sneak preview

Momma and the puppy dogs!

Ok, just laugh!

Two pictures with momma...thanks Mick!Our little doggy

The balance beam with Daddy
Slide....Micah's favorite!

Micah and two of his gymnastic friends...we were missing his a few of his buddies.

Tonight was gymnastics night for Micahbird. They were allowed to dress up. I was going to put him in his actual harvest party costume, but it is quite cumbersome. I remembered I had an old dog costume Hayden used to play in that I got at Kohl's for 3 dollars. You know Kohl's, always a sale, always. So I dug it out and it fit. I didn't really like it but Mick thought it was cute. We settled for our little puppy dog and Micah loved wearing it around the yard and at gymnastics. I guess I didn't like it as much because I had seen him in his real costume and it is so stinkin cute. (to his momma anyways) Friday we are having a harvest party (halloween scares me so I say harvest) and he will debut his costume then. We've done the trunk or treat, mall walk and others and the party at our house is just so much easier! I know you just can't wait to see our birdie and what costume could be cuter than the dog. Well maybe just Jenny and Nana are awaiting it!

Disclaimer: I always thought that once I had children I would not celebrate Halloween, because it is scary and all that it entails. But then I had a child and realized that it is what you make it...and we are making it a fun time to fellowship with friends at our house. We are making it just dress up and eat up and take lots of pictures. We don't go all spooky we just do harvesty things and I hope to in the future use the party as a precursor to thanksgiving. Starting off a season of thankfulness and eventually when the kiddos are older have crafts that involve getting our minds set towards gratitude. Just some random thoughts I thought I would put out there.

if dead people are voting, so should micah!

I am only teasing. Micah and I went to vote today since we knew next week could take forever. It was an adventure to say the least. The nice people in line let me go back and get the stroller after about 10 minutes of watching Micah in action. Then, thank you Jesus, for those of you that live far from family this will seem crazy, but in walked Nana and Pops, they didn't want to wait but I flagged Nana down and she immediately took Micah home with her. The people in line liked that idea even better than the stroller. The line died down quite a bit after I left so I sent Mick's parents back up to vote and it only took them 25 minutes. It took me about an hour total. Definitely better than it could have been. So the thing in Ga. is that alot of dead people are registering and voting...hmmm. I just hope they are voting for the right candidate. This picture is taken by Nana, once Micah saw he had a way out he was determined to work it til he was on his way out the door. (Notice how happy everyone in line is...I am the only one even remotely smiling:))

enough

I have tried to limit this blog to the fun part of our life recently and not bog it down with the hard. But such is life and God is continuing to refine me through circumstances with my sister. Things with my sister continue to be hard. She is still at a halfway house and is still sober. (as far as I know). But after much prayer and angst a week ago I gave her options for the future in realizing that the place we had paid for was not going to work for her long term...she needs more intensive treatment. To summarize a long story she didn't like my choices and let me know it. We haven't talked since. Yesterday she has taken a turn of doing some vindictive and hurtful things specifically to me and I am filled with both hurt and anger. I will leave it at that, probably already saying too much. All I know is that I am doing what I think is right and focusing on the Lord. I know that no matter what He is enough for me and I don't have to have others acceptance or to justify myself to them...oh how I want to though. But God is more than enough for me and I have to remember He is still in control and on the throne. Just please pray for my sister and peace for my heart in knowing what is right and sticking to it; believing that God is enough no matter what the cost of serving Him.

Our Busy Pictureless Weekend

So we had a very busy and fun weekend, but I didn't take any pictures. Most likely because I actually wasn't with Micah for the majority of it. Friday night we had some much needed family time since this was our first weekend without the softball games. Micah was really well behaved and so loves having Mick home. So do I, for so many reasons. Then on Saturday the boys slept way in! 9:00! While I made breakfast and got ready for our day trip. I was playing tennis in the playoffs and Mick was coming to watch while Micah stayed all day with Nana so that we could go to dinner too. We played at a country club outside of Atlanta...I wont name names because I think they are still looking for the ladies from Dville who ate all their food, drank all their beer(not me), and took all their prepasted toothbrushes(ok, I took two). This place was what you call swanky so us country folk were pretty silly there. We won our match and our last team on the courts pulled us through to win the whole thing. I then took a shower in their bathroom with their nice soft towels and then we headed to shop and dinner. We had dinner at a place called Seasons 52 that has all fresh food according to the seasons. It was delicious and healthy, yeah for us! Then we got home and picked up the bird who then screamed bloody murder for an hour and a half...who knows why other than the fact that he wasn't with his Nana and Pops anymore who take care of his every want and want and want...Thanks Nana and Pops, seriously though! After he finally went to bed Mick and I both weren't sure our date was worth it, but we had it nonetheless. Then today more tennis to which we went three sets but lost it in the third! So at least we now have our weekends without any sports at all, one day we'll make it to the city finals I just know it! Also our internet is only working when Micah is awake. So I usually post during his nap or in the mornings...it hasn't been cooperating lately so we'll see if this week is any different.

we got m-peed instead of tee-peed...

Every year the softball girls roll our yard in some shape or fashion and this year was not exception...

Micah and I woke up yesterday morning to a yard full of maxi pads...(by far the largest I have ever seen), granny panties, tighty whitey's, pinwheels? and a web of yarn! We don't really have any substantial trees in our yard, or neighborhood for that matter. So the girls have always had to get creative. This year they definitely get the award for most unique. The maxipads were no joke bigger than anything I have ever seen. Even the things they send you home from the hospital with after you birth a child. The senior girls plastered the gargantuoious pads all over our yard and put lots of other stuff out. Micah thought it was quite cool. He was dissapointed today when we went out and Mick had cleaned it up. This is a picture of Micah after he woke up and said "oh no" then he got tangled up in yarn web.

So sad...for the girls...not for Micah and I

There is alot of this going on through the fall months. Daddy on a bucket Micah watching him...
Oh for the love, could I please get one cute picture with my son!...also notice the stroller behind me, this is how you pack for a day at the ballfield. I will say I have learned to be prepared!
Nana and Pops got this sweatshirt for Micah before he was born and he finally fits into it.

So Mick's team lost yesterday. They played really well and tried really hard. They won the first game but lost the second...so that meant they had to win three in a row and they couldn't quite put them all together. They lost to a really great team though. It was sad, especially for the senior girls who are just really great girls. This team has had such great character and been soo good with Micah. They have really made it fun for him, and therefore me. So we are sad, but Mick arrived home today at 400 instead of 10 so that is why we arent so sad! I am so excited about a few weeks with a helper. Baseball season is a little distance away so hopefully we will be able to have some family time now.

Our Bay...and the invisible Charlee Ray

How can she smile like that, and then take the picture below with me? Silly girl!

We got some cute pictures of our niece Bay while we were gone, but Charlee Ray wanted nothing to do with the picture taking so there is no documentation of her. Poor second child. Seriously Bay is still hilarious and loves to be in charge of Micah and he loves her...except this weekend she kept wanting to hold him and he wasn't big on that(see the first pic). She sings him the itsy bitsy spider and he loves it! He just sits mesmerized by her. Bay is getting so grown up I can hardly pick her up anymore. It happened so fast and I know it will with Micah too, I just want to push the pause button for a little while. And other times I want to hit fast forward:) But here are our cuties!

headed south...

It was an interesting weekend. I packed and unpacked Micah and I's bags three times. Mick was supposed to have the sectionals for softball this weekend and we were going to stay close to Lovejoy Park. But they got canceled three separate times. Mick actually drove out there twice to no avail. While that was frustrating we did get to take a very quick trip down south to see Mick's family and some beautiful weather. Unfortunately I had to play tennis so we had to come home Sunday morning. We stayed on Lake Blackshear and it was awesome. We are determined to go a stay a few nights since it is so nice and beautiful. Mick even went on a run with me and that was one of the highlights of the trip for me. This post is all over the place so sorry for that I am waiting on bird to wake up so that we can now make what we hope to be our final trek to Lovejoy. If Mick's team wins then we would advance to the state! And my tennis team is in 2nd place too so we advance to the playoffs next weekend. Which means if Mick's team advances I might not get to play. We shall see...

I tried to be artsy fartsy with some pictures, like I said it was too beautiful not to...but they didn't turn out quite like I hoped. I will post more of Micah and his Bay when I can...

Bird the Builder

Nana and Pops have been out of town for a few days so when they got back they brought Micah some goodies (of course). So one thing was this tool belt. Micah loves it and wore it all afternoon. He was so cute in it.

I haven't shared alot about what Micah is up to lately, for my records so I am going to do that now:

Micah took a hiatus from the whole tee teeing in the potty thing. But he is back to it now, he went for a really long time today...he usually just barely tee tees then is so excited about it he can't go anymore!

He is talking up a storm..repeating everything I say. I was telling Mick about a conversation with my sister and abridging some parts with "bla bla bla", Micah then looked at me saying, of course, bla bla bla.

He can now point to almost all his body parts and name them. Cheek is the funniest one other than his man part of course.

He can tell you how old he is...but that is also the answer to what is your name? for some reason. He also thinks and says he is "number one" not just one.

He loves to dance and imitate funny things that we do...our favorite right now is we say "karat-ey" and he does a funny karate stance.

Every morning when we go out to run he reminds me to "stretch" then spreads his stumpy legs and puts his head on the floor to touch his toes.

Ok, I guess that is enough for now.

warrior

So I thought I was going to save this post for my other blog...but then I thought that since the Lord shared it with me I would share with as many people as I could. Most of you know that the situation with my sister is worsening and yesterday was not a good day. Every time I get the least bit comfortable with the situation some kind of turmoil happened. Bottom line she needs to be somewhere in residential treatment. Yesterday morning she called me to communicate that, but then by last night it had become all my fault that she would be going somewhere like that and she was refusing to go. I lay in bed this morning crying out to God with sheer confusion. The verse "Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything in prayer and supplication present your requests to the Lord." (the stephanie version) So I started praying. Then I got up to do my quiet time. I began reading and it was on the Lord being our warrior and fighting for us. It was also about how satan convinces women especially that we are weak and are not warriors. But God says we are...in the book it went verse after verse reminding me of truth that I so needed to hear:
1 Peter 5:8
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 John 4:4
...greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
ephesians 6:10-13
about the full armor of God
I say all this because I don't know about you but so often I forget we are still in battle with satan here on earth. It shouldn't be a mystery why things are hard or confusing, but I forget. The other part I forget is that God has already won our battle and if we rest in Him and go to Him as our warrior then we have strength beyond belief. So that is what I am praying for today, and I would ask that you do the same. satan is trying to overtake this situation with my sister and I can't let him.
I wanted to leave the last part of the chapter I am reading in "Captivating"
"Let us say it again. Your life is a Love Story set in the midst of a life-and-death battle. The beauty, the adventure, the intimacy - they are what are most real. But it is a battle to gain them and a battle to keep them. A battle for your own heart and a battle for the hearts around you. 'The LORD is a warrior,; the Lord is His name' Ex 15:3 Jesus fights on your behalf and on behalf of those you love. He asks you to join him.

God is so amazing that this was just what I needed to hear. This battle for my sister isn't mine alone...it is the Lord's and I am asking Him to fight on my behalf because on my own I have grown SO weary. Again, thank you for praying and please pray that today satan would back off so that the Lord's plan can be clear and true.

stolen

So now when you look at my own pictures below they wont be near as good. But I stole these pictures off of Suzie's blog so that I could have them too! Thanks so much to a great photographer.

Pumpkin Patch

The winner!
walking with Daddy
Riding the punkin
Aunt Amy and Pax
so strong!

Micah and the piggies
and the goats...
and the pumpkins
Pax and his field of dreams
buddies

Just the boy and his pumpkin
Tractor ride...Micah attempted to pull the clutch out I think...
Hay ride
Not exactly the world's greatest cornmaze:)



Yesterday was the first day in a long time that I just had a good day. I praise Jesus for it. You take for granted how good and simple life is when it is going well. But after turmoil and chaos a good day with family and friends was so nice. I found myself at lunch almost in tears with thankfulness for the grace and mercy God gives us to have days like that. We slept in...then got ready to go to a local pumpkin patch in Villa Rica. The pumpkin patch was run by a bunch of people at an rv park so it was interesting to say the least. But we bought one big punkin and two small all for 9 bucks. Quite a deal for the fun we had with Micah and friends. We had some family time playing and walking around. Then Amy, Val, Suzie and Paxton came. We went on a hayride picked out pumpkins and took ALOT of pictures. Micah got to pet pigs and goats too. He had a blast. Then we went to lunch at Gabe's; one of our favorite places. Micah was so worn out again and fell asleep on the way home. I got my nails done while he napped then Mick and I went to a wedding and got dessert at Longhorn's by ourselves. Thanks to Jenny and Budda for watching Micah bird. I will take a day like that anyday.

Second Place

So Mick's softball girls ended up finishing 2nd in their region late on Friday night. Micah and I made the over an hour trek to watch the girls play 3 games. They finally lost to another team 1-0 at about 1030. After I gave Micah a bath in the ballfield sink we headed home. I was exhausted and so was Micah. He slept til 9:30 the next morning!!! That has never happened. We had fun at the ballfield and Micah loved cheering for the girls. Next is the sectional round for the state next weekend. If they finish in the top four there then they go to Columbus for the state playoffs. We haven't been to the state since before we were married. When Mick's team finished 2nd in the whole state. This group of girls is good and we have mixed emotions as to whether they win or not. We like to see them win...but Micah and I also know that is one more week without Mick. So it works out nicely either way, we are excited!

destin divas...

The guest of honor, Michele and I, making our signature face...don't ask!
The grandma's and the babies plus Nancy...
The next generation of mamma's and our sweet Hayden of course
Best friends since birth
All the Diva's and the babies

the crew...the friends...the group..we have all sorts of names for this group of friends.

We have been blessed that my parents have always had a really good set of friends. There is a group of them that have been friends since before we were born. Unfortunately one member of the group...the Robson's moved far away...silly guys. So they came into town last night and we all went to Taco Mac to meet and visit with them. Mick was at the ball field of course so Micah and I went by ourselves. Thank you Jesus, Micah was pretty good, and I got to eat my dinner, I think.



On another note, for the last two nights Micah has gone crazy at bedtime. Usually I take him in, get blankies, pray to Jesus, sing three songs and then lay him down. He does his own thing til he is ready to go to sleep. BUT the last two nights he has screamed the whole time after I put him down and even some while I am in there. His bedtime is late...10 oclock ...as it is and with this fight he is putting up it makes it 11. An exhausting night for Mick and I both. Any thoughts...