West Michigan Christian music fans are expressing their sympathy for Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman after the death of his 5-year-old daughter in an accident Wednesday in the family's driveway.

"We opened up the phone lines and people called in and wanted to pray right over the air," said Troy West, morning show co-host on contemporary Christian music radio station WJQK-FM (99).

Maria Sue Chapman was struck by a car driven by one of her teenage brothers, according to authorities in Franklin, Tenn., who added they believe no charges will result from what they termed "a tragic accident."

The child died 10 days after her fifth birthday. Chapman's manager, Jim Houser, also noted in a Web site posting the family had been hours away from hosting a high school graduation party for their son Caleb when the accident occurred.

Maria was the youngest of three Chinese girls the family had adopted, two of them through the the Nashville, Tenn., office of Bethany Christian Services. Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, also have three biological children -- two teenage sons and a 21-year-old daughter.

"They are loving and wonderful parents and a great family -- they must be devastated," said Brian De Vos, manager of Michigan operations for Bethany Christian Services. "He's been such an advocate for adoption -- I know their commitment to kids."

DeVos has known the Chapmans for eight years and worked with them on Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation the couple named for one of their adopted daughters and established to help families through the often expensive adoption process.

During Chapman's most recent concert tour -- which included a stop at Sunshine Community Church last September -- the singer raised $340,000 for the foundation. While here, he awarded a grant of about $3,000 to a local family for adoption expenses.
He also has raised funds for construction of an orphanage in China for special-needs children who likely will never be adopted.

Chapman, 45, has sold more than 10 million albums, has had dozens of No. 1 Christian radio hits, and has won more than 50 Dove Awards -- exceeding any other individual artist.
Yet he would much rather talk about his family or his work with adoptions and orphans.
"I have sung a lot of his songs," said local Christian singer Marty Miller, of Belmont, posting comments on an area Christian musicians' Web site. "Please be in prayer for the family."
Chapman's current hit song on Christian radio is "Cinderella," a ballad about precious times spent together by father and daughter. It was inspired by a real family moment.

Article courtesy of www.mlive.com.

Every night for a long time, Mason has said the "Now I lay me down to sleep" prayer before bed. After he says the entire prayer he adds his own prayer requests. Help all the sick people in the world..... Help me do good at t-ball..... PaPa and MaMa...... Buster, our dog who is already in doggie Heaven...... He even prays for God. On and on he will go about all sorts of things. He sits in his bed and basically has a very detailed conversation with God. One night last week as he was praying, he said, "And God please help all the people with breath cancer." He was very serious so I held in my giggle. I left the room thinking that maybe I needed to brush my teeth again.

As I am typing this, my heart feels like it is breaking into pieces. My grandmother is very sick and in the hospital. She has been in and out of the hospital since November. I tell her all the time that she is one of the strongest women that I will ever know. She has been through so much these past few months and she continues to fight. If I just had a small peice of her strength, I would be set for the rest of my life.

My MaMa has always been so special to me. I can remember vividly spending day after day at her house. We lived across the street for MaMa so it was easy for me to sneak over. Our babysitter always knew that if she couldn't find me, I was at MaMa and PaPa's house. When I was young I would lay on her couch and watch cartoons. We would go in the yard and pick flowers or collect pears from her pear tree. Sometimes we would go to Roses or Sky City. I remember her taking me many times to get my pictures done at Roses.... even when I was a teenager, she still took me to get my picture done.

She has a special corner in my heart that will always be just hers. My prayer is that she pulls through this sickness that she is facing but if that is not God's will, then I pray that she will be comfortable and at peace. She has suffered for so long.... most would have already given up. But she is a fighter. Please pray for my MaMa as you read this post.

Easter Pictures

Happy Easter!!!

I know it has been a long, long, long time since I have blogged. I think that I have blogger burn out! But here are a few pictures of Mason and some of our furry kids. I hope that everyone has a blessed Easter!

P.S. Mason had a fight with his bike.... as you can see, the bike won!

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!

2006 - Recap

Since the new year is just hours away, I thought I'd recap some things that happened in 2006. The thing that really stands out the most in my mind is that PaPa passed away on January 9, 2006. That was probably the saddest day in my life. Our family held on tight to each other and we made it through that rough time, with God's help. We had A LOT of birthday parties at mom's and several anniversaries. Brett and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary on July 7. We spent the weekend in Charleston at a Bed and Breakfast. It was so nice! I joined Weight Watchers and have lost 25 pounds. I was blessed with new friends and we became the Flip Flop Club. I can not even begin to tell you what this group of girls has meant to me. I look forward to many years of flip flopping through our lives together. I started going to Sunday School and let me just tell you that it has blessed my life more than words can begin to express. Our Sunday morning group is really unique and I am glad to be a part of it. Through WW and Sunday School, friendships have formed that will bless me forever. Ivette and I made it through another year of great friendship. We have held each other up through tears and laughter. She is my sister and I love her so much. I started playing golf again. I'm not that good at it but it is so much fun. Angie, Jessica and I played in our first tournament and we did not come in last place. Yah us!! Speaking of Jessica... she has been an amazing friend!! I know that God put her and Jeremiah in my path this year for a reason and slowly I am seeing that reason. It's because I needed them and I didn't even know it. God always knows what we need, even before we know it. (Sniff-Sniff) This year, I caught the "crying at the drop of dime disease" from Jessica... thanks for sharing that with me. The people who make Kleenex are certainly benefiting from that! Mason started taking karate. He can karate chop you and do it with a smile! He has been such a good boy this year, aside from the occasional, normal things. He turned four on September 17. He has a "girlfriend" at school. She is very pretty. He tells us that he is going to marry her when he grows up. He is growing way too fast. Brook and Justin got a new puppy named Remi. He is really adorable and full of energy. They love their pups! We got a new puppy and named her Layla. She has been a great addition to our family. Ripley is very happy to have her to play with.

I finished my 12th year at Real Estate Professionals. That's a long time, huh? Time has really flown by! Bernie graduated from the Faith Home in October. He is new man and continues to grow in his faith and his recovery. Bobby and Diana moved in two doors down. Mason loves having them so close because he can play with Robert and Wes more. Billy and Amy built a beautiful home in Walling Grove. It is their dream house and I couldn't be happier for them. They also got two new pups. Maverick and Bailey. They keep Billy and Amy very busy! Angie went back to work and seems to like it. Her purse business is also doing really well. I went on vacation with her and all the kids in September. Angie and I both got tattoos and belly button piercings. We had a great time! I'm sure that I left out a lot about 2006 but if I wrote about everything that happened, it would be 100's of pages long.

All in all, 2006 has been a good year. There has been a lot of laughter, tears, and disagreements but we made it through the year together. I hope that everyone has a safe and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I know, I know! I haven't blogged in over a week. We have been so super busy since before Christmas. Now it is almost a new year and we are still busy!

We all had an amazing Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Mason, Jessica, Jordan, Jackson and McKenzie sang Happy Birthday Jesus at church. It was so precious and of course, I cried. I think that I am catching the cry all the time thing from Jessica Y. because I cry at the drop of a dime.

Christmas day, I made breakfast for Brett's mom, dad, aunt and uncle. They came over about 8:30am. Mason had been up since about 7:30 and plowed through the things that Santa left for him. He was so excited. His favorite gift was a trampoline! It was raining on Christmas day but he jumped anyway and Grandma (Brett's mom) jumped with him. Needless to say, he was soaked when he came back in but it was worth it to see the smile on his face.

We went to mom's at noon to open presents and eat lunch. It was really crazy but really fun, as always! After mom's we went to Brett's aunt's house for dinner. We ate all day long but it was all yummy and worth it!!

Mason is loving all the days off of school that he has had over the holidays. He has been trying to fake sick every morning that he does have school so he can stay home. This morning he told me that his tummy hurt. I asked him if it really hurt? He said, "No, but my knee hurts." Again, I asked him if it really hurt. He said, "No, but my elbow really does hurt...... for real." He did go to school today but he has three days off now. I am not looking forward to Tuesday morning when he has to go back to school!! Little Faker!!

Happy New Year Everyone!! Be safe!!!

Date Night

Friday night, Mason and I had date night. Brett had to work so it was just the two of us. We had such a great time. We went to see Charlotte's Web. It was so super cute and Mason agreed. He sat as if in a trace and stared at the screen. I have always loved Charlotte's Web and now so does Mason. It was fun of humor and we laughed and laughed! Templeton, the rat, was the funniest character. Mason's favorite part was when Templeton got a rotten egg and took it into his rat hole. He rolled it down and put in a spot where he thought that it would be secure. Well, it started rolling and Templeton started running. The egg eventually caught up with him and broke. Yucky, rotten egg went all over him. Mason laughed and laughed. I told Mason that I thought I could smell that rotten egg. He looked at me and said, "No, mom that's not rotten egg you smell. I passed gas!" Talk about giggling!!

The most special part of our evening was while we were in Belk before the movie. I don't remember what song was playing on the radio but Mason looked up at me and asked me to dance. Of course, I accepted and we did a little slow dance in the junior section of Belk, complete with twirling and dips. It was truly a memorable moment in my life.

According To Mason.....

On the way home from school today, Mason and I were talking about Heaven. I'm not sure how the subject came about but it was priceless. I asked Mason what he thought was in Heaven. He answered, very matter of fact, "Well, there are little floors because you walk on clouds and we won't need floors. God's bedroom is on the left and mine will be right across the hall." He named all the people and animals that he knows are in Heaven, waiting on him. Buster, Sabre, Jackson's grandfather, Cooper, PaPa and his hermit crab. Then he asked me if the "real" Joseph would be there. I told him yes. He wanted to know if the real Mary would be there, too. Yes, she will I told him. He sat in the backseat lost in his own thoughts. Then he asked, "Mommy, were you there when Jesus died on the cross?" I told him no, I wasn't. He told me that he thought that PaPa was there because he was old. He asked me how Jesus died on the cross. I told him that some men beat him and he died. He sat looking really sad and then said, "Mom, did you know that when people die that their eyes stay open?" I asked him how he knew that. He said that he was at Mr. Asa's house and that he had an alligator in his freezer. He told me that the gators eyes were still open but he was dead. He told me that he thought that Jesus died with his eyes open so that when he got to Heaven, he could look down and see what we were doing. Sort of a morbid thing for a four year old to consider but it makes sense to Mason. Can you believe this kid of mine??? He is truly amazing!

Mason's Layla Bear

Busy Days!!

I know, I know! I haven't blogged in a few days but I have several good excuses. Mason, Brett and Layla!

This time of year is always so busy but this year seems to be a lot busier. Mason is in the Christmas program at church so we have been back and forth to church a good bit to practice. He is Joseph so he thinks that he the luckiest kid around. The program is Sunday night. I know that it will be so good because all the kids have worked really hard.

Santa came a little bit early and delivered Mason a puppy. Her name is Layla and Mason really loves her. She is already fitting in well with our family. She EXTREMELY prissy and SUPER foo-foo!! Today her hair is up in pig tails on the top of her head with hot pink rubberbands. Foo-foo, huh? I'll post some pictures later.

Brett and I went on a date last night. We haven't been out alone since our anniversary in July. We really enjoyed it! We went to Moon Doggies for dinner. It was really yummy and definitely not Weight Watchers friendly... oh well! Thanks to Jessica and Jeremiah for letting Mason come over so we could go! We owe you one or two! You name the time and we will be there to keep your girls so y'all can go out!

Last night while I was tucking Mason in, he was telling me about his day at school. He told me about the letters that he learned, the crafts that he did and about his friends. Then he shocked me with this, "Mommy, I told Henry that if he was a good person in this world that when he dies he will go to Heaven." Mason told me that Henry started to cry because he didn't want to go to Heaven without his parents. Of course, the idea of Heaven to a child must be sort of scary if they have never been to church and heard about how wonderful it is going to be. Mason told Henry that his parents could go to Heaven too if they loved God. Just as simple as that, my four year witnessed to another four year old.

Although Brett doesn't go to church with me every Sunday, we both agree that Mason should be raised knowing and loving God. Brett and I were both raised going to church and we want Mason to understand and love the Lord. Isn't it amazing that now Mason is telling other kids about Heaven and God? I am very proud!!!

Christmas Time Already??

Can anyone believe that Christmas is right around the corner? I am amazed at how fast time goes by. It seems like we just undecorated from Christmas last year and now we are re-decorating again. Brett spent all day Saturday putting the lights up outside. It looks like a winter wonderland. We got our Christmas tree on Friday. Mason and I decorated it on Sunday afternoon.

On a different note, Mason has a double ear infection. This is his first ear infection ever. I took him to the doctor Monday because he was covered in a terrible rash. He had not complained about his ears hurting and still hasn't. The doctor just looked in his ears as a routine thing and said, "Oh no Mason!" I was shocked. She let me look into his ears. That was really weird. I have always wondered what it looked like and now I know. Anyway, he has had off and on fever for two days but he acts fine. Brett and I are definitely ready for him to go back to school. Hopefully tomorrow.

"Nobody is so far from God that he can't get back to the Lord. Our responsibility is to keep knocking at God's door about that person, to keep believing God will answer our prayers. Thank God for what He will do. Patiently but expectantly wait on the Lord. Renew your hope!" - Thelma Wells

Since it is the day before Thanksgiving, I thought I'd share a few things that I am thankful for. I am thankful for:

* Brett - He is the love of my life, even though he is hard headed sometimes.
* Mason - He is a gift for God.
* Mom and Dad - I have the best parents ever.
* My Sisters and Brothers - THE BEST!!
* My grandparents
* My in-laws - They are all very special!
* Ivette - She has stood by me through many years of living life on life's terms.
* The Flip Flop Club - They are my mixed up blessings.
* My church family
* My home
* My Sunday school teacher - He may not know it but God speaks to me through him in a way that I can understand.
* French Vanilla Coffee Creamer - My coffee wouldn't be the same without it.
* Weight Watchers
* The Faith Home
* My job
* The rain - even though it keeps going and going.
* The freedom of speach
* Publix

I'm sure that I left so much out. We are all very lucky to have so much. I hope that everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving. Gobble! Gobble!

Today I am going to play in my very first golf tournament with Angie and Jessica! I woke up nervous, not because I'm playing but because we will have other golfer waiting behind us. We are likely to slow up the entire tournament. Oh well, I know that it will be tons of fun!

I'm going to make this a super short blog. The main reason that I took the time to do it is to ask that you pray for Vincent. I can't begin to imagine the daily struggles that he must go through especially living in a new place and learning a new profession. I dreamt about him all night last night and every time he was in a different situation with the devil right on his tracks. I think that I woke up at least 4 or 5 times and he was on my heart. Please pray for him. Pray for him even if you don't know him because God will know exactly who you are talking about.

Unfortunately, we had to take Gidget back to Brett's aunt last night. She was not house broken and since she is not a puppy, she would have been really difficult to train. Needless to say, Mason was heartbroken over it. I explained to him that Gidget missed his doggie friends at Aunt Tia's house. I told him that mommy just couldn't have a dog that pottied on our floor. He accepted that but insisted that he send a letter to Santa asking for another puppy. I typed it up for him. These are his exact words.... from his mouth to the word processor.

Dear Santa,

Give me a dog named Gidget. I want her to not pee or poop on our floor. And I don’t want her to have stinky breath and I want her to be the same color and I will love her. I want a puppy just that little. The same size as Gidgets tail and black eyes. I want her to have the same toenails. I want her to have to same black mouth but not stinky breath, please.

Love,

Mason

This picture was taken at the Faith Home the weekend that Bernie graduated. For some reason looking at this makes me think of all the prayers that were sent up for Bernie. Our prayers carried Bernie along the way. We prayed while he was home, we prayed while he was in the Faith Home but we need to remember to keep praying for him now. So take a minute and say a prayer for him! As we all know, prayer works!

Brett's aunt takes in fosters dogs that are taken from abusive homes or from owners that can't afford to feed their pets. This is Gidget. She is a little bundle of prissiness and she is not afraid to show it. She has several dresses and she seems to enjoy wearing them. Brett and I have Gidget at our house now. I am almost positive that we are going to keep her. It's really a test run sort of thing to make sure that she gets along with Ripley and that she is house broken. So far, so good. I guess that the only downside is that she sheds. Ripley doesn't shed so we are not used to dog hair in the house. But besides that she is very sweet and super cuddly. Anyway, I wanted to show everyone her picture. She is actually so ugly that she is cute and her personality makes her even cuter!

Hide and Go Seek

Mason and I play hide and go seek all the time. It's one of his favorite things to do and if you ever stop by my house, chances are that he will ask you to play. Usually he hides in the same spot over and over and we have to pretend like we don't see him. Well, yesterday Mason and I had this big plan to hide from Brett when he got home from work. We waited until we heard his truck pull into the driveway and we both ran and got on top of the washer and dryer. I closed the laundry room closet doors as best I could from the inside. Brett came in and as he was walking down the hallway, he shut the doors all the way. It was pretty dark in there. Mason was giggling silently as Brett searched all over the entire house for us. He looked in the shower and under the beds and in the closets. Mason was so tickled that his daddy couldn't find us! Then we heard Brett say to the dog, "Mommy and Mason must have gone for a walk or to Ivette's house." So, he sat at the computer to check his e-mail. 5 minutes later, Mason and I are still sitting on the washer and dryer. I whispered to Mason that we would have to drink Tide for dinner. Then he looked at me and said, "Mommy, you look like my daddy in the dark." I had to put hand over my mouth to muffle my laugh. He kept looking at me and saying in a quiet voice, "You're the best mommy ever." "I love you, mommy."

We were in that dark closet for about 10 minutes before Mason made a little sound and Brett found us. Of course, we jumped out and yelled, "Boo!" And of course, Brett was so scared. I must say that that 10 minutes were the most precious moments in my day.

Tonight I was given a LARGE dose of the devil's handy work. My feelings got hurt and I reacted. Someone attacked me verbally and I allowed it to fester and turn into a big fat boo boo. I allowed it to eat at me. I questioned friendships. I got a big helping of what the devil can do and I allowed it to happen. I'm sure that the devil was standing over my shoulder smiling. Of course, at that point I questioned my strength as a Christain. I mean, I am walking the walk but am I talking the talk? Someone jumped on me and I jumped right back. I almost let the devil win the battle tonight. I almost sunk into my gloom and allowed him to cover me up. But then....

I opened my Women of Faith Study Bible and it opened to this, "When we see a clown being shot out of a cannon at the circus, we laugh because we know it's not reality. When we're the ones being shot out or shot at, however, it's no laughing matter. It can be a thanksgiving matter, though. Not about what's happening to us, but who protects us in the line of fire. When we take refuge in God, He promises us peace beyond human comprehension. EVERY situation is included. So don't be afraid. There's no battle too fierce for God."

What did I learn from the attacks that the devil threw my way tonight? When someone attacks you, don't allow the hurt to control you. Allow God to control the hurt.

I'm not sure if this post makes any sense but I feel much better having written it.

The Choice to Be Happy

When things happen in my life that make me feel gloomy, I have a choice. Do I sink in gloom or choose to be happy? Life's trials can feel so overwhelming sometimes and it's not always things in my life that make me sad. Sometimes it's things that are happening to a friend or family member. The devil uses every resource that he can to bring us all down. He makes things that are bad look good and he makes things that are good look bad. So, when life seems like it is crashing in around you, what do you do? Do you sit quietly and wait for the storm to pass? Do you snap at people that you love out of spite? Do you call a friend and talk it out? Personally, I have tried all of these things to feel better. Although some of those things make me feel better, it's only temporary. The only thing that I can really do to shake the glooms is "Let Go and Let God". Just take my hands off of the situation and put God's hands on it. That is a hard thing for me to do because I can't stand to see anyone suffer. I want to solve everyone's problems and I want the people that I love to be happy. But that's not up to me. That is God's job. So, my prayer tonight is that God will continue to help me let go. I know that He will do one of the things that He does best..... Answer prayers.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Guess what?! My man is growing a beard! I'm not sure why I am excited about that but I am! Of course, I think that Brett is a goodlooking man. His Italian looks won me over a long time ago. But when I envision him with a beard, I like what I see! I'm being silly, I know. But that's what love will do to you!

Mason has karate tonight and he is really looking forward to it! He has been practicing what he learned at his last class... front kicks and ready stance. I think that karate is just right for him!

Last night I went to Weight Watchers and then Applebee's for dinner with the Flip Floppers. Let me just say that this group of girls is extraordinary. Each one has wonderful qualities that make her special. I love you all!