Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve pics

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house as we do every year and had such a great time. Bear with all the pictures - hey, I have time to make up for!


My sisters and our Mama. Jennifer said she didn't get the red memo.
Anthony is crazy about his Uncle Jon.

We were happy to have Brent with us this year. He and Savannah enjoy aggravating each other.

My sweet grandpeeps.Oh how I love them!

My sweet sisters and their husbands - who are also sweet!


It was Connor's year to put the star on top of the tree.

He enjoyed his moment of celebrity!

Graham got a tractor from MiMi and Old Paw - wonder how they knew what he liked. :)

Anthony got a BB gun!!!! He was excited.

My nephew Brian loves to read and when he opened up the Hunger Games trilogy he grinned from ear to ear - until I said,"Oh Brian, I am reading that too right now - we can have a book club!!!" He looked like he wanted to throw them in the fireplace.

Sydney - our fashionista- loved her boots.

Rachel and her American Girl doll.

The boys wanting PawPaw to look at their tractors.


Our little Santa!

Did I mention Christine is GOING TO BE OUR NEW DAUGHTER-IN-LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More on that news later. Love you Christine - happy birthday tomorrow!


Baby girl loves her older brothers and sister. She is like her momma and is happiest when the house is full of them She has been pouting because they will all be somewhere else in the morning.


 So she is stuck with Momma and Daddy!
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BELIEVE

I'm baaacccckkkkkkk!!!!!! Long couple of months but back to blogging I will go.

Christmas Eve! It seems hard to imagine we are here already. Time goes so quickly. As I sat this morning during my quiet time and thought back over the last couple of weeks one recurring theme comes to my  mind - BELIEVE.  People go to such measures to get their children to believe in the magic of Santa Claus. (please no one misunderstand- we love us some santa around here. He still visits my grown children and they all moved a long time ago!) Parents wrack their minds to come up with innovative places to hide elves every night just so their babies will thrill at the expectation of the visit to come. We have done all sorts of things from leaving reindeer footprints, notes from Santa, letters and videos from Santa, emails from Santa..... on and on are the lengths to which we will go for our children to BELIEVE that they were visited by Santa. We want our children to experience something magical and we work hard to make it happen.

Question for you - What if we went to the same measures to get people to BELIEVE in the GIFT OF CHRISTMAS- Jesus Christ? What would happen to our families, communities, churches? Interesting thought for me this morning.

What does God's word have to say about believing? Glad you asked :)

1. John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2.John 1:12

 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

3. Matthew 21:22

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer

4.Luke 1:45

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

5.John 3:18
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

6.John 3:36

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

7.Mark 11:24

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

8.Mark 9:23
‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

This is the kind of belief I desire. A belief that has something promised at the end of it. I don't want the magic of belief to end after one morning. I want to stop being like the man who said to Jesus, "I do believe, Help me with my unbelief!" I want it down in my soul that believe is a verb and faith will always be its object. God's word shows us over and over the blessings of belief. That is how He is, giving us a promise if we will just believe. He is so good and loving. But more importantly He is faithful. He fulfills his promises ALWAYS.

If we just believe......................................................................... HIM.

Merry Christmas! May you and your families celebrate the reason for the season and be filled with the magic of Christmas that is Jesus Christ.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Getting her Groove Back


Baby girl has had a tough racing season. She has had one injury after another, a terrible cold and was pulled from several races. Her time has been very slow and she has been awfully discouraged. Our state meet is one week away and she was in danger of losing her spot. Only the top seven runners get to compete at the state level. After running state last year she was going to be incredibly disappointed if she didn't make it. However...... in the last two weeks she has gotten faster and faster. She has shaved five minutes off her time from two weeks ago - Phenomenal!!!!! This weekend was our big District meet - the last race we have before state. Baby girl was only 14 seconds away from beating her own personal record. We are so proud of her!

She had some of her favorite fans come out to watch her yesterday:



The girls have this little ritual they do right before they race to get themselves all pumped up. They are so much fun to watch.

Love watching her run. :)

Two of her toughest critics are two of her biggest cheerleaders - Her big brothers. They want her to be her very best and encourage her as only siblings can. She loves them a bunch- in spite of how silly they act in pictures.


Our high school moved up to 5-A this year. So our competition is tougher and our boys and our girls took first at District! WHOO-HOO for our District Champs.

Baby girl is learning a lesson that will benefit her for her whole life- It is not how you start the race but how you finish!

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Have a blessed week!
Michelle






Thursday, November 3, 2011

SSMT #21

I have not posted my memory verse on my blog in awhile, but I couldn't let this one go by.

Micah 6:8
"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God. "

Our family ( immediate and extended)- has been through a lot in the last several weeks - An aunt diagnosed with cancer, a first cousin who died suddenly at a young age, a brother-in-law who suffered a stroke, and just hard stuff that people are going through and needing prayer. As I looked at this verse I realized it is for the hard times this verse is meant, not the good.
This is what I hear the Lord saying,
" Michelle you have seen, because I have shown you in your finite, mortal body how good I am. I have proved it to you. If only by My Son's death and ressurrection, as that would be enough, BUT no, I have gone further than just that . I have blessed you immeasurably,more than you deserve. Why? Easy - I love you, Michelle, and all your family even through the hurt and the not so good. Here is what I ask of you in return - TRUST ME, BELIEVE ME, CALL TO ME, SEEK ME, LOVE OTHERS,  SHOW MERCY WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO. REMEMBER I AM GOD AND YOU ARE NOT SO ALL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE WILL NOT RECEIVE ANSWERS. I HAVE SHOWN YOU MY GOODNESS - DON'T DOUBT I AM STILL GOOD AND LOVING AND ENDURINGLY FAITHFUL."

What a mighty God we serve. So as I think of all the hard stuff we are enduring I am choosing to focus on all the blessings that are occurring out of them. And there are many. It is amazing what we see when we get our focus off ourselves.

Blessings,
Michelle

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Dog and Pony

 It is raining and the temperature is dropping! Praise the Lord. I have been awol from my blog for the last few weeks. Time gets away from me this time of year. I walked into Lowe's last night and they are decked out for Christmas!! What the heck? My brain cannot even go that direction right now. So many things to post about that have been going on in our lives but today I am on a rant. Just what everybody wants to hear, right? I love my job. I know without a doubt I am fulfilling God's call on my life right now. BUT....... some days I wonder why do I do this????? Yesterday I am certain I could have walked to the office and said, "Hey I am done. Not just for today, but for the year. And all the ones to come after that!" Then I remember I can't. Baby girl is still there. Bill still must be paid. Benefits are needed. And, oh yeah, I do love my job.

The last several weeks have been very frustrating. I teach great kids. GREAT  KIDS. I cannot stress that enough. Actually I feel all kids are great, some of them just don't know it yet. There is one particular group I teach that are so fun, but they cannot stop talking. They feel the need to comment on everything, to make an inappropriate comment about everything, to behave ten years younger than their age but want to be treated like adults. As my granny would say, "They slap wore me out yesterday." Could not get them interested in what we were doing in any way and I don't have issues that way. Then I question my teaching and that really makes me mad. Not that I am above reproach or above bettering my self as a teacher, but I can make all things relevant.

Why the frustration? Well, today (after yesterday) I had to go to an inservice where we were instructed that kids are different these days and whether we like it or not we have to teach differently. I can embrace that . BUT THEN....... we were told, "Gone are the days of the teacher having the students respect just by virtue of being the teacher. We have to EARN THEIR RESPECT."

EXCUSE ME? It was further stated that we have to make the students understand the relevance of what we are teaching so that they can feel it is worth their time. - I think my head almost spun off my shoulders. That is a problem with this generation - that they think they have to be entertained all the time and hey teacher if you aren't putting on a dog and pony show that I feel is "worth my time" I am going to talk, make inappropriate comments, and basically let you know you are wasting my time and make your day miserable.

This is not true of all students, but if the teaching pendulum is swinging toward what I mentioned we are going to have issues. You know when I was in school if a teacher said, "Would you pick that book up for me?" I would have done it and not responded with, "That is not mine." Or if I didn't see eye to eye with a teacher I could voice that at home but I still had to be respectful to them. They were an authority figure. And if they abused their authority there were appropriate measures to be taken by my parents.

I don't want anyone to have pity on teachers or think I am complaining - well I am complaining so scratch that, but I do want people to see that we need to make kids understand they have to be accountable. Even adults are accountable. I wonder what your boss would think if you said, "Hey, you really need to make me understand why this task you gave me is relevant because, hey I am just not feeling it today." Umm..... I think it is called a paycheck! And not everything in life is supposed to be "WOW this is so exciting" Even though I cannot understand why Shakespeare doesn't knock everyone's socks off  :)!

Sometimes I wonder where we are headed as a nation. Sometimes I wonder where education is headed. And I really wonder how long my "dog and pony skills" can hold out.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Graham and his Gator

This past weekend was so much fun. We ran a cross country race (baby girl had to sit this one out because she was headed toward pnemonia), then headed to our farm. My sweet grandpeep Graham loves our farm just about more than anybody. He asks everyday can he go and when they tell him, "Not today." He says, "But PawPaw said." Oh Lord help us all. PawPaw has a brainwashing on his two grandboys like you wouldn't believe. This trip was extra fun because Graham got a new toy:

Is he not the cutest thing you have ever seen? He must have put 200 miles on that thing. He drove everywhere and very well I might add. Only mutilated Mimi's bushes two or three times.:)
He even gave Aunt Nanna a lift!

He was all farm business when he decided there was work to do.

There was trash in Mimi's yard that needed picking up and hauling off.

Loaded it up......

Making sure it won't fall out.......

And dumping it out!

Off to pick up some more!

He said,"GiGi, I working hard!"

Good times and fun memories! Love my sweet boy!
Have a great week and count your blessings!
Michelle

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Homecoming


I knew our fall was going to be a busy time but my goodness...... It is all going by like a blur! Homecoming week was WILDLY hectic. Baby girl was sick and is going on two weeks of sick. She and her classmates worked hard all week on their float to have in the parade. It was so good and they were proud but at the last minute the parade was cancelled because of lightning. They still won second place, which is pretty great for the sophomores.

Friday morning was dress up day for the formal presentation of the court. Baby girl was pretty.

Then we made a mad dash to Baton Rouge and ran a cross country race, where we ran into some old friends! We love and miss you Sydney. Thanks again for coming to see us! Our boys and girls team won first place. They are awesome.
Then it was a mad dash home to get ready for the big dance. We had some company while baby girl was getting dolled up! It won't be long and he will be with the big boys all the time and won't care about being with all us girls. :(

Our sweet friend Becky, who has known and loved baby girl since she was about two, got her all beautiful. I think she didn't have much work to do :). She looks too grown up.

Sweet Christine is always my sidekick and right hand girl on days like this. And yes, she did make her famous sugar cookies for the occasion!

Then...... a boy came and picked up our baby girl.

I still like her with this boy: My goodness but they are a handsome couple. Daddy and his little girl who is growing up way too fast.

Then we rushed downtown for pictures with all the crew. The girls were so pretty and excited for the big evening.

Baby girl and her best friend. They are gorgeous.

Jon and Christine amused themselves by doing a little Homecoming pose! That mum is as big as Christine!

It is a sweet baby girl who will come find her momma who is chaperoning her high school dance and want their picture made!


Busy, busy times for us. They are going by so quickly and I want to cherish every minute of it. Just seems like yesterday and it was our boys and other baby girl doing all this. Our oldest son celebrated his ten year high school reunion at this Homecoming. Good times and good memories.

More posts and pics soon of our other recent adventures!
Blessings,
Michelle

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Weekend with Connor

A little late in getting these up but we had our sweet Connor this past weekend and had such a great time. We decked him out in some Panther wear and headed out to the football game. I am always so excited when I get to show off my grandpeeps to everyone. They hear me talk about them all the time. 

Connor has a hard time just smiling for the camera. He is at the age where he is mischievous all the time. Oh wait - he has ALWAYS been at that age!

He also likes to make funny faces all the time and we have contests regularly to see who is the silliest. I vote him.

 
Connor stalked the Panther all night long. Screamed for them, hollered for them and said to me at the end of the night, "GiGi, you know that is not a real panther. It is someone in a costume." Thanks for telling me sweet boy :)

More stalking..........

Showing a little love for the panther.

This is baby girls best friend who Connor loves a lot. He screams her name loudly until she pays him some attention! We had a blast at the game. Connor got a football, a clapper (which we lost in the trunk....Oh darn!) and had a blast running around the track.

Then Saturday.. RACING SEASON BEGAN! Whoop Whoop! I love watching the kids run and they had a fantastic opening race. Boys won first place (reigning state champions) and the girls won second. They were one point under the first place finishers - ARGH! Run baby girl, run.

I love these girls.

Then it was off the Mimi and Old Paw's house for some fun. Is this face not the sweetest. He melts my heart.

He and Aunt Savannah did some baking and this was Connor's favorite part.

Connor has always been a wonderful little helper. Mimi had some yard work to do and Connor was all set with his "glubs" (gloves for those of you that don't know!) and boots and shovel. He is so precious to us and we love any time we get to spend with him. Hope everyones weekend was great - 
Blessings,
Michelle