Relishing water in more ways than one...

Well, we are home and I will have lots to share over the next week or so but I thought I would post a quick note about our amazing week. We truly had an great trip and are so grateful for the opportunity to go and refresh ourselves in such a beautiful place. The boys had so much fun seeing water falls, swimming right out our back door and enjoying the fun of vacation schedules. We started out the week at "boat church." If you look really hard, you can see a blue top on a pontoon boat on the right. That's where the preacher and choir sits. Pretty cool huh? You can hear them all over that part of the lake. Everyone just floats around and listens to the sermon and sings together.

Grady learned to kayak by himself and Davis enjoyed riding along with him.

I had a blast skiing which is my all time favorite water thing to do. I slalomed some and also taught myself to wake board. Woohoo! It was scary but really fun.

Davis went tubing for the first time and loved it. His Daddy was having fun too!

I mentioned in my title "relishing water." Well, we had a few days without water in the house which made for a very interesting vacation but we made do with some lake baths. Suffice it to say, I'm thankful to be back home with plenty of water and lots of water pressure!

The boys kept us on our toes as usual but boy did they give us some good laughs!

My dad's brother John, his wife Jahn and three kiddos came up for most of the week and we had a great time being together. Uncle John helped Grady catch his very first fish! It was a big moment.

Grady had a blast with my little brother and two of his friends that came along. So many pictures and so many memories. Can't wait to make my Shutterfly book!!

Me and my little brother :)

John Carson, Matthew, Conner, William

Aunt Jahn, Sarah Helen, and Me

More to come soon!
Have a great week!!!!

Worth It!

We started out at 9 AM Saturday heading to Lake Rabun, GA, which happens to be one of my favorite places on Earth! Before we even got to the Statesboro exit, this is what I was looking at...

 That's my cute Daddy and hotty hubby checking out a lovely flat tire on one of the boat trailers. Well let me just tell one little thing, God was all over this one because not one but both of these men held it together and kept their tempers in check. 2 1/2 hours later, yep you read that right, we were back on the road. I just have one thing to say about all this.

It was worth it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I get to wake up to for the next week! Absolutely breathtaking! My devotional this morning was highly ironic to me..."As you listen to birds calling to one another, hear also My Love-call to you...Search for Me and My messages as you go through this day. "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart."(Jeremiah 29:13)" When you look out at this beautiful lake surrounded by gorgeous mountains, it's definitely not hard to hear God speak and remind you of His glorious power and plans.

We are having a blast so far. Grady now officially thinks that he is 17 years old and that Uncle William and his buds are his "best friends." He tried to water ski today, unsuccessfully, but hey he tried. Davis absolutely LOVES tubing and now calls my dad's boat "MY BOAT"! It's hilarious. We are making great memories and enjoying every minute. I am taking TONS of pics and will be sure to post more when we are back home safe and sound.
Have a great week!

Chugga chugga choo choo

My boys are very into trains. Grady was able to go to Train Camp last week at the Railroad Museum here. He had an absolute blast. 3 of his good buddies came too and we all took turns with carpooling. On my day, I snapped a shot. It was definitely a moment to remember. They are all looking at a train that is chugging past the car.

Wyatt, Grady, Charlie, Elliot, and Davis

 I brought Davis for the train ride on the last day. Grady was so excited to see us. As the whistle blew, they covered their ears.

Charlie, Grady, and Elliot loved their seat for the train ride!

Aaaahhh to be a kid again! Try and remember back to the days when you were little. The carefree, no stress, enjoyment of life. Do something today, even if its little, just for the fun of it! Roll your windows down in the car and sing at the top of your lungs, do a cartwheel, skip down the street. Life is what you make of it!
Love to you all!

Glorifying Busyness

As I was reading my devotional Monday I came across something very interesting. “You live among people who glorify business; they have made time a tyrant that controls their lives.” It went to say that “God has called us to follow Him on a solitary path, making time alone with Him our highest priority and deepest Joy.” I chewed on this one a while…deepest joy???...interesting, convicting, and overwhelming all at once. In our world, we barely have time to stop and use the bathroom, much less spend time ALONE with God AND be joyful about it! It gave the example of Martha and Mary.

“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!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed, Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” - Luke 10:38-42

This truly amazes me; #1 that Martha would actually have the guts to complain to Jesus and #2 that Mary would get kudos for sitting and listening. Nowadays if you “sit and listen” for more that five minutes, you are getting called a lazy slug in no time flat.

In Sunday school our teacher challenged us to meditate on a specific verse this week and be still and listen for God’s response. At first I thought, “Yeah right, there are a million verses. I’ll never be able to pick one. Oh well, guess I won’t be doing that.” Then Monday morning my devotional pointed me straight to those verses. I want to know what God has to say about these verses. How do you balance accomplishing day to day life, while still putting Him at the helm of your day? I know the #1 answer is ALONE time with God. A few weeks ago I read that we should “Be willing to fight for time with God. Opposition comes in many forms: your own desire to linger in bed; the evil one’s determination to distract you from the Lord; the pressure of family, friends, and your own inner critic to spend your time more productively.” For me, it’s definitely the last one that gets me. It’s like a festering guilt that I should be doing something else, anything other than quiet time with My Creator. I think it’s about time to kick what the world thinks to the curb and remind myself daily that my Holy Father wants me to “Delight [myself] in the LORD, and He will give [me] the desires of [my] heart.” – Psalm 37:4

Hope everyone is having a great week! Here are a couple of cute pics from last week!

     Lilly Gayle came over and they went on a "bug hunting   expedition"

  

Davis enjoyed watching the tractor at the farm!

That face cracks me up!           

It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's a...

Do you know what this is called? 

We live in Savannah, GA, home of Hunter Army Airfield, and we see a whole lot of these! One day, Grady asked me what this particular type of helicopter was called so I looked them up online. Turns out they are called Shinooks. The other day we walking into a store and I spotted one. I said, "Look Grades, there's a Shinook!" To which he replied, "Yea those suckers are really loud!"
Really? Is he really just 4! Cracks me up sometimes. Can't imagine all the sayings i have to look forward to....good, bad and ugly! :)
Prov 17:22 "A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Hope you all have a great day!

Yard Work

One of my absolute favorite things now is when Chris does yard work. It is like a bomb of excitement goes off in the house as both boys start shouting, "I need my lawn mower....where are my glasses....have you seen my gloves Mama?" It is so precious to watch them want to BE their daddy! These boys are such an amazing gift, yet a very scary one. I am grateful and humbled that the Lord would entrust them to us.
James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Following the leader

loving that weed eater

Honestly priceless!

Little Imaginations and a Bit of Disappointment

Well, i got a call from our realtor this morning that our buyer had backed out of the contract on our house. I was of course very disappointed but quickly reminded that God has a plan and is in complete control. I have said all along if it was God's will to sell our house, then it would happen. God has played this waiting game with me my whole life, and each time, I grow more and more reliant on Him. I am praying for His timing and plans to be the path for our lives.
On a happy note, the boys are getting into dress-up these days and the problem is we only have one of everything so we just make do. These are my little firemen, even though one looks like a very cute cross between a doctor and a construction worker. Also, i came across this verse the other day and loved it. Thought I would share.

Psalm 143:8 -

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
   for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
   for to you I lift up my soul." 

 This fire fighting is serious business! :)

As my mom always says, "This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice an be glad in it!"

Control

 In or out that's the question! In my devotional this morning it said, "You will never be in control of your life circumstances, but you can relax and trust in God's control." That is reassuring, yet very difficult to actually do, at least for me it is. Our house inspection is Thursday and then we should have a more definite feeling on whether this move is really going to happen. If so, then we will have less than 4 weeks to pack and move somewhere. The devotional went on to say, "God is always doing something new within His beloved ones. Be on the lookout for all that He has prepared for you." I am really clinging to this right now because strangely God is giving me a peace to know that if He would sell our house, then He has a plan. I of course want to know right now, but sometimes in order to enjoy the ride, we have to just let go a little. I'll keep ya posted!

Summer in Savannah is hot but still such a beautiful time.  Boating is one of our family's favorite summer activities. When I am on the water, I am always in awe of God's glorious painting laid out for us to enjoy. After lots of lovely repairs, we were finally able to go out on the boat the other day with Bena and Papa. Thought you would enjoy some pics. If you have never visited Savannah it really is a must see! God gave us some extra special paint strokes that are too amazing to miss!

Helping Daddy with the anchor

 Davis loves to drive

 Papa thought he might go crabbing with some cute bait

                                       Mama and her cheesy boy!

Independence Day

Hi there! I hope everyone had a fabulous 4th remembering and honoring the men and women who sacrifice so much to keep us all safe. In church Sunday, our choir sang a salute to all the branches of the armed forces. My grandfather, Avant Daughtry, was in the Air Force and died in a crash when my mom was only 2. I love hearing his fight song. It makes me so proud, yet at the same time reminds me of how much I wish I could have known him. All I know is that he was a truly AMAZING man!

"Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
Climbing high into the sun.
Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
At'em boys, give 'er the gun!
Down we dive spouting our flame from under
Off with one helluva roar!
We live in fame or go down in flame! Hey!
Nothing'll stop the US Air Force!"

After church, we rested a little and then went out to the Yacht Club for some swimming and fireworks. It was a lot of fun. The boys looked so cute, if I don't say so myself, in their matching outfits that Mimi made them. 

Happy Birthday America!

Watching with Daddy

All I can say is, this could be trouble with a capital T!! :)

 I will leave you with this. I have been thinking about this word "Independence." I looked up some synonyms for it and found these: self–sufficiency, self-dependence, and self-reliance. I was really struck this year with just how "independent" our country is becoming of God the Almighty Creator. I read in my devotional that "In the world, dependency is seen as immaturity. But in God's Kingdom, dependence on Him is a prime measure of maturity." I just pray that as 2011 rolls on, we will all remember that we are so privileged to live in an "independent" country but that it is still "Under God" forever and always.