This has been a long two months. Little Sadie has done a lot of crying, spitting up, and not living on a very good schedule. It has been hard. BUT:

Little Miss Sadie has experienced a few firsts in her life the past few weeks. We have seen a few smiles and she was given her first bottle by her daddy two nights ago. She is growing so fast!

Daddy always gets the honor of giving the babies their first bottle.
Here is daddy’s little helper:

Also, here is a picture of her first Ta-da!

This is turning into a yearly ritual: me getting teary eyed and emotional on the day of my son’s birthday.

Your imaginary friends are Tiger, Lion and Bobby.

Ten years ago, on December 10, 2000, God saved me and radically changed my life. Prior to accepting Jesus as my Savior I did have some knowledge of who He was from going to church with my grandmother as a little girl. I could sing “Jesus Loves Me” and I did believe that song to be very true.

I was like most people living without Jesus. I didn’t think I was a bad person; in fact I felt I was doing fairly well. I lived my life to please others; whether by making good grades to find acceptance with my parents or in the friendships and relationships I chose as a teenager and in college.

The Lord allowed the relationships I relied on the most to crumble all around me. He allowed my heart and my will to break into a million pieces, only for me to reach the end of myself and the lowest point in my life. It was at time I could only look up to Him. I am thankful for friends who were able to show me the road to true life through a relationship in Jesus Christ. It was during this time that they took me to church and I heard for the first time that there was a difference between knowing who Jesus is in your “head” versus knowing Him in your “heart.” I knew at that moment that I needed and wanted to know this Jesus they were talking about. For several nights after that service, I would pray that I needed God and I wanted Him to take control of my life. I knew that He was the one who was Lord over my life. It was hard for me to accept that He had died on the cross for my sins, but it was so overwhelming to believe that He did it because He loved me so much. It wasn’t until the next Sunday that I walked the aisle to discuss my decision with a minister and he explained to me that if I truly meant what I was praying every night that I was saved and that I was a child of the King. I was so relieved, overwhelmed and changed.

Over the next few months, God replaced all of my old ways with ones that honored Him. My life and every part of me was made new. It was an exciting time. He continues to change me and grow me to this day. The life that I experience through Christ is greater than I could have ever dreamed and it is all because of the marvelous grace of God.

This morning I had a conversation with Judd. Background information first, Judd and Jake are playing basketball for Crosspointe. this is Judd’s first year and he is loves basketball. This isn’t a surprise, he loves every sport especially the ones that include a ball. He is doing really well to be the youngest one on the team. He hustles and defends. He also made a goal in the first game.

So that we don’t forget….

We know that as the kids get older we may not remember all of the songs and prayers that we had for them. Every night that Jim is home he puts all of the kids to bed. When Jake was little he made up his own version to Hush Little Baby and it was one of the only things that would calm Jake down when he started crying. We don’t sing it anymore but we don’t want to forget. Also, now that the boys share a room prayer time is a little different but listed below are the prayers that Jim prayed over them every night for several years. We may not pray the exact same prayers each night now, but we don’t want to forget. Judd, Anna Kate and Sadie don’t have full length songs like Jake but we do have silly little rhymes that we sing for them. Of course, they are just rhymes that don’t make sense but we don’t want to forget….

Jake
Hush little baby don’t say a word
Hush little baby don’t say a word
Daddy’ll buy you a poster of Larry Bird
If that poster gets ripped up
Daddy’ll buy you a brand new labrador pup
If that puppy runs away
Daddy’ll buy you a nice shiny Chevrolet
If that Chevrolet gets hit
Daddy’ll buy you a brand new catchers mitt
If that catchers mitt goes bad
Daddy’ll buy you a Georgia Bulldogs hat
If that Georgia hat don’t work
Daddy and momma will both be broke

Mommy and daddy love you very much, and we pray that you will be a little boy that listens and obeys the first time with a happy heart, that loves his brothers and sisters, but loves Jesus most of all. And mommy and daddy pray that you will accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior at a very young age and that you’ll live for Him all your life.

Judd
Judson Hunter, NFL punter, has a girlfriend, doesn’t want her

Mommy and daddy love you very much, Jake loves you, Anna Kate love you, but Jesus loves you most of all. So much that He died on the cross for your sins and wants to have a relationship with you. And mommy and daddy pray that you’ll accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior at a very young age and that you’ll live for Him all your life.

Anna Kate
Anna Kate, Anna Kate, Anna Kate we think you’re great. We couldn’t wait for you to come, Anna Kate we think you’re great.

Mommy and daddy think you’re precious, Jake and Judd think you’re great, but Jesus thinks you’re special. So special, that He died on the cross for your sins and wants to have a relationship with you. And mommy and daddy pray that you’ll accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior at a very young age and that you’ll live for Him all your life.

Sadie
Sadie, Sadie, what a pretty lady. Maybe, maybe, you can be my baby.

Happy Birthday My Love!

Today is my husband’s birthday. It’s difficult to imagine life without him because he’s been in my life for over 9 years. He’s been a source of strength, comfort, protection and love. I hope we have the privilege of celebrating another 50 or 60 years, so that we can grow old together. I pray that God continues to bless this godly man with health, wisdom and the grace to continue to guide our family for many years to come.

I love you, babe. Thanks for being you. Thanks for being mine. And thanks for being such an awesome dad. I am thankful for you!

Going to the Grocery Store… (said to the tune of going to the chapel)