G.G.

Last minute Shawn's Mom (G.G, as the kids call her) decided to come spend the weekend with us. The kids are always SO excited to see her and SO sad when she leaves. It was a very relaxed weekend but super fun! We had a movie night, ate ice cream, shopped and just hung out. This was the first time in quite a while that she has just come up for no reason. She was here for Chloe's birth, after my surgery, Connor's birthday, but that has been it. It was nice to have her here when I was feeling good and did not have so much going on.


G.G., you are welcome anytime! We love you!

The Tot Spot Part 2

Shawn had the day off today so we picked Summer up from school and headed to the Tot Spot again. Yes, we will be spending much time there over the summer! I can't say enough good about this place! The set up is amazing! The free play area has an amazing design, all geared around learning and imagination. There is a cafe with free Wi-Fi for parents to sit at while the kids play. They even have people on staff to play with your kids! It is a great place for moms to have social interaction as well as the children. And our kids are just loving it!

The Tot Spot

My friend Tara discovered The Tot Spot and we took our kids there to play today! Oh! What fun! They have a big area of free play FULL of things to do...dress up,...



trains, a play house complete with an upstairs, reading and games...the list goes on and on. They also offer classes there such as music, art, theater and cooking. I have a feeling we are going to be there quite often!

Even the little girls had a blast! Tara had Savannah 4 weeks to the day after I had Chloe. The girls are the best of friends! They really don't have a choice! :)

Summer was in school so she missed out on being in the blog pictures yet again! She will be taking the cooking class this summer...she is VERY excited about being a "cooker". I am sure she will get plenty of "blog time" then! :) Stay tuned...

"I Love To Eat...Apples and Bananas!"

Chloe is LOVING her "real" food! She wants to eat every time we do now and still taking all of her bottles! I have no idea where she puts it in her little 14lb body of hers! She must have her Dad's metabolism and as you can see...she has Grandpa's hair line! :)

Too Cute Not To Post!

Do You See Connor?

Shawn walked by Connor's room after he was suppose to be in bed. This is what he saw in the doorway....


He was up playing with his trains. I guess he was hiding? :)

Comfort in the Midst of Pain

Death has been on my mind lately. From contemplating the sacrifice of Christ around the Easter season to the devastating news of the shootings at Virginia Tech, my mind has been occupied with it. Not a fun subject, I know. I have never felt the direct sting of the death of someone close to me, so I in no way want to come across as knowing about the pain those left behind are feeling. As much as my heart aches for those grieving, I know it is nothing compared to what their hearts are feeling. I can’t feel their pain, but I know Someone Who does. I am praying for our loving God to heal their hearts. Yes, He is a loving God and He didn’t cause this anymore than I would wish this on one of my children.

I am reminded of the story of Lazarus. Hidden in that story lies a verse that has raised so many questions and opinions. John 11:35 says “Jesus wept.” That is all there is to it…short, to the point, but what is God trying to tell us? “All scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16) so I know it is placed there for a purpose. Look, even at how it is placed…those two words not only are given their own verse, they are given their own paragraph!

Let’s back up a little. Mary had come to Jesus crying, questioning and knowing full well in her heart that He was the One that could have stopped her brother from dying. She was grieving. I can’t imagine the weight of her heart, but Jesus felt it. He wept with her. Now notice, a couple of verses above that…”When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled” John 11:33. One Sunday in our LifeGroup at church, our leader pointed out something that was fascinating to me. “He was deeply moved…and troubled” can also be interpreted as “anger”. Our leader said with an assurance that still rings in my ears, “Jesus HATES death!”

So, could Christ not only have been crying because of Mary’s pain…but also because this just is not how it is suppose to be? This is not the original plan! God gives life! Satan brings death. Death being a result of sin and knowing God hates sin, why would He look at death any other way? Proverbs 8:36 says, “all who hate me love death” and 1 Corinthians 15:26 lists death as God’s enemy…the last to be destroyed, it says.

So as our country is mourning this tragedy, don’t you think that our God is crying too? He has been where we are and He knows the sting of death more intimately than any other. He knows our pain thoroughly but I don’t think we can fathom the depth of His pain over sin and death. Though not part of His plan, it does not sway Who He is. It does not move Him off the throne…it does not even make His hands rub together in uncertainty. His victories over all these things are certain. The price has been paid, the battle fought. He is still Lord and His reign is still sovereign.

What an amazing God! In all His grander and majesty He still feels our pain. But He does not stop there! He goes one step further and reaches down from Heaven and heals our hearts. What love! He gives of Himself so that we have what we need to keep walking. Many times it is just one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. He slows His pace to match ours and He allows us to lean on His strength. I would have stopped walking a long time ago if it was not for Him leading me sometimes pulling me. Sometimes it has seemed like He was not going to show up. And then when He did, like Mary, I thought He was too late. But He is faithful…way more than I. He is trustworthy and He cares!! He truly is a loving God!!

If you took the time to read through this long post of rambling - thank you! So much of this was just thinking out loud...if you have any thoughts or insight, please share! If you are hurting or questioning, I am praying for you! I am praying that you will turn to a God that is able to handle your hurts and questions. He will give you what you need to get through, if you will only ask Him. He will come to you!

Love you all!

Mindy

Bloggin' Freak

I made it through my first week of blogging and have surprised myself at how much I have been enjoying it! Shawn had to convince me to even start one, but once he set me up, I was off and running. He checked back here yesterday and scrolled to the bottom. “Wow, you are just a little bloggin’ freak!” He said. I guess I am! :)

I hope you guys are having a little fun too! :) Thanks for your comments!

Summer Says

I am sitting at the computer and Summer is sitting next to me eating a Pop Tart. “Oh no!” She exclaims. I ask “What’s wrong” just as I notice her lap and all around where she is sitting is crumbs…almost solid crumbs. Not missing a beat, she looks straight up and in desperation cries out, “Jesus! Why did you throw crumbs at me?”

Well, she knows Jesus has taken the punishment for us…but not quite in that way. :)

The Innocence of a Baby

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:14-16

I watch my sleeping daughter in her crib. So sweet she is, so innocent, so untouched by this dirty world. Oh, how I wish I could keep her that way. I pray over her that God will keep her heart safe, but I know that with each passing day it is going to get harder and harder to do that. That innocence will banish before my eyes as I know I will witness her first tantrum, her first defiant look, probably catch her in her first lie.

Yes, we are born in sin, but when I look at her, I don’t yet see sin’s marks. I see God all over her….she is so fresh from His throne room. Oh, how I long to be close to her…to savor her sweetness…her smell…her. I look in her eyes, that seem so knowing and I want to know what she knows. Does she still remember where she came from? Does she miss her Heavenly Father? Does she remember the first time her eyes opened and she saw darkness instead of His great light? I know as much as my heart overflows with love for her, God’s heart overflows way more than mine ever could. Does He miss her? She is such a sweet angel…her smile lights up our home. Does He miss that smile being directed at Him?

How long will it be before she is home with Him again? Only God knows. I pray it is a lifetime…but I also pray that in that lifetime she will bring glory to His name. I know when He sent her out; it was for one purpose and one purpose alone…His glory. She has in her chest a beating heart, as we all do, beating only to give God glory. I pray she never forgets where she came from. The same hands that fashioned the stars in the sky, gently and with more love than I can imagine, formed her little body. He breathed His life into her and He placed her in my womb. Then He did one more remarkable thing. One more thing that takes more love than anything else He had given her so far…He gave her a choice. He longs for her to long for Him…to come running back to Him, but He, as painful as it is for Him, He gives her option not to.

We are all children of God just as she is...we are all His only children. He loves each one of us more than we could ever imagine. He made us and He placed us in this world, hoping beyond hope that we would remember. That we would remember that He gave us life…that we are here for Him…and that we would chose to love Him back. I pray for my little girl. I pray that she holds tight to what she knows now to be true. And I pray she lives all her days for the King of kings…to bring glory to His name! His most wonderful name! Amen!

One More Wish...

Connor got his birthday wish and was able to go to Grandma's house before the weekend was over. To Shawn and I, it felt like his birthday would never end but Connor thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it! He is so excited to be three and didn't take well to Uncle Greg's teasing about still being two. :) Connor received a new load of presents from my family here, which he affectionately called "my birthdays."

Well, at least the three day birthday weekend made up for last year, where he didn't get a thing...Chloe saw to that! Mommy was sick on the couch and Connor's birthday came and went...we might have sang to him...I don't remember. :)


I started off this week by a trip to the doctor...for ME! THAT never happens! :) I guess all the celebrating got to me as I have a nice sinus infection. My wish...I hope this week proves to be a little more on the "normal" side...whatever that is! ;)

Birthday at the Zoo!

As part of Connor's birthday weekend, we spent the day at the Jacksonville Zoo. Some of Shawn's family came up to celebrate with us and good friends of ours, the Mocks, joined us as well. We had our own zoo touring the zoo! :) We really had great fun and left completely wore out! Here are some more pictures... enjoy!

That is one tired little girl! All day and no nap! But she hardly complained and is sleeping, oh, so soundly now! They all are...I love it!

The WONDERFUL Cross

This was actually written on Good Friday (but I didn't have my blog then :) )...I was reading once again all that my Savior did for me...reading over things I have learned about the crucifixion...and then I wrote this. I hope you all had a blessed Easter season!

The Wonderful Cross
By Chris Tomlin and Isaac Watts

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did ever such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all

About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God why have your forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46

What a heart wrenching cry! It breaks my heart just to think of it. My Lord, spotless Lamb, bloody and nailed to a cross feels the weight of my sin from deep inside Him. As His blood covers me now, my sin covered Him then. It seeped into every part of Him. He was filthy. He had taken off His royal robe. He had traded places with me. His Father could not even look at Him. For the first time Jesus feels the separation that comes from sin and from Him pours the cry of a sinner, not a saint. “My God, my God why have your forsaken me?” He addresses His Heavenly Father, whom He knows more intimately than any other as “God”. When God looks down at me, Jesus stands in the way…He doesn’t see me, He sees Jesus in all His perfection. At that moment when God looked at Jesus, He didn’t see His Son, He saw me…and He turned away. Jesus endured the betrayal and He didn’t cry out, through the beatings He remained silent. The nails were driven into His hands and His feet and not a word is recorded from Him. But when God turned His back? That is too much! He can not remain silent when He feels the separation. God’s presence has led Him through His ministry, has led Him up to this moment and now it is gone. I cannot fathom the depth of His pain. Because of Him, I don’t have to ever feel that kind of separation. Praise God! Praise God!

“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his
spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top
to bottom.” Matthew 27:51

I picture God bursting out of His dwelling place! How He had longed to dwell IN us! And now it was finished…atonement had been made and a holy God could live in His people! He no longer needed to be hid behind a curtain; we no longer needed Him to either. The thick veil that could not be torn apart by oxen was split from top to bottom. It had served to protect the holy place, from sin and it served to protect the sinful people from God’s presence. On that side of the cross, we were unprepared to see God’s glory. But Praise God, Jesus changed all that! He finished His work, and I can stand in God’s presence! Praise God! Praise God!

Praise God! Praise God! What other words are needed at the foot of the cross?

-Mindy, April 4, 2007

OK! Here I Go...

Whew! Starting a blog...not sure how good I will be at this, but I am willing to give it a shot. I thought this would be a fun way to share my heart, and give a glimpse into my daily life. I am excited and a little nervous, as this is something COMPLETELY new for me! I am praying that in all this, God gets the glory, that I can share His love and spread His Word.

I will try to add tid bits of what the kids are up to, from time to time. They are always good for a laugh and bring such joy and life into our home!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will visit often!

Love!
Mindy