Program and Greenwood

Courtney had a school program and was as 50s girl.  She was so excited.  She wanted her pose to be part of her "shake rattle and roll" dance.  She looked adorable.

 While Courtney was dancing for Grandparents Day, we went to visit Beau for his birthday!  I am so thankful that over these years of moving away they have stayed friends.  They really do love each other.  We took him his present and a birthday cookie.

 We of course went to La Fiesta for lunch.  What else would we eat? They were so good.  They talked, colored and ate like big kids!  They have spent many a lunch at this place over their last 5 years!  Sherry joined us.  Amy was with Hayden getting cavities filled.  We were sad to miss them this trip! 

Happy birthday Beau Beau!  We love you!

Courtney Asks Jesus to be the Boss of her Life

Tonight Courtney asked Jesus to be the boss of her life and come into her heart.  I haven't blogged in almost a year, but I was behind when Lindsey made this same decision and I sat down that night and typed it all out so I would remember.  I want to remember tonight as well, so I had to do the same thing even though I'm not even sure I can technically say I "blog" any more.  I hate that.

Courtney has asked us several times about being baptized.  She has talked to us about Jesus being in her heart a few times.  However, those times as a parent I just knew she didn't have the right "heart" and was just wanting to be like someone (Lindsey) or have the right answers.  She was always worried about knowing the answers to the questions we asked.  Partly because we told her that she couldn't be baptized until she knew what it meant; to her that meant having the right answers to the questions.

She had been at Harper Berg's house last night and today and got home and was super duper tired.  She was quiet.  We had supper and she took a bath.  She had been in her room and came out and asked me to come to her room by myself.  When I went in there she had her Awana book on her bed and told me she had been reading her Sparks book.  She said, "I was just thinking about how much Jesus has done for us and how thankful I am that he did."

We talked and I asked the basic questions about Jesus dying on the cross and heaven and hell.  She for the first time had the answers and it came from her own thoughts and not things we had said or told her but I felt confident it was her thinking about these things.

Ryan came back there and we closed the door and talked some more.  He asked her the same kinds of questions and she just kept saying "I love God and I know he is always with me and stuff." We talked about how we are thankful He is always with us and how much we need him.  We talked about sin and how we still sin, but ask for forgiveness.

We asked her about baptism and she said "The water washes your sins away" so we reminded her that it wasn't about the water, but about her heart and knowing that Jesus forgave her sins.  Baptism shows everyone that she has made that decision.

As we talked she was completely confident in her answers.  I asked her if she ever felt like God was talkigng to her.  She said "Yes when I was reading my Awana book a min ago."  I asked her what she prayed and what God said.  She said, "I prayed and thanked him for everything He did for us and that He is always with us and loves us." I asked her if he talked to her and she said, "He said I forgive you." Oh to have faith like a child and go to the Lord trusting and expecting answers when we pray.  What an example she is to me.

At that point I knew.  Ryan talked to her about making her own decision and praying to ask God for forgiveness.  She said "I want to do that right now."  We tried to "put her off" in a sense to let her think about it, but in her Courtney fashion, she knew what she wanted and she was ready.  No more thinking about it.

So Ryan prayed, Courtney repeated it in a confident voice and prayed each part carefully.  I will never forget that moment sitting in her bedroom floor, holding her hand, crying and listening to Ryan and Courtney ask the Lord to save her and come into her heart and be the boss of her life.  I have prayed for this day.  I have prayed for the opportunity to be part of this with her and once again God answered. Why do I act surprised?  It's just those moments when God shows up and you step back and watch Him work and want to pinch yourself that you can be a witness in His changing someone's heart.

The smile on her face.  It is undeniable the joy in her heart and the pride in knowing the importance of the decision she made.  The sweet girl that she is and the work that God has in front of her is amazing.  She is a special girl.  She cares for others more than I see in most 7 year olds.  She will one day be a nurse or missionary or both.  I have said it for YEARS.  I pray that as she grows she will grow in the Lord.  I pray that Ryan and I will be able to be the examples that she needs and always point her to Christ.  I don't want to ever hold her back or stand in the way of God doing something in her life.  I pray that as she starts her Christian journey tomorrow that she will love Jesus with all of her heart, mind and strength.  She will change the world if she does.

Erin and Beau Visit

 Erin and Beau came to visit for a night when Ryan was out of town.  It was so fun!  It worked out that Evan was at camp and Blake went to his Nana's house.  So we got to just hang out and everyone was happy!  We asked Kelli to babysit so we could go to dinner.  We picked Jose's.  It was so fun!

 We said the kids didn't have to go to bed, so they were up watching Mulan when we got home.  Beau didn't want to lay on a sleeping bag, so he was on the couch.  I love these moments!  Kelli is so good with the girls! (and Beau in this case)

 It was so funny the next day when we were letting the kids play....we found them like this!  ha!

 We had to go pick up the big girls at basketball camp, so Whit wanted to do Beau's hair.

We played and talked and had lunch.  Erin had to get Blake and head back to Greenwood.  It was a quick visit, but so fun to just hang out with my BFF!

Last Day....we thought!

 I took this picture hoping it would be the last cast picture....

 She was so funny when they took it off and we had to wait.  She walked with it up in the air.  She rubbed it and told me it still hurt.  I didn't think much of it, just thought it felt funny to have it off.

 Waiting on the doctor after xrays.  She didn't want to lift it or put it down like normal, but had to have this table to lay it on.  She's so funny!

 Then he came in and told us that it wasn't healed and we needed to wear another cast for 2 weeks and then check it.  Praise the Lord he told me they had a waterproof liner she could have and swim in her cast!  Oh.my.gosh!  I wish I had known about that before!  The nurse asked if I knew it was $20.  I said no, but that was fine.  I think I would have paid $120 for it!  Ha! (ok, maybe not, but still)

So we will go back and check it out and pray it's healed.  I went to WalMart and got some kids calcium chews to boost her calcium and hopefully bone growth!

FHS Basketball Camp

 Both big girls got to go to Basketball camp at Fayetteville High School.  They were excited.  Especially Courtney because last summer she wasn't old enough to do many camps.  They were excited and ready to go!  Maybe one day they will be playing in this gym as a Fayetteville Laday Bulldog!

 The last day they had Kiko Hydar come and talk.  He graduated from FHS and played for the Razorbacks.  He's a great example of hard work and dedication.  He was so nice and took a pic with the girls.

They had a great week.  There weren't many girls, so they were in the same group. But it worked out and had a good time.

Brandi Came to See me!!!

My precious friend Brandi Kay and I met 9 years ago when we were both new teachers at a school in Olive Branch, MS.  Her husband Kirk was in seminary there and Ryan was working 2nd shift at Cintas in Memphis.  We got really close super fast.  We have stayed in touch over the years and I got a text from her a couple of weeks ago.  She said she was driving to Branson from TX and was going to be close to me.  So it was a no brainer...she had to come see me!  Kirk is deployed so Brandi, her 3 kids (who happen to be almost the exact same age is our kids and are only off by 6 months) and dog came to stay one night with us.  It was so amazing.  God has blessed this friendship and I'm so thankful for her.  She is such an encourager and precious friend!  I knew I missed her but I can't go 9 more years and not see her sweet face....

 We stayed home and had dinner with the kiddos...that night Whitney was at Mawmaw's house

 Lindsey and Jeremiah

They played really well together!

 Kirklynn and Courtney...2 peas in a pod for sure!  They played American Girl dolls and lots of other things.  They became quick friends!

Whitney and Kristen were funny.  I don't know why we didn't get a pic of them.  Oh well...

Saturday Fun!

 One Sat. morning we watched Landon for a little bit and I took them swimming.  It was so fun!

 While we were swimming Ryan was at home cleaning up the boat so we could take it out that afternoon!  So fun!  Going to the lake has become one of my favorite things about summer!

 Ryan borrowed some trainer skis from a friend at work and we had talked it up and the girls were ready.  Courtney was allllll about it at home and was going to be the first one.  However, that all changed when we were out there! Ha!  L was ready though.  Here she is getting a feel for them and some instruction from Daddy!

 She fell the first time, but literally popped up the 2nd time she tried!  It was awesome.  She liked it!

Then there was time for some tubing!

 

Then with some convincing but not pressure Court skiied!  She did the exact same.  Fell the first time and popped up the 2nd time.  Crazy.  She wasn't the fan Lindsey was but we weren't surprised.  She's our "sally safety" and is so worried about falling or getting hurt it takes the fun out of it for her.  Bless her heart!

I'm sure we will have many many more trips and pics from the lake in the upcoming months!  I'm so thankful for these memories and times we get to spend with our family on the lake!