Life

I have learned so much about my personality lately. I just went back and read some of my old blog posts. I was so happy and upbeat and excited about everything! Sometimes I think life just runs you a little ragged and joy gets put on the back burner. We have been investigating day care facilities lately and its just been an emotional mess for me! I was worried about putting her in, but when I went to visit a few places, they look like fun! So, now Im great with her being in day care. However, day care is EXPENSIVE. Wow. So, I have gotten totally overwhelmed and let myself get stressed to the max and I've just sucked the joy out of everything lately.
I pleaded with God to speak to me this morning. And low and behold, He did! Not audibly today, but through the voice of his servants... all day long. An email this morning that just rocked my world, a conversation with mom that was just of the best kind, a hopeful phone call from a friend that is fighting for me in motherhood, a picture from my husband, coming through just when I need him.
I have so much to be thankful for... topping that list, her.

8 months ago, I was praying for God to just give us one day at a time with her. Wow. He's given us 8 months in which everyday has been overflowing compared to the last! What a blessing! 

I recommitted myself to just TRUST God today. Sometime's that's a tough thing for me to do because I think I should have this supernatural ability to see into the future so I can plan for it. Sometimes I can't stand my personality. It's so annoying. God reminded me today that HE IS TRUSTWORTHY. And when I seek Him, I will find Him! He is not hiding! He is not far off! He is just waiting on me to come to Him and talk with Him! Today I am renewed and refreshed and re-amazed that God is exactly who He always has been... an ever present help when we are in need. Today I lay down all of my worry and rejoice in God for being God. Huge. Awesome. Constant. Ever Present. He amazes me. I am so very thankful. 

Beautiful

Post on graceful parenting. I cried... Im an emotional mess, but I cried non-the-less!

Click here to read.

Love all you momma's out there...

Ants in her pants

and she likes to dance! We've figured out dancing and she does it all the time now! She seems to have rhythm which she must've gotten from dad! She dances to anything with a beat i.e. the rhythm of me brushing my teeth, the horrible rap song she heard at the ghetto park I took her to this weekend, everything!
Here she is giving you a little taste but then she gets distracted by pulling the camera strap! I love her!

ants in my pants from Taylor Lane on Vimeo.

Colorado Visits Mississippi

Fun Uncle Barry and his wife Doreen came to visit last weekend for Uncle Barry's high school class reunion. We are only able to see Barry and Doreen once per year so there was no way we were missing our chance! Most of the family was able to all meet at Din Din's for lunch on Saturday afternoon to catch up! It was so great seeing them! Once a year is NOT enough! As close as we all live to each other, it's a shame we don't see each other more. My family is so funny and they always keep me entertained! I love them and wish we were able to get together more often! Here are a few pictures from our visit!

Din Din and London

Precious Hollis- my cousin Katie's beautiful child! He is just perfect! He's 364 days older than London. I can't believe she'll be that big so quickly! 

My cousin Katie with London and my other cousin Andy's girlfriend, Bethany... who is a sweetheart!

Uncle Barry and Aunt Doreen! We love them! 

So good to see you guys! Please come back soon! London wanted me to tell you she loves you and was thrilled to finally meet you! :)

Overbooked

We always love our summers because its our slow season... Serenity comes to live with us for the summer and we LOVE it! We vow to stay off the road and just enjoy our time with her! During the school year she moves back and we all turn into road warriors again. Last weekend was one of our weekends and we just honestly packed too much in. We were all tired and worn thin by the time we got home. I threw my back out somehow and it took a week to recover from just trying to do too much. (How old are we?!?)

Don't get me wrong, our weekend was AWESOME! London and I spent Friday night with my best friend Tara, then Saturday we went to a baptism and brunch for Brad, Sophie, and baby Ella (couple best friends) then had a date night with Brad, Sophie and another best, Leslie. Sunday was church for Powers then visit with another friend and a super quick trip to the fair while i visited my old roomie- best ever- Georgia. Whew. We packed it all in! And somewhere in there we had just a minute to visit with my in laws and serenity! I don't think we'll try that again anytime soon, but it was GREAT to see all of our old friends! They are so loyal and irreplaceable! I love them all!

Here are a few pictures from the 10 minutes we were actually in the house!

Smells Like Holy Spirit

Chris Harris, Pastor of Clearwater Community Church wrote this blog post this morning and I LOVED it. What beautiful, sensual insight.

Smells Like Holy Spirit

The human body has five senses. None is more potent than the sense of smell. Ralph Lauren or Polo becomes reminiscent of my old high school "glory days" and conjures memories of once familiar, now faded faces...think I'll Facebook 'em. The scent of freshly cut grass calls to mind football in the fall...and the whiff of the sea breeze takes me back to the family's first spring vacation at the beach. So when Paul writes, "...we are the aroma of Christ..." I have to wonder what I smell like to those around me. Of course, I know that t is not my job to get people saved or transform the human heart. No. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. My role is to be aromatic with His love...to become a puff of incense that fills the the heart with a desire to taste and see that the Lord is good. Let this be my pursuit...my longing. But know this foolish heart of mine. I cannot fill my mind with garbage and become the "aroma of Christ". Garbage smells like garbage. If I want to have the scent of a rose, I must pursue the Rose of Sharon. Today is a good day to freshen my breath as I exhale my sin and inhale my Savior...let my heart beat in cadence with His...and become His sweet, sweet scent..."among those who are being saved and among those who are pershing."

little precious words

One of my very favorite things: our morning routine. Every morning when I go get precious out of bed, I am greeted by a huge smile and a wild woman kick session! We get up, still glossy eyed, until she sees the picture of herself on the wall and she starts jumping and slapping my back (a little vanity but its still adorable at this age!), we go back and crawl into bed to eat and when she's done, she lays in bed with us and vocalizes. Right now is super fun because she is starting to say her 'DaDa's'. She doesn't know yet that it means Powers, but she's starting with the word and I love it! I can hardly believe she's old enough to start saying WORDS. That seems so HUGE to me! Words! Then phrases... then sentences... it's all too overwhelming!

She has also found the craftmanship of a little temper tantrum! Yesterday I took a toy away from her and she blasted a scream from the depths of her being! It was a good one! She is generally our precious little girl, but I can see some need for good parenting in our near future! Im sure it has nothing to do with the fact that I spoil her rotten, right?!?

I have pictures from our weekend with Renny to post and will have new pictures of our visit with my great, fun uncle Barry coming too! He and his wife will be visiting from Colorado this weekend and we are super excited to see them! 

Weekend at the Park

Woo hoo! Booper came to visit last weekend! I know she gladly came to see the grandkids, but i think she also heard that something in my voice that just said, 'i need you to come, momma!' She's good at hearing that even when Im saying 'London can't wait to see you!' Plus, Elizabeth flipped out (in excitement) when she heard Booper was coming so that sealed the deal for sure! We just spent the day running errands and then we went to the park. So fun!

Booper came home to get a few bath pictures of londie lu lu before she left town.. here she is right before she took the plunge...

 Pretty little child of mine! 

 Here's london before church on Sunday... how cute is this outfit? Tights and a blue jean skirt (thanks, Stephanie!! Its precious on her!) It was our first really cool day so we had to bundle up a little!

We loved having Booper visit and we'll take her everyday, I mean anytime! We love you so very much! Thank you for coming, momma! 

What were up to these days

London has been sitting up by herself for about a month now and is good to go... just plop her down and let her play! She's great at it! Still no crawling but we've got rolling all over the place down to a science. She's in the 'I want that so Ill roll until I get to it' phase. I love it! I've been trying to take more pictures, none of which are good, but I've slacked as she's gotten more mobile and I don't want to miss anything. We're going for quantity over quality because I have a hard time with quality pictures right this second.... and probably for the next 2 years... 

We still love swinging! Sorry these are horrible but it's hard to swing and take pictures all by myself! These were cute of her but I only caught half her head in the pictures! 

This one gets more precious everytime I see her! She is so much fun!

 Check out the hair do! She has really fine hair that sticks straight up when she swings! Ha!

Has this become the London only blog? I promise to take tons of pics of the other kids this weekend also! Booper's coming to visit and CHARLEY will be with us! HOOOORAY!