To My Father(s)

So, I know...I'M A TOTAL SLACKER!!!! I haven't posted in over 2 1/2 months, but a lot has happened in our life since April. We have moved from Jackson MS to Amite LA, Trey has started a new job as Student Minister at FBC Amite, the girls are in a new house and environment, and I'm painting and decorating like crazy....WOW that's just exhausting typing it! But we are so thankful to be in Amite, to be a part of a wonderful church family, and so thankful for God's provision for our family!

It just so happens that today, my first day back to blogging in awhile, is Father's Day! Today is a bittersweet day! I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful Godly husband who is an amazing father to our two beautiful children. He makes me laugh and cry (happy cry) and makes me just feel blessed to be a part of his family each and everyday. Each day he shows Hannah and Noelle (and me) more and more love than the day before. But most importantly he shows them the love of Christ. I pray that one day they find a man to marry just like their daddy....that will make me one happy mommy!!! Thank you babe for the joy you bring me each and everyday when I watch you with Hannah and Noelle; I can tell how much they love you when I watch them with you! You are my best friend, a Godly and loving husband, and an amazing father!!!! I love you so very much!!!!!

So bittersweet you ask??? Well, it's a bittersweet day bc we are able to celebrate and honor Trey as a dad, but we're not able to be with our fathers.

My dad is and has always been a wonderful example of what I should look for in a husband and father to my children. He is a great provider for his family, a loving husband to my mother, and just a great dad! He was always and is still always someone I can talk to at any time day or night and  I know that he will provide words of wisdom from his heart! My dad showed me how to strive daily to be a better Christian and follow Christ no matter what's going on around me! Thank you dad for being such a Godly father and a great example to me! You are and will always be one of my best friends....I love you!!!

MOST IMPORTANTLY!!! There is a Father above all others to be thankful for, and that is my Heavenly Father! Thank you Lord for creating me, for loving me even when I've failed you, and for giving me so many blessings in my life. Words cannot express the gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice you made (sending Your one and only Son to die on the cross) so that I may live with You for eternity!!!! May I strive daily to be what you want me to be and to follow you know matter what the cost. And may my life be a true reflection of who you are in me! Thank you for allowing Trey and I the privelage to call ourselves mom and dad to Hannah and Noelle. We know that they are your children and we are just here to raise them according to your Word...so may we strive daily to do just that! Thank you Lord for loving me...I love you so much!!!

WHAT IF???

This morning's sermon was taken from 1 Corinthians 15:14-19, about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Brother Jonathan's sermon topic was "What If"..."What if there was no resurrection?"  It was a very powerful reminder of not just the POWER of the cross but the POWER of the resurrection! If Christ wouldn't have RISEN then we would have no hope in an abundant life, a faith is someone and something far greater than ourselves! 'Thank you Lord for caring enough for me that you sent Your ONE AND ONLY SON to come to seek and save those who are lost, die an unspeakable death on a cross, and to RISE...to RISE so that we have eternal life and that we may have life more abundantly!'

HAPPY EASTER!

If you know me, you know that I love having an excuse to shop and so of course Easter Sunday calls for Easter Sunday dresses (of course!) for the girls! I got them dressed at the very last possible minute this morning before we were to leave the house, so that nothing got on them and so that Hannah's hair stayed seemingly fixed! We miss all our friends from back home and our family, but we had a wonderful lunch and fellowship time with Lori and Jason and their family! Thank ya'll for the wonderful food and for a great friendship!

PICTURES OF THE DAY!!!!

"He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God..." Psalm 40:3

Right now, I'm in the middle of the study of David-90 Days with a Heart Like His by Beth Moore, and I'm loving every minute of it. So many people talk about those that they admire from the bible. Don't get me wrong, I admire a lot of the individuals in the bible such as Esther for her courage, Hannah for her faithfulness, Paul for his steadfastness, and the list can go on and on, hopefully I'll have chances to mention them in upcoming blogs. Today though it's about David, other than admiration there is respect and just a sense of "awe". His 'humaness' when it comes to making mistake after mistake after mistake and you just want to be able to say "dude, are you serious..again?" but then it sometimes would almost seem like 'it's the pot calling the kettle black' right? Great example of how relevant scripture is today and I've taken so much from his life and walk with God. It seems that every time I read about him in scripture, time after time, God is revealing so many new things to me. Just recently, I remember how in awe of him I was when I was reading about him and his son and how he was crying (literally weeping) and crying out for the son who had just tried to kill him after taking over his (David's throne) but was killed, himself...."O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son." A father truly grieving the loss of his own flesh and blood, not concerned that just days before Absalom sought to kill him....So, how is that relevant to me you might ask? Well, I want to be like David, to have the heart that he did as a parent...to always love my children, no matter how many things they may do to me or to others or how many times they may sin, a NO MATTER WHAT love (the love that God has for us, that David had for Absalom)....I think I have that love, but to live daily to strive to have that love and continue that...May my love for my Lord God overflow to my husband and children, that they may see my NO MATTER WHAT LOVE!

Update on the family: My voice came back, almost completely now (I'm sure Trey loves that!) and Hannah went to the doc on Mon. and got medicine for her ear infection (and now no more fever, appetite is back)! Since we didn't really get a chance to celebrate on Sunday because Hannah wanted nothing to do with the cake, only presents, we let her eat cake Monday morning after breakfast because she wanted to and...well IT'S HER BIRTHDAY WEEK! We also had a few good friends over on Wed. to finish off the cake for us. Billy, Anna, Ethan, and Bennett and Victoria came over and we had a great time just fellowshipping with one another. We are really blessed to have such good friends so close, especially with not having any of my family near by, it's def. comforting! Thanks for a fun time last night...we love ya'll!

"Deeda Cake"

Hannah hated blowing the candles out

Hannah's upset

Mmmm cake

Cake after breakfast!

Trying to get them to smile at the same time...what a mess

So sweet

I love this picture!

What a thing chunky monkey

Love this one!

Trying to escape!

This is my favorite!

Ethan and Hannah

Bennett and Noelle

Billy and Anna and the kids

Victoria, Me, and Anna

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

So, today March 14th is one of our little girls birthdays, Hannah Elizabeth turned 2 yrs old today! It seems like it was only yesterday that Trey and I were making our way down to West Penn Hospital at 10:30 at night, only to have called my parents to let them know that we felt it was time (Hannah was coming!) and my dad laughed and said "Call me when you're on your way home later tonight"...so the next morning we made a believer out of him (as he waited with coffee in hand in the waiting room) while Hannah Elizabeth Fuller was born!  The past 2 years have been PURE JOY when it comes to Hannah (when it comes to both of our children) and I think one of the greatest joys is seeing Hannah with Noelle...they love each other so much and they always make us laugh! We love being parents, but more than that...WE LOVE BEING HANNAH AND NOELLE'S MOMMY AND DADDY-it's our favorite!!!

Today though was bittersweet, the whole family has been sick and Hannah especially wasn't feeling very well (barely eating much at all and wanting nothing to do with her birthday cake), BUT we did a little celebrating and with that I have some pictures! Hopefully tomorrow we'll have more pics with the cake, but for now this is all that we have:

THIS TRUELY IS A DAY TO REJOICE!!!! Happy 2nd Birthday Hannah Elizabeth, we love you!