Family Night

The move to Arkansas has been quite the transition. I still feel very much in limbo, which isn't the most comfortable of positions to be in. We still own our "vacation" home in TX; I don't know what I'll be doing up here job-wise, and we still live with the ever gracious in-laws.

However, one great addition to our family since moving up here has been family night. We have one night a week that everyone knows is set aside just for our family. Phones, computers, TVs are pushed aside. And we rotate who gets to plan it each week. I'll give you what we have done so far:

1.) bowling night (Laney)

2.) movie night at home....ordered pizza in and had an intermission filled with fun treats (Ashlyn)

3.) Movie night #2 which included breakfast for dinner in our pj's (Reese)

4.) Fun City- a pizza place with indoor putt-putt, arcades and play area (me)

5.) dinner out and then onto an art gallery (Papa D)

6.) roller-skating (Jason)

7.) game night...we even called neighbors who recently moved to the other side of town and asked if we could borrow their almost empty house for a couple of hours for a fantastic game of Nerf War! Then we came back home and played Cooties (as shown below) (MiMi)

This week we were back on Laney-bear. We had a Valentine's night. Our food was red and pink (lasagna and a pink fruit salad with pink lemonade). Laney then told us about the crafts and reminded us that Jesus is love.

Our first craft I found in one of my magazines. You'll see close-ups at the end of the post but here are my 3 loves showing off our pretty Valentine heart hanging:

Then we moved on to making bookmarks and Valentine's cards.

A few of the final products:

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.... God showed how much he loves us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love-- not that we loved God, but that He loves us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." I John 4:7, 9-10

Whispers from Heaven

I have never audibly heard the voice of God. No notes from above have been left under my pillow. There isn't a contact in my cell phone with the name Jesus attached to it.

But I have heard His voice. He still speaks as clearly today as He did thousands of years ago.

Over the years I have been asked several times, "How do I know God is speaking to me?" My usual response, "you just know that you know that you know." There are, of course, the basics that if God is telling you to do something, whatever it is will always match up to Scripture and will always match up to His character. But I am telling you, when God speaks, whether in a whisper or in a what seems like a shout, you will know in the very core of your being. It might take time to truly know that it is Him or have a few specifics revealed to you, but you will know that you know it is Him. He speaks with authority but it is always accompanied with His gentleness.

A couple of weeks ago I heard His voice again. I heard it in a way that breathes air into my lungs and fills my heart with joy. We were driving down to Texas for New Year's weekend, to spend time with friends and be in our own house (which Jase lovingly refers to as our "vacation home" since it still hasn't sold or leased). I was in the middle of Karen Kingsbury's new book entitled Unlocked. It centers around an autistic high school boy who keeps saying to himself "Jesus, I know you love me." Every time I read those words my heart resonated with the truth. No, this move hasn't been easy. We still haven't sold our home. We are still living with Jason's parents. We don't really know anyone. But even when things don't go as I desire, Jesus still loves me.

This prompted me to open my Bible and read Isaiah 43 again. We are told marvelously in this chapter of the Bible that even if the fires are all around us and we feel the heat, they won't consume us. As the waters rise and threaten to knock us over, we will not drown. We are summoned by God; He calls us by name! I am His! As I kept reading I came across verses 18 and 19 and it took my breath away.

These were the same verses I read in a book a friend sent me several weeks back. The book is on moving and gives wonderful hope and promises of God as you move to a new place and everything familiar is stripped away. I heard God's heart for me as I read these words. This was Him talking to me, whispers of Heaven to soothe my soul.

An hour later I went back to the Kingsbury book and you wouldn't believe it! In the story of the book these very verses were written out in the story line to the mom of the autistic boy. Except they were personalized in this way "My precious daughter, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up...do you not perceive it...I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. I love you, my daughter...you are not alone. Not now or ever."

Tears came to my eyes; my heart felt like it was up in my throat. No, I have no idea if God's voice is deep or if it is raspy. I have yet to receive a personalized text message from Him. But I know that I know, He speaks. And I love what He has to say.

Christmas 2010

Does this give you any idea how great Christmas was for us? Okay, actually we were just being silly as we played with my new camera. There are many crazy poses that I won't post, as to not be bribed later on with.
The highlight for me was that my best friend, Jen, came and spent Christmas in Arkansas with us. If you can't be at "home" then having "home" come to you is just perfection. Seriously, she is one of the greatest friends a girl could ask for!

Here is sweet Reesie-boo on Christmas Eve, after we got home from a lovely Christmas Eve service, celebrating the birth of our Savior!

And, of course, the famous matching pjs for everyone, including the dogs:

The girls with their plate of cookies for Santa:

Putting out reindeer food (which Laney Hope made at school with her classmates):

Mimi with Laney and Reese:

Me and my precious oldest:

We woke up and started with our stockings...

Our big present to Reese was a canopy for over her bed. Gampa and Diane got her the microphone. I found her singing under her canopy and snapped this shot right afterwards. Oh, what a CUTIE.PIE!

After the stockings we came to open our big presents. This is the big girls reaction to seeing...

these! Needless to say, the lockers I found at my favorite shop here in Arkansas were a huge hit! I got excited just thinking about them seeing these because I knew how much they'd love them! I asked Laney later in the day if she liked her locker. Her response, "I don't just like it. I LOVE it!"

Mimi and Papa D got the big girls scooters and Reesie got a riding scooter which she calls her motorcycle. She loves this thing. One day during lunch last week she looked at me and said, "Mommy, I'm a motorcycle girl."

Well friends, Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year from our family to yours!

White Rock 2010

Last Sunday, Jase ran his fifth marathon. It was his third time to run the White Rock and it has grown to be a fun tradition for our family. My friend Jen, being part of the family, has also made it a tradition. We have gotten the driving to different locations down to a science and have a lot of fun doing it!
Jason's biggest fans:

We got to see our favorite marathoner 4 times this year...at around mile 6 (pictured below), mile 12, mile 17 and mile 24. Lookin' good, Babe! Lookin' good!

He always loads up on kisses at each stop. I'm convinced it's part of why he does so well!

Way to go, Daddy!

Still running at mile 24.

After the race. He had his personal best at 3:51:50.

So Much to be Thankful For

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever."

November is my favorite month of the year~ the fall colors, the warmth, reflecting on all the blessings God has given us. We started off our season of thankfulness with Laney's feast at school. Here she is sporting her handmade Indian vest. Didn't she do a great job? Prettiest little Indian I've ever seen! Laney with a friend and her first kinder teacher up here in Arkansas, Mrs. Lee:

One benefit of living in the same town as grandparents is that they get to be a part of everyday fun activites. Mimi and Papa D came to help out at the feast too.

Three years ago we started a tradition of making our very own Thankfulness Tree. We print out leaves and then write down different things we are thankful Christ has given us.

I am humbled and beyond grateful to see my Ashlyn Jean, at only 8, really understand how blessed we are. She knows that many people around the world don't have the same every day comforts that we do.

One of the things I am most thankful for this year is Laney's growth in understanding and loving Jesus!

My sweet Reesie does love her horses!

The girls decorated their nametags for the table:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday, Reesie-boo!

A couple of weeks ago it was this cutie-patootie's 3rd birthday! Jason and I drove back into town from a wedding in Dallas to find the birthday girl and her sweet sisters awaiting us. Can you just see why I love these girls so much?
We spent the next little bit of time opening up presents, that was until Reese was tired and decided to save some for the next day. Who doesn't like to spread the birthday love out over a few days time?

I wanted to do something special for Reese since we moved up to Arkansas right before her birthday and we'd be away from friends. So we loaded up and headed out somewhere special. This is the family as we waited for Reese's special treat.

Our girl absolutely adores horses. So...I called a woman who gives horse back riding lessons and she did some for the girls. Reesie was kind enough to share with her sisters. They got to brush the horses beforehand, and then ride together with the teacher. She let the girls trot and gallop which all 3 loved. Then they got to ride on their own.

Then we came back to the house and had cake and ice cream with some of our new friends.

Oh, sweet girl, my precious Reese Ellery, You are such a joy! I've never known a little girl with such a sense of humor. Your joy is such a testimony of the Lord's love and faithfulness and will always be a source of strength for those around you. We love the way you sing so loudly, run so fast, make us laugh, and love so freely. You are a pure gift to our family and WE LOVE YOU SO!