It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas!

Here are some pictures when we went to the Christmas parade with the Stewart's.

Deci and AnaRuth.

I Love Snow. If it's going to be cold I would like it to snow!

Making a Snowman

This is the picture I promised from my last post. This is Jessica, Deci and Holleigh in their brown boots. They danced around the living room to Christmas music. I don't know where my child got her love of dancing from but it sure wasn't me! I love it though! If we could all be as free as kids to do stupid stuff and not to care who is watching... like dancing in our pull-up and boots!

Oh, How He loves us so!

It snowed last week. Our first snow here in Alabama for the Winter and maybe our only snow. I think last Winter we got 2 snows. The snow is usually gone in hours. We built a snow man this year. This picture was taken the next day.

Deci was so proud of her snow man. I have better pictures on my camera. This is just from my cell phone. This morning we walked outside to leave for church (which was sooo good by the way) and Deci said, "Where's my snowman?" Did I mention that was a week ago.

Speaking of Church have I told you that my child thinks that Q lives at the Church. We pulled up at Church this morning and Deci screamed "Dada's House!"

So after Church is fun time with Holleigh and Jessica. I love Sundays so much (I use to hate them...if I can be honest) for so many reasons and now even more because I know after church I get to hang out with these two girls. This picture is a little blurry...ok, it hurts my eye's...it's a lot blurry but I like it.

This picture was from last Sunday when we spent the afternoon at my house and then went to Marvin's. Today we went to the Dairy Queen play ground and got ice cream then we went to hang out with my sister-in-law Kerrie. Oh, I almost forgot. First at my house Deci woke up and saw Jessica and Holleigh here so she turned on our musical Christmas lights and made them dance around the living room with her. They both had on brown boots so Deci went to get her brown boots. I took some pictures I'll post soon. All 3 girls in their brown boots.



Can I just tell you that I'm loving life right now. I'm just waiting for something to come out of left field and smack! Maybe I'll take a step back and see whats going on... My bible study last week was about how this world is not our home. I don't want to get so comfortable here that I forget that. I also know that we can enjoy this life that God has given us. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 I also was reminded this morning that “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it." Matthew 7:13-14 I know this life is can be difficult especially if we are on the narrow road but I know God wants us to enjoy following after Him. He is my everything and I know I am nothing without Him.



Ok...I love blogging. I know I'm random a lot...I know I post a lot of pictures...I know I have bad grammar....I just love blogging. I love reading other blogs too so if you follow any good one's let me know about them.

Next: My new favorite song that I can't stop singing!
"How He Loves" By: David Crowder

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane,
I am a tree, Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realise just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us, How He loves us all Yeah,
He loves us, Oh! how He loves us,
Oh!how He loves us, Oh! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets, When I think about, the way…

Going to Maw Maw's...

We had Date night last night and went with some friends to Huntsville. Quinton's mom (Maw Maw) offered to let Deci spend the night with her. Deci was so excited she couldn't sleep. I'm serious. The one thing that came to my mind was when I was younger and couldn't sleep the night before Santa Clause came. It was this same anticipation. Before nap I asked her if she wanted to go stay with Maw Maw and Paw Paw that night. She was so excited. Well, I told her that she needed to take a good nap and when she woke up that Maw Maw would be here to get here. I realize this was my first mistake. I laid her down at 1:00, which is a little later than usual. We did the whole nap-time routine. Read 2 books and then I laid beside her for "2-minutes" as she says but it's more like 30 seconds or 1 minute. I gave her a kiss and left her awake. Usually she reads to her babies then falls asleep after a few minutes. Yesterday at 1:30 I went back in there because she was screaming. She had ripped pages out of one of my favorite books!! Oh, I was so mad because we just went over not ripping pages out of her books that morning! I got on to her, took the books away and left. I reminded her that she needed to take a good nap so she could go see Maw Maw. She said, "Otay". 2:00 She is up playing in her room.... I go back in lay her down leave. 2:30 I go back in her room and realize she doesn't even look sleepy. How can this be? I ask her if she wants me to lay down with her. Another mistake, I know. She says, "otay". I say "Ok, then if I lay down with you, you have to be still." Deci: "Otay". Me: "You have to stay quite." Deci: "Otay." Me: "You need to take a nap". Deci: "Otay." silence....... Deci: "Where's Dada??" ahhhhhhhh!!!

I try again, I hold her still. I "pet" her face. I trace my fingers over her eyes to try to get her to fall asleep. She says "Pet me!" Then she starts giggling and "pets" my face. Ah, this isn't working. I warn her that I will leave if she doesn't be still and try to sleep. She starts arching her back, rolling around, talking... that's it! I leave her once more to scream. 3:00 I realize she isn't going to take a nap, for the first time in her 2-years she isn't going to take a nap. I open her door and let her come out of her room. 3:15 Maw Maw calls and saves the day and says that she's coming to get Deci early, if that will be ok. YES! I tell Deci and she jumps up and grabs her new strawberry shortcake suitcase and starts throwing stuffed animals in there. I help her pack and she rolls her suitcase to the door and waits for 15 minutes at the door for Maw Maw. When Maw Maw got there she rolled her suitcase out on the porch. First she gave me hugs and kisses. Closed the door herself. She didn't want me to follow. Lovely, it's starting already. She rolled her suitcase to the car, with no help. Maw Maw tried once when Deci hit some rocks but she shoved Maw Maws hand away. They got in the car and drove off. I'm still not sure if she got a nap or not. I left for my Date Night fun a few hours later relaxed knowing that my child was happy. She loves her Maw Maw. That makes date night easier! As much as I need breaks from her sometimes, I realize she needs breaks from me just as much! :)

PIctures of the week!

Me and Deci went to my mom's today to make Christmas Cookies!

We are trying to stay busy this week keeping our minds off the fact that Q is out of town for the week. :( Earlier this week we went to stay with my dad in Springville. He took us to see Santa but Deci wouldn't sit on his lap to get a picture. Then we went to buildabear workshop. Deci picked a cat to build, of course. She named it "Kitty Cat". We can't wait for Q to get home! We miss him. Today I asked Deci where she wanted to go. She said "To see Dada." I told her he was in Mexico and she said, "Yeah, to see Dada." I wish it was that easy.

Me and Hilde took Deci on her first Hike at the Guntersville State Park.

These next few are a preview to our Christmas cards. Me and my mom took Deci out to try to get a good shot for our Christmas card. I think I have a few picked out. I'll post them on here when I send out the cards.

Deci fell asleep the other day during her nap reading "Where the Wild Things Are." :)

Living a GREAT life...

"Every life is a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. People set out with grand dreams of changing the world, falling in love, doing something amazing. But the drift toward the merely acceptable happens almost without notice. That does not have to be our story." -Donald Miller A Million Miles in a Thousand Years


I am at the end of reading this book, A Million Miles In a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller. I love it. It has reminded me of so much of my life and the times in my life where I think, "This is the best day of my life." Do you ever do that? Do you ever have one of those days you don't ever want to forget. One of those days that you are doing the exact thing that you want to do. Most of mine happen outside. I think I'm a little weird about this. I try to explain it to people some times but I'm not sure they quite get what I'm saying but I live for these moments of thinking "this is the best day". I will tell you a few....



One of my younger ones was when my parents dug a pond in our back yard. I remember me, my mom, dad, and both brothers were outside and our parents let us wade out deep in knee high mud. I remember a year or so later going swimming in that pond. I would jump in and the catfish would nibble at my toes. I remember pretending the creek that ran into the pond was a slip-in-slide and sliding in the mud. We found a crawlfish that day...


I remember the first time I slept outside in our fort me and my brothers made. My older brother and cousin slept in their fort and I slept in a tent with my cats. I caught my hair on fire that night...



I remember being on a house boat with friends jumping off the top and being pulled on an inner-tube with all 5 (or 6) of us girls on that intertube at the same time....I remember thinking that was a good day....



I remember spending the day in Mentone with Q before we were dating thinking that I didn't want the day to end. I remember we found a Frisbee on top of a shed and Q held me up to get it. I remember taking a hike though the woods and laying beside Q leaning against a rock talking about life....



I remember playing ball in the streets of Ireland. I remember standing up in front of hundreds in Africa telling people about the time I asked Jesus into my heart. I could go on and on of memories that are the "this is the best day" but the sad thing is the older I get the less I have these days. I need to change that.


In Donald Millers book he talks about people who have made their stories great because they do great things. Their life is not their own. They live for their creator who makes their story what it is if they listen and obey. These people in the book do great things that impact other people. I want to impact other people, positively in a huge way. I borrowed this book but I wish it was mine to highlight parts and underline. I feel like I'm rambling and not making a lot of since. I wish I could share with you every story in the book. I wish I could share with you how he writes and makes me want to have an adventure everyday. I just think that life is worth living... We should have something to live for. I do. Go read the book! A Million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller

"I like those scenes in the Bible where God stops people and asks them to build an altar. You'd think He was making them do that for Himself, but I don't think God really gets much from looking at a pile of rocks. Instead, I think God wanted his people to build altars for their sake, something that would help them remember, something they could look back on and remember the time when they were rescued, or they were given grace." -Donald Miller

"We have to get up off the couch and turn the television off, we have to bow up the inner-tubes and head to the river. We have to write the poem and deliver it in person. We have to pull the car off the road and hike to the top of the hill. We have to put on our suits, we have to dance at weddings. We have to make altars." -Donald Miller

Pictures of the week...from my phone!

Wednesday We took Deci to Chuck E. Cheese. She loved it!

First we went to the Early Works Childrens Musem.

One day Deci told me she wanted to nap in her box....so I let her...nah, Just kidding I didn't let her but she wanted to.

Bubbles! I love this picture.

I love this tree!

Fall Reads!

It's been a while since I've posted anything. I've enjoyed not having the computer home the past week or so and I've picked up more books while Deci is asleep instead of spending all my time on the Internet. It's been quite nice and I'm really in a reading mood now so why not post my fall books...even though I guess Winter doesn't literally start for a while...you know me and my seasons. It's almost December and It just seems like in my mind December is Winter. :)



1. Just Beyond The Clouds By: Karen Kingsbury
This was one of the first one's I read this fall. It wasn't one from a book club or anything. I just Love Karen Kingsbury and wanted to read more of hers but this book is probably my least favorite of any I had read of her books. I think maybe the main thing is that I couldn't relate to the book. It was about a girl that had a down syndrome brother who was a teacher. She fell in love with someone who has a down syndrome sister. Very predicable ending.





2. A time to Dance By: Karen Kingsbury
This one was good. I recommend it if you are are struggling in your marriage and thinking about divorce. It starts off with a couple with kids that have lived together for years and they are wanting a divorce. It's sad because they really are in love but over the course of their life they start putting other things between their marriage and looking to feel loved by other things and then one day they wake up and realize they don't love each other anymore. It was good to read and remember not to let my marriage get to that place.



3. Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God By: Francis Chan
This was one of my Favorite books I read this fall. It's about the Love God has for us and how we are to have that love for other people in our life. Very convicting.



4. Murder on the Orient Express By: Agatha Christie
This was a book club book. I meet with a group of girls that have been my friends since high school once a month to have book club. I LOVE this time with them and it forces me to read books I wouldn't pick for myself. This one was pretty good. It wasn't predictable at all which I like. I was surprised by the ending.



5. True Believer By: Nicholas Sparks
This one I listened to on the way to the beach. It was insanely hard to listen to. It was my least favorite by Nicholas Sparks. I usually love his books but this one was sooooo slow! Very predictable. I didn't like the story line. I guess it didn't help that it was my first book to listen to.

6. Through Painted Desserts: Light, God, and Beauty on the Open Road. By: Donald Miller
I liked this book..but that's about it. This book is about Donald Miller and his road trip. He tells some interesting stories but the whole time I'm wondering who this guy is to think that people want to read about his life. My husband loves him and has read most of his books and says this one he didn't like. This was my first one of Donald Miller books so I'm hoping that I'll like the next one.



7. South of Broad By: Pat Conroy
Oh, I feel so negative about my Fall reads but I have to say that this one was VERY disturbing. It bothered me for at least a week after I read it. I'm very sheltered I guess you can say and things bother me. I loved the characters and I liked the story line for the most part. There were just a few surprises in the book that took me for a loop! This was another book club pick.

8. The Rescuer (O'Malley #6) By: Dee Henderson
This one I wanted to read because it finished the O'Malley series for me that I struggled to read. The first 2 books I really liked but after that they were pretty much the same. A Christian character falls in love with a non-christian character and by the end of the book they are both Christians and they live happily ever after. I do love the other story line besides the romance part. The characters all have very important jobs and something is always going on and you can never predict whats going to happen with their jobs. Glad to be done with that Series!


9. Under the Overpass: A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America By: Mike Yankoski
Ok, now to the positive! This is my favorite book from the Fall! My sister-in-law recommended this one to me and I'm so glad. It really changed the way I look at homeless people, well, people in general. It broke my heart to have more compassion. To really treat people the way they deserve. To try to see people like Jesus sees people. To see inside their heart. To take time and care, to really care for people. Man, I have a long way to go. I probably should read this again and again and again.


10. Shades of Blue By: Karen Kingsbury
This was my pick for book club and I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Maybe because all the reviews were giving this one a 5 out of 5. Saying it was Karen Kingsburys best book. I personally like The Redemption series by her. This one was slow and very predictable. I was on edge too because it was my pick and I wanted it to be good and my expectations were not met. I did cry though in this book. It's about a guy about to get married realizes that he needs to go back to his high school girlfriend and ask forgiveness for somethings in his past. I won't give too much away. I know some of my book club girls are still reading.






Currently Reading:



11. A million Miles in a Thousand Years By: Donald Miller
I actually just picked this one up today. I can't wait to start...my second Donald Miller book.


12. Hoping for Something Better By: Nancy Guthrie
This is one that I'm doing with My mentor Lisa (www.lisa_writes.blogspot.com) and my friend Jenifer. We are a little over 1/2 way. It's a study of Hebrews. It's been challenging and the questions are sometimes hard to figure out what exactly she is asking but it's been good to be challenged and to dig deeper into the Bible.

Q's hair!

So, Q is growing his hair out for Locks of Love. Awesome thing to do and maybe one day I'll be patient enough to let my hair get long enough so when I cut it off my hair won't be really short. (I look horrible with short hair) Q says that ladies come up to him all the time and say that women would kill for his hair. I would like to meet these ladies because if I can be honest his long hair drives me crazy! He knows it drives me crazy and he is doing it for a good cause so I try not to complain about it too much. The other day he said that he was going to keep growing it out even after it got to the 10 inch requirement length. I would like him to cut it as soon as possible. So I came up with a poll. Do you think that Q should keep his long hair or cut it off? Which do you like better? Here is a picture of how I like it best...keep in mind that He is extra cute here holding Deci when she was a newborn. :) The poll is on the top right side of the blog. Let us know what you think! (In the post below there is a picture of him now with longer hair and just to let you know when we measured it last it was at 9 inches!!!)

In Everything Giving Thanks!

My Friend Lisa is giving Thanks everyday this month on her blog to Celebrate November/Thanksgiving. (She got the idea from her Friend whose blog you can get to by Lisa's blog.) http://lisa-writes.blogspot.com/ I don't get on here enough to do this everyday but I thought I would do one big Thankful Blog. so here goes...

1. I am first of all Thankful for Jesus being my rock and comforter. The one who knows my flaws and loves me anyways. I could go on and on but I am very thankful that He is in charge over my life and I don't have to be!

2. My WONDERFUL Husband, Q! I chased this man for 7 years and I can say today that He loves me more than I love him! He has more patience with me than I could ask for. He puts up with a lot from me but He still loves me and I am very thankful! It's a comforting feeling to know that I can trust my husband 100%. I am so glad that he works hard, 2 jobs, so I can stay at home with Deci. I am thankful that He loves our daughter too!

3. I am so thankful for our daughter, December who we prayed almost 2-years for before she came into our lives. We are so blessed to have such a beautiful child that came out of two people who look like we do! I am so thankful for all the hugs and kisses she so freely gives now because I know one day she will be "too cool" for that. I am so thankful that I get to stay at home with her everyday!




4. I am so Thankful for my family...all of you! I am thankful for how I was raised and all the great childhood memories I have. I think I had the best childhood of anyone! I am Thankful for the family I married into, especially because I have a sister now! I am Thankful for grandparents that Deci has, especially when they keep Deci for me so Me and Quinton can get away! I am thankful for my brothers who taught me how to build an awesome tree house when I was younger and for teaching me how to enjoy the outdoors! I hope Deci always loves playing outside more than she does inside!

5. I am Thankful for my Church and Church family! I Love having a church to go to where I don't dread Sunday mornings. I'm actually very excited about going! I love the people there, they really are like family. I know they have our backs and I know they will help us out if we ever need them.



6. I am so thankful for my friends! New friends and Old friends. I know I am not a very good friend. I'm dramatic and over the top at times. I love to talk and sometimes I talk too much. I can also be very selfish and my dear friends you love me anyways and I am sooo thankful for that! There is nothing better than to have an hour/night/weekend with girlfriends. I need you in my life to keep me girlie! I love y'all!


7. My friend and Mentor who meets with me and Jennifer on Friday mornings and pours her life and knowledge into us! It's so great to have someone encouraging me to grow in my faith. Especially for us two pastors wives who don't know as much as we should about the bible! Thanks Lisa! http://lisa-writes.blogspot.com/





8. I am thankful for Fall and the weather that comes with Fall! I love this time of year! I go back and forth every year about whether I love Fall or Spring the best of all seasons but today, after 3 long days of playing outside, I Love the fall the best!



I am so thankful for so many things but if this post gets any longer no one will read it! :) Join us on your blog for what you are thankful for!! Have a Happy November!

Halloween Fun

I got Deci ready to Trick-or-Treat at my Mom's house and across the street is this lovely field with Hay Bails. I have an obsession with fields and hay bails. I think they are beautiful. So we got Deci ready and went out to take some pictures.

After we headed to the church for the Halloween Hoopla! There were TONS of people there but it was so much fun!

Next, We dropped off Deci with Maw Maw and Paw Paw Crow to spend the night and we went to hang out with some old friends from high school. We played the game Taboo, watched YouTube videos, ate a Ton of food (but left with a whole crock pot of Rotel Dip), Played Guitar Hero and stayed up way too late! I took a few pictures but had a hard time getting them on here for some reason but here is one of me and the hostess Kaydee. Check out her website at www.kaydeeroden.com

Side note: I have been a lazy blogger lately. I've been posting lots of pictures and no stories. If you are my Facebook friend you will see a lot of the same pictures so it may be pointless for you to read my blog but I am going to try to post more stories (along with my pictures) soon. I don't think I've told about how my child locked me out of the house one day while I was cleaning. Also they day that my child spayed Lysol in her eyes! Yes, Please don't call DHR. I do watch my child. I was trying to deal with a Mold problem in the house so my child doesn't have respiratory problems the rest of her life. I was spaying the house with bleach and Deci wanted to do the same so she got the Lysol. She spayed her eyes before I could take it away. I panicked and washed her eyes out with water. She was soaked! I was ready to take her to the ER when I read the back of the Lysol bottle and it just said mild irritation to the eyes! Whew! She didn't even cry...except when I was pouring water over her face. :)

Flashback...

All of these pictures, except the last one, are from last year in October....2008 Flashback...

This first one is when Deci got her Cow for her birthday from Josh and Marcie. She was so excited!

Riding in her "Big Girl" car seat for the first time!

She was a cat...it's kinda hard to tell from this picture.

Our one year old...Wow, time flies!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Infertility

Many of you know that it took us a while to get pregnant. It seems I have come across so many people lately that are having infertility problems and I wanted to share a blog that a friend of mine gave me to give another friend. Maybe it will help some of y'all out there trying to get pregnant. Her blog is http://www.whilewaitingiwillworship.blogspot.com/ I don't know her but I've read a lot of her post and it's very encouraging. I think something like this would have encouraged me while I was also trying to get pregnant.

Pictures of the week!

Once again, I was in too big of a hurry and put my pictures in reverse order!! It drives me crazy and pushes me to tell the horrible story first...so here goes...

So... I've ran over 3 things in the past month. First I was parked at Matt and Jennifer Brooks house. They have two boys that Deci adores! She calls them "My Boys". Anyways, I had to move my car into the yard. Me and Jenn left to go to Wal-mart in her car. An hour or so later I got back to get Deci and leave and when I did I ran over one of the boys bikes. It really didn't mess anything up too bad. Next I ran over Deci's Red Waggon that she got for her birthday last year from Q's dad. I cried when I ran over this one. I had to call Q to come home to help me get it out from under the car. It was smushed! Luckily it popped back into place...somewhat. The wheels were really messed up but Pop's is working on that and it will be close to good as new in no time...well...close enough.

Ok, this next one is hard for me to talk about and probably hard for some of you to read. Saturday morning Q told me that he left his keys at work and that I was going to have to take him to work. I had just got out of the shower so my hair was wet. He had to be there in 15 minutes so he was rushing me. (I blame all this on him...just so I feel a little better) So, we rushed out into the 40 degree weather with wet hair. Usually I put Deci in the Car and then get in myself and the Kitten, Socks, runs up on the porch when I crank the car.... do you know where this is going... Anyways, this morning we were hurrying and so I jumped in cranked the car. Q put Deci in the car seat all the while Socks was right beside Q's feet outside the door. He picked Socks up and tossed it towards the porch and jumped in the car where I backed up... Then Q noticed what I had done. Socks had ran back towards the car without us noticing. It was horrible! Words cannot express what I felt at that moment. I cried the whole way to drop Q at work. Not because I was attached to the cat yet because to be honest I wasn't yet but just for the fact because I was so frustrated about having to get out in the cold with wet hair and that Q had left his keys at work that I didn't slow down and think about what I was doing. Also the fact that it was Deci's first pet. She has only asked for him once since and I told her that he went bye bye to go find some friends. Anyways, that was a long story but here is my farewell picture of Socks.

Carving Pumpkins with Kerrie and Wade.

This is a picture I took after Kerrie gave me some simple advice about my camera. She just got a new Nikon camera that's better than mine but similar. Well, lets just face it...a lot of cameras have this option but I had no idea! I'm camera illiterate! I don't have a manual with my camera and I really could use one. Well, this picture was taken with the switch/dial set on the flower picture. That way when you take a picture of something up close (like a flower) the background is out of focus. I was excited to learn something new. It doesn't take much!

This was at my mom's house the week before Deci's birthday party. We were painting gourds to decorate for the party.