Sunday, April 8, 2012

because He lives...!


What a beautiful service about Christ's victory over death this morning!
I was so touched when I saw the old man sitting in our pew, who looked like he had never missed a Sunday in his long life, make the walk to the front of the full sanctuary during the song
"Because He Lives!"
(that song ALWAYS gets me...tears were flowing)
He will be baptized because of something that moved him inside...
I remember the day when I felt God's gentle push to make that walk and commitment in my life and it always moves me when I see another soul ready to receive God's gift of eternal life :)


Todd's mom came to spend the night to celebrate Todd's birthday and Easter with us.
It has been such a nice weekend! 
This is Shelby and Graham outside of church after the service.
Such a sweet couple :)


I missed not having Evan home today, but I am
happy to know that he is celebrating Easter Sunday with my parents
at Fripp. See you next weekend E!

Monday, April 2, 2012

spring break '12


Uncle Troy and Graham playing a round of golf
on Ocean Creek.

 Evan, Todd and Graham
 Peter and Evan
Peter is from South Africa and is
one of Evan's best friends...he is a knob this year too.
Peter, Coach Baker, Justin and Evan
We went to Hilton Head to watch The Citadel Men's Tennis Team
play tennis.

Lizzy and I just killin' time!
It was nice to watch the team, but I think that Lizzy
would agree with me when I say 
we liked killin' time at the beach better!!!

 Evan and Oliver (asst. coach)
 Justin, James, Peter, Alex, Evan and Dillon
on the tee behind our house.
The team visited Fripp Tuesday evening for dinner.
It was getting dark here, but the picture
still turned out pretty good.

 Evan and Lizzy
 Evan and Graham with their "fake" smiles...
...just hagin' out after the team left.

Graham giving a lesson to Lizzy!

Lizzy with her new racquet and tennis shoes :)

Hey wait a minute...I thought that I was giving the lesson?

So hard for a "coach" to just watch :)
So proud of her...she did great!
Her first match is this Thursday!!

Thanks for taking time out of your lesson to pose for a picture!
We always have some sort of project to do...
one night Lizzy, Todd and Graham
put together a storage rack,
it was really loud...
Just ask the boys...they opted to stay in their cage
until Graham put the hammer down!



And speaking of the boys,
they were up to no good as always!
They fought over the same chew toy and
sat stood on top of the sofa and watched all
of the other BIG dogs walk by.
Todd mowed and powerwashed the decks.
I worked out in the yard and trimmed all of the 80,000 clumps of grass!
I love how it looks, especially in the fall,
but it is a lot of work to get it to look that way.
I also raked up all of the oak leaves, southern oaks lose
their leaves in the spring, and laid pine straw that
my sweet son, Evan went into town to get for me!!
He also got me another oleander bush...
it is the one that is already blooming. The deer on Fripp will
eat anything, even poisonous oleander, so that
is why I had to replace that one.
More grass! My hands had two very big blisters by this point :/
Soooo, I got some pretty daisies to flank the front door.
Just makes me happy looking at them!


Thanks Todd for letting me get them...
I hope that they can live a week without water before my parents get there!!


After all of our hard work...and some beach time,
we went to a new restaurant on Lady's Island called
The Dockside. It was right on the water and the
food was just as good as the food at
their other location near Port Royal!
The best cornbread ever...we asked them to take the bread sticks
away and bring more cornbread :)
I was so thankful that Evan had the same break as us!
It was such a good week...but, it was back to reality for E.
This was early Sunday morning at The Citadel.
The barracks weren't even opened yet so we had to drop him off
at the tennis center.

Doug and Vladimir liked their first visit to The Citadel!

All of my boys :)

Those good-byes are tough! I am so glad that he only has a month left :)
I know that Lizzy is too. It was a long ride home.
See you for Recognition Day in a couple weeks, E!!!
Finish strong!!!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

17 years old!

Happy Birthday Graham!
Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.~
Psalm 127:3

Right before you were born I remember thinking to myself, "How in the world will I ever be able to love this baby as much as I love Evan?" I soon discovered that God puts enough love in a mom's heart to fill the hearts of all her children, and arms that are never too tired to hold them both, nor ears that are deaf to their sweet laughter or heartbreaking cries.
I also worried about Evan feeling neglected but...


...he loved you from the moment he laid eyes on you!


And so did we!!


This was your first day of preschool. I didn't want to let you go...
and you didn't want to let me go!
Mrs. Beard had to literally peel you off of me
one leg and arm at a time!
That was one a rough day!


It is hard to believe that you
are 17 years old today!


And I am so thankful that God chose me to love you
and to be your mom!! Thank you for making it so easy :)
It has truly been a reward for both your dad and I!!

 

Monday, March 19, 2012

19 years old!

Happy Birthday Evan!
(from Psalm 139)

 "For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am
fearfully and wonderfully made;


your works are wonderful, I know that full well.


My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
(Psalm 139:13-16)


Today I have been your momma for 19 years!
You came into this world on the first day of Spring March 20, 1993.
My life since has never been the same :)
I thank God everyday that you made me a momma!
It's so hard to be away from you today, but I will see you soon!!
Love you so much E!!
Momma
(and Dad too)