominees within your post
4.Let the nominees know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog
5.Share the love and link to the person from who you received your award
And my Lemonade Award goes to.....

1. The Haymans

2. The Hills by the Hill

3. To a T

4. Life at the White House

5. The Faulkner's

6. The Wigton's

7. The Peterson's

8. Birmingham Bower's

9. The Roger's Family

10. The Sproule Family

WHAT. A. PRISS

This picture needs no words.... it is a picture that was put up on the website at the Pink Paw Pet Spa- the place where Ava had a spa week while we were in Charleston! bahahaha

I've been Tagged!

I was tagged by Tiffany at To a T for this wonderful, fun one.

Wasn't that nice of her?

If you’re reading along with me, your instructions:

1. Find your sixth picture folder and in that folder, the sixth picture

2. Post it on your blog with some of the background of the picture

3. Tag four others and leave a comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Here's mine:

Here is my 6th picture in my 6th picture folder. Background of picture: We were doing a photo shoot on the playground and this was the "SILLY" picture...I absolutely LOVE this picture- it was closer to the beginning of the year- my they have grown since this picture was taken.

I TAG: Nicole, Mrs. Newlywed , Katie , and Leah

Please PRAY! --- (and Larry the Leprechaun!)

Well guys...it's Monday, and I usually participate in "NOT ME Monday" from this blog:

Here is the link for "Not Me" Monday (go check it out):

BUT- today I will not be doing the "not me's"- instead I will be on my knees praying for Stellan:

click HERE to read his story:

He is in the ER right now with heart problems and desperately needs our prayers. Get on your knees!

Onto a much lighter note: LARRY THE LEPRECHAUN came to visit our classroom while we were gone on spring break.... OH MY GOODNESS! He made a terrible mess, lost his shoe, and even left us a note and a picture of himself. Check out some of the pictures from this morning when the kids walked in the find the mess that LARRY THE LEPRECHAUN left for them over the break- it was WAY too funny!!!

VERY serious!clean up the leprechaun's mess and find that shoe!!!! Here is one of the letters that the kids left "Larry" to let him know where to find the lost shoe when he comes back tonight.

Translation:

"We found your shoe and do not leave a mess again OK. It is on top of the hampster's cage. Love, Capra"

Gotta Love em'----kids are way too much fun to work with AND get paid for it! LOVE my job!

Lazy Daze!!!! Spring is here!

We are enjoying our lazy week off from work. Cal and I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday and then sat out on the swing for several hours just talking and enjoying the day

Ava enjoyed the sunny day too!

When we came in we made our little Easter tree to start celebrating the Easter season!
Happy Spring everybody!!!!!

Charleston...

Here is the slideshow of pics as promised... I hope you are all having a great week...we are relaxing in Bham after our GREAT vacation!! much love...

Charleston: The Holy City!

Cal and I are in Charleston until Tuesday. Cal had an interveiw at MUSC on Saturday and we extended our vacation until Tuesday. I am taking tons of pics that I will make a slideshow of when we get back and put up on the blog. I'll give a short run-down of what we have done so far...

On Friday night, we went to 82 Queen (click on pic to read about restaurant):Then had after dinner drinks at the Library roof top bar at the Vendue Inn:

On Saturday, Cal headed off to his interview at around 7 a.m. and I relaxed, beautified and went shopping at the Market and King Street:

The Market: King Street:
We took a long nap after Cal got back from his interview, then got all dressed up and went to dinner at S.N.O.B: (click on picture to see restaurant)After dinner at S.N.O.B- we went to check out a few local bars- we went by Tommy Condons and several other places that were completely packed due to St. Patty's day...so we went back to the rooftop bar from the night before and had a great time listening to the little acoustic band there.

This morning, Sunday, we went to have Sunday Brunch at Poogan's Porch:(click on picture to read about restaurant- it was amazing!)We had a carriage come to pick us up from brunch and took us on a historical tour around Charleston. This city is amazing with so much history! We are now back in the room resting up for cocktails at the Market Pavillion Rooftop and dinner at Peninsula Grille tonight!!! We are having a blast. Charleston is known as the "Holy City" on the water.... there is a distinct reverence for Christ in this city and you can feel it wherever you go. I will post more updates soon!

pray....

I've missed posting a blog for about 3 days...wow...We have been super busy. Update of our crazy week: Cal went to Gainesville on tuesday and I hosted a Bible study at our house, then I had a doctor's appt, a girls night out and had to pick up Cal from the airport at 10:30 p.m. on wednesday and on top of all of that we were frantically trying to get ready to leave for Charleston on Friday morning.

***For all of my prayer warriors that read my blog-

please PRAY for my mom. They found fluid on her heart and she is now going to see an interventional cardiologist in Jackson on Monday morning....we are thankful for Cal's dad helping us get an appointment for her so speedily. I know that the Lord is putting her on the right path to a speedy recovery.

On another note:

Here are a few pictures from sips and strokes (girl's night out on wednesday) Sips and strokes is a place in bham where you can take your bottle of wine and paint... It is SOOOO much fun!

Ale' painting her masterpeice!

Areta and Lissette

Please also PRAY for Cal!!! He is interviewing today for cardiology fellowship at MUSC. He is going to do great I know.... just say a little prayer for him today!

If you are wondering where Ava is while we are in Charleston...well....THIS is where she is staying!

This is her room....haha! I honestly am not sure if she is going to want to come home after all of this royal treatment! haha!

Gigantic Giveaway!

I found the blog Be Thou a Knight through Kelly's Korner and my heart went out to the creator of the blog Lianna, she and her husband have been trying to have a baby for 3 years now and their insurance does not cover all of the infertility procedures and medications. They have to come up with $10,000 to try IVF and become the parent that they know God means for them to be.

She is doing a huge giveaway and will put your name in a drawing to win a fabulous prize package if you donate to their very worthy cause. Please go visit her site and make a donation. Here is the paypal donation fund clicker:

Check out her site for some great giveaways and make sure to donate a little- even 5$ will help!

Also, please keep this family in your prayers- The Bevins Family- they have lost 2 children in the past several years and they brought thier baby girl, Tess, home only to have the birth mother change her mind the same day that they got her home. This family is experiencing tremendous loss, and I know that they covet our prayers during this time.

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Here are my NOT ME's!

I did not sit in the sun and read Twilight all afternoon and not get ANYTHING done in my house! NOT ME!

I did not go to get a pedicure with an old friend and shortchange my tip because the guy cut my toes all up with his cuticle clipper. NOT ME!

I did not sit on my back porch and have a toddy with my old friend Kenzo until midnight on Saturday night and then sleep in on Sunday... NOT ME!

I did not take a sick day from work to go see my family in KY- then spend the whole day shopping in Lexington with cousins... NOT ME!

I did not eat fried chicken and sweet potato fries with no abandon yesterday and then sleep in and miss my cycling class this morning.... NOT ME!

I did not go to bed at 7:30 yesterday afternoon like a little old lady and then watch Desperate Housewives and Bewitched until 10:00.... NOT ME!

I'm not sitting on the computer- playing on my blog for "Not Me" Monday- when I really should be doing some paperwork......NOT ME!

Feeling Fancy!!!

Just a little something to brighten your day:

Today is "Dress like your favorite book character day" at school. I'm sure most of you have heard of the children's book "Fancy Nancy"- if you haven't- well- Nancy is just plain fancy! I have a little girl in my class that could seriously BE the character of fancy Nancy- she is just that- she is FANCY! haha!

Well- she is FANCY Nancy today- and Oh what a sight! SO CUTE!~

Here are some of the other book characters that graced our school with their presence today! So much fun!!!

Heading to the Blue Grass!

Cal and I are heading to KY this afternoon! Cal has an interview for a cardiology fellowship at UK and I am going with him to see my family! I have cousins in Lexington that I haven't seen since our wedding- WOW- that has been forever! I'm going to die when I see the kids- I know I will- little Macy was in our wedding and was still just a little girl- now she is a teenager! She is turning 13 next Monday. I'm so excited to go have a little birthday celebration with her!! I found recent picture of the kids on thier mom's facebook and I'm trying to psyche myself out to see grown up kids now that look like this and not the little kids that I saw 3 years ago...wow they have gotten big!This is Miss Macy- last time I saw her- she didn't have braces- she still had a baby face and sweet little hugs ( I'm sure she still has those) :) She is growing into such a beautiful young lady- beautiful on the inside and out!

This is Jake- the last time I saw him- he was still a LITTLE boy- now look at this handsome little heartbreaker! He even has a cute little hair-style! SO grown up!!!This is Telissa- My cousin Tim's wife- She is amazing! I'll never forget the first time I met her- I was probably about Macy's age and I remember being in awe of how beautiful she is! I hope I can be as cool of a mom as she is! She is so much fun!!!Here is the rest of the family- (from left to right) Uncle Steve (he is really my cousin)- his father and my grandfather were twins- his house was 2 houses down from my father and so my father and Steve grew up like brothers- so he has just always been "Uncle Steve". Macy on the boat, Tim- (Steve's son- my cousin), Jake(on the boat), and I'm not sure who the person in the orange shirt is??

Interesting fact: "Uncle" Steve was the personal dentist for King Fahd in Saudi Arabia for years and years- he finally made it back to the states shortly after 9/11. We are so glad that he is back and I know that he is glad to be back to watch his grand-babies grow!

We can't wait to see you Reid family!!!! We miss you so much!!!

Getting to Know You!

If you have a blog and would like to participate in this- I thought it sounded like a great idea!
It's more fun to write when somebody is reading, right? Sometimes we stumble upon a blog and we say, "Where have you been all of my blogging life!" I do that sometimes too. So, here's what I'd like to do so that you can get some new visitors to check you out and you and the rest of us can find some new blogging friends that we will decide we can't live without.
Click on this button to link you to the blog "Dancing Barefoot" to read the directions: This looks like a great way to get to know other bloggers.

My Cup Runneth Over

Cal's mother Suzan and Grandmother (Cal's Dad's mother) came to visit this weekend. We had dinner here Friday night and then woke up on Saturday and had a nice morning drinking coffee and telling stories. Grandmother always inspires me with her testimony and faith in Christ. I always love hearing her stories and the missions for Christ that she accomplishes in her community. We then went to Hobby Lobby while Cal was at work and had a blast. Cal got off work around noon and we took them to eat at the Bham favorite "Zoe's" then went to see my school and classroom. After the eventful day, Grandmother, Suzan and I went for a nice walk around the neighborhood then came back to freshen up for dinner. We went to "Little Savannah" for dinner- it was amazing!!! This Sunday was the 1st Sunday of Lent and it was very special to take communion with Suzan and Grandmother. Grandmother cried and said that she hopes and prays that Cal and I live long enough to take communion with our grandchildren one day. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "My cup runneth over". Of course, I couldn't hold back the tears either. Grandmother and Suzan: "Our cups runneth over"- We love you and we appreciate the effort that you both made to come and spend time with us.

SNOW came to Bham this morning! I felt like a little kid at Christmas!!!

Of Course- we HAD to build a snowman- I can't remember the last time I built one- it was so much fun- Cal and I acted like little kids throwing snowballs and rolling snowballs in the snow!

Our House- with Kaleb (our neighbor's little boy) running through the yard!Grandmother, Me and Suzan before church We HAD to make Snow-ice-cream this morning! So much fun!!!!

Ava had some too! yummy!!!

You can't see it very well in the picture- but we got almost 3 inches of snow!!!