Wild Olive Tees

Check out the great Tees at Wild Olive! They are a fun way to share scripture and encourage others while looking stylish :) Win-Win!! I heard about them from MckMama, who has her own tee, called "Unfolding" in white and chili. Gotta get me one soon!

Momtessori

My friend, Laura Beth, has a great new blog called Momtessori, where she shares fabulous ideas. She probably doesn't even know this, but she was the first person I remember meeting at Lipscomb. I transferred there in Spring 1999 from Harding (where I'd transferred in Fall 1998 from Western KY) and was at an orientation for transfer students that she was leading. I remember what a bubbly, optimistic, genuinely kind and giving spirit she had then...and has for as long as I've known her. I didn't know her beyond that interaction during my time at Lipscomb, but she married the brother of a good friend of ours (whose wife also has a great blog!) and we all went to church together in Nashville, so I got to know her for real :) As you will read from her blogs, she is creative, hilarious, and just all-around precious. Thanks for the wonderful ideas and encouragement, Laura Beth! Check her out!

Courage

I wish I'd written this post myself!

Christmas linkage

Here are links to some moms' favorite toy ideas...and also just a great blog.

Prayers for our children...

There is a great post here about praying for our children. I'm taking the challenge!!

My prayer for today

I started "Living Beyond Yourself" by Beth Moore today FOR THE 3RD TIME(edited to add: I have not yet completed the study...the key here is that I have STARTED it 3 times now). God has already spoken to me on DAY ONE through this study in a new and fresh way (FOR THE 3RD TIME). In a worldly sense, this week is possibly the worst ever, with Gerald's funeral just behind us and the 2nd anniversary of Ruby's death looming before us. Yet somehow it is already one of the most precious of my life. Experiencing God's faithfulness after losing Ruby, I am waiting in almost eager anticipation of what God will do now through yet another trial.

Lest it appear that I "have it together" in any way, shape or form, I'll confess that my baby is screaming in his bed and I am ignoring him to blog. Jack may or may not be eating ham straight out of the refrigerator. I just had to share the conversation (initiated through the homework from the Bible study) I had with God a few minutes ago...please read the link. I am amazed and thankful that He speaks so clearly, even through this here internet.

Lord,
Alter me from the inside out. Manifest the character of Jesus genuinely in my everyday life.
Melanie

Melanie,
I AM. Here's what I ask of you:
1. Be honest.
2. Dig deep.
3. Get serious.
4. Try harder.
5. Fall apart so I can piece you back together.
God

Wonder what Jack is up to?

You can find out here and here!

Oh so very blessed

Would you just read what my precious mother has to say about my precious husband? Yes, you have every right to be jealous of me on BOTH counts. Life is good.

Where is Luke?

Still fattening up in here, I assume. I go tomorrow (Fri) for an ultrasound to make sure things are still going well in there. As long as they are, the plan is to keep waiting.

Since I'm now too lazy to blog anything remotely interesting, even about my kids, you can read about what they've been up to at mygrandkidsdani.blogspot.com . Thanks, Mom!

And here's another link for you...over at Rocks In My Dryer, WOW music is giving away TWENTY boxed sets of 17 CDs from the artist on the WOW Hits 1 album. That's a lot o music.

And that's all the linkiness I have for today.

Peaceful weekend

The grandmas (and grandpas, too, I guess) gave me a wonderful gift this Memorial Day weekend...they took all three kids home with them! My parents got back into town late Fri night/early Sat morning! Yah-hoo! Jared drove the kids to BG Saturday afternoon and Jack and Maddy stayed with his folks and Noah got his "own" visit with Dani and Poppi. You can read here and here about what was going on in BG while Jared and I had the house to ourselves here. There was much dining out, visiting with friends, and elevating of the extremely swollen feet (that last one was just me). We did purchase some bookshelves for the living room from craigslist, but other than that, we did not do much productive. That's not true: a weekend to actually converse with my husband without interruption from kids was very productive! Our anniversary was yesterday, so we ate out Saturday night for our "anniversary" meal at Rafferty's and I actually ate ribs! Not a meal that can be eaten with kids present, since I make my own big mess...so it was a nice change. We laughed at my general largeness and the fact that waiters and people wherever I go either comment on my poor swollen feet, make some comment alluding to the fact that surely I must be WAY overdue, or sympathetically offer some kind of help or special treatment I would not normally be offered. Jared commented that people were going to think he must be a really great guy to be taking this poor unwed mother to dinner, since I wasn't wearing my wedding ring (thank you, swollen fingers) AND we were talking and laughing and having way too much fun to be the old married couple that we are! We did have an especially good time together.

I know the next few weeks will be very difficult, adjusting to a big change in our life, not sleeping well, etc, but I am so thankful for the husband God has given me. I would not want, nor could I imagine, living this life without him by my side. While putting books on the new-to-us bookshelves, I came across our workbooks from the "Dynamic Marriage" course we took a few years ago. Reading our thoughts back then, I realize how far we've come as a couple and a family. Not that we don't have a LONG way to go, but I am SO GRATEFUL, so humbled, so amazed at how God has brought us so much closer, especially the past year and a half, since Ruby died. In reliving those emotions through other peoples' recent tragedies, I've been so reminded once again of how easy it would have been for Satan to drive a huge wedge between us, and how GRATEFUL I am for a husband who did not busy himself with work, or find excuses to be away from home, or worse, but instead dealt with his grief WITH ME, by my side, loving our kids, talking to them when all I could do was cry and hold them, pouring himself out to God...and doing the same FOR me when I could not even do that for myself. He was my earthly rock, because he was leaning fully on the only true Rock. He bridged the gap for me, when I could not form a coherent sentence or even bear to cry out to God myself, in those early weeks when I was doing well to remember to breathe. I don't know that I will ever be able to fully thank him or express to him how much he means to me. Even saying that sounds so cliché and falls so far short of what I feel.

Well, Maddy is now having a turn at Dani's and Poppi's and I hear she's sewing her first dress. Of course it's a "water fairy" dress (your guess is as good as mine) because she is a water fairy. I'll be sure to post pictures or link to Mom's if she does.

They're also keeping Libby, the Boston Terrier, while David and Maggie are on vacation, so Maddy was excited to share that they have Poppi outnumbered 3 to 1, while I suffer here outnumbered by the boys 3 (almost 4!) to 1.

I guess that's all the random thoughts I have for now. Still no more progress on the baby front, but I appreciate your prayers for baby Luke's quick and safe arrival!

You should read this...

...here. It is THAT good.

Unimaginable

My heart and prayers go out to the Chapman family. Maria was in preschool with several friends' children, one in particular whose daughter was one of her best friends. Please pray for the Chapman family in this unimaginable time. You can go here to let them know you are praying for them.

Messy = Busy (Potato = Potahto)

**I hope anyone who reads this knows that my kitchen WOULD look constantly like this FOR NO GOOD REASON (as opposed to Maggie, who was doing a catering job) if I had access to this many pots/pans/dishes! Hers at least looks pretty and shiny (in a great looking kitchen), with all the stainless steel...mine is plastic cups and plates (and ugly countertops) which is why I will NOT be posting my mess! I love you, Maggie Jean!**

Here's a great post from my sis (in-law) Maggie...she's blogging daily in May, so check her out!

The post fits in with the recent laundry/paper piles we've been sharing. I wish I had that many dishes to dirty up! Don't miss the great recipes she shares in the post!!

There's also a cute picture of Liberty Gretel White "Libby", their Boston Terrier who lived at our house growing up. We're so thankful she's found such a loving home with David and Maggie. Libby's deaf, blind, has arthritis and the worst case of halitosis I've ever smelled (despite her caregiver's best efforts!), but they love her and care for her daily. Thanks guys, I couldn't have done it!!

Yep, he's "interesting" alright...

For even more evidence of just how strange my children (named Jack) are, go here.

Read this.

You need to read this. Okay, I needed to read this. Whether or not you have losses like this in common with her, the last 2/3 say so much of what is stewing around in my brain that I lack the communication skills to coherently think, much less convey in words.

http://conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com/2008/04/fine-line.html

This is HI-larious!

Mom's surgery recovery

I'm such a bad daughter! My mom had surgery a week ago yesterday and I didn't even mention it on here! I talked to her in real life and even went to visit the next day, but I can't believe I forgot to blog a prayer request...Anyway, she's doing great and you can see her post on it here. Some of you GWP folks may have known, so I thank you for your prayers. Also, please keep the Whites in your prayers as Dad prepares to return to Honduras for the start of another academic year at Baxter. I haven't heard dates yet, but I think he will go back next week and mom will wait and go a week or so after that. And of course prayers for Baxter, the clinic, and everyone involved and touched by that ministry are always appreciated! It is a great work. You can find out more from Mom's Honduras blog or the Association Amicus (Baxter Institute/JMA Clinic) website.

Ruby link

My mom published her poem to her glory-grandbaby Ruby on her blog. Just wanted to share the link because it's a very precious post. I have also been thinking about her a lot...well, I always do, but a little differently I guess since being pregnant again. I still love and treasure the verse at the top of the blog. It means even more now as I realize how perfect God's timing is. I found/He showed that verse BEFORE Blueberry came along, BEFORE we'd even "decided" to "try" for another baby. And I am so thankful that He gave me that peace and joy in HIM ALONE, and not just because I was pregnant again. That peace was a lot of the reason we decided we could take another chance and know we'd be okay. Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble, but I'm just so touched by Mom's message and her honesty and encouragement. I'm so thankful for her! And for each of you.