The Pack Pack's here

And it's just as adorable as I was hoping it would be!!

(Phone Pictures- bad quality!)

She doesn't love it yet... every time we put it on she lifts her arms up for me to take it off, but she'll get there! :) 

My favorite thing that she's been doing for a while now but I keep forgetting to blog about it. Every morning/night when we take off/put on her pajamas, we say 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzzip!' as were unzipping/zipping her pj's. She likes it and says 'eyyyyyyyyyyyip!' to copy us! It is so cute! Eat her up!

Call to action

I have had a stirring lately. I can feel it. God calling me back home. Not that I've been horribly off course, but I haven't been 10 & 2 like he wants me. But as always, he never gives up, and lately I've heard him calling me home. This time though, I can hear the specifics. The 'I want you in my WORD. I want you to KNOW my stories. I want you to GIVE. I want you to not FEAR. ' I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God wants me to spend this time in preparation. Missions is heavy on my heart. I am ready. I have been ready, but I've been scared. But my heart knows it is time to prepare. To pray. To research. To be willing. I don't have a resounding 'missions abroad' vision, however, that may be where he's calling me. I've always felt a strong local calling. Maybe that's from growing up in my house where my mom was always opening her hands, abilities, heart, time, and pocketbook to anyone around her that could use some encouragement, money, food, shelter, clothing. She has a heart to care and love for her community. I can only hope this is hereditary!

Here is my confession: I live in constant fear. This is the obstacle that I struggle with the most in my walk of faith. I am used to having everything that I want (key word) and am so grateful for that.. and for my parents hard work their whole lives. The last few years have definitely been spent in the season of need. Only what is needed. Asking for batteries and lightbulbs for Christmas because anything outside of our needs seems... unnecessary. I have gotten familiar in this lifestyle and ultimately it has molded me so much. I am conscious of what we spend. I'm always looking for ways to save. I don't need much outside of the basic necessities. That sounds confident, but behind that lifestyle, I cower in fear. What if the money runs out? Why did we spend so much on this? I can't put money into my retirement account, what's going to happen when I'm old?

Useless spinning of my wheels and lack of faith in my Provider. Where do you see in all of this... 'What can I give?' I have justified time and time again that we have nothing to give. I do my part at Christmas. We clean out the house and give to charity, but what do I really GIVE. Who am i teaching about Jesus? When am I His hands and feet? Who am I winning into eternity? Why am I not more concerned about my fellow brother and sisters well being? I am concerned. Terribly. But I claim 'not me' when I feel the tug at my heart to help.

This video changed me today. Called me into action. This is the beginning of my season of preparation. I have much. MUCH. Whether in deeds or service or food or money, I will help. My eternity is in tact. Heaven awaits me. Why worry about myself?

What about the starving? What if my child were starving? Nothing could stop me from providing for her. These are my brothers and sisters in this world, my own flesh and blood. Starving. Why would I not give all of me to feed them/ heal them/ clothe them/ introduce them to our Savior?

This is what is going on in my life. God is calling. What a glorious voice to hear! Praise His name forever and ever!  And I am ready. I am listening. I am preparing for what's ahead. Fear, get behind me. I have more important things to focus on now.



Isaiah 58

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
   you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
   “If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
   with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
   and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
   and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The LORD will guide you always;
   he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
   and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
   like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
   and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
   Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

I couldn't resist

If you are within calling distance from us, you know we are in a season of life right now... the hold your breath and pray all the checks clear season of life! I love seasons... i really do. They mold me and make me grateful for the awesome life we live even when times seem tough. However, sometimes the utter cuteness overcomes the brokeness and I break down and splurge. Guilty as charged today, but come on! This is the most adorable thing I've ever seen! Introducing Londie Lu's new backpack...

Now, to justify... 1. It's flippin adorable. 2. It was on sale ($17. That's not bad, right? Right?!?!) 3. She's big enough to carry her own bag now! Hooray! So she really NEEDS a backpack! (Yeah right!) 4. Did I mention that it's adorable?!?! 

Anyway, what's done is done and I LOVE it! I'll post a picture of her showing it off as soon as we receive it! 

Why I love her today

I love her today because:

1. She is all about these glasses and won't take them off when she gets ahold of them. Baby Bono is adorable to me!

2. She's learned how to walk backwards and practices ALOT! With a precious 'aren't you proud of me?' grin on her face the whole time!

3. She's big enough now that when she wakes up in the middle of the night and I pick her up, she wraps her little girl arms around my neck and little girl legs around my waist and holds on for dear life. If only she knew that I'll hold on to my baby forever. 

Thank you God for this blessing. You are gracious with your gifts. I love her with my whole heart. 

Our little performer

The other day Renny was trying to catch London's trick of the minute on tape. Of course, as soon as the camera came out, the baby was only interested in getting the camera to play with. Without me noticing, Renny turned the camera on herself and did a little secret performance! I saw it a few days later while I was flipping through my camera and told her she HAD to recreate her act for the blog... so without furhter adieu, here's our little girl giving it her best! So cute!

So You Think You Can Dance

As a mother, I have one bizarre outlandish dream for London. I would love for her to be a dancer. Then be on the show So You Think You Can Dance, then be one of the choreographers, then win an Emmy for a piece of her work. Nothing big an unachievable.. just a dream I have!! She does have great rhythm!

We don't have many TV channels at our house, but we do get Fox so I catch every episode of So You Think You Can Dance. It's the small things in life that make you happy! I love watching these people dance! They are incredible! How they leap and move their bodies the way they do is beyond me! Anywho, it's Emmy time and I've posted my favorite 2 nominated dances below. This has nothing to do with my family, but these dances are AWESOME! If you have a free 4 minutes, give 'em a click! Pure entertainment!

Sorry this is a link you have to click on, the show doesn't let you embed their vidoes. You need to see the story line behind the dance to understand it though.
Fix You: http://youtu.be/xnguqsMQmg4

This one too. I don't know why I can't find embedded videos for these but it's totally work the click to watch these!
Outta Your Mind: http://youtu.be/TLtSfYX8tJk

Here's my favorite couple from this season, Melanie and Marko. They are phenomenal together. This one is sure to be nominated for an emmy next year. Statues:


This one too. Surely an emmy nod. Watch this whole thing!


This one is so sweet!


Last one! I love this one! Different dancers but awesome routine about a couple in a fight but they just love each other so much! Awesome chemistry! (Nerd alert!!)

Reflection

I think it's adorable how babies love pretty much nothing more than their own reflection. London fits this profile perfectly! She will show all her pearly whites as soon as she glimpses her own image. Here's a video Serenity was taking (of me doing crunches... how exciting! ) and London walks in the room. At first she's none the wiser, but in a minute she realizes she can see herself on the computer. Really cute! (at least to this momma!)

Caden & Tootiebeth's 4th Birthday Party

I can hardly believe it! My precious Caden and Toots are 4 years old! Yesterday, just yesterday, they were curled up next to each other in their infant swing... so small that they both fit comfortably! Their 4th birthday party was Saturday and it was nothing if not SO MUCH FUN! We had an absolute blast! The best parties are the not-over-planned parties in my opinion! They had a few kiddie pools in the back yard, burgers & dogs, and lots of people that we just love to death. FUN TIMES!! Apparently, all you need for a good party is a big sack from a present and lots of party hats... more to come on that!

Liz and Caden are the best present openers I've ever met. I'm not sure how they learned it, but they make you feel FANTASTIC about your choice of gift! There were so many of these: 'OHHHH! It's exactly what I wanted!' 'You got the PERFECT one!' 'I LOVE it!!' and on and on! You can't help but giggle the whole way through present opening because these two little people are so genuinely grateful for their gifts! It is ADORABLE!

I have video's of the bday bash but I'll have to post them separately.  You know they take forever to load! A big, humongous thank you to Booper and Mamy, my fellow stalkers, for sharing their great photos with me! I love you two and am thankful you also don't want to miss a thing! Find below, captured in photo, the twins bday party... 100 times over! Sorry there are so many photo's but I couldn't leave anything out!

 Great picture!!

 The twins adorable cake by Olexa's (click for website) in Birmingham. This one is half cars themed and half Mermaid! If you live in Bham, her cakes are always so creative and WONDERFUL! I crave them. To top it off, Diane Olexa is as sweet a person as they make!

 My favorite picture... nice face Londie Lu! I want to reach out and grab that bottom lip! It's sticking out so far!! :)

 Couldn't be more excited about her new princess outfit!

 London saw this suitcase, walked straight over, grabbed it like it belong to her, and hightailed it from the party! Hilarious! She got ahold of what she wanted and vamped! We were all dying laughing at her lugging the suitcase (of all things) around the house!

 Mom and Mini Me

 Our sweet, fun friend Stephanie Garrett

 Cutest picture ever! Oh and also the start of Party Hat fun! Apparently all you need for a good party is a couple of party hats! Everyone was rockin' them!

 Elijah Garrett

 Jofus (Joseph) Garrett

 Morgan Garrett

 Mamy and Ryan

 Joseph

 Oh, and a pinata makes every party awesome! 

 The ole stink eye

 New Bean Bags

 Blowing out the candles... another year gone :(

 My cutie sweetie pie!

 Dancing on the table!