Kindergarten

You've heard that saying that "all there is to know you learned in Kindergarten." Alot of truth to that as Willie has accomplished tying his shoes, reading, coloring in the lines, thoughtfulness and the list goes on. In just a matter of months, so much has come together including 2 lost teeth.

During the Thanksgiving holidays, Willie popped out with "Mama and Daddy (interchangeable with pairings that clearly demonstrates he doesn't understand this jingle) sitting in a tree.....K-I-S-S-I-N-G (slowly making sure he doesn't miss a letter followed by long pause as he tries to remember the next part), first comes love, second comes 'Mary' here comes daddy with with a baby 'cage.'"

Thankfully, we don't learn EVERYTHING in Kindergarten or at least the first semester.

Many Thanks

The month of November felt like a week to me. Willie and Ruby's Halloween art was replaced with Fall and Thanksgiving themes in a matter of a day it seemed. Below are some pictures I managed to capture in the furious pace of our Fall. Despite the pace, my heart is filled with Thanksgiving as I've mentioned before. I've become keenly aware that it's by the grace of God that I've been dealt a more than fair hand. It's by His Grace that God wants to use us to serve those who are hurting. Our Lord has selected a mysterious way to spread his love. That way is me and you. My heart is full with Thanksgiving for that opportunity. My heart is full with joy for those who have served me the love of God and given me opportunity. As I shared with my Daddy this week, I'm so grateful for the heritage that Jay and I have been given. Every day in this house that heritage is being handed down to another generation---not perfectly, of course; but with the purest intention. My prayer as I held Willie and Ruby's hands, smelled their hair, locked eyes and hugged tight today is that they'll recognize the gift early and that their hearts will brim with Thanksgiving for what our Lord has done.

Here's a few pics from our celebrations of life this month!

Friends and Spooks!

We had a huge surprise and blessing when we found out friends from college days were passing through town on their way to lead a family conference in N.C. We volunteered in college with Eddie Willis' youth group. Eddie and Allyson are SO talented and wise that I just try to soak them up. Their family is simply beautiful and they rank at the top with the best behaved kids ever. I felt like Willie kept looking at me and wanting to say..."Mom, you didn't tell me that Selby was going to be beautiful!" We left the next day to travel to Miss and Willie asked when we came through thunderstorms...."Do you think it is raining on Selby's family?" Then, "do you think Selby is there yet?" I have about a 15 year old CD of Eddie's in my changer that Willie just loves. Eddie brought us 3 newer releases you could say so now he makes up 50% of my changer and the kids just sing their praises. It was a special treat when Eddie played LIVE some of his favorite praise songs for us before bedtime.

Just after the Willis' departed, the kids and I quickly took off to Mississippi for a long weekend including grandparents, fall fests, and country trick or treating.

I've never been so outdone I didn't have my camera. I just wasn't expecting the Topeka Tilton Fall Fest (same school my dad attended elementary school....I mean same building and everything) to bring such fun. Willie and Reagan loved the traditional carnival and picking out cheap prizes for all the games, but Willie eyed the mechanical bull on arrival. I actually know a little about bullriding since my brother was a mighty fine bullrider in the Miss HS Rodeo. I convinced Willie to check out the other games; but his determination did not fade. At the end of the carnival, he jumped on that bull and rode well over 8 seconds! However, I did think that operator was about to try to buck him off. We got that straight and all ended well except no photo.

Basically, you can drive 20 miles and maybe only stop at 3 houses when country trick or treating. There's a lady in their community who served up 73 trick or treaters.....Wow! I wonder how many miles were logged coming to her spooky yard. It was like a standstill haunted house. Ruby wasn't so sure at first, but she loves talking about ghosts and witches.....it's a benefit of an older sibling. Reagan was taking it all in and Willie was touching every ghost, witch, spider, skeleton he could find. Oh, and the lady FILLED their buckets with candy. Thanks, Nana and Papa for some serious TREATS.

To wrap up the week, the Bisons SCARED Freed Hardeman in an exhibition game!

October days

Last year, Jay discovered another talent! So....he and the kids could not wait to carve their pumpkins. This is the huge pumpkin that Willie brought home from his class field trip!





Yes, Willie's head is inside the pumpkin.



Here's what I got from Willie when I told him to smile naturally.




Great job, Daddy!


Here's the Ninja Warrior on the carousel at the Ghouls at Grassmere at the Zoo. They called it the scary go round that night.

I had encouraged Ruby to go as Fancy Nancy since we had all the stuff. She seemed fine with that until time to go....when she whirled on her heels and said, "I told you I wanted to be a cowgirl." So...she wouldn't wear a costume, but she had lots of fun anyway with her good friend Jake.

Before October closes, we'll celebrate Jay's 36th, last baseball game of the season and some more Trick or Treat!

Mercy Ministries --- 3 days left!

Some of you have heard that I partnered with at risk women in the Dominican Republic this month. These rescued women make beautiful jewelry. Through a missionary I met when in the DR earlier this year, I committed to be their U.S. partner for the month of October and broker their beautiful handiwork. I'm approaching $2,000 (in spite of the swine flu) and should get there before I ship it to next months' hostess who also happens to live in Tennessee. 100% of the money goes back to the mission field!

As always, Jay was ultra supportive of the commitment involved and my last showing is to the coaches at LU. Willie gave up his pool table for about 3 weeks for me to keep my display ready and Ruby was my sales assistant and inventory counter. My children are so about helping these "mommies."

And, thanks to all of you who purchased jewels and helped serve these women in a very real way. I received an email this morning from Alli (the missionary that organizes this particular ministry). The women in the program have a desire to reach other women for Christ....that's what it's all about! They are building relationships with some prostitutes in the area and are planning to host a retreat for them to take them out of their environment for a few days to do activities, crafts, and hear God's word. Please be in prayer for them as they prepare, start inviting 5 specific women, and have their eyes opened to the situations around them.

Ok....I know I owe you grandparents costume pictures and Willie's first lost tooth! Now, that's been a bigger deal than I could have ever imagined.

And "the Cloud" is lifting.....

I've been thinking the cloud (of sickness) was lifting for the last 3 days but today's the first REAL day that I felt a little like myself....

1) I brushed my hair and teeth in the same hour today. There were days this week that both didn't happen in the same day.

2) I cared enough to put things away and carry something with me to the other end of the house in every trip. (that's my BIG secret ....don't walk anywhere for any reason without taking something that belongs in that area)

3) I walked to the other end of the house. Most days this week....I didn't leave my bed.

4) We left the house and actually went somewhere. First time, I went voluntarily anywhere since Tues afternoon. We went to Ghouls at Grassmere (Halloween event at the zoo). It was great to get out of the house, but WAY too cold.

5) I am grateful again! I have grown a grateful heart about the smallest of things in the last few years, but I don't remember saying thank you for anything this week. I was just surviving... As I get better, I am thankful for the sickly days as I truly am grateful for our health.

Can't wait to share pics of Willie's Halloween costume with you which he donned at Ghouls at Grassmere....coming soon!

Funny stuff

Now, it's just funny to me how girls Willie sees occasionally and I've never seen him have much of a conversation with evidently know him much better than I thought.

We were set to host our Sunday School party this weekend in our backyard. Well, God sent some serious thunderstorms so we pulled together a rain location (which worked perfectly). After the party, one of my girl friends from church told me that she was telling her carpool (2nd graders) on the way home that tonight was a church party and they needed to go home rest up and get ready for the church party. They retorted...."church party.....I thought it was Willie's party?" She started to try to explain it was originally at Willie's house but they kept on about Willie so she eventually explained that "Willie's party" had been moved to the church.

Today, another dear friend who is expecting was sharing that they were coming up with a list of boy names. Their 3 year old was helping come up with names and her # 1 favorite name was "Willie. "

This stuff makes me chuckle (for now)!