National Adoption Month

The first gave you a need for love;
the second was there to give it.


Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us. James 1:27 (NLT)

November is National Adoption Month. There are so many kids that need forever families. Won't you consider adopting? If you can't adopt please consider other ways you can help orphans in the US and around the world. Visit www.cryoftheorphan.com to find out ways you can help.

Thankful Thursday

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." - Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

A few more vacation pictures

Elisabeth dancing the night away

Ansley hanging out by Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman

Playing in the beautiful water in Grand Cayman

Ansley having her hair braided on the boat

It was a little windy on deck each night. Look at that hair fly!




The girls with Belle

Straight Hair

Most of you haven't seen me with straight hair and I rarely have my picture taken with it that way. I thought I would post this picture because a few people can't believe that my hair can actually be straight. As long as it doesn't rain and the humidity isn't high then it will stay very straight. Elisabeth told me I couldn't leave it that way for long.....I needed my curly hair back. She said my hair was broken. :-)

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for:

1. Nice weather for the Citadel Oyster Roast last Saturday
2. Gas is $1.82 / gallon
3. My grandmother is doing better
4. Outdoor ice skating rink will be up and running when we go to Conyers for Thanksgiving
5. Children's ministry at our church
6. John made it to Washington DC safely this week
7. Sidewalk chalk
8. Bite size Snickers candy bars
9. A recent visit from Ron and Jan
10. Elisabeth is now wearing underwear!

Wordless Wednesday

Picture of the new puppy

After a hard day of playing

Winston and Belle playing

This is Belle. Isn't she cute?

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for:

1. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12
2. Jamie Bailey
3. John's new office is now finished! The open house reception is tonight!
4. People who are willing to open their hearts and homes to adoption
5. Our new puppy and the fun Ansley is having with her
6. The house for rent in our cul-de-sac is being rented to a nice family (she's a 4th grade teacher and has a daughter a little older than Elisabeth -- Yay!)
7. Operation Christmas Child
8. Generosity of our Sunday School class
9. Living in a country where we have the opportunity to vote
10. Being able to worship openly and freely

Our new puppy

Last Saturday, November 1st, we got a new puppy. It's a black lab (surprise, surprise). We love labs and just can't seem to branch out to anything new. It's the only kind of dog we've ever owned. I really wanted a yellow lab but they shed so much and I didn't think it would go very nicely with my dark hardwood floors. Seeing all the hair on the floor would drive me nuts. Don't get me wrong, the black hair is on the floor......I just can't see it. It blends right in. And that makes it OK with me.

She's 10 weeks old and the girls named her Belle. She has a pink collar with rhinestones on it (guess who picked that out? The girl who likes a little bling.....Ansley). John couldn't believe we put a prissy collar on his dog. Oh well. It's a puppy collar so she'll outgrow it soon enough. For now she looks as if she should be in the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Funny movie for those who haven't seen it. She's eaten my plant outside and dug most of the dirt out of the pot and tries to chew on the cover of the portable fire pit. Oh well. That's just what puppies do. Winston and Taylor did the same thing when they were puppies and we lived through it. Winston loves her and plays with her alot. It's fun to watch. We haven't seen him play like that in a long time. We are currently crate training her so she sleeps inside in the crate at night and we put her in there sometimes during the day when we are gone. Hopefully she will be housetrained soon! :-)

Halloween!

The pirate family

We had fun trick-or-treating (even though it was quite cold!). The girls got lots of candy. Elisabeth enjoyed it much more than she did last year although she'll tell you that she didn't like the sporky houses (she's really trying to say spooky but it comes out sporky for some reason). Ansley went to her friends house afterwards and they decorated cookies. I love it when Halloween is on a weekend night so there isn't a rush to get kids on a sugar-high in bed at a decent time. It just doesn't work very well!