March 27 on the canal

One of my favorite little guys, Jonny Jr!!! He is getting so big and very independent in walking. He loves being outside. He is an active little boy.

A big fire happened just a few weeks before. It ruined some new Condo/appartments on the canal that were to be opened in this spring. Thankfully no one was living in any of them. They are believing it is arson.

This is the Street side.

Canal side

Met a guy with a parrot. Jonny was pretty fascinated.

The happy family and one "in tow"

2 prego friends...me at just shy of 7 months and Care at about 2 months.

7 months (almost)


I think Jon might be ready for me to "diet" so he can get his arms around me!! LOL

Yes, the water is GREEN!!! Due to St. Pattys day being just a few days before.

Jonny did very well at the canal. He loved pushing his stroller everywhere.

"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.

Katelynn's Room

We've been on vacation this week and we've been able to get done with alot in the baby's room. We also made her a cuddly little bear...thanks to Sarah, at our church, and her gift card.

Twinkie, will be awaitng company.

The ceder chest. I am going to get a "Dad" frame still and I want the wooden words that say baby to put in the middle.

Chest of drawers. (nothing has been put on wall yet.)

Small bedside Chest at the end of her bed. (her bedding has butterflys and roses and flowers on it. So I think the iron butter fly and the rose are quite fitting.)

Also that is her sound machine from Uncle Brandon.

Pretty Pink and Off white walls. (Thank you Daddy (jonathan) and Grandma and Papaw Thompson!!!)

There will be more once the curtains are hanging right....and we get the dresser...and the wall decor put together.

(I will post pics of our anniversary date later. We are off to have dinner with some of Jonathan's old highschool friends.)

A question????

I have a question....I know it may just be my weird thinking when it comes to Scripture.
But I have been reading in I Corinth. Then yesterday I read I Corinth 15 and it was talking alot about Christ being raised from the grave....and comparisons to the Dead in Christ rising from the dead. And how if the dead couldn't be raised then then Christ wasn't raised from the dead. Or something like that. (it was a bit of confusing reading to me)

11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

Anyhow it created a thought and question in my mind. Do you think God allowed for the dead to be raised (Lazerus, Jirus Daughter) So that they could better believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead? Because many believed what they had heard from Mary. Because they had seen or heard of the different miracles of the resurrection of the dead in connection with Jesus. So do you think because of that, it made it easier to believe the resurrection of Jesus? And that God may have even planned it that way?

May be a little hard to follow..but it was a question I had. Would love some input.

GOD IS POURING OUT THE RAIN ON CENTRAL WESLEYAN CHURCH!!!

God has been blessing us to overflowing here at Central Wesleyan Church. About a month ago…God settled down in our song service and a woman, Patty, who had been coming to our church for about 3 years or so, made her way to the alter. Then just moments behind her was her husband, John. She was weeping and than rejoicing that her husband had joined her. I think the Lord saved her before she even got to the altar. She and her husband had been backslidden for almost 10 years. If I remember right, she had come to our church as a little girl to our Sunday school too. It has been so exciting to watch them grow and testify. Patty can hardly keep quite to what the Lord has saved her from. She says she needs a seatbelt to keep her in her pew. Her husband John is a little more quiet. But he testifies almost every service too. He has been saying that God has been helping him with his temper…when Family and people hurt him or get on his nerves. His wife has made mention of how He gets up early and she knows he is out on their couch reading his Bible and praying.

Another new convert we have is Travis Johnson’s mother Gina, she has been backslidden for years….and God saved her in her home. God also delivered her of a strong smoking habit, instantly. PRAISE THE LORD!!!! She has been testifying to the fact that she is so Thankful that God has made her “sweet” again. She said she was so mean and ugly hearted but God has just filled her heart with a sweetness.

When God settles down on our service all three of our new converts are up Praising the Lord and weeping. It brings tears to my own eyes as I write…of the FAITHFULNESS OF GOD!!! These 3 have been on our prayer list at our church for sometime and it has been a SUPER encouragement to our church people to see the conversion and change in each one of them. They have lit fires under we Christians, to not lose our own excitement of the CHANGE He has made in our lives. And to let the “GLOW OF CHRIST RADIATE THRU US!!!”

Another “Young convert” in our church is a man named Albert Jr. He has some mental handicaps, but God has been changing his life tremendously! He used to smoke and drink and God had delivered him of both habits! He testifies almost every service he has a chance. You have to really listen to him to understand what he is saying…but he says “I don’t know why God…..” basically voicing what we all feel that we do not deserve God’s forgiveness and Grace. He has even been trying to witness to his ungodly brother Timmy…who is caught up in drinking and smoking. And now his brother is thinking about God a lot more. Albert testified last Sunday that God showed him, not everyone is a good singer, and he know he doesn’t sing good, but God takes all of our voices and accepts it a praise to HIS name.

God has been blessing our services over and over…it is exciting to come to church. As it should be!!! Bro. Herring has been preaching on God’s grace out of the book of James. I am excited to see what God will do for us the future…oh the devil is fighting during the week. But we come together and we share our sorrows and our battles and give the devil (as Pattie likes to put it) “a black eye.or even 2 Black eyes!!!!! She even said a few weeks ago, she couldn’t understand why Adam and Eve would sin. She said “if he knew the tree was going to be that much of a temptation why didn’t he just CHOP THE TREE DOWN!!!.

If God has been blessing you or your church I would love to hear about it. And if you feel dry…just hold on and don’t lose hope….I am sure Rain is on the way. But ask yourself “what can I do to help God’s presence be seen and felt in my church, in my life?” You may hold the key!!

(ok lets stand and be dismissed…I am getting out of the pulpit now!!!)

TO MY VALINTINE!!!!

8 years ago we had our 1st Valintines day "togather". I say it like that because we were not really a couple yet! We had just gone to a Valintines banquet on Feb 8...and realized then that there might be more than just a friendship interest there.

So when Valintines day came we exchanged gifts. I got him a teddy bear and some chocolates. And he got me 2 yellow roses (from the class that was selling them at school) and a cute Kim Anderson figurine of a boy and a girl kissing. (it was one that I wanted and somehow in one of our converstaions it had come up, and he remembered.) I was reading thru some old love letters a few weeks ago....and in one he told me he had been so nervous about that figurine..afraid that he would chase me off with that gift. (well you can see he didn't!!) That night (it was a Wed.) we went to Steak n Shake with some my youth group at my church and some dorm kids. I remember being so happy....and realizing more and more that I wanted this to be more than just friends. (I will explain more why it wasn't just yet next week, in my anniversary post!)

From that Valintines day to this life has been exciting and I have realized more and more that I am glad that God somehow put us togather. Jonathan has been my patient, stable ground. He loves me inspite of my mistakes and my outbursts. He may get frustrated but we always seem to get back on trak...after much talk. He is a far better communciator than I am...and he is patient with me while I try to do better. He has been an increidible worker and provider...and is even learning to work more around the house. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT!!!!!!

Baby, Happy Valintines Day....I love you and I thank your for being a Wonderful husband to me and I have no doubt that you will be an incredible Father. You mean the world to me...and

"Only God could love you more than I do!!!!"

A bit of trivia for you....about a guilty childish pleasure of mine!

Since I was probably 9 or so...I have enjoyed listening to a certain series of stories. Either on the radio or on tape and eventually CD. The characters become real to me....like I saw them every week. I imagined them in my head, what they looked like and so on. There was hardly a night that we kids didn't go to bed with a tape being played. We measured most of our trips in the lengths of tapes. Every Christmas or birthday a new album of 6 BRAND NEW tapes made its way into our house. By the weeksend we had listened to all of them several times. And it gets worse, for my college graduation gift from my "to-be-Husband" I asked for several of the albums. (Because I knew I was getting married and I wanted some of the albums that were my brothers to be mine. YES I WAS/AM ADDICTED.) You can imagine the look on Jonathan's face when I asked him for that gift. (he is not a FAN.) If you haven't guessed what series it is by now..it's "Adventures in Odyssey". Here lately at work I have been at a desk...so since I don't listen to them that much anymore I brought my radio in and have been listening to the old episodes. It's amazing how much of it I remember. I started thinking it might be interesting to find via. a little trivia if there are other "old-timer Odyssey fans" out there in "blogger" world. (that is if your not to embarrassed to admit that you are...or you can cover it with the fact that you know the answer because your kids listen to it.) Now mind you...most the questions are from older episodes....I haven't kept up with some of the newer ones. (but I hope to soon.)

Post your answers on my comments...and I will post the correct answers soon.

1. Which employee was hired first Connie or Eugene?

2. What noise do you hear when somebody comes into Whit's End?

3. What was the first adventure that was taken in the Imagination Station...and who was the rider?

4. Who are Connie and Eugene's boyfriend and girlfriend? (in the older episodes.)

5. What is Whit's wife name?

6. What important job did Tom Riley have in the community?

7. What were the two Blackard brother's names?

8. What is Bart Rathbones store name?

9. What was the name of the computer program that Whit created that caused problems with Richard Maxwell and Dr. Blackard?

10. What is the name of the camp the kids spend the summer at in Odyssey?

11. Which Father went back to school late in life to become a minister? (BONUS: What are his 2 kids names and then his 3rd child that came along in later episodes.)

Ok there it is....maybe you can shoot me an interesting trivia question too.
(sorry if this is silly, I just thought it would be interesting.)

Getting ready for Katelynn

Here is just a little bit of a start that we have on getting ready for Katelynn Nicole to come into our home.

Her bed....that used to be my nephew Devan's. And the pack and play is inside the bed. We had a little bit of warping on the bed due to the heat where it was stored. But after being in our consistant temp, and putting the pack and play inside the crib to level it out. And all was fixed!!! Thanks Steve for the great deal you gave us...you saved us a bundle and I am sure Katelynn will be comfy in the bed.

A cute jean skirt and jean jumper and shirt. (Once upon a Child)

Our wonderful deal on a snow suit from Jc Pennys. Reg $49.99 we paid $7.00!!!!

Hopefully her July 4th outfit. (once upon a child...I think $3.50)

Sorry this pic didn't get turned...but its late and I need to hurry.

Jumper (Once upon...) and shirt from (baby Gap, a daddy buy. It says "If you think I'm cool you should see my dad")

This little dress is daddy's favorite.. he picked it out at "Once upon a child" it still had the tags on it. We paid 8.00 I am not sure what reg. price was, due to just the name brand "Thompson". It is actually a little sundress...and I bought a little sweater to go over it. I am not TOTALLY thrilled with the combo..but if we use it for her dedication dress like Jonathan wants to, (IF IT FITS..I am afraid it will be to big.) I want her to have sleeves in her dress. (you can't really tell..but it is butter yellow and has light pink and blue embroided flowers on the overlay)

Pink sundress, jean jumper and the little dress is from our Pastor's wife.

This little sleeper is VERY special. After both my grandparents on my mom's side had passed we went over to their house right after Papaw's funeral. We cousin's were just kind of picking out some stuff that we wanted, just little tangibles that reminded us of "nanny and Papaw" This was hanging in the closet. I was not even close to being pregnant..but I asked if I could have it, so that our baby could have something from its "late" great-grandparents. I hope to let Katelynn wear it a few times and pass it on.

Some frilly dresses for our little princess

Some shirts that we bought before we knew what we were having.

Some warm comfy sleepers.

Gold outfit (once upon...), pink blanket (from lady at my work) Santa outfit (macy's $2.90!!!)

Katelynn's bedding

The quilt