The Rest of the Sneak Peeks....

Today I wanted to go ahead and post the rest of the sneak peeks that we have for Dak's Senior Pics. I am so pleased with just these four, and am really anticipating getting the whole gallery of them to look at and choose from. GREAT!!! But for now, sit back and enjoy my boy. (Yeah I know, such a poetic soul =)

This one was taken downtown in a remote area like by a bridge or something like that. He LOVED the ones taken here. He talked a lot about these. I didn't go along for the downtown shots, so this was a beautiful surprise for me, and a tease. Can't wait to see more...

















This one I posted yesterday ~~ studio shot ....

















I really like the background she used on this one, and I LOVE this shirt.....and this boy.....




















This is my fav shot of the four. It was as well taken downtown and it was so funny because Dak said, "Mom this was an alley and it stunk bad. It smelled like pee, but I managed to keep a straight face." hahahahaha Yes you did my boy....a beautiful straight face at that!!

Well, there you have it....my boy and the start of his Senior pics. I know you're probably going to get sick of hearing about Dak's Senior Year, but ya know, just the way we roll around here =) Next up will be our last school shopping day for High School....quick, grab that tissue.... I'm looking forward to it, because these are monumental fun days for us. Oh yes and he has a b-day right around the corner, also looking really forward to that.

This child brings my life joy, pain, adventure, and love beyond measure, as only a child can do. Dak you are the best kid!!! I love you so ~~

I'd like to leave you with an exert from the "Senior Journal: A MaMa's Perspective" that I'm writing in, and this I wrote about his Senior Pics:

Son,

Yesterday you took Senior Pics and I couldn't have asked for a sweeter moment. Your eyes tell the story of your heart; strong, vulnerable, loving, true.....

The pictures produced yesterday only tell part of the story. It is up to you to tell the rest. It is up to you to write it on the pages of your heart by your choices. Write well my boy, write well. It matters what you choose. It matters.

I love you so,

Mom

Rockin' His Senior Pics ~~ A little Preview....

Okay, yesterday was SO fun!!! Let me start by saying that this boy makes my heart sing!! He is so fun and knows what he wants, and yet was vulnerable and strong yesterday. It was an incredible combination for Senior Pics.

So Dak brought a friend with him yesterday, K. And after we took the studio shots I took a few "shots" (using the term very loosely =) of my own.

Here they are on the hood of Dak's car. Is that not sweet?!!





Denise's studio is in a beautiful part of a very little town just next door to the very little town that we live in, so it made these outdoor shots so pretty.

Yep, Sir Cuteness had to get in there.

Cute...

Ohh I love this shot!!!

Can you stand the cuteness ~~ I mean seriously ..... Yep he had me at WAAAAA-WAAAAA =)

Me and my boy before we went in.....ya know for my Senior Journal Mama's Side of Things and all.....

Okay, so Denise put a little sneak peek on her FB page sometime through the night..... WOW Denise that's dedication to your art ...... and so I thought I'd give y'all just a little sampling.....

What do you think?

Have you ever?

Look at those eyes?!!

Beautiful!!

There are many more to come.....so stay tuned....

Oh yeah and I asked Dak for a quote for my Journal and this is what I got.... "I'm getting old"

Really Dak? That's it? Okay witty boy.....your gonna have to do better than that for your "old" mama =)

Okay seriously needed that tissue when I saw his "Sneek Peak". So beautiful.

Love you ~~ Have a Blessed Day,

Choosing the Best......

Wow it has been since last Wednesday since I posted. What's up with that? I think I'll blame it on my sister and B-I-L's vacation. You see they went to Tennessee and messed with my mojo =) Usually if I haven't posted in a couple of days, my sis will mention that B said I'm slipping. Well, with them being in the Smokies livin' it up (I'm not bitter at all) and taking nice long walks in the mountains (nope, not bitter) and going to Dollywood and riding trams and taking long drives in the mountains (still not bitter), my mojo got all off. So yep, I'm blaming it on those two =)

Well, seriously last week was a not a good one for me. I am not a person given to depression for the most part. It just doesn't happen. Oh I may have a down day or two now and then, but to have a whole week of just oppression on my head, well I just generally don't have that. Well, last week I did, and can I just tell you.....yuck.

In all the craziness going on in my head last week, I still was striving to do better. I was choosing better things in my thoughts. It was hard, but when I would feel the most attacked, I'd start praying. At one point I was standing at my kitchen sink and just feeling completely attacked and really just feeling no.good.at.all.to.anyone. (Yep told ya it was a stinky week), that I just started to pray and asked God to help me, and He did. And then I'd feel attacked and I'd ask and He'd help and pretty soon I was doing a lot of Help me's and ya know what?.... He did. Every time. As I look back on last week, when I asked, He was right there. OKay that goes for my life.....He has always been there for me.......and promises He will always be. What a mighty God I serve!!!

So I decided to more consciously choose the best, His Best. That is what my Father desires to give me and so that is what I am seeking Him for....His Best. You see His Best is WAY different than my best. At my best, I am still just a pitiful, selfish, ate up girl, but His Best is peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, enduring love. That is what He longs for my life, so that is what I am choosing these days. His Best. With all that it entails and all that I need to choose to get there. It is proving to be quite a ride!!!!! Yep I'm sure there will be more on that at some point.

________________________________________

Well, I'd like to share a few other things in pics that have been going on or are getting ready to go on in our lives.

First.....

This cute thang is having his Senior Pics TOMORROW afternoon. Please do not get me started. Will someone please hand me a virtual Kleenex? Thanks RJ =)

He is ready, so I guess I'd better be too. I'm going to the studio with him tomorrow and then he and the photographer and a friend are going to downtown Springfield to take some outdoor shots. I've decided I want to be surprised. I'm so excited!!! He is just so stinkin' cute!!

See what I mean?....


















And then there is this bundle of cute.....

Yep Sir Cuteness himself....or at least his eye, and his beloved bink that mommy and daddy are vowing to take away from him when he turns 2 which is Saturday. Can you believe it? Sir Cuteness will be 2 Saturday!!! RJ tissue please =)















So Sir Cuteness decided the other day that he wanted to wear my tuba-grip. How funny is this? This child COMPLETELY cracks me up!!!



And here is my sweet Sir Cuteness today at church. We went to check out the book store and fitness center. These pics were taken on my phone....hence the poor quality.

Why yes, that is a cup cake he is eating.

And can I just say, those cupcakes are DELICIOUS!!! It was SO cute!!

He is SO intent on devouring this baby.....

And then he kicked back, licked his lips, and took it easy....ya know full belly and all.

So there you have it......... a long post to catch up.......... yep my sister and B-I-L are back and they brought my mojo with them.....thanks you two =)

Love y'all ~~ have a Blessed day,

What I'm Rockin' Right Now....

Remember my recent knee post? Ya know the, Knee....Knee.....Knee...... shaking my head post?

Y'all are so kind. I got the sweetest comments. I wanted to give y'all an update on the old girl since I don't do that often, generally because of my frustration level with it. Yep I just get over it some days......way over it!!! Ready to move on and then realize that what I am experiencing in way of trial is drawing me closer to God. His grace IS sufficient. HIS power is made perfect in weakness. So I press on through the pain, learn through the trial, all the while trying to enjoy as much of the scenery along the way that I can.



Like.........



Monday. My friend G and I headed to Branson, because I was having a moment. Some days I do. I just have moments where I need out of my house lest the walls close in....ya know? Monday was one of those days. So my friend G and I headed to Branson for a hot day of fun!! Really hot!!!



I'm only posting this one pic of that day and maybe I'll post a couple of others later on, because that is an entire post of its own =) but for today I wanted to show you what I'm sporting in way of knee attire these days....



Well right now I am rocking the tuba-grip. Now isn't this a cute look? I don't really think to much about it until I see pics and then I think, "Hey what's wrong with that girls leg?" Oh yeah I remember.............. six knee surgeries.....that a do it =)



That particular one comes down to mid-shin. I have some that go to my ankle. I wear which ever fits the knee-mood of the day. It has a mind of its own ya know.



Anyway.......



That's what the knee is rocking these days. Oh and I will have another knee update soon. Maybe mixed in to another post. I have been doing something a little different and it seems to be helping so I'd like to share.....be looking for that.....

















Okay so if you have yet to visit my friend Rebecca Jo (whom I affectionetly, with her permission, call RJ) you need to RIGHT NOW THIS INSTANT -- and then come back 'cause I have some really cool stuff to show you =)



Now isn't she just THE coolest!!! I love her so!! She and I have never met in person, but she is seriously one of my dearest friends. We talk and text and e-mail and blog and chat and facebook (and how many of those things were NOT verbs just a few years ago....anyway..... =)


Well yesterday I went to my mailbox and there it was....a lovely box....in my mailbox......I heart mail of the box or card variety =) At first I thought it was a couple of books we have on order and then saw it was from RJ. I was SO excited!!! Oh and so was Sir Cuteness. I told him I had a present and his little face just lit up. Kids are so great. You mention present and they are all over that!!



As I opened it, he gave out an AHHH!!! I.love.him.so.it.was.so.sweet.sweet. I tell ya!! He loves you to RJ!!!

Well inside was a book, "Same Kind of Different as Me" GREAT book btw. A beautiful frame that I will be doing a whole post about. Something that I totally needed right now....

and these......

Yoga socks. I don't have any....actually until I read about them on RJ's blog, didn't even know they existed....but now I can't get enough of them. But these particular yoga socks are completely extra special. For one RJ knitted them. She is a beautiful yarn artist. But not only did she knit them for me, but she knit them out of the last of the sock yarn that her dear friend Stephanie gave her. Stephanie passed away from cancer I believe 3 years ago, and although I have only "met" her on RJ's blog, I feel like I know her. When I get to heaven I'd love to thank her for being such a good friend to RJ. I know that RJ's life was so shaped by this beautiful angel-lady. So my beautiful yoga socks are a gift I will always cherish. In fact this morning I put them close to my face and just breathed in and thought of Stephanie and RJ and God. Amazing moment!!! God is so good.

So here they are on my very long and slender feet.

Oh I must warn you, my face is goofy, I am goofy, and my goofy Dak took these...so ya know what happens with that combo =)





Why yes, those are green toe nails....thanks for noticing!!!

I'm looking at Dak in this pic to the left. He got on to me and asked me, "haven't you ever modeled before?" hahahaha ummmmm no. hahahaha heeheehee okay I am rolling on that one. Silly boy!!!!

So he made me look at him. My modeling davu..... nice huh? =)

So that would be what I'm rocking these days. What about you?

SBS was GREAT last night. The discussions we are having in Summer Bible Study right here on the www are fascinating. I am learning so much.

Thanks for visiting and have a Blessed day,

Summer Bible Study ~~ LIVE AND ON THE AIR ~~ JOIN IN US IN CHATZY!!

Good evening all,

I hope you are all ready for a wonderful evening of Bible Study.

This evening we are trying a new site for our discussion. It is on Chatzy.com and here is the link. I hope that works okay.

If you are a regular and are trying to get onto Chatzy and are having trouble, please look at the top right corner of that site. If it shows your e-mail address, you should be able to get in. If it says login then you need to login in using your user name and password. If you can't remember what that is the helps off to the side of what your trying to access will help. I hope that makes sense.

If you still cannot get on for whatever reason, please come back over here and comment on this post. I will keep it up in another tab and check it periodically, and if I see you are having trouble I will know to help you troubleshoot to get on.

So all this technical stuff aside, let's dig into some Word.....Shall we?

Summer Bible Study ~~ Session 3 Together

Today is SBS '10 -- Session 3 ~~ YAY!!!

This study is challenging me and dropping me to my knees. I hope it is doing the same for you.

This evening as we meet, we will have a new chat room to go to together. I am SO excited. I think this will make it much easier for us to "get together" and see each other's comments more simultaneously without all the refreshing. You can refresh in the chatroom. Note: it is on the sidebar and says refresh. If you have not received the link from me and would like to join us please just e-mail me and I will send it to you. It is really easy to get set up and started. We will meet this evening at 7:00 PM (CST).

There is MUCH I could write about today that has been meaningful to me in the last two weeks of study, but I'd like to head over to the intro to the second week of study for us this time.

Kelly says: "Ruth is on the brink of heading to a threshing floor under the canopy of night, alone. Because, let's face it, some places we can only go with God by ourselves--there's just no way to take anyone with us...."

I know this threshing floor place. I have been there. I am currently there. Me and God. Doing what me and God do. Me being pitiful and God being mighty. Me crying, God soothing. Me whining, God telling me to cut-it-out and Believe. Me and God, and then I see the problem....God and me. That's better.

You see in the smallest of things, God needs to be first. In the largest of things, God needs to be first. In the all of life, God needs to be first. I am learning what this truly means. There are things that will never happen in your/mine life, unless God is first; unless we are willing to go to the threshing floor of our lives with just God and work it out. Let Him work out in us that which He alone placed in us to begin with, and it starts at the threshing floor.

Kelly goes on to say: "It was simply a walk of faith, a humble obedience with no strings attached. And this is the way we must approach our own threshing floors. Without demands. Sometimes in the dark. Alone. But with the expectation that God will always be found faithful and good."

And He will be, always. Always faithful. Always good. Always. No matter what. Always.

I hope this encourages you today. God is doing such a work in our lives girls. Let's not let fear and busyness keep us from ALL that He has for us today. Let's put Him first in it ALL and watch how He blesses and uses our obedience to Him.

I love you so ~~ see you at 7:00 pm (CST) ~~ oh and I will have a quick post up at 5 till 7 this evening as well, just as a reminder to anyone who'd like to join us and at that time I'll include the link.

Thanks ~~ love and hugs ~~ Have a Blessed day,

Summer Eating...

I always think that "this" is my favorite season of eating....whatever "this" season is =)

In the Fall I LOVE all the pumpkin and cranberry dishes; the sweet potatoes are lovely this time of year..... mmmmm I love me some Fall eatin' .....

Then in the winter........girl loves her some comfort food; chili, Chip n salsa soup, chili-mac.... mmmmm I love me some Winter eatin' .....

Then a long comes spring and this girl LOVES her asparagus and sugar snap peas. I love the lightness and freshness that Spring brings ..... mmmmmm Yep, I love me some Spring eatin' .....

Then summer is here before you know it. Now summer didn't use to be a fav of mine as far as eating goes, because I just wasn't much of a fresh or raw eatin' kind of gal, but now that I am a garden girl, I LOVE IT!!!

For the last several meals, I've been eating fresh garden fare. Either out of my garden, or the Farmer's Market, or another's garden..... LOVE IT!!! For instance, night before last I had okra (our garden) coated in Panko Bread Crumbs, with tomatoes (our garden) and cucumber (almost D-I-L's garden =) and tiny yellow peppers (our next door neighbor's garden) and that was my delish delectable supper.

Well today for lunch I had Long Green Beans (FM), green pepper (MG), onion (MG), tomatoes (MG) stir fry with a little Nama Shoyu soy sauce and served over fresh potatoes (I think FM but could have been M-I-L's garden) either way they were beautiful fresh potatoes.

Oh, and then I made a lovely Peach Crisp for dessert. And this peach crisp is light and lovely made with whole grains (wheat pastry flour, spelt four and organic oats), and to keep it light I used apple sauce instead of butter for the topping. It makes it a little less crumbly, but it is still delish ~~ that is a GREAT trade off seeing how the original recipe calls for 1 STICK of butter. OH.MY.STARS.

mmmmm.... Yep, I am lovin' me some summer eatin' .....

So what are you favorite summer eats?

Love you ~~ have a Blessed weekend,

I Love this Boy So.....have I mentioned that?.....

So today was one for the Senior Journal. Yep, still keeping that baby. It helps me to keep things in perspective for me. I love this boy so.........

Today we had a rare afternoon free, so we went to lunch at one of our fav's: Lola's in Nixa. If you live close to me and haven't been, oh you should so go. Please let me know and I will tell ya where it's at, and ya never know I may just join you. It is so delish!!! And the atmosphere is just so wonderful....love it!!

So here's my sweet boy....

I love him so.....have I mentioned that?

What's that Dak?!! You love me too?! Ahhhhh.....you are the best!!!!!!


Here's my boy......
These pics are from my cell phone.....it doesn't like sunlight.

So just as a weird side note on this pic of me....it reminds me of something my hilarious mother asked me the other day.

"So Dawn, does water ever pool in you neck?"

hahahahaha as a matter of fact ........

How funny is that?!! (That was for you RJ ~~ you gotta love a funny mama ~~ hey are our momma's related =)

So what made our time at Lola's so enjoyable? Well besides the impeccable company, our waitress was TERRIFIC!!! Doesn't a good waitress/waiter just make a dining experience sometimes?!! Her name was Trish, and at one point, she came by with our to-go cups tucked safely in her apron and she just walked by and twisted toward Dak to show him the cups, he didn't miss a beat, he grabbed them right out of her apron....It was priceless!!!! and so stinkin' cute.......have I mentioned that I love him? =)

And Trish I know you are reading this today, thank you again.....You made our day at Lola's one to remember. A sweet memory for this mama of a Senior to tuck away in her heart and her journal. Thank you.

We then went to do a little shopping for Senior Pics. I know....please do not get me started, I will cry buckets right here on this blog.....ya know, the big, ugly cry!!!! I love him so.....have I mentioned that? =)

We did really well on the shopping trip.

1 pair of jeans

+

2 t-shirts

+

2 button up shirts

=

$36.00

Not to shabby!!! We had so much fun!! I found an adorable blouse that I thought was SO cute. Dak said I looked like a hippy =) so I didn't get it ........ but I might just take my hippy self back into that resale shop tomorrow and purchase. If I do I'll show you and y'all can see what you think =)

I'd like to leave you with this song. I've been down loading songs that are in the back of our Ruth study book. Have I mentioned how much I love it?!! The whole experience is just so rich ~~ and the music is absolutely beautiful!!

Okay so I wanted to give you a little "Come Now My Love" by Alli Rogers, but it isn't on youtube, so I'm gonna leave you with this one..... "Go" by Anadara

Have a Super Blessed and Beautiful Day,

Living on the Extreme Edge of Faith....

Again today, I'd like to share with you something I read out of this study. It is really good.....anyway....have I told you how much I'm enjoying it?.....anyway.......

Kelly says: "There's a lot to be enveloped by, though for me one consistent thread has knit its way into my soul, not letting me off its spool: Ruth's abandonment to living on the extreme edge of her faith, Ruth's decisions have not been made out of selfish ambition or even normal reason but out of a pursuit of God that is anything but ordinary."

I was wondering as I read that this morning, do I do this? Do I live on the EXTREME edge of my faith? Lately I have been trying to do just that and it is leaving me feeling VERY vulnerable.

I have a very dear friend that listens to me NO MATTER WHAT and offers only what she feels she can, and other than that, she just listens. She doesn't speak just to say something. She says something only when she has something to say. That is invaluable in a friend. Well, the other day I called her and told her that she needed to talk me down off of the emotional cliff. And since then I'll call and tell her I need some "cliff talking". She's ALWAYS there for me. I believe I could call her at 3:00 AM in the morning and she would be there to listen and "talk me down".

So what has brought this on for me? Well it is me living on the EXTREME EDGE OF MY FAITH; MAKING DECISIONS OUT OF A DEEP PURSUIT OF GOD THAT IS ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY for me!!!

WOW it takes some REAL dealing with stuff, but it is necessary. I read this morning about God's plans and how He is directing my steps. It makes each step a little lighter; a little easier to take; a little more sure in my moving forward. I am SO thankful for the hope that living out my faith brings. Fear is subsiding and faith is springing forth.

This study is just amazing for me. I am so enjoying learning about Ruth.... and Dawn. What a journey............ I knew about Ruth.... and Dawn, but God (love that)..... knew I needed to know more about both....AMAZING!!!

_____________________________

So I wanted to leave you with a couple of pics of what's been going on in the garden the last week or so......
Oh aren't they lovely?.....















Yep, Just beautiful.....and good eatin' too!!!

I think there's some salsa makin' days in my future =)

Love you ~~ have a Blessed and Beautiful day,

The Gift of the Broken...

This study has come at a time in my life that I absolutely needed a little Ruth. God knew that. Don't you just love that?!! He knew EXACTLY what I needed and provided it through a little book between Judges and I Samuel called Ruth.

Her story leaves me excited and refreshed everyday that I read it. Even the sad parts are leaving me hopeful. This story is a beautiful story of love and redemption. Yes it is a precursor to our Lord. I love that!!

Today I'd like to share with you something that hit me hard. Something I had never really considered, but it is the direct place that God has me right now and He spoke. I love that too!!!

Kelly Minter references that Ruth gave to Naomi of the barley she harvested; not out of her wealth, but out of her poverty. I know this concept. I understand it, giving when your broke. It makes no sense in our human, logical brains, but in God's economy makes all the sense in the world. But she takes this idea of giving in our broke-ness a whole new level. Here, see what I mean:

"...we all have something to give even if we're broke or broken."

Okay, ummmm WOW!!! I had never considered giving in my broken-ness. This hit me so hard, because this is where I am at RIGHT NOW, and God has been asking me to give in my broken-ness. That is one reason that this Bible study went LIVE online for me. It is what God asked me to do. I didn't understand it at the time, but when I read this line from Kelly I knew. It was a way for me to give in my broken-ness. A dear friend of mine has asked me to help her with something that only God could lay on her heart to ask me to help with, again, so I have opportunity to give in my broken-ness. I need that right now.

Sometimes I think that broken-ness will get the better of me and I will retreat to my bed with the covers pulled over my head, determined to try another day, just not this one. But God....don't you love that?!!.... will not let broken-ness in me become self-pity for long. I am so thankful....oh I've had my moments, my too long moments, but God lovingly brings me back to that place of commitment and trust. I love Him so!!!

So in this season, I am determined to give in my broken-ness. I am learning deep, abiding lessons in this season of broken-ness, that I would learn no other way. I am thankful that even though I'm going through some stuff, He is on His throne and has never left, nor will He. Praise His Name!!!

Thank You Father for the gift of broken-ness. Thank You for speaking to me specifically about this through this study. You are the BEST Father!!! Thank You for the plan of Redemption, that started long before Christ set His beautiful feet here on this earth. You were working out Your plan and You still are today. Oh how I praise You and Love You Lord!! In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Have a Blessed day,

Knee....Knee....Knee.....

Okay so as you say those three words that title this post, just shake your head as you say them and you have my sentiments exactly!!

It's been a while since I have updated you on what's going on in knee-ville, so here goes.

I had been trying to bike and walk some to get some exercise and help this knee along, but injured it bike riding. I didn't crash or anything, it just didn't respond well, and biking is suppose to be one of the best things you can do, exercise wise, for a knee such as mine, but in this case, not so much.

So since then (about two weeks ago now), it has not been responding well. It has been swelling more and the pain has increased. We are using our Tens Unit and icing and I'm trying to stretch it and also stay off of it when I can, but it is just getting worse.

Tonight I am even back on my crutches. Hopefully that is a one night thing. I'm tired. This knee wears me out somedays. I keep thinking about the things this could mean and it's not good, so let's not talk about it okay?!! =) Suffice it to say, it needs to get better and soon, so I can at least resume walking more normally without much of a limp. That would be good.

Through it all I am keeping my eyes focused upward. As much as this knee wears me out, there are people out there with so many worse things going on, that I am so trying to keep this in perspective. I know this, God is in control and He has a plan....really He does and you can read about it in Jeremiah 29:11. Yep He definitely has a plan, and a good one at that!! So I am trusting in The One with The Plan.

So thought I'd leave you with a couple of pics if Sir Cuteness and I.

Here we are playing the piano back in the winter. He is so funny. He will sit up at the piano and play and move and act like he knows exactly what he is doing. It is so cute!!! We love to watch our little mistro!!
















This pic was taken last night by my sweet man. He walked in after taking a shower and here we were in the chair. I am so glad that Sir Cuteness has taken to falling asleep in my arms again. It is the sweetest feeling to have a wee-one climb up and want you to sing to them and then they fall asleep. That was was last night. I was singing "If your happy and you know it" and "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart..." He loved them both and ended up falling to sleep. I LOVE this little guy SO MUCH!!!!!

I hope the start to your week is going well.....

Love you ~~

Random Friday ~~ Where as this week gone edition?...

Oh wow is it Friday already and I haven't even posted hardly at all this week? WOW I need to get with it.

Well, truth is, I've been a busy girl this week. I've been having lots of fun and not slowing down much to write.


But let me tell ya just a little about my week. Sir Cuteness and I have been hanging out and
I've been just watching him be at his Sir Cuteness best. This child keeps me laughing, and running. Have I mentioned he's taken up gymnastics. Yeah and you'd better be on your toes because once he says ready or more like rea-y, you had better be, because here he comes full force and laughing all the way.

Oh yeah, and he is a repeater. It is so cute. You say something and he repeats. Oh yes, he makes my heart sing.

Dak is enjoying his summer, I think. I haven't seen him much lately. He gets up and is off and going, but he did tell me he'll be home Friday and Saturday, so I'm looking forward to that. Maybe I'll see him for more than just a few minutes at a tme.

In other random happenings, my friend K, lent me a dress for a wedding I'll be attending later in the month. When I showed my hubby he said "It's cute, but it looks a little young." Hmmm wasn't sure how to take that....does that mean I'm getting old? No....no way....it can't....I mean really.......hmmmmm must give this some thought. But man is it ever a cute dress. I may just have to look "young" at the wedding in this kicking dress!!! =)

Wow this post has been all over the place random, so in continuing with this theme, I wanted to leave you with a couple of pics of Sir Cuteness when he was about a year old or so (the dates on the pics are wrong, so please ignore =) I was looking at pics and found these.

Oh my ~~ be still my g-babe lovin' heart!!!

Have you ever? I mean seriously, how cute is this face?!!



I mean look at this lovely ~~ oh he makes my heart sing!!

WOW, so this was way random and not even very informative. Sorry sometimes it just rolls that way =)

Have a Blessed weekend and maybe I'll have more interesting things to talk about next week =)

Love you ~~

Summer Bible Study ~~ LIVE AND ON THE AIR ~~ JOIN US!!!

Welcome!!

We go live in five =)

See you here!!!

Summer Bible Study ~~ Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy

Good Tuesday Morning to you ~~ hope you all are ready to go for our Tuesday Bible Study meeting this evening right here on the blog at 7:00 pm CST.



I will post just before our "meeting" and let you know we're about to go live and then we will meet in the comments of that post. Unlike the last time we met, I will not have a lengthy post on the evening post. It will be short and sweet so you don't have to do a lot of scrolling to get to the comments section. Yep I live and learn. Thankfully. I saw last time that wordiness on that post just will not do, so just be looking for a short and sweet ready to go post.



We have at least one new lady joining us. Her name is Teresa and she is such a sweetheart. I am SO thankful she is joining with us. Welcome to you dear one.

If you have a moment today, drop by The LPM Blog and check out Beth Moore's video to us and her questions. If you don't have time for the video, the questions are always typed out under the video. We will be going through those questions in our study this evening.

I hope you are enjoying this study of Ruth. I am learning a lot about Ruth and myself. Interesting how that works. We've been through two weeks of a six week journey of a four-chapter book. I'm so happy to be able to take time and really dig into the elements of Ruth.

One thing that is on my heart this morning is a question Beth posed to us last time about the one word that describes our lives right now. Mine was "hard", but to be honest, I've been a little convicted over that, because I don't think it adequately describes this season of my life. I think that "growing" more adequately describes it and growing is, well, hard.

God is taking me OUT of my comfort zone and putting me into difficult places to glean nuggets of truth I would otherwise not have. The overwhelming thing that I am learning through this process is trust. It is the theme that has been reiterated over and over during this time. Lately, it has been really well, hard. It is so cool how God works in me when I'm having a particularly hard day.

Last week, I was driving down the road, and on this particular stretch of road you can see the clouds as clearly as you see the road. You see it all together. Beautiful. As I topped the hill and saw the clouds stretched out before me, one of the clouds was shaped like an angel wing and just to the left of the wing, where the other wing should be, was like the shape of the face or body of the angel. It was so beautiful. In that moment I knew that God was showing me He is ALWAYS on. He doesn't take a vacation. He doesn't rest. He is ALWAYS in the midst of me, ALWAYS.

Well, yesterday, again a difficult day, I topped the same hill, and this time I saw two clouds, one dark and one bright and they were touching. In the middle of these clouds was an opening and through the opening you could see the bluest sky. God was again speaking to me through these clouds and telling me that it was going to be okay. He is God for crying out loud!!! I need to start putting feet to my faith and believe beyond what my eyes can see. Because isn't that what true faith is really all about?!?!!

So that is where I find myself today, this morning, this minute. Knowing that my God is able and He will see me through this time. He is working out His plan. I need to make sure that I stay right in the direct center of His will.

Yep Ruth is bringing out some beautiful truths in my life. I hope it is doing the same for you. I am still chewing on weeping forward and spoken words. Yep be chewing on those for a while.

I will see you back here this evening.

Have a Blessed and Beautiful day,
Dawn

4th of July Frolics....

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

Yep those are my toes in my very special, had forever, can't remember for sure where I got them, way too wide for my skinny feet, shoes that I wear, yes EVERY 4th of July. I keep them for this occasion only and enjoy wearing them and flipping in them and nearly walking right on out of them every year. Yep, tradition!!

Yep and that is red plaid that I'm donning to go with my flag shoes. I know, you wish you had a pair. Got mine at a garage sale. What can I say, I'm frugal, and stylish =)


















Dak went and got his g-ma (my mom), while I started a late lunch, really early kind of supper thing. I started our favorite baked potatoes in the oven and was starting to get the grill all fired up, when our electricity went out. Yep, annoying. Do you realize how much you use it until you don't have it? Hmmmm.....there's some food for thought. Your welcome =)

anyway...

Dak came back with mom and we talked and laughed and enjoyed our time on the 4th together. My mom is a hoot. She cracks me up!!!

Here is Dak and his g-ma.



These two are very close.

Are they not adorable?!! Just adorable!!

Me and my mama.

Okay so I have NO idea what is going on with my booty. I mean seriously!!! My mom got a real kick out of this picture. Apparently, when you have a knee like mine you compensate in ways that are, well, unusual =) nice.

Me and my boy....

He is so cute!!! I love him so!!

Me and my man!!! He makes my heart go pitter-patter!!

I love you babe!!

And yes, my toes say Happy 4th to you!!!

Well tomorrow is Summer Bible Study Tuesday. Hope you all have been able to keep up. I actually did get a little behind, but I am right back on track. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep right on track the rest of the study.

Love you all ~~ have a Blessed and Beautiful day,

Random Friday ~~ The Great Flying Sir Cuteness Edition....

Happy Holiday Weekend Friday Y'all!!!

Well on this very special edition of Random Friday I am featuring the Great Flying Machine, Sir Cuteness.

You see our adorable, almost 2, GRAND-babe has decided gravity shamivity!!! Who needs gravity when you can fly, jump, run, gironimo, I mean seriously.....it's over rated =)

Sir Cuteness is a mover and a shaker these days. You see when my Dak was a baby, he was so docile. He was not a climber, he was a runner even back then, but he wasn't into the dangerous.

But Sir Cuteness is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY!! Every day when I pick him up, he hits the ground running a hundred miles an hour ready to GO!!!

So I thought I'd share with you some of the latest antics fun Sir Cuteness and I have been having.




He took a liking to my canning pot the other day, and voila....a seat was born.

How many items can you fit into a canning pot? So glad you asked....apparently a baby AND a ball!!!

You crack me up Sir Cuteness ~~ CRACK ME UP!!

And of course, here he is kicking back in the ole pot. Yep, child CRACKS ME UP!!!

Well, Chase sent his co-worker over to clean our carpets, because he is wanting him to be able to lead a crew on his own one day, so he wanted him to come over and get a little practice in on our carpets. YAY!! I dig clean carpets....

anyway....

So my sweet hubby moved our couch into the bay window and put Sir Cuteness's recliner up on a pillow on the couch. AS SOON AS Sir Cuteness saw this, he ran over and started climbing. The child has NO fear!! None. Nope. None. So I ran over and told him he was going to bust his tookas, to which he just smiled and kept climbing. So yes, I had to take a picture once he was secure on the high wire act =)

I mean really have you EVER seen such cuteness in a recliner? Nope. Me either.

And what high wire act would be complete without some armour?!! I mean seriously, if you are going to be performing high flying acts, you seriously need your armour. This is Sir Cuteness's Helmet of Salvation!!

How much do you love that?

Dak got it down from the attic the other day. It used to be his. He had the whole armour pieces at one point. We need to check that out....anyway.....how cute is this little prince?

And moments over!!!!!

Yep just that fast. He's done, and climbing down!! Wait for me Sir Cuteness I'll help you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh boy, this one keeps me on my toes!!!

Do you see that little mark on his head? Yep that is from where he was standing in his rocker seat at his house and fell into his truck. Yep the child just goes until he is stopped one way or the other, either by daddy, or in this case, a truck =)

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you have some lovely plans for the 4th. We don't have ours pinned down yet, but looking forward to a weekend with my man. AHHHHH sweet bliss!!

Love and hugs,