Blessed... Blessed... and more Blessed!!!

Friday, June 17, 2011

Phillies vs. Marlins

Our third game to go to.... sooooo much fun.... especially when we win 8-1 !!!

We arrived early enough to watch batting practice which gave us the opportunity for a few pre-game photos on the Phillies dug-out.

With three children, there's a constant trip to the concession stand and/or rest room. Chase and I have almost decided the next game we go to will be a "date night" with only the two of us cheering on the Phillies. :)

Philadelphia Zoo

"Then God said, 'Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind - livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.' And that is what happened. God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good."

Genesis 1:24-25

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We took our second trip to the Philadelphia Zoo.... it's a pretty awesome zoo, although there are no elephants -- what zoo doesn't have elephants??? Other than that, I'm a huge fan!

This was from last year's trip (August) ....

And this is from this year (June) ....

Some of the highlights from this trip --

1. Charlie (a.k.a Diego) was REALLY fascinated with the zoo map???? He kept his backpack and map handy at all times! It really gave us some chuckles because he really thought he knew exactly where we were.

2. All THREE children rode the camel, Max. Please notice how terrified Charlie is through the smile he's bearing as they put him on the camel. I'm laughing out loud right now just thinking about it!!! Chase & I really didn't think he'd do it.... guess he didn't want his sisters to show him up?

3. We were able to see the baby giraffe that was born last summer... it was all the talk last year at this time. Everyone was excited about the arrival of the new giraffe at the Philadelphia Zoo. We were even able to vote on the name given to her... "Abigail." Last year we could only get a tiny peek because the mom (Stella) was still a little nervous about coming out with her baby. This year Stella, Gus (the dad), and Abigail were all out on display. (***P.S. -- giraffes are my favorite animal. )

"Abigail" will be a year this July.

This is Gus.

4. We had a LOT of fun watching this gorilla... he was like a grumpy old man. At one point he even put his fingers in his ears like he was trying to ignore us.

Hmmm... which one of my children resembles the gorilla???

No real elephants, but there was a great statue of some...

Other fun photos....

Bats... CREEPY!!!

C3 and a turtle

As C3 says, "a THnake!"
He would literally squeal like a girl at each snake.

Strike a pose!

My little sunflower. :)

And best of all... my three BLESSINGS!!!!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Another Year

“…but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Philippians 3:14

Yes, it is an odd feeling celebrating the "last day of school" in JUNE!!! I cannot believe this school year is over... time really has flown by. Another year completed!

This time last year, we were beginning the moving journey -- trying to sell our MS home and searching for a house in PA. I remember our MS house still on the market, and Chase nervous about moving without it being sold. Should we go without it sold??? It was a very legitimate concern, but then some wise counsel came from a dear friend... "You need to go in FAITH and not FEAR." We truly believed this, but now we had to really DO it... Yikes!!!

It was last June that Chase and I flew to Philadelphia in a panic trying to find a house. We came back to MS empty-handed. We then made the decision to rent an apartment until we found a house. Okay, and when I say an apartment, let me add it was a TWO bedroom apartment... yes two bedrooms for a family of FIVE. I'm laughing as I think back to those two months we lived in the apartment. It sounds unbearable, but it really was fun. The month before we moved we had been to the beach on our annual vacation with friends -- in a condo. So when we moved into the apartment, I think Charlie thought we were still on "vacation." The whole time we were in the apartment he would say, "Mama, I want to go hoooome." (It did break my heart a little.) The feel of the apartment was too similar to the condo... minus a couple of bedrooms. :) But, literally, the day we moved into our PA home, I never heard those words from him again.

God was faithful... AGAIN! (This is something that has been revealed to me a LOT lately.) Our MS house sold before we left, so that pressure was taken off. Within a week of being in Philly, we found our house, and we moved-in September 1, the week before school started. We survived a year of seminary, a year of kindergarten and most importantly, a winter in Philadelphia!!! We have ALL grown so very much and have loved every day of it... even shoveling the snow. :) We are looking forward to our trip back South this summer. It's not too far away... yay!!!

This is MH on her first and last day of kindergarten....

These are some pics from Charlie and Lizzie's closing program at school...

Lizzie "graduated" and will be with MH at PMCA next year.

She "bee-bopped" across the stage.

Waving to all her many fans...

"Look at me. I'm a star!"

She's a "big girl" but still has to have that thumb from time to time.

This was Lizzie's Art Show "write-up" at school.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Nonnie - (September 20, 1921 - May 11, 2011)...

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Galatians 5:22-23

Our beloved "Nonnie" has gone to be with the Lord. She lived a full life... Nonnie would have celebrated her 90th birthday in September!!! Thinking of her in heaven makes me smile. I can just imagine her dancing to some Pete Fountain Jazz music...probably in her sneakers. :) I loved seeing her in those tennis shoes. She was such the sporty great-grandmother in them!

She LOVED the Lord & her family more than anything!

She had much JOY.

She was soothing, calming, GENTLE & had such a PEACEFUL spirit about her.

I think everyone who knew her would say she was such a sweet lady. That sweetness came from her KIND & GOOD heart.

Her FAITHFUL prayers were a testament to us all!

These photos were taken Christmas...

Our memories of Nonnie...

Nonnie had the BEST giggle I think I've ever heard! It was contagious.

The kids loved her candy jar.

She never let me enter her house without sitting down to have something to eat or drink.

She loved reading!

Nonnie had a sweet little hum...it was very distinctive.

She was a Pete Fountain jazz groupie. (I had NO idea who he was until Nonnie. I still really don't know who he is, but I know she LOVED to go see him play.)

Mary Hayes' memory is playing with her collection of thimbles...she would take them out of the cabinet & sit and play with them all by herself...like they were little toy figurines.

Nonnie ALWAYS loved me as I was one of her very own grandchildren!
(I loved her in the same way.)

It was such blessing being able to tell the kids that Nonnie was not sick in the hospital anymore, but now she was in heaven. Being able to say it in that way seems to take so much of the sadness out of the reality that she's no longer here with us. The thought of her in heaven with God, our Father, and Jesus Christ was a comfort to Mary Hayes, Lizzie, and Charlie. Instead of thinking Nonnie died.... we can say she is alive in heaven!

Because the kids and I were not able to travel to MS for the funeral, Jen asked that they draw Nonnie one last picture. It was fun to hear what each child said about Nonnie. Mary Hayes' artwork is quoted from a part of her bedtime prayer last night.

Mary Hayes asked if Nonnie would be taking these (their artwork) with her to heaven. I told her I bet Nonnie would have these framed and on display for all her heavenly friends and family to see.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

“come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. though your sins are like scarlet, i will make them as white as snow. though they are red like crimson, i will make them as white as wool.”

isaiah 1:18

"Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If hey don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game."

Baseball... inevitably, when thinking of the sport this old tune runs through my head.

"One, two, three strikes you're out..."

Strikes seem so final... especially after three of them! I am so thankful I have a heavenly Father who doesn't keep up with all my MANY "strikes." He removes the stains of my "strikes," (stains as red and deep as the team-color of the Phillies) and instead makes me white as the Philly snow.

Over spring break Chase & I took the kids to a Phillies game... Charlie's first game! He was so excited to go watch "Phillie-ball." -- (Charlie says "Phillie-ball" for "baseball.") For example, when he wants to throw the baseball in the backyard, he'll say, "Let's go play Phillie-ball!" When he first started saying this, I would try to correct him. I have since stopped the corrections... I think it's pretty creative if I do say so myself, so we'll let it stick while we're here in Philly. :)

Look how excited he was on the way to the game...

The bump we hit pulling into the parking lot almost injured his neck from sitting/sleeping like this. The crying ceased, though, once he saw the Phillie stadium! :)

We are all decked in our Phillie gear!!!

Couldn't resist this photo of the Philly skyline behind the stadium...

Charlie's first snack... a pretzel. He proceeded to have a hotdog, cotton candy and ice cream after it!!!

Notice I am NOT letting go of the hair bows... :)

Monday, May 2, 2011

Races

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Friday morning each child woke up with excitement about the day ahead. MH would be running in the "Race For Education," a fundraiser for her school. Sponsors would be donating $ for each lap she ran. She could not put her race t-shirt and running shoes on fast enough! Unfortunately, Lizzie & Charlie had an event at the same time... it seems like it always happens that way. :( Chase and I would have to split up so that each child would have parental support. As she and Chase were walking out the door, MH turned to look back at me. Her eyes were filling with tears... she wanted her mom & dad both at her race. :( My heart ached!!! If there was ever a time to be two places at once, this would have been it! Thankfully, another mom in the class captured the race for me...

Her daddy walked with her a couple of laps. :)

This is MH's best buddy, Emma...

At the same time Lizzie & Charlie were raising $ for the children of St. Jude. Their school was having a "Trike-A-Thon." We loaded their bikes and helmets (a.k.a. hedelmets by Lizzie) into my car and off we went. Lizzie was squealing as we road to school! I will have to admit that I was a proud mom.... everyone was REALLY impressed with Lizzie & Charlie's biking skills. :)