I.love.Fall.

Fall is in the air and that means long sleeve t-shirts, Alabama football, bonfires, leaves changing, cooler temperatures and lots of good baking.  Here's a delicious recipe a friend shared with me that I made recently for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread.  It was yummy!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
3.5 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1.5 teaspoon salt
3.5 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil (you can sub applesauce)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups pumpkin
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
chocolate chips (mini ones work best)

Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.  To the beaten eggs, add sugar and oil, then pumpkin.  Add dry ingredients gradually to liquid mixture.  I add however many chocolate chips look good!  Pour into 3 greased loaf pans.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Family.

Something amazing happened a little over three years ago.  I met family.  No, we are not blood family, but I think sometimes genetic families have nothing on those built on the blood of Jesus.   

I was introduced to these people, who are now family, through a connection that we had with someone when we lived in Macon, the first time.  God's hand was all over that connection, and these beautiful people have opened their hearts and their lives and let us be a part of their family. We call, we text. We share our good times and walk together through rough times.  They have us into their home on Christmas eve, as if we are part of their family, to have a delicious meal of appetizers and watch It's a Wonderful Life.  Yes, it helps that they are from the great state of Alabama and love Alabama football as much as I do. :) 

This is the family that when I was sent to bed for 11 weeks of my life, they came into my home and completely renovated the room that would become the nursery. 

She is the one that taught me how to make homemade biscuits.  This is the family that provides my husband with his spiritual father.  Bottom line, they love Jesus and therefore they love us, not because we are worth it or because we are easy to love, simply because they are serious about putting their faith in action.  

   

I love the way they love. With everything they are. And when you're hit with that kind of love and acceptance you are never the same.

I'm not the same.

Today, I am simply grateful for my family.  I am missing living in the same town as my family.  Today, I look forward to the next time I get to see my family.  I am thankful for honest, authentic, open conversation and confrontation with my family.  I am humbled by the way my family loves us with their lives. 

Halfway to 1

Growing.....


Today, my firstborn baby girl is halfway to 1.  6 months old today.  This is really happening, can't believe we are already here.  I can't wait to see how much she's grown and developed from the last doctor appointment at 4 months.  To see the trust in her eyes for me, the way she smiles with delight, and finally gives into rest in my arms, with every head she lays on my shoulder, even when she cries at 1 AM or 4 AM and I'm the one that tends to her, my sweet girl is growing.  

Her growing physically happens naturally, all on it's own.  However, her growth spiritually is something that we will have to intentionally invest into her.  What does that look like?  How will we help her to know and see Jesus is the way the truth and the life?  Oh, that her growth in faith would surpass her physical growth.  


It's funny that I pretty much know what she needs and when she needs it: whether it be that she is hungry, sleepy, or just bored.  How much more does the Father know what we need and when we need it in our journey of growth towards him?  Today, I want to know how do you grow your children in faith?  What intentional steps do you take to intentionally invest in the spiritual growth of your child?  I know we will mess up, I know we will make mistakes, but the spiritual growing of my sweet girl is what I want to be about.  


I want to be about taking active, intentional steps in the growing of my relationship with Jesus, my marriage, my friendships, my baby girl.  

Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him.  He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring. Hosea 6:3

Linking up today with The Gypsy Mama for 5 minute Friday, "where we write bold and beautiful and free. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just write or not."

Need a good laugh?

Okay, so we all know how healthy it is to have a good laugh.  Well, this commercial made me laugh really hard today!  Maybe it's the phase of life I'm in with a 5 month 3 week old who doesn't poop very regularly but pooped not once but twice yesterday ruining both of her outfits, one of those times happened while we were out! :]  I laughed out loud at this commercial. 


Anyway, enjoy the commercial and let me know if it doesn't make you laugh!  So funny!

And, apparently, clearing my throat makes this sweet, little one laugh!  And watching her laugh makes me laugh!  So, based on my laughing alone today, you could say I am quite healthy!  :] Love, love, love! 

5 months 3 weeks old

9/15/2011