"LORD STAY CLOSE TO ME"

Alot is going on in my mind these days. I know suprise, suprise that I have a mind. HA, HA. But here lately my mind has been on overkill. SO please mind me as I ramble a bit and share. .

They say that the mind can be the "devils playground" and I am tempted to believe that in ways. But I have to say that the Lord has really allowed me to think on Him alot these days. Due to being at a computer more I have been able to listen to alot of my old Cd's and Tapes....and I have been able to get a blessing out of them. And as funny as it may be...even out of my Oddessy tapes. Funny how a childlike lesson can still hit home to an adult. Then today I was listening to my Legacy Five cd, and it seemed song after song just would hit some place in my heart or mind. The song "Peace when you leave it in Hands" (not sure of title) just let me be able to rest alot of my anxious spirit in His hands. Now if I can learn to just leave it there. Then the song "Lord Stay Close to Me", is without a doubt been my prayer. You know as a new mom-to-be I have a lot of dreams, plans and wishes for my home and for my little girl. I want to be a mom that can be a stable Christian influence. One that she wants to pick up the phone and call if she needs prayer or to share an answer to prayer. I feel so unworthy to ask God to help me be that mother, because as a human I seem to fail over and over. But I realize that the only way for that to come true is to Stay close to Jesus.
Also another thing that has been weighing heavy on my mind is something I would like my "blogger world friends" to pray for. The new couple in our church that has recently got saved, Jon and Patty, have been slammed by the devil. They are still praising the Lord and trusting in Him and still growing in Grace. But they are going thru a HUGE battle. Their Grandchildren, Ethan (3) and Lilly (5) have been taken and placed with their mother. Their older son Dustin has been placed in jail and the kids have had to go with their mother, who up to this point has wanted little to do with them. (due to the fact..."she doesn't want to be a mom!") Now there is a huge custody battle. Anyone who has worked with Jr. church families have seen this over and over again. I guess even as long as I have done Jr. Church work...I was never old enough to be on the inside...and was never as close to the family. It's been 2 weeks since the kids have been to church. And my heart aches for them. We have made alot of head way with these kids...they will raise their hands when they see other people praising the Lord around them. And Little Ethan will come into church with his big brown eyes...and ask our pastor to pray for his mommy and daddy. (without any prompting he has done this at least once if not 2x's) Lilly I am most concerned about....she does need her mommy...but a consistant mommy. Lilly has gone from a Happy and smiling little girl to a very backward and recluse of a little girl. Not smiling alot and just looks sad. She will sit by me during church and play her violin (that her grandparents bought for her and is a tad big...but will grow into it.) and just have sad eyes! It breaks my heart. Please help me pray that God will undertake in this situation and not allow the devil to defeat Jon and Patty. Dustin is to get out of jail this week and I pray that God will work on his heart as well. Patty has been testifying to "blacking the Devils eye" she is living on faith and trust! But I can tell she is so raw emotionally. Please help me pray. And if He decides to not work it out...that the seeds we have planted will grow.
Sorry to have rattled on...but I feel a bit better talking about it.

Grandma's suprise 37th birthday party

SUPRISE GRANDMA!!!! Happy 37th Birthday!!! (or is it?)

Princess Grandma
Blow out those candles!

Opening up the many gifts!

Lily having fun with Uncle Bill

Maddie and Lil' Jack had alot of fun with the balloons

Maddie's birthday menu consisted of "sweet potatoes"

She does have a little bit of hair its just mostly on the back and growing in on the sides.

Grandma's 4th great-grandchild

Beautiful little princess!!! (5 1/2 months old)

Better late than never anniversary post

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER......Feb 21, was Jonathan and I's 6th anniversary. Hard to believe that we have been married for 6 years...and together almost 8.

Jonathan planned this entire anniversary....when I came home Friday from work he had a song start playing (the theme from Fireproof) And he was so sweet when He repledged his love to me in the form of a "vow". Needless to say I was in tears!!! Then we went out to Long John Silvers for supper. It was pretty good...since I don't really like fish all that much....but it tasted good.

Then the next morning we had fun just shopping and relaxing togather...then we got all dressed up and headed out for dinner at a Steak house called Bynum's. (I LOVE steak...especially now!!!) It was a bit of a pricy hole in the wall restraunt...but we never do this so for our anniversary we figured a splurge we could afford would be ok. The restraunt was very old fashion inside...alot of exposed wooden beams, and textured walls and such. And on alot of the beams were sayings or mottos. It was very nice.

Enjoying our appitizer which was kind of a joke...a cheeseball platter and crackers. Aprox $6!!! (Jonathan said we could buy our own cheese ball and crackers and it would last longer.) But it was good and nice to munch on.

Then they brought us their "Famous Onion soup" It was ok...pretty salty. Neither Jon nor I are that much of Onion people. So we wished we would have went with the tomato soup...but it's what the waitress sugguested. We also got a delicious salad and yummy bread.
Than after being almost full...came the main course. Jonathan got a pretty fancy steak...I think it was Strip steak. It was very tender and juicy...just kind of melted in your mouth. (If steak can melt.)

I on the other hand...just really wanted a lot of steak!! (even though my appetite lately can't handle alot of food...so I knew I would have steak today and steak Monday for my lunch.) So I ordered a 22 oz steak. (a T-bone) My eyes about fell out when I saw my food. I think in all I ate a little over half of my potato and about 4 or 5 bites of steak. But even though it was a more chewy steak than Jon's I LOVED IT!!!

Then our waitress said since it was our anniversary they had a little cupcake for us.

It ended up being a little cheescake on top of an oreo. It was just wonderful...and even though we were full....we managed to share it and not go over the top on our stomaches.

They were creative in wrapping my leftovers.

Then we headed downtown to go to the Symphony! Jonathan had an old friend from Highschool that worked there and she was able to give us FREE TICKETS!!!!

We got to Choose to sit about 4 or 5 rows from the front. I wish now that I would have choose to sit further back..because we couldn't see all the orchestra. But at least we were in front of the violins. (which I love..and I play myself..but NO WHERE even close as well as they do.) The also had a guest piano player...he was ok...but he was the lightest handed male piano player I had ever heard. He was only 28. The director was 27!!!! He was your "mad professor" director type. But it was awsome that he directed is first piece with NO MUSIC. He even directed in instruments that just had a solo for like 2 measures. He did just wonderful. I was very thankful to Jon's friend...because this is something I have been wanting to do..but knew Jonathan would be bored..and plus the cost was just a bit much for us. So FREE was just great!

I had so much fun just dressing up for a evening out on the town. ( I love getting all dressed up...I would love to have a reason to buy and wear those prom dresses in the mall.)

But most of all I had the most wonderful time with my BESTEST FRIEND (even though he did fall asleep and lightly snore at the concert!!!)

Baby doll, I love you so much and I am so excited about the big changes in our life. It is going to be a journey of adventures, trials, smile, and tears. But as long as we are making it together I am blessed.