Back Home: April 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers

UPDATE From the post below:

Okay, WOW! I have been reading for the past 2 hours straight.
(Jane is sleeping and Margaux and Harry are watching TV in the basement, and only one small minor mishap from my inattentiveness---Margaux getting into Maddie's make up and then coming to show me and asking how she looked--too cute that's how she looked!)

Anyway, I want to tell the blog world about this book but I don't want to ruin it for anyone. All I can say is Francine, Francine, Francine! WOW! I have had "moist" eyes a few times already and yep---TEARS!

I had to put the book down...my motherly obligations are calling. I may have to forgo sleep to get back to my book. All I want to do is get back to Marta, who in an odd way reminds me a bit of my father who totally made it on his own when he left home at the 8th grade.

I'm left worried for Marta. Will she draw closer to God due to her life circumstances or become tough and hardened and make me not care for her character in this book? Stay true Marta, stay true...God is watching!

And one last thing. Shame on parents who in ANY way abuse their children. MAN that makes me mad!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Wanna Read This With Me?

This past week on our trip to
Florida I read this book:

Poor Danny! There was LOTS of quiet time in our car, him driving, me reading. I just couldn't put this book down. Embarrassing--if you look closely at one pictures in the wedding post below...I brought this book to the wedding!!! Actually, to clarify, I was reading it while the wedding party was getting pictures and then carried it with me into the wedding.

Anyway, It was a page turner, a great read, and it ended just the way you want it to!

So now I am in the reading mood,
and I am starting this book tomorrow!

I have heard from a few people that this book is almost as good as Redeeming Love. We will see...

And, just for my friend Julie, I WILL go back to Voice in the Wind. Everyone I talk to who has read that series, loves it! I just got to get past the first few chapters.

Click below to watch the trailer to Her Mother's Hope.

HER MOTHER'S HOPE Book Trailer

Posted using ShareThis

Monday, April 19, 2010

Troy's Wedding

This past weekend Danny and I had the chance to get away. We went to the wedding of one of Danny's long time friends from college, Troy. I believe Troy is the last of our friends from college to get married! He did it! He has himself a beautiful bride, Lindsey.

The wedding was on a balcony overlooking the ocean. It was beautiful and the weather was perfect!

Danny and I had a relaxing, children free, FOUR days with each other. THANK YOU to my sisters and mother for taking care of our children.

I need to give a shout out to my sister Dawn! She watched 3 of our children here at our home. When we got home late last night, my house was SPOTLESS (just like hers), ALL my laundry DONE, the children's school uniforms laid out for this morning, and we had clean sheets on our bed! WE NEED TO FIND THIS GIRL A MAN!!!

Below are some pictures of the wedding for those (Small's) who are patiently waiting...

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Duke/UNC Trip

A blog post for you basketball fan's: (SORRY, a medium/long post)

My father is a big time Duke fan. I guess our whole family is a little partial to Duke (and UNC.) When my sisters and I were younger, my father took us down to Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to see both the Duke and UNC campuses. It was right after UNC won the Final Four and the UNC campus was COVERED in blue toilet paper! Very cool!

On that same trip, we were able to walked right into Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium and actually got to watch THE TEAM arrive for practice. Christian Laettner (#2 star basketball player) walked right beside me!

Two funny things happened from this trip:

1.) I convinced myself that Christian Laettner was indeed a Christ follower, because of his name.

2.) Embarrassing---I wrote to Danny Ferry (#1 star basketball player) and told him what a great player he was AND that I loved his name, "Danny" AND, if that wasn't embarrassing enough, I sent him a family picture!!!! I know--go ahead and laugh.

Well, yesterday, years after that original trip, my father took Dan Dan and my nephew Juette to Duke University and University of North Carolina, in celebration of Duke winning the Final Four. It was nice to see my Dad taking boys, his grandsons, to see where our two favorite ball teams originated from. This was a trip these boys will never forget!

Of course they both got to get a few items from the UNC bookstore--and later at the Duke bookstore.


I LOVE this picture. Two boys in KRZYZEWSKIVILLE (where the Duke students camp out in tents before games) wearing UNC clothing.


My father said the boys dribbled their basketballs all over the Duke campus, drawing all sorts of attention to themselves (without them even aware of it). He said the students had fun with them and said things like, "Hey, you can't wear that here!"

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Easter Weekend 2010

It has been a beautiful Easter weekend here in sweet Virginny! Here are a few...well, lots of pictures of the past couple days.

Saturday, Margaux helped Danny and I mulch the front flower beds. We REALLY enjoyed our day Saturday. It was a BEAUTIFUL day! The children played outside and Danny and I had fun just talking, working out in the yard with each other.

For the first time in about 8 years, Danny got in on the action of coloring Easter eggs!

With that being said...

OKAY, HOLD ON, I'M STEPPING UP ON MY SOAP BOX:

This weekend I know individually, Danny and I prayed many prayers for our friends and their families who are in the church ministry. This is a big church weekend and many times church staff families must sacrifice traditional family time so that we can have a great Easter experience at church. Hmm, think about it...Easter carnival, Passion Play, church services---how many of you got to choose which one of the maybe 3-5 church Easter events you wanted to attend???...tell your church pastor, staff and their family thanks next time you see them, and next year SERVE to help lighten their load. Okay enough said...moving on.

I found this note taped to Harry Jack's bed last night when I went to kiss him goodnight. He said he wanted the Easter Bunny to come give him a hug in the middle the night. What a cutie! What a kid!

I noticed Baby Jane chowing down on a piece of Easter candy within minutes of waking up this morning...oh well, it was just a marshmallow rabbit.

My sister Dawn showed up on our way out the door for church...I had a pair of her shoes that she needed to wear.

Oooookay, here is where CHAOS quickly breeds in a large family. Within seconds of Dawn getting here, Jane fell and scraped her knee---tears blood the whole thing--- and, at the same time without us knowing, our oldest three decided to take a walk to their cousins house and PLAY BASKETBALL?????? Are you kidding me?????

So, after we recomposed ourselves...

We took a picture of our sweet Easter Bunnies!

Tonight we had Easter dinner at Dawn's home. I love going to her home--neat, clean, quiet---just like mine--minus the neat...clean...quiet.

Dawn planned a nice Easter egg hunt for the children.

After dinner...

...the little ones played outside with the daddy's...

...while the bigger grand children lined up to receive their Easter baskets from Grammy and Grand Daddy!

Thanks Grammy and Grand Daddy!

Now we are back home. Teeth are brushed, the children are in bed, and the house is quiet. Ahhhh!

Nice weekend! Great Easter!