Most Thankful for my ART Gallery ...

"...in all things give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18. This year as Thanksgiving approached I took the time to 'smell the roses' or when you live in North Texas you smell the skunks! ha ha ha I enjoyed and notice the leaves changing from brownish green (drought) to beautiful shades of orange,red and yellow. This time of year when the wind blows you see the leaves falling from the trees and piling up around your fence or in the yard. You can hear the leaves crackle underneath your feet every step you take. I have had the chance to see the squirrels gather the acorns and run up and down trees hoarding for the winter to come. As I have gotten older I am begining to understand more and more why 'comfort' food is always warm and why it almost always smells soo incredibly good. The transition from summer to fall is a wonderful time of year and probably one of my favorites next to spring. This year as I took all of this in I am in awe at how much God loves me. He gave me eyes to see, ears to hear, hands and feet to touch, taste buds to taste and a nose to smell just so I could get the full experience of His art work. I see the world, this planet as His canvas and what a magnificient majestic interactive ART gallery He has provided for us. Every single species that He has created is unique with a unique gift and is necessary to maintain life somewhere somehow. What puzzles me more and more is that He willingly ...'lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.' Psalm 40:2. All because He loved me, He saved me. I am most thankful for my ART gallery this year but I am humbled to my knees in worship and praise that I have the ability to experience it all Just as I Am. In addition to the loving grace He so generously pours out on me each day the Lord has given me much much more than I ever deserve to be grateful for. He has placed another artist in my life. To me, I think God himself has reached down and touched this artist in a special way ... the art work is priceless and cannot be bought anywhere so don't email me for 'copies' ... there 'ain't' none and there won't be none! LOL The artist showing her work in MY gallery ...

A close up of the art work itself ...

A signed print ...

The artist's very first every print ... (this is NOT for RESALE!)

This year I am thankful for the wonderful husband I have that shows me God's love and grace everyday. I am thankful for the beautiful preciouse treasure I have as a daughter. I am thankful that there is a young girl out there who loved my daughter enough that she gave her life and choose us to parent her. I am thankful for my family and my friends. I am thankful for good coffee and chips and salsa! I am thankful for a sisters who love me because they want to not because they have too. I am thankful for my aunts who sends me cards or calls in the middle of the day in the middle of the week just because they love me. I am thankful for my dog who loves me all the time and who is such an example of what patience really looks like, happiness. I am thankful for all of our missionary friends who are serving God and praising Him through mighty storms. I am thankful for my artist friend who has opened my eyes to the 'art world' and the art of printmaking but ... What I am MOST thankful for this year is the art gallery in my home on my refridgerator and more importantly the art gallery that is this world I live in. By His Grace, which is sufficient! I pray that each of us will "...in all things give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

It's Official I am 1 !

It's is official she is 1 ! The party was great! We were loved on by our Texas family and friends with a special guest soon to appear below from SC. We always stand in awe at the greatness of God and the blessing of this child He has brought to us. She is our treasure here on this earth ... we love to love her we love to watch her grow and explore the world around her and we love to see how God loves us through her. What a joy and delight to be the recipeints of His perfectly wonderfully made gifts! Psalm 127:3 NIV Upon arrival at the Ice Cream Parlor, she was in shock and awe at the people (friends and family) and all the decorations!

Marshmallow Dad made a collage of his baby girl as part of the decorations for the party! He was a tremendous help to me!

Balloons always brings smiles :)

Only Family picture on that day! If you look to the right just behind the balloons there was a very special guest from far away ...

As a sweet friend suggests all the time ... 'Let's Eat Cake!'

We all scream for ice cream! YAY! She loved her strawberry ice cream!

She truly enjoyed opening gifts and had even started to smile a little...

There are so many pictures to post and each gift was and has been enjoyed but honestly there is one gift that has surpassed them all ... and of course it is from Nana and Pa!

Yes, it turns out she now has a car and will be on the NASCAR circuit soon enough thanks to her mama ... who is teaching her how to drive! lol

Changing Seasons ... Part Two

It is final !!! December 2011 For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139: 13-14

My first Mother's Day 2012

First Father's Day 2012

I am and always will be a 'daddy's girl' ... and no I am not ashamed to say that at 39 years of age with a family of my own. My sweet husband has come to understand this more and more over the past year. His heart melts when she walks into the room. She can lay her head on his shoulder and immediately the room looks like that scene from Ghostbusters when the big marshmallow man is walking through the city then is zapped and marshmallow just drips and oozes everywhere ... yes that hard exterior of the man I married melts. When she cries he cries or he just turns his head away to 'look at something else' ... I wouln't have it any other way.

Changing Seasons ... Part One

Today, one year ago almost to the hour that I am writing this we walked in OUR home with OUR daughter for the first time. There wasn’t any background music playing, there wasn’t a paparazzi crew with flashing cameras outside in our yard … there were no balloons, bands or extended family. There was one dear friend who graciously had endured a broken AC to take care of our home and dog while we were ‘changing seasons’. This sweet friends and family is the Child YOU prayed for ... Just 20 minutes old and very first familiy photo!

All dressed for my 2 1/2 hour ride home!

Although you can't really see 'Puddin' Pop' she is hiding in the blankets... her new 'body guard' is checking her out!

Yes, I am loved.

There is more to a name tag than a name ...

Yes, the time has come ... Isabel said 'mama' today! Yes, I was thrilled am thrilled, tickled pink, elated, over joy, happy, smiley and generally just down right emotional! It came with no warning of course. She was sitting in her high chair having a snack of Cheerios and juice while I prepared supper and I heard her say it then I turned my head and without prompting she said it again! That was what you felt this evening, the world did stop turning just for me and the Lord leaned down and whispered "All this just for you" ... since the pork chops were baking and the green beans and potatoes were boiling and Jeff was expected any minute I smiled squeezed her and said I love you and got back to work. Yes, my life went on :( but after supper and the apartment got really quiet (we are in Houston) I was reminded of the word she spoke and that she smiled when I turned around again ... my heart is still beating fast I can feel it as I type. For 10 years I have longed to hear that word from a little ones mouth and longed that it would be meant for me not some other woman in the room and in the middle of chaos she whispered to me. I told Jeff about it while we were eating supper and he just smiled and had no words either. There is a strange silence that takes place in our home when God shows His love to us. There is a silent understanding between us that we know its NOT us but that it is GOD who runs our home and GOD who has designed this life for us. I am as thankful for that silence as I am the word 'mama' ... Jeff understands that the words 'I love you' have not melted my heart the way Isabel's first 'mama' did. On Sundays, when we take Isabel to Sunday School we are giving name tags with a 'secret code' each child has a code that is placed on the parents tag. If you see your 'secret code' on the big screen you know to go get your child, because they are being just too precious to stay in SS! (lol) Well, we started going to Denton Bible Church in 2007 and when I figured out what those tag were I wanted one ... badly! But you had to have a child to get one and that is truly what I wanted ... God in His perfect timing and perfect choosing gave Isabel to us to parent. I now have a name tag every Sunday and I proudly put it usually over my heart because it is more than a piece of paper to identify who I am and who my child is. I am not just a name and she was not given just a name ... I am her 'Mama' and she is my child. We are living proof that God keeps His promises.

Bluebonnets and Bel

Bluebonnets and Aunt Merry making me smile!

Yes! I love the camera! (she probably thinks its a body part of ours since its in her face so much!LOL)

First professional photo session 1 day old :)