I'm baaack!

A friend recently informed me that it has been almost a year and a half since my last post - wow! The fact she even looked that up made me feel guilty somehow - thanks Annette!

The truth is, things are finally starting to settle down a little. Ben, my baby, turns 5 tomorrow and in one week he starts Kindergarten. For the first time in almost 12 years, I will be child free during the day. I'm giddy with excitement, let me tell you! I wasn't ready for this day with Katie...nor Ethan...and definitely like my little Micah. But Ben is ready. I'm ready. We're doing this!

A quick update for my 2nd 1st post:

As mentioned, my baby turns 5 tomorrow, August 1st. 5 years ago I was stressing out over who in the world would babysit my other 3 when the time came for me to have my baby. We were stationed in D.C., I hadn't yet moved on base & met my soon to be BFF Jacklyn, one of the few people EVER that I'd be able to trust with my kids. But God provided, someone from my church stepped up and, though not ideal, it all worked out. And Baby Ben came into the world kicking & screaming :)

Then, in 2 weeks, my firstborn will celebrate her 12th birthday.

WoW.

Those birthdays just keep on coming, making me older & older. I'll post more on her later but need to know is that she starts middle school next week, something I am refusing to stress over. She's covered in prayer, she has strong morals...she'll be fine.

Ethan is 10 and going through a really rough period right now. My little sweet boy has developed a smart mouth and we're dealing with it. Pray for him. I think he needs a good friend, among other things.

Little Micah Fisher is still Mr. Sweetie except he has now transferred all his love to my new sister in law, Juli. And her bridesmaid. And the female DJ at her wedding. I'm nursing a serious broken heart over that one!

We're all good, despite job & financial stress. We're happy, incredibly blessed in the health & love department, and really...isn't that what matters most?

Oh, and I started a photography business with my sister, Louise! It's a life long dream and God seriously led me to this point and I am SO excited! A little overwhelmed, but excited!

Forever Photography is on Facebook and we have a website! www.foreverphotog.com - all the other cool names were taken ;) (Just kidding, business partner...I really do like the name!)

Since I know I have really only 3 die hard fans, I've tagged you three to receive emails every time i update. You were the only three that nagged me to restart the blog :D
Let me know if that gets inconvenient.

I also made it mobile phone capable. So you can view it on your smart phone in an easier to read mode than a regular sized webpage. If you have a not so smart phone, you're outta luck ;)

Anyway, I love you girls - Jacklyn, Annette, & Angie - and this is for you! (Let me know when you are sick of the minute details of my boring life!)

Face painting, yard sales, and kisses...oh my!

My fanTABulous mother in law, otherwise referred to as Jody, came to visit this past weekend for two days. Originally, Katie was supposed to sing with her Chorus group at the Fall Festival, but her teacher got sick and they cancelled their performances. Personally, I think she should have sucked it up and drug her sick bottom to the festival for 20 whole minutes while they sang 3 songs. But what do I know :) All I'm sayin' is, she better have the pig flu!



But Jody was already on her way when we found out and she was dying to see the kids anyway, and vice versa, so she came on. It's a six hour drive, so that was pretty sweet of her.
We had so much fun. She got to be here when her son signed the bid on the house, got to see the house, and she loved it. She was almost excited as I was! Almost.


We just had fun hanging out. She & I get along really well, plus she thinks my kids are the best, smartest, prettiest kids in the whole world. So we REALLY get along well :)

I found out something new about her this trip: she can BARGAIN. As in, she went yardsaling Saturday morning with Katie, armed with a list of sizes and clothing items needed, and came back with bags full of name brand, very nice, some new clothing...all for $17! I was supposed to join them around 11am but she seriously got the kids everything they needed for now, so I didn't have to.

Anyway, we had a blast. Took the kids to their Fall Festival (I forgot my camera. She didn't, of course!), yard saling, a vegetable soup party, and house bidding.

Here are the only pictures I got of her this trip, including outtakes of her with the kids:

Ben, Chad, & Jody have the exact same eyes.

They were being so goofy!

Good enough!

Princess Katie & her tattoo - at least it's not a dog!

How sweet are they?!

Jody's 51st birthday was that weekend but she really didn't want anyone to make a deal out of it, so we didn't, but I regret that now. I wish I had gone all out and baked a cake, put up streamers, and sang the birthday song everytime she entered the room. Just like we did Chad :)

Somehow, I think she got her birthday wish, though, by spending two days with her grandbabies. Cheap gift!

Ode to Ben...yes, another birthday!

Happy Birthday, my little three year old! It almost hurts to type that sentence out! 3 years ago today I was racing around, trying to find someone to watch my three kids so I could get my aching, contracting self to the hospital. I was 3 weeks from my due date, which was pretty exciting. You, or at least *I*, always expect the worse when it comes to going before or after your due date.

That's me, 3 years ago: 37 weeks and miserable!

Daddy meeting his newest son for the first time - I love this picture! Always gives me the warm fuzzies ;)

My doctor was kind of new and very paranoid once she found out my last labor had lasted only 45 minutes and ordered me to the hospital at the first sign of a contraction. That's right - 45 minutes! With Katie it was four hours, with Ethan two hours. But the doctor in Japan got a little stir crazy when my water broke with Micah but the contractions didn't start right up...so they gave me Pitocin. A.K.A. Drug from Hell. That stuff speeds up your contractions, but BAM! Gives 'em a little kick in the tail too. So, it was only 45 minutes but it was the LONGEST 45 minutes of my life!

Micah meets Ben, his future BFF

Check out Micah's scary hair LOL! He looked like a troll doll! He was soooo adorable - 18 months old, with about 3 teeth - 2 in back, one in front...and heck on wheels!

It was a 20 minute drive, so my doctor was worried I would deliver Ben on the side of the road. Frankly, so was I. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening!

This was seriously the sweetest nurse I ever had - she let Katie & Ethan help with Ben's first bath, teaching them all about newborn babies. It was the nicest thing she could have done. I left a glowing recommendation for her!

Ethan was totally grossed out but he was a trooper and scrubbed little Ben's pastey body.

A little word to those who care: I had an epidural with my first baby, a shot of Stadol with my 2nd, and a shot of something starting with an "N" with my 3rd, the Pitocin baby, Micah.

Then comes Ben. I'm all cocky from having had a 45 minute labor & delivery with just a shot of pain reliever and I'm thinking, How hard could it be to do this totally natural? Turns out - VERY HARD.

Still being good little helpers:

I'll stop with all the pain talk now. Let's just say, it's a good thing we had already planned to quit after the fourth cause there was NO way I was doing that again!


Anyway, he was my weirdest labor - started very slow, around 1:30pm, admitted myself to the labor ward around 4:30pm - alone. Chad was at work and his supervisor was raising cain about anyone leaving unless it was an emergency. Apparently giving birth to your FOURTH child is not considered an emergency. If that supervisor, prolly some Captain, had been any where near me, he would have been a dead Captain. Seriously.

Benjamin Lee - 7lbs, 4oz

Big Sister Katie (2 weeks before 7th bday)

Chad finally showed up around 7:30 pm, with instructions to come back if it wasn't serious. Hmmm. Wish I knew that guy's name - for shizzle!

So, I'm still having contractions but they don't seem to be doing anything. I'm not used to this! I'm usually a Wham! Bam! Thank ya, Ma'me! kind of L&D kind of girl. The doctor wouldn't break my water, which I think they should totally do once they know it's the real deal, so I just sat there contracting for about 6 hours. Finally, I talked her into and he was born about an hour or two later. I'm real fuzzy on the details because I was stressed about the other three kids, mad at Chad's Captain, and in a LOT of pain with no relief in sight. I am too stubborn for my own good sometimes!

Looking like I just had a baby LOL

Oh, another fun fact: I didn't have any family to keep the other three kids, so I had to ask someone from my church to watch them. They reluctantly agreed, which always makes you feel GREAT about leaving your kids with someone. In fact, she called me about 10 minutes after he was born and asked if Chad was coming to pick them up yet.

But God gave me the most amazing mother in law and as soon as she heard I was in labor, she left Ohio and headed to D.C. She was there about an hour after he was born. Chad took her and they went to pick Katie, Ethan, & Micah up, brought them back to the hospital, where they got to meet Ben, give him his first bath, etc. Then, she stayed with us for about 5 days, which was a life saver since we ended up running back & forth to the hospital for weight loss & jaundice. I LOVE MY MOTHER IN LAW! (Jessica told me that when she goes into labor, she's calling MY mother in law instead of hers LOL!)

But little Ben was completely healthy, thank God. He was different from the beginning. For starters, he was a "sleepy" baby. I never understood what that meant until then. He would sleep 12 hours straight without waking to eat. He lost weight instead of gaining during the first three weeks, we had to admit him back to the hospital after 3 days or so for jaundice, I think because he wasn't eating enough to flush out his system. So, I did have to wake a sleeping baby to make him eat - something I have NEVER had to do!


He also wouldn't sleep good at night unless I held him in my arms. (He's sleep all day without waking once. The longest I ever let him go was about 12-14 hours straight.) But at night he'd fuss and fuss until I picked him up. Even to this day, his favorite place to sleep is in my bed, curled up tight next to me. It is both the sweetest and most aggrivating thing at times LOL. I love it, but he ends up sideways and kicking me in the head, every single night. Oh well. Secretly, I love it all. He's the baby and that's how it should be ;) And he still sleeps the longest of all my kids - 12 hours straight (if he's in my bed) is nothing for this kid!

9 days old:

How sweet is that?!?!

I love birth stories - don't you? Each one is always unique and sweet :)

By the way, we had a small birthday party at home with family only today. He got so many toys, and wanted to play with each one instead of opening the next gift. What a blessed family we are! Thank you to all the aunts & Grandma that made it so special!

Future BFFs: 18 months & 9 days

August 1st, 2009: 4 1/2 & 3 years old ~ mostly BFFs :)

Ode to Jessica

24 years ago today, mom was digging a ditch around the tent. Seems there was a storm coming and for some reason we had not dug a ditch around the tent yet. For those catching up, Dad was/is a tent preacher. We traveled the 3 or 4 summer months, staying in each town about 2-3 weeks. Luckily, or thanks to Dad's ingenious plan, we were in New Albany, Indiana, on mom's due date, where all our extended family lived and still live. Holla, Linn & Dana!

So, there she is, nine months pregnant and digging a ditch. Now that I look back, maybe...just maybe...she was TRYING to go into labor. Because there is nothing more miserable than a full term pregnant woman. In the hottest month of the year. Under a tent....digging a ditch.

Sure enough, she went into labor. I remember Dad rushing her to the hospital, leaving Neal in charge, I guess. Still a little fuzzy about that part. Maybe we stayed with Grandma F.

Anyway, I do remember we still went on with church that night. Jessica must have already been born by then, and dad left mom at the hospital, which was about 3 blocks away, to preach the service. Then, due to a lack of insurance, she came home the very next day.

Let me just say, after having my own four babies, I don't know how she did it! Jessica was the 6th baby, so she was coming home to 5 more kids to take care of. She told me later, maybe she shouldn't have tried so hard to be Superwoman. The problem with everyone thinking your Superwoman is, everyone thinking your Superwoman!

So, she came home barely 24 hours later with Jessica Christine. I always loved your name! It sounds so elegant to me. Anyway, that night mom stayed in the camper during service, something that scared me since I'd never seen her miss a service. In fact, I think Bro. Hall sent Dad to get you that very night and that is when he carried you around as he preached, eventually prophesying over you. I'll tell you about that one later!

Anyway, so this little scrawny baby joined our family and I became Mommy Jr. I carried you around like my little doll baby. I remember walking across Grandma F's living room floor, carrying you, for the very first time. All. By. My. Self. I was a Big Girl now! I fed her (water bottles when mom was busy), changed her diapers...she was my very own Baby Alive!

In fact, I got so good at it all, when Jessica was 2 months old, I would get her to sleep in my bed, then mom would come and take her to her bassinett. I was eight years old.

Mom used to get migraine headaches. A lot. The really awful, can't-handle-light-noise-breathing kind of migraine. And, probably because of the hormone changes, she seemed to get them more frequently after having a baby. So, I got to play mommy to you a LOT. In fact, we went to school just about a block away from our house, at the time, and my principal would get a phone call from mom saying she needed me because she had a really bad migraine. A teacher would walk me to the edge of the busy highway, watch me walk across, and through the woods home. I always felt so big & special for getting to do that ;)

So, I've been around your WHOLE life, Jessica. I remember you going through my electric blue purse when I wasn't looking...you were four. I have the picture, somewhere. I remember you doing your little dance for me in Beth's room. Wasn't that just last year?! Still have the video...hmmm, maybe I should post that on my blog!

I guess I said all that to say this: Happy 24th Birthday!

Don't hate me for these! I don't have all my pictures with me!!!

I think you were about 15 or 16 here.

You look great! Beth, not so much LOL!

I know I use this one a lot, but it's my all time fave of all of us, minus Beth.
I think this was a group hug about 2 years ago when I was heading back to D.C.


Another fave: Jess & Ben's Spa Day

A little blurry, but hard to get a good one of Pretty McMom's sparkly smile

Yes, there's Louise messing up your photo op with Mom; you have to forgive her, she never got over being replaced as my Baby Alive ;)

I could say so many great things about you. For instance, Chad used to tell me you should be a model because you walk with such poise and grace. I agree. And you have always been the most reserved of us all, it seems. Always holding a little bit of yourself back. But you fit right where God planted you. In the middle of 5 sisters and 3 brothers. "Smith" #6 :)

I love you, Boo!

Ode to Beth

I'd like to dedicate today to a special girl. And by special, I mean the ride-the-little-yellow-school-bus kind of special. My sister Beth, or Boolie as I fondly refer to her (because she hates it!), is 31 years young today. Sadly, she did not ride the short, yellow bus to school...I was her designated driver most of the time. But it was a mini van and she IS special.

P.S. Turn up your volume just a little as you read this, check out my birthday song for Beth ;)

I was almost 19 months old when Beth was born and my favorite story mom tells is about the time 2 of my homies and I pulled 2 week old Beth off of the bed, on to the floor. It was my way of saying, "Get lost, Drama Queen!"

One of my least favorite stories involves a blanket. Imagine, if you will, a sweet little girl, about the age of 4. Now imagine she has a raggedy old blanket: her security blanket. Linus, but with girl parts. And in pink.

Now, imagine a spoiled little brat of about 2, also a girl. Or boy. But in this case, definitely a girl. Imagine that little brat is jealous of her older, wiser, prettier sister. And jealous of her cute little, pink blanket. Now, imagine this sweet little girl, the 4 year old, clutching her blanket in horror as the 2 year old unholy terror screams, kicks, and pitches the biggest fit you've ever seen, all because she wants THAT blanket.

Now, in this story, there is a bad witch. And that bad witch takes the blanket and RIPS it in two, giving one half back to the poor, sweet princess, then handing the other half to the red faced, snotty nosed brat. (Chad added gorilla breathed but he wasn't there, and I can't swear to that fact). Can you see the heartache that poor little sweet Am...I mean girl went through? She was DEVASTATED. She cried her poor little heart out. That was her blanket! There is no telling the amount of therapy due said poor girl, though of course the spoiled brat never offered to pay for it.

And so began a long, turbulent relationship based on theft and jealousy.



However, being the older, wiser big sister, she did eventually forgive the little brat - I mean, girl. Though not forget, obviously. No, never forget.

So, here is my ode to Beth who, strangely enough, resembles that little bratty girl :)

Beth was the only family member to come visit me in Japan, in 2004 (I'm not bitter....I NOT bitter...). Check us out getting our Starbucks on in Tokyo!

Beth, Katie & Ethan in front of Mt. Fuji

We went everywhere, even though we couldn't read a map or speak the language. It was scarier than a rollercoaster!

One of my all time favorites - and check out her legs! The Japanese were facinated by Beth ;)

Jess, Aaron, Beth, & Melissa

Last summer

I can't find my favorite picture of us, taken last year at her surprise 30th birthday party -but wasn't that fun!?

Happy Birthday - I love you!!!

Deep Thoughts

I've been thinking lately - which usually gets me in trouble - about sin, weights, and what it means to be a Christian. I'm chock full of deep thoughts, so I'm gonna share them so I can move on to other things!

I realized when my brother got saved, he is only the 3rd person I've ever been able to watch as they are transformed by salvation. Meaning, I knew him before and he was definitely not living a Godly lifestyle, and didn't claim to be. Then, I was able to witness an immediate change in him after he accepted Jesus as his saviour. I know God saves, and radically so, but most of the Christians I know, I didn't get to witness their transformation personally.

But this time, I get a front row seat...and it's been amazing!

I gave my heart to God at age 6. Some people don't believe it's a true confession at such a young age, because your level of comprehension is just not where it needs to be to grasp what all that entails. But for me, I knew there was sin, I knew Jesus died to save me, and I wanted Him in my heart. I prayed with my mom, and it's one of my earliest memories. I cherish it. I was also blessed to have that same conversation with Katie at age four, which blew my mind, and then Ethan at age 6 or 7.

Anyway, so I wasn't a hardened sinner, or big sinner of any kind, except for the fact we are all born into sin. (Let me say, I don't believe children go to Hell if they die without asking Jesus into their heart. I don't remember the Scriptures right now for why I believe that, but I find it if someone wants to know.) So there wasn't a radical change in me that I can really testify about. My testimony has been how God kept me from a lot of things. I didn't always follow Him perfectly, but most of my life has been lived trying to please Him.

Now I'm watching Aaron. He was bored with life, sullen, depressed, listless, and unhappy. He was in and out of trouble, serious trouble, and his life was getting messed up before it really even got started. Plus - and he knows this - Aaron was a huge liar. He would lie at the drop of a hat. Rediculous, fat lies. It was the most annoying thing about Aaron. You couldn't trust a word he said. For instance, I told him we were buying a four wheeler. He called my sister up and told her I was buying THREE four wheelers. His lies didn't even make sense, as they were easily disproved...but he couldnt' seem to stop himself and it drove us all nuts.

But that has all changed!

He is saved!

The lying stopped immediately! Now if he even exaggerates a little, he corrects himself immediately. If he says he caught 10 fish - you can bet he really caught 10 fish (and we know how fishermen like to tell their whoppers LOL). He is happy, he suddenly cares deeply that his friends and siblings find Jesus, he actually wants to go to church, every service, which is a BIG switch for him! He is talking to me about prayer, what he read in his Bible, having his Grandma pray for his best friend to get saved, quitting smoking, singing with me & Beth in church...I mean, he has been radically changed in just ONE week!

Even if I didn't see all of these things, I know he prayed and accepted Jesus into his heart. But these things are just encouragement that God is cleaning out the old man, and installing a NEW Aaron. He's moving in and taking over - how exciting is that?!

But not everyone allows God to change them after that first step. You can fight those changes, and lose so much that God did for you with that very first prayer you pray.

For example: Aaron didn't smoke a single cigerette for about 18-20 hours after he got saved last Sunday. That is a record for him. He smoked about a pack every day or every two days. But he got home the next day (from NC, where he got saved) around his friends and brother that smoke, they asked if he wanted to go outside for a smoke and he said yes, probably without thinking too hard about it. He told me tonight that he has smoked more this week than almost any week before. Why is that?

I think he he was delivered of cigerettes that first night and without even realizing it, he gave in the first time he was tempted and allowed that habit, that spirit, back into his life. He told me he is going to quit, and soon. I don't want him, or anyone, to feel like they have to clean up for God - that's GOD'S job. He cleans us up on his schedule, at His time, and with His help. So, I told him to follow God's lead on that stuff. If he's convicted - if he feels that little prick in his spirit when reaches for one, follow that and let God take that desire to smoke from him. We can't give things up just to please people...it's all about pleasing God.

And PS, yes I know smoking is not listed as a sin in the Bible...and I don't think it will send you to Hell. There's a scripture in the New Testament about "sins and weights"...I think smoking, just like some other things (cursing, in my book) are weights that hinder us (weigh us down) from something God wants to do in our lives, not to mention the affect it has on our Christian witness. And we are ALL called to be witnesses unto Him.

Second, it defiles the body. I know people that wouldn't drink caffeine for the same reason, or take Tylenol. Again, some of that is between you and God. Paul, I believe, said if meat offends your brother, don't eat meat in front of him. Just common sense, really.

If you override a conviction to give something up, to YOU it is sin. You would be in direct rebellion to God to hang on to something He says to give up. But to impose your own convictions on someone else and cause them to stumble is ALSO sin: He said it'd be better that a millstone was tied around your neck and you were cast into the sea, than to cause one of his little ones to stumble.

That's how protective God is over His own! We can rest in how much He loves us, what lengths He will go to take care of us.

So, don't give up on your loved ones, don't give up on yourself. He loves you with an everlasting love and He will not fail you. He will not leave you lonely. He has a plan for you, and you are a part of His plan, the bigger picture that began with Adam & Eve in the garden.

Can you tell I went to church twice today?!?! LOL :) Also, I took a nap!

P.S. Aaron doesn't read my blog, but I also would say everything I just wrote to his face, and he would totally agree. We actually have talked about most of this stuff already. God is so good!

You're so vain...

but you are right...this song is about you!

Sunday was my sister Melissa's 19th birthday. Most of us were recouping from our vacation to NC, so we didn't celebrate until the next day. The sisters (and Josh H & Aaron, our honorary sistahs) took her out to eat at O'Charley's (jealous, Jacklyn?), and then home for cupcakes & ice cream, and my homemade turtle brownies. It was loud, fun, and drama filled, as usual. Each grandkid thought the cake & candles were for them...as usual.

We did *not* sing "Happy Birthday" to each and every one of them, like last time. Thank GOD! That makes for a long night. And headaches. And yelling "NO MORE SINGING!"

So, Melissa, take a bow and enjoy your moment in the "Smith" Spotlight...it happens only once a year!

I was going to call DCS about poor Mady being made to dress like a floosy...then I noticed my pantsless wonder. Conner was posing. Naked. But, that's like the pot calling the kettle black ;)

19 candles almost brought the house down. Did singe some of Josh's arm hair ;)

Isn't it sweet how they all "helped?" Unsanitary, but sweet.

Isn't she pretty? Ben just wants me to hurry so he can hit that icing:

Louise is such a smarty pants; she tries to ruin my pictures. So, her tongue goes on the blog for her grandma to see. Ha!

Now THAT was yummy!

Miss me?

I didn't get to do regular updates from Mt Airy, NC, like I had planned. The motel boasted about it's free wifi but forgot to mention it offered just ONE BAR of connection! Then, my little broadband stick was hitting only 2 bars, and my pages took forever to load, much less upload a picture. So, I was basically internet-less for 5 days. It was a LONG five days, in that aspect.

Here is my quick update, until I can get some quiet time to actually think deep thoughts ;)

I played the organ every night I was there, and my sister Casey kept Ben while Mom watched Ethan & Micah. Katie is good on her own. She constantly checks on me to see if I'm giving her my "evil eye." She's so me!

My view from the organ:

I love playing the organ because I get to view ALL the action from a front row, elevated seat. And trust me, there is ALWAYS action at these camp meetings! I'm talking, a guy knocking preachers' hands away when they tried to pray for his girlfriend - I mean, you knew it was a Pentecostal meeting when you passed that big sign at the entrance that said HOLY GHOST TENT REVIVAL. And yeah, we like to lay hands on anything that moves. If it moves suspiciously, like you did, we lay hands it TWICE.

Then, of course, there is always shouting. Flailing arms-busted lips-shoes flying through the air kind of shouting.

There is nothing like a Holy Ghost Tent Revival - especially campmeeting style. I'm so glad I went.

And then, there are healings. A wonderful lady from our church, Sis. H, has walked with cane for 4 or 5 years. She has to sit through the entire service, even when she comes up front to sing. But Friday night, she got miraculously healed without anyone touching her, and is now cane free! She walked up to me Saturday night before church and I just about did some shouting of my own. She has wanted to be healed and talked about the day she wouldn't need that cane, since I met her. God is good!

Thursday, July 2, 2009
We ended up filling this tent by Friday night, over 275 people there:

Then, my little boy. Ethan came to me about 2 weeks ago with a deep punture wound on his hand. He said he had scraped with with lego, but as the sore continued to grow and eat away at his flesh, we all had the same thought: brown recluse spider bite. The skin was green, black, and infamed and red, circular, and spreading very fast. Here's what it looked like Saturday night (PS this is not for the weak stomached!):

I took this Saturday night, right after they prayed for his hand:

See how big? How red, green, and black? It was breath-taking to see for the first time, and every morning I dreaded seeing how much it had spread.

And this is what it looked like the very next morning, after they prayed! Today it is
even better but I'm too tired to run take a pic and do all that. I'll update again as it totally heals up. He definitely got a miracle! Thank you, God!

And last, but certainly not least, my baby brother got saved! So many friends and family have been there with us as we sat in the hospital room with Aaron last year, when he was so messed up on drugs that he didn't even know what had happened. We prayed and God moved for him. Over the past year he has been in and out of trouble, with such an aimless, restless spirit in him.

But Sunday night, he gave his heart to God! He was with my parents in NC and at the altar call, he went forward and accepted Jesus as his saviour. I wasn't there, but my parents and friends said he cried and cried for about 15-20 minutes, then went between laughing and crying for the rest of the night, his whole body shaking like a leaf.

I think God knows what each of us needs, what it takes to get our attention, and what we need to feel when He comes into our life. He totally overwhelmed Aaron's emotions, totally cleaned him up and out, and gave him an experience he will NEVER forget.

Isn't He good to us?

So, that is my fast update. I will have more later, as I unpack, look at my pics, and replay it all over again in my head :)

PS Congrats, Michelle, on your new job!

Like Grandma...

I have always thought I take a lot after my Grandma Anita, my dad's mom:

We even look alike - right?

She has probably close to 50 journals hidden in her basement; I have a trunk full of journals written from the age of 13 on up to around age 21.

She has more photo albums than journals, with pictures depicting our family from before she was born, up to her most recent great-grandbabies. I just had to move over 20 gigs worth of pictures from my laptop to a portable hard drive. Plus all the albums, framed pictures....

She passed on to me that love of photography, of capturing every great moment in life, to perserve a perfect memory on film. She sees beauty in everything and everyone. I'm trying.

We both love to write. She has written a cookbook with antidotes from her life as a farmer's wife and mother of 6. I wrote plays, skits, poems, & songs from a very early age...and plan to do even more writing in the future. Oh, and I currently write a little blog ;)

She hooked me on writing at a young age, when she send me long letters detailing everything our extended family was involved in, what birds she had seen in her yard recently, and what the weather was expected to be the following week. And always about God, how much He had blessed her, and how special I was to my Grandma.

She is my hero. She raised six kids succcessfully while keeping up a farm. She has cut the head off of a chicken, drained it, plucked it, and served it for dinner that very same day. Now THAT'S a *real* woman! She also worked a job for years, on top of all that.

Then, and my favorite story about my Grandma, she went back to college when she was in her 50's. Nowadays that's not so unusual, but this was over 20 years ago. I was in AWE of her, thinking, There is NOTHING I can't do because there is nothing SHE can't do! Every now and then I still think about finishing college. I feel my own dreams have been left in the dirt while I strive to foster a new generation's dreams. Then I think, It's never too late....my Grandma did it and so can I!

On our way home from Ohio last month, we stopped in to see Grandma. She lives half way in between our home and Chad's family, so we stop to spend the night, catch up with Grandma, and break up that 10 hour trip. Here are some pictures from that stop...of course :)

I took this as Chad drove like a bat outta Hell. We would always start whooping and hollaring as kids when we saw this sign. It meant Grandma's house was only about 20 minutes away.

I always considered this an official landmark of Indiana. Some things just make you feel like you are finally home...seeing the Polly Freeze sign does that for me.

Only 1.5 miles from Grandma's house...

Can you tell we are related? That is my Dad and Aunt Becky. They are Grandma's two oldest children. Aren't these pretty glamourous senior pictures? They were hotties! This is how I have such pretty babies ;)

One of the woodpeckers that lives in Gma's back yard:

Apparently there is a large woodpecker that only eats grubs & worms and he was my Grandfather's favorite one to watch with his binoculars. He'd always say, Now, Anita, that bird will never come eat your birdseed on the back porch. They just don't do that! Sure enough, he was right. Then, two days after he died, the woodpecker flew up to Gma's bird seed and went to eating. Since then she has had babies and THEIR babies eat her birdseed as well. She told me she always felt like that was the Holy Spirit. At first I thought she meant, that bird was the Holy Spirit. As in, the Holy Spirit is living in her yard and eating birdseed on her back porch. And, who am I to argue? I grew up hearing her testify in church about how her first boyfriend was Jesus. So, having the Holy Ghost in the form of a bird, eating birdseed on her back porch, wasn't much of a stretch for my imagination!

It wasn't until I was older that I realized what she meant about her first boyfriend: She got saved around the age of 15 and fell in love with Jesus. He was her "first love". My grandfather was her second love, at age 18.
Anyway, a little while later she did go on with the woodpecker story and tell me that she felt like the Holy Spirit had sent her that woodpecker as a little sign from her dead husband that he was okay and God was watching out for her.

~ Me & Grandma ~

We both like to give hugs. Lots of long, hard hugs. She was squeezing me to death there! But I was squeezing her right back.

I love you, Grandma!