Awesome baby alert!

Claire is 8 months old today! Time is flying, and things, they are a changin' with Miss Claire. Crawling, holding her own cup, pulling up, and generally being cheerful and fun!

Lucky's Sign

Lucky finally got that sign he has always wanted. He's been a little hard to live with, tho, now that he is so "bad to the bone!"

My Ebenezer

You know how when you feel like God has interacted with you in your life, you just have to tell somebody? Well, that's where I am this morning.

This has actually been something that has been unfolding over the last year or so, and I'm just now beginning to be able to see how miraculously our good Lord has been working! It began several months ago (maybe a year) when Steve said something to the effect that we should put up some kind of reminder like they used to do in the Old Testament to help us remember how [these are his exact words] "God pulls our ass out of a crack." (I told him he should start his own version of the Bible called the "CMV" - Crusty Man Version). Well, that just kind of stuck in my head.

Then, when we were on vacation in Mexico, Cindy shared something similar and read a devotion concerning a similar subject, and that stuck in my head.


And, then, in July I came across this devotional from the Upper Room that Mom and I read every day:

and I tore it out and put it in my Bible at 1 Samuel 7:12 because I was excited to learn that these monuments have a name "Ebenezer" (I always thought that was the name for a tightwad!), and it also explained that verse from "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" about raising an Ebenezer. I just love that hymn!

Then last week, Jeanne, my co-worker, returned from a personal retreat and was telling me about taking a hike and coming across a stack of rocks that had a sign posted talking about spiritual journeys and being guided, etc. I shared with her what I knew about an Ebenezer, whereupon she said it mentioned Ebenezer, but she didn't know what it was talking about, so that was kind of cool, so I had that on my mind.

Which brings me to this week. Landry's 18th birthday was on Thursday, and I have to admit I have been feeling a little melancholy, just realizing that things are changing around here pretty quick. (I've actually been mulling over these impending changes on the horizon for the last several months, and wondering what the Good Lord will want me to do once I'm finished raising children.) Anyway, I had bought Landry a case for his lap top and was digging in a drawer under the oven for a sack, and I was digging really deep because I couldn't find one and I came across some rocks that Landry had given me when he was a little boy. I thought "that's weird that I would find these on his birthday" and I just pulled them out, thinking I would throw them out. I started to drop them in the trash can, then I just couldn't, so I put them aside. That evening I was looking at them, and wondering if I could do something with them, and I just stacked them up on top of each other and it just hit me - I had "raised mine Ebenezer".

It was as if God was saying "See, you have been helped by me through the raising of three children." Oddly, there were three rocks, seeming to represent my three children, and this happened on my youngest's 18th birthday, to me representing the completion of all three kid's childhood. I was humbled and awed, and comforted, to have this tangible proof that God has been my help over the last 28 years. But God was not through with His message for me.

I set the little "Ebenezer" on my shelf and scooted it toward the back because I thought it would look kind of "westerny" there by me and Daddy's picture. But when I looked at it, God seemed to show me that He had been with me as little girl, and been my parents' help. Then I noticed on the left that Daddy's little hat from when he was a child was there, and God showed me that He had been with Daddy as a child, and been his parents' help. Surely, He is faithful through all generations!

So, I am going to keep my little Ebenezer to remind me how I have been helped, and how close my Lord is to me every day, because somehow I tend to forget easily. He is the "fount of every blessing!"

Samuel took a stone and set it up . . . He named it Ebenezer, saying,

"Thus far has the Lord helped us." 1 Samuel 7:12

Landry's Football Senior Night

Choosing to accentuate the positive, and elminate the negative, I'll share the good part of Senior Night! It was fun to escort the boy out on the field. . . . .

And it was fun to see Amber. . . . .

And it was fun to sit in the stands with Lynley and Steve. . . . and that's about it.

The End.

My revamped bedroom with nature theme

I convinced Steve to do a little repainting in our bedroom. The color I selected is called "Crocodile Tears" and I had the idea to bring in as many of my patio plants as I could to do a nature theme. It's very soothing and I love looking at my plants!

And because old Lucky is a part of nature, here he is looking out the window, and because it's my nature to be a little on the messy side, that's my mess there on the left.

Then, just as a side note, here is one of the benches Steve built for me to go with my table I use outside, but it turned out so pretty I thought I can also use it in the entry (that's the trick or treat candy left over from last night -

And, lastly, here is a picture of a little rocker I bought for $5 at a garage sale that Mom, Vicki and I passed while walking to the Farmers Market in downtown McKinney. I couldn't resist it at that price, and I hung Landry's little cowboy vest from when he was little over the back. Kinda cute, huh?!!

And since I've shared all this, you might as well see what I just had for breakfast this morning (good thing we got an extra hour this morning!)

The Bathroom Birth Announcement

After numerous inquiries from family and friends as to the status of "The Bathroom Project", we are pleased to announce that we now have a fully functional, and even attractive, bathroom off our master bedroom. Yes, it took a half a year to complete, but let me tell you, I truly appreciate and enjoy my new "Great White Throne Room".

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

It's like falling into a snowbank or a fluffy white cloud. Below is the view from the toilet, which I really enjoy.

Now, I don't post this incite any jealousy on anyone's part, but we did add a technologically advanced two-button toilet. The first button is for number one and the second button is for [you guessed it!] number two, get it? Now when we need to go the bathroom, we just jump up and announce "I've got to go push the number 2 button!" [or whichever is appropriate], and it is much more civil and socially acceptable.

And, one more pic if you will bear with me, we added shelves over the two-buttoned toilet, which I also like a lot! And, voila! The project is finished! Thanks for your prayers and support!

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TEXAS!

Friday night lights are in full swing here in McKinney. Landry's team, the McKinney Boyd High School Broncos, are now 4 /3. We've had a couple of rough weeks, and this is our bye week. However, if we can bring in 2 more District wins, we'll make first round of the playoffs. We have been blessed this year to have lots of family attend games with us, which makes it so much fun! The boy got nominated for King of Athletics, so I got my 2 seconds of glory on the field at half-time as his escort. As Mark put it, the Kemps were able to maintain their perfect record of never having won anything in the popularity department, as Landry was beat out by another kid! Oh, well, it keeps us humble! See the inflatable Bronco head [above] as it spews Bronco football players out of its mouth before the game and at halftime!