This picture was taken on our wedding day, March 1, 2008. In the Bride's Room at Metro Life Church. I have been SO blessed with friends who love and adore me, and who serve me tirelessly...Now, just 9 months later, I look at this picture and I am still in awe of the very special ladies who were not just there for my wedding day but who have lifted my arms and carried me through the times in my life when I did not think I could go on. God is SO good!
I tag Wendy Pace, Sharon Salsberry, Angie Moore, Tracy Colyer, and Tina Moorhead.
The Rules? go to Your Pictures file go to the 5th folder open up the 5th picture and post it then tag 5 people when you are done. Happy Tagging =)
Well, tomorrow we'll be on the road again! Yes, again! =D
My friend Margaret said recently "You guys travel more than anyone I know!" I'm sure she's right! lol
Well, we're off to Atlanta...Brianna's birth place. We're staying with the Millers...you probably best know them as the friends who fostered Maverick before we got him. We'll also have Thanksgiving dinner at their house. My brother Brian will be in from Nashville...we'll all get to see my mom in the new nursing home...We'll get to see the Flitters on Friday ~ David and Markie Flitter share a birthday and one of Markie's birthday surprises is to get to see Mr. David ON their birthday. We'll get to see the Snell's new house...and have a special birthday dinner at Tracy's...We'll probably do some sight seeing on Saturday...because it's David's 30th birthday weekend, so he gets to pick what we do! And we'll get to visit the Sovereign Grace church in Atlanta...which is where we met over 7 years ago...It has a new name, and meets in a new place, but there are still enough familiar faces there to give us the warm fuzzies...then we'll head home Sunday afternoon.
This isn't all that we'll do...there will be more visiting around...and maybe a surprise or two for the birthday boy! ;D
Feel free to call David for his birthday on Friday...He's turning the big 3-0! (And my brother Mike takes every opportunity to tell me that I robbed the cradle...to which I respond "It worked out well, didn't it?" And he just laughs and says "Yeah...")
I hope you have a wonderful day of thanks...giving glory to the Lord from whom all blessings flow...
Remember the Flitters from our vacation in August? Well, this time we shared in their vacation!
We have a deal with all the little Flitters. Once they are potty trained they get a special sleep over with Miss Colleen. Well, Cheyenne had to wait for Miss Colleen to get her older siblings their sleep overs before she could go, even though she was ready! And along came that wedding! SO, before the wedding her mom and I promised her that during their time at the beach in November Miss Colleen would take her from Daytona to Jacksonville for her sleep over...And that's exactly what we did! (Actually her parents met Miss Colleen halfway between Daytona and Jacksonville.) Then Brianna and I took her back and spent the day with Cheyenne and the rest of her family...I'm sure you can tell how much fun was had by all!
Okay, so by now you know me...I'm a city girl. YET, God uses nature to remind me again of just how big He is...how much bigger than my thoughts His thoughts are... Well, as disgusting as I find this particular creature, I find myself amazed by the Creator...Isn't He SO creative?
Here's what it looks like when it coils up...
Here's what it looks like when it goes belly up. Those orangey-kinda things are some sort of feet...
So, being the city girl I am, you know I didn't try to touch it! I called my friend, Margaret, who is far more adventurous than I am! She couldn't come over right away, so I took the pictures and emailed them to her. Here's what she found out about it...It's a GIANT LEOPARD MOTH in the larval stage! And here is what it will look like if it makes it to maturity:
Okay, so I've only lived here since March, but I've been visiting here consistently since last September...And I have never noticed anything like this before! I thought it was pretty cool to see a fox, hawks, vulchers, owls, bats, armadillos, all kinds of birds, and a bunch of fruit producing trees/plants, but I must say that this is particularly amazing to me...It makes me think..."What else has God surrounded me with that I have never noticed?"
I'll be contemplating this question and hope to share evidences with you soon!
Here's something I did think of, spur of the moment...At 1:00 we are scheduled to do Science. It's not my favorite subject. SO, I had Brianna pull out History...and while she was doing that I went out to get my bike ready for our ride this afternoon...and that's when I found the larval moth. When we were supposed to be starting our Science lesson...WE ARE STUDYING FLYING CREATURES OF THE FIFTH DAY OF CREATION!
Even when I am purposely pulling myself off course GOD is faithful to show me He really does know what He's doing and I should just ask Him and then obey Him! Well, we're off to sketch the moth for our field guide! Hopefully we'll have some live photos to show you in the spring of the mature moth!
Our girl continues to progess with karate...Here she is receiving her new belt from Master Johnson...
Master Johnson has played, and is playing, a special role in our family...Brianna is the third member of the Moore family going through the ranks of Paks and he has been a part of instructing each one!
Master Johnson and I sometimes reminisce about the first day David and I took Brianna to the dojang. He really did not think after her first class that she would stay...but now we have a hard time keeping her away! It has only been 6 months, but the transformation is remarkable! I wait with anticipation to see how God will transform my girl over the next couple of years as she continues on her journey to black belt...
Oh, and that's Mr. Doug in the background. He is serving the testing process in the picture, but he is also someone Brianna takes classes with on a regular basis. Mr. Doug is teaching Brianna to kick him in the center of his chest guard...that's pretty high for her little legs, but she's getting better! Mr. Doug is also the dad of Brianna's friend, Mollie. Of all the kids I have gotten to know at Paks Mollie has won the most special place in my heart. She was the one who taught Brianna to skate at the Paks skate party. She stuck by Brianna the whole time...and she has no idea just what an answer to prayer she was for our family that day. Brianna was VERY nervous about going, and almost didn't. She only went because Nick talked her in to it. She was so nervous! Who would be there? Would she have a friend? Would she be all by herself? And then there was Mollie...I just stood by the wall and cried tears of joy most of the time. SO, thanks to Mr. and Mrs. P for raising a wonderful friend for my daughter!
Lord, I pray special blessings on Mollie's life! Please continue to nurture her heart, even at this tender age, and use her for Your kingdom ALL the days of her life!
I started this post with a different title...and a different purpose. But as I reached the end of it I realized that God had another plan...So, without further ado, I would like to honor my Uncle Eddie...someone very special to me.
My father (Mickey) came from a big family...he was one of 9 siblings and was just one above the middle child. The oldest sibling, his brother Eddie, has been a very special person in my life. Not only was he the one to bring me (and my mom) home from the hospital when I was born, he has stuck by me through almost 39 years of life, AND he has fathered two of my cousins, who were always like big brothers to me...Darren and Craig.
Darren and his wife, Sonja, and their son, Austin, came to visit Labor Day weekend. JUST in time to keep Darren's promise for our families to get together within 6 months of my wedding. You see, although David and I had been friends for 6 years prior to our courtship, not many family members got to meet David before the wedding because they all lived so far away. SO, at the wedding Darren made the promise to David that we would get together so he could get to know the man who put THAT smile on his cousin's face...And he kept his word! =D
It was a lot of fun to have our cousins all to ourselves for a few days...but more than fun, it was a glimpse into the sovereignty of God. You see, while Darren is older than me and has been that big brother figure all of my life, Darren consistently reminds me that I am one of the 4 people God used to bring him to salvation a few years ago. Every time he would say it I would think "Okay, if you say so." I never really saw how I was such an influence...or that it was such a big deal.
BUT...when Sunday rolled around and we loaded into Sonja's beautiful new minivan, Darren mentioned that if I (and the other 3 friends) had not shared the Gospel with him we wouldn't all be sitting there...You see, if Darren wasn't a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ he would not have met Sonja...or if he had she would not have married him because she is a believer! So, Sonja wouldn't be his wife, and Austin wouldn't be his son if not for God's saving grace!
There I sat in the back seat...stunned. Did God really use me as a tool in His hand to help establish this sweet family? Wow.
That was rolling around in my head during church...and then when we went to lunch I was overcome! I was sitting next to Sonja and I grabbed her and spoke into her ear. Here's the jist of what I told her....I LOVE Sonja. I'm pretty sure she has no idea just how special she is to me because our lives are so far apart...But I really like her and love her and enjoy her and appreciate her. But at that moment I was overcome with the fact that because we are believers we would eventually know each other, if not here then in eternity. Which is great! BUT GOD, in His kindness, allowed her to be my sister in the Lord AND my cousin here on earth. I don't just get to see her in heaven, but I get to see God sustaining her through this life we live. I get to rejoice with her that He saved Darren so she would have just the right husband and just the right son. I get to learn from her example as she seeks to glorify God with her life. All because God chose to make her my cousin.
Do you see the sovereignty of God? Only because God saved me from my sin do I get to experience life with this amazing woman of God...And God used my family to bring us together! I look back to my grandparents and I see how God has woven us together for His purposes.
My grandparents (Ed and Charlotte Kiley - also Darren's grandparents) met in an orphange where they both lived. When they became adults and had to leave the orphanage they got married and had all those kids...who all but one of them got married. And most of them had kids...the Kiley Cousins. And those cousins are also friends. And those cousins' kids are friends. And God continues to call Kileys to the kingdom...It was another uncle, my Uncle Jimmy, who married my Auntie Hon, and had 2 of the best friends of my life...Amy and Allison. And it was also Uncle Jimmy and Auntie Hon who shared the Gospel with me (and Darren) through their words and their lives...and here we are!
You may be wondering how this is honoring to Uncle Eddie...Uncle Eddie, it was your devotion to the Kiley Family that encouraged us to be together over ALL those years...All of us! And while we can't all fit in one house any more, and while we live scattered here an there and don't get to see each other very often, Thanksgiving and Christmas to me, in my heart, is with the Kileys. No matter where I go or who I'm with, it's just never the same as with the Kileys. It was all of those family get togethers that gave the cousins the opportunity to be friends...And it was those friendships that God has used, and continues to use, for His glorious Gospel...that Christ took our sin and paid our penalty, freeing us from that sin and giving us life eternal with Him.
As a judge Uncle Eddie knows that crimes come with consequences...may not at first, but eventually it catches up with a person. And when the conviction comes there is a penalty that needs to be paid. Sometimes it's monetary...sometimes there is a sentence to be carried out...and sometimes it's execution. It's the same with sin. Sin is simply breaking God's law...and the penalty is death. BUT GOD...has a plan of salvation. He sent His Son to pay the penalty for ALL the sin of the world. We need only to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was crucified for our sins, He died and was buried, and God raised Him from the dead. It's that simple. No bribes...No appeals...Simply believing. We get to be released from our death sentence because Christ died in our place!
Romans 5:6 says: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
I am SO grateful for the rich heritage God has given me! Each and every person has made an impact that has helped move me toward Christ as my Savior.
Uncle Eddie, I just wanted to tell you that I love you and you are special to me. I am so very grateful for your love and support! I hope you enjoy these pictures of Darren and his family with me and my family...I know you will!
This morning we were back at Pak's Karate Mandarin...our home away from home it seems. =D
Pak's is an amazing school...they really work hard at making us one big family with lots of activities. This was the end of summer/back to school celebration complete with hot dogs, snowcones, and water slides...but we couldn't have a karate school fun day without some karate!
We saw demos done by the Little Ninjas and Team Hydra. Of course, OUR Little Ninja did a FABULOUS job! Watch out! She'll snap you like a twig! (scroll down and click the play arrow)
YES! That's a board she broke with HER FOOT!
Brianna has come so far since March 20th of this year when she took her first karate class...she will be taking her next (second) belt test in September, she is on the Little Ninjas demo team, she is making some really great friends, AND she teaches karate and demos to her family and friends any chance she gets.
David and I are SO proud of our girl! We can't wait to see how the Lord uses this passion to prepare her for all that He has in store for her...
Okay, I admit it...I WANT TO GO TO KARATE MYSELF! Lord, that would be an evidence of divine intervention if I ever heard of one! BUT, I am content to be a karate mom and cheer our girl on...
YES...we are girls! (Brianna and I, that is!) Today every time either of us walks in to the kitchen we either giggle or squeal with joy. Last night David put the cabinet doors back on! If you haven't been here yet, or you weren't paying close attention to the picture of Denise making coffee in our kitchen, you're probably wondering what I'm talking about.
Well...let me start by saying that I have an AMAZING mother-in-law! (Actually, I have 2, but I'm referring to the newest one.) She is SO creative and gifted! Her decorating style is right out of the latest country home magazine. AND, being the former occupant of our house, left some of her decorating style behind. One of the ways she decorated was to remove some of the cabinet doors from the cupboards.
BUT, me being a city girl and a disliker of clutter, prefer the doors on the cupboards. While I work at maintaining organization within the cupboards, there are still many things in there with lots of colors and shapes, and this overloads my photographic memory. SO, David put them back on last night, and I love it!
Now, lest you think I'm simply silly, let me tell you that the reason it took so long for them to go back up was because God was working on my heart...for many months in ONE particular area...discontentment. You can read more about it on "Colleen's Blog"...link to the right of this post...
Now, without further ado...Our kitchen cupboards with their doors!
My David, thank you for making it a priority to get this done...the way you lay down your life for me astounds me...you are a living example of a husband loving his wife as Christ loves the church. Thank you for setting the bar so high! I love you! - Your Colleen
Well, the phone calls and emails starting coming in yesterday asking how we were being impacted by Tropical Storm Fay...and at that time it was just slightly more than a rainy day. Here is our backyard during the 4pm hour:
At 9pm we lost power, and David declared it time to go to bed. We brought Brianna's mattress down and put it on the living room floor, with Maverick's bed next to hers. David and I setup camp in The Tracy Room. We opened the windows to get some relief from the lack of air conditioning, and all hunkered down by 9:30 or so.
We didn't get much sleep last night...here are some of the reasons why:
The very loud frogs we have
The next-door neighbor's very loud generator
The hard sleepnumber bed that couldn't be adjusted because we didn't have power
The humidity
Maverick having free reign of the place, and needing to bark at every new sound and smell
At 11:30 I still couldn't sleep, and was all of a sudden VERY hungry. So, by the light of my cell phone I went out to the living room where Brianna and Maverick were still awake. Bri and I sat and talked, and munched on pecans, while Maverick guarded us. =D
During that time I noticed Bri started a wet cough...something that happens to her when there are heavy rains. SO, I moved her mattress, and Maverick's, to the schoolroom so she could be in there and shut the door, keeping some of the moisture out.
Then, I went back to bed, about an hour after I had gotten up.
We woke this morning to David's cell phone ringing. His brother, Michael, was calling to say they weren't opening the shop today, so they were off work. Yippee!
Of course, this was call to go back to sleep! BUT not on that rock-solid bed! So, we went to the living room and did the best we could with the love seat, chair and ottoman. The next thing I knew, it was 10am. David was up, looking out the living room window, Brianna and Maverick had yet to emerge from the schoolroom.
We got the kids up and started to prepare to go to Michael and Angie's because they had power. BUT, before we could get up the stairs to get dressed, the power came back on! Yippee!!!
We've spent most of the day watching TV, flip flopping between the weather and sitcoms...and ate Dominos! At least until about 1pm when the announced a tornado WARNING. And that's where we are now, at 2:19...watching the weather to see if we will be impacted by the tornadoes that have been seen not all too far from our house...maybe 10-15 miles away.
Yes, that's right, our baby is now in Jr. High! 6th grade! Lord, how did this happen?
Brianna has been homeschooled, one way or another, since Kindergarten. I am REALLY excited about this year because it's the first time since Kindergarten that I am not relying on DVDs, sending her out 2 days a week to a school, or someone else to instruct her for me...well, except her dad. =D David, engineer that he is, is taking great delight in being Brianna's math teacher...at least for now. AND, Brianna is taking great delight in her dad being her math teacher...she gets him all to herself for about an hour every night. SO, it seems to be working for us all as I have been working from home and I can use that time to finish up.
We are only starting with math and science initially, but will be adding in the other stuff in a couple of weeks...
When Brianna went to bed last night the door to the schoolroom was blank and open...I stayed up a little later than the family in order to get my ducks in a row for our first day, and just when I was headed to bed I realized I hadn't done anything "special" to the schoolroom...Which I try to do every year. SO, I prayed...And the Lord reminded me of the "theme" for our year..."God is awesome!" SO, I looked up Scriptures that talked about how He leaves us in awe of Him, typed them out, printed them in different colors, taped them to construction paper, and then taped the construction paper to the door. I did a few other things, but here is the picture of the door...which was closed when she came down in the morning so she had to wait for me to come into the room with her and take these cute pictures...
I had taken David into the schoolroom in the morning before Brianna came down and showed him what I had done, and told him that historically I have made a big deal about the first day of school...hooping and hollering...that kind of thing. Brianna usually gave me the "Oh Mother, please!" look...but I've done it every year anyway. I knew I could count on My David to play along...
We had fun, and Brianna gave us "the look", but she could not help herself...she SMILED and LAUGHED! What's that??? Evidence of God's grace!!!!
When Brianna saw the closed, and decorated, door I heard "I knew it!" She came running to the kitchen and said "I knew you would do SOMETHING! I was in bed last night thinking 'I guess mom isn't going to do anything special for the first day of school this year...' and then I thought 'Of course she is, she always does!'" I asked her "Would you have been disappointed if I hadn't done anything special?" and she said "VERY." It was in that moment that I was SO grateful for the gentle prompting of the Holy Spirit, who I could easily have ignored and gone to bed that night. But I stayed up until 3:30am when it was all said and done...that's not to toot my own horn...that's what happens when you don't ask the Lord ahead of time what He wants you to do, and you have to do it in the 11th hour. Lord, thank You for knowing Brianna's heart and giving her the desires of it...and thank You that You did not disappoint her on the first day of Jr. High!
The picture above is the "I knew you would do something!" face...Here are some other pictures as well...
No, it wasn't really that late...the batteries in the clock died!
Maverick gets to go to school too!
Brianna thought it was funny to pretend she lounges around with her feet up all day...NOT! (Oh, side note...This desk was the desk David saved up for and bought when he was a child younger than Brianna. He even took it to college! And now his daughter is using it! Isn't that so cool? AND, that postcard tacked to the upper left corner? That's Andrew Jackson...and that postcard was sent from David to Brianna years ago when he was on a trip to Jackson's home. On it is written who it is, that he was our president, where the home is, and what the name of the home is...I guess I never realized just how long David has been "schooling" Brianna! Isn't God so good?)
The flag was given to us by the Navy at Brianna's father's funeral...we use it to say the Pledge of Allegiance...
She's so happy she can't contain herself...just look at that smile!
I'm still organizing my desk and our shelves...it's a work in progress!
Maverick is a highly stressed dog...here he is in his usual stressed out mode...
And YES, that is a Celebration t-shirt he is wearing!
Our first day was a huge success! We stood in awe of God and His kindness to us...and that is, after all, the point of it all!
We got up (late), packed up our stuff, checked out, and hit the road! We got home around noon, unloaded the car and the suitcases, and then got a call from David's mom that she could use some help loading her moving truck. SO, we had lunch and off we went! We stayed there a couple of hours, then had to leave to get our puppy!
Maverick seemed to have a FABULOUS time at the kennel...and looked like he grew several inches in height and in width...Our boy is growing up!
It was all we could do to get ourselves to the point of having our toiletries in their proper places and to verify we had clean clothes for church in the morning...other than that, after dinner we were wiped out!
Today I was thinking about what I came away from vacation with...I came home so refreshed! I have a completely new perspective on my daily life that has been such a blessing already. I came home with a plan and a purpose for schooling Brianna, for furthering the homemaking effort, for serving my husband, and for glorifying God in all I do...
What an amazing trip!
Thank You Lord for providing this getaway! Thank You for the wonderful friends You have given us, and for how they continually lay down their lives to love and serve us. I pray blessings for each one of them!
Well, Day 7 came...David and I got up and sat on the balcony watching the sunrise...with one earphone in each of our heads...Then SOMEONE went back to bed for a couple of hours...That's okay My Love, you were more than welcome to sleep in on your vacation...thanks for sharing the sunrise with me!
We made it to Cracker Barrel just about lunchtime, and then went to get our girl from the Gabriels...
Here I am with My Kate-a-la (only to be pronounced with a NY-Jew accent)...I LOVE this picture of us!
And here are Michael, Matthew and Brianna, all holding things that represented what they did for 24 hours...Yes, Xbox! Oh, and Brianna kept stealing Michael's sheep (Ernie)...who I had to make sure STAYED at the Gabriel's when we left...
Aren't they adorable???? Yeah, that Irish/Italian mix works well!
And then we had to say our goodbyes until next time...
We decided to go to Blockbuster and rent Clue...a game we have started playing as a family and a movie only I knew existed until recently when I told my family about it. Along the way we decided to stop at a local company who David works with to see Laura...but she had JUST left, so we missed her. Some of the other folks there were nice and gave us some pointers on where to go to minigolf and ice cream.
Here we are at the minigolf course...Pirate's Cove...
And this is me being silly...much to the mortification of my daughter...and much to the delight of my husband...
We all had fun despite the stickiness of the evening...My David was a gracious winner...
On Thursday our friends, the Flitters, came to visit! While we didn’t have a lot of time together, we tried to make the most of it…first it was off to the ocean with boogie board and skim board in hand!Here are Brianna with her very first boogie board, Spencer with his very first skim board...Britney and Dustin are playing in the wake...
The Flitters are a VERY special family to us...Buddy and Judy (the dad and mom) have a heart for adoption...they didn't just adopt 4 of their 5 kids, they also adopted us! Judy helped homeschool and care for Brianna when I had to go to work in an office which didn't afford me the opportunity to bring her to work with me. I'm thinking it was about a year and a half or so that Judy kept Brianna multiple days a week...Talk about servants!
SO, if you know us at all, you've heard of the Flitters. AND, if you haven't met them yet, here they are...
Spencer, age 10-3/4:
Markie, age 7-3/4 (he also has the same birthday as Mr. David - November 28th!)
Dustin, age 6-1/2
Britney, age almost 5
Cheyenne, age 4-1/2
And here's Judy, a.k.a. Brianna's "Other Mother", the woman with more grace than anyone can imagine! (YES JUDY, I know you're a big sinner who gets angry at your children sometimes...but God's grace is bigger!)
Fun was had by all in the ocean...And the good news…we all wore our sunblock and no one got sunburn! Yay!
Then it was back to the room for lunch! We did feed everyone, but here is the cutest picture of the Flitter girls eating ice cream...
And Brianna got her Little Flitter Girl fix! Here she is with Cheyenne...our brown-eyed girls!
And with Britney...our "B" girls! (Hey Nettie! Is this a Chrissie pose or WHAT???)
And then, off to the pool, where Brianna got her Dustin fix!
Markie stayed poolside...
And Spencer swam...
As much fun as we were having…it had to end…for now. The Flitters had to get back to Orlando…Brianna had to get to the Gabriels…and I had to get back to Jacksonville to get MY DAVID!!!!
David’s boss (and big brother) was SO kind and managed to work things out so David could have Friday off, so I went home to get him and bring him back to the BEACH! I giggled most of the way home because I was SO excited that I was going to see MY DAVID! Yes, we’re still newly weds!
Work took longer than expected, and David didn’t get home until after 7, but we had a nice dinner and drove back to Ormond Beach…with plans to get up and watch the sunrise from our balcony!
Another lazy day…movies, Monk, card games, Mommy/Daughter talks…A little while at the pool…being mesmerized by the glorious view from our room…
I was thinking about the reasons I REALLY like Brianna…I love her because she is my daughter, a gift from God, and was my faithful companion all the years I was a widow… But there are also reasons why I LIKE Brianna…of course I can’t list all the reasons I like Brianna (there are too many), but here are some…
1. Brianna always has a fun plan…whether it’s cards, watching movies, playing in the ocean, Brianna can always think of a way to make things fun.
2. Brianna has a contagious laugh…her laugh is music to my ears! I can’t help but laugh when I hear Brianna laugh, even if I don’t know why she’s laughing.
3. Brianna likes things organized. YES, there is evidence that I am her mother! (We may not always GET things organized, but we LIKE things organized!)
4. Brianna definitely has creative gifting …designing clothes, home décor, writing stories, etc. She’s VERY creative!
Well, that’s my list for today…
Lord, I pray that You bless Brianna! I pray that You continue to cultivate her heart…that You continue to grow her in her walk with You…that You give David and I supernatural wisdom where she is concerned, that we would shepherd her in a way that will further Your purposes for her life. I pray that You would stir her heart, giving her a deeper hunger and thirst for You, that she would seek You all the days of her life!
Yay! The Gabriels came to visit! Yeah, so, I forgot to take any pictures! What a dork! Well, that’s what happens when Katie and I get together…we’re so busy talking and laughing that I lose track of almost everything! THANKFULLY I didn’t lose track of the kids! Lol Brianna really enjoyed playing in the ocean with Michael and Matthew (Elizabeth mostly sat on the beach with Katie and me). Michael brought his new skim board with him, fresh from the store, and mastered it in NO time! I was thinking about our history with the Gabriels while we were sitting there…and other times this week…I’ve known them since Elizabeth was 13 months old…Michael is 4 months older than Brianna, Brianna is just over a year older than Matthew…the three youngest children don’t remember life without each other…and while we haven’t “played” with the Gabriels in 5 years (WOW! How did that happen???) the 3 of them talked about their memories of years gone by…AND did that while creating new ones!
God is SO very kind!
I can’t help but think of eternity…if it is THIS sweet here on earth to cross paths over and over again with those we love, can you imagine what Heaven will be like??? We’ll never be in a rush, we’ll never have some place else to be…we’ll just be together all the time, before the throne, worshipping our God…the Holy One…talking about the memories of ALL He has done...recounting stories of His faithfulness…reveling in His amazing plan to glorify His own name through all of creation…AND even through the lives of sinners like me…
Monday came and it was time to take David to work…in Jacksonville...an hour and a half away from the timeshare...We were in the car at 6am. In case you didn’t know, I’m just a little attached to My David…I had a little bit of a hard time leaving Jacksonville to come back to the beach…Yes, I know, “Newlyweds!” BUT, I did it. Remember the picture from Day 1 when Brianna realized she missed Maverick? Yeah, that’s what I looked like…or at least felt like. =D
We came back to the room and I asked Brianna what she wanted to do and she said “Can we lay around and watch movies? We never get to do that at home.” SURE! So that’s what we did! Princess Diaries II, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and Lord of the Rings: Two Towers. Well, that’s not ALL we did. I did cook dinner, and then some macaroni salad for Day 4 (Katie and the kids would be coming to spend some time with us at the beach and have lunch in our room). BUT, other than that, movies!
You’ve gotta love Brianna’s analytical mind. When I double checked to make sure she REALLY wanted to spend the day in front of the TV she said “Well Mom, we’re spending Tuesday on the beach with the Gabriels, and Thursday on the beach with the Flitters, so I’d like to stay in today so I don’t get tired of being on the beach.” She’s a girl who has a brain and knows how to use it!
Did I mention that Brianna is THE BEST daughter EVER???? She is such a servant, and has a great sense of humor. She is a joy and I am SO blessed to live life with her!
We all got going, had breakfast, and went to church at our sister church in the Daytona area. I got to see several friends, but none so special as our friends, The Gabriels. I met Phill, Katie and Elizabeth the same day I decided I wanted Jesus to be my Lord…May 22, 1994. And we all moved to Atlanta (from NY) in 1995 where Michael, Brianna, and then Matthew later were born. These are special and faithful friends I am so grateful to be able to have spent time with while we were here. BUT, as much as I could have sat and talked to them until bedtime, it was David’s only day at the timeshare, so we went back to the Georgian Inn…and the OCEAN!
And, while it's amazing enough to be at the beach at all, this was a VERY special time for us all. Brianna got to play in the ocean WITH HER DAD, for the first time! She has always loved the beach, and being in the ocean, but I have some physical limitations that don't allow me to go in past my knees so I could never go with her to the deeper water. But now she gets to go a lot further out with David. They had a great time body surfing!
After David and Brianna had enough playing in the ocean we all went swimming in the pool for a little while, then headed for the hot tub. That was WONDERFUL! Then it was off to bed because we were TIRED!
While to most a little body surfing may not seem like a big deal...but I stood on the shore crying tears of gratitude over the kindness God has shown our family. David is the answer to a lifetime of prayers...he is the perfect husband for me, but he is also the perfect dad for Brianna. I never seem to lack awe for God, and His perfect plan for our family...He has been so kind to keep revealing little tidbits here and there of just how precise He has designed us all for each other. You are amazing God!
I've been tagged by Candace Harrington!
