My baby is Seven....

Benjamin was born 7 years ago, after the worst delivery of all my babies. However, it was worth the wait and agony. I remember finding out I was pregnant and crying thinking God I am not ready to be a mommy...but he had other plans.

It has been so fun to have you in my life Benjamin and I am so thankful for your kind heart and sweet spirit. I laughed so hard today when your friends sang happy birthday to you at school and your jumped up in the air and threw your hands in the air! You have grown up so fast and I am so thankful I got picked to be your mommy. Thank you for loving your brothers so well... you are the best big brother. I am so proud of you.

Benjamin's Mommy

Happy 10 years Living Proof Live

When I was right out of college I had a hard time getting a job... as many do. It's the hardest thing you leave school ready to get a great job and no one will hire you. After many jobs not working out I decided to change my prayer request. I prayed that God would place me in a area where someone will trust me and train me and teach me. I knew I didn't have experience and needed it and wanted it from someone who was great in their job. So I prayed and interviewed, and prayed and waited and finally after 6 months found myself in a office with a cute blond lady named Faith who was telling me all about the amazing ministry she wanted me to work with to help her. As I weighted and prayed over this job I realized this was my answered prayers... this was 1- a ministry (now it wasn't about youth...where I wanted to work- but maybe God had other plans) 2- involved someone who wanted to teach, train and seemed great at her job. So I said yes and soon found myself as project assistant to women's events and 6 months later project coordinator to women's events and 2 years later event planner to women's event's. God had major plans for me and he stretched me, taught me, grew me and it was one of the best 6 years of my life. I got to work for an amazing women who mentored, mothered me and has so much to do with who I am today. I got to be a small part growing an event that has ministered to so many women over the past 10 years.

This week the event team I use to work with at LifeWay and Beth Moore are celebrating 10 years of events and ministry. They will have their 100th event and will hit their 50th and celebrate how God has blessed these events. I am so very proud of them all and so thankful that I got to work and minister with them for 6 of those years. I am who I today due to the impact Living Proof Live, Faith Whatley and Beth Moore made on my life and will forever be thankful that I said yes over 10 years ago to work in that office at LifeWay.

Happy 10 Years of Ministry Living Proof Live! and thank you God for... I am a changed life there is no turning back.

Taking it One Week... or Day... at a Time

I have a new way of living this year... one week at a time and so far it's been the best fall ever. I always get a bit overwhelmed once fall gets here each year. For many good reasons... school starts, Halloween is big at our house, Benjamin's birthday, our anniversary, Wright's birthday and then two days later Noel's Birthday. All of these events happen within three weeks , my sister-in- law also has a October birthday so that will add to all the fun! I just go through it all and am so glad when it's all over. HOWEVER, this is the year of change and I believe it's going great so far.

birthday party from years past...notice little princess leias and luke skywalkers

In August our church asked me to help with a large event that is happening this Sunday. I prayed a long time about it and decided that although it's two weeks after my brother's wedding and lots... lots... lots... of work that God was asking me to say yes. So I did say yes and promised my husband that I would make this work for our family not take it all out on my family because mommy has taken on too much. We'll God has been good... I am actually not stressed this week, I am taking it one day at a time while making time for my family and trying to have fun with what I am doing. The week isn't over yet but I am saying positive and know God is going to bless our family in the process. Time to go I have to cut balloon string!

Weddings and Little boys

Well I have been praying for a LONG LONG LONG time for my dear brother to find the love of his life and finally after many prayers and many bad girl experiences God finally brought the ONE into his life. Rich and Gretchen got married on Sunday and it was such a sweet day for them and our family. Gretchen is definitely the one God intended for Rich to wait on and it was worth it. I couldn't have picked a better girl for him and that makes it extra sweet.

Now... last April I believe Gretchen called me to talk about the wedding and share with me that she wanted the boys (Benjamin,6 and Noel,3) to be in the wedding. I pushed back and said are you sure about Noel, I felt Ben could do the task at hand but was a little concerned about our Noel. She said yes and so from that day forth the boys were to be in the wedding. On the other hand, I was a nervous wreck and kept thinking of that day with excitement about their wedding and nervousness about Noel. I mean no one wants their child to ruin or cause distraction on someones special day and that is a possibility we all know when a 3 year old is involved. :)

The day finally arrived and I had back up plans and more just in case the plan didn't work as hoped. Noel actually made it down the aisle and only dropped his pillow once (thank the Lord we put the real rings on Benjamin's pillow and the fake on Noel's) and then got beside me and after the first minutes decided to sit on the stage. Steve meanwhile was behind us in the choir area videoing the ceremony for Gretch and Rich. I am trying to give him the eye to take Noel without everyone realizing that I am freaking out about Noel and the factor that Steve was suppose to be on the first pew to take Noel during the service instead of the choir loft... apparently the plan changed and no one thought to mention it to me. He eventually got the hint and took Noel only to give him two star wars action figures that of course Noel decided to make go to war. So while trying to watch Gretchen and Rich say their vows and keep Benjamin standing beside me, I would periodically hear gun noises and Noel saying " I want to go home", it was a long moment in the life of a mom. I would listen to the wedding, get misty about Rich , hear Noel and start praying for God to please distract Noel in a quiet way and that was pretty much my thought process the whole time. However, regardless of my child's noises it was such a beautiful ceremony.

The minister was amazing and he gave the couple a sweet charge about God's desire for their roles in their marriage. He laid it out better than any minister I have heard in a wedding before that day and got right in their faces and spoke such truth and wisdom about marriage.

So life is back to normal again and only two more weeks and I get to move into party planning mode as our three birthdays are around the corner!

My attempt to blog...

I never thought I would enter the world of blogging but here goes and knowing me this means I will only post once in a blue moon but we will see. I am sometimes amazed at my crazy life... I mean who knew I would end up married to a film maker who loved to still be a boy at times and have 3 little boys of my own. I was never one of those girls whose dream was to be a wife and mother...now don't get me wrong I totally believed I would someday get married and have children... but it wasn't my life plan. I did however envision a girl being in the picture of my future meaning I would have a girl... but God had other plans. So here I am mother to 3 little boys under 6 and there are no pink stuff or dolls in our toy room! Instead it's filled with legos, Star Wars action figures, balls, xbox and a new wii which I am dreading monitoring playing time! It's quite an adventure but one I wouldn't trade for anything.

Wright age 1

Noel age 3

Benjamin age 6