A Hero's Welcome Home

The company had asked for as many family and friends to be at the airport when the men arrived home - to give them a true hero's welcome. As you can tell, it was a sight to behold.

The heroes come home after a long day.
Our hero, J. Walker Whittle.

He had to call Jonathan on his cell phone to find him in the crowd!!

Rebecca welcoming Papa home.

Jonathan, Papa and Rebecca

Thank you,

Jonathan, for putting Papa's name on the list.

Honor Flight workers for dreaming up this idea and implementing it.

Companies who sponsor this event for allowing these men to experience a day like this.

all American veterans for what you have done for our country.

Papa and Pa for fighting for our country in this war and making all of us VERY proud.

We love you!

I Admit . . . ..

I am pretty OCD when it comes to being organized, but I don't do a good job at being organized.

I love the idea of sheets and sheets of organizing ones life.

I love printing off ideas to make my life easier.

I love having a big notebook full of my life laid out day by day of things to do.

I love making lists and crossing items off as I finish them.

I will even write down things that I have already done just so I can cross them out (sick, I know).

Maybe it is because it just makes me feel better, I don't know, but I love it!!! I love flylady and have actually done well with her things. I have adapted them to fit my lifestyle, but I have done it and it has made a difference. One of my friends posted a website called Organizing Christmas and I have fallen in love. I have always thought I had a hold on Christmas until last year my poor brother did not have a gift from my family under the tree. Oh, I had bought it, but then misplaced it. The sad thing is I did not even realize it until after he had already left!!!! I vowed that this year I would do better. I am making a lot of presents this year and decided I needed to get going and get a hold of things a little better. So, I spent last night printing (and drooling) and declaring,

I will do better this year.

I will have all my gifts I am making done by the week before Christmas.

I will not forget anyone's present.

I will enjoy the holidays.

I will make special Christmas candy.

I will survive!!!

So, next week, I am taking hold of my life and will begin to grab a hold of Christmas!!! However, if a good movie comes on, you will probably find me on the couch instead!!!

Tooth Fairy Strikes Again

Well, when dear LB got home from school yesterday, she was missing another tooth!! This tooth has given her more fits than the first one. She has worked with it until it popped out with the help of Mrs. Sandy (her teacher's aid in her class). She was so proud of her new big hole and according to her, "(She) looks completely different now!!!"

A Few of My Favorite Things

As mentioned earlier, I have participated in a swap where you send 3 (or more) of your favorite things to someone else while someone is sending you their favorite things. At first, I had a hard time deciding what to send, but, once I figured one thing out, the rest fell into place. So here are a few - I had to do more than 3!!! - of my favorite things. Something FHU - it was where I went to college, where I met DH and where are working now.

A Wizard of Oz bookmart - my love for books, movies and WICKED!!!

A Sonic gift card - my treat for me either a Cookies 'N Cream blast of Very Strawberry Vanilla Dr. Pepper

A 30 day devotional book on Psalms and Proverbs - my love for God, His Word and 2 of my favorite books in the Bible

I also included a set of note cards (to see how to make this click here) - I like to make these

Burt's Bees chapstick - Oh My Goodness it is good stuff!!!

A CD full of my kids and my favorite songs for her to enjoy with her kids.

I hope my partner in Oklahoma enjoys these things as much as I do! I may have to host a swap like this myself, would anyone be interested?

Pay it Forward Contest

Check out Tiffany's site here. She is offering a contest for a portable printer and a way to encourage 3 other ladies - one who is in need of our thoughts and prayers!!! What a great way to meet others and spread some much needed love!

A Good Mail Day!

After our amazing trips to Atlanta in May and to Dallas in June, I decided to write some of Carter's favorite baseball players just to see what I would get. I thought, if I was lucky, I would get something within a year or two, and possibly by Christmas. However, today when I went to get the mail, I saw one of my self addressed stamped envelopes laying with the rest of the mail. Well, I was estatic and I had not even opened it up to see who was inside!!! After supper tonight, we let Carter open it to find this baseball card signed by Matt Diaz. Carter was thrilled beyond measure! (Matt Diaz had thrown Carter a ball earlier in May at one of the games we had attended. Seen here.) Here is the card which reads: "To Carter, Go Braves!! Matt Diaz #23 Philippians 1:6" This is the second signature (Click here) we have received from a Braves player with a Bible verse on it. What a way to win a mom's heart twice!!!
". . . .being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Philippians 1:6

Favorite Things

I signed up for a Favorite Thing swap where I send 3 of my favorite things to someone else. I am working on getting my things together, but was wondering . . . .

What are your 3 favorite things you would send to someone?

Be looking for what I sent to Oklahoma!

"...Strengten My Hands..."

"Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands . "

Nehemiah 6:9b

As Nehemiah, of old, dear God, strengthen my hands today and every day. Strengthen my hands as I

1. wake the kids for school. Let my hands be open as their little hands take a hold of mine to start a new day.
2. make their meals for the day. Let my hands find nutrious foods for them to eat and cook the food to strengthen their little bodies.
3. drive them to school. Let my hands and the rest my body be aware of what is going on around me so everyone keeps safe.
4. carry gifts of love into LB's school. May the people who are receiving these tiny gifts know they were bought and brought with love. May they come to know the truth through these simple gifts.
5. welcome little C to the house. May she know that even though she is not mine, I love her as though she was mine.
6. do the laundry. May my family know how much I love and care for them through daily tasks like this.
7. choose a wedding present for a friend's son. May they use the present to welcome others into their new home. May they know many people are thinking of and praying for them as they begin a new life together.
8. make cards for new freshmen and transfers. May the cards be a simple act showing the how much their new family loves them and is there for them.
9. open the door for college students today. May they know our door is always open to them.
10. make snacks for college students today. May the snacks be a small gesture telling them we love and appreciate them so much.
11. open my Bible to study. May my heart be open to Your words and may they make a difference in my life each and every day.
12. clean the house. May our visitors in the house always know they are welcome and that God is the head of our house.
13. turn on the tv. May we choose shows that are appropriate for our family and that will reinforce what we are trying to teach our children.

Dear God, may You be glorified as I work with my hands. Please strengthen my hands each and every day to do the work You have laid out for me and all my friends.

Rolling with the Tide

My DH (as seen with me below) gave me a wonderful gift of getting away for awhile and going to one of my favorite places to see a favorite team with some of my favorite people this weekend!! Tickets came available for the home opener of the University of Alabama football season and we were on our way!! Don't worry, those of you who know Damon, he is still a TRUE Texas fan, but knows how to make my day!!!

We got to see Big Al up close and personal on the way to the stadium.
We also were able to spend a little time with one of our college kids, Nicole.
My Bama girls, Kim and Katy, after the game. We came down just the 3 of us 2 years ago and loved reliving that time this weekend. They are special people to me.
The Million Dollar Band - Roll Tide Roll!!
One of the highlights was getting to see Ashley, a former college student, at the game. We tried to hook up with her the whole time we were there, and finally realized we were sitting in the section right beside her 10 rows down!! We love and miss her, but are so proud of what she is doing and what she has become!

A Lesson in Forgiveness - Maybe

On the way home from church last night, Damon and I could not help but chuckle at our 15 and 16 year old, I mean 5 and 6 year old having this conversation.

LB: Why are you not talking to her, C? It has been forever since you even looked at her!!
C: She called me Baby Carter and I am NOT a baby!!!
LB: She said she was sorry - 2 times!! I think that should mean this is over!!!
C: Well, not for me it's not!!

We interrupted this conversation to talk about forgiveness.

C: What is forgiveness?
LB: It means when someone tells you they are sorry you say you are sor . .. (dramatic pause). I don't know you tell him, Momma.

We continued to talk about forgiveness and what God would want him to do. When we got home . . .

C: Okay, I will talk and look at her again.
LB: This is ridiculous! I can't believe we had to talk about this the WHOLE way home!