Teen Challenge Video

Answered Prayers

Isn't it just amazing how God answers prayers? You spend so much time praying and waiting for a "sign" that God is really listening..... and then it happens. And most of the time it doesn't happen like you think it should or even when you think it should. It happens when you least expect it to.... when you are surrounded by sadness and tears. When you feel totally helpless and confused. God answers prayers in His time.... not ours. And let me tell you, He has perfect timing. He knows when we have had enough. He knows when we just can't take another step. He knows when to pick us up and carry us. He takes us to the edge and then He pulls us back to Him. He lines up people, places and things to show us that He is in charge. In the midst of a disaster, He opens doors. Tonight I am praising God for being a forgiving God who ALWAYS shows up.

Tonight I took Mason downtown to trick or treat. There were so many kids running around and even more gnats. He really had fun trick or treating from store to store and looking at what all the other kids were dressed up as. He was the Ghost Rider. Several of the kids were afraid of him. I had to keep taking his mask off to show them that he was just a boy.

Pirate Jackson


Butterfly Jordan

McKenzie, Mason and Gabby

Now that Mason's hair is growing, we can do all kinds of funky styles in the tub.

I Googled "Lori needs" to see what would come up. Here is my list of needs according to Google....

Lori needs ideas and volunteers.
Lori needs to be aware of her own anger.
Lori needs help.
Lori needs a change.
Lori needs to cut her mom some slack.
Lori needs a little hocus-pocus from dear departed Aunt.
LORI NEEDS CAFFEINE TO STAY AWAKE!!!

Pretty funny!!

This Sums It Up For Me Right Now.....

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?"
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT".

Author Unknown

Pumpkins

Saturday we took Mason and our niece, Jordan to the pumpkin patch. They had fun running around looking for the perfect pumpkin. Mason can't wait to carve it!
My sweet Jordan Pie

After I picked Mason up from school today, I took him to the Port Royal sands to look for sharks teeth. Although we didn't find any sharks teeth, Mason found some tiny hermit crabs. He picked one up, laid it in the palm of his hand and said, very sweetly, "Mommy, it's so cute. I want to keep it forever. Ahhhhh, he's so sweet." Then he said he needed to find another one. When I asked him why he needed a second one he said, in a totally different tone of voice, "I wanna make them fight." Boys will be boys!
We walked all the way up the tower and had a stranger take our picture at the top. We looked like tourists but I don't care! It was fun!
Today is Ivette's birthday! Mason wanted to get her a cake and a candle that plays the Happy Birthday song. He loves his Aunt Ivette so much and so do I!
This is my Layla girl wearing her Halloween costume. She was giving me the evil eye..... can you tell?

The Glory Of His Works

Last night Brett, Mason and I went out for a boat ride with my brother. On the way back, the sun was setting and the sky in front of us was red. It was a red that I had never seen before. Absolutely gorgeous! I looked back at the sky behind us and is was almost purple. It was so perfect and beautiful. I started thinking about the glory of His works. Who else could create a sunset like that one but God? The entire ride back to the dock, I thought about all things that are going on my life. I have a good life but there are always days that go by when I want a "do over". For instance, I raise my voice to Mason when it really wasn't necessary. Or I don't pay enough attention to the people that I love. I started thinking about the fact that I am not guaranteed tomorrow or even my next breath. That sunset was so gorgeous but it only lasted a few minutes and then it was over. I am really going to try to live in the moment more instead of concentrating on what tomorrow may bring. The moments in life past just as fast as that sunset but it was beautiful while it lasted because I took the time to watch it. It's funny how God works. He used that big sunset to open my eyes to the little things in life.

Happy Fall!

Today the weather is perfect! The skies are so blue and the temp is just right! I love Fall. I open my windows and let the fresh air drift through. Love it!

I haven't blogged in a long time. We have been busy living life and I just haven't taken the time to update my blog. Sorry!

Mason turned 5 in September. I can't believe that we have a 5 year old. It doesn't seem possible that that much time has passed since I had him. He is growing fast. That makes me sad in a strange way. He is my baby... I don't want him to grow up.

Brett is good besides being covered in poison oak. I guess we have it growing in our backyard and now it is spreading all over Brett.... even between his eyes. Poor baby!!

There are a lot of different things going on in my life.... some happy and some sad... but nevertheless, I praise God for all that He gives me.

I have found a blog that has really touched my heart. Go read some and you will see what I am talking about. I have added this sweet baby girl to my daily prayers. I hope that everyone who reads her blog will do the same.

My friend Bonnie just found out that she is having a baby boy! Congratulations to her!!

I guess this post is just a lot of rambling but at least I am blogging, right?

A Special Kind Of Love

My grandparents just celebrated 61 years of marriage. Can you imagine? They have stuck by each other through all the trials of life and are still standing strong, together. It takes a special kind of love to last all these years. God has blessed them with a love that lasts forever. It is a love that is unbreakable. When I grow up, I want to be where they today.... in love. Happy Anniversary Mot Mot and SkeeBo!

Love You Forever

Last night Mason choose the book "Love You Forever" as his bedtime story. I haven't read him this book in a really long time. He listened as I read about the mommy who would sneak into her son's room, crawl across the floor, pick him up and rock him back and forth singing, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be."

After I finished the book, he wanted me to pretend that he was sleeping so I could crawl across the floor, pick him up and rock him back and forth, singing the song. He thought it was pretty funny. So, we said our prayers and I thought that he was about asleep..... until I felt his arms go around my neck and he started to rock me back and forth while singing a pretty good version of the song in the book. He sang, "I'll love you forever. I like you every day. As long as I'm living, my mommy you will be." He thought I was really sleeping so I didn't say a word. He rolled over and went to sleep. I lay there with big fat tears in my eyes, thanking God for giving me such an amazing child.

Pictures From The Weekend

Our New Baby Girl

This is Carolina, our newest addition! It's our first kitten and so far we love her. She seems to like Mason and she is tolerating our dogs. She's definitely a keeper!

Randon Thoughts

Last night we started Vacation Bible School. I am helping Carla with the 3 and 4 year old class. This is my first year helping with VBS and I can already tell you that this week is going to be awesome...... exhausting but awesome! Some say that the first night is unorganized and crazy but I think that it went really well. The kids had smiles on their faces and seemed excited about the night. We enjoyed snacks, music, recreation, crafts, missions and Bible Study.

Voices of Praise sang a special Sunday morning in church and had practice with the adult choir Sunday afternoon. We are joining together to sing a special this coming Sunday morning. I am really excited to see what God has planned for us.

Friday night a group of fellow Flip Floppers had dinner at Outback. Carla is moving very soon so we wanted to get together before she leaves. I am going to miss her so much. When she leaves, she will be taking a small piece of this Flip Floppers heart. I look forward to August, when she will be back for our 1 year anniversary weekend at Harbor!

Our Newest Addition

This is Yoshi. He is a bearded dragon and our newest baby. If you have been to our house in the last few weeks, then you have had the pleasure of meeting him but I wanted to post some pictures for those of you who haven't been over. Before we got Yoshi I had NEVER held a lizard. I will hold an occasional tree frog but never a lizard. At first I was a little bit apprehensive. But he is so gentle and sweet. One of the first things that Mason does in the morning is hold Yoshi. He helps me feed him and give him water. Although it may be hard to believe, Yoshi responds different to Mason than he does to anyone else. He tilts his head when Mason talks, he will sit in Mason's lap for as long as Mason wants him to and if Yoshi is in a feisty mood, he calms down the second he sits in Mason's hands. It's pretty amazing.

We feed him tiny crickets and let me tell you that he can eat them at the speed of light! He also loves strawberries. He shed his skin last week. Mason was in a panic until it was over. He didn't understand why his skin was coming off. I told Mason that it was because Yoshi had grown too big for his old skin. I guess it worried Mason.

When we went to pick Yoshi up a few weeks ago, Brett told me that there was no way on earth that he would ever hold a bearded dragon. By the time we got home that night, Brett was begging for his turn to hold him. Now I catch Brett in Mason's room holding Yoshi all the time. Or sitting at the computer with Yoshi hanging out on his shirt.

Our Weekend!

This morning I woke up with a head ache and my legs where extra achy. Before I left to take Mason to school I loaded the dishwasher and turned it on, folded a load of clothes and started more, made the bed, watered my outside plants, gave Chewy his medicine, fed the dogs and the lizard, spent at least 20 minutes trying to help Mason pick out his clothes and finally had to take 4 Motrin before walking out the door. I was tired and my day had just started. I know that I am not the only one who has mornings like this. I know that some of you do the same things with two or three kids to get ready. Y'all are hero's in my eyes! I really feel like I never get to sit down and do nothing. I know that is my fault because when the opportunity presents itself, I sit and think of things that I should be doing..... so I get up and do them. I end up stressing myself out!

But this morning when I got in my car and dropped my head to the steering wheel to say a quick prayer, a song started to play in my head.... "When He Reached Down His Hand For Me". I was really feeling frustrated and mad and tired and irritable. I really wanted to go back into the house and get back in my bed. But instead, I put in the CD with that song on it and I pushed repeat. Mason and I listened to it all the way to school. I know that God was testing me this morning. The things that I did this morning where no different than any other morning except today the devil was riding on my shoulder. He was whispering in my ear, filling me with anger and ungratefulness. But the minute that God put the words to that song in my head, the "grumpiness" started to lift. He showed me that even when we have something as simple as a bad morning, He will reached down and lift you up again.

Right in my own backyard....

For those of you that didn't know, I joined the Youth/Young Adult Choir at church. I have never sang in any choir and have never thought that my voice was a good one. The only person that I have ever sang to is Mason because mommy's always sound pretty, right?

When mom asked me to join the choir, I didn't hesitate. I jumped right into practices and listening none stop to my cd's. But after every practice I feel so frustrated with myself. I don't want to sing loud because someone might actually hear me. I don't want to stand to close to anyone because then someone will definitely hear me. Pretty silly, huh? Yeah, it is!!

We had practice Sunday night and once again, I was feeling less than confident. I was trying to sing quietly because I felt like I was really sounding like a sick cow. But then we started working on a new song. "Let Everything That Has Breath Praise The Lord". I stood there thinking, who am I to not raise my voice and praise God? So I don't sound fabulous. Does that really matter? To God's ears, my praises are precious, no matter how off key they are. So, I plan on listening to my cd's, learning my part and singing to the best of my ability. I plan on praising God through song and allowing Him to use me as a witness. If you happen to be the one who stands beside me at practice..... sorry if I'm off key or mess up. But I'm gonna keep on keepin on and I am gonna PRAISE!!

A Campin' He Will Go!

Mason has been invited to go camping this weekend and he is so excited about it. This is his first camping trip. When I asked him if he wanted to go, he asked me a lot of questions. Where would he sleep? Who would be in the tent with him? Where would he brush his teeth and change his clothes? What if someone saw him naked? Would he have bug spray there? Would he have to use the bathroom in the woods and could I please pack some toilet paper just in case. On and on he went with his questions. He finally decided that he definitely wanted to go. He says that he is going to catch every fish in the pond and he also says that he going to try to sneak one home so he can cook it and eat it. He doesn't even like to eat fish. Silly boy!

So, Brett is going out of town Friday and now so is Mason. What am I going to do with myself? At first I thought I would start my spring cleaning..... then when I came to my senses I decide not to! I'm sure that I will find something to do.

Thanks to Jeremiah for inviting Mason to go this weekend. I'm sure that it will be a memorable time for Mason especially if he catches his very first fish. You and McKenzie might have a permanent fishing partner after this.

I Sent Urkel To School...

Mason has decided that he wants to pick out his own school clothes every night. He picks them out and puts them in a pile on his floor. He thinks that burgundy and red match. He thinks that his jeans shouldn't touch the tops of his shoes... so he rolls his pants up! He also doesn't like long t-shirts. If he is wearing a shirt that he thinks is too long.... he rolls that up, too. You can only imagine how silly he looks but in his mind he is the coolest thing to walk into preschool.

I'm amazed at how independent he has become in the last few months. He rarely takes a bath anymore because he prefers a shower. He washes himself and even dries and dresses himself. I try to help but he refuses to let me. My baby isn't a baby anymore. It makes me sort of sad... He's growing up way too fast!

From headaches to heartaches to sick family...... Not necessarily in my life but in the lives of people that I love. When my friends or family are hurting, I hurt, too. When someone makes ugly comments about someone that I love, you might as well be making them to me because it makes me feel awful. You got a headache?? Then my head hurts, too. If your sister is sick, then I will pray for her as if she were my sister. I have always been that way. I try to carry burdens with my friends and family. But truly, there is only one person that can carry our burdens. Whether it's a headache or a heartache, He can restore you and if you trust in Him, things will get brighter. The best thing that I can do for friends and family that are hurting is pray for them. I learned that lesson after trying to fix my brother, who is a recovering drug addict. I tried for a long time to make him want to be better. I tried to talk him into it. Do you know what finally worked? I Let Go and Let God!! We can't change anyone but we can pray for them. Pray! Pray! Pray! It changes things!!

Mason... My Funny Guy

Mason had a splitter in his arm yesterday. He cried and cried and wouldn't let me touch it. He was really distraught about it and just didn't know what to do to get it out. I told him that I would pull it out. It was bearly even hanging on anyway. During all the tears, he asked me, "Is God making me hurt like this?" I told him no but that unfortunately hurting was a part of life. He told me that he did not like the hurting part of life. I couldn't help but giggle at him but he seemed so grown up.

The other morning Mason woke up and immediately started acting like he was mad at something. Brett asked him if he was mad because a cat had pooped in his mouth while he was sleeping. His breathe was kickin! Mason didn't think that it funny at the time. Yesterday he woke, laid there for a minute and then proceeded to get mad again. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "That same cat pooped in my mouth again!"

Mason Funnies

Mason fell off the trampoline last week and scratched his nose. It wasn't that bad and he didn't even cry. On Sunday he said, "Mommy, my nose is better! God healed my nose." I asked him how he thought that God healed it. He said, "Mommy, while we were sleeping in bed, God floated down in the backyard and He got my skin off the tree where I scratched it. Then he snuck in a put it back on my nose." Needless to say, I laughed!

On Saturday he fell in the house and hit his ear on the corner of the coffee table. It left an ugly bruise and a small sore. This morning he reached up and felt his ear and said, "Mommy, God hasn't healed my ear yet." Then he said, " I don't know what is taking him so long. I fell right in the living room and that's were my skin is." He cracks me up!!

Last night, I was browsing the internet and Mason was in my lap. The site that I was on had pictures of babies on the screen. Mason reached up and pointed at one and said, "Mommy, put that one in your cart." I told him that those babies were not for sale. He then proceeded to tell me to go to the baby isle.

We had such a great time in Snowshoe. We were among really terrific people and two great kids. We played in the snow, went sledding and tubing, ate some good food, did a little bit of shopping and a lot of laughing. I have to admit that I played gameboy a lot while I was there.... Yes, I am addicted to Super Mario Brothers.

Anyway, Mason and Will took a ski class on Saturday afternoon. Neither one lasted the entire class. I think that it was a little bit scary because they were among strangers, in the freezing cold, standing on skis. I think that I would be a little frightened myself. Mason did go out skiing with Brett the next day and he did really good. I think that next year he will catch on and be passing Brett on the slopes.

Let me tell you how stinkin cold it was! I really don't think that temperature got out of the 10's while we were there. One night before bed, I put a bottle of water in front of out window and forget about it. When we got up the next day, it was frozen solid and the window wasn't even opened. Now that's cold! When we left Snowshoe, the temperature was -8 degrees. BURRRR!

Mason was so excited when it started to snow on the way to West Virginia. We stopped for gas shortly after the snow started to fall and Mason laid down in the parking lot and did a snow angel. There was hardly any snow sticking at this point so he basically made an asphalt angel. I couldn't help but laugh at him!!

Snowshoe Pictures

Snowshoe, Here We Come!!!

We are leaving in the morning to go to Snowshoe, West Virginia. I am really looking forward to the snow but NOT the long ride! Mason woke up this morning in a very happy mood because he knows that today is his last day at school. He has our afternoon all planned out. It includes packing and packing and more packing. We have to take Ripley and Layla to Tia's, water plants, take the trash to the dump and several other things that he listed. Needless to say, we will be very busy this afternoon.

I hope that everyone has a great weekend! Keep us in your prayers for traveling mercies and no injuries on the slopes!!

Do you believe that there is a God? I have always believed without a single doubt but you know that there are some people that don't believe. Last night was a perfect example of God's presence in my life.

I called Bernie yesterday and ask him if he was going to church because I wanted to ride with him. At that time he said that he wasn't sure but he eventually called back and then picked me up to go. On the way to church we stopped and picked up a friend of Bernie's who is suffering from drug addiction. He is trying desperately to get into a rehab facility but until then he is staying in a run down hotel. We picked him up and off to church we went. We ate dinner really quick and then went into Bible study. It was really great. At the end of the service Bernie stood up and asked for the church to pray for his friend. The Preacher said a prayer for him right then with several men laying their hands in him. It was so moving. God was there for sure!

While we were eating dinner I noticd that Bernie's friend kept getting up and piling more food on his plate. I asked him if he had any food where he was staying. He said no but he was going to eat enough at church to hold him over. It just broke my heart into pieces. But you know what, he said it with a smile knowing that God was going to provide food for him somehow. This guy is a Christian but the devil had gotten a hold on him and dragged him down. He is fighting his way back and doing it with a smile on his face. Needless to say, Bernie and I made sure that he had food by the time that we took him back to his room.

We helped him carrying his things up to his room when we dropped him off. You just can't imagine the filthy place that he is staying at. The ceiling looked like it was going to fall in on us, it smelled so bad and a roach crawled across the bed while we were there. But this was the place the God had allowed him to stay and he was so thankful for it because his other option was the street. Before Bernie and I left his room, we stood in a circle, held hands and Bernie prayed the most amazing prayer that I have ever heard. We closed our eyes and held tight to each other and I realized that it didn't matter what condition the room was in, God is everywhere. He is real and He was in that run down hotel.

Am I The Next American Idol???

NOT! But I am joining the young adult choir at church. My mom has been inspired to create a new choir and I, for some unknown reason, have agreed to join it. I can not sing worth a lick.... not even in the shower. I have never been in any choir. Mason looks at me funny when I sing anything.... I think that he wants to tell me to stop but he is afraid of hurting my feelings. I am actually looking forward to it and I know that it will bless so many people in our church, including me. So, please pray for our new choir. Lord knows, we all need prayer, especially the people who are going to have to listen to my singing! YIKES! Maybe I can just hum along in the back row??

Happy Wednesday Ya'll!!

Burrrrr! It is so cold outside today. I think that the high is 48 degrees. That is cold!! I guess that I better get used to it though since we are going to West Virginia in a few weeks. We have been going every February for 3 years. I am really looking forward to it. I am not much of a skier but I enjoy the snow and just relaxing with a good book. Mason is going to try to learn how to ski this year. We are going to sign him up for Kids World, which is a one day camp for kids. He will probably be flying past his dad on the slopes before we know it. I am really looking forward to going tubing. So fun! This picture was taken two years ago in the Village at Snow Shoe, West Virginia.

I hope that as you are reading this that you are sitting down because I have some news. I hope that it doesn't sadden you as much as it did me because I was so super depressed over it! As I was getting ready for work this morning, I found...... MY FIRST GRAY HAIR!!!! Oh my goodness! I thought that I was seeing things but I swear it winked at me! I tried to pull it out but that little fella wouldn't budge. I'm sure that this is the first of many.... after all, I am almost 33 years old. So, today I am a little bit sad. I have colored my hair for a long time because I don't really like my natural color but now I have to color it because I found a gray hair. I am sure that there are more that I can't see... what a big, fat, gray haired bummer!!

A Tribute to My PaPa

One year ago today, my grandfather passed away. It was by far the saddest day of my life. His was my first up close experience with death and it was so hard. My PaPa was one of a kind. I am positive that there is not another man like him in this world. I remember when I was little, I'd sit on MaMa and PaPa's couch and wait for him to get home from work. I loved to hear him whistle in the mornings or make up silly songs about odd things. He used to call me Lori the Horse. He'd called all of us turd head tappin's. I have no idea where he got these funny names from or where he came up with all the crazy jokes. He could tell you war stories and describe things as if they happened yesterday. He was a very smart man and a lot of times he had an attitude about one thing or another. But that is what made him PaPa.

Nickiehoakiemombo was one of his favorite phrases. What does it mean? I have no idea but I say it to Mason all the time. We would always reply with "banana split". So, Nickiehoakiemombo to everyone who reads this tribute! PaPa's legend lives on!

Mason has been sleeping in our bed since he was about 2 years old. The older that he gets, the bigger he gets, the more crowded our queen size bed has become. I told him that it was time that he sleep in his own bed. I swear that he woke up 10 times during the night. Needless to say, I was so tired the next day. Then Sandy gave me an idea. She said that Noah used to sleep on an inflatable sleeping bag on the floor in her room. I talked to Mason about it and he was so excited. I made him a cot on the floor beside our bed and he has been sleeping there for a few days. He sleeps all night without a peep! Praise the Lord for small miracles!

So, I ordered him an inflatable sleeping bag because I felt bad that he was sleeping on the hard floor. It came in yesterday so he was really excited about trying it out. He laid down and went right to sleep until...... I woke to his screaming at about 1:15 am. He had managed to get his upper body wedged under our bed. So his legs were on the mat but his head was under the bed and he was stuck like that. I had to pull the mat from under his legs and then pull him from under the bed. He was hysterical. I put him in our bed for the rest of the night. He woke up this morning so angry that he wasn't on his mat. He didn't remember what had happened during the night. Tonight we will be moving the mat away from the edge of the bed.... poor little fella!