Good Summer Morning Blog World..............

I am writing you from my special spot on the couch this a.m. My sweet family and I are officially on vacation and I just couldn't leave town without saying hello. We have the honor and privilege of traveling to Atlanta this weekend for the wedding of a sweet gal whom we consider her and her entire family to be some of our dearest friends here on planet earth. They live long and far away so when it was announced that the wedding was a short trip to Atlanta, we all knew it was a must that we would attend. This vacation for me seems to mark another step out of the wilderness land. My word this year from the Lord was "party" (that could be a whole other post for another time) and I plan to have a wonderful celebration this weekend with my dear friends, with my precious family, and with my King. He really likes weddings you know! I feel like we can see Canaan in the near and distant future, but we are still far enough away that it is taking faith to actually get there. I can't wait until the land is fully underneath our feet to the point that we can feel the sand between our toes as we take hold of the land.

Ok, so enough of those ramblings, I also wanted to get on and give you a little update on how everyone is doing. I have saved the most frequently asked about member for last so you will actually read about us all! hahhaha I guess now you could technically scroll down but I'll just tell myself you really do care about us too but we all know the truth and I honestly couldn't blame you one single bit.

I'll start with my very good looking man. I am so very thankful that he really is the love of my life and that so far we have stuck this thing called marriage out. We are doing premarital counseling with a precious couple whom God has chased down (very similar to the two of us) and through that we have had to laugh a lot about our years of not so marital bliss. Jeremy looked at them last night and said, "guys, it takes work, but man is it worth it". I was beaming from ear to ear with pride in him because he is so right and it is so worth it! He is rocking and rolling in real estate land. He has recently had the privilege to list some friends' house that are radically picking up their family and moving to Lexington to plant a church. That was cool, cool to see God working on their behalf (a two week sale) and Jeremy getting to truly assist them in their calling for Christ. He is a servant in this business and I knew from the start he would be, it is just still attractive to watch that play out in real life. He is certainly in LOVE with his girl and he is coaching Cross' little "Blast Ball" team (t-ball for 3 and 4 year olds-hilarious). This is now starting to sound like a braggy Christmas card so let me rewind and say, we have been through hell and back these past few years so it feels good to feel good again. I never ever want us to sound like we have it all together because nothing could be further from the truth.

Ok, as for me, God has been ever so gracious to give me more than I can handle lately to assure I am 110% t-totally dependant upon Him. I am working (volunteering) for an organization called Ordinary Hero www.ordinaryhero.org as the Ethiopia Missions Coordinator. It is certainly in my blood, that's all I can say. We are working mainly to help with an orphanage there that is in desperate need of a Jesus transforming miracle. This could possibly be one of my greatest honors in life. I remember a lady saying one time about how grateful she was for her abundant life (after a very similar storm) and she looked around at her beautiful home and said "oh I don't dare mean all of this, I mean the ministry God has given us here in Memphis". Now I see what she meant. To be able to play a role in the health of an orphanage that could potentially one day be a training ground for orphanages all around the area establishes a joy that only Jesus can give. I am honored but mainly humbled that He would see fit to allow me to have this small and tiny piece of one very big God puzzle. I am also gearing up for a Summer Bible Study (read about below). AND I am also preparing for a group that will start in the fall called "Minivan Mayhem". I PROMISE you will hear WAY more about that but in the mean time I would be so thankful if you would PLEASE pray all of that up. When the summer/spring began Minivan Mayhem was the "only" thing on my plate (other than the ol husband, kids, and housey of course) but now Ethiopia and Summer Study have joined for a full course meal. I have asked God over and over if it is too much and I just feel Him saying to Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God......He wants me to be reliant on Him and that I certainly am!

Cross Bow (that's what my Daddy calls him and Mercy says "Mercy has a bow too, now that's cute). Cross is a tall, thin, very handsome stud these days. The other day he ended up with a very cool pair of Children's Place shades and he was in the back seat (mind you in a car seat which should knock out the cool immediately) trying to keep the sunglasses on his nose and I am pretty sure he was as full of himself as one could possibly be. The trouble was I was full of him as well. He looks JUST like his daddy........oh if I had a quarter for every time I hear that his college tuition would be paid in full. He now l o v e s his little sister. They still fight like siblings and he still occasionally (okay more often than that) chokes her with the head lock, but all in all I can say that seeing them play and get along and him serve her is just about the thing that makes this mama's heart beam most. He is really good at t-ball (again sounding a bit braggy, NOT my intent) and learning to play as a team is proving to be a VERY valuable lesson in his life as an only child of 3 years was certainly starting to show. There is honestly just something about a mama and her boy that no one can explain but we've got it to the max over here and somewhere deep down that wild and crazy boy of mine can certainly do no wrong.

And now, for the moment you have all been patiently waiting for, our sweet Mercy girl. Just an FYI, if you do see us out and about, try NOT to gloat all over her and not Cross. I am sure (know) at times he wants to send her on back and let the spot light readjust back to him so just gloat over him too if you don't mind. He is certainly worthy of the attention. Mercy's eyelashes are just a foot long and her ringlet curls are just more than people can bear and I totally understand. She now, after a good healthy diet, has a hint of cellulite on her rear and you can only imagine how that ups the squeeze factor for me. I could, can, and do sit there and kiss her half to death most days and she doesn't mind one single bit (well on occasion she does say "all done mommy"). I'll end the brag session with a few short, very cute, very adorable, things my - talking almost solely in English, has 50-75 at least words now - girl has to say in life these days.

*If you sneeze, she will say "bleshish you mommy, bleshish you".
*She still can't say her r's and I may never teach her because she says the cutest "onanage" (orange) and "Caloss" (Cross) or if she is really bossy "KEY-LOSS".
*She likes a list of things, I think it is her learning a new language, but her new thing is "Caloss has light up shoes, Mercy has sparkle shoes".
*She now has "fiends" (friends). Her eyes just light up when she sees peeps she knows. She is a very social butterfly and likes to get up (that part takes a minute)but then she wants to get dressed and get out and about to her fiends.
*She loves "Tomack" the train.
*She feels her head before we walk out the door to make sure she has on a bow.
*Everything pretty much other than a dog, cat, or horse is a "dinosore" (dinosaur). And she is often a scary dinosore and Cross and I have to run and hide and be very very scared.
*It is "Mercy's turn" a LOT.

I'll stop now because I could really be "that mom" and go on and on for hours. Please also know (some of you do thank goodness) that we couldn't be further from perfect in all reality, these are just some better of days and we are going to take them with great joy. I still (somehow always once a month) want to take someone out in our family, for good. Our dog is still scared of storms and keeps us up at night and then I am a grouch for a week. I need a shower desperately and my time management some days is for the birds and I neglect the most important things around me. But as for today, I am going to shower and then load up the car with wedding attire and we are going to turn OFF the blackberry's and turn on the family time. We are going to turn up some praise Jesus music while we are driving, mixed in with some good "shine shine and joy joy" kid's selections and I am hoping my man will allow some Beth Moore to boot. We are WALKING this thing called life out with Jesus, most days we fall but we are doing everything we can to continue to fall forward. He is worthy of our lives, not our Sundays or an occasional small group. In light of His mercies upon us, may we view ourselves as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to Him. Happy Memorial Day Weekend my dear friends. I am so thankful for our soldiers and our King, who have payed a price so that our lives can truly be free!

Because of Him,
K