Happy 5th Birthday JJ!

Shew!! What a day!!! 

A Happy 5th Birthday JJ cake!

A picture with his baby sister, Hannalee

Number 5 shaped cookies to look like a road and 

"construction zone" yellow.

His face when he saw his Papa Jerry's BIG John Deere tractor instead of the Gator!!!! 

WOW!!!!

Thank you Papa Jerry for a GREAT hayride!!!!!

Thank you Jeff for letting us ride on your property.....

Me with a few kids....all bundled up!!!!

No hayride is complete until you've been chased by cows....

And DONKEYS!!!!  They wanted our hay!!!  

And of course....sitting by the fire to warm up so we could eat 

milk and cookies...open presents and play!

Mark 10:14  -- 

Jesus said to them, "Let the children come to me, 

and do not hinder them, 

for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy!

I love you more than you love dirt!!!

Mommy

The last night to hold my 4 year old baby boy....

....because tomorrow he'll be FIVE!!!!!!!!  5!  We can't believe it!! He's such a good and sweet and thoughtful kid!! I just love his sweet heart as much as he loves dirt, tractors, and monster trucks!  I ask him where he came from...since he was 2, I've taught him to say "from God."  And sometimes I'll ask, "how did you get to be so sweet?"   And he says, "God made me that way!!"

Yesterday and today I've been telling him that today would be the last time I'd get to hold him while he was 4....and I'd pretend to cry.  Don't cry! Don't  cry he'd yell!  :)  all funny...

Then tonight he told Dusty he didn't want to turn 5 because he still wanted me to be able to rock him.  Bless his heart!! I told him I'll rock him even when he's 10.  He was afraid being 5 meant no more rocking. I just meant not as a 4 year old.  Bless his heart.

Isaiah 66:13, "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."


And I've already realized how many pics I'm NOT going to look good in.  Not even remotely! :)  For this pic I kept wanting to do my hair!!! :) Oh well.....

Falcon Road New Years Eve 5K+ Race

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!! 


This year...posts are going to have to S.H.O.R.T.  :)  This is my third year to blog...one year all about reading through the entire Bible in a year with commentaries; last year, didn't go so well after about March or April...wasn't enough structure I guess.  This year....a picture a day to record our life with family and friends!! One picture (maybe two if they're just so stinkin' cute) and a scripture to go with it!!!


But today....there will be two pics! :)  One of me now...and I've got one I want to add tonight at bed time.  Check back later for that one! :)


So....yesterday...we were supposed to go see my best friend from college and her family.  But that didn't work out.  We were going to stay with them, Russ was going to run with me, and Jamie was going to stay home with the kids but bless their hearts, they've been sick all week and we didn't want to get it! :) So I cried and pouted a bit....I've worked for 2 months to get ready...I was just  flat out disappointed.  So instead my sweet husband helped me create the Falcon Road 5k+ Run!!! It was complete with a race bib # 1009 (our address) and crowd support along the way!!!! Jsut as I was almost halfway done, sweet Kristi comes barreling along in a big black truck honking and waving and cheering me on!  Then when I was another 10 minutes down the road, here comes Gigi...about to run me over head on!! :)  She was a great cheerleader too!!  I'm glad she came along...I had already shed 2 pairs of gloves and I was ready to shed my vest!!!  Then when I was on the home stretch I was met by my father in laws truck, with flashing lights, carrying my husband and almost 5 year standing in the back with a video camera!  Hannalee and papa Jerry were in the front honking and all were cheering me on home!!!!!  I had a great time!!!! 4.2 miles!!!! Woot!!!!


Thanks Dusty, JJ, Hannalee, Jerry, Kristi and Gigi!!!!!

Another "thing" that I am striving (resolving?!) to do is memorizing Scripture.  I tried this last year.  Off and on.  Off and on.  Again....going to TRY to be more consistent this year.  So Beth Moore (I just love her!) is doing this again on HER blog.  They sold index spiral cards to write these in. But as I ran yesterday I took along a post it note with my first Scripture. I've since added it in my spiral. 


Here's this weeks verse:  2 Corinthians 12:9  (NASB)  
He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness."  Most gladly I will rather boast about my weakness so that the power of Christ will dwell in me."  


Here's what my post it looks like...nothing like running and saying over and over in your head "power is perfected in weakness. power is perfected in weakness!" :) 

Here's the spiral! :)  Much "prettier!"

Well, I said it was going to be short....it wasn't this time!!


Running on Grace, Shannan