tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68846634999000756002024-03-13T16:58:29.558-04:00CORNBREAD AND CHOPSTICKSAnniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.comBlogger838125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-61007125769850516172021-07-01T21:07:00.002-04:002021-07-10T21:56:41.903-04:00Caleb Graduates...
<p style="text-align: center;">So a piece of my heart walked onto a stage just the other day and into the rest of his life and I can't seem to catch my breath as time just races ahead of my heart...</p><p style="text-align: center;">How can it be that 18 years have slipped into a moment cause last I checked you were your older brothers' "project", your little sisters' super hero and <b>my</b> baby boy...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01Kk8Ec-imr1J1jbcUfg1wmzI_8XrNWvVi21PSzekqcs4bKwXCVSGQw8lCytoXdK8L-0R-MTabboJen7qgJV9i0mz3o5bIS1b-TFZ4r7aMU14SJC9g27GEOSjF-MLt-CF7cSCXFLbACs/s1848/christian+charlie+caleb+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1848" data-original-width="1722" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj01Kk8Ec-imr1J1jbcUfg1wmzI_8XrNWvVi21PSzekqcs4bKwXCVSGQw8lCytoXdK8L-0R-MTabboJen7qgJV9i0mz3o5bIS1b-TFZ4r7aMU14SJC9g27GEOSjF-MLt-CF7cSCXFLbACs/w596-h640/christian+charlie+caleb+%25281%2529.jpg" width="596" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDDdMHR7moJmnF0akllJhTNvsXubuS0QJi9SxNX_DKhf9NYAD5aOIW0xf9gRF8988oXJIbYvcx8EXQ7ahFrSNx8VeggyBDx9pTVQ4AnrS-_P8-HK4BLsNLEKl8vLJd1DRUmfsjY7BUOc/s3872/DSC04613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDDdMHR7moJmnF0akllJhTNvsXubuS0QJi9SxNX_DKhf9NYAD5aOIW0xf9gRF8988oXJIbYvcx8EXQ7ahFrSNx8VeggyBDx9pTVQ4AnrS-_P8-HK4BLsNLEKl8vLJd1DRUmfsjY7BUOc/w640-h428/DSC04613.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4wdchU1mx0lSpC18Z9tP_3kZymXWgLjRl7Kh1JRjUjMrlWIl4EGWLJdqncyufFg8rqF3UBb1rK8GjZsUFoUG2oiMxo_OddgOHe02G3IGk-qYLIV0c8JClpMs73GoNJDhqod4EdXELfs/s3319/DSC04614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2484" data-original-width="3319" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4wdchU1mx0lSpC18Z9tP_3kZymXWgLjRl7Kh1JRjUjMrlWIl4EGWLJdqncyufFg8rqF3UBb1rK8GjZsUFoUG2oiMxo_OddgOHe02G3IGk-qYLIV0c8JClpMs73GoNJDhqod4EdXELfs/w640-h478/DSC04614.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oht0c1o-HZh5ExLVgwioe7JZSe8tZ9Wu5ijJcXyH2Av3VD3u4_zIlRYqPsBZHyvY9PZ12DWhRAIBhNY0CwRBH0i8iEPSDD4dBXo8FLppKbWF_7fRCMUPw0gPh1sxyI9ymgQ_4UUaF7I/s1805/DSC01708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="1674" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oht0c1o-HZh5ExLVgwioe7JZSe8tZ9Wu5ijJcXyH2Av3VD3u4_zIlRYqPsBZHyvY9PZ12DWhRAIBhNY0CwRBH0i8iEPSDD4dBXo8FLppKbWF_7fRCMUPw0gPh1sxyI9ymgQ_4UUaF7I/w594-h640/DSC01708.JPG" width="594" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and now we are at that place where holding on meets letting go....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and it does not get any easier...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x1zF23rfZr_1LGaAJ5P-XbHVHKSmHCtGXbxae8bE7worI2svEjR9fXzdSgScgGOIE33gSmU88YfQqXmv2nFhAVU6TcKo44EG8ET6EaKvVX2r2voTJf_tAeyWeMPV3Foxje01ICxhfSY/s6000/DSC04371.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x1zF23rfZr_1LGaAJ5P-XbHVHKSmHCtGXbxae8bE7worI2svEjR9fXzdSgScgGOIE33gSmU88YfQqXmv2nFhAVU6TcKo44EG8ET6EaKvVX2r2voTJf_tAeyWeMPV3Foxje01ICxhfSY/w640-h426/DSC04371.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">As his brothers before him, this child will be missed.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oiac3iBQJ6Y-wAPuLrjHBEAAhT6zDr4bjyVy_FsI0gsTQpWZ5ei3Mjw5zrdimk4eR62YQtZU6iGGj-f3cVliHtryOzDV_THgOHj8MKofuyBaW4RtP5KhVtKhheRHcC5F7KHmobOPmaM/s3499/DSC04324.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3463" data-original-width="3499" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8oiac3iBQJ6Y-wAPuLrjHBEAAhT6zDr4bjyVy_FsI0gsTQpWZ5ei3Mjw5zrdimk4eR62YQtZU6iGGj-f3cVliHtryOzDV_THgOHj8MKofuyBaW4RtP5KhVtKhheRHcC5F7KHmobOPmaM/w640-h634/DSC04324.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">His first visit home will be anticipated...</p><p style="text-align: center;">His favorite meal (pizza) will be waiting...</p><p style="text-align: center;">His room will remain until the New Year when little sisters armed with Pottery Barn Teen catalogs and big plans cannot be held back any longer...</p><p style="text-align: center;">His dog will sense his arrival...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNMBcWdtIVpdWnigG9h5pNGA3O9OQM9RhE9Z6NVIm80qDOoABT8I8FF3ZesvOitbz-ABf5OQXuSi6k_1y1X5q9xDOxvvAEuAWTqfMwR9Kdtumg1oBg3B5IuFltfZmZUXmikRUX2YqmW4/s2048/Caleb+Hamlin-043.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNMBcWdtIVpdWnigG9h5pNGA3O9OQM9RhE9Z6NVIm80qDOoABT8I8FF3ZesvOitbz-ABf5OQXuSi6k_1y1X5q9xDOxvvAEuAWTqfMwR9Kdtumg1oBg3B5IuFltfZmZUXmikRUX2YqmW4/w640-h426/Caleb+Hamlin-043.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo curtesy of Lynn Cobb Studios)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">not understanding the separation but in true puppy style, delighting in the moment of his return.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvGwctbmhmTiJ5mDp8MSq7VEmlvjNSKSTVmb-m4kcpa0nooClIVfAID7QG9J_q1dCVHcwcyNMr-oZz8ovHYn33u62AygUQGaRcvdl0Awzb77qzR9ML4RtsakqmxYhyphenhyphen0s-DtrTNktYd-E/s2048/Caleb+Hamlin-031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvGwctbmhmTiJ5mDp8MSq7VEmlvjNSKSTVmb-m4kcpa0nooClIVfAID7QG9J_q1dCVHcwcyNMr-oZz8ovHYn33u62AygUQGaRcvdl0Awzb77qzR9ML4RtsakqmxYhyphenhyphen0s-DtrTNktYd-E/w640-h426/Caleb+Hamlin-031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Photo curtesy of Lynn Cobb Studios)</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Come August, my "home soon" texts will carry a more profound and problematic connotation. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qssBP8dKX4ChrENz5i0DuAhtMm76-r5oWDRFnLtX5hGDItuvbwLz69fM5eTWrV_NdPHWQcQjZCoE7amDJbaxZPXiILphpjZvRQjjCMRe4uOmF0tHud8bghgM6CLJlvr3HSYaOYRNZjw/s1932/Screenshot_20210701-121708_Messages.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1932" data-original-width="1066" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2qssBP8dKX4ChrENz5i0DuAhtMm76-r5oWDRFnLtX5hGDItuvbwLz69fM5eTWrV_NdPHWQcQjZCoE7amDJbaxZPXiILphpjZvRQjjCMRe4uOmF0tHud8bghgM6CLJlvr3HSYaOYRNZjw/w354-h640/Screenshot_20210701-121708_Messages.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">However, I am finding that in the "letting go", there is time to exhale - to trust that the years of lessons and rules and consequences and fun and love and prayer have brought us to a place of expectation and excitement as another part of my heart steps into the rest of his life...</p><p style="text-align: center;">the grip can be loosed as the boy becomes a man and the Lord's path begins to mature.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Warning... 😉 the video is long but full of memories and love...</p><p style="text-align: center;">Congratulations Caleb.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We love you! </p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HEyUG3H1kv8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-53258693109784416022021-05-25T22:06:00.002-04:002021-05-25T22:06:19.672-04:00Amazing Will<p style="text-align: center;">Will has an awesome trumpet tutor and has been working so hard on a solo for Solo and Ensemble.</p><p style="text-align: center;">His hard work paid off as he received a 28 out of 30 points!</p><p style="text-align: center;">A superior rating!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Tonight, he was able to perform his solo at the High School Band Concert!</p><p style="text-align: center;">He loves to perform and I love to watch him. </p><p style="text-align: center;">However, I apologize in advance for the shakey video...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I was SO nervous for him!!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/phdYuAPyZ2Q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">The Lord is so good and we are so blessed.</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-17679820994678918972021-05-21T22:38:00.006-04:002021-05-21T22:38:39.708-04:00Caleb...<div style="text-align: center;">Can I just say something about my "baby boy" who is the "middle child" of 8 siblings, is taller than me and is getting ready to graduate...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhzaWZSroEpT6pkrImEXRJ3tLkrhpMK1jqDhjFQPzOJF7sXylyG6UhClxIjhsn0RrgPPwXwohT7QbbcH_ZqEqVMZIaXSUDYFp9qlrQZfgXq0FY9Kji7I5Bemxc1Z_zMkfURFx5ucA5lw/s5183/DSC01346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3401" data-original-width="5183" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhzaWZSroEpT6pkrImEXRJ3tLkrhpMK1jqDhjFQPzOJF7sXylyG6UhClxIjhsn0RrgPPwXwohT7QbbcH_ZqEqVMZIaXSUDYFp9qlrQZfgXq0FY9Kji7I5Bemxc1Z_zMkfURFx5ucA5lw/w640-h420/DSC01346.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Caleb may not win all the awards and he may not get officially recognized for the decent young man he is becoming but let me tell you, he is kind and responsible and mature and he is my quiet helper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He doesn't seek the spotlight but he does seek truth and justice and peace and order - which is hard to find in this house of crazy<img src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb0/1.5/16/1f609.png" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He has not been your typical high schooler and his quiet, reassuring presence will be so missed next year as he begins to seek his purpose.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So while he may not receive much "official recognition", I see him and those who love him see him and the Lord sees him and sees his heart and in Caleb's quiet, unassuming way, he will change this world...</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-78182335511450610872021-05-18T22:52:00.003-04:002021-05-18T22:52:20.996-04:00Inspired and Broken<div style="text-align: center;">It was two years ago today and I will never forget it. I never doubted her determination but there were times I doubted those legs of hers. She is a fighter and she is strong, so much stronger than I. She teaches me about sheer grit and fortitude and compassion and joy and grace, lots and lots of grace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWLEmBfca0xD0HNmit6zXwUkR_kLdFIN2e-SQ-D2iVfpeTnIIaSUcSLZtGXT_PF6rR899-1yS3UNvoyAdeW2c1S_7a0veGD5Pjh4lzU_ZNFOkLXjdrnd5rEYUFgvsQu6oSqL6_QKNDQU/s5310/DSC02703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3417" data-original-width="5310" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWLEmBfca0xD0HNmit6zXwUkR_kLdFIN2e-SQ-D2iVfpeTnIIaSUcSLZtGXT_PF6rR899-1yS3UNvoyAdeW2c1S_7a0veGD5Pjh4lzU_ZNFOkLXjdrnd5rEYUFgvsQu6oSqL6_QKNDQU/w640-h412/DSC02703.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It took Lucy a long time to finish this race but she never gave up. If you look in the background, you will see the entourage of police cars and firetrucks that silently followed, cheering her on as she doggedly fought for every single step!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KW7spXRp2JTqUg428F57O8amhky1HVvRWb7VIcanYm_cxdFMG6uDx0Izy32Juhzx0l-w2c2t5nFBB2W8Cz-a9ic8-F4heREmccoewML7mHeq1KiOhAvyBwPjebxLfJK8nhnPOrFGxuw/s5520/DSC02708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3801" data-original-width="5520" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KW7spXRp2JTqUg428F57O8amhky1HVvRWb7VIcanYm_cxdFMG6uDx0Izy32Juhzx0l-w2c2t5nFBB2W8Cz-a9ic8-F4heREmccoewML7mHeq1KiOhAvyBwPjebxLfJK8nhnPOrFGxuw/w640-h440/DSC02708.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I realized today that there are so many moments that inspire and shatter all at the same time and it is typically after those moments, in the quiet of my solitude that my composure fails and I am broken. I look at this picture and I am filled with awe for Lucy's gift of determination and I am filled with gratitude for so so many who "have her back" and yet I am crushed by the fight and the weight of the challenges and I would not change any of it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3nxjCszsPGuZmDteu5pfKBLMP6YQ2W71BAbdzM8rO5Rpq5tU8hGP8VLnb7goIAmx0fHl4Bs8RL-3EKrqfOj3MUZQi0vUOWXm4LrBOhUUXzDXNpyxlIzEW7paCjMzNDCs9NhNL7wPyyg/s6000/DSC02711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr3nxjCszsPGuZmDteu5pfKBLMP6YQ2W71BAbdzM8rO5Rpq5tU8hGP8VLnb7goIAmx0fHl4Bs8RL-3EKrqfOj3MUZQi0vUOWXm4LrBOhUUXzDXNpyxlIzEW7paCjMzNDCs9NhNL7wPyyg/w640-h426/DSC02711.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It is in those moments of weakness that the Lord shows me His strength and I am renewed and Lucy is a gift and I am grateful to feel because I - am - feeling!!</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-74688016154520445682021-04-30T23:21:00.002-04:002021-04-30T23:21:15.236-04:00One Day...<p style="text-align: center;">What a difference a day makes...</p><p style="text-align: center;">For Will, one day made all the difference...</p><p style="text-align: center;">He was one day from aging out...</p><p style="text-align: center;">one day away from life in the "second orphanage"...</p><p style="text-align: center;">There is so much left unsaid...</p><p style="text-align: center;">so much left unwritten...</p><p style="text-align: center;">maybe "one day"...</p><p style="text-align: center;">For now, I just want to share just a small part of the blessings that come from allowing God to work through "yes".</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDSE9GMyytNm9tEKFzbs3Yb9Buj5KZG-fRXL4BPw2NEqI2rIRGDJgEcsqS5eOour4yQOrpElxjGCRBH0aURRCYFsExy2b0T23e1Khy1JIf-QO6oYGwDsGfC1ZrFSuPsHbh5K2xFWplsg/s2048/20210430_224220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="2048" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDSE9GMyytNm9tEKFzbs3Yb9Buj5KZG-fRXL4BPw2NEqI2rIRGDJgEcsqS5eOour4yQOrpElxjGCRBH0aURRCYFsExy2b0T23e1Khy1JIf-QO6oYGwDsGfC1ZrFSuPsHbh5K2xFWplsg/w640-h386/20210430_224220.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Lord you make beauty from ashes and use the broken and we are forever changed and forever grateful</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-8125867454880147242021-04-24T23:04:00.002-04:002021-04-25T12:52:23.966-04:00I Am From...<p style="text-align: center;">So Maggie wrote a poem... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JjAjBFDLzMDjqtG-gE61PyFyztrZVqs8Ku4ODxn36dWRU6kxySYbZ86TLLoreCZGxfN-2eSwCuLUGWe4tePF-510doYeQAzdrT5kvJU_zLa58uAnyz467HsNF-0i-I0Fpfgs30CjXlM/s4506/maggie+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3856" data-original-width="4506" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0JjAjBFDLzMDjqtG-gE61PyFyztrZVqs8Ku4ODxn36dWRU6kxySYbZ86TLLoreCZGxfN-2eSwCuLUGWe4tePF-510doYeQAzdrT5kvJU_zLa58uAnyz467HsNF-0i-I0Fpfgs30CjXlM/w640-h548/maggie+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and it was hard and it was good...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2moltOxX6kG0Z7fQB-N_fz5DmtDHWN8_AjOmtQ7RqCCirp5SYwryO3mK4HpEysoJCAsEW2pN2iDW8m6uE2ZYD7bYaiC31a1FG0MjM5Hbnw8aDNFXMj16DCMwUMgkf_vv8zPj9w0XVaFQ/s2048/20210422_172739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1923" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2moltOxX6kG0Z7fQB-N_fz5DmtDHWN8_AjOmtQ7RqCCirp5SYwryO3mK4HpEysoJCAsEW2pN2iDW8m6uE2ZYD7bYaiC31a1FG0MjM5Hbnw8aDNFXMj16DCMwUMgkf_vv8zPj9w0XVaFQ/w600-h640/20210422_172739.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and it brought me to my knees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Organizing her thoughts into understandable words is a struggle.</div><p style="text-align: center;">The effort it takes to transform those words into coherent sentences is considerable.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Taking that effort and twisting it into a poem is extraordinary but I have learned to expect extraordinary and while that extraordinary was celebrated, it is not what brought me to my knees.</p><p style="text-align: center;">What brought me to my knees was the poem that formulated in my heart, the poem that could have been...</p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><b>I Could Have Been From...</b></u></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where the darkness hangs above me.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where the beds are comfortless</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>and the smell of hopelessness wafts all about.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where the green grasses are absent </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>and the trees are only for those allowed outside.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where the hungry homeless dogs </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>overcome fear for food.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where laughter dare not exist</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>and where love slowly fades into survival. </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where faith is persecuted </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>but Almighty God lives and weeps and moves and grows.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>I could have been from where very little is wonderful and learning is not for me.</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>(Church) Where . are . YOU...</b></p><p style="text-align: center;">Y'all, this "could have been" for all of our precious children from Ch*na and all we did was say "yes". </p><p style="text-align: center;">However, we did not rescue them, we are blessed by them as our "could have been" is just as hopeless, it's just a gussied version of hopeless.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It's that version of hopeless that the American church slaps some lipstick on while living their "best life".</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why does abortion continue to be the number one cause of death in this country, year after year?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why do children wait for foster homes?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why do foster children simply exist in foster homes never hearing about Jesus?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why does the cycle of abuse and neglect seem endless?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why do orphans wait for forever families?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why do orphans and foster kids age out?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why are we relying on a system instead of the church?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Why... because we are from where there <b>are</b> beautiful chandeliers and green grasses and plentiful trees and soft sofas and laughter and love and the broken is messy and we are not saying "yes"...</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-48781240316972656552021-04-09T23:26:00.005-04:002021-04-09T23:31:59.361-04:00The Jones's<div style="text-align: center;">I posted this on FB a few years ago and wanted to include it here. Charlie has since graduated high school and is actually graduating college next year and it is all good. However, now Caleb is getting ready to graduate high school and while my walk with the Lord grows as does my faith and my peace, I still have moments of weakness where the world creeps in and I begin to question.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">FB POST FROM 2018...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't watch much TV. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Funny how we have so many channels but so very few shows that I find watchable. H*TV and Fo*od Network are on my short list and Pion*er Woman has always been a fav. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbq_pbk2UJLcjKSfZOzS2EDusJkSH6eZUunHUBBdn-Fr5TAoO2QFlBfN-v2tuMtIeukNtcR3NxJxKJauh5jH9HVZ4nj3WWpasPiVm5UATliC0XW8DURDjmi_ciZGtLW9gyiy4u2rNaaw/s500/1595448288-51Ovtc3rPrL.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbq_pbk2UJLcjKSfZOzS2EDusJkSH6eZUunHUBBdn-Fr5TAoO2QFlBfN-v2tuMtIeukNtcR3NxJxKJauh5jH9HVZ4nj3WWpasPiVm5UATliC0XW8DURDjmi_ciZGtLW9gyiy4u2rNaaw/w640-h480/1595448288-51Ovtc3rPrL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> She is a Christian, she is a mom and many of her shows revolve around her family as well as her food. Using cheap, easy, short cut ingredients, many of her recipes are doable, even for a Mom of 8!</div>
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This morning I happen to see her show. I don't normally watch TV during the day. TV watching usually happens at night, accompanied by a glass of wine and baskets of laundry to fold...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp8ZbQbHc4WyWhfbjiI1eR2I1PZzhrnJV372FwUKPfE3vHPyYrjFrttKAj3X-ezeDnuA2LMsynpwfom5nI40GDIeLvVsKMFDHlOOklNlBJ2DC2h-NIOnaMbuxdggmQ07e39vkJU9KPRE/s2048/laundry.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp8ZbQbHc4WyWhfbjiI1eR2I1PZzhrnJV372FwUKPfE3vHPyYrjFrttKAj3X-ezeDnuA2LMsynpwfom5nI40GDIeLvVsKMFDHlOOklNlBJ2DC2h-NIOnaMbuxdggmQ07e39vkJU9KPRE/w480-h640/laundry.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It's the best way to watch TV cause no child will get within 100 yards of baskets of laundry that need folding!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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*grin*</div>
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This morning, however, it was raining, forcing my walk indoors on the treadmill (sorry pups), and this morning her show was all about <b>High School Graduation</b>.</div>
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Now because I have a senior getting ready to graduate and I have no idea what we will do to celebrate, I thought this was perfect - meant to be! </div>
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I set my speed and settled in to watch and as I watched, my heart began to sink...</div>
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Being totally real here but this show did nothing except make me feel woefully inadequate as the Mom of a senior and the Mom of a Sophomore in college and the Mom of six more who will all eventually graduate...</div>
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God willing😊 </div>
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I know I know...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I write a lot about letting go of the American Dream and embracing our "not so normal" life but sometimes my arms get weary and I loose sight...</div>
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I momentarily turn away from what I know the Lord has called me to. </div>
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It's not always easy, this life of mine.. . </div>
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Most days have hard but most days are blessed and the days that are most hard are the days that are most blessed. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Try to explain that!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">*grin* </div>
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This morning, however, I got lost in what we could <b>not</b> do, in what we could <b>not</b> provide and it was ugly y'all.</div>
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I was so disappointed in this show. The graduation party she and her friend provided for their daughters was way beyond anything I could do or we could afford. It was so over the top with a live band, a photo booth, a chocolate fountain and food from about 3 different caterers, including herself. </div>
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I felt defeated. </div>
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I felt less than. </div>
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I felt "not normal".</div>
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I allowed s*tan to use it to beat me down. I was left feeling lacking about the small gathering we had at our home for Christian when he graduated and inept for not having any idea what to do for Charlie. </div>
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Now I am not looking for sympathy. I don't blame her for being able to provide such a shindig for her daughter and I am so disappointed in my reaction to this show - just trying to keep it real! </div>
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I know <strike>many</strike> most Moms have felt this way at one time or another so I know you all get it. </div>
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So as I bring myself back around to where my heart should be... </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">I refocus my lens and remember that my identity is in Christ...</div>
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not in Martha St*wart or Ree Dru*mand😉</div>
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Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-75486467304538523762021-03-26T14:21:00.001-04:002021-03-26T14:21:17.323-04:00Twenty Five Years! <p style="text-align: center;"> Twenty five years ago, we made a promise to each other, before God.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiTAZJl3FqZ-35asPZPvhc3YTksSza62vB1E353YEkA-X0kLJtEIFjWKP2r-gMiaSv3mP92e6SVFQsekx-Dhf3bD1VufcUqIk3fSJRIvBh7o5EZ9dtUD6SI531GcjybppPiDWGw5lAF4/s2048/Wedding1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="2048" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiTAZJl3FqZ-35asPZPvhc3YTksSza62vB1E353YEkA-X0kLJtEIFjWKP2r-gMiaSv3mP92e6SVFQsekx-Dhf3bD1VufcUqIk3fSJRIvBh7o5EZ9dtUD6SI531GcjybppPiDWGw5lAF4/w640-h332/Wedding1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Twenty five years ago we were clueless.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We repeated the words and stood before an alter eclipsed; one that we knew little about, as we worshipped at the alter of our selves.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Expectations are clear. Happiness is expected. Goodness is misunderstood and our comfort is killing us.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Twenty five years ago there was love but we were preoccupied and unknowing and our alters almost consumed us but the Lord's pursuit of us was relentless.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSM3P7NVdjO9mfzhOobw5a4C5VsjLur8TsPmh-ivdM-x7zw2gtEweMLjJgbUu69Y5Ckgwv957c_SwjAwjdVWMWTFIgBhy2LlPEF7L4EWaYLg-E8yfywPrkVnnnL1w-2ag2dZCCSv2fAm8/s1641/Wedding3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1641" data-original-width="937" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSM3P7NVdjO9mfzhOobw5a4C5VsjLur8TsPmh-ivdM-x7zw2gtEweMLjJgbUu69Y5Ckgwv957c_SwjAwjdVWMWTFIgBhy2LlPEF7L4EWaYLg-E8yfywPrkVnnnL1w-2ag2dZCCSv2fAm8/w366-h640/Wedding3.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">We were hard fought and it wasn't because we were evil in the eyes of the world or had no concept of God or had never stepped foot in a church building...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALeo8bGW95GI7r8fBQseDPy04BAlTAknlYPlQe2RZJlgq_rjiAwrB2Dw_FEYHbN-AJuIywk-UxPgru-tCV8H1dxkznWQiJ8ai52v4ekM66gaxpNo3jYnR1WdQvHAEKxma4elgmLJXopI/s1336/Wedding2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="804" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALeo8bGW95GI7r8fBQseDPy04BAlTAknlYPlQe2RZJlgq_rjiAwrB2Dw_FEYHbN-AJuIywk-UxPgru-tCV8H1dxkznWQiJ8ai52v4ekM66gaxpNo3jYnR1WdQvHAEKxma4elgmLJXopI/w386-h640/Wedding2.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">No, we were hard fought because in the eyes of the world, we were "good" people but we had no true understanding of good. </p><p style="text-align: center;">With the exchange of wedding bands, divinely engraved💗 our journey began. We assimilated into a life that was expected and familiar, post wedding vows and it was all "good"...</p><p style="text-align: center;">until it wasn't...</p><p style="text-align: center;">until He wrecked us...</p><p style="text-align: center;">until our hearts were broken, our eyes were opened and our pride defeated.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We thought we knew. We thought we had it all. We thought we were in control as we settled into our comfortable. But it was the wrecking that brought the seeking, the broken-ness that brought clarity and the release of control that brought peace.</p><p style="text-align: center;">In 25 years, so much has changed around us and within us. Our transformations were arduous and sometimes painful as we recognized our own broken-ness and sin and yet, it was in those moments that He met us and cared for us and revealed Himself to us. Prayers were answered and the Lord's goodness replaced our worldy comfort and settled into our hearts. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Twenty five years we said, "I do", benevolently oblivious to what we were agreeing to😉 </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8195XPEobz8LsZtVNhFI4dc0M-cxuD0wLxjDzrqdnftVQhE8luIsBjWjZM025599sp92TPVghnWGrJ7U0CC62YMHRK5LvFhTPZOJU-AmXhwu49MUfEP_ASER0xraww-cnAYHGx4XmLsk/s5466/DSC07190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3833" data-original-width="5466" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8195XPEobz8LsZtVNhFI4dc0M-cxuD0wLxjDzrqdnftVQhE8luIsBjWjZM025599sp92TPVghnWGrJ7U0CC62YMHRK5LvFhTPZOJU-AmXhwu49MUfEP_ASER0xraww-cnAYHGx4XmLsk/w640-h448/DSC07190.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Unconscious in our existence as we fell in step with a fallen world, the Lord's plan for our lives began to unfold and I am deeply grateful for His relentless pursuit of us. </div><p style="text-align: center;">"My gift from God"</p><p style="text-align: center;">This is the inscription on the inside of both of our wedding bands as the Lord's "gentle whisper" began to reach our hearts and we realized that we had each been prompted to inscribe this without knowing the other was doing the same.</p><p style="text-align: center;">My gift from God... </p><p style="text-align: center;">The extravagance of this gift has seen me through the broken as this man has carried my fears, cried my tears, affirmed my value and hugged away my disquiet. We have fought along side each other and <b>for</b> each other as we welcome the broken and recognize it within ourselves. Prayers were answered as I watched this strong, amazing husband and father submit himself, surrendering his control and the expectations of the fallen, saturating me with awe and the immenseness of God's faithfulness and power.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Being in love first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise.”</b> <u>Mere Christianity</u></div><p style="text-align: center;">As that gentle whisper began to <b>change</b> our hearts, the "quieter love" consumed us and is walking us through what the Lord has called us to.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Twenty five years later... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlT-Z_zw48nyjM12mjYeY_o-ZUBAF-egj5YJ-46qb8BOblhBNbIln6miLUpTHo5d4R2HnllbNp-XzB3ibAMfnmIYlzMnhFVtxxC9wXSAcvON-8FK616OVPiV_JLRVp6GqOZQj357i3lcA/s1822/output_image1614466558107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1822" data-original-width="1367" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlT-Z_zw48nyjM12mjYeY_o-ZUBAF-egj5YJ-46qb8BOblhBNbIln6miLUpTHo5d4R2HnllbNp-XzB3ibAMfnmIYlzMnhFVtxxC9wXSAcvON-8FK616OVPiV_JLRVp6GqOZQj357i3lcA/w480-h640/output_image1614466558107.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and we are still clueless but we <b>know</b> we are clueless and that knowing allows the Lord to lead us and as our idols continue to fall away, we rejoice in the good, give thanks for the blessings, let go of the worries, trust Him through the hard and just love love love.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzKF5FcQMjDhkb-81TTnkHKy_wN47hs2OWaRIBBErl7hW8n8zfDO1a6ewocTdDilxlpyfJHo0_cFNhuQxUFN9xSqGiPSK6lLTRUG91iWK7mqtw6XnxwAXx1aEAlcjUgoXT0R6pSTNBhE/s4945/DSC07197.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3577" data-original-width="4945" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixzKF5FcQMjDhkb-81TTnkHKy_wN47hs2OWaRIBBErl7hW8n8zfDO1a6ewocTdDilxlpyfJHo0_cFNhuQxUFN9xSqGiPSK6lLTRUG91iWK7mqtw6XnxwAXx1aEAlcjUgoXT0R6pSTNBhE/w640-h462/DSC07197.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Thank you Lord for 25 years of amazing!!!</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-1435684972580683732021-03-13T00:19:00.000-05:002021-03-13T00:19:21.486-05:00The Second Orphanage<div style="text-align: center;">It is called “the second orphanage.” </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is the place Will would have spent the rest of his life. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In 2013 we had just returned home from China with Maggie and Lucy, when we learned about Will. He was Maggie’s foster brother, was 10 years old, was blind and he was still waiting... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghN22b2XYb5Ye5PUIF8e8gOalXp8Rjw_o-c5LLRlOADc9T7aAAt1Uks00N6LnfYjFa9e2V4qYjtptBnOulMlIe8Zb42VHARjKgzk-rXU1TW40LCvL59J_Trg-wTLSKPqQ0VMtlAnq1ukg/s425/maggie+foster+brother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="293" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghN22b2XYb5Ye5PUIF8e8gOalXp8Rjw_o-c5LLRlOADc9T7aAAt1Uks00N6LnfYjFa9e2V4qYjtptBnOulMlIe8Zb42VHARjKgzk-rXU1TW40LCvL59J_Trg-wTLSKPqQ0VMtlAnq1ukg/w442-h640/maggie+foster+brother.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">but we had seven kids...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRw6WqMywAYMG1BFXnulk7qs4msOGYf8UkD8EFJPN47LqAGKgdQd7X3ISEy7q9OHYHM3xGaISvymzJ-RUwc4aKKYdapr2htcwoN4efHXViQguhhmgP3BDpbE_LsOz5bT148f1L6g0F80/s2581/DSC00237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2581" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRw6WqMywAYMG1BFXnulk7qs4msOGYf8UkD8EFJPN47LqAGKgdQd7X3ISEy7q9OHYHM3xGaISvymzJ-RUwc4aKKYdapr2htcwoN4efHXViQguhhmgP3BDpbE_LsOz5bT148f1L6g0F80/w640-h428/DSC00237.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Maggie and Lucy were both nine years old and both had cerebral palsy and our family was busy as we managed life with doctors and therapists and soccer and school and 7 kids...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LHB-KWEvTN2W6s5_SATJDpJR2tWJcyNMW-LEqnLkl-FgGnL_6jLpZlNU3netAYDsEjDV6vg6p9z0wjhapVX1jm4hMp5_ArGbZmlgiggUZBsy-5Iju_rVgie0QprF50Mq3CMagdm3nwg/s2872/DSC00259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1737" data-original-width="2872" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4LHB-KWEvTN2W6s5_SATJDpJR2tWJcyNMW-LEqnLkl-FgGnL_6jLpZlNU3netAYDsEjDV6vg6p9z0wjhapVX1jm4hMp5_ArGbZmlgiggUZBsy-5Iju_rVgie0QprF50Mq3CMagdm3nwg/w640-h388/DSC00259.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">but Will was still waiting...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For five years I advocated for him. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For five years we prayed for a family for him because… life was busy. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For five years the Lord worked on our hearts, exposing and transforming those bitter parts that tend to hold us back from allowing Him to have total control. We were works in progress and at times that progress was painful, but it readied us. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In November of 2013, just a few short months after bringing Maggie and Lucy home, my husband was laid off and all at once, we learned what it was to be completely dependent on the Lord’s provision. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was during those years that we began to let go of our American Dream and began to embrace His dream for our family. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We learned the importance of time well spent with Him, in His word, and about trusting His answers to our prayers and His provision for our family. That time was full of hard but so full of growth, a glimpse into the kind of love that transforms the courses of lives. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">By the Summer of 2017, Will was still waiting and the Lord began to change our prayers for him. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">No longer were we praying for <b><i>any</i></b> family for him. We were now praying and asking the Lord if <b><i>we</i></b> might be Will’s forever family. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Life was still busy and Will was still blind but our hearts and our dreams were not what they once were. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> By the Fall of 2017, Will was almost 14 years old and in a few short months, would age out and begin the rest of his life in “the second orphanage”... a dark reality that so many children face after families who <b><i>could</i></b> be their "forever", turn away from God’s call on their lives, distracted by the expectations of their familiar. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We learned more about Will, how he loved to laugh and play music. We were told that he was kind to the other kids and funny, so very funny. We saw a video of him playing the piano for a visiting team of volunteers and were told that he knew, he knew that he was literally playing for his life. This was his last chance and he was nervous and he wanted to impress and we found ourselves beginning to understand a bit more about our journey and with each new revelation, the Lord prepared us. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">By November of 2017, we knew what the Lord was asking of us and by His patient preparation, we were ready to say yes, ready to race to get to our son before he aged out. We had very little time but we had seen so much of the Lord’s goodness and power and sovereignty, that there was never a doubt that Will would come home. By His grace, we made it to Will the day before he turned 14, the day he would have aged out and been left with no hope for a family or a future. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15BeiFUzsibPFdaraI7Jw05DB8pTvvAyRR2WHWkXqRKwwnJyJOGkhfqxVNI3bgaljJay05U0IzREKjoCeY8EInb6kP5o5UxPQsPbI4BW1CWswQPQ6RQJSIajBpJuJF4J6EOIGcm_KJ_c/s6000/DSC09989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15BeiFUzsibPFdaraI7Jw05DB8pTvvAyRR2WHWkXqRKwwnJyJOGkhfqxVNI3bgaljJay05U0IzREKjoCeY8EInb6kP5o5UxPQsPbI4BW1CWswQPQ6RQJSIajBpJuJF4J6EOIGcm_KJ_c/w640-h426/DSC09989.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">He came to us nervous but ready. He spoke no English and could not see but somehow he knew and together we began to get to know one another. We laughed over the crazy google translations, we shared his very first birthday cake, we bonded over first amusement park rides as well as first plane rides and trust grew as he relied on us to be his eyes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzwGO88NPIUExXVY-z-sTDhBa0YnoFWgXWUt4B4lC0nQvX8mH_9719h1Y5RW5aJGp1rqF9ZKsdnVTVbAnwE4Nf3LOqiqj0S8Cc-Cg61oIPR9AfOtx0vOH50D1fHp74oI-cRlktaClOb4/s2048/20180127_120145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuzwGO88NPIUExXVY-z-sTDhBa0YnoFWgXWUt4B4lC0nQvX8mH_9719h1Y5RW5aJGp1rqF9ZKsdnVTVbAnwE4Nf3LOqiqj0S8Cc-Cg61oIPR9AfOtx0vOH50D1fHp74oI-cRlktaClOb4/w480-h640/20180127_120145.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Will has been home for a little over three years now. He attends school, is learning braille, serves in Beta Club, plays the trumpet, has composed music on the keyboard, made All County Band, and is killing it in math! He is also a member of our high school’s marching band and serves as an inspiration for all who know him and marvel as he plays by ear and stays in perfect step on that football field! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">How could the transition of a 14 year old boy into our family who is blind and spoke no English have been so amazing? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Looking back on those times in our lives when we had to wait, when we had to endure hardships, when we learned to lean into Him and depend on Him for all of it, every last bit of it, when we finally realized that the American Dream is really not the Lord’s dream for our family... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">we understand now that it was <b><i>our</i></b> hearts that needed transitioning. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes it is hard to understand why we have to wait, why a sweet, funny, talented little boy in China had to wait 14 years to feel safe, to know hope and to be loved. I don’t think that we will ever know all of the reasons why but we know enough of the Lord’s goodness to trust in that un-knowing. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Scripture tells us to care for the orphan. Scripture also tells us that He has good plans for us, plans for a hope and a future. From what we have learned about the “second orphanage”, it is a place of hopelessness and abuse, a place that so many enter and never leave, unless they can escape, but life on the street is just as hopeless and just as filled with abuse. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is easy to turn away. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> It is easy to be busy. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is easy to get discouraged by well-meaning family and friends. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It is easy to live that American Dream...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">but once your eyes have been opened and your hearts completely shattered, there is no excuse that satisfies. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Older child adoption is <b>not</b> always easy but scripture also tells us not to expect easy. As a matter of fact, the Lord clearly tells us that if we have embraced Him and His plans for us, we <b>will </b>have trials, and that it <b>won’t</b> be easy, but in a way that only God can do, that “hard” is completely blessed and blessed in a way that is transformational and eternal.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I watched this breathtaking commercial during this year's Super Bowl, I was reminded of the power behind that one simple word...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"YES"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maybe the Lord's power is just waiting behind <b><i>your </i></b>"yes"...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fqWG5_7nwyk" width="560"></iframe>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-43851088819322271362021-03-11T22:13:00.000-05:002021-03-11T22:15:16.325-05:00Happy Birthday Em<p style="text-align: center;">Stop the clock, I wanna get off!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBGwfduIuCNAp5L7cnytFvgk6fnIe0iyYyBWA-Ckr0t16grRdB0vWeqezozp_fwJI6MC45fwJqU6_qHr0mu3pU24QJ0ancbPxh2BGQSyPWsADJb9Xe6HVzx1hupZIIf48IMgZxCETVhE/s2048/20210307_154456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1689" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBGwfduIuCNAp5L7cnytFvgk6fnIe0iyYyBWA-Ckr0t16grRdB0vWeqezozp_fwJI6MC45fwJqU6_qHr0mu3pU24QJ0ancbPxh2BGQSyPWsADJb9Xe6HVzx1hupZIIf48IMgZxCETVhE/w528-h640/20210307_154456.jpg" width="528" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Fifteen years has brought us from smocked dresses to ripped jeans and I am not ready!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA1Ep1Vzg5_x1-3rqNPGKV-WExA8B1wsqIflXv3GLqWY4KrbHmwybM8cf5ML-mHb9woojBcrR_KAD4TxBGGx3rrWFx_etJwKrujHxjYsOnp8VDuWwsyHLNWSonb-F-fe6qRDwBTFA_QQ/s1936/emmeline+%252820%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1622" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA1Ep1Vzg5_x1-3rqNPGKV-WExA8B1wsqIflXv3GLqWY4KrbHmwybM8cf5ML-mHb9woojBcrR_KAD4TxBGGx3rrWFx_etJwKrujHxjYsOnp8VDuWwsyHLNWSonb-F-fe6qRDwBTFA_QQ/w536-h640/emmeline+%252820%2529.jpg" width="536" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaDSkCDJPDawYGdFTYjkkMqXoPUeIo0qz5W_pRYxWmCW6MFapLw2qDqviep3k8SJuv-hbVoRBkzmtg9fwg8VO1ufB4qFPh12fgKqnmiMMW5iQOrbrJR7mXwttScOTdmqPyfd9apkrJEg/s2048/emmeline+and+lizzie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIaDSkCDJPDawYGdFTYjkkMqXoPUeIo0qz5W_pRYxWmCW6MFapLw2qDqviep3k8SJuv-hbVoRBkzmtg9fwg8VO1ufB4qFPh12fgKqnmiMMW5iQOrbrJR7mXwttScOTdmqPyfd9apkrJEg/w480-h640/emmeline+and+lizzie.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Fifteen years ago, I was in unfamiliar territory...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_eqF7I6MnII25yaPAZV4IkpPT-sl-Tvbevael3aDPy6U4qthg-wCAEjApm57C-44i9uC11Wctk5ftd6JnQlKOjfgcOAfAWBaD_ZGWIR9pYbsHALGanyUZvCvmHrRjirqsz_h8ATyzLw/s2048/Emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO_eqF7I6MnII25yaPAZV4IkpPT-sl-Tvbevael3aDPy6U4qthg-wCAEjApm57C-44i9uC11Wctk5ftd6JnQlKOjfgcOAfAWBaD_ZGWIR9pYbsHALGanyUZvCvmHrRjirqsz_h8ATyzLw/w480-h640/Emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean, OK, the hospital was familiar, the unattractive and well ventilated hospital gowns were familiar, the really uncomfortable pillows were familiar and the awesome nurses were sweetly familiar and such a comfort to me. </p><p style="text-align: center;">But... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bYNrNCjv5mOZjXB5sfxY0f7D0hVn6kx2m3JVBsnSVdWvXbvFXT8O5m6kfGn2wEkJ6Poe0q4FWx5yhfHW45mxNX10hUoPbQoqF1Ag3iQ_jfWcgtdHw3vQmj9Ff0aMYVfIDQLh8FuoAo4/s2048/2007_0930%2528034%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2bYNrNCjv5mOZjXB5sfxY0f7D0hVn6kx2m3JVBsnSVdWvXbvFXT8O5m6kfGn2wEkJ6Poe0q4FWx5yhfHW45mxNX10hUoPbQoqF1Ag3iQ_jfWcgtdHw3vQmj9Ff0aMYVfIDQLh8FuoAo4/w640-h480/2007_0930%2528034%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">after 3 boys... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcI8JnUOSTgpw7sBXGJm7-G6FepMhhVg46R8pYx-kpYgrTaABQ0VXRAncy5s5G2TknKvugjhrBZ1Twf1W1z3l5l2hCuvExZfH6el08FOxNVlT2bj8HwI2ubhUkFGUBvVKtnBibXzLhPQ/s2048/2007_0930%2528004%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1857" data-original-width="2048" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvcI8JnUOSTgpw7sBXGJm7-G6FepMhhVg46R8pYx-kpYgrTaABQ0VXRAncy5s5G2TknKvugjhrBZ1Twf1W1z3l5l2hCuvExZfH6el08FOxNVlT2bj8HwI2ubhUkFGUBvVKtnBibXzLhPQ/w640-h580/2007_0930%2528004%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">this whole girl thing was totally unfamiliar.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YUVw3NaFDwZTGOek2Dtso4w2sCfO9zu7pxVhrd0R2WK3RZZ50-cZqiIQqDgrVpgN4PEk5zQZXlm36KnXdXKcbAawgL9Ie9JGlI9AQ1bTaSa0J8dtZugMcBeeDv4GWCLQSSQLAIngykg/s2048/2007_0808%2528003%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1437" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YUVw3NaFDwZTGOek2Dtso4w2sCfO9zu7pxVhrd0R2WK3RZZ50-cZqiIQqDgrVpgN4PEk5zQZXlm36KnXdXKcbAawgL9Ie9JGlI9AQ1bTaSa0J8dtZugMcBeeDv4GWCLQSSQLAIngykg/w450-h640/2007_0808%2528003%2529.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean, OK, I <b><i>am</i></b> a girl so that was familiar but I had never <b><i>raised</i></b> a girl!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqh5horQ0LRiwOqEwiDhdIiCXM7gjodd6UFSFchenv93Ey_mz4uK48FYz-gVpttMRvkeSl7qnJdmzjuuHMP8qpxIGzz23DtICXDJOReFy_VEMatDLfMdw5uYKAr543_VXZRPjjYjOlWM/s2048/2007_0612dogsandEm0023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqh5horQ0LRiwOqEwiDhdIiCXM7gjodd6UFSFchenv93Ey_mz4uK48FYz-gVpttMRvkeSl7qnJdmzjuuHMP8qpxIGzz23DtICXDJOReFy_VEMatDLfMdw5uYKAr543_VXZRPjjYjOlWM/w640-h480/2007_0612dogsandEm0023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Totally unfamiliar...</p><p style="text-align: center;">Sort of😉</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvZ91jS6WADmfNiWU39F_oTbR-yjTlcKZjFckj-CAtYglSqznxfwtEf2HNalqwdsdWx-T87VvCV_9pPC00K2qLQZwwn_Tdk0R4E3ikiTCc2trnrKEqSu-eWfad-ACxBneRjEOpYbLEtA/s6000/emmeline+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvZ91jS6WADmfNiWU39F_oTbR-yjTlcKZjFckj-CAtYglSqznxfwtEf2HNalqwdsdWx-T87VvCV_9pPC00K2qLQZwwn_Tdk0R4E3ikiTCc2trnrKEqSu-eWfad-ACxBneRjEOpYbLEtA/w426-h640/emmeline+%25282%2529.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">and so totally awesome!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir20TFXJLe3ds-__HowO3sVKj5LVx58OresjwIbqlFi4EvF9n-akJ9FfYEdxfwPx-UC0bkand3A0Dr9JS3vIE3qyGrvPwhHZpsRPDdT28-wOXnLJWbRaurZmw9ytQkbK9Ku_Cj7LjZEtU/s2048/20210109_174252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1511" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir20TFXJLe3ds-__HowO3sVKj5LVx58OresjwIbqlFi4EvF9n-akJ9FfYEdxfwPx-UC0bkand3A0Dr9JS3vIE3qyGrvPwhHZpsRPDdT28-wOXnLJWbRaurZmw9ytQkbK9Ku_Cj7LjZEtU/w472-h640/20210109_174252.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean after 3 loud, rowdy, burping boys... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0pG0yZVi_ljX14uKQxEz0ZLp7XmQdT14mFCqyk05IvHlqXqpMP_UjbnPJaNhwcC5uWMklk8e2pFMYpjPm53eml3LE7-W6RfdsTiZSNDQzLGmPrlNqtwI6xbMCkTvkuk_-EdfrVAO2s/s3013/DSC07273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="3013" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP0pG0yZVi_ljX14uKQxEz0ZLp7XmQdT14mFCqyk05IvHlqXqpMP_UjbnPJaNhwcC5uWMklk8e2pFMYpjPm53eml3LE7-W6RfdsTiZSNDQzLGmPrlNqtwI6xbMCkTvkuk_-EdfrVAO2s/w640-h492/DSC07273.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I now had a sweet, quiet, dainty little girl...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR69bsVKlTXp6UNlQNIZ4AVdXMN5Z00hsvQBjnVrMDNdh9BZQHHjohixUBXxdYgUcFhW-zHoXCrzP5BGYm6y28mPbm76UHcfYAfhkExjXzV9G-LqFlNXbEBs4H5bb9UvI-0pTXbV1pww/s2048/2008_0301%2528016%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghR69bsVKlTXp6UNlQNIZ4AVdXMN5Z00hsvQBjnVrMDNdh9BZQHHjohixUBXxdYgUcFhW-zHoXCrzP5BGYm6y28mPbm76UHcfYAfhkExjXzV9G-LqFlNXbEBs4H5bb9UvI-0pTXbV1pww/w640-h480/2008_0301%2528016%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">who can burp with the best of 'em...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jjUV-hwhgbbMtzU6KqMIBLjEIVlxO-8neX__QxnHPDeOYxL39NSX5aU6hLapclmqMNTLr1rg_ED-IBnyWIoxQlKM_HmaFXfwVENS73Yzi_wehOCS2iOgMHOBeLBx59yHTOu8gPebMZw/s6000/DSC01414.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jjUV-hwhgbbMtzU6KqMIBLjEIVlxO-8neX__QxnHPDeOYxL39NSX5aU6hLapclmqMNTLr1rg_ED-IBnyWIoxQlKM_HmaFXfwVENS73Yzi_wehOCS2iOgMHOBeLBx59yHTOu8gPebMZw/w640-h426/DSC01414.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and whose Dad totally encourages her because <b><i>that</i></b> will certainly keep the boys away...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2Kkz5Nc37jbntHixc8BmWdstcA3VxDoAufDUp04mugZ_vDFdnQcIv8VwiVBGgYMQsSLQ_aHUEZo8_aFQ6y715xTmQHhbnLTC2Py1n8lB9ydehR7FKIh-95eOQtheGJcdbFNM4g_w5Dc/s3892/DSC01224+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3707" data-original-width="3892" height="610" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2Kkz5Nc37jbntHixc8BmWdstcA3VxDoAufDUp04mugZ_vDFdnQcIv8VwiVBGgYMQsSLQ_aHUEZo8_aFQ6y715xTmQHhbnLTC2Py1n8lB9ydehR7FKIh-95eOQtheGJcdbFNM4g_w5Dc/w640-h610/DSC01224+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Yeah right...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdOu9k0ASnb204dBHz0ObYqOtctg8xK7PjqSyVhG8muBEjgwk560coNKKK1uqUCqROCUyTZS9qj4TP2ZIiub3h5m9oXNqncQPQu9gTpJq0wp60_stJH1BPN5ZL6DfNr0Bkv-uxlMm8jY/s6000/DSC01242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdOu9k0ASnb204dBHz0ObYqOtctg8xK7PjqSyVhG8muBEjgwk560coNKKK1uqUCqROCUyTZS9qj4TP2ZIiub3h5m9oXNqncQPQu9gTpJq0wp60_stJH1BPN5ZL6DfNr0Bkv-uxlMm8jY/w640-h426/DSC01242.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sigh😉</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNHYOkRHEsJtftlbz2ivvTYaD24Yj2tlZPrTzqROvTBFTd8kiDWJYmuwTdCwRRKDIDXLX4D55rgnS-Bjb37f4jti60vpSJS-A9wLnZXNhVziiKd7hImSQZ_4Z70k1278_4aKhxk-v3Gw/s6000/DSC01246+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTNHYOkRHEsJtftlbz2ivvTYaD24Yj2tlZPrTzqROvTBFTd8kiDWJYmuwTdCwRRKDIDXLX4D55rgnS-Bjb37f4jti60vpSJS-A9wLnZXNhVziiKd7hImSQZ_4Z70k1278_4aKhxk-v3Gw/w640-h426/DSC01246+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Without warning, 15 years has slipped past and the little sister with three bigger brothers is now threatening to "out height" them and I am not ready...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> My precious one, your delightful innocence is weaved throughout your beautiful maturity. Your heart is full of love and laughter and compassion and broken-ness as the Lord has already opened your eyes and burdened your heart for this fallen world.</div><p style="text-align: center;">He has entrusted you with much baby girl and I am overwhelmed watching as God's plan captivates every ounce of you. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ivLW2Mis94F_vfllyebTfW2-EprnNyquw5VLqXwvmlHlTRHRm7j1OBWAY-sgOERE2FEcLg8nBdGkHccvwN2wYDlzCq9Jiurv2GHT8hzV_cmf_WuQbDJyWI4fAuYwv5saiEF7L1A0ho0/s6000/DSC01249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ivLW2Mis94F_vfllyebTfW2-EprnNyquw5VLqXwvmlHlTRHRm7j1OBWAY-sgOERE2FEcLg8nBdGkHccvwN2wYDlzCq9Jiurv2GHT8hzV_cmf_WuQbDJyWI4fAuYwv5saiEF7L1A0ho0/w640-h426/DSC01249.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i>"God is within her, she will not fall; </i><i>God will help her at break of day."</i> Psalm 46:5</p><div style="text-align: center;">Trust in that sweet one and whether easy or not, the rest will flow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8RWeQ7DjwOxRKLWdh0CSvVc3S1Jhmg9NxCG7vGcPqnsqZoj56-M64jfxVzvduoYQTL9LVmfGmGkkVtumoBpNqXbYJ0DEQ_WUbLgkAyBU61JAP9iLnWYtpgsKu6jcornfFanNl5K61Zc/s2048/2008_0301%2528004%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8RWeQ7DjwOxRKLWdh0CSvVc3S1Jhmg9NxCG7vGcPqnsqZoj56-M64jfxVzvduoYQTL9LVmfGmGkkVtumoBpNqXbYJ0DEQ_WUbLgkAyBU61JAP9iLnWYtpgsKu6jcornfFanNl5K61Zc/w640-h480/2008_0301%2528004%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Birthday baby girl!</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-78051614872609940792021-02-14T13:15:00.002-05:002021-03-31T10:56:49.161-04:00Happy 18th Birthday Caleb<div style="text-align: center;">My dearest Caleb... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today you are 18 years old.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwCbSvGZxuoDIjjsxOtQ81p8nCkcmAXwUEnP9K7VE-8j34DaDCQKIDIRBEV_DzupXLQTwnr-Pjd0avrW-ITVdzPV8YYLD-tY39yAeXvcXw3goLkXizNzPmzVW1VSOER0AV6BXms_ycdw/s4688/DSC01344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3601" data-original-width="4688" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwCbSvGZxuoDIjjsxOtQ81p8nCkcmAXwUEnP9K7VE-8j34DaDCQKIDIRBEV_DzupXLQTwnr-Pjd0avrW-ITVdzPV8YYLD-tY39yAeXvcXw3goLkXizNzPmzVW1VSOER0AV6BXms_ycdw/w640-h492/DSC01344.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The world now sees you as a man.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUESF-kNp6_b84ezAf0HUycr_Y2YB0CarYax6IXq34n6rDwsohDJgw826ELg5-mXElIvgoVavn2FeyTVcSqMBBqaPEgkx1ZfYYHc7UEMTW8URgPdc-D4rh3OiNeUDI7CYCZZd2_kQ3Lgg/s5135/DSC01345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3678" data-original-width="5135" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUESF-kNp6_b84ezAf0HUycr_Y2YB0CarYax6IXq34n6rDwsohDJgw826ELg5-mXElIvgoVavn2FeyTVcSqMBBqaPEgkx1ZfYYHc7UEMTW8URgPdc-D4rh3OiNeUDI7CYCZZd2_kQ3Lgg/w640-h458/DSC01345.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I still see you as my baby boy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFshlWCXEP2WWgZEeriV7HsF4xCn1mbusX07o6sLAAH8a40RBCJx9-dA7jSCvYOrA6cMbfK3vAlX2bXROqnvCJYMcGRT5o5Cez2SQ5-hqSyxC1sDJna6xUTIKUH-fQAicqnHIJeMGD-DE/s1254/Document+%252891b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1254" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFshlWCXEP2WWgZEeriV7HsF4xCn1mbusX07o6sLAAH8a40RBCJx9-dA7jSCvYOrA6cMbfK3vAlX2bXROqnvCJYMcGRT5o5Cez2SQ5-hqSyxC1sDJna6xUTIKUH-fQAicqnHIJeMGD-DE/w640-h506/Document+%252891b.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You have always known how to make me laugh...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XKUXxE-YGjOLOqf3Bay2P0mmjn836BZurY8fmBrtXwfvkuOWvqujdrtfyyRJheC9UrVKcquRrL7HtROKfv-IyPZnF-u0LL-ovXGF6x1721FRxbXf1Q5P4rG_C6qeUPhyRhskcsn64aM/s2048/caleb+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1275" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XKUXxE-YGjOLOqf3Bay2P0mmjn836BZurY8fmBrtXwfvkuOWvqujdrtfyyRJheC9UrVKcquRrL7HtROKfv-IyPZnF-u0LL-ovXGF6x1721FRxbXf1Q5P4rG_C6qeUPhyRhskcsn64aM/w398-h640/caleb+7.JPG" width="398" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and how to touch my heart...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfFWCFOCP7kfUWwBJUWSbEPapZdHIGjvcfAv08a5INhHhm0plAgidAjG30znko8IN2Lu3fqUmUS0rHnk-OHD-DNOQUqZzJa7oQ6kD1BtYQk6r8QkUc2_I1IboS151yUIYpocz3RA07o0/s2048/DSC01710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="2048" height="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVfFWCFOCP7kfUWwBJUWSbEPapZdHIGjvcfAv08a5INhHhm0plAgidAjG30znko8IN2Lu3fqUmUS0rHnk-OHD-DNOQUqZzJa7oQ6kD1BtYQk6r8QkUc2_I1IboS151yUIYpocz3RA07o0/w640-h572/DSC01710.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">and I am not sure I am ready as the moments we have without you begin to overtake the moments we have with you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Mom, when I grow up do we have to be separated?"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A question asked from your 6 year old sweet self!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">The reply from my formally 46 year old self caught in my throat as my answer danced around my heart's desire and the absoluteness of time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the preciousness of the moment, I want it to be but I have learned to treasure up all the moments in between as that baby boy becomes 18.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TCAyRkOGuwiEFAPCmaMN45jG8Hy1mcAImQAzzVcZFwI9sLemVCJkuOKoKmmF1pudEMltGOltJ_1cSGjiVAjmAExSYckEPAA0Nc9OOAYbsb9B6saHQarZrNrcNJ-K719wk3IEPDl4c2Q/s4716/DSC01350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3447" data-original-width="4716" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TCAyRkOGuwiEFAPCmaMN45jG8Hy1mcAImQAzzVcZFwI9sLemVCJkuOKoKmmF1pudEMltGOltJ_1cSGjiVAjmAExSYckEPAA0Nc9OOAYbsb9B6saHQarZrNrcNJ-K719wk3IEPDl4c2Q/w640-h468/DSC01350.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">With each of you, I think I began to mourn this time even as I held you all for the very first time, not fully understanding the beauty of the journey, because it is beautiful.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pLW1q5HeyCZA2F3ledFeafG8IZARx-kfpmjN6gN2Lqx0tHEobnGK5zuvXCNw09szTxYl2cdN0qKl7CzL4o43bb4mFYEYIFI3zS924N2eax-B2fR_p5YlTkio9Jat9u8c7bNQuzOv8vU/s2048/DSC03123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2048" height="508" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pLW1q5HeyCZA2F3ledFeafG8IZARx-kfpmjN6gN2Lqx0tHEobnGK5zuvXCNw09szTxYl2cdN0qKl7CzL4o43bb4mFYEYIFI3zS924N2eax-B2fR_p5YlTkio9Jat9u8c7bNQuzOv8vU/w640-h508/DSC03123.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The ache of arms outgrown is gently replaced by the anticipation of purposes fulfilled. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJYF6eUqc56Kysz3HHjNx73H0gpCpof2z9DZ5e5xaMqytKjRZaJ5Qtss8vNiNjTo7zAu8bNOTC3VONCmba_usy-LnAxDvY-X8HFXti0_wYSk174UPr4nQhjY65DDE6oMf2s5p_uc6Yi8/s3302/caleb+and+bethie+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2114" data-original-width="3302" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJYF6eUqc56Kysz3HHjNx73H0gpCpof2z9DZ5e5xaMqytKjRZaJ5Qtss8vNiNjTo7zAu8bNOTC3VONCmba_usy-LnAxDvY-X8HFXti0_wYSk174UPr4nQhjY65DDE6oMf2s5p_uc6Yi8/w640-h410/caleb+and+bethie+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Lord entrusted you to me and with every one of those precious, passing moments, I have been releasing you back to Him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6yO10dz7DVqm8Aq62iI424VRG_VBIsxqb1ax7jK7YEWEm24_j2B3NNCdzhG-m4crxD2mlxnJBeYkryGXtVBlBQpKaADrzOaHaz-gAmdMIaIA90ksJDC1lkv-7IGo1Gix5KsvyRIs1pI/s4821/DSC01366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3984" data-original-width="4821" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI6yO10dz7DVqm8Aq62iI424VRG_VBIsxqb1ax7jK7YEWEm24_j2B3NNCdzhG-m4crxD2mlxnJBeYkryGXtVBlBQpKaADrzOaHaz-gAmdMIaIA90ksJDC1lkv-7IGo1Gix5KsvyRIs1pI/w640-h528/DSC01366.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Caleb, you are funny and interesting and talented and have a maturity that allows me to release with more ease...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyKSe8YuU0Y2yjZWqmWnd0Wh-wtX-0FdtUCpmEHtIkI4e0QoSVsuqFe6q2MGE5usb7TV20AK59-zpZ3K5uMugfMXw1s0EW5WDQ3-K0jjBK60o-qtVYlLTPvvLwIUpahm7DSJY1CKs6EE/s5183/DSC01346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3401" data-original-width="5183" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyKSe8YuU0Y2yjZWqmWnd0Wh-wtX-0FdtUCpmEHtIkI4e0QoSVsuqFe6q2MGE5usb7TV20AK59-zpZ3K5uMugfMXw1s0EW5WDQ3-K0jjBK60o-qtVYlLTPvvLwIUpahm7DSJY1CKs6EE/w640-h420/DSC01346.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">or maybe it's the five other distractions still at home????</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau0XZv2tsm0-I2RJcDBwyIx6Tqb5lyPRtwKECzHpahSIGRwG3lWQx_4cKnBBq2v9oHDLItGDeeplJ3iZOs0KZpg7dcqucFcPwGvX5xZvYvBEhtDUB_xjimddehMadvjsPFfXqizscchA/s2523/DSC00690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="2523" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau0XZv2tsm0-I2RJcDBwyIx6Tqb5lyPRtwKECzHpahSIGRwG3lWQx_4cKnBBq2v9oHDLItGDeeplJ3iZOs0KZpg7dcqucFcPwGvX5xZvYvBEhtDUB_xjimddehMadvjsPFfXqizscchA/w640-h478/DSC00690.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nah, it's definitely your maturity😉</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XJ-K1tC0o8QbNzdEUAeoPf5Dk5mf6FiMNOtDKUrwyXu5CHxc_YYjBkRWvn1w6u3v3p2OwFuXCQsurIfPsf_KdTYR_9Dhw_-qub4Sxze7-M9Ps7TYUMg9a_9dGErNrVOho40IYrTSIto/s3935/DSC01357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3935" data-original-width="3763" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XJ-K1tC0o8QbNzdEUAeoPf5Dk5mf6FiMNOtDKUrwyXu5CHxc_YYjBkRWvn1w6u3v3p2OwFuXCQsurIfPsf_KdTYR_9Dhw_-qub4Sxze7-M9Ps7TYUMg9a_9dGErNrVOho40IYrTSIto/w612-h640/DSC01357.JPG" width="612" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>C.S. Lewis</div><div><br /></div><div>You have good aim my darlin! Don't allow this world to turn your gaze away.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fov45yklZUAeRBl3VRw5P608X9GWD3Gdb9DCIm1bWoiKhaTjuJOyYIpryMRbjuJ2mIHnQKH-rU2yIXoD4XsBfCfmlnnRRI1sc5BXu6AVX6uqkQpiHfT_K4Yt-YmRTjB7kxmD-V2Uvuo/s4625/DSC01365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3984" data-original-width="4625" height="552" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Fov45yklZUAeRBl3VRw5P608X9GWD3Gdb9DCIm1bWoiKhaTjuJOyYIpryMRbjuJ2mIHnQKH-rU2yIXoD4XsBfCfmlnnRRI1sc5BXu6AVX6uqkQpiHfT_K4Yt-YmRTjB7kxmD-V2Uvuo/w640-h552/DSC01365.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Happy (gulp) 18th Calebebeeeee!!!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-85344481463672524762021-02-06T23:17:00.002-05:002021-02-06T23:17:57.287-05:00Happy 21st Charlie<p style="text-align: center;"> Twenty-one years ago you made your grand entrance...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYoQdOliSreBlDcMteiVga88FpOb0p4Kv7_ihRh8ty5LOehMu6Gpwj9onAafpSe6c_d07OrmfCo1rriJrypcB_u2Az0T79cwjKv5bSn7ZT0tFcuefkpwTtPGoNOUdd17ntGNLAi2eLTM/s1169/charlie+preg.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="782" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdYoQdOliSreBlDcMteiVga88FpOb0p4Kv7_ihRh8ty5LOehMu6Gpwj9onAafpSe6c_d07OrmfCo1rriJrypcB_u2Az0T79cwjKv5bSn7ZT0tFcuefkpwTtPGoNOUdd17ntGNLAi2eLTM/w428-h640/charlie+preg.JPG" width="428" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and it was dramatic!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4OBlHBCuwQYZ2YAlOLdM8pxTmdD8viUixNMniDCdSqsyGfBM8DtwrFah97-DxXV_vAC3k8FXjtGBaDDFSajDSy4B7TbxSgT5J8lzoGmked3_Je_dfdCD7P1wBd6AAsnrdEXmogxsl1A/s2048/pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="2048" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4OBlHBCuwQYZ2YAlOLdM8pxTmdD8viUixNMniDCdSqsyGfBM8DtwrFah97-DxXV_vAC3k8FXjtGBaDDFSajDSy4B7TbxSgT5J8lzoGmked3_Je_dfdCD7P1wBd6AAsnrdEXmogxsl1A/w640-h402/pic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Hmm, maybe that's why you seem to like making dramatic entrances now😄</div><p style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HEtg97YXSRI" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">I know you were ready for 21...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWVU_RJNRa7xzXypBA4b1QzTXUTnzZYp6eqHa12Dn4N4NGTWeLbpcyb3YdlIsMZgRhvKo7f8NgrLnJVNbzB5NVFs0LzmN7iwqjXvYtEa2iVhs6IimDh5L1Qq2osZo-f4ALwzHT2qTko/s5473/DSC01304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5473" data-original-width="3869" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWVU_RJNRa7xzXypBA4b1QzTXUTnzZYp6eqHa12Dn4N4NGTWeLbpcyb3YdlIsMZgRhvKo7f8NgrLnJVNbzB5NVFs0LzmN7iwqjXvYtEa2iVhs6IimDh5L1Qq2osZo-f4ALwzHT2qTko/w452-h640/DSC01304.JPG" width="452" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">but is 21 ready for you😉</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsJLswRYAgoikbvAHZh1eTBq6wQqC-3oAon1sDLH1dF7HZ4mQLHBeCGiEqHDFJVEzWklLE5fNmBe7ub1JWRRQJE5nfGsOXWuzjf4DOnuJO3sfiI0K_XAQiPvFm7hTH9oKZ_pulnJYFa0/s4347/DSC01308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4347" data-original-width="3347" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsJLswRYAgoikbvAHZh1eTBq6wQqC-3oAon1sDLH1dF7HZ4mQLHBeCGiEqHDFJVEzWklLE5fNmBe7ub1JWRRQJE5nfGsOXWuzjf4DOnuJO3sfiI0K_XAQiPvFm7hTH9oKZ_pulnJYFa0/w492-h640/DSC01308.JPG" width="492" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I don't think I will ever be ready for you to be 21😏 </p><p style="text-align: center;">It just doesn't seem possible that we are 21 years away from this...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSLKveBIyZJywHzsbR2mwSubZL57Zn3DLyAo_pvxoUk1RqwSdob78vmbfcSuZtL0CGAQIKvwbXZSDBxuwtr7J-8DTAgUSJ1W8fUt43skI9opMZdXtSqEehUJyAlOSVWKCmqFMpeEQeJE/s2048/Photograph+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSLKveBIyZJywHzsbR2mwSubZL57Zn3DLyAo_pvxoUk1RqwSdob78vmbfcSuZtL0CGAQIKvwbXZSDBxuwtr7J-8DTAgUSJ1W8fUt43skI9opMZdXtSqEehUJyAlOSVWKCmqFMpeEQeJE/w640-h426/Photograph+%25283%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">or this...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSooPTHo8M9D3gGFa38zofWu9xpXVNXUwFx4Co3mvxNnaHvV6qTid-u9dsncNRAHIMtcxdwnhFY_y04Wopv0fBR2_IdS2UxaLE-VLZUJy6j-W9XGzwEW4qvwIKx8olQ8XAlMiHIxGGFys/s873/Chalie+2.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="749" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSooPTHo8M9D3gGFa38zofWu9xpXVNXUwFx4Co3mvxNnaHvV6qTid-u9dsncNRAHIMtcxdwnhFY_y04Wopv0fBR2_IdS2UxaLE-VLZUJy6j-W9XGzwEW4qvwIKx8olQ8XAlMiHIxGGFys/w550-h640/Chalie+2.JPG" width="550" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">or this...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GVhAilV9Blwgu3LvKmLY18PQbzBov8SoYwTRDc6xtde-mcE5EZ1GzRgoqn8wZ8pFq-4G1sb6xNd6uJ5KHWwwsK5dDkUbIm7RRzn4FZFb1WOHBZI31fodFbFkoG1HIFnyaHfTAZY329o/s1195/Document+%252891a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1102" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GVhAilV9Blwgu3LvKmLY18PQbzBov8SoYwTRDc6xtde-mcE5EZ1GzRgoqn8wZ8pFq-4G1sb6xNd6uJ5KHWwwsK5dDkUbIm7RRzn4FZFb1WOHBZI31fodFbFkoG1HIFnyaHfTAZY329o/w590-h640/Document+%252891a.jpg" width="590" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean I never really got used to the idea of you being a senior in high school and that whole graduating thing😉...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtVXqAVaxiefZXjk4sr6xpbfLKPivvD6MLVYrKHEo3iRiCACelzRwUKHgv2Ilb3WB0sPMtZTvJzos_uiYvxXua1tbcYGsaP3d3bYBIlsuGwFnSjduJBWCHiFnJuccJkiEhW7AP9lOxc4/s4702/DSC03604.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4702" data-original-width="3698" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtVXqAVaxiefZXjk4sr6xpbfLKPivvD6MLVYrKHEo3iRiCACelzRwUKHgv2Ilb3WB0sPMtZTvJzos_uiYvxXua1tbcYGsaP3d3bYBIlsuGwFnSjduJBWCHiFnJuccJkiEhW7AP9lOxc4/w504-h640/DSC03604.JPG" width="504" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and now you are nearing your senior year at college and the days of Pokem*n cards and marbles and wooden blocks and sock wars have been replaced by interesting conversation and soccer in the kitchen and cheating at Uno and lots and lots of laughter.</p><p style="text-align: center;">There is still a smidge of longing for those early days that seemed hard, but that were enveloped in innocence and ease, as a "time out" corrected mistakes and the safety of my arms chased all fears (and your big brother😉) away and even though now, the mistakes can be bigger and the fears more real and more than my arms can carry...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCWqQuPffa0At1_p2Vi4SE17JexOIzbnonJIZBrSt8lWh6cZJ58__JNM1BIADaQEwAUfepBW0ELMmQ48ij-V3v25JDN3ltMwjvyT9vNRe8w79ZYW3U5HeoyKRx9HsLeLGMFwZKjJUyEA/s5704/DSC03346.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5704" data-original-width="3982" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCWqQuPffa0At1_p2Vi4SE17JexOIzbnonJIZBrSt8lWh6cZJ58__JNM1BIADaQEwAUfepBW0ELMmQ48ij-V3v25JDN3ltMwjvyT9vNRe8w79ZYW3U5HeoyKRx9HsLeLGMFwZKjJUyEA/w446-h640/DSC03346.JPG" width="446" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">you wear adulthood well my darlin and I realize I don't have to correct the mistakes or chase away the fears and I'm ok with that😄</div><p style="text-align: center;">Cause...</p><p style="text-align: center;">You've got this!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I can think of so many words to describe you Charlie dear...</p><p style="text-align: center;">Fun</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZwVcxs_1MnnIPTekdPac4DTM6b4SRB6HXKgrbXZgiw9MuzAjh82flUBfAOjn9_fbXCzeO_922cjh4OK4zjx8YC4O1WIXdLLaaiOeiYFyN1G_AAmuFkeGJCMZnA19DqUWL6Y5PjWIkvY/s4873/DSC04370.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4873" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZwVcxs_1MnnIPTekdPac4DTM6b4SRB6HXKgrbXZgiw9MuzAjh82flUBfAOjn9_fbXCzeO_922cjh4OK4zjx8YC4O1WIXdLLaaiOeiYFyN1G_AAmuFkeGJCMZnA19DqUWL6Y5PjWIkvY/w640-h526/DSC04370.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Funny</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA2HugweaaSr2HtO_yCPU7fVrRpGo7-2BCP9bVLfWDhmOEjklxsO77nqml433QAN9_qLknIeK8XJEsYFMMcKrA_aev1b-ZE-IZgTkQ11uWdRSMQ-9byvZy3hXgtX6ir9KRauEH1-7nQc/s3280/DSC05779.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2300" data-original-width="3280" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyA2HugweaaSr2HtO_yCPU7fVrRpGo7-2BCP9bVLfWDhmOEjklxsO77nqml433QAN9_qLknIeK8XJEsYFMMcKrA_aev1b-ZE-IZgTkQ11uWdRSMQ-9byvZy3hXgtX6ir9KRauEH1-7nQc/w640-h448/DSC05779.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Playful</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgvBkuRb5PgJVuaDIbTfE3eD661180vknVNqofWrHblymzRux9z1HsL-Uc22o34B5jbBBWRZd-dnAuW-LI6DBepGDwx5hS0WjeRD246kcheb32Bjf5sOsL6CCnul4UrR77WytHpIChAo/s6000/DSC03468.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgvBkuRb5PgJVuaDIbTfE3eD661180vknVNqofWrHblymzRux9z1HsL-Uc22o34B5jbBBWRZd-dnAuW-LI6DBepGDwx5hS0WjeRD246kcheb32Bjf5sOsL6CCnul4UrR77WytHpIChAo/w426-h640/DSC03468.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Energetic</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwDx-NHIzcq85hsj_mXsYDYCq0flUeFK10nmyURoos46Tj0Z9KSxk52Aw3f76PjBUt2ie6ahqLyj4gDUugwaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">Charming</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9gVZdirnSKEa-mMwNvungq51wZYTHzMv-xXJYnIGSwFr-YHsALoOSasXv5cnV8SKrDgYr835Db0vh-OGhyphenhyphenCMgaPKoKnkYR4WgiT0STNtusj7UjbF9KOXbTkfH1SkVsLLlzR-HvLUwqg/s2048/charlie+brazil.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl9gVZdirnSKEa-mMwNvungq51wZYTHzMv-xXJYnIGSwFr-YHsALoOSasXv5cnV8SKrDgYr835Db0vh-OGhyphenhyphenCMgaPKoKnkYR4WgiT0STNtusj7UjbF9KOXbTkfH1SkVsLLlzR-HvLUwqg/w640-h480/charlie+brazil.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIGnVALgBXLBBSbp_Ko8idaTt_Ak7OYs_qoGXOyV2Zn0N1_ypSQkgRTE452zwWTMj2ChEr6er3E40NJtZJuLt23ziYYis-xGtuye0BzrJrSDvmEnrDE8hbo0a7zrcWCIfHV1bLMwVZzQ/s6000/lucy+and+charlie+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgIGnVALgBXLBBSbp_Ko8idaTt_Ak7OYs_qoGXOyV2Zn0N1_ypSQkgRTE452zwWTMj2ChEr6er3E40NJtZJuLt23ziYYis-xGtuye0BzrJrSDvmEnrDE8hbo0a7zrcWCIfHV1bLMwVZzQ/w640-h426/lucy+and+charlie+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Tenderhearted </p><p style="text-align: center;">But the very best adjective I have ever found to describe you is...</p><p style="text-align: center;">You are just so "Charlie"!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ieDxYoIgAUmuDZjpGnMo5S0QaZDE1g22u6o76bwPWGd1VKR7fd-0x5307Mg-AjmN-vlYoVhB1PNlgLJUhqKg-BHuDlGSL5zrBPM92-oQlpCV5MiSYaThQzrXNE5tzhLzhb-PI8HvpHw/s2048/20170704_201240.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ieDxYoIgAUmuDZjpGnMo5S0QaZDE1g22u6o76bwPWGd1VKR7fd-0x5307Mg-AjmN-vlYoVhB1PNlgLJUhqKg-BHuDlGSL5zrBPM92-oQlpCV5MiSYaThQzrXNE5tzhLzhb-PI8HvpHw/w480-h640/20170704_201240.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S5-tjkhPsGvCcKWDkBL213idfN-SmU-dcd9JqgDmZMsiIbIce-1R3Dtq4TSYsX6FTjyg9Tvf5v4xZEBvOdtY3Z0UsSAEY6y4zODkkRT0yTpqWvaqaIwfM-bTkg3v6bhq0ZRJJEZnHhE/s1113/Document+%252893%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1016" data-original-width="1113" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9S5-tjkhPsGvCcKWDkBL213idfN-SmU-dcd9JqgDmZMsiIbIce-1R3Dtq4TSYsX6FTjyg9Tvf5v4xZEBvOdtY3Z0UsSAEY6y4zODkkRT0yTpqWvaqaIwfM-bTkg3v6bhq0ZRJJEZnHhE/w640-h584/Document+%252893%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVIKElnUlJQcm0G_XiEJoyl3Kr8e-vhTmsx8n-QaU0mQU1UC33MOtFO05B206ra9ya_nQ7IxBbazH5F81EypTBMm4VGRsnKQTQtVGI_PxPT_xP8dbri08B1tUD7_gMvAhu4NkQN6ngX0/s3872/DSC02262.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVIKElnUlJQcm0G_XiEJoyl3Kr8e-vhTmsx8n-QaU0mQU1UC33MOtFO05B206ra9ya_nQ7IxBbazH5F81EypTBMm4VGRsnKQTQtVGI_PxPT_xP8dbri08B1tUD7_gMvAhu4NkQN6ngX0/w640-h428/DSC02262.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOpqpxEhFwDY2efpeL7e2lO17fM24R2UxjCPdNckxBR_e2nJyHxWR0_8u8c_CSXoFtVmY4a80mDZmanYIYnkAfx9nsfZka16-C38_4kVpY1HHO007JYkyXUD5XtNvCXi32xEn0Zp2dEg/s3872/DSC02624.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOpqpxEhFwDY2efpeL7e2lO17fM24R2UxjCPdNckxBR_e2nJyHxWR0_8u8c_CSXoFtVmY4a80mDZmanYIYnkAfx9nsfZka16-C38_4kVpY1HHO007JYkyXUD5XtNvCXi32xEn0Zp2dEg/w640-h428/DSC02624.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3skNa9JYH5SBf9oMHkpz_8r__jCCfIVXXPzjqNntblGA-RBfn6d0rWSh1LU5Z9mD35soupJKlw-rX1W4DINQ1thRNwGy1yDBpvJkOHB7qinsejXrKof9NzJspCaG5yZmZj63FPCEUgw/s3872/DSC04425.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk3skNa9JYH5SBf9oMHkpz_8r__jCCfIVXXPzjqNntblGA-RBfn6d0rWSh1LU5Z9mD35soupJKlw-rX1W4DINQ1thRNwGy1yDBpvJkOHB7qinsejXrKof9NzJspCaG5yZmZj63FPCEUgw/w640-h428/DSC04425.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjOuxXBoN7HBzmr-yvXFyJS4B3blnb8GIjgOYPkanMkUn3xWDSJixDB1-LUok_IirOZd4rSH_GMkRsy8lhRCi_1nbQ8nWu6oqMqDkuWUTHkQcVNNqSF8F0MPz1F9uVIDDB4eqeyTHcFI/s2310/DSC07199.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2310" data-original-width="1868" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjOuxXBoN7HBzmr-yvXFyJS4B3blnb8GIjgOYPkanMkUn3xWDSJixDB1-LUok_IirOZd4rSH_GMkRsy8lhRCi_1nbQ8nWu6oqMqDkuWUTHkQcVNNqSF8F0MPz1F9uVIDDB4eqeyTHcFI/w518-h640/DSC07199.JPG" width="518" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsj6bqgpCjBd5l0Igofk32QJ-1oQok6UqGuybXObhB00zUtqn3bI21ZSSLtzVFgA_iP6Y9OJ7a_JIqwTgS-s6TEZb6hyv-2-H3YD3JwvR_jgizG23tXU-BA_JsShRDTaolr5CfhA8Vtw/s3872/DSC07236.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsj6bqgpCjBd5l0Igofk32QJ-1oQok6UqGuybXObhB00zUtqn3bI21ZSSLtzVFgA_iP6Y9OJ7a_JIqwTgS-s6TEZb6hyv-2-H3YD3JwvR_jgizG23tXU-BA_JsShRDTaolr5CfhA8Vtw/w640-h428/DSC07236.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Love you and remember...</div><p style="text-align: center;">Just cause you <b>can</b>, doesn't mean you <b>should</b>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqDcuC1u-62r1DBzCTXAgtfmtrGhtJ42_8gl3exqBIFjLuxKiNcJLZdxnyGpWlArI7w9NVfp54fhetmA703aLZJ4Lg-Xd6quvLhndkjELTz0KfX3He5MJattzG0JTH1qdXZVubUVzaCg/s5366/DSC01306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5366" data-original-width="3977" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqDcuC1u-62r1DBzCTXAgtfmtrGhtJ42_8gl3exqBIFjLuxKiNcJLZdxnyGpWlArI7w9NVfp54fhetmA703aLZJ4Lg-Xd6quvLhndkjELTz0KfX3He5MJattzG0JTH1qdXZVubUVzaCg/w474-h640/DSC01306.JPG" width="474" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Happy 21st Birthday!!!</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-81128568684562679152021-01-28T23:12:00.005-05:002021-01-28T23:14:34.038-05:00Happy Birthday Will<div style="text-align: center;">This week we celebrated Will. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">On <b>January 23rd, 2018</b>, we met Will for the first time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrGJ2XwuV-HawtgaZBYghnaKYBKXMNhDKzpm4t8aFVYc5Woz4dyY5i3bxVhHij03P8GO_SAS6L9CUtbgwsNR6yI7W5gTIRk9wNHmMYBAxGItREzQXufNa89hAyr2R7IoGd_ftgcre65s/s6000/DSC09989.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYrGJ2XwuV-HawtgaZBYghnaKYBKXMNhDKzpm4t8aFVYc5Woz4dyY5i3bxVhHij03P8GO_SAS6L9CUtbgwsNR6yI7W5gTIRk9wNHmMYBAxGItREzQXufNa89hAyr2R7IoGd_ftgcre65s/w640-h426/DSC09989.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> On <b>January 24th, 2018</b>, Will, Hubby and I signed the official papers and he became our son. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2UmV_MnCsAPoW9kI3fj8wQIYHHXKdwap-x9KvJIwmDxaYXpE4TBpz5jXK74rmT7DgcNxK3uHaSm8avqYZBNJqfE_mqKY09xQOJ-5NbHwtjCImxfFKtFqhLyQtWNRZfBxQJhYHgTkmA8/s2048/20180122_154050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2UmV_MnCsAPoW9kI3fj8wQIYHHXKdwap-x9KvJIwmDxaYXpE4TBpz5jXK74rmT7DgcNxK3uHaSm8avqYZBNJqfE_mqKY09xQOJ-5NbHwtjCImxfFKtFqhLyQtWNRZfBxQJhYHgTkmA8/w640-h480/20180122_154050.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">On <b>January 25th, 2018</b>, he turned 14, the age at which he would have forever lost his chance for a family and lived the rest of his life in the "second orphanage".</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH-PByaczHCOj352SotwyzTiM3lGOvrMwyOAmq1Q0FxHBTf-OYExoOPaAcYODZ_VsJs92jSiUU7aswmGG52RFXD7krC3efHtMAAYHPzeVW43TisjDGnr96VZyxxweWzD1iLaCXfPNMpk/s6000/DSC00551.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHH-PByaczHCOj352SotwyzTiM3lGOvrMwyOAmq1Q0FxHBTf-OYExoOPaAcYODZ_VsJs92jSiUU7aswmGG52RFXD7krC3efHtMAAYHPzeVW43TisjDGnr96VZyxxweWzD1iLaCXfPNMpk/w640-h426/DSC00551.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">On <b>January 24th, 2021</b>, we started Will's 17th birthday celebrations a bit early. We couldn't resist taking these two out to dinner seeing as though in a few days, they will both be 17 years old... </div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV4d7oNnpW1gybE88jdJMsjmGqDwqLG8duLb91IhrFGLD_Gdc82s1AqgKuLuGSmD5Ua7LuKsB_TvYjboTNjiNwbBIG705oh8LXJuhU6aRPAC9CTv_YoKo6jtpBzsnj5V_WPRJJP5OYSc/s2048/20210123_211315.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1247" data-original-width="2048" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV4d7oNnpW1gybE88jdJMsjmGqDwqLG8duLb91IhrFGLD_Gdc82s1AqgKuLuGSmD5Ua7LuKsB_TvYjboTNjiNwbBIG705oh8LXJuhU6aRPAC9CTv_YoKo6jtpBzsnj5V_WPRJJP5OYSc/w640-h390/20210123_211315.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">that is until February 12th when Caleb turns 18!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yikes!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent the evening talking about girlfriends and futures and time we could not get back and as I sit here tonight contemplating Will's "could have been"...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeVprPb-ywyj_cExXEd_nNX0Fme4y_AfHhoNPeg_tX9wNCPTS0kFMjGFZ7bKy5-zfFeZeXn3vU-F4duhF0Bp7DXDyrUaVLM23XrDM1FjBxxUq263-4qxDEXA1meS00trayMlqFa5v9mE/s800/song+1.9.18+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="450" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeVprPb-ywyj_cExXEd_nNX0Fme4y_AfHhoNPeg_tX9wNCPTS0kFMjGFZ7bKy5-zfFeZeXn3vU-F4duhF0Bp7DXDyrUaVLM23XrDM1FjBxxUq263-4qxDEXA1meS00trayMlqFa5v9mE/w360-h640/song+1.9.18+2.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div>I am eternally grateful for what is now, his "could be".</div><div><br /></div><div> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VT3YgUFCRBE" width="560"></iframe> </div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"> During dinner he asked me what my dream job had been when I was a little girl. The question is a simple one, but for Will it is one full of hope and an understanding of what a future is.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It has finally settled in and taken up residence in his heart and the hope is reflected in his ease.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't always understand but I have learned to always trust.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> On <b>January 25th, 2021</b>, Will turned 17 and he has the rest of his life ahead of him, a life that I am so grateful to now be a part of. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwqz_VxSanMS-2SfOC0lE2bNA-yMM0_SKmvBdjk4NvFzmSKC11G0bBg5wPHIQqTf3tl9NparSTEEfl9wqqvgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I will never forget that first day, the day that we met our 4th son. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOs3nf-f97hSP8d077rIzAeYgpvEf4AMCAuUgTWSako7lOgGXb_p7o42Oy-0fNcMZjy4ZvUc2O9-SljPlZ4ArbkQdJw4YmwnhXbEvdiMjTughxoIAMOON4R3rJ6iZnG3MYQBj-foJsAU/s6000/DSC09983.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOs3nf-f97hSP8d077rIzAeYgpvEf4AMCAuUgTWSako7lOgGXb_p7o42Oy-0fNcMZjy4ZvUc2O9-SljPlZ4ArbkQdJw4YmwnhXbEvdiMjTughxoIAMOON4R3rJ6iZnG3MYQBj-foJsAU/w640-h426/DSC09983.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">He was nervous but ready. He gently took my hand and trusted. He placed his trust in those he could not see and could not understand. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbtY2Z_LhxDFxrvvWwJ5N7t_uRa9GUb1oTnmnPvKI49ZYTCqRnnJEmbT9o9jtqykGivDpYSVIx0dSCrAQWU4QVdB2miaTzm6s41ri6L6yD5Ekt7vcLmHe_5rfDflxPd229UzJDUrhHYQ/s6000/DSC09988.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBbtY2Z_LhxDFxrvvWwJ5N7t_uRa9GUb1oTnmnPvKI49ZYTCqRnnJEmbT9o9jtqykGivDpYSVIx0dSCrAQWU4QVdB2miaTzm6s41ri6L6yD5Ekt7vcLmHe_5rfDflxPd229UzJDUrhHYQ/w640-h426/DSC09988.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Yes, his life is better and yes, he now has a hope and a future but on the night of Will's 17th birthday, we know we are the ones with such a gift!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will has a wisdom that comes from hard, which could have hardened him but the Lord protected his heart and that gentleness with which he took my hand has followed him home and we are blessed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is a difference in his pictures then and now... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0x8Lbk4Wepkj_EpzO8fkBl0dAWf37fPKuIu3sfRS8imVESTeb_5fR4pKn4YpmnsM6gJ8NZD9gbek3gdVp99fd5dtp_3_nseKAb12rj22yr8tmII1rQQA_XBjnwtjnfEPMWBu91Tv8B8/s4095/DSC00660.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3224" data-original-width="4095" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0x8Lbk4Wepkj_EpzO8fkBl0dAWf37fPKuIu3sfRS8imVESTeb_5fR4pKn4YpmnsM6gJ8NZD9gbek3gdVp99fd5dtp_3_nseKAb12rj22yr8tmII1rQQA_XBjnwtjnfEPMWBu91Tv8B8/w640-h504/DSC00660.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGT8gHrBRa7qrJ7Q9vQ_oeaUkjb_KjHr33Suj2l0PACkJfbg1dKlKgRsnEk6r0dvjJYkdRPIGxulRoewImTA_BlmoeQAbWg8t7xG3eLzVZtfxfZPSt3iPmbj_i8xtk-rNYNAqFUN49o8o/s6000/will+and+chris.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGT8gHrBRa7qrJ7Q9vQ_oeaUkjb_KjHr33Suj2l0PACkJfbg1dKlKgRsnEk6r0dvjJYkdRPIGxulRoewImTA_BlmoeQAbWg8t7xG3eLzVZtfxfZPSt3iPmbj_i8xtk-rNYNAqFUN49o8o/w640-h426/will+and+chris.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">just as there is a difference in OUR pictures then and now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjIedoGZvqA93kCjmABRUbpVOeYzEV7iX88bmdhrbpETE7QObyl_YVBP0HaskXe4yaXHODnYYyADsPW9Dav0yZTyUTojTel_ueBdHvvIgNXHJsh_D0luoO1O7A-TFQS6Pf0LtBL8FwrE/s4481/DSC00998+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3524" data-original-width="4481" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjIedoGZvqA93kCjmABRUbpVOeYzEV7iX88bmdhrbpETE7QObyl_YVBP0HaskXe4yaXHODnYYyADsPW9Dav0yZTyUTojTel_ueBdHvvIgNXHJsh_D0luoO1O7A-TFQS6Pf0LtBL8FwrE/w640-h504/DSC00998+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">He is changed but so . are . we...</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-8869612605337873772021-01-27T12:22:00.033-05:002021-01-28T23:13:13.128-05:00Smokey Bear<p style="text-align: center;">So, if you remember a few weeks back, the great feral kitten wrangler had wrangeled herself a wild little black kitty. If you don't remember, you can read all about "my little prodigy" here, <a href="https://cornbreadandchopsticks.blogspot.com/2020/12/crocodile-dunshe.html" target="_blank">Crocodile Dunshe</a>!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp0euZxkP2nPPtGd_NdQBP-3aQfBa6qG-MII6KDXFmgCPIhrFTYxpOneqWoCLuk6ejEIbuzTjccXszDW0AgjvLlSSmCwVToHyycZZUcwjoHJb5OUUHtqm0O8JUWPjT8d20D1vTRUcU30/s714/20201228_163921.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp0euZxkP2nPPtGd_NdQBP-3aQfBa6qG-MII6KDXFmgCPIhrFTYxpOneqWoCLuk6ejEIbuzTjccXszDW0AgjvLlSSmCwVToHyycZZUcwjoHJb5OUUHtqm0O8JUWPjT8d20D1vTRUcU30/w480-h640/20201228_163921.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Both Lizzie and the kitty were in shock and scared and when they got home...</p><p style="text-align: center;">the real work began.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfoLagqcuLLVKVvJpCUaNl9xgvLqOJmuQ5LvDEJOxcL76yxEnGKhkJXD9pijWjgL0kFzIMQqm8XzkMo-NMCfF481fKJsREEgQHaA-yA-eLutBR5JQuWLnDdnUmHsEpJZBZJsS8cnSHvA/s2048/20210105_111647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtfoLagqcuLLVKVvJpCUaNl9xgvLqOJmuQ5LvDEJOxcL76yxEnGKhkJXD9pijWjgL0kFzIMQqm8XzkMo-NMCfF481fKJsREEgQHaA-yA-eLutBR5JQuWLnDdnUmHsEpJZBZJsS8cnSHvA/w480-h640/20210105_111647.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Sound familiar?</p><p style="text-align: center;">I watched as this precious daughter of mine fed and cared for and comforted and loved this tiny scared kitty.</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQYMRqM9B6S0WBQz6rKzPJ7YSnWjnHKCAsSLkWb88gXRJnAzaOpdFTsDQrCze5_LgrTj5UfP5xRCdvvT3tH2k8xJpTWXkbYN7bgVwEdSmL8WdQksXsl8G5Yu_bxjg8P0QwRzUB57-0oo/s2048/20210115_154531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1435" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinQYMRqM9B6S0WBQz6rKzPJ7YSnWjnHKCAsSLkWb88gXRJnAzaOpdFTsDQrCze5_LgrTj5UfP5xRCdvvT3tH2k8xJpTWXkbYN7bgVwEdSmL8WdQksXsl8G5Yu_bxjg8P0QwRzUB57-0oo/w448-h640/20210115_154531.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">It took great patience and faith as she nurtured through hissing and hiding and scratching and fear and as the days turned into weeks, she persevered because she knew.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbA3_fpS8xviK1QIshsifjFLFwI-PYjmnCCnLiQAmaOdHdWjjkLQpSYwVOmGQhSSUQsTyw7i5KYQQlSb8TCJ_5OcBrZISLeqxN9KRPLwYytSofrzWuoDK7jKcDrmIJbmZQF7nq36K7t-U/s2048/20210121_122959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbA3_fpS8xviK1QIshsifjFLFwI-PYjmnCCnLiQAmaOdHdWjjkLQpSYwVOmGQhSSUQsTyw7i5KYQQlSb8TCJ_5OcBrZISLeqxN9KRPLwYytSofrzWuoDK7jKcDrmIJbmZQF7nq36K7t-U/w480-h640/20210121_122959.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">She knew the love that was growing in her heart and that as frightened as this tiny one was...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGVkgs8zqFE-88Sc0f60oFE_MNsnyBZpTBnqnBonnpTHAReT3BevGYwqeiDHFEmfJyTvlky3LyYUzaG5Y4I-GOlvCS7qtbkXKIn3U4UEw5XH9Ib7ukqy8QHjj2ccPmM5JsCE5AEXeVFc/s2048/20210115_151812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGVkgs8zqFE-88Sc0f60oFE_MNsnyBZpTBnqnBonnpTHAReT3BevGYwqeiDHFEmfJyTvlky3LyYUzaG5Y4I-GOlvCS7qtbkXKIn3U4UEw5XH9Ib7ukqy8QHjj2ccPmM5JsCE5AEXeVFc/w480-h640/20210115_151812.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">that one day... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx_QAeAnCQnW7LcENz4-QXEkW1H8RReb2NcNbTMSwTca9tJUzMbHFIQUvpGZqszvRYWG9cx98abgkF6REA_Kw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">he would know it too and while fear may always be a part of him...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH6DFZtZZj89X0tHMODPAGHYF7skYDv2MthbYHPJQ3yF1sh_GOL58LQJzlR4yS2WUguC1J-qrWPQft_mdVwSXpb9Z9uSfj-mYaf9VGjxgGafpAjtGPUfJ0wsZ6eLq_2BTzd7GMaYowrY/s2048/20210115_154534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1731" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVH6DFZtZZj89X0tHMODPAGHYF7skYDv2MthbYHPJQ3yF1sh_GOL58LQJzlR4yS2WUguC1J-qrWPQft_mdVwSXpb9Z9uSfj-mYaf9VGjxgGafpAjtGPUfJ0wsZ6eLq_2BTzd7GMaYowrY/w540-h640/20210115_154534.jpg" width="540" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">she knows his familiar healing and now she is beginning to know ours.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyc87Z6JI8YdlwHNG7TabELbE_YZgbL4-j5OXDj_GPOXiWlb21o_bXhephMfWEW7Vf8d_bDg6xTI3KPs9foawWrPemOpdAUN3i1HOOqWhjdHD3-nJxHia4T5HbOmV7IPCfDCcIuOYv5zo/s6000/DSC09225.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyc87Z6JI8YdlwHNG7TabELbE_YZgbL4-j5OXDj_GPOXiWlb21o_bXhephMfWEW7Vf8d_bDg6xTI3KPs9foawWrPemOpdAUN3i1HOOqWhjdHD3-nJxHia4T5HbOmV7IPCfDCcIuOYv5zo/w640-h426/DSC09225.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And as she wrestled with the choice of finding him a good home or keeping him forever, she began to understand that as much as he needed her...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx8ssHLkEBt0Q1IttxM3Kuom7mYIDe8EiIfgpYVolbonMim8ATTYfc9kLOu_WfkPdxmlzWUr9GY1ON8ovHh7A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">she . needed . him.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Through this tiny one, <b>my</b> tiny one is gifted a small glimpse into the love that grows by God's grace as He heals and restores the giver and the receiver... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcXFW0pvIC9HLeOWXT5sEqY5G2ClHOKg9-guVsUaGaBjX2UCUefQdqeZWrNF2lF7cBsx3EXiyY9N6SCqa8wNkF99gLMVmZq5s86Z0yIeZohl1ePO1E4QTKmALFdgAP83FL05Ic_tgzy8/s3872/DSC00631.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3872" data-original-width="2592" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfcXFW0pvIC9HLeOWXT5sEqY5G2ClHOKg9-guVsUaGaBjX2UCUefQdqeZWrNF2lF7cBsx3EXiyY9N6SCqa8wNkF99gLMVmZq5s86Z0yIeZohl1ePO1E4QTKmALFdgAP83FL05Ic_tgzy8/w428-h640/DSC00631.JPG" width="428" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I watch her as she cares for him and I recognize the doubt and the fear and the joy and the love and the surrender and the embrace and . the . healing and it is familiar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAloXZE_IJbS6oNkYV-YTbv1BzmAFYZXl83E-5rBR9TplBGVW9C0872_CB2ee_ir6n5d9a_edNxI3tdtSJZA47uoTBSw1xx3mP1IfgLJiNeBDuLzzPUElLBXtLiBA55EQH-ixy_0sI6Y/s2048/20210121_123002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAloXZE_IJbS6oNkYV-YTbv1BzmAFYZXl83E-5rBR9TplBGVW9C0872_CB2ee_ir6n5d9a_edNxI3tdtSJZA47uoTBSw1xx3mP1IfgLJiNeBDuLzzPUElLBXtLiBA55EQH-ixy_0sI6Y/w480-h640/20210121_123002.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lord thank you for your constant healing and the gentle way in which You care for us and restore us in ways that touch us so deeply.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So now I can officially say that we have our 2nd "grand" and he is also a CAT and his name is Smokey!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLR6-zMElhmjMvqobeKdm_3R_SdhrsD74BAeI-f4pA8iO0s7Ak7OS5QeTnaFeMs_NY5lNrtkNh9RT1TDhiA6CWTCs6UTTQbIAgMPDFmybsWaLjjqgKulOx4g8GP5zkso40KdQL64grg/s1792/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquLR6-zMElhmjMvqobeKdm_3R_SdhrsD74BAeI-f4pA8iO0s7Ak7OS5QeTnaFeMs_NY5lNrtkNh9RT1TDhiA6CWTCs6UTTQbIAgMPDFmybsWaLjjqgKulOx4g8GP5zkso40KdQL64grg/w342-h640/image1.jpeg" width="342" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">No worries Chewy, Lizzie's body may be tiny but her heart is HUGE😉!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkLBldSbchsnrtNHnY1gOMA2MU0kIm0MDfN3ey7DeES2UMUbiMklaOOcruUhVcnAO5hXBEJVe8kOBzdkE9krwO5bgAuLfSW2lwtw7VqiwRJAYVf9faGs-ESu1nzV6tpAAEIeWOAPVDOQ/s3872/DSC00712.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHkLBldSbchsnrtNHnY1gOMA2MU0kIm0MDfN3ey7DeES2UMUbiMklaOOcruUhVcnAO5hXBEJVe8kOBzdkE9krwO5bgAuLfSW2lwtw7VqiwRJAYVf9faGs-ESu1nzV6tpAAEIeWOAPVDOQ/w640-h428/DSC00712.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Besides... you are MY dog😆</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can read about our 1st "grand" here, <a href="https://cornbreadandchopsticks.blogspot.com/search?q=boots" target="_blank">Boots</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8j2YHFIWZIyA1p_PnsKnsu05AQ2ERQx8h0tawdJorQ21zlqVn14jnMuCswlNDa4ZVVyalOAYcJFrN1GYOcR7mii7pPT2pgigpGIf5wDDlqz8oySLyf2fe8fhfsnlkcQG4lQBAA8glbMk/s1600/IMG_0817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8j2YHFIWZIyA1p_PnsKnsu05AQ2ERQx8h0tawdJorQ21zlqVn14jnMuCswlNDa4ZVVyalOAYcJFrN1GYOcR7mii7pPT2pgigpGIf5wDDlqz8oySLyf2fe8fhfsnlkcQG4lQBAA8glbMk/w640-h480/IMG_0817.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Now I guess I will be stuck with a name like Memaw!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I . AM . THE . DOG . LADY!!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I mean I could have had a cool grandma name like G-dog but noooooo...</p><p style="text-align: center;">My partner in <strike>crime</strike> rescue had to go and rescue a cute little kitten...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchdLfD6Gfv9ui_axlSNDUB3GyAjIpk1SuxE3RfMAb_LqKmbO0VzlFgao220qeB_L0qR0TxrYxLw_iNH_ReSaYxKCuYUQOoEndAPY6V1kSWv8X3q3UnLZ0OSN9VcfhxRgBNY-JD2z3Kh0/s1792/image5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1792" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchdLfD6Gfv9ui_axlSNDUB3GyAjIpk1SuxE3RfMAb_LqKmbO0VzlFgao220qeB_L0qR0TxrYxLw_iNH_ReSaYxKCuYUQOoEndAPY6V1kSWv8X3q3UnLZ0OSN9VcfhxRgBNY-JD2z3Kh0/w342-h640/image5.jpeg" width="342" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and oh my goodness just look at those squishy little cheeks😉</p><p style="text-align: center;">Welcome to the Ham Fam little Smokey Bear!</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-29143368079752282872021-01-17T23:24:00.005-05:002021-01-17T23:30:16.804-05:00Deep Calls to Deep<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; </i><i>All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Psalm 42:7</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Depth...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I recognize it in her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1KMNfVi9NnGMNdEXtF1crY87GVpXMqf_jU8P7ahAkMXHZ1IOb2sAsnpGqKt-KyWv1ETvHydDCvSnYROjjdfgazc3I6oBrHhD7UQSjyOubG2KIEXIPF48oNzTMwrnX8wrvCppLI7RSSY/s3917/emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3891" data-original-width="3917" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1KMNfVi9NnGMNdEXtF1crY87GVpXMqf_jU8P7ahAkMXHZ1IOb2sAsnpGqKt-KyWv1ETvHydDCvSnYROjjdfgazc3I6oBrHhD7UQSjyOubG2KIEXIPF48oNzTMwrnX8wrvCppLI7RSSY/w640-h636/emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The quiet that permeates speaks volumes to me as we occupy her silence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9ejJTATINjAoKT3z3xb-m5QKi1U6EKcoRLD_5IJU1so-APQCpnhbUlodcPKOsEdHpLOI3t2FLmjRKykKDb1xLmj8yVsMRPZWeUcsKNmlwh3i9djfPPZQl9xx-nQB5NBJB30fwd_aTs0/s6000/emmeline+%25287%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9ejJTATINjAoKT3z3xb-m5QKi1U6EKcoRLD_5IJU1so-APQCpnhbUlodcPKOsEdHpLOI3t2FLmjRKykKDb1xLmj8yVsMRPZWeUcsKNmlwh3i9djfPPZQl9xx-nQB5NBJB30fwd_aTs0/w640-h426/emmeline+%25287%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The unspoken words and the tears, not allowed to fall, are so familiar to me.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is a knowing that we share, a knowing that hurts and sets apart but it is a knowing that transforms.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Most don't "know" her because they only see what she allows them to and there is so . much . more. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLhOTsxEzf5dzTvR1EPcBF5lqG1w6B-KsPBT_xlfWbpqK27LUOYwDSMaxKQkZM30JtpeYi2KAn12_cEcTOIt-VujdtG2vIYu85qzz7gYNlHke1be6QLTrRRwLJ06SwejmeUthJFBkoxM/s6000/emmeline+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLhOTsxEzf5dzTvR1EPcBF5lqG1w6B-KsPBT_xlfWbpqK27LUOYwDSMaxKQkZM30JtpeYi2KAn12_cEcTOIt-VujdtG2vIYu85qzz7gYNlHke1be6QLTrRRwLJ06SwejmeUthJFBkoxM/w640-h426/emmeline+%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She steps in silently, many times before I have even recognized the need because, unlike me at that age, she is not swimming against those strong currents that threaten to fully consume her heart. They frighten her but she is not afraid.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy2IEdSwiRLeT3UbCVs0pq1Zkk9AoQ7UcyykShrNaepgDFptLW-6Y1VNnb5DrtWD6HLm5QpLdHeJxAwopFqo9IsKfvqNRHxPpWXUOIujYXAF1h4axwJcTeZChTS82W5yky1CVmxwVR5I/s2581/emmeline+and+the+girls+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2106" data-original-width="2581" height="522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOy2IEdSwiRLeT3UbCVs0pq1Zkk9AoQ7UcyykShrNaepgDFptLW-6Y1VNnb5DrtWD6HLm5QpLdHeJxAwopFqo9IsKfvqNRHxPpWXUOIujYXAF1h4axwJcTeZChTS82W5yky1CVmxwVR5I/w640-h522/emmeline+and+the+girls+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Her shyness overshadows the charm that is reserved for the fortunate few who persevere. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpUrk5r2Rv9jWTbCSFh8wD8PY6b26PBluNXbNdAL6NBj-ishcTpQaaCUdxQ6amfJ7-cIpGnpyVmZgsySN2KrqMG32S3MnQCS_iZwk2-CeiOY-LEoQ2SwsY3u6PbLZDS0l4uX4uFVuU6g/s6000/emmeline+%25287%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJpUrk5r2Rv9jWTbCSFh8wD8PY6b26PBluNXbNdAL6NBj-ishcTpQaaCUdxQ6amfJ7-cIpGnpyVmZgsySN2KrqMG32S3MnQCS_iZwk2-CeiOY-LEoQ2SwsY3u6PbLZDS0l4uX4uFVuU6g/w640-h426/emmeline+%25287%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She requires work but what you receive is an invitation to a heart that is full and ready to give.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZptzGi291Epb0Gg1GNR115vnDYe_7FLfyqvEE1eNZiV4ZKKYvz5szQegDV6LYMJ_aZeswbUIMDi3TZEK_IrtXCppBhyphenhyphenpgIJTHnnGwioj_AkZHT-nC7qWoAmYT9k1QX5umtWGJOeQOzKA/s6000/emmeline+%25289%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZptzGi291Epb0Gg1GNR115vnDYe_7FLfyqvEE1eNZiV4ZKKYvz5szQegDV6LYMJ_aZeswbUIMDi3TZEK_IrtXCppBhyphenhyphenpgIJTHnnGwioj_AkZHT-nC7qWoAmYT9k1QX5umtWGJOeQOzKA/w640-h426/emmeline+%25289%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">At 14 years old, she is embracing the heart she was given - something that took me 40+ years to yield to.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd-QJ9qLG_rD45_J63vBKW1jCGJ-usfJpBQGwRWpnkvkE0NEK2wUcbw_zmdwCremS17QUjYR0nS3BMxqxhmMlmY21OXWq1nP554JvIHH1Low6kUQRUqAAWLysiMOi27bmpUIUjI4v7Ic/s6000/emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd-QJ9qLG_rD45_J63vBKW1jCGJ-usfJpBQGwRWpnkvkE0NEK2wUcbw_zmdwCremS17QUjYR0nS3BMxqxhmMlmY21OXWq1nP554JvIHH1Low6kUQRUqAAWLysiMOi27bmpUIUjI4v7Ic/w640-h426/emmeline+%25283%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl8nqMC2TW1SWO5R63P2rRi3cTth6S8yIkw23sol569D9T_7PpmK1DVTa6rpN_r_wGBjFX-MRMPYNcvgkH_NnNCuBxf6xj2f6bIv_TpIQ3WNL0QBcFIljqMpRPxbIFmI9-qTo3XvSc3w/s6000/emmeline+and+jack+%25284%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVl8nqMC2TW1SWO5R63P2rRi3cTth6S8yIkw23sol569D9T_7PpmK1DVTa6rpN_r_wGBjFX-MRMPYNcvgkH_NnNCuBxf6xj2f6bIv_TpIQ3WNL0QBcFIljqMpRPxbIFmI9-qTo3XvSc3w/w640-h426/emmeline+and+jack+%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIUFAlYQsQV74HFvuw7ba7qVkROP22lM4e0a_oMBYRhY8C6px5IPMA-BOppNq8ucxy6WQmGO9C_J7MXEMglBbOzxhaWGfDVKjZEM1G0FRTvo4fJiINY5Oy3mxxE-0yoLZk9KP7jdm1B8/s6000/emmeline+and+james+%25285%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIUFAlYQsQV74HFvuw7ba7qVkROP22lM4e0a_oMBYRhY8C6px5IPMA-BOppNq8ucxy6WQmGO9C_J7MXEMglBbOzxhaWGfDVKjZEM1G0FRTvo4fJiINY5Oy3mxxE-0yoLZk9KP7jdm1B8/w640-h426/emmeline+and+james+%25285%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Her beautiful blend of timidity and confidence endears her to those who look past her surroundings to really see her and her acts of grace, which are so natural for her that they are not spectacular, but just a part of her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqUN4Ro2SnJ3CJ74FGwDE8pwriZ7GidnHHv0gTtYAEM7dAPFWzTggrChQZaEe1ggZVOS0XlfWEkpIcgLelo_w_XojYwN3zDibCz-dnbc2jSlvnbyhRirn6F6rUtWnVL6f9hl1D36KUrg/s2048/emmeline+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqUN4Ro2SnJ3CJ74FGwDE8pwriZ7GidnHHv0gTtYAEM7dAPFWzTggrChQZaEe1ggZVOS0XlfWEkpIcgLelo_w_XojYwN3zDibCz-dnbc2jSlvnbyhRirn6F6rUtWnVL6f9hl1D36KUrg/w480-h640/emmeline+%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrYed0qVYF3ZntMyx7gPVhf1yeEACfQTK-h2diKqpzuKhKciIJLUAI67z7y5xh-5LBPPSwl57Et78LXv6M6YtrZGXSwlIcMuOeWN5xiAbRQjvt3E6rZ0m80PZb2ehlWW9TajpMzGZnrk/s2048/emmeline+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrYed0qVYF3ZntMyx7gPVhf1yeEACfQTK-h2diKqpzuKhKciIJLUAI67z7y5xh-5LBPPSwl57Et78LXv6M6YtrZGXSwlIcMuOeWN5xiAbRQjvt3E6rZ0m80PZb2ehlWW9TajpMzGZnrk/w480-h640/emmeline+%25282%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUE7VJhOUj5E4eBZfeE3jOsXHrZyTOS63pOidB8J4_dYzJEWupY1zNUYSADTxBmVGxVrlj7Op00SYY45qDot8YTwMyqr0qybMh5NuYiR-Ms2vUG5BSDaQ9HYYfd3EeogV9HcGcKUmj5g/s2048/emmeline+%25283%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUE7VJhOUj5E4eBZfeE3jOsXHrZyTOS63pOidB8J4_dYzJEWupY1zNUYSADTxBmVGxVrlj7Op00SYY45qDot8YTwMyqr0qybMh5NuYiR-Ms2vUG5BSDaQ9HYYfd3EeogV9HcGcKUmj5g/w480-h640/emmeline+%25283%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">She laughs at herself - something that I <b><i>still</i></b> have not yielded to😉</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87TavbU76oZ6w3zl_tcz6ueUFeQd_IEQw06O6To1JO1OKJhKpM6D1Twp2s-B-cxtZaEzSZSzgSo_5xnUl9v0DvqoqhvqvCVQPlPKPLP7WVTzD0X6d2oJYgtybo7I3b7hbG2UN61ZymH4/s6000/emmeline+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87TavbU76oZ6w3zl_tcz6ueUFeQd_IEQw06O6To1JO1OKJhKpM6D1Twp2s-B-cxtZaEzSZSzgSo_5xnUl9v0DvqoqhvqvCVQPlPKPLP7WVTzD0X6d2oJYgtybo7I3b7hbG2UN61ZymH4/w640-h426/emmeline+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I know her humility and it will help her at times and hinder her at others but she is learning to walk by faith.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ori11cFez6MAW6FiyZx51cun5B53QrafdOOJcJHHLGAbX0WUhx3aSwLsw2K8bfV9T4d_Rj83vb-OClEmp19hvqnRA34lCDUz4ircw_oDsqH0EsAp0Q1RQMmdyIJIf_7QJz1xPAnY9hw/s6000/emmeline+%252810%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Ori11cFez6MAW6FiyZx51cun5B53QrafdOOJcJHHLGAbX0WUhx3aSwLsw2K8bfV9T4d_Rj83vb-OClEmp19hvqnRA34lCDUz4ircw_oDsqH0EsAp0Q1RQMmdyIJIf_7QJz1xPAnY9hw/w640-h426/emmeline+%252810%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It is a delicate balance to traverse the path between this world and the next. Sometimes the dance between the two is seamless, gracefully flowing in harmony as you influence without loosing your own footing. Sometimes it less like a dance and more like a tug of war as you choose between the moment and the <b>word</b>. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.</i> Romans 12:2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My dearest Emmeline, the Lord has entrusted you with much... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqnpN2UlWpkdD2N5KHRJTWlTifgO1Cs2T_S1gx5zcUwOeznB2Dmth4_CnVjzDSJyhq5M05vdf5db2QfQj2heeSx0G0UuPifaxSoVm6BXwZCsi58rpIQcLE-xttj250yXB8DjGSU3WrXM/s5157/emmeline+and+lizzie.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3206" data-original-width="5157" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTqnpN2UlWpkdD2N5KHRJTWlTifgO1Cs2T_S1gx5zcUwOeznB2Dmth4_CnVjzDSJyhq5M05vdf5db2QfQj2heeSx0G0UuPifaxSoVm6BXwZCsi58rpIQcLE-xttj250yXB8DjGSU3WrXM/w640-h398/emmeline+and+lizzie.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"you were made for such a time as this"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEins4Zq1cyn2jDxn2Rlknf_4VEiazTsyP-5gIYPwbmYorpu2ecLpM-RBjktLs-Zye6wPDO2BGvewO9bEhsU4EQIUqyy0Y6ODmgeIpipy059v5eTxRpUOW-tp1knJHqDioDS3XZxqaM0fMA/s6000/emmeline+%25284%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEins4Zq1cyn2jDxn2Rlknf_4VEiazTsyP-5gIYPwbmYorpu2ecLpM-RBjktLs-Zye6wPDO2BGvewO9bEhsU4EQIUqyy0Y6ODmgeIpipy059v5eTxRpUOW-tp1knJHqDioDS3XZxqaM0fMA/w640-h426/emmeline+%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Continue to release your heart and loose your "self" in the dance that He has so beautifully choreographed for you.</div><p></p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-27073097837563739842021-01-06T15:09:00.000-05:002021-01-06T15:09:32.859-05:00Christmas 2020 <p style="text-align: center;">I didn't know whether to hug him or hit him...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yiKWhGlcpmA-2zDtYUmQcReHHi4MeQCRni1welEW-F6xKitqUu4_vghKmr8xEoc0B-c9RIoGNYoi6T9O9nqPDrlv2ZOFkxEGBZ7eojjYIUio_3BQgcfnlMEQXqe1mc3bLTQnV_mNkSo/s5225/DSC05202+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3635" data-original-width="5225" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5yiKWhGlcpmA-2zDtYUmQcReHHi4MeQCRni1welEW-F6xKitqUu4_vghKmr8xEoc0B-c9RIoGNYoi6T9O9nqPDrlv2ZOFkxEGBZ7eojjYIUio_3BQgcfnlMEQXqe1mc3bLTQnV_mNkSo/w640-h446/DSC05202+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">so I did both!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXnJ7ueS4B4f2I8ZRu86UzjqdEaPSJSFrugThJ1BnDhhX7cczipo41FwIq65nSUrRIm40ewM0W38lke0GKaZaYAa_HC8j2INM3rNhCUZSx1x4NTLjLbRueJv7uEV9Y7tjR21TgBHWz9M/s6000/DSC02267.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXnJ7ueS4B4f2I8ZRu86UzjqdEaPSJSFrugThJ1BnDhhX7cczipo41FwIq65nSUrRIm40ewM0W38lke0GKaZaYAa_HC8j2INM3rNhCUZSx1x4NTLjLbRueJv7uEV9Y7tjR21TgBHWz9M/w640-h426/DSC02267.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean what posses a mostly grown "man child" to tell his mother (who then went on to tell his grandmother) that he would not be able to make it home for Christmas, while secretly planning his surprise grand entrance... </p><p style="text-align: center;">(with his fully grown "man father" in the know - I might add)!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Oh wait...</p><p style="text-align: center;">They're both MEN!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Nuf said😉 </p><p style="text-align: center;">Not only was "I'll Be Home For Christmas" playing on a continuous loop in my head, but there were planning and preparations that needed to happen!</p><p style="text-align: center;">MEN!</p><p style="text-align: center;">So at exactly 11:30 p.m. in my front hallway on December 23rd, 2020... after wondering if my Sleepy Time Tea was working overtime and it was all just a dream...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I saw that smile...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SmDhSt3V-1AOIyKucRubvNNhYaf6iRUwg54K9-DM0YKiX28V9lfKj1x_buZGZbRSQdD5C-WqrJeIW5JlI3MRl3BhFTFW9IxAW-gtv8uhn21dBDg9GatvrLeyjMJVjEvtg7OL2XKGY_k/s2048/charlie+old+pics+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1572" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6SmDhSt3V-1AOIyKucRubvNNhYaf6iRUwg54K9-DM0YKiX28V9lfKj1x_buZGZbRSQdD5C-WqrJeIW5JlI3MRl3BhFTFW9IxAW-gtv8uhn21dBDg9GatvrLeyjMJVjEvtg7OL2XKGY_k/w492-h640/charlie+old+pics+%25281%2529.jpg" width="492" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">that timeless, mischievous little smile and I knew it wasn't a dream and my Charlie was actually home and after the initial 100 or so hugs <b><span style="font-size: large;">and</span></b> a well deserved smack 😉 I wondered if this child of mine should transfer from the sports trainer internship program to the theater internship program!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Harrumph !</p><p style="text-align: center;">So our Christmas began with our own little Christmas miracle...</p><p style="text-align: center;">Charlie lied and came home and I didn't kill him, <b><i>or</i></b> his father - who is such an enabler!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Bwhahahahaha!!! </p><p style="text-align: center;">(<b>Note: <i>this video is from Christmas Day when we surprised my Mom, cause I am just wrong</i></b>😆)</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RwNPVsDgAdo" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">Needless to say, I was up way late on the night of the 23rd. (did I mention the planning and preparations that needed to happen - MEN😉) and it was AWESOME but it reaffirms my desire to NEVER have a surprise party! </p><p style="text-align: center;">Now, if only Bella had surprised us... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87os0VcSexuoKUxc4WaCF07Ma34JDadmIBzq5Z16v7y_RolsfeA8yphPBDXRrl9pKgg7nvc7ujpkEciyu87ve65CgwFeo3EkdBiyvv-rqmEn7Bf3jMcERad9n23AWtAhugnzNKBR1glQ/s5900/DSC00888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3565" data-original-width="5900" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj87os0VcSexuoKUxc4WaCF07Ma34JDadmIBzq5Z16v7y_RolsfeA8yphPBDXRrl9pKgg7nvc7ujpkEciyu87ve65CgwFeo3EkdBiyvv-rqmEn7Bf3jMcERad9n23AWtAhugnzNKBR1glQ/w640-h386/DSC00888.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I would not have smacked her😉...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7I0ai18PRgAL7DPu5wNLJcEVaHH2kilrSNrj7zDRuwnmyPG4EokrpWEBug93gjgGXndKhRgtmZhSqcqyi7MOxL18x1TNKtOkJzXR_fV9LXer2Kj0CkbXR-2MUzg7LegD8W-woZFRYug/s4559/DSC00891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4559" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7I0ai18PRgAL7DPu5wNLJcEVaHH2kilrSNrj7zDRuwnmyPG4EokrpWEBug93gjgGXndKhRgtmZhSqcqyi7MOxL18x1TNKtOkJzXR_fV9LXer2Kj0CkbXR-2MUzg7LegD8W-woZFRYug/w640-h562/DSC00891.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but she <b><i>was</i></b> made to sit in the spotlight and open her gifts early - so there😁</div><p style="text-align: center;">I am a planner and a preparer and an anticipator and I think that is how I enjoy Christmas; I plan, I prepare, I anticipate and I ponder. </p><p style="text-align: center;">I think so much about Mary during Christmas. I am certain she was planning and preparing and anticipating the birth of our Lord, her son. I think about how the plans for her life that had been laid out before her were swept away in an instant as she let go of control and embraced <b>God's</b> plan for her life. I am certain there was fear as well as excitement as the Lord prepared her heart and the magnitude of what lay ahead began to settle in.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7VIcv4rcZMxvBqUM8h7jnJ6PvuF9FebokfesSy1b1t__c8Gu2QI5-anm77lnUM7rUexby1wcpIuuTuj-Xqs7RglmV4oGGftmfo7NboZfCMo07RUS6lOfXksFiwaDB49eVVr22hsW8W8/s3872/DSC00104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="3872" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR7VIcv4rcZMxvBqUM8h7jnJ6PvuF9FebokfesSy1b1t__c8Gu2QI5-anm77lnUM7rUexby1wcpIuuTuj-Xqs7RglmV4oGGftmfo7NboZfCMo07RUS6lOfXksFiwaDB49eVVr22hsW8W8/w640-h428/DSC00104.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!"</i> Luke 1:45</p><div style="text-align: center;">Mary believed and trusted that what the Lord had planned for her life was far greater than anything she could plan, prepare or anticipate!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know only just a little of what Mary may have been feeling as she prepared to step into His plan and anticipate what was to come. I imagine she may have felt unworthy as she began to understand what God had entrusted her with but it is in that place that she may have also begun to understand her great need for Him and the steadfastness of His faithfulness. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are many days that I feel unworthy of the purpose He has given me. I know I am not wise enough or young enough or patient enough or selfless enough or loving enough and it is in those moments of precariousness that the Lord ministers to me and His presence is especially palpable and I am brought back to a place of trust. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cause, y'all, we will never accept our deep need for Him until we recognize the depth of our sin and the darkness in our hearts and we will never do either as long as we are safe and comfortable and secure in the world.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. </i>Luke 2:19</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Imagine giving birth to the One who created you. In those first sweet moments, I wonder how much she knew. The Lord has a way of gently revealing just what we need to know, in a time that neither overwhelms or intimidates. However, I think there is a knowing deep inside a mother's heart, a knowing that prompts the treasuring of moments past and the pondering of moments yet to come.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After 8 kids, you would think there would be no time for treasuring up or pondering but that is where I so often find my heart. Time is relentless and yet we fill up so many of our precious moments with things that make no eternal impact.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The distractions of this world can be beguiling and can lead us away from those moments that are worthy of treasuring and pondering.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This year has been so hard for so many but I truly believe there were many moments of eternal impact and my prayer for 2021 is not a return to normal but a return to Jesus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwmakInQXcBMTkI8zYUkz5Lr0ekLxgRmPTBch58xBftS5Zs3D-avzCDOuMQK6R3M-L5PGmdhxT9yFi_cA-eDKMyUOVcWNAyx3y9MvgR3nreQOyGN4Rl_Au-6SfG_FNIDnHdoa2ZxfGkc/s3448/DSC09524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3448" data-original-width="2462" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwmakInQXcBMTkI8zYUkz5Lr0ekLxgRmPTBch58xBftS5Zs3D-avzCDOuMQK6R3M-L5PGmdhxT9yFi_cA-eDKMyUOVcWNAyx3y9MvgR3nreQOyGN4Rl_Au-6SfG_FNIDnHdoa2ZxfGkc/w456-h640/DSC09524.JPG" width="456" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Sooooo, speaking of distractions and no eternal impact 😉...</div><p style="text-align: center;">The annual kids and dogs Christmas pictures turned out much like 2020...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWK761yEbtJv9qwpJC03jDeVgmR6_fj93j17HNDSglf_IwS1-e827-HqskXn9vbH7VoAf0iX2ruECcfwpx_ZpmdKkpuutE7b9sGsPxVak0Sos0yJpt0gMdWjugI2lRGPP17bTsQixRcs/s4731/DSC00988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2195" data-original-width="4731" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWK761yEbtJv9qwpJC03jDeVgmR6_fj93j17HNDSglf_IwS1-e827-HqskXn9vbH7VoAf0iX2ruECcfwpx_ZpmdKkpuutE7b9sGsPxVak0Sos0yJpt0gMdWjugI2lRGPP17bTsQixRcs/w640-h296/DSC00988.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">just lousy y'all!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQF9u4GTrCONdEoAtRMFiTeyQ_3-_kxfOqZTwpDFF65T4gVPiQKuS7OZrqrnbR2eYRsBAE9ZbZy6p3IdBZyXDczU77hUyrBI7zzegqxBgOaATGiLl3PBPvtv_emjGBRkhYNRqM3iB9Do/s4879/DSC00991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2196" data-original-width="4879" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQF9u4GTrCONdEoAtRMFiTeyQ_3-_kxfOqZTwpDFF65T4gVPiQKuS7OZrqrnbR2eYRsBAE9ZbZy6p3IdBZyXDczU77hUyrBI7zzegqxBgOaATGiLl3PBPvtv_emjGBRkhYNRqM3iB9Do/w640-h288/DSC00991.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I didn't realize until later on Christmas Day that my camera settings had been changed and were way off so almost every single picture I had taken for Christmas 2020 was just bad...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I thought about deleting them all and trying again later but maybe they are just perfect for a year like this one!</p><p style="text-align: center;">At least the ones at Mom's were in focus...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XvpqRnkeqoa-CNmdVyETrXFVi9CKC_28CiAW9DhNv48YTvbRBH47LIeBTi_ghh2IONJMFTEUW4PJLBzjI1YMTs1DHuYEK1IBkPvvAdWGtK4neP8IkIOfXOOYYV6zLALWthHg2mHOd2s/s4481/DSC00998+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3524" data-original-width="4481" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_XvpqRnkeqoa-CNmdVyETrXFVi9CKC_28CiAW9DhNv48YTvbRBH47LIeBTi_ghh2IONJMFTEUW4PJLBzjI1YMTs1DHuYEK1IBkPvvAdWGtK4neP8IkIOfXOOYYV6zLALWthHg2mHOd2s/w640-h504/DSC00998+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">but Maggie was apparently freezing...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3DB22RunXVYWhsldz7K3Yw41uw_4IsDe7QBWGPm1QncLnQBAXD47uVLabwY2TSMaSIDwYfJoqeuvVYPMtMjlGbQy0HkuPUaFCtp5b3ggLispY20Aji2oavR2DjnWe-59ZI90bFkSKWk/s4573/DSC01000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3575" data-original-width="4573" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3DB22RunXVYWhsldz7K3Yw41uw_4IsDe7QBWGPm1QncLnQBAXD47uVLabwY2TSMaSIDwYfJoqeuvVYPMtMjlGbQy0HkuPUaFCtp5b3ggLispY20Aji2oavR2DjnWe-59ZI90bFkSKWk/w640-h500/DSC01000.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> and Em was apparently hiding...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT85qckOjbh6LfbfXGgItj5Yzd2fJwVyyM38PoJZhefPk_y_Zp_rprh2bRmEGJuvuTIlfD2pVsvOJCp2VhkOGOMyFQe-M5fbLnpxRCf3zDqjXjoSw7N-1LXx88qSdnD7aeJn-skw3xlBQ/s4573/DSC01000.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3575" data-original-width="4573" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT85qckOjbh6LfbfXGgItj5Yzd2fJwVyyM38PoJZhefPk_y_Zp_rprh2bRmEGJuvuTIlfD2pVsvOJCp2VhkOGOMyFQe-M5fbLnpxRCf3zDqjXjoSw7N-1LXx88qSdnD7aeJn-skw3xlBQ/w640-h500/DSC01000.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">or Lucy has apparently been hiding about 6 inches all this time...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjneXON9dXHbl98E74uKIpnIQ89O58GnP277bdI8TuU71eDI9tCcOCMVHtO-HVSowvD5Jr9LVTm__N3oZ_EeW7Q49N7z6Qy1KpiRrv2dveFEwoSJdW3N4D4YswhvBqBlSicufHlH2V00E/s5094/DSC01004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3535" data-original-width="5094" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjneXON9dXHbl98E74uKIpnIQ89O58GnP277bdI8TuU71eDI9tCcOCMVHtO-HVSowvD5Jr9LVTm__N3oZ_EeW7Q49N7z6Qy1KpiRrv2dveFEwoSJdW3N4D4YswhvBqBlSicufHlH2V00E/w640-h444/DSC01004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Lizzie was apparently wrestling another wild kitten that morning that left it's mark on her jeans😆...</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA-gwGvkX7d5ApiNyOgpfxYU3n43MqRFlH63kE5uttGaa9VKLM6H8eqnEkE8JZ_oqzCLfxtsHICkzrgumTSvE7J6ir5LbpxTpDMPCynfe6JsYJ8G7PmDGlVclJqN_RTmMS7rH62uUIsg/s6000/DSC01006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiA-gwGvkX7d5ApiNyOgpfxYU3n43MqRFlH63kE5uttGaa9VKLM6H8eqnEkE8JZ_oqzCLfxtsHICkzrgumTSvE7J6ir5LbpxTpDMPCynfe6JsYJ8G7PmDGlVclJqN_RTmMS7rH62uUIsg/w640-h426/DSC01006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> and there weren't even any good out takes and that is entirely disappointing!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAn-kmgGznTWq5R8u1K7StBoWaBXHsys9YHHQTQbZJ020qBCfi7H1H5BlSYTodvCWU2Uc9WhYHcTdPpcdWoBE6EjPQK5AWIVwOI091bB0myAJI4etHrFzIUqFk_rsLEzO41i9xadvp0E/s6000/DSC01007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgAn-kmgGznTWq5R8u1K7StBoWaBXHsys9YHHQTQbZJ020qBCfi7H1H5BlSYTodvCWU2Uc9WhYHcTdPpcdWoBE6EjPQK5AWIVwOI091bB0myAJI4etHrFzIUqFk_rsLEzO41i9xadvp0E/w640-h426/DSC01007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I mean come on...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojIm4fEuISAXc6Y41Pij8xgNYKhO4KqF8eZHiFq747L6aKN68FXelnQUsOO51Z-CGlnmAUcuTk7ns56Ke-jQu4NLIGZ93FLT_UBTW0lNSdJP-nU4rAOLS_rCH7xT58c5WGML9oXwxe40/s6000/DSC01008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiojIm4fEuISAXc6Y41Pij8xgNYKhO4KqF8eZHiFq747L6aKN68FXelnQUsOO51Z-CGlnmAUcuTk7ns56Ke-jQu4NLIGZ93FLT_UBTW0lNSdJP-nU4rAOLS_rCH7xT58c5WGML9oXwxe40/w640-h426/DSC01008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I expect much more out of this group!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Haha!</p><p style="text-align: center;">We did manage this rare gem...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFwCT7uWvLKtY1Vll5ykjCqMcTf58wx0chQy-qyfRhONAum4WqSjOm_Sib0izCc6nzZcDbnnnc4fWQJKiZC4EXTneZwwZEKTaZUYPP26R9W4r68c6kF_O-8pWNCUGi2VjH_G-kGMgx_g/s4813/DSC01017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4813" data-original-width="3632" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFwCT7uWvLKtY1Vll5ykjCqMcTf58wx0chQy-qyfRhONAum4WqSjOm_Sib0izCc6nzZcDbnnnc4fWQJKiZC4EXTneZwwZEKTaZUYPP26R9W4r68c6kF_O-8pWNCUGi2VjH_G-kGMgx_g/w482-h640/DSC01017.JPG" width="482" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">rare because I am safely <span style="font-size: medium;"><b>behind</b></span> the camera, Mom hates having her picture taken and Bub suffers from RBATF syndrome, or in layman's terms, "Rather Be At The Farm" Syndrome😁</p><p style="text-align: center;">However, despite the failed picture sessions and the environment in which we find ourselves these days, we fully enjoyed the extra time at home and made certain that our Christmas traditions survived the year!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> We pulled the kids out of school a bit early and decided we would just start celebrating.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We went shopping...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiLWSHTKqefcngsbYQ82PDu7vnzLOoPmgnrxK0IK6wlFHV9aGNeAmtpNFiMc79sEWZg8UVsraFopoGbd59UANnKS8ts8u5jRsBEn-9TQ-7WPL3BPriBTKD_wMSMQr19k3GCmWwh-7G64/s2048/black+friday+shopping+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDiLWSHTKqefcngsbYQ82PDu7vnzLOoPmgnrxK0IK6wlFHV9aGNeAmtpNFiMc79sEWZg8UVsraFopoGbd59UANnKS8ts8u5jRsBEn-9TQ-7WPL3BPriBTKD_wMSMQr19k3GCmWwh-7G64/w640-h480/black+friday+shopping+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and I am not ashamed to admit that I took full advantage of my little shopping elves.</p><p style="text-align: center;">We made Reindeer Food.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyco_U3l9b29bbCzdsNTCYkcm-1eSakZpX3vb0nFTZZvWtgD-kwJvR74aB954ZXt0xF8yXCJoxbNdLhi5SvQKdbc4fVlDTRLh-Kl0LupAP0vExDyJ-qtx2kAiyDmPhAG3He2NmlIvP1j0/s4580/chewy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3812" data-original-width="4580" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyco_U3l9b29bbCzdsNTCYkcm-1eSakZpX3vb0nFTZZvWtgD-kwJvR74aB954ZXt0xF8yXCJoxbNdLhi5SvQKdbc4fVlDTRLh-Kl0LupAP0vExDyJ-qtx2kAiyDmPhAG3He2NmlIvP1j0/w640-h532/chewy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRRTM63EqMkvQW7wtpNGfJIuIrrXZwj_vjix2mUcCqvhLMuctVz4WypBup8cf9SiZrFhAjKBquIE5f5NBb_yaw43I1mhbxfYFrA-wyA9J9i3lwYr2l0HLPcLSgDd-OGEhLEpBG6ykzds/s5310/DSC00840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="5310" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJRRTM63EqMkvQW7wtpNGfJIuIrrXZwj_vjix2mUcCqvhLMuctVz4WypBup8cf9SiZrFhAjKBquIE5f5NBb_yaw43I1mhbxfYFrA-wyA9J9i3lwYr2l0HLPcLSgDd-OGEhLEpBG6ykzds/w640-h482/DSC00840.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMud4ius9s7nSeMRDvVWDxIW8Km9f2Of4waAhxswDQPJQIHXktuBr5Ca0a5zIByERGDjhCLrTyxaDsz59WesOEg0Ko3eMdqjBYAetCsaug6EdvoBQ3rfDsYv2oEoA9d-WfB5ei_fW4cLU/s4000/DSC00847.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3342" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMud4ius9s7nSeMRDvVWDxIW8Km9f2Of4waAhxswDQPJQIHXktuBr5Ca0a5zIByERGDjhCLrTyxaDsz59WesOEg0Ko3eMdqjBYAetCsaug6EdvoBQ3rfDsYv2oEoA9d-WfB5ei_fW4cLU/w534-h640/DSC00847.JPG" width="534" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5p0yft0HyveB4OTy2rqeyYWRN2ZRMgJvqKdN9klPMnqlb4wRoOpjdYpKWTcLXdk1vVu0f2e-PFXy6M18XJFNIOIK-TeOg9ObACuZkFhi0dhadXXYxZhg8P9_IZCR5sGeC7Lj30Nl8Tg/s6000/DSC00851.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm5p0yft0HyveB4OTy2rqeyYWRN2ZRMgJvqKdN9klPMnqlb4wRoOpjdYpKWTcLXdk1vVu0f2e-PFXy6M18XJFNIOIK-TeOg9ObACuZkFhi0dhadXXYxZhg8P9_IZCR5sGeC7Lj30Nl8Tg/w640-h426/DSC00851.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MI8VRtnnEVc13p8ihZuCj94cq4VduqweIzrtjPMXlZnkBEw4ZDeucIVwwoZkh-4sOhKnwCxI9bjWsb0PCdXXzvVb2Uo3nMmWrmnCbL1DwpUN3LHh1MGbe2BLLZZFCM_d0ngewj5KQEc/s4927/DSC00857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4927" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2MI8VRtnnEVc13p8ihZuCj94cq4VduqweIzrtjPMXlZnkBEw4ZDeucIVwwoZkh-4sOhKnwCxI9bjWsb0PCdXXzvVb2Uo3nMmWrmnCbL1DwpUN3LHh1MGbe2BLLZZFCM_d0ngewj5KQEc/w640-h520/DSC00857.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqa_ia8509GYMgxCI6QQ0IQM_vrmFwlSL7G_Rs6XJk8kEBKUY2i0i-WBu_VGjDYOWXT5Irp1FRHpbB8QHKw2yVgKChxbZt-KDfXBCXEHoneWFQ0RNfqkgJPK7nCwo6TetaySPeJWaoGc/s5182/DSC00866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3068" data-original-width="5182" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSqa_ia8509GYMgxCI6QQ0IQM_vrmFwlSL7G_Rs6XJk8kEBKUY2i0i-WBu_VGjDYOWXT5Irp1FRHpbB8QHKw2yVgKChxbZt-KDfXBCXEHoneWFQ0RNfqkgJPK7nCwo6TetaySPeJWaoGc/w640-h378/DSC00866.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">We made Christmas Cookies.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObtK8CfLc_E7LrEYd6Z1Lsn4X9GLOtnL-BI0N0D6eRWQiMBh5XdGDv6mF5q1uooBlv2a1bOVjjmt_4ISRywPU7BUYpy1-HeDCIK6RH-i8fMq3iGcLIeM-anzpRq4geqFRj1IO5FsXcgM/s5300/DSC00892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3984" data-original-width="5300" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgObtK8CfLc_E7LrEYd6Z1Lsn4X9GLOtnL-BI0N0D6eRWQiMBh5XdGDv6mF5q1uooBlv2a1bOVjjmt_4ISRywPU7BUYpy1-HeDCIK6RH-i8fMq3iGcLIeM-anzpRq4geqFRj1IO5FsXcgM/w640-h482/DSC00892.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4RT7MsfHROVJ7HkP2OZjPS_M3iJxkTxl_rsz5EhWzLgFkWIr_YHtWWDBUalKt8mXlKFSd7x5ZBSozdRAHJQCebVci_m6j7wflJYccl0MJt5EtADph4Tu1Pj9TOmaAOSLvCEMHk6Dsys/s6000/DSC00910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4RT7MsfHROVJ7HkP2OZjPS_M3iJxkTxl_rsz5EhWzLgFkWIr_YHtWWDBUalKt8mXlKFSd7x5ZBSozdRAHJQCebVci_m6j7wflJYccl0MJt5EtADph4Tu1Pj9TOmaAOSLvCEMHk6Dsys/w640-h426/DSC00910.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">We decorated... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x5fujUGWqm4fieqk03UyYLCafPHLVhsEVeo_hz56oxangSXGk8r1VQbMUZlvgdvK66KUjCU81FFBUamebsL7Rw_tOkhMOZbCl2IXvEa459C9MHcv881OvYXe9ybwA9jkaadXhvpuASc/s2048/christmas+2020+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7x5fujUGWqm4fieqk03UyYLCafPHLVhsEVeo_hz56oxangSXGk8r1VQbMUZlvgdvK66KUjCU81FFBUamebsL7Rw_tOkhMOZbCl2IXvEa459C9MHcv881OvYXe9ybwA9jkaadXhvpuASc/w480-h640/christmas+2020+%25284%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">twice...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aqNva7euXPVSdTL6SlBDUkgd881v01diAw0aMwzw5_Wpt5Jfr5NE07s7_iYWVoArCkBHy0I91S7nzsBx7K_iKGBwEDh5vxQXtZBof3rU9FNGGI7C1Ys-OPaiAd0bk-cdrqLI6C9owcw/s2048/christmas+2020+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1697" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7aqNva7euXPVSdTL6SlBDUkgd881v01diAw0aMwzw5_Wpt5Jfr5NE07s7_iYWVoArCkBHy0I91S7nzsBx7K_iKGBwEDh5vxQXtZBof3rU9FNGGI7C1Ys-OPaiAd0bk-cdrqLI6C9owcw/w530-h640/christmas+2020+%25282%2529.jpg" width="530" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">We watched as Will placed the Angel on top of the tree.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='517' height='431' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxghjtsZ87lTzuId-YOPc9YGwYYKvwUNlh8EHYg4GFAP_Hl9dyMZVFG01gW9c2IzzJ8XG_YRs7UputRl7x6gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We enjoyed our annual visit to Hyams Nursery and Christmas Shop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkrPmiXmTBvCh05HK-IEDlgVKujdvhYQzi5u5LKSbIBl7oy63edW4C39dd-AzS9UKxICoN64YenVmJ4xNNWp0AA-97sAM23xu_6IfE6wnKFKJ5bGf-waol7T801STQAzdj9Pt__dPpdQ/s2048/hyams+trip+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUkrPmiXmTBvCh05HK-IEDlgVKujdvhYQzi5u5LKSbIBl7oy63edW4C39dd-AzS9UKxICoN64YenVmJ4xNNWp0AA-97sAM23xu_6IfE6wnKFKJ5bGf-waol7T801STQAzdj9Pt__dPpdQ/w640-h480/hyams+trip+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just don't ask about poor Fredrick😧 Sorry, inside joke (Emmeline😆)</div><p style="text-align: center;">We loaded up and headed to the Christmas Lights.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8OAsMbZkQ7fY3vdB7LLantkVQX2vS10Rn2clCFPymj6c2V51SQOPY4teEZ2Fwzv6NbZraU5euaPkudZdCJL1H2q6gJPjHxKuj-d9fgeqZDpncEB17CoUwgibhClXZoEOI1Jxy3xhQE4/s2048/christmas+2020+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1489" data-original-width="2048" height="466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8OAsMbZkQ7fY3vdB7LLantkVQX2vS10Rn2clCFPymj6c2V51SQOPY4teEZ2Fwzv6NbZraU5euaPkudZdCJL1H2q6gJPjHxKuj-d9fgeqZDpncEB17CoUwgibhClXZoEOI1Jxy3xhQE4/w640-h466/christmas+2020+%25285%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfVjZ-I6xauhiVeO7TvWIjpYiY5OrbbzQULHrKZ4AyYwm9TRSuFrIU-ZfKdqd9efhMLJdvxu420vPNTWpD4e3coxx-X0ngm8HxOfSO9guXsI5-Hf0X3g_JNDHEpeYjKqmvsSgW30uk_I/s2048/christmas+2020+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2048" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNfVjZ-I6xauhiVeO7TvWIjpYiY5OrbbzQULHrKZ4AyYwm9TRSuFrIU-ZfKdqd9efhMLJdvxu420vPNTWpD4e3coxx-X0ngm8HxOfSO9guXsI5-Hf0X3g_JNDHEpeYjKqmvsSgW30uk_I/w640-h402/christmas+2020+%25286%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Something we hadn't done in a couple of years but we felt the need to revisit and linger in our traditions!</p><p style="text-align: center;">We, unfortunately, had to attend Christmas Eve service at home but were still able to enjoy the candle lights.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMFWydiQLETgzD1dkFUlpAUQF3Jln_zRC0HdIT_HZCcrw6MtdTdr1lVVr7mB3_bju270Xm1mSdsRPEtEqBhECuEKNZknqqwAh68H7Ijuqql1xzYm6vnmbrWCcQlgZXn6SMzg5SKYeFs8/s2048/christmas+2020+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1769" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMFWydiQLETgzD1dkFUlpAUQF3Jln_zRC0HdIT_HZCcrw6MtdTdr1lVVr7mB3_bju270Xm1mSdsRPEtEqBhECuEKNZknqqwAh68H7Ijuqql1xzYm6vnmbrWCcQlgZXn6SMzg5SKYeFs8/w552-h640/christmas+2020+%252815%2529.jpg" width="552" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl4D2P_TtlU5tgIa3ByGDx_2Vf7bCzqN1PadrVqr81IQovnIBIoZ0u6bel_vMYDS4hzsCalBKmA_FIcEoj4V_3Rufq306D91clwLuyImuEhaqJNdD0nL1VDicjDp_Z3aKDOqe33yZB2A/s2048/christmas+2020+%252817%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1741" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWl4D2P_TtlU5tgIa3ByGDx_2Vf7bCzqN1PadrVqr81IQovnIBIoZ0u6bel_vMYDS4hzsCalBKmA_FIcEoj4V_3Rufq306D91clwLuyImuEhaqJNdD0nL1VDicjDp_Z3aKDOqe33yZB2A/w544-h640/christmas+2020+%252817%2529.jpg" width="544" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">We readied the table...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-lZBQzm6symR2hOyqxba7_ow1QX88tBjn_szr1NEPRMvjGCXKLiGPcbfDOsu6Jo6LRgAKbrsD6tT5LBaVXskM9Un-WpokGnqCTQLbN_S8_ZNqCIVIOHoEVYLK3GZ0kC-Gduefcr8k60/s5375/DSC00935.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3952" data-original-width="5375" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-lZBQzm6symR2hOyqxba7_ow1QX88tBjn_szr1NEPRMvjGCXKLiGPcbfDOsu6Jo6LRgAKbrsD6tT5LBaVXskM9Un-WpokGnqCTQLbN_S8_ZNqCIVIOHoEVYLK3GZ0kC-Gduefcr8k60/w640-h470/DSC00935.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbglkGLGIPxkL9DMwKaoEnfFAeIIQN7nYDrZfqnle0NVExmAiSWq6TsMhl51XTm_JrhtCYmI3rEkrJEBNjVhoxCgyLmoUy_REB6eEXzjpQeveKrTRDpTzIFQbxQGtVHpNiA2l6AtAidXg/s6000/DSC00940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbglkGLGIPxkL9DMwKaoEnfFAeIIQN7nYDrZfqnle0NVExmAiSWq6TsMhl51XTm_JrhtCYmI3rEkrJEBNjVhoxCgyLmoUy_REB6eEXzjpQeveKrTRDpTzIFQbxQGtVHpNiA2l6AtAidXg/w640-h426/DSC00940.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyIAtLqQaHJtml3ylA0txp2-LJWuhB-bMG9hqQFgy9125j1G2O2yTKYUxfCfS0_vXMorvQjqZY7_S4o-8ugtftpHeBn-Aq0OHfNn_P9ncSJHscfFwi60z02wOGs0kwwVm2ZStLoJilB0/s6000/DSC00941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyIAtLqQaHJtml3ylA0txp2-LJWuhB-bMG9hqQFgy9125j1G2O2yTKYUxfCfS0_vXMorvQjqZY7_S4o-8ugtftpHeBn-Aq0OHfNn_P9ncSJHscfFwi60z02wOGs0kwwVm2ZStLoJilB0/w640-h426/DSC00941.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We cooked and we ate...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_dOhTz1Oclk0UiAtEITpfb2Q9uUHTB3u8np0jnj4W-ZvQJVP_1Eoaz5vRgdKVBBbIz-5ypQZmWXTMmHqSJq3OlFQG6RQhCHs6yCKAsU0XcXXPVISwXW_yoCWJqd2s_7niAY1XPAerBw/s6000/DSC00942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_dOhTz1Oclk0UiAtEITpfb2Q9uUHTB3u8np0jnj4W-ZvQJVP_1Eoaz5vRgdKVBBbIz-5ypQZmWXTMmHqSJq3OlFQG6RQhCHs6yCKAsU0XcXXPVISwXW_yoCWJqd2s_7niAY1XPAerBw/w640-h426/DSC00942.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zq-bXKTV64Pbi5Lshyphenhyphen4pUxppUoA07-hpQdBDRj0_BVVQQ3-R2wOgMoCddFOB2fsWTJERjI95J0Ab_DbMo_gAEHweduR0FzDbryVO7rgr0kBcLeUAE4Ap08JpIhcQYG2NZlN30A5O9wA/s6000/DSC00951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zq-bXKTV64Pbi5Lshyphenhyphen4pUxppUoA07-hpQdBDRj0_BVVQQ3-R2wOgMoCddFOB2fsWTJERjI95J0Ab_DbMo_gAEHweduR0FzDbryVO7rgr0kBcLeUAE4Ap08JpIhcQYG2NZlN30A5O9wA/w640-h426/DSC00951.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5M2whB7pR3ZbszFIiJCz78RhkpIM5I_eYOFh1-8rtMkXsLj5PqGQRBFZioJvP0nt7kHFcur0e3UTx_wx0CX6tqgbih6HhMF_KMN4aiYN7ZyKBhkcpSnxNsvvlyf8hUTpT6FrQAaW4Lc/s3414/DSC01041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2243" data-original-width="3414" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5M2whB7pR3ZbszFIiJCz78RhkpIM5I_eYOFh1-8rtMkXsLj5PqGQRBFZioJvP0nt7kHFcur0e3UTx_wx0CX6tqgbih6HhMF_KMN4aiYN7ZyKBhkcpSnxNsvvlyf8hUTpT6FrQAaW4Lc/w640-h420/DSC01041.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and made a mountain of trash as presents were opened... </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7oAJi4hWIvEFaarwWFcnI1jbSM-91tOWRLHW6rX_03ohXrGFkOHF8uEYCBTx-7VYBZh8uJMK9BRhRyPQJWneGOa9pCUBZtHBZrlGpdUbvYHMi59HF_OZlhWLW9CCout8ZvV-FoKHNDQ/s6000/DSC00958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7oAJi4hWIvEFaarwWFcnI1jbSM-91tOWRLHW6rX_03ohXrGFkOHF8uEYCBTx-7VYBZh8uJMK9BRhRyPQJWneGOa9pCUBZtHBZrlGpdUbvYHMi59HF_OZlhWLW9CCout8ZvV-FoKHNDQ/w640-h426/DSC00958.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike>Lizzie</strike> Santa was harassed... </div><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MBI5unVvD5k" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">a family tradition😁...</p><p style="text-align: center;">and <i>The Holy Grail</i> even made an appearance...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='529' height='440' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwgHObUGBQVcL0PXVELgIozanv2U2m_c0IWQGS2uQy4Zfxjzt3GK1Ulcz5zsoXlbn_Vz_JMkDoNMksQ_3-iQA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">It's still not funny😉</p><p style="text-align: center;">Old soccer jerseys were made new... </p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JrdBjfPT2uc" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;">for my Mighty Number 45...</p><p style="text-align: center;">and new gifts were tested.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='560' height='466' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwfGYayWHK3BUDNjcN2b7IIaCSv6t9TsqVy26ITG6vtjRo6TeFb7QSs29jnQHikiCqcoMHm0g39mFCyO1Brdw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b>AUH</b>mazing! More on the trumpet later😉</p><p style="text-align: center;">So another Christmas full of God's provision and plans and even though I just do not understand why His plan and His provision did not include a good Christmas picture, much less any good out takes (haha), I am full of gratitude for His constant provision <i><b>and</b></i> submission to His unerring plans.</p><p style="text-align: center;">This year has been hard, very hard for those who lost jobs or businesses or friends or most especially, loved ones, but there were blessings and there were lessons and there was an awakening for so many of us who get caught up in the distractions and the busyness that can seem Holy but that take us away from the One who IS Holy.</p><p style="text-align: center;">So on New Year's Eve, we celebrated the year that we were given...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7lA5PdTZaNLk6AKPZ2fFMrtxfRqWkPXFylrayS7y3tiBpWSWd2rjxQzvgVlvCl5C15JjpLI0WiJgaVCUR-cbq4S2BLSd8m1Z8vTDXrTIvMtd97RUsvKbCsNHFvBaTUl0ScXG4t93ZXA/s6000/DSC01048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7lA5PdTZaNLk6AKPZ2fFMrtxfRqWkPXFylrayS7y3tiBpWSWd2rjxQzvgVlvCl5C15JjpLI0WiJgaVCUR-cbq4S2BLSd8m1Z8vTDXrTIvMtd97RUsvKbCsNHFvBaTUl0ScXG4t93ZXA/w640-h426/DSC01048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrkzSklUySnSEvpGn3WxSCVR-2BspMRlnF1HuWW91Ell5DkoGHB-CPF-T95Ivwtn5MKI5qX5XpTvUrXYfYbC-qLDPNyPlkwWLRAhNrqcSe36swdsnjcPqsmkgQL2bpOYTmTGkxtihJR8/s2048/20201231_220228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIrkzSklUySnSEvpGn3WxSCVR-2BspMRlnF1HuWW91Ell5DkoGHB-CPF-T95Ivwtn5MKI5qX5XpTvUrXYfYbC-qLDPNyPlkwWLRAhNrqcSe36swdsnjcPqsmkgQL2bpOYTmTGkxtihJR8/w480-h640/20201231_220228.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RCsmIu1PIb_obigUgrU6ewN1HM24no9lQHArGsdwrBSKGygfT_uOFxGgPLJIMIWQwbUcaxREirSVGJzjNmguWSzseT8YgicBS-4C-MRcr912zjLaemVhUPAf7GDG1jAd6bXYrx8gKGY/s2048/20201231_220713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RCsmIu1PIb_obigUgrU6ewN1HM24no9lQHArGsdwrBSKGygfT_uOFxGgPLJIMIWQwbUcaxREirSVGJzjNmguWSzseT8YgicBS-4C-MRcr912zjLaemVhUPAf7GDG1jAd6bXYrx8gKGY/w480-h640/20201231_220713.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3cXW3hFQX7aHQWQs9J2GDf4ReKI6SKNkvqz7juRZO9DwmrmgstPQfy4YnagciElu7NcYGbhYwD5QiAmQi3ADcssZ1v5EkUYQm0V_WMkPjZqNkWMqmwrBeYUDahWH9LFRIliGt7uErOQ/s2048/20201231_233309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1355" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3cXW3hFQX7aHQWQs9J2GDf4ReKI6SKNkvqz7juRZO9DwmrmgstPQfy4YnagciElu7NcYGbhYwD5QiAmQi3ADcssZ1v5EkUYQm0V_WMkPjZqNkWMqmwrBeYUDahWH9LFRIliGt7uErOQ/w424-h640/20201231_233309.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='448' height='372' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxIVXYOjRP9hZiKFDj1ozjSLKePXgo6nekJ6VvLTVFYaym09m1_pWh2KLnhdSQGS8KB3QMcaV3NnW01apR71A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and on New Year's Day we headed to my Brother's farm for some Hoppin John and Collard Greens to celebrate the year to come... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBH5X-Mu9a_wa0_DN0ZFYUyK8uMnzYNZhm_50IsukTCUBASzZgIWxMMDl6Blp4qJbtp2ATvxxaFgmz2wh3HTVGAjzR-2-IjEHuxTLCIFUqcLQ6ohOoC_GeR7wbYYYmdCgeox_dZI1eEVw/s6000/DSC01064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBH5X-Mu9a_wa0_DN0ZFYUyK8uMnzYNZhm_50IsukTCUBASzZgIWxMMDl6Blp4qJbtp2ATvxxaFgmz2wh3HTVGAjzR-2-IjEHuxTLCIFUqcLQ6ohOoC_GeR7wbYYYmdCgeox_dZI1eEVw/w640-h426/DSC01064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY9apZ57_1djwav65m2VHeudddNn8yTq-bebENT00aK9yVcIXtkcc6EokVF5i3DARJ7IQO6_h-VfvfoJePHeCxE9rsWDkdthNr_-b2fb-sNwKa-KLAJyAut8lTNlSnwD2s_emzZ0zyuE/s5171/DSC01071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;">and as with the close of every year, we pray for the strength to consider ourselves blessed regardless of our circumstances as we pack up the ornaments and the lights and the decorations... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-abObBfz-AdTp2sQBeaRrKn9Y_1a9BE4PBlmcgIHw23IvDeooPwif7VKw3mAsg7K5fYuQa9VX66Hji9wc08z4sQ9jLyDr6MoKkSEr27Uw6gakPQ1HQ9xgb3mtGyJKLFLlleW4xNww1c/s4888/DSC09434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4888" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-abObBfz-AdTp2sQBeaRrKn9Y_1a9BE4PBlmcgIHw23IvDeooPwif7VKw3mAsg7K5fYuQa9VX66Hji9wc08z4sQ9jLyDr6MoKkSEr27Uw6gakPQ1HQ9xgb3mtGyJKLFLlleW4xNww1c/w640-h524/DSC09434.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqmBXdeQG73vZSNFIvVuJm8oKBWbpcWPe0l-LAYsDJ18t6ZuPukR0WXiJ8hjv6Jv85pTHIEZWidAXgA5e5_MDT-YEf2eUzhSbw9CzJ2sI9bfyGrFLEJafHRl0hRwvvDx2MLDJ0E-l7Zg/s6000/DSC09525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaqmBXdeQG73vZSNFIvVuJm8oKBWbpcWPe0l-LAYsDJ18t6ZuPukR0WXiJ8hjv6Jv85pTHIEZWidAXgA5e5_MDT-YEf2eUzhSbw9CzJ2sI9bfyGrFLEJafHRl0hRwvvDx2MLDJ0E-l7Zg/w640-h426/DSC09525.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">treasuring the memories they hold and pondering the year of memories ahead.</div><p style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-3477508694447845892020-12-31T10:29:00.007-05:002021-01-29T09:51:09.668-05:00Crocodile DunSHE!<div style="text-align: center;">So my little prodigy decided to rescue a feral kitten!! I don't know who was more shocked when she actually caught the kitten - the kitten or Lizzie!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HFLB4vlys4zMSo-BAF1XqtxaQ7Ynl5Cl2685W_4FtlOOPNXK33eD4neZbiHa6JYzYxKxkGOkyzydbNEDOHEx4YNf1zWz2Z1SkTE16-97aa7uIXoVUww-vJI47lNXwyaHVbjfM5M8CJ0/s714/20201228_163921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HFLB4vlys4zMSo-BAF1XqtxaQ7Ynl5Cl2685W_4FtlOOPNXK33eD4neZbiHa6JYzYxKxkGOkyzydbNEDOHEx4YNf1zWz2Z1SkTE16-97aa7uIXoVUww-vJI47lNXwyaHVbjfM5M8CJ0/w480-h640/20201228_163921.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">There is a colony of feral cats and 2 kittens that are being fed right by our shop. My girls have been going over there, feeding and watching and hoping to catch one for a while now. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw57Jh4M9RCuWLEcOxSi-7SdX8ZFoe4AzlhZh1ZiR_P0B9IXDVUSJ7AV-0VrWlK61Z5ISMf6f7K4iQ_5Osj9A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Mighty Mouse just decided that she didn't need no stinkin cage, snuck up behind one of the kittens and just grabbed him/her! She has a few battle scars to show for it and now, a scared little kitty in her bathroom!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo4E_9hjd-dWq_kh1Yq7-BaCawgyJ_35iLXNJucBPXwww09_0kVizb5zyUSWNDctW9upLYkxsu1xsjYZwss7rUbHBlOuNGs_-iEnJ_k9k_XR48dZ0Glai_55TL2kjWhCRdAJszcj1GKs/s714/20201230_211100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEo4E_9hjd-dWq_kh1Yq7-BaCawgyJ_35iLXNJucBPXwww09_0kVizb5zyUSWNDctW9upLYkxsu1xsjYZwss7rUbHBlOuNGs_-iEnJ_k9k_XR48dZ0Glai_55TL2kjWhCRdAJszcj1GKs/w480-h640/20201230_211100.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We are working hard on trying to socialize him/her and hope to find a wonderful family for the kitty, where he/she will be an inside pet and well loved!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sooooo, stay tuned for kitty updates!!!</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-27334149884343994212020-12-22T10:44:00.006-05:002020-12-23T08:57:59.814-05:00Mary, Martha and Maggie<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'" </i>Luke 10:38-42</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distractions...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Boy are we consumed by distractions...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I was recently reminded of this when my sweet Maggie gave me a hug. Maggie hugs with every essence of herself and all other hugs pale in comparison and Maggie loves to hug me!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iyZpnrM1I7UpRlAJVa64rMGnpSiHfxxMQSs7xldO1XSkSNP6TUWKRGitZxUnXtWj9Ddqfjfta476xRpr_ujceR_JOpEJbxFOkwbKGms10JQGjQZe4ZiHA8vlFH-7iaNMerU5y9Tp-4E/s6000/DSC02148.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0iyZpnrM1I7UpRlAJVa64rMGnpSiHfxxMQSs7xldO1XSkSNP6TUWKRGitZxUnXtWj9Ddqfjfta476xRpr_ujceR_JOpEJbxFOkwbKGms10JQGjQZe4ZiHA8vlFH-7iaNMerU5y9Tp-4E/w640-h426/DSC02148.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">So the other day, while I was feeding the dogs, my sweet Maggie came up and gave me a hug and, I asked her...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me: "Maggie, I love your hugs baby girl but why do you always choose to hug me when I am actively doing something? Why don't you wait until I am not doing anything to hug me so I can hug you back?"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maggie: "But Mom, you are ALWAYS doing something!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me: "Touché baby girl, touché!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I then proceeded to put the dog bowls down, sit at His feet and hug her back!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yes, I have a house full and yes, there are things that have to get done but what a sweet reminder to not let these moments slip by, only to get lost in the distractions. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are blessings and lessons all around us all day long but we absorb them as just another part of our day instead of lingering and listening and making them a <i>part</i> of <i>us</i>!</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-28276303417695793932020-12-19T13:53:00.002-05:002020-12-23T09:26:30.537-05:00I Got Many Beatings... <div style="text-align: center;">This conversation and the post that flowed from it, happened one year ago, yet we live out the aftermath of this and so many other hurts, every day. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">ONE YEAR AGO...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucy: "I was in a rehabilitation hospital and my nanny beat me with a shoe."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will: "You only got one beating? I got many beatings."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Lucy: "No, I got many beatings too."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This was the conversation yesterday in the car as we headed out to shop for Christmas gifts for friends.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sometimes in the ordinary of our lives, the reality of their past lives hover above, just out of reach, until...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">until a memory comes or a conversation happens and we are thrust back into a world so foreign to most of us that it just can't be real.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Surely my children were never beaten, surely they never went to bed hungry or afraid, surely they were never abused or made fun of, just because they were different or just because they were orphans.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But they were...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Surely my children were never abandoned, left alone where their cries went unanswered, only to be taken to a place where their cries continued to go unanswered.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But it happened...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I know some of my posts are hard and uncomfortable to read but my kids' lives were hard and uncomfortable and I guess I am desperate for you to know because I am desperate for the other ones who are just like my children and just like your children, to be rescued from their realities, to be rescued from the beatings and the abuse and the mocking and the scorn.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For those of you who have met my children, have met Lucy and Will, can you imagine them there?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2E5KdW5SLwZKguHXcLLhKtD3I900pcBC2Gyi-ORBCM_Av2LqzWcVLNyuX5BzuF2pVgrhooWcEaygsI87dbP3ep4nPM94Lygq4EuppwOgST1X3tFVrRLAjUUNknrlRo6LEe1nTfzpNb1s/s6000/DSC02185.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2E5KdW5SLwZKguHXcLLhKtD3I900pcBC2Gyi-ORBCM_Av2LqzWcVLNyuX5BzuF2pVgrhooWcEaygsI87dbP3ep4nPM94Lygq4EuppwOgST1X3tFVrRLAjUUNknrlRo6LEe1nTfzpNb1s/w640-h426/DSC02185.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUweQ2S-iGZH2chPHdP2qJuJXyxQXbISHXnNLjSIMSLcKwCXKl1z0kBi8D1Asn2GVnF0W-aYCvKJfXIFHxRct_hvpXoh077VGL7_xlLE1Isptm3RCyyv_aStrHyyI89g5kXQBuFb_U8A/s6000/DSC02184.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUweQ2S-iGZH2chPHdP2qJuJXyxQXbISHXnNLjSIMSLcKwCXKl1z0kBi8D1Asn2GVnF0W-aYCvKJfXIFHxRct_hvpXoh077VGL7_xlLE1Isptm3RCyyv_aStrHyyI89g5kXQBuFb_U8A/w640-h426/DSC02184.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">For those of you who have not met my children, have not met Lucy and Will, can you imagine <i><b>your</b></i> children there?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And yet, there are millions who still wait and millions who will never be rescued, will never know a loving touch or what kindness feels like or how precious they are.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As I advocate for waiting children who need to come home, please look at them, really look at them and picture what their lives would be like if someone like you called them son or daughter. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This isn't how it is supposed to be. What has meaning? What is important? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In a heartbreaking moment, I am flung out of superficial and back into real...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Please ask me about adoption.</div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-92128776245669293022020-12-19T00:38:00.001-05:002020-12-23T09:26:16.781-05:00Boots<p style="text-align: center;">So a few months back, there was this cat...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwQ_r4RU7-ufV6oArn3X-rro-hj-96XI0l1Nz2JYCuQeU7HuW3iCTKMZZsxh8IA7qet4DMUhOaFJhrGnjoC6Vr5K_IGoIPODWx0yaDmsA5yX4ACT6AnKBMXrGPsx2c6aG28MyCOLuMBg/s876/20200819_101509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="876" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkwQ_r4RU7-ufV6oArn3X-rro-hj-96XI0l1Nz2JYCuQeU7HuW3iCTKMZZsxh8IA7qet4DMUhOaFJhrGnjoC6Vr5K_IGoIPODWx0yaDmsA5yX4ACT6AnKBMXrGPsx2c6aG28MyCOLuMBg/w640-h480/20200819_101509.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and he kept hanging around...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzFKZrRVo-lR3s_8cAhK_Dqgbmca9oZ1_ivUqWS6G9aiS1xPbwaLuIE72S-ykQCqWSpC-Xfd9TLdq_3GyOZuX6S2lkrA5-nGNPiwIqEhfzMgcjjZJCQvuACY2gLDt8wOr2BZF06fbeXY/s657/20200929_074759.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzFKZrRVo-lR3s_8cAhK_Dqgbmca9oZ1_ivUqWS6G9aiS1xPbwaLuIE72S-ykQCqWSpC-Xfd9TLdq_3GyOZuX6S2lkrA5-nGNPiwIqEhfzMgcjjZJCQvuACY2gLDt8wOr2BZF06fbeXY/w480-h640/20200929_074759.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">cause apparently stray cats just love homes with 8 kids, 4 dogs and 2 resident, crazy cats!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I mean come on!</p><p style="text-align: center;">I am the "Dog Lady"...</p><p style="text-align: center;">except now I am the "Dog Lady" AND the "Wow, You Have 8 Kids Lady"!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Somehow out in stray cat land, things got all jumbled up cause "The Cat Lady" is NOT one of my official titles!</p><p style="text-align: center;">For real!</p><p style="text-align: center;">However, every cat that we have owned (and I use that term lightly😉) has chosen us!</p><p style="text-align: center;">From Memow...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lxzqwglhUTYE2TPJw9EaAgMgEaozifhDn1Zt86S6VfiHt2kgw4VRKF8PfcRE0r8dHnFMNQPk7WuPyps3tdNis1s4kOaFX4z0gnGS3Mq9Gaodos9nM0kLmze7SiGQoHK67OhHyF9p6MA/s2048/CIMG0810.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lxzqwglhUTYE2TPJw9EaAgMgEaozifhDn1Zt86S6VfiHt2kgw4VRKF8PfcRE0r8dHnFMNQPk7WuPyps3tdNis1s4kOaFX4z0gnGS3Mq9Gaodos9nM0kLmze7SiGQoHK67OhHyF9p6MA/w640-h480/CIMG0810.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">To GiGi aka Grumpy Girl...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJI4isIxnNKHk_9QpJfCfbRViR6lgAT1VUzBhfM1AS8SsNDH6y-5058IZ9tESXQfqhS7ppT0-WoOKVuAM_kwd8WKk0duI45OKfyg40kwXEGTrvNxwc_Tocm57QeMdKJ5XT92tQUVQxjmU/s1906/gigi.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="1906" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJI4isIxnNKHk_9QpJfCfbRViR6lgAT1VUzBhfM1AS8SsNDH6y-5058IZ9tESXQfqhS7ppT0-WoOKVuAM_kwd8WKk0duI45OKfyg40kwXEGTrvNxwc_Tocm57QeMdKJ5XT92tQUVQxjmU/w640-h630/gigi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">To Boo...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYwVDBk-K2pJhmViX26BqFj6W5NUZp1fBu_8pk545Xm0lFXifjrX8hUHyBZsc3zXu47Wxn987L6oBdJinLyjJ62sNKAyvCiEWjVPidjdqvV9zThgzXpqq4D-Yx5HKr2p-eD2PH6sLgVo/s2048/DSC00465.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1964" data-original-width="2048" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYwVDBk-K2pJhmViX26BqFj6W5NUZp1fBu_8pk545Xm0lFXifjrX8hUHyBZsc3zXu47Wxn987L6oBdJinLyjJ62sNKAyvCiEWjVPidjdqvV9zThgzXpqq4D-Yx5HKr2p-eD2PH6sLgVo/w640-h614/DSC00465.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">To Doc...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCNa1X2-73YgYHh8pc8yhKBvv_yVDpOdcqtJ-ICdQudyiFY27xUbBgqMHgI6dSgdJp1KAH9lt06Gzw9PXOgqfSk2BEVgnnLvsoIffxbFMEzj4GDr99Ib-axGoSQQkI0xzdMNld2nMK0A/s5753/DSC04029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3835" data-original-width="5753" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDCNa1X2-73YgYHh8pc8yhKBvv_yVDpOdcqtJ-ICdQudyiFY27xUbBgqMHgI6dSgdJp1KAH9lt06Gzw9PXOgqfSk2BEVgnnLvsoIffxbFMEzj4GDr99Ib-axGoSQQkI0xzdMNld2nMK0A/w640-h426/DSC04029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">And now Boots!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd6qGAA4PZA4NwBvNKXnXpL-vfQQQRV1rc_R-uKV1NrQ0NSLuAUQhTpdD4R6_tEBewF_mu1sUiLS2hO5Qxiw5Th6gu7wGrkRnC0ld3U2_3y5-L3gwyEkuTQq-1hQ9FgMeWPdORgoQHxI/s657/20201008_162530.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd6qGAA4PZA4NwBvNKXnXpL-vfQQQRV1rc_R-uKV1NrQ0NSLuAUQhTpdD4R6_tEBewF_mu1sUiLS2hO5Qxiw5Th6gu7wGrkRnC0ld3U2_3y5-L3gwyEkuTQq-1hQ9FgMeWPdORgoQHxI/w480-h640/20201008_162530.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">For months and months, he watched us.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUv4ESURr8tUFEX9kg-pPJ9d_Xd_901LJjwhnWmpU26lQl9Sk74KUGRN_VmIfO9sKtTldxeAfU1QMmWNWp_KpTRnD8vUS9te6J4CBrJIjQvlW0eUeyRFFz9OylA5HP2zLt3ynDVfY_r0/s657/20200928_075558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUv4ESURr8tUFEX9kg-pPJ9d_Xd_901LJjwhnWmpU26lQl9Sk74KUGRN_VmIfO9sKtTldxeAfU1QMmWNWp_KpTRnD8vUS9te6J4CBrJIjQvlW0eUeyRFFz9OylA5HP2zLt3ynDVfY_r0/w480-h640/20200928_075558.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">At night, I would see his face looking in but he would not let me near. </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrlHjtH_4n1XZ5U4dTZ7Sql5zat6jCVL07MazrTHe-rIjqy5_WU12hSfBkEth-hOK3ZnziFW-kc-NsgKzwcroQLj9ymBydLYTPmvX6eeNPzCwf4aMfKRZCcdu-I4isrjufla0lnTkJV4/s657/20201008_075524.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="493" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzrlHjtH_4n1XZ5U4dTZ7Sql5zat6jCVL07MazrTHe-rIjqy5_WU12hSfBkEth-hOK3ZnziFW-kc-NsgKzwcroQLj9ymBydLYTPmvX6eeNPzCwf4aMfKRZCcdu-I4isrjufla0lnTkJV4/w480-h640/20201008_075524.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Slowly, the end of our porch became his safe spot and slowly <b>some</b> of the fear began to fade...</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhxcKkNb49eUzUn587r2F3T9aT6Rd2FDlUwPG0PEyTMwYTAabUKWztiSJyYnXbcgW1ZJYsU6rbhK_XZVjwcJEqg2kaqvZsyovo0mbDfAOjNbxvaQy1XxZQ6NVvQJn6hnhKCQTbj40r2o/s714/20201026_094058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibhxcKkNb49eUzUn587r2F3T9aT6Rd2FDlUwPG0PEyTMwYTAabUKWztiSJyYnXbcgW1ZJYsU6rbhK_XZVjwcJEqg2kaqvZsyovo0mbDfAOjNbxvaQy1XxZQ6NVvQJn6hnhKCQTbj40r2o/w480-h640/20201026_094058.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">*<b>some</b>*</p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">He began to hiss less and "talk" more and then one day...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz62_TsAZesdeu-GV0lDPO9yDXlOHA0t7bbTofp9xd4B8GfRywIMTu9nOxAvP4GQ-jKH3RnX6t8JZGSngYKug' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">He came close enough to actually touch my leg...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzu-SVNc0dn4rhDeP_dH7_d9zBOWujIyRdkt-McB-6nBo_ETR44GA68Bhmc6zSoPuls4S3xOBZrtBjgonOuNw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;"> with his tail😉</p><p style="text-align: center;">He still wasn't sure, but after months of feeding and patience and <b><span style="font-size: medium;">lots</span></b> of cans of Tuna... </p><p style="text-align: center;">I got him!</p><p style="text-align: center;">And he wasn't happy!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALX-Tqg-0f2sv6zHPUy8iQmlfEjuqREXnsPwJMPdFPY13v5AfyGM8XNrb8fqJ2aX8nhy5cCXf-Bl8Q7CdhSJhJ1WfJq9u3VS9XighJ3BfT0xH-C8EEds0YSfQTWdOwgCVycb6gdEcHro/s714/20201112_073312.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALX-Tqg-0f2sv6zHPUy8iQmlfEjuqREXnsPwJMPdFPY13v5AfyGM8XNrb8fqJ2aX8nhy5cCXf-Bl8Q7CdhSJhJ1WfJq9u3VS9XighJ3BfT0xH-C8EEds0YSfQTWdOwgCVycb6gdEcHro/w480-h640/20201112_073312.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">And I was worried.</p><p style="text-align: center;">After working so hard to gain his trust, I just knew we would be starting all over so I prayed.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I took him to the vet and I prayed.</p><p style="text-align: center;">When I picked him up, he wasn't sure and he wasn't happy but he was calm.</p><p style="text-align: center;">So <i>I</i> watched <i>him</i> this time and as he began to understand that he was "home"...</p><p style="text-align: center;">he melted into me and allowed me to pet him...</p><p style="text-align: center;">as well as my partner in <strike>crime</strike> rescue, Lizzie...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzodqZJMR4AvO5mofG4Wq3IKKzru4UqZ4lwtfLO0Kq9U6Od0uAZYI69o2ZHpXpY6ByM1LmEvskeCmwl26t4Wg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">Not only was his trust restored but God seemed to place such a peace within him.</p><p style="text-align: center;">He exhaled and finally seemed to feel safe.</p><p style="text-align: center;">So now what! </p><p style="text-align: center;">We have these other two crazy cats who don't really like <b>each other,</b> much less this porch prowler!</p><p style="text-align: center;">But with age comes wisdom... and older children!</p><p style="text-align: center;">*wink*</p><p style="text-align: center;">Because now I have this grown child and this grown child has an apartment and... </p><p style="text-align: center;">a sweet girlfriend...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2JsyTInk7J2K4SnA0ORCPyTccbKIGIWrVAySFzy50HjNyxd7-jifmDfKJR5_RJFhJZ3nTdgNRLgUNtEFcdBHTnNbt34KXfQM3PArgYrUIA55HsmzIwUrarhvVip2kPaxuU_vK9coV-8/s800/DIGITSU%252860%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV2JsyTInk7J2K4SnA0ORCPyTccbKIGIWrVAySFzy50HjNyxd7-jifmDfKJR5_RJFhJZ3nTdgNRLgUNtEFcdBHTnNbt34KXfQM3PArgYrUIA55HsmzIwUrarhvVip2kPaxuU_vK9coV-8/w640-h480/DIGITSU%252860%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and they needed a cat!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Right?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Right!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Done!</p><p style="text-align: center;">And while Boots' health journey hasn't been easy so far, his life now sure is...</p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYJ6m-9T5N_jvZ_9vVxLnAWxBD5GRdwgB6nkFBGO3cbW9PZQ1GmZ-I7stHgHaa4k2ymTP5jUlRMtbwR-dzonRSt-_54u0aocp9UsJSlX-XzBmf4OIhEeUNUCmWOWGVDqa1qDOESemJCA/s714/20201113_174848.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKYJ6m-9T5N_jvZ_9vVxLnAWxBD5GRdwgB6nkFBGO3cbW9PZQ1GmZ-I7stHgHaa4k2ymTP5jUlRMtbwR-dzonRSt-_54u0aocp9UsJSlX-XzBmf4OIhEeUNUCmWOWGVDqa1qDOESemJCA/w480-h640/20201113_174848.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and I get to watch as my first born chooses wisely and loves well!</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh7xl7fzbrP1svactlBrsq5Pe3Ke6ch3qevpMZTlki16GbNAPXg_vstBBxEZxnboCucJ42Mdcy8tuRBs32HqkR7wR1-gbEhA9WMUcyHsmC1_TeofaC_bVbl9WCa1TaHOX7Jn-fduihf8/s747/59AF7B8D-.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="747" height="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjh7xl7fzbrP1svactlBrsq5Pe3Ke6ch3qevpMZTlki16GbNAPXg_vstBBxEZxnboCucJ42Mdcy8tuRBs32HqkR7wR1-gbEhA9WMUcyHsmC1_TeofaC_bVbl9WCa1TaHOX7Jn-fduihf8/w640-h612/59AF7B8D-.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And while Boots is still sporting "the cone of shame"...</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-yz2gDZZeVFOF4Y4i-KWlbM6aOsD6TMHQbOxFTTeEdLCbcgx_cfj3BuMm6_kFt8RLo0j_VDuUyGe7nnsX0BKV5cyjYglsVTrjxcCVNnRxivTXHMCshadUA3LOfyNSUaxbR4XTOdHAuo/s714/IMG_0188.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-yz2gDZZeVFOF4Y4i-KWlbM6aOsD6TMHQbOxFTTeEdLCbcgx_cfj3BuMm6_kFt8RLo0j_VDuUyGe7nnsX0BKV5cyjYglsVTrjxcCVNnRxivTXHMCshadUA3LOfyNSUaxbR4XTOdHAuo/w480-h640/IMG_0188.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I think he has determined that even with the "cone of shame", apartment life is way better than porch life!</p><p style="text-align: center;">He is sweet and snuggly and I honestly cannot believe that our first "grand" is a cat and not a dog!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Go figure!</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-6862300015486369422020-12-11T09:36:00.003-05:002020-12-11T09:36:31.583-05:00All I Want...<div style="text-align: center;">From the heart of an actual foster child. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k6WXZcL6dODhKOYKz7GN5RhJw7hutwgg5ZMBIfmN6OHjJkGXauY2KA1uOTdTEOTCYeOWoTiQxxr_eciVtMPGggtbKFHFpVXkbaEpjhWCPIzYcXwInaZduEi8XgmwT2gGVECCZWVmQ18/s624/foster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="474" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k6WXZcL6dODhKOYKz7GN5RhJw7hutwgg5ZMBIfmN6OHjJkGXauY2KA1uOTdTEOTCYeOWoTiQxxr_eciVtMPGggtbKFHFpVXkbaEpjhWCPIzYcXwInaZduEi8XgmwT2gGVECCZWVmQ18/w486-h640/foster.jpg" width="486" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This dark cycle is never going to be broken by government programs. This level of brokenness can only be healed through Jesus. Hearts have to be changed and deep, messy wounds healed and that requires more than food, clothes and a bed to sleep in. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Believers, WE are His hands and feet. WE have been called to care for the least of these. WE are to do more than just pay our taxes and allow the government to do what WE were called to do. There are so many of us out there. Why, why does any child have to be without the love and protection of a forever family. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEXcR3Lx6MF4s7DqG34SZn8Xl0QQuKfSB9MKxZApOtySCYyr4RSVKs10Gsz5WnZKFjefMAbr0jQNXxPASw5X13kOzT252_9jGMmD1tDBvfn0vlBvRt3ry3mzVVgT-n55t_PlGjFdaA6o/s1440/2123662871.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEXcR3Lx6MF4s7DqG34SZn8Xl0QQuKfSB9MKxZApOtySCYyr4RSVKs10Gsz5WnZKFjefMAbr0jQNXxPASw5X13kOzT252_9jGMmD1tDBvfn0vlBvRt3ry3mzVVgT-n55t_PlGjFdaA6o/w480-h640/2123662871.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">On Saturday, I learned of two dogs that had been thrown from a speeding car on a major highway. The depravity of the human heart. Why not just stop and let them out? Why not just take them to the shelter. Why, maybe because they wanted to inflict the most pain and suffering as they could. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">These kinds of things affect me so deeply. I wonder if there was a child in the car? Were these pups his or her pets? I wonder and my heart breaks at the level of hurt and trauma this would cause and the cycle of broken continues. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I was so angry and then, by God's grace alone, I found myself weeping at the wounds that had to be so deep and praying for the people whose hearts had to be so hard and so dark to be able to do something so horrendous. What kind of pain and trauma were they exposed to and where was the church, the believers who were instructed by Jesus to care for the lost and the hurt. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBghMHQs9Kom7GmI_wSQGpv-38U7kd2ZBU-35Fx8r1H2rnedXOSBFIiwRGETW-LM7ZphRW6fM17Lp5mXDOr_LFwPE138edNgBwm7u_a5awz45DwnqSRgwo5ARaz71PCqD5nOnZz9Em2s/s1544/pic+monkey+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1544" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBghMHQs9Kom7GmI_wSQGpv-38U7kd2ZBU-35Fx8r1H2rnedXOSBFIiwRGETW-LM7ZphRW6fM17Lp5mXDOr_LFwPE138edNgBwm7u_a5awz45DwnqSRgwo5ARaz71PCqD5nOnZz9Em2s/w640-h424/pic+monkey+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">As we cling to our safety, our comforts, our conveniences, our fun, our security, our way of life... children die and many many times, they die alone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vHryqNhYlHQlccgAnEfWFsYpkswnF6TqeE5-VIi6GNOoprF8nJ-qImuenLySM5BR8XrHU2Bai8mtWEbNqbIpS4yLGidHkWJc5unoBYGKXBXMZRIKnq9aGfgn6x6mjf6YIe_XSMBtvT4/s1024/pic+monkey+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1024" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2vHryqNhYlHQlccgAnEfWFsYpkswnF6TqeE5-VIi6GNOoprF8nJ-qImuenLySM5BR8XrHU2Bai8mtWEbNqbIpS4yLGidHkWJc5unoBYGKXBXMZRIKnq9aGfgn6x6mjf6YIe_XSMBtvT4/w640-h518/pic+monkey+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This fallen world desperately needs Jesus. </div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-27972693663564107182020-12-03T23:43:00.006-05:002020-12-04T10:37:10.750-05:00Tis The Season<p style="text-align: center;">No, not that season...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0knOki6ojThx9I-pKLHVOQpCq7jWkw-igbcSzz1yR5yOMOFu5IZzmMMFPe_mElWps7aJhUyLSvuR3HwvRg_rgHS1dut9L0Dfa86nuA-Gl75WWuYtUtLzRqNDsvZDc7l4n9LcYTgGjcg4/s2048/20201129_101319.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0knOki6ojThx9I-pKLHVOQpCq7jWkw-igbcSzz1yR5yOMOFu5IZzmMMFPe_mElWps7aJhUyLSvuR3HwvRg_rgHS1dut9L0Dfa86nuA-Gl75WWuYtUtLzRqNDsvZDc7l4n9LcYTgGjcg4/w480-h640/20201129_101319.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Although I seem to be thinking about Christmas earlier and earlier each year.</div><p style="text-align: center;">With 8 kids, Christmas is <b>never </b>far from my thoughts.</p><p style="text-align: center;">*wink*</p><p style="text-align: center;">No, the season I am referring to is that season in life that overtakes you before you even have a chance to exhale, that season that takes all of your moments and flings them into a future that stands there waiting, as you breathlessly catch up.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Some anxiously race toward that future while some (me) deliberately meander through each moment, clinging even to those memories that are yet to be made.</p><p style="text-align: center;">For me, this season is a incongruous jumble.</p><p style="text-align: center;">With six still at home and four of them exhibiting all the signs and symptoms of teenage girls...</p><p style="text-align: center;">*gulp*</p><p style="text-align: center;">I'm still livin' large in the land of chores and curfews and consequences and "make it all better" hugs...</p><p style="text-align: center;">but I am also learning how to let go and allow the Lord to do what I have prayed for as my two oldest begin their seasons...</p><p style="text-align: center;">cause I don't think you have seasons until you are at least 21... right??</p><p style="text-align: center;">*grin*</p><p style="text-align: center;"> I will never forget the day I walked in and saw Christian's b*llet proof vest on my kitchen counter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp637lYOGeVM9m2sW9_yLnGt3O6XwPXovTPnpb8WNFDgR5zwDnginxgGG_Cb7vHLhLo6UUDjQFNRqOgB3c9G8RkcTOMfWNgBnXrYT3Sd2o1IMiT68foHPcUG_ZzzUTm_MSGZzZVLWQr8/s2048/20200923_124504.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZp637lYOGeVM9m2sW9_yLnGt3O6XwPXovTPnpb8WNFDgR5zwDnginxgGG_Cb7vHLhLo6UUDjQFNRqOgB3c9G8RkcTOMfWNgBnXrYT3Sd2o1IMiT68foHPcUG_ZzzUTm_MSGZzZVLWQr8/w480-h640/20200923_124504.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">NOT something I see on my kitchen counters <strike>very often</strike> ever!</p><p style="text-align: center;">In the past, my kitchen counters have been the depository for books, school papers, snacks, sweatshirts and yes, sometimes even dirty socks!!!</p><p style="text-align: center;">*gasp*</p><p style="text-align: center;">but I can say with certainty that this was the very first time for a b*llet proof vest and unlike the afore mentioned items, I did NOT threaten to throw this one in the trash, if not removed from my counters!</p><p style="text-align: center;">My Christian has graduated and now feels called to join the P*lice Ac*demy and I am proud and nervous and humbled by his desire to serve but his timing stinks😉</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE73MXUVn2EeGxvNYDNP5emHp85xwIU6DVl31Ipgji-QHmhjkDinqsGwiRnV6vuyzbNEJJ80xTUohIOreKKLYP53vRL14T7WuYx3s_X8A8WHXJNDnoKGmf2mei2MHTxMSFawr-NH1K0b4/s1577/edit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="1265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE73MXUVn2EeGxvNYDNP5emHp85xwIU6DVl31Ipgji-QHmhjkDinqsGwiRnV6vuyzbNEJJ80xTUohIOreKKLYP53vRL14T7WuYx3s_X8A8WHXJNDnoKGmf2mei2MHTxMSFawr-NH1K0b4/w514-h640/edit.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Soooooo... I am praying and trusting and releasing as those middle of the night moments come flooding back to my heart, those nights that seem like forever ago and just like yesterday all at the same time, those nights before I was truly walking with the Lord but He, in His mercy, was there... </div><p style="text-align: center;">those are the nights that I held and rocked and sang to my first born baby boy.</p><p style="text-align: center;">It was during those moments that the Lord ministered to my heart and began to prepare me for <b>this</b> season.</p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. </i>Luke 2:19</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite verses and one that I cling to as I reminisce about one season and anticipate another. </div><p style="text-align: center;">And then along came Charlie.</p><p style="text-align: center;">*snicker*</p><p style="text-align: center;">Charlie is not quite 21 yet but I am beginning to believe that Charlie <b>IS</b> a season!</p><p style="text-align: center;">*haha*</p><p style="text-align: center;">Charlie is a junior this year and was offered a most amazing internship, one that keeps him busy and out of trouble (mostly😉), but one that keeps him away from home...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6j5SG0_sWVAmuzLXhp0PDIBdboO_DBaJH94Jx6c5pSBgfFQ8RH4_m1KcasDmasqvb0HWVMymQHui__gC7MF07ywZ7oOpjHBACvjQsA_X0oRESB-P_1cgjF-gqv6xH618a8AfOEZZwb0/s4569/DSC05167.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3387" data-original-width="4569" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA6j5SG0_sWVAmuzLXhp0PDIBdboO_DBaJH94Jx6c5pSBgfFQ8RH4_m1KcasDmasqvb0HWVMymQHui__gC7MF07ywZ7oOpjHBACvjQsA_X0oRESB-P_1cgjF-gqv6xH618a8AfOEZZwb0/w640-h474/DSC05167.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Again, Charlie is his own season... you know, sort of like hurricane season!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Bwhahahahahaha!</p><p style="text-align: center;">In other words...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I MISS HIM!</p><p style="text-align: center;">He is a presence and when he is not here, he is missed and this was our very first Thanksgiving without him.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2g1UqgfDxGzr4diLWzL1ntEjHM4IWEaEI1VWgGpRrjdocuu6IbtCF6LQ4nZs_xQPtgY9kehX3t3m6iXUTxzsoYBui1vku8dGduTYHNQffXWQ4wb7zBdi5a2qvcFurqPs-_N9waw33Mk/s5225/DSC00776.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3941" data-original-width="5225" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2g1UqgfDxGzr4diLWzL1ntEjHM4IWEaEI1VWgGpRrjdocuu6IbtCF6LQ4nZs_xQPtgY9kehX3t3m6iXUTxzsoYBui1vku8dGduTYHNQffXWQ4wb7zBdi5a2qvcFurqPs-_N9waw33Mk/w640-h482/DSC00776.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yep, that dang season of helplessly watching as they grow up and away.</div><p style="text-align: center;">Thankfully, my sweet Sis-in-law and her family got to enjoy Hurricane Charlie for Thanksgiving.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43_0b4S8l3Tmd-ggw42AEzQ4tOzGoeDMR983GW2K3-e_3jtH2U8ILj5gCZoWWM0mi88Je-wvozc2xwJWfh-1OfV6WJWIsw8e9qkh-3TWk6Va4vCXRDTw1SZ6hposjeJmqXSEbyq9vd0w/s1600/IMG_9004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43_0b4S8l3Tmd-ggw42AEzQ4tOzGoeDMR983GW2K3-e_3jtH2U8ILj5gCZoWWM0mi88Je-wvozc2xwJWfh-1OfV6WJWIsw8e9qkh-3TWk6Va4vCXRDTw1SZ6hposjeJmqXSEbyq9vd0w/w480-h640/IMG_9004.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">He wasn't alone, and for that...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I am thankful.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Jealous but thankful!</p><p style="text-align: center;">*wink*</p><p style="text-align: center;">and while I am having to dig deep to be thankful for this season that has come way to fast for him, I <b>am</b> thankful; as this internship and the people he finds himself surrounded with, answers a constant prayer from the heart of this Momma who has lived the difference between believing in God and <b>walking with Him</b>. </p><p style="text-align: center;">So while I don't always find myself "jolly" in this particular season...</p><p style="text-align: center;">I do find my peace in the One who never gave up on me, as I trust that He will relentlessly pursue my p*lice officer and my hurricane and all my other "yet to be's" as they lead me into seasons to come.</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-49846734897530106422020-11-29T00:18:00.002-05:002020-12-23T09:27:15.612-05:00Thankful 2020<p style="text-align: center;">I know. I know...</p><p style="text-align: center;">Thankful and 2020 just do not seem to go together but y'all there is <i><b>always</b></i> something to be thankful for.</p><p style="text-align: center;">And maybe that is the purpose behind the pain of this year.</p><p style="text-align: center;">What if...</p><p style="text-align: center;">What if we had just kept right on sleeping?</p><p style="text-align: center;">What if our eyes had never opened?</p><p style="text-align: center;">What if our American Dream had not been shattered, or at least, redefined?</p><p style="text-align: center;">These are the questions I, personally, have asked myself as the Lord continues to wake us up, open our eyes and remake our dreams and sometimes it is painful but I have learned that if I am thankful, it is purposeful. </p><p style="text-align: center;"> This year has not been an easy one for most of us but maybe we needed a little hard.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I don't pray for hard but I have learned that it is through the hard that hearts break, faith grows and dreams change...</p><p style="text-align: center;">the unnecessary falls away until only the need remains...</p><p style="text-align: center;">and oh my goodness do we need Him.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Church, we just have to understand just how much we need Him and we can't do that when we are comfortable and safe and...</p><p style="text-align: center;">asleep.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Are we awake yet?</p><p style="text-align: center;">November is a month filled with thankfulness, paper plates and all😉...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJwHV23by56p3rYzZPZ0a065xKZdFB2lgLfwhyphenhyphenVL3BHEnDdU4NK_yk-FbwQ_ltrUfN8IlUa6Q60wfibKpljdP_uV0MPQ5Dax-63tDWglMgVJFuEP0hYlaxeomncMkVE6K7a-9-fDFN_4/s6000/DSC00740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJwHV23by56p3rYzZPZ0a065xKZdFB2lgLfwhyphenhyphenVL3BHEnDdU4NK_yk-FbwQ_ltrUfN8IlUa6Q60wfibKpljdP_uV0MPQ5Dax-63tDWglMgVJFuEP0hYlaxeomncMkVE6K7a-9-fDFN_4/w640-h426/DSC00740.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and family...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB5KI5zOPu-TO9AGsWJxpsBR7dIxvg4MHRSxTH4n1WidAU58xgLW8dTHrF_CZfbvH3kaFsbTHltcoVhUihQq3GzovMk7wZh1jJdz4JiOFrwEAuFwHAmp9LBMQWT8JimgIaSwM7zZsy4c/s6000/DSC00752.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB5KI5zOPu-TO9AGsWJxpsBR7dIxvg4MHRSxTH4n1WidAU58xgLW8dTHrF_CZfbvH3kaFsbTHltcoVhUihQq3GzovMk7wZh1jJdz4JiOFrwEAuFwHAmp9LBMQWT8JimgIaSwM7zZsy4c/w640-h426/DSC00752.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDZn-CI1KWXQqt8bVTEBhyphenhyphen6f1P4irFnB5lfHFCaUhGunr3UHb-zs8tuI1OnHg8DFG0DbHIdvW0h_BBnOV8IJc3jSPQUoWLrUKGKVuT_T5DeIn0WaUuP1w_vk2ck85QbrZGSBv0y-VPfo/s6000/DSC00756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDZn-CI1KWXQqt8bVTEBhyphenhyphen6f1P4irFnB5lfHFCaUhGunr3UHb-zs8tuI1OnHg8DFG0DbHIdvW0h_BBnOV8IJc3jSPQUoWLrUKGKVuT_T5DeIn0WaUuP1w_vk2ck85QbrZGSBv0y-VPfo/w640-h426/DSC00756.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6Za_1IQZ231o3IIKiClSJeVXyIaj59cUEQS0M8e8NsoFGQmP1LspUWWlGktd41Mopu7dmD4QrPg5_7Ei9fj6GZsNv_wZHmjzWeGG3B3dz0Ud_p9lkMWXgNtNySCFrPRb-hBaqAOgEHc/s4828/DSC00767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2995" data-original-width="4828" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6Za_1IQZ231o3IIKiClSJeVXyIaj59cUEQS0M8e8NsoFGQmP1LspUWWlGktd41Mopu7dmD4QrPg5_7Ei9fj6GZsNv_wZHmjzWeGG3B3dz0Ud_p9lkMWXgNtNySCFrPRb-hBaqAOgEHc/w640-h398/DSC00767.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKu9STTPBoz8Avp7_nRTb7_vOQ6aoaMSqacixn5WAw52Qph0hai9-tzot8E7i4wJDkWVCgsHoZTF1ORmUt68hl2CENCbGthkPCQpVrExtqJWG3AYujUdkFvJvDNQerPwr1Tor-s8ScjE/s5827/DSC00775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="5827" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVKu9STTPBoz8Avp7_nRTb7_vOQ6aoaMSqacixn5WAw52Qph0hai9-tzot8E7i4wJDkWVCgsHoZTF1ORmUt68hl2CENCbGthkPCQpVrExtqJWG3AYujUdkFvJvDNQerPwr1Tor-s8ScjE/w640-h440/DSC00775.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Minus and missing Charlie and Bella and ____</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">and turkey...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9oN0eqwOeFgu1RDe0d3vXKRZ5KVHHnvyXR5Hq-43_87XGKUGT-9sgp-x8pqO3zb7os2Ab6viRTtffYGgt0kQnw6hFUlJ-tUpF_DMZFnMfmsb2W8tjeT0FFlOlSTkwxQXNvLCzJluMLQ/s6000/DSC00747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK9oN0eqwOeFgu1RDe0d3vXKRZ5KVHHnvyXR5Hq-43_87XGKUGT-9sgp-x8pqO3zb7os2Ab6viRTtffYGgt0kQnw6hFUlJ-tUpF_DMZFnMfmsb2W8tjeT0FFlOlSTkwxQXNvLCzJluMLQ/w640-h426/DSC00747.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and pie...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIK0pkQQkOio_9bENaTCjMgev2mOISERtG86q4fAO6nMql0eiEryVW-8sReqxZAWHqysBKdVZHXFsMogHLXpt__ksoEAO7T6E48QFZmtUhXx39foZtchtoBggLDAoqS0VCGnWBZrJB80/s6000/DSC00763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIK0pkQQkOio_9bENaTCjMgev2mOISERtG86q4fAO6nMql0eiEryVW-8sReqxZAWHqysBKdVZHXFsMogHLXpt__ksoEAO7T6E48QFZmtUhXx39foZtchtoBggLDAoqS0VCGnWBZrJB80/w640-h426/DSC00763.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">and apparently basketball??</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5woL252rfE21AguaYLGTevKqSsWrbEYKHoCIubcbB4DEWIh09NF_rwuEzw8ronat91x8tep5_ad83Juiz73kzejENI_jC1WHVHnjgOZ9pm2CztVh3HxbWzfIFOB9EZ_EvalTQDKGzd8/s4769/DSC00796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="4769" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5woL252rfE21AguaYLGTevKqSsWrbEYKHoCIubcbB4DEWIh09NF_rwuEzw8ronat91x8tep5_ad83Juiz73kzejENI_jC1WHVHnjgOZ9pm2CztVh3HxbWzfIFOB9EZ_EvalTQDKGzd8/w640-h536/DSC00796.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Charlie, we needed you...</p><p style="text-align: center;">and a football...</p><p style="text-align: center;">*wink*</p><p style="text-align: center;">However, November is also Orphan Awareness Month.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Seriously church... exactly why do we need an Orphan Awareness Month?</p><div style="text-align: center;">"According to UNICEF, almost 10,000 children become orphans every day. According to internationally accepted figures, there are at least <b>140 million orphans</b> in the world."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">However...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"There are about <b>2.3 billion Christians</b> in the world."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Really...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Y'all, the church should be full of Trauma Mommas and the orphanages should be empty!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As we dance around the idols of ourselves, our comfort, our security and our families...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strike>orphans</strike> children die</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">No, not everyone is called to adopt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">blah blah blah blah</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">but do you really think for one single, solitary minute that God's plan for any of these children was for them to be an orphan, much less an orphan forever?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you really think that God's plan for His believers was for them to spend their time here clinging to their earthly comfort and security?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LA_uwWPE6lQ" width="560"></iframe>
<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Quote by a 30yr old orphan, who aged out of an orphanage where he had lived his whole life. Spoken at the CAFO Summit 2013":</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">“When I grew up in the orphanage it was Christians who came and built nicer buildings. Christians who bought us beds, clothing and provided money monthly for food. It was a Christian, who wrote a letter in a shoebox, who first told me I was loved. It was the Christians who met all my physical and material needs in that orphanage. But it was also Christians who neglected my biggest need. Children in orphanages don’t need more money, nicer buildings or better clothes. I am not an orphan because I lost my home or provisions. I am an orphan because I lost my parents. I needed a mom and a dad. I needed a family. Christians treated all my temporary symptoms of need but never cured my long term disease of being orphan. <b>I am still an orphan</b>.”</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>I am still an orphan</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Weren't we all until the Lord adopted us?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Adoption is one of the clearest pictures of the Gospel that we have and yet there are still waiting children.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Why?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Because adoption is hard?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ok and...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Because it's expensive?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">yeah and...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Because it disrupts our American Dream?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bingo!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Please ask me about adoption.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-42287378093596420522020-11-25T00:03:00.002-05:002020-12-23T09:27:27.616-05:00Soccer and Suckers<div style="text-align: center;">No, not the lollipop kind of suckers...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">but the kind of suckers who just can't say "no" to <strike>my</strike> the begging and the whining...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hubby and Lizzie really need to be stronger next time😁😉</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7P0iREfZsuBPGB6AiFbd5wQOZAqq8_1FqtOx4MMEOHIU7qu6RirH5_FyJq0msDDS56rBBm_44S1IbkAf_MffTovleMX2EzA1wtUUkW9UzxZzzR55QYupBFtNWrvfxGQQwZe46Qferbbw/s1502/20201121_154549_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1502" data-original-width="1329" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7P0iREfZsuBPGB6AiFbd5wQOZAqq8_1FqtOx4MMEOHIU7qu6RirH5_FyJq0msDDS56rBBm_44S1IbkAf_MffTovleMX2EzA1wtUUkW9UzxZzzR55QYupBFtNWrvfxGQQwZe46Qferbbw/w566-h640/20201121_154549_resized.jpg" width="566" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Granted we <i>were</i> strong in the end but it was a close call y'all cause...</div><p style="text-align: center;">they put the soccer fields right next to the Humane Society!</p><p style="text-align: center;">Seriously y'all!</p><p style="text-align: center;">What could we do???</p><p style="text-align: center;">We could hear the doggies barking as Lizzie chased a ball around the soccer fields.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsevXBxtp82GsEXbepXixDL-_ZTheFbXV2VNVpQexPw6aqk0WjxmpKdocXN2i5BgkvxfQ2w7UeOr-d_-IbyPilHoDUfvjPM4A1HbKkx5KHw7Kf09IC9TTh8jbeialWzLGmtU6xXEHyDs/s3379/DSC00513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3090" data-original-width="3379" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQsevXBxtp82GsEXbepXixDL-_ZTheFbXV2VNVpQexPw6aqk0WjxmpKdocXN2i5BgkvxfQ2w7UeOr-d_-IbyPilHoDUfvjPM4A1HbKkx5KHw7Kf09IC9TTh8jbeialWzLGmtU6xXEHyDs/w640-h586/DSC00513.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">It was as if they were calling our names!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxrcL7ZQb3Iv50SvIIyMM0-g-rvstb45eSlLmWZzz3cokKU8dRtDpFgKxfWV7j-FUzqkVRUBCqzb9RpZyR9kw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">Come and chase the ball with us!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzAl3Ar1HS2-wuEcdepz-BsixBU--cy8NEWMoSvXdPB5LjLwacm_-1avpQneovfnsyt3p0xJU0XT7s3wcTdfA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p style="text-align: center;">Honestly...</p><p style="text-align: center;">What could we do???</p><p style="text-align: center;">There was no other way!</p><p style="text-align: center;">We had to go!</p><p style="text-align: center;"> What a purrrfect ending to a day of soccer!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O5gzZCUvoZkVk3_eCNXcIixY0T5-5xgR8g5V3z6-Gm5WcYRgRlJb5d8SAqii9H8NkwlJFSRADM6ylqv4WCkdhpRSUj8BXNG6JUjEoB1EfGvQCYfgIHpqRzIErh5xQRwCwQhvZCAI2vo/s1801/20201121_153652_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1263" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O5gzZCUvoZkVk3_eCNXcIixY0T5-5xgR8g5V3z6-Gm5WcYRgRlJb5d8SAqii9H8NkwlJFSRADM6ylqv4WCkdhpRSUj8BXNG6JUjEoB1EfGvQCYfgIHpqRzIErh5xQRwCwQhvZCAI2vo/w448-h640/20201121_153652_resized.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MX9xdQhrEh0VsEwbVEURVK-zC7UNoLaTDZnBq2huk4zST6KXHaPeFe8qiXWLXijjH6ISKk7GqLxjTmtkuSphTwXUF-sxJOegjmASr8-iV_C9uvmc9CT-xhrX0mthcWFN3c_ZdvF6QPU/s1806/20201121_153655_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1806" data-original-width="1340" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8MX9xdQhrEh0VsEwbVEURVK-zC7UNoLaTDZnBq2huk4zST6KXHaPeFe8qiXWLXijjH6ISKk7GqLxjTmtkuSphTwXUF-sxJOegjmASr8-iV_C9uvmc9CT-xhrX0mthcWFN3c_ZdvF6QPU/w474-h640/20201121_153655_resized.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lhh8cp-8VcAgTHtxZVuNE_TbvoWGQVtLkkEQG-5BpP2J59YM9WvgTnAlOeu0i4w6-dOonbe764GZF4nx_HbwNr04tZ-4N0BgkQ-O6-qen7J4gJ9vuEkcD4ZT0XaXa7xUlzwsjkZr2zk/s1320/20201121_153707_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1320" data-original-width="990" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7lhh8cp-8VcAgTHtxZVuNE_TbvoWGQVtLkkEQG-5BpP2J59YM9WvgTnAlOeu0i4w6-dOonbe764GZF4nx_HbwNr04tZ-4N0BgkQ-O6-qen7J4gJ9vuEkcD4ZT0XaXa7xUlzwsjkZr2zk/w480-h640/20201121_153707_resized.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">All I have to say is...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc4TLeSh3ROWyCNDvoUzm09GdkOVkj8dFcxF__upYZHQpijxdXkZ9Q3IQHiG0F2PvBP0_64SHiXDjk6fE7FMj8s621RKC8wsZs_1DCitAIvo703tacH62B09zvYgnmQbevqsltidQl-w/s2016/20201121_154559_resized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMc4TLeSh3ROWyCNDvoUzm09GdkOVkj8dFcxF__upYZHQpijxdXkZ9Q3IQHiG0F2PvBP0_64SHiXDjk6fE7FMj8s621RKC8wsZs_1DCitAIvo703tacH62B09zvYgnmQbevqsltidQl-w/w480-h640/20201121_154559_resized.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Good thing the Savannah Humane Society is closed on Sundays😉</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6884663499900075600.post-40952840943024928002020-11-21T00:35:00.016-05:002020-12-23T09:27:42.371-05:00Hey Mr. Ref<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Hey Mr. Referee... </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">You know that child you called a "flopper"...</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9kJ_AvDaMl88496fYZMJYhIsLujiFTAST3SxCzGEDGm9G2dKN9iA2FVvvj14MUYFaXIVqqK_5P3dXz1fzgPAAT_vrQaPXVfBAKdVXQkSszPaOr1uMDimt0adhYddqBiRRFfqXlWHI0M/s5126/DSC09148.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3936" data-original-width="5126" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR9kJ_AvDaMl88496fYZMJYhIsLujiFTAST3SxCzGEDGm9G2dKN9iA2FVvvj14MUYFaXIVqqK_5P3dXz1fzgPAAT_vrQaPXVfBAKdVXQkSszPaOr1uMDimt0adhYddqBiRRFfqXlWHI0M/w640-h492/DSC09148.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">that tiny but mighty #45 who plays like she means it...</span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2XYfwa-re3quVh4hNRwSWsqYwGXrVdBvmvmIiKFW9fX6A6YyJ0eQEcSCM2rYY_iOAW-5kd4LLVNO3xr_hL1OZlXsnPuOPnB0yS3QnjQhYumxaRAzGe1nN593YQ5xrJfzgChy0fL8r5c/s2134/DSC09313.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="1872" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2XYfwa-re3quVh4hNRwSWsqYwGXrVdBvmvmIiKFW9fX6A6YyJ0eQEcSCM2rYY_iOAW-5kd4LLVNO3xr_hL1OZlXsnPuOPnB0yS3QnjQhYumxaRAzGe1nN593YQ5xrJfzgChy0fL8r5c/w562-h640/DSC09313.JPG" width="562" /></a></span></span></div><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">You know the one.</span></span></span></span></div></span><p></p></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">She's the one who gets knocked down but bounces right back up.</span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvvYhaGzN5RCoFledL0PvGYKQEi2-w3Y1K_qsCLJHyjQ1spBtTZ4V09871j6klbaLJ8NiOGs1uousf7X0ZesM75Pw4xucHiQEi3W-6AOrmGY-p23VOJ512mha1jz0tPwVVU6OpD5CufU/s5702/DSC09720.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="5702" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxvvYhaGzN5RCoFledL0PvGYKQEi2-w3Y1K_qsCLJHyjQ1spBtTZ4V09871j6klbaLJ8NiOGs1uousf7X0ZesM75Pw4xucHiQEi3W-6AOrmGY-p23VOJ512mha1jz0tPwVVU6OpD5CufU/w640-h448/DSC09720.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">She's the one who is a foot smaller than most of the other players on the field but plays like she is a foot taller.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUBHCDilHJNnKdieZH4Ynj8N8WWGyaXy0cFPkxmH5bTSlk9XQYxnkxf7rVrgbjZ9DEH6wbie5ZxjBZqAp96Z5L062svzCd2IUOv_kOmD7xABcOzc9Elrj6IPAOXuzBf3c9GdVP_J16P4/s4056/DSC09127.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3959" data-original-width="4056" height="624" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfUBHCDilHJNnKdieZH4Ynj8N8WWGyaXy0cFPkxmH5bTSlk9XQYxnkxf7rVrgbjZ9DEH6wbie5ZxjBZqAp96Z5L062svzCd2IUOv_kOmD7xABcOzc9Elrj6IPAOXuzBf3c9GdVP_J16P4/w640-h624/DSC09127.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">She's the one who never gives up and plays the game until the bitter end because that's just what you do. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyuBVW_-dyVyDdudezQtwHwZoOPwHBN6OK0Yzu1XpjIGvfDorwnb1sE0P-iUiOyl5yUX8bsVMMofur7xskUggvFjhSZQ2TNPIRXGTfzITA20Sb4oBx4JhvslaVjn4W0twKRfqQyXtH3M/s4303/DSC09299.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3437" data-original-width="4303" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyuBVW_-dyVyDdudezQtwHwZoOPwHBN6OK0Yzu1XpjIGvfDorwnb1sE0P-iUiOyl5yUX8bsVMMofur7xskUggvFjhSZQ2TNPIRXGTfzITA20Sb4oBx4JhvslaVjn4W0twKRfqQyXtH3M/w640-h512/DSC09299.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">You "know" her but to you...</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">she was just another player in just another game... </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">and i</span></span><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">t was just another call on just another Saturday in just another game.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that the tiny but mighty #45 is</span></span></span></span></span></span> a fighter and a survivor. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA5E7Qos3prQ6jTDZLikTrDZxEmztnpOS27bjy8xSeNNcUT_RXDRXVgOOsSQtK0EF_iaSi_V7xxYLWteD_7NjcTTwPO2JPwBqdNyQKjv1g-2tvgLhBiRQfIC9s3mln_32Tau1z9PlUUk/s2048/new+Lizzie+9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyA5E7Qos3prQ6jTDZLikTrDZxEmztnpOS27bjy8xSeNNcUT_RXDRXVgOOsSQtK0EF_iaSi_V7xxYLWteD_7NjcTTwPO2JPwBqdNyQKjv1g-2tvgLhBiRQfIC9s3mln_32Tau1z9PlUUk/w480-h640/new+Lizzie+9.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that 12 years ago, this mighty #45 left everything she had ever known and embraced a life that was not what it was meant to be.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEy9zZrY7DPfuH6MQAy21CWfD3a1e1lNGVhT_cxfHcpBEF9MxleMq7oWyeKySGMPKSnUzTejksyu6uISSCZDpV09dg_oPGtDZknuT1gh-90Vg9ywO9SGC-lKtVxhoQ5vtCfw4U2DRnYo/s2048/DSCF2108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEy9zZrY7DPfuH6MQAy21CWfD3a1e1lNGVhT_cxfHcpBEF9MxleMq7oWyeKySGMPKSnUzTejksyu6uISSCZDpV09dg_oPGtDZknuT1gh-90Vg9ywO9SGC-lKtVxhoQ5vtCfw4U2DRnYo/w480-h640/DSCF2108.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that this warrior child of mine walked and ran and climbed stairs on a tiny little foot that was completely backwards and upside down.</span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw945n7XGsAnbtU7ZMRNEXMXbJcazBK0aIpgbTOM5Otn87dMlakZOF2aJSm9mqK7inlEWyOgazG-rLozuAI2g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that this slight of a girl endured 18 club foot casts, hand and foot surgeries and 12 weeks in a wheelchair with courage and grit and determination.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGC20sAjeOGt_GO61T2olWjZc3gRkEk_g65NvOXEbMcpx8XGP8XXjsmGPU_a-8Th3pgvW2TS8WJKneNMuLDrTgde0F3AtndVF7KubTxt1HnnvSwijXdCpvo26HYpuzMqEqILotIHSTPYs/s2048/0825140801a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGC20sAjeOGt_GO61T2olWjZc3gRkEk_g65NvOXEbMcpx8XGP8XXjsmGPU_a-8Th3pgvW2TS8WJKneNMuLDrTgde0F3AtndVF7KubTxt1HnnvSwijXdCpvo26HYpuzMqEqILotIHSTPYs/w480-h640/0825140801a.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></span></div><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that this child, </span></span><b><i><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">my</span></span></i></b><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"> child is not a "flopper"...</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa2t3vBgox4Lqiz84iiUxF_iZTiy8QxCgdWKoBYKRn-VwGH67MClt5TMFOjl8G6oWi_mqL-uX4l4H6NXMVLW_WUJmhEaAUbBwWy753AwaJdCvm4umGbZmHAZBQf-iWjRCiJORsRL1dm0/s4320/DSC09684.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3707" data-original-width="4320" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNa2t3vBgox4Lqiz84iiUxF_iZTiy8QxCgdWKoBYKRn-VwGH67MClt5TMFOjl8G6oWi_mqL-uX4l4H6NXMVLW_WUJmhEaAUbBwWy753AwaJdCvm4umGbZmHAZBQf-iWjRCiJORsRL1dm0/w640-h550/DSC09684.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">She is an overcomer.</span></span></div></span><p></p></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">What you didn't know was that this Momma Bear was only restrained by her Hubby Bear who would not let her step outside of grace and come after you!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">*grin*</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">It was a close call Mr. Referee but...</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">You didn't know.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Now... </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">you do.</p>Anniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10406486405095448755noreply@blogger.com0