Just a few photos....

Just let me say that I always download the photos in the wrong order. I can't ever seem to do it right. Anyway, they should be in the reverse order according to the date they occurred, but I am too lazy to fix them. Graduation is in here, with Christmas morning and Christmas Eve. Ellie, our little lamb and Davie, who is the only shepherd in a mini! Just a few of our fun memories. Hope you have TONS of your own...why not share??? love, JS (two fun things...in the Christmas pj photo with all the kids I got Ellie to smile so big by asking, "where is Bryce, Ellie?" and she is painted as a butterfly in the last photo because she and Davie(didn't upload the right one of Davie)were enthusiastic to get their faces painted at our "Light Up Winter Garden" event.

Happy 2009

It has been so busy around our house, not unlike yours I bet. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and day. Davie and Ellie were in the Christmas eve service at church and then we had pizza with friends from church. After that I headed home to wrap gifts. I wrapped and wrapped and wrapped and then David came in and wrapped some more. We got it all done and then went to bed. Thankfully our kids are late sleepers so we actually got started with our Christmas festivities about 10:30am. Christmas at home all day went even better than I could have hoped. It was just nearly perfect. I love seeing my kids play together. I am so thankful and amazed that they like eachother as much as they do. It was a fun fun day. We spent the evening with David's family which was nice. These last two days we have just been home and hanging out. Today I began the task of taking down decorations and have already done my mantle for Valentines! Yea! Finally ordered our New Years photo card to go out this next week. That will take a bit of doing, but we are on break so it will be fine. Sarah is working at Universal until she can find something else. Halleluia for jobs! My quiet time on my porch has been seriously lacking so I am going to get things back in gear there...I need to seek Jesus and be still before Him. I miss our time together. My soul longs for a word from The Word....thankfully church is tomorrow and I can expect to meet Him there. Many blessings to you and yours....Happy 2009! Love, JS
p.s.I can't believe that when I first published this post I forgot something really important....SARAH GRADUATED!!! I AM THE MOM OF A COLLEGE GRADUATE! Booyah or something like that!!! Yipee is more the word I would use. Our girl is home now and we are so blessed to have her!
p.p.s. thank you Amanda for being so so sweet to Ellie at the Christmas service. You are just precious!!!
Oh, and one more thing(spoken like the folks in Monty Python)...my boy pulled off 2A's, 2B's and 1C for his final grades at VCC this semester. Whew...he did it after all. I won't run away again now for at least 3 months :)

Amy Grant Plays Nertz!!!

Through a series of bloggy rabbit trails I came across Amy Grant's blog today. She is on the road doing her Christmas tour and her favorite card game is NERTZ! Can you believe it, Cass??? Well, I just posted her a message to play a game when we get to Heaven....isn't that a fun thought? Of course there will be no yelling when we lose...and no name calling either....man, I hadn't thought about that until now....won't be too fun to play after all I guess. Oh well, it was a fun thought until I played it all the way out :) Ok. I'm gone now. No more wasting time on this thing for the day. I'm gonna be PRODUCTIVE!!!! Many blessings. 13 days until Christmas...ahhhh! Love you. Jackie Sue

You could win!

Check this out....you could win and help our friends out too!

Don't Worry....I'll Go Home Again

Hi Y'all! How are you? I have run away from home again today. I'm at Starbucks with the blessing of my sweet and very understanding husband. This is my second day of running away. Last night I went to watch football at Kent and Cathy's. I have to say that I just love that Tim Tebow. What a sweet boy. Did you hear him thank Jesus, His Lord and Savior after their win? Just because of him I was able to root for the Gators yesterday, which is a first for me. Although I loved Danny Wuerfful, too. Anyway, it is finals week for Matthew, hence my need to run away from home. My precious son is far too casual about his schooling for my taste. He gets distracted so easily and acts like an 18 year old. Imagine that?! He and I spend a lot of time at home together since he can't find a job and is only in class 2.5 days a week. I cannot seem to not nag him about his school. I KNOW...I said I would...but I can't seem to keep my mouth shut. So, since I can't leave him alone when I'm there, I decided to run away so he could do things his way. Pass or fail its his deal. I am sure I underestimate his abilities, but seriously I just can't stand by when he should be studying and watch him check his myspace, facebook or email..it drives me bonkers! You can feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for all my kids and if you know me you know that I'm not even kidding. It is overwhelming to me the power we have as parents. We are by far the most influential relationship in our children's lives....for their ENTIRE lives. How they respond to life is completely connected to the things they "heard" from us growing up. They will never get over us. I don't mean that they can't overcome us with God's help, but their natural responses(as opposed to supernatural God learned responses) to things is forever connected to us. Our parents are the voices we hear in our head...the endless loop tape that we have to replace with Jesus' voice in order to be all He intends us to be. I find that a bitter pill to swallow...aren't you glad I shared? It is just what I've been thinking about for the last few months. I have mentioned before that I am always looking to improve my parenting and I do a lot of self-examination about it. God is so faithful to reveal the mistakes I am making to give me a chance to change the way I do things and I am grateful for that. Still, the only things I've ever wanted to do well are relationships...with God, David, my kids and my friends. I have put my hand to the plow in this and I would really like to do it well, but in my natural self I am really ill-equipped for the task. Still, God promises that He will help all of us to be His representative to those around us. He will give back the years the locusts have eaten...that goes for me AND my kids. He is the One who will help my kids get over the wrong messages I've sent to them and He is the One who will be their comfort and their rescuer. He has been that to me. I am trusting He will be that to them. I still wish I could be the perfect daughter, wife, mom and friend, but I am so glad that I have a God who promises to clean up after me when I fail. He wants to be the voice you hear in the hard times. He wants to be your encourager all the days of your life. So, what is one line, false belief, self concept that your parents fed you that you have needed God to help you to overcome with His sweet truth? I'd love to hear about it. He does love you so. Take a minute and soak that in...Immanual, God with us. Wow...love you, Jackie Sue
P.S. Read a fantastic book..."Reckless Faith" a must read....here's some info on it.
P.P.S. There is still time to donate monies here for our orphans in China. They need you!!!

Our Gotcha Day

This last week we celebrated Davie Anne's "Gotcha" day. She has been with us for 5 years already. It doesn't seem possible. Rather than go on and on about her, which I certainly could do, let me just take a moment to challenge you to watch this video and pray for the children who remain orphans. I want to do more. I am challenged to do more. I receive information about unsponsored children with Compassion and am challenged again with all the needs in this world. God is calling me to do more and I believe He is calling all of us to care at the very least...to care that there are people who don't have the basic necessities of life...at the very least to slow up enough to weep over those who don't have...to pray that He will meet their needs and to be willing to be used by Him to do so. I don't enjoy feeling overwhelmed with all the needs. Sometimes I resent it. I want a check list, not unlike the pharisees, and I want to know when enough is enough...but Jesus calls me to more than that...He calls me to truly care...and then just possibly to act...its a struggle, a tension in the Christian life that I am not always open to, but He isn't gonna give me a check list...He's calling me to care and that requires an open heart and a willing heart and a heart that rests in His abundance. He isn't lacking in anything. I need to care as much as the needy need me to care....I need to be fully alive and fully present and fully feeling their pain...I know that...don't have anything else figured out yet...but I do know that I need them in order to become more like Him. He loves them so. Oh, and you too :) Growing in His love, js
By the way, you can go here to make a donation if you are able and show the kids without blankets that you care. That's one of the places we will be supporting this month.
p.s.thanks Jac for the conversation...your words have impacted me. I'm wrestling and that's a good thing)
p.p.s.thank you sweet Brandi for the opportunity to give to the very province our Davie girl was from...oh what we could have missed...

I'm Tagged

Sweet Kelly tagged me to give you people 15 things I'm not afraid to admit....so here goes...

1. I'm 47 years old(that's for Amanda)

2. I love to study the Bible.

3. I would adopt more kids if I could.

4. Lots of times I cry over the kindness done to others(just today they sent cakes to the soldiers on The View and I started to cry)

5. I hate to exercise...probably not a secret.

6. I am learning to save money with coupons...thanks to the coupon queens at our church(they know who they are)

7. I am crazy in love with David Eddie Lopez Chuck Wimberly.

8. I am a sinner saved by my gracious Savior and I hope I never forget it!

9. I have 5 kids that challenge me to change and become more like Jesus in my attitudes and actions on a daily basis.

10. LOVE LOVE LOVE a good country song. I will so be watching the awards on Wed night(cause our frugal women's group isn't meeting)!

11. Sometimes my kids embarrass me...oh wait, I mean sometimes I embarrass my kids.

12. I am crazy about nature. I'll talk birds and butterflies all day(right Kelly?)I actually grew four caterpillars into butterflies in the last two weeks. Let my last one go on Sunday...it was a proud moment as the little guy flew into the sky. I've seen him/her in my backyard even today!

13. I love the women in my Sunday night small group. They have totally kept me sane these last couple of years.

14. One of the most interesting ministries God has given me in the past is my foot massage ministry. I have given my pastor a foot massage on more than one occasion...Christie was there too...actually I should have said, I have given my pastor, his wife, and her sister foot massages...I think all on the same night. I've also given one to an elder, his wife, and their daughter. (maybe I am embarrassed to admit this...:)

15. I am a voracious reader and love a good story...so here's a funny one about me...on my honeymoon...I got all ready for bed...David changed in the bathroom and I changed in the hotel room and it was just like in the movies....he came out and I was waiting in my white long negligee...we started smooching...laid down on the bed when suddenly David said, "Baby, did you mean to leave the price tags on?" and then we rolled out of the bed laughing hysterically. I had somehow forgotten to take the tags off my nightgown. It was a classic moment and the beginning of a LOT of funny stories to come.

Soooo, that might be more info than you wanted to know...I'm tagging Robyn, Erin and Karin cause these are some funny gals who are also very entertaining writers! Blessings...love, js

Top Ten Reasons for Having Babies Later In Life

A friend(actually I can't count the times I've heard this) casually mentioned that she was glad she wasn't raising toddlers at this time in her life and it got me to thinking...drum roll please...

No.10-I still get to buy really cute clothes for my little girls

No.9 They have to wear what I buy

No.8 At least someone still thinks I'm the prettiest woman they know

No.7 At this age its reassuring to have someone around who wants to know what I think

No.6 I have the hope of two possible granny nannies since the first 3 have already declined the job

No.5 I have to confess its nice to be needed by someone who should still need me

No.4 At my age its nice to have someone that trust my driving and NEVER ask me to change my radio station

No.3 I need lots of laughter in my life...makes one younger you know...and they provide tons of that

No.2 Seriously, it keeps me young and does not allow me to become settled in my ways. As we get older that is a real tendency and having little kids keeps me re-evaluating my parenting and household on a regular basis. I am not allowed to just give up.

No.1 Reason for having children at my age....God told me to!!! Ya gotta do what your King asks you to do. Adopting two little girls that had no family was His idea and I am so thankful to be where I am right now. It's not easy, but for our family it is right.

What are you doing right now that folks casually tell you they are glad it's you and not them? I'd love to hear about it! Many many blessings, Jackie Sue

p.s.I sure hope this doesn't sound angry...I'm not offended...the comment just got me to thinking about why I'm glad to be raising girls at my age....love y'all!
p.p.s. This post was in no way meant to "dis" my older kids. They are great kids!!! I just had them when I still knew everything....you know, when I was young :)

Don't Know What I'm Doing

Tried to post a new post that I had loaded before and still it loaded after the one that is already there...anyway, posted some other pictures after the ones in the next post...go 2 posts down if you care to see them :) My computer illiteracy astounds even me!Love, js

Just to make you smile!

Don't you just love this? Makes me smile!.

Our butterfly that we grew and watched become a chrysalis and then a butterfly. It's a Queen butterfly.

Recent Photos of some of my Blessings

Ellie in curlers!
Family "work" day!
My man lays down his life in sod for me...love in action.
Daddy and a dear daughter
Siblings
My girls and my momma

So glad He is God and I'm not!

Well, today is election day. Has that caused anybody other than me some anxiety? I just keep praying, "Thy will be done". What else can I pray? To pray otherwise would be to assume I know what God is doing in all this and I don't so I surrender to His will and trust He will accomplish all He intends because He always does. No one can thwart the will of the Almighty. For that I am truly thankful.

Today our first chrysalis hatched. It is a Queen butterfly. I kid you not, one minute it was in it's chrysalis and the next minute I looked it was out. No one but God could have thought up a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. No.One. He is so awesome. We have three more to go. They are all Monarch's. They should hatch this weekend I'm thinking. Exciting happenings at our house!

If I had some photos of Sarah in all her bridesmaid beauty I would post them, but I don't. You can check out her facebook and see some though. Oh, I have a facebook now. I had no idea I had so many friends. TONS! Makes a person feel loved....or at least known or something. I'm not really into it yet, but I have checked in a few times. The truth is it is hard to make such dramatic changes at this stage in life. First it was Myspace now it is Facebook. Who can keep up? Scary stuff. Something else that's scary is at this very moment I am listening to Rush Limbaugh on my radio in my kitchen. That's enough to scare anyone. My dad loved Rush! I told you it was scary. We become our parents...its inevitable. What a cruel fate for my children. Then again, the older I get the more I appreciate my parents. Hello. Duh.

God continues to reveal Himself in so many ways. Not just in the nature I am able to observe, but in the people around me and in my time with Him. He has shown me that my fear about the future reveals a lack of trust in Him. He promises to always be with me, that I will be an over comer, that He is greater in me than the one in the world, and that He will in the end take me Home. What do I really have to fear? The truth is that I fear that I won't have the character it takes to withstand the hardships that may be on the horizon in a way that honors Him. I truly don't want to be a wimp about things. I want to finish well and allow God to pursue holiness in me and in my children more than happiness. I guess I fear what it might require of me for that to really happen. I don't naturally posses a lot of strong work ethic. I'm pretty lazy really. A lot. So the idea of extreme hardship frightens me. I am definitely not one of those people who say "bring it on". My prayer is more like, "Oh Lord, You know what a chicken I am. Please give me what it takes to walk through this with You." Anyway, I am holding to the truth that He will get me through anything He allows and all He does is good. I'm just so glad that He is God and I am not! Many blessings. His, Jackie Sue

Ramblings and Happenings

It's been a while....I wish I could say that it has been super busy, which it has, but the truth is that I've been going through some things and I sometimes need some time to process them. Still don't think I can actually write about them. Not because they are too personal to write about, but because I don't know if I can put them into words.

I can tell you that I tend to get very focused on one thing at a time and right now I am trying to learn to coupon and do the CVS bucks. The other day the most exciting thing happened...I saved more money at my grocery store than I spent. It was the coolest thing. When we put Davie in school I knew that I was going to need to save some money somehow, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do that. I am not great with numbers anyway...you know...money...numbers...but I decided it was time to get with the program and figure this thing out. Well thanks to my friends, Jessica and Cassie I am finding success. It is no small feat to change something that goes against one's natural self and so it is God's supernatural power at work in my life for sure.

I have also been tending to some caterpillars. I found 4 of them on my newest milkweed and decided to try to bring them in and watch them and feed them. So I daily go out and collect milkweed from my yard and put it in my caterpillar keeper thing in a vase and already 3 of the little buggars are making their chryssilis'. One has been in his cocoon for a few days now. I think he is going to come out soon. If it lives it will be a Queen butterfly. The other 3 are monarch caterpillars. 2 of them are hanging upsidedown this morning so I will have to see if they make themselves into cocoons later today. The last one is still eating.

I finish my Joshua Precept study this next week. I have been able to attend every class and complete my homework. It has been the most amazing thing. I love how I can learn new things about God. Not just what He has done, but WHO He is. Watching and studying how He has provided for the Israelites and His perfect plan for them being fulfilled has increased my faith in His faithfulness. As we head for troubled times I implore you to get to know Your God. This does not happen by accident, or by just reading a Psalm everyday. It happens when you schedule time to STUDY His word. The value of the time you spend getting to know Him is immeasurable. It is different than reading a book about who He is. When you study His word and meet Him there it is different than any other form of learning. I don't think I can really explain it...it is finding out who He is for YOURSELF...not what anyone else has told you about Him. It is as different as reading a biography about someone as opposed to actually meeting HIM face to face. My heart is burdened by the numerous baby Christians that I know who are still drinking milk when they should be on solid food...they should be studying God's word for themselves and they are not. It is the most exciting thing I've ever done in my relationship with Christ...learning to study His word and meet Him there! I beg you to begin this process. Folks are saying we are headed into some rough waters ahead and I want us to know the One in control for ourselves. I implore you with a momma's heart...please study yourself to show yourself approved...a workman who needs not to be ashamed...if I weren't in such a hurry I would look up that scripture, but actually I have myself so pumped up I am heading outside to do some studying :) Much love to you...from this One Momma

Just for Fun

These were some fun photos from our trip in Tennessee to meet with our China travel group. I recently made digital photo book of our trip so I thought I'd post some just for fun. Catherine was our primary photographer...hence the self portrait at the end. Ya'll have a great day and remember how loved you are. He has rescued you and given you hope and a future. Oh, you are so loved. Yours, JS

Tell Me the Stories....

Have I mentioned how much I'm loving my study on Joshua? Well, I do. I just love the stories of the old testament. They read like an amazing movie script and the main character is GOD! He is so facinating. In the first five chapters of Joshua He selects a new leader of the Israelites(Joshua), promises Joshua His guarenteed success, reminds Joshua of His history, uses a prostitute who shows great faith, leads His people THROUGH the parted Jordan river on the dry land, calls His people to make a memorial to Him on the land and on the bottom of a river....why? 4:21-24 "When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, 'What are these stones?' then you shall inform your children, saying, 'Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.' "For the Lord you God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and so that you may fear the Lord your God forever." In chapter 5 all the men are circumcised and go through recovery in enemy territory, but the enemies have heard of God and so they are too afraid to attack them. Oh, and lastly, the captain of the host of the Lord pays Joshua a visit and says,'take off your shoes, this is holy ground'. Ya think???? Seriously, isn't that exciting stuff? And that's only the first 5 chapters!

I love the idea of telling our kids what God has done. Remembering and reciting the wondrous works He has done on our behalf. RIGHT NOW, TODAY! The God of Israel is my God today. He has not changed and has not stopped performing miracles! How many of you have a story of how God "parted the waters" for you? How He "held back the waves" for you? So many of my God stories have to do with our adoptions, but there are certainly others. One time about 2 years ago Matthew and I were coming around one of the bad curves that are out near our home at 10pm and we literally stopped in the road to watch the Disney fireworks. We had NEVER stopped in the road to do this before. Just moments after we stopped, when we should have been going around the bad curve, a huge truck came around the curve on our side of the road. We would have been hit head on. It was God that protected us. I can't explain it, but I know that is the case. It humbles me again to think about it. God is at work. Tell your kids the stories. Write them down. Blog for goodness sake :) Just tell the stories of His faithfulness over and over again, "that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty AND so that you may fear(reverence) the Lord your God forever". I love God stories. Why don't you share one with me in the comments? Much love and hoping you have LOTS of stories to tell, Jackie Sue

So boring...

My life is not this boring...but my blog sure is. Sorry to you folks who wait with baited breath for my most intimate thoughts to be revealed here...just haven't had the time. I can't seem to find a scheduled time to blog my life. Go figure. I am loving the Precept course I am taking on the book of Joshua. I really love it. Makes me feel like a student again except that I am studying something I really care about. David has been traveling a lot lately and brought back I heart NY tshirts for all the kids yesterday. We also celebrated his birthday when he got home. We bought him WiiFit. Sorta a family gift for his birthday, but it was something that I knew would be good for him too. It is fun and I must say that the kids couldn't wait for him to open his gifts! The kids did a great job on the musical at church last week. I want to put some video on here of Davie singing her solo and dancing along. She was just too cute. Maybe I can get Matt to help me with that. Speaking of Matt, he is doing well and seems to have had a spiritual revival in his life. It is such fun to listen to him talk. Does this momma's heart good. Now if he can just become gainfully employed I think he can stay. Just joking. I wouldn't give my boy/man up for anything. Having a bit of extended family drama that has been a bit of a struggle, but God is going to get me through it. Just want to honor Him in everything...even the hard stuff. I love me some........don't I? (that means dots...as in dot dot dot lest you think I was being suggestive which would be completely inappropriate and not to mention slightly vulgar, but when I read that sentence I must confess that my mind realized it needed some sort of explanation) Well, it's Sunday morning and sweet Ellie has a fever of 104.1 so we didn't make it to church. It is the funniest thing, she will show no symptoms of anything and just get a high fever. Weird. That's how it was last night. After David bathed her I realized she felt a little hot and then at dinner she wouldn't eat, but just sat there with my left hand pressed to her forehead. You know that precious time when they don't feel well, just before they get really whiny and they are just snugly...that was last night, but the whiny has come this morning, so I must go. Love to you all. I will try to be more interesting and prompt next post. Jackie Sue

My First MEME

A fun gal I met in San Antonio, Robyn tagged me to blog about the impact blogging has had on my life. I guess this is the post where I need to share how my blogging began and where it is headed.

The first time I blogged was on our first trip to China when we went to get Davie Anne. I kept a journal of our travel on a website David set up for that purpose. I posted photos of us, gotcha day and some thoughts God laid on my heart while there. When we got home I didn't do anything else with it. It's still out there somewhere in cyberspace. Actually, I need to print all of it for Davie. When we were led to adopt another baby from China I figured I'd do a travel blog like the first one, but as we were waiting on our little one things happened that were from the Lord and I decided then to make a record of the journey to her. Originally I named this blog, "Journey to Joy" and posted every once in a while. Well, that was over 2 years ago and now, "One Momma's Journey" is where I update folks on our life here at home. When I was in San Antonio and on the way home I felt led by God to redefine my "blog calling". When you see folks that have become sort of celebrities through their blog you realize that these things can take on a life of their own. As I thought about that I came to the conclusion that I was not really into that. I just want to be able to keep in touch with people I know face to face or have gotten to know (Karin)because of our mutual interests through the internet. All that said, I will now get to what Robyn tagged me for.

How blogging has impacted my life:

Fellow Adoptive Families: the relationships I have made through adoption have been such a sweet blessing from the Lord. Our last travel group has remained close primarily because nearly all of us blog and are able to stay up to date with eachother through the internet. That would not happen without this form of journaling I am sure. Life is so busy and I am thankful that if I want to know what is going on in their lives and with their precious little ones I can find out with the click of a button. (I realize that most folks don't post the hard stuff that is happening, so if you need me to pray for something hard, just email me, friends!)

I feel loved and connected to my friends here: When I post about the stuff that happens at home and my friends that I see weekly care to read what I write it makes me feel loved by them in a different way than before. Sometimes I can write my heart and share it all at once and have folks all over the place praying for me in the midst of a struggle. Do you know how much time that would take if I were calling my friends one by one? I just can't afford the cell minutes (I have teenagers I share minutes with, people!). Not only can they keep up with my heart, but if they blog, I can keep up with theirs. It's a beautiful thing!

I can share how God has impacted me and hopefully encourage others in their walk with Him: Enough said.

I get to record stuff for the Fam:When I'm partying in Heaven my kids can search through cyberspace and gather all kinds of info that I wrote for the viewing of all of creation. Not that I think all creation is reading this, mind you, but it is out there and someday they can read through it and call me a saint for caring to keep all these notes on their lives. Just think, they won't have to clean a garage and go through a bunch of junk to find this. Sort of thoughful parenting, don't cha think?

The negatives of blogging: I want to be funnier. I feel pressure to make my writing entertaining. I don't have a lot of time to manufacture that kind of entertainment. It's like scrapbooking...I enjoy the end results, but sometimes I just do it to fulfill a sense of responsibility. Every post is not what is could be, but it is done. Ring true for any other bloggers out there? And the techy stuff of blogging is just hard for me. I'm not very computer savvy. I'm sure you had no idea. And, last but not least, IT TAKES ALOT OF TIME!

So, here are the rules to this meme(what does that word mean anyway?)

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them(could not do this one, sorry, Meet me, Miss Rule Follower)

Here are the folks I'm tagging:

Jill I met this precious gal in San Antonio
StephPrecious friend and fellow adoptive momma
Juliemy young friend who used to babysit my kids and now has a heart for Ethiopia and writes wonderfully
Jenanother precious friend who moved away and needs to blog more :)
and last but not least:Phil and Juliecause they are such a funny couple and our daughters are Fu sisters!
Ok, this is an example of a long, timely(do you know how long it took me to do all these links? but look Ma, I did it!) and yet,fun post. Love to you all, Jackie Sue

Our Very Own Butterfly

Yes. It happened. I finally found one chrysalis from a Monarch butterfly. I put it in my butterfly habitat and it hatched a beautiful butterfly today. It was amazing! That is our success story. I had to take about 50 caterpillars off my now stripped Passion Vine and to a new vine at the nursery nearby. I don't have enough caterpillar food....how tragic. I'm doing ok though. I will miss the little buggars, but at least they won't starve to death. The eat ALOT. I mean ALOT. Here's a photo of the success story and a photo of my assistant. She's a cute little buggar too. Thank goodness I get to keep her and so far we have enough food around here to keep her fed. David shops at Sam's you know.

My Baby's Growin' Up!

This new development is just stinky. I know it is part of the deal, after all, I have been here before, but still, it just sorta sucks the wind out of my sails. Sometime in the last 24 hours Ellie has started calling Davie "Davie" instead of "Dadee". Oh the pain. I love babytalk FROM BABIES. I hate when somehow they start to "get it" and begin to change their adorable little words to grown up words. Just wanted to commemorate this big occasion in my life. My last baby is growing up. Waaaaa!

Ellie is headed for the Pro Bowling League

Last night at our friends Ellie showed us some amazing Wii skillz. She bowls all by herself. She even got a STRIKE! I so wish I had a video to show you the celebrating she did when she got that strike. It was priceless! We had a great Labor Day with very little labor involved, but tons of fun (unlike our typical Labor Day where David makes us Labor). Thank you sweet friends for making some fun memories with us! Hope you had a marvelous holiday too!!! Love, JS

A Wii-God's Gift To Our Family

Today I received a fun text from my husband. He was in Dallas for a conference for techy people. He told me before he left that there would be some opportunities to win a Wii. Well, we have been wanting a Wii for a while, but truly couldn't afford that luxury right now. When he told me there would be some given away I told him that I would pray that we would win one. On the way to school in the mornings it is our practice to pray so on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings I prayed with the girls and at the end of my prayer I said something like this, "Lord, it would sure be fun to win a Wii. You are good no matter what and we will serve You no matter what. But, we sure would love to win a Wii. David's text today said, "I can't believe it. I won! Isn't God gracious. Luv u," and then just a moment later another one came that said, "OMG! I really won!" I got on the phone and called him and asked him if he was just kidding me and he assured me that he wasn't. Then I said, "do you know what OMG means?" because for one thing I couldn't believe that he was talking "text talk" to me, he just doesn't do that. He said, "oh my goodness?" and I said, well, to us it does, but to the rest of the world it is Oh my God" and then he said, "Well, I thought I should show some excitement and be expressive about this." If you know David you will know how funny that is. He can be sort of an Eeyore about even fun things and just is such a steady eddie about everything so he was trying to be more excited about something that should be exciting. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but what I wanted to tell you is that our good God, who is good no matter what, saw fit in His divine plan to allow us to win a Wii. "My boundary lines are drawn for me in pleasant places." I'm just saying....God is AWESOME all the time and we are humbled and blessed by this gift to our family. Just thought I'd share so that you will remember to ask God for the fun things in life too...He's good no matter what...but just maybe you will see Him work and then receive the desire of your heart just because He loves you so! He does, you know!!!
Celebrating His sweetness,
Jackie Sue

A Picture's Worth Like 10 million Words

I'm still processing the stuff I learned this past weekend. One thing I didn't know was this(and it absolutely blew my mind)God's children are HIS INHERITANCE. We are the thing God considers HIS reward. Isn't that amazing? Just too sweet to comprehend in one sitting, so give that some thought. Another thing I learned is that the inheritance (emotional stuff/patterns) I received from my parents, good and bad, does not have to belong to me if I don't want it to. I can have a garage sale with Jesus and get rid of the stuff I don't want to inherit. I have to forgive my folks, family for passing on unhealthy patterns, I have to identify the specific stuff I don't want, acknowledge it in my life, ask God to help me change what I have already confessed, and seek Him daily in the midst of life remembering those things He wants to change in me. I don't know if that is helpful info or not, but it helps me to get it in writing. So there. :) One pattern in particular was shown to me at the conference and so God and I are dialoguing about that. Maybe there is something in your life that He wants to change that you hadn't realized before...talk with Him about it. He is just so sweet. He wants our inheritance to our children(or those in our lives for those single gals) to be the good stuff. I'm all about that...aren't you? I know you are. Have a wonderful day!!! Love, Jackie Sue
p.s. For you caterpillar fans, I have LOTS of new Monarch caterpillars on my milkweeds...IAMSOEXCITED!!! Maybe I will get a chrysalis yet!

San Antonio

I'm in TEXAS!!! I've never been in Texas before. I've already had mexican food and a slew of margaritas. Ok. I'm kidding about the margaritas. But I did eat a yummy chicken casadilla yesterday with a whole passel of blogging women. My friend,
Kathy(class of 1979, Deland High School Grad, mother of 7, Opelika, Alabama resident...and even more. We met in 7th grade when we tried out together for cheerleading our audition numbers were 21 and 22 and WE BOTH MADE THE SQUAD...Go Green Devils!)and I met in Atlanta and then flew onto San Antonio for the Siesta Fiesta(its a long story). We are staying in a lovely Marriott (where she likes to keep the temperature at a freezing 68 degrees or so)using up David's Marriott points. It is a delightful thing to stay in a nice hotel for free(thank you love, I owe you). We flew out here to attend Beth Moore's Living Proof Live event and man, have we been to church! I can't help it, I just love Beth Moore. She is so funny and so passionate for Jesus. She inspires me.

The Lord met me here and said something brand new to me. Something I have never even thought about before. I'm not going to share that right now though. Maybe at another time. For now I will share the 8 truths that Beth wanted us to take to heart and embrace as our own. The key word was INHERITANCE, which I loved because in my Joshua readings I had just been reading about how the tribes of Israel received their inheritance, but the Levites received God Himself as their inheritance. Seriously, I had just marked that in my Bible the other day. Anyway, she shared that we are "heiresses" and these truths went along with that.

1. I am an heir of God. My life is not left to chance.
2. I am an heir of God. I am inheriting a kingdom.
3. I am an heir of God. He is my portion and I am His.
4. I am an heir of God. The downpayment has been made.
5. I am an heir of God. My boundary lines form a pleasing place.
6. I am an heir of God. The will has been activated.
7. I am an heir of God. I can be secure.
8. I am an heir of God. I have a beautiful inheritance.

I don't do Miss Beth justice, but just wanted to share the main points she shared. I would highly recommend any of her events. God will bless your heart and set you on fire for Him. She is coming to Orlando with the Deeper Still conference next September and I will definitely plan on being there. Want to come? Let me know :)

This evening was the Siesta pajama party. It was fun. Mostly because we met Erin. She was a hoot. She's 24 years old and so way hip. I hate her. She is so not my new bff. I told her I was going to put her in my blog. So here is Erin: Erin is so totally a break dancer. Isn't she the coolest?!

Well, its time to go to bed. I must put on my parka and climb under the covers while Kathy's noise maker(sound machine, she says...whatever!)lulls me to sleep(not). I have been so blessed to be here(thank you Eddie Lopez)and make such fun memories. It has been an absolute blast and one gal, Rachel, told Kathy and I how young and hip we are. Isn't that cool??? That compliment alone would have made my weekend. Not to mention all the great new friends I made(Edub). So, I'm signing off now...I'll be home, Lord willing, tomorrow. (Is Faye ever going away???)
Much love,
Jackie Sue

Chris' Vine or Bust

This is my pipevine now. Isn't that amazing. The caterpillars ate it down to almost nothing which is fine, but I didn't think they were going to survive so I gave about 20 of my precious caterpillars away. I gave them to Val's neighbor, Chris. He has a HUGE pipevine in his backyard and no caterpillars to eat it. So, I put a bunch of my precious little friends in a coolwhip container and moved them into town to start a new life. I'm thinking they miss the country, but food was becoming pretty scarce so the move was a good thing. Sorta like the book of Ruth where Naomi's husband moved the family because there was a famine in the land. Ok, it is nothing like that, but I'm studying that book right now and I just thought of it. Anyhoo, the kids were moved over to their new place and if I could I would gather up all the little chrysalis's' that they are going to make and bring them back home to hatch. I wonder if Chris would mind if I searched his vine to find my little ones? I did lay awake one night and worry that they were going to starve to death on my pitiful vine. When I told David that he told me I needed to get a life. I can't help it, I'm maternal. Here's a picture of the fat caterpillars that are still here. I can only find 2 of the 5 that remained. Maybe the storm blew them away. If these make it I'll be sure to post more photos. I'm sure you were waiting on some news of the little guys already. Glad I could put your mind at ease. Much maternal love, JS

These are the new folks on the block...hope they don't eat caterpillars!
And just for fun some cute photos of the other critters around here.