Home for the summer .......

Sorry I have been away! We have hit the ground running, and I just have a few moments to update you on our great adventures!
Yummy! That was all we can say. J loves any kind of frozen drink... just like his momma! While the girls cooled off on a water ride, J cooled off with this extra large Cherry Icee. This was our last day in Dollywood, and J did not wear shoes once.... again just like his momma! These will be in my yard next year..... LOL..... I say that every year!

They just look so fun.... I guess I will need the bench too!

Every year we see these pots at Dollywood.... next year we are going to make some in the Spring!

Uncle Josh and J

Aunt Larren and Uncle Robert

Aunt Larren, Uncle Robert (my youngest brother), Uncle Josh, J, B, Aunt Misty (my younger {and only} sister), and M!

J has taken over his Dad's chair..... Like father like son.

B singing camp songs!

We made it home late Sunday night. We had a great time in Gatlinburg, and stopped in Asheville on the way home to visit with my sister and youngest brother and their respective halves! It was hard to leave, I could really live next to any of my siblings- they are all great.

We jumped into music camp at our church this week "Let's Rock!" and we have again had a great time. It is so good to see the kids singing the songs and praising God. They learned that this was actually a missions project for our church (sort of like an outreach) and they have had so much fun singing, acting, and getting ready for our big production Friday night.

J has been right beside me the entire week in his stroller. After about an hour I let him run around the gym while the kids are practicing on stage. He has been chasing balls all weekend from one end to the other, then lunch and a nap (he sleeps right in that stroller!) He is by all means a very happy go-lucky two year old!

I think we are home for awhile now, so we are getting into our routines and starting to think about the next school year (routines and all that!). We have decided that Derek will pretty much take J to school in the morning and then we will pick him up when we are finished with school in the afternoons! It is exciting to think about... no word on his brothers yet, although we go for the licensing next week. Health inspections and foster care workers. Should be lots of fun!

Last night I went to Summer Salads at another local church and every year they just have the best speakers. Last night the speaker spoke on fear, and she left us with 6 things that prove to us that God is always with us-

1. He Cares - he loves us beyond where we are today, he loved us before we were who we are today, and he loved us when he knit us perfectly in the womb

2. He Continues - to love us the same as yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He does not change, he does not hold grudges, he does not forget us even when we think he has

3. He Comes - he is there no matter what, he is always present, he is with us even when we think he is not

4. He Calls- He is calling your name, when you are fearful, anxious, happy, sad- he is always calling your name so that you know He is there

5. He Comforts - He will reveal who He is, we know that we have eternity and this life is just a fleeting moment

6. He Conquers - Greater is He who is in you- even if we feel we have lost, we have really won- our fears may have truths, but in Christ Alone we have a future and we have hope.

Each year these ladies salads always are relevant for me. It as if God put me there to hear and restore me. Getting J was a very fearful time for me. As much as I turned the process over to God, I still had fears. Would J be alright, would he accept us, would he fit into our family... those were all unfounded fears because all of God's children are perfect and wonderfully made- J is no different than any of our other children. He is a child of God and he is perfect!

Fears are lessened, needs are taken care of, and hearts are made whole when you stand close to God.

"He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one" Acts 10:42

Still loving summer!