Cutie Pie

This is Sarah's first Pigtails!

See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Do No Evil

I love this first Picture!!! They did that on their own!!!


This is Sarah's first girl playdate. My friends Anna and Kelly came to Smithville and brought their precious little girls Reagan and Anna to play. I am not sure who had more fun...the mommies or the babies! Anna and I used to live on the same street growing up and have always loved babies! Now we have our OWN!!!! We HAD to do a few pics!

Fun at the Golf Course

One day when Mark was off of work on a Thursday we surprised Luke and took him to the golfing range after preschool! Sarah and I enjoyed the beautiful sunshine.

Dandylion Prince and Princess

They REALLY love each other!

This is a photo shoot from Sunday! Luke goes for the bow and Sarah goes for the toes!! (Sorry I can't figure out how to rotate the pics.)

Birthday trip to Atlanta

These are some highlights of Mark's birthday celebration in Atlanta. Sorry I don't have any pics of him and Justin playing golf at Stone Mountain. We stayed in the Westin in downtown and the view was amazing even though they had a lot of tornado damage some a few weeks ago. The kids favorite part of the trip was the Children's Museum. Luke got to drive a forklift and a crane, play trains, fish, and tons more!!!
Thanks to Jane Howell for letting all of Smithville know it was Mark's 3-0!

30 Years of Undeserved Faithfulness

Today is the day. April 9, 1978 I was born. That was 30 years ago. This is my brief reflection on 30 years of undeserved faithfulness.

Many people never make it to 30. Many are aborted without even being given a chance. Many die in childhood of horrendous diseases b/c they don't even have access to clean water. Many die of tragic car accidents and the like in their teens and twenties...and yet none of this has been remotely close to me. Undeserved faithfulness.

I am no different than these who die before thirty. I was born in the United States of America. What did I do to deserve that? Nothing. It is a blessing undeserved. It is also a great responsibility.

I have wonderful parents. My mom and dad worked hard to raise me right. They loved me and gave me opportunities. They stayed married even through tough times. They didn't quit. And for all of this I am the one who is greatly blessed. Undeserved faithfulness.

I have a sister that I got in some good fights with as a kid. We had a lot of fun together. She is as blessed as I am, and now she is a wonderful and gracious young woman. Undeserved faithfulness.

I have a beautiful and wonderful wife who never quits loving me and serving me. I cannot figure this out. Even when I am the hardest person in the world to love and get along with, she is continually faithful to me. She is a godly wife and mother full of patience and kindness. We're moving towards our 7th anniversary this summer. Undeserved faithfulness.

I have two beautiful children who are healthy and full of life (see pictures in other blog entries). They bring joy upon joy into my life. They teach me the lessons of God in a real and tangible way. They allow me the great pleasure of bearing the title, "father." You can never get tired of hearing the word "daddy" energetically yelled out as you enter the door coming home from work. Undeserved faithfulness.

I have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Sovereign Lord of the universe. Undeserved faithfulness in its fullest expression...that he would choose to redeem me, his enemy...that he would choose to do so by dying a brutal death...that he would continue in faithfulness to me as I daily continue in my struggle against sin. As I read Romans 9 this morning I am reminded that I was not saved b/c of something in me that was smart enough or was able to make the right decision to choose Christ. No I was saved by the mercy of God. Pure grace. Purely undeserved.

Here I sit, April 9, 2008. The words "undeserved faithfulness" perfectly describe my life.

Thank you mom. Thank you dad. Thank you sis. Thank you Em. Thank you Luke. Thank you Sarah. Thank you Lord Jesus.

May I live a life full of gratitude.

Watch me Grow Easter Pics of Luke

Here is how much our Bubba has grown over the past 3 Easters.

Sidebar Update

I've added a new app on the sidebar. It profiles a people group that is vastly unreached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It updates everyday with a different unreached people group that you can pray for. Scroll down to it.

Sarah's First taste of Food

Are you sure you want m eto do this?

OK, I'll try!
Why are you taking my picture NOW!!



YUK!!!











Sarah had her first taste of food on her 6 month birthday. I think the pictures say it all!!!

Spring Pics of Sarah

Sarah is 6 months old now! Wow, how time has flown! She is still as sweet as a strawberry pie! It is so heartwarming to see her and Luke interact. He kisses her and she can't take her eyes off of him. Some of her milestones lately are sitting up alone, blowing rasberries (especially during church), eating cereal, yo-baby, sweet potatos, and apples,(she hated peas!!), splashing water everywhere during her baths, and she cut her 1st two teeth on the bottom! I hope you enjoy these spring pictures. I can already tell I'm gonna LOVE dressing Sarah in her little sweet dresses this season! Let's hope it warms up and stays that way!

Fun with Mema and Papa in Pigeon Forge

At the beginning of the month we enjoyed a week with Mema and Papa in Pigeon Forge. It was the week of Mark's spring sabatical and mom's spring break. The first 2 days we stayed in an awesome cabin so Mark could stay with us but still have a quiet place to go away and study. Then Mark left to be by himself at Camp Carson Springs and the rest of us stayed in a condo the rest of the week. At the cabin we enjoyed the 2 wrap around porches, pool table, and hot tubs! When we stayed at the condo we enjoyed the FREE mini putt-putt course and the indoor pool! Luke's most favorite thing the whole week was the Ripley's Believe it or Not Farm Mini putt-putt. He made a few hole-in-one putts!

Bye! Bye! Paci!!!

Luke has made another huge leap towards being an independent Big Boy!! He selflessly gave his pacifers to his 2 newest friends Carsyn and Cooper (who we will offically meet in May.) Luke and Mark went around the house and found all of the pacies. Then we wrapped them up and hand delivered the most precious possessions he has ever owned!! He was timid when we got to Carsyn's house but he gave them up!! Yea!!! The next week was VERY HARD on all of us! He would pick up my cell phone and pretend to talk to Carsyn and say "Baby Carsyn..I need my pacies back please! " To celebrate his accomplishment we took him Glow-Golf at Opry Mills. It was lots of fun! Everything is better now! Now all we have left to conquer is Potty training!! Heaven Help us!

Fun Day with Grandpa and Mamsie

We had a wonderfully wet day exploring the aquarium in Chattanooga. The penguins were so cute and my favorite thing is always the butterfly garden. Luke liked the 1st 5 mins. of the IMax but then he chose to sleep the rest of the movie! It always good to spend time w/ grandpa and Mamsie, too!

Catch up

Well, a lot has happened since I posted last time. We have given away Luke's pacifers, played in the snow, gone to the aquarium and Pigeon Forge, and enjoyed the first few glimpses of Spring. So now I get to play catch up!! (If only I could catch-up on some much needed sleep!!! But, the stomach bug and Sarah's 2 new teeth won't allow that right now!)

Snow Day

Sweetness

When was the last time you saw a graphic like this headlining on the home page at ESPN.com???

Dozers and snorts and Cranes! Oh my!

Luke loves to go the church and watch them as they are building our new Life Enrichment Center! We call him eagle-eye because he can spot construction equipment a mile away!

The cutest thing ever!!!

Is this not the cutest thing you have seen all day?

Day at the Park

We enjoyed a day at the park with Daddy on his day off last week!