To catch you up

For those interested, I am still alive! A's parents came in town last Wed and they left early this morning. We always are sad to see them leave. It is so fun to look forward to seeing family and then when it is all over it is really sad but we will see all our family in the next few months so we have something to look forward to. A and I have been planning a quick getaway since June and we celebrated our 13th anniversary last Monday so we had planned to go out of town on Thurs and Fri nt. while his parents were here with the girls. We ended up because of A's schedule last week changing that to just Fri nt. Our plans were to get up early Fri morning and leave and then come back sometime Sat. Wed nt after Grandy and Nanna got here Millie started running fever and I took her to the Dr Thurs morning and they said swine flu so it was a good thing we were not going on Thurs. They gave us Tamiflu and she started taking it that day. We hesitated leaving her at all but we ended up staying here Fri morning to see how she was and she was better so we went on to Southlake Fri around lunch and came back here Sat around lunch. We had a wonderful time away. I tried not to think about what was going on here and just spend that much needed alone time with A. Have I ever mentioned how much I love that man??? A LOT! I could list a million reasons why I feel so fortunate to be able to spend my life with him but he knows so I will spare you! Overnight dates for us just don't happen so it was wonderful and we are very thankful for his parents willingness to come keep the girls (especially sick!). It could have been longer but we will take what we can get! Sat when we got home Lizzie was sick so I started giving her Tamiflu as well. We all went on to Red Springs but I kept Lizzie and Millie home on Sunday. Millie was not running fever anymore but I just kept her there since I had Lizzie home. Lizzie was really really sick Sat nt but she felt better yesterday. Millie now has a rash that I guess is part of it. Sallie does not feel well and is running a low grade fever so we will see what happens with that. A is not feeling well at all today either. Tis the season, right?! I obviously was very pre occupied. I forgot to take the camera with us on our getaway and it hit me yesterday afternoon that I had not taken one pic of the girls with Nanna and Grandy. You know that is very unlike me! So, I went out and took some of the girls helping them pick up pecans at the parsonage.

The house you see is our neighbor's and the tin roof made the lighting in this picture terrible. They began painting the outside of the parsonage this week and I love the color. I was a little worried because I picked out the color and you know colors can be deceiving so I was really hoping it would turn out good. I am anxious to see it all finished!

Lizzie feeling well enough to pose! She is pale though.

"What about this one, Nanna?"After church A, Elleigh, Sallie, Nanna, and Grandy rode over to visit Millie (our Millie's namesake). The little girls and I missed not being able to go but we did not want to expose her to anything. Once we move we will be a little less than an hour away from the nursing home she is in which is in the town with the nearest shopping so I am sure we will see her a lot more often. She is such a joy to be around, just like our little Millie! We pray little Millie has the giving heart that Mrs. Millie does.

TREATS, TREATS, and more TREATS!

Have you ever had these yummy treats??? I really do not know what you call them. A lady in our church calls them goofballs so maybe that is it. A and I were married before I had one and I can't remember where we had one but A informed me that they were one of his favorite treats and that his mom made them for them growing up but I had never had one. Watching him eat them, I say they are the favorite!!! A has a class on Tuesday night that he just does not enjoy and he has to sit there for 3 hours after working all day. I had told him last weekend that I would make him some of these so Ell suggested making him some Tues nt to have when he got out of class (very sweet of her!) Marshmallows, caramel sauce, and rice krispies... what more can I say!
The recipes for these vary but the one I used is mix 1/2 cup butter, 14 oz bag caramels, and 1 can sweetened condensed milk (now you KNOW why they are SO GOOD!) and cook on low until melted and blended. Place 1 bag of jumbo marshmallows in freezer until chilled. Dip the marshmallows in the caramel sauce (I used skewers to dip) and then roll in rice krispies and place on wax paper to harden. Pull the skewers out once they are hardened. Store in fridge! Fun treat to make with the kids. Although, I admit Ell and I made them after the girls were in bed (although that was not intentional!)

Today was orange day at Discovery School and I had planned to make a treat for the teachers soon so when I saw this recipe I thought it would be cute for orange day. They are divine!!! Pumpkin spice muffins with cream cheese icing! A will not touch pumpkin but uhh.... he touched these (many times!) Here is the link (Pioneer Woman of course) http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/10/moist-pumpkin-spice-muffins-with-cream-cheese-frosting/ More sweet treats! Sweet baby girls on Orange Day! They helped me make their shirts. They were so proud of them!

Something that is definitely a treat these days-the girls playing together (NICELY!) Lately they fight all the time. How funny is their rigged up stroller. They take the fabric off that is supposed to be the stroller and put a plastic chair in there and take turns pushing each other in it. Dangerous? Probably, but they sure do have fun!

Such a treat to see the 5 people I love the most all this close! WOW!

And NO TREAT is as sweet as this!!!

Introducing...

The new pastor, pastor's wife, and pastor's kids of Red Springs Baptist Church Sallie and Lizzie were mad because #1 we were making them stand still and #2 they were ready to go eat!

Where do I begin? As you all know Aaron has been the interim at Red Springs for a little over a year now. They asked him several times if he would be interested in being full time there and we just did not feel led in that direction. We did not feel not led but we just didn't feel either way. The committee continued to review resumes and in late June they asked to meet with him and told him that they really felt he was who God had at this time for their church and asked us to pray about being bi-vocational until his graduation in May at which point we would become full time and move out there. Many more meetings occured and lots and lots and lots of praying and analyzing (that would be me!). Of course we had hoped to come back closer to AL but we knew we had to do what the Lord would have us to do. If there is one thing (and actually there are so many I can't begin to name them) that God has shown me over and over by us moving here is that there really is no place like where He would have you to be. There just isn't! However, it was a process for me to work through all that because I have that knowledge but my heart still longs to be closer to family (as does Aaron) but it is harder for me. We prayed and we prayed and we prayed and we still did not have our answer. One night during our family devotion time as we shared what we had most gained from our books during that week, Elleigh began to cry and she simply said, "I know we are supposed to go to Red Springs." We told her that He had not yet revealed that to us but that we knew that eventually we would all have the same answer if that was truly His will and over time we did. First Aaron, and then me. Of course I am usually the last because that's just me and I second guess everything. 2 weeks ago we both sat down with the committee and God had given Aaron his answer that previous week. I was almost sure but I just still had to make sure and what my husband told me that day was one of the most caring and special things he has ever said to me. We were leaving for the meeting and I could tell that he was dying just to go that meeting and say yes, this is where the Lord wants us and he knows that I will follow him and that if he asked me to do that I would do it but he said to me, I will wait on you because you have to be sure and I don't want you to have any doubts. That meant so much to me. The decision had been a long, not easy decision and the committee has waited 3 months on us and we knew we had to give them an answer soon and the Lord worked all that out and when we left that meeting that day, I knew that the Lord wanted us there. I felt led to share from my heart that day with the committee as to why this had been a personal struggle for me and that I would never let my personal feelings take over but that it was a process for me to work through that. When we moved here I always guarded myself against thinking we would do school and then move back home. I never let myself believe that it would necessarily be that way. However, that does not mean that I did not desire that so I did wrestle a lot with that. Do I still desire to one day be closer to our family? Of course, but I have a wonderful peace about this and am excited about what God has in store for this new season of our lives. So, the church voted yesterday and 100% were in favor. It was an emotional time. They are the most loving group of people and they love us and our girls and we love them. Yesterday was really an amazing day. It was neat to hear their responses. Some say they knew the first day we were there. Many told us they had prayed for a long time for us to be there. The unity is wonderful and it was just a great feeling! The girls ran wild as they greeted us. One time I looked and there were on each side of the choir loft 70 year olds who were trying to get the girls for us. I heard the man tell the woman, "you can't catch them!" I love it! They were just being kids and they were not interested in standing with us to be hugged on! The people love that, they were just trying to help us out! We need it! Nothing will change as far as Aaron's responsibilities until his graduation at which point he will be full time at the church and we will move out there. We are all excited about being in the country. Although, being 1 hour from Wal-Mart will be an adjustment. The plan is for Elleigh to attend the public school there. She is excited. Elleigh loves her family and so this was personally a long process for her as well but she is excited about being in a small town. She has never lived in a really small town but she wants to! Red Springs is actually 9 miles outside of Seymour which is the town where she will go to school and the population there is around 3000 so it is larger than the town where I grew up but it has that same feel. Football is big. Everyone goes to the football games, all the store windows are painted, etc. We love football so we are all looking forward to being back in that. We are not sure about Sallie and school yet. Lots of research to do before that decision is made. Lizzie could actually start K4 next year but since I will be home with Millie I more than likely will not do that. I am NOT READY for that! We are all relieved to be on this side of the decision making. It has been a stressful several months seeking God's will. A has the rest of this semester and next and then graduation and then we can move on to accomplish what the Lord has laid out for us. We have a vision and whether we fully accomplish that or not, we know that the Lord has placed us there for a reason and that He will be glorified and He will use us. There are so many details that God worked out for all of this to happen that I could go on and on and on but I won't. WE SERVE AN AMAZING GOD!!!

Tattle Telling, Truth Tuesday

Tattle Telling:

Millie: "Lizzie said shut up!"

Lizzie: "No I didn't!"

Millie: "Uh huh... I SAWD you!"

The Truth (click to enlarge)!Truer words were never printed! When I saw this shirt I knew Millie had to have it!

Donuts with Dad for my Darlings!

This morning before school the girls had Donuts with Dad at Discovery School. Can you tell they were excited???
No idea what Millie is doing or saying. With our little free spirit you just never know!
A childhood friend made these bows for the girls and I thought they were perfect for today. So cute!

With their daddy before going. They love them some daddy!!! I know why! Millie waiting on her donuts, our sweet easy going Millie (that is until she has had enough and then you better watch out-she is like her Daddy in every way!)
Lizzie, our sweet not so easy going Lizzie (she is like me in every way!) Finally Donuts with Dad. We wait to tell them anything because Lizzie particularly will ask a million questions and demand that the event (whatever it may be) take place immediately. So, we told them yesterday that Daddy would go to school with them to eat donuts and they could hardly wait! Thanks A for making sure I got pics of the event!