New camera

Lindsey asked for money for her 16th birthday and combined it with her own babysitting money and bought a really nice camera. She loves to take pictures and she has a really good eye for the unusual shots. Above is Emily being very patient while Lindsey takes pictures in the bathroom...I love the last picture. I hope Lindsey can work on this talent and use it in someway since she loves it so much.

What is your "go to" food

Do you have a "go to" food? You know that one thing that always sounds good. Mine is something that is so abnormal...grits..yep you read it right. I just finished a bowl of warm creamy grits. I eat 1 packet of instant grits about 5 times a week. Crazy??

Here I am.

How was your Thanksgiving? Ours was very nice. We usually have a blow out with many, many families at my mama's but this year but this year because of mama's surgery we had a lovely dinner at Eric's parents house.

Mom had colon cancer 4 years ago and she just had to have her 3rd hernia repair 2 days before Thanksgiving. She had been told 3 days in the hospital.......ended up being 9???? She was open for 7 hours???? They had to completely rebuild her abdominal wall. Someone had to be with her 24/7 while she was in the hospital, so my sisters and I rotated with daddy. When daddy and one of mys sisters had to return to work then Katherine and I rotated. She is home and tonight will be the 2nd night that she and my dad are alone. What an ordeal for her! I hope that this is the last of all surgeries!!!That is the reason I haven't been here! Schooling, ministry and mama kept me way too busy.

Dreams

What are your dreams? I have all kinds of dreams....Dreams for my kids.....Dreams for our future....Dreams for the ministry......Dreams for our church......sometimes there is so much floating around in my head I can hardly shut it off. Are dreams wrong??? Certainly I believe that we can get materialistic even in our dreams and desires but I think it is also the way that the Lord casts a vision. I will share one of mine with you......from the moment we bought this house....12 years ago...we knew it wasn't ours....we really do view everything that we have as the Lords...but even beyond that....Eric and I have always had a "dream" that this house was supposed to be given to our church. We live directly across the street from FBC Woodstock and our church has an amazing ministry for missionaries that give their lives to serve Him in another country. When they come back to the States we have homes for them to stay in. Someone fills the pantry and cupboards with all the family favorites and the church pays all housing expenses while they are home on furlough. We love this program and because of this dream of ours....we know in our hearts that this house is supposed to be used for that purpose! Will that be when we die??? Maybe???

Now to the dream.....there is land near our house....87 acres....oh so very beautiful......my dream....give this house to the church....buy the 87 acres......invite a few families to join us.......enjoy!... serve!..... Our daughter is gifted with animals but specifically with horses.....it has been her dream to do horse therapy for physically and mentally challenged children....wow what a dream....she is only 12 but she is passionate about it.....in my dream that would be a reality for her! In my dream there would be a home for a hurting family to come and stay for a little while so we could encourage and love on them...in my dream this would all be debt free!!!!

SO now I have bored you with my crazy dream!!! What is your dream?

Saving Money!

It is NUTS......just how much you can save using coupons when items are at their lowest prices! I bought all of the items you see here.....327.00 for 87.23.....Yes you saw that correctly...that is a savings of $239......I love it!!!! It frees up so much money for us....actually it just helps us live on the very small amount that comes in for the ministry. I feel like it is a great contribution that I can make for my family! We are living on a really small amount of money but I am able to feed my family like we are making so much more all because of coupons!

My Swimming boy

Marshall is a wonderful swimmer....like if he continues.....college scholarship good. Best of all he LOVES it! We are so thrilled that he can swim for Crown Athletics....Eric helps to coach so that he can swim for free but he really desires to swim on a year round team...this is very expensive but we also know that if the Lord wants this to happen...it will!! The team just had their first meet in South Ga. Marsh did a great job and loved it. We try to help each of our kids to grow "in their bend" this is sometimes difficult when you have so many but we do not feel that they should be "cookie cutter" kids. They are so very different and have so many amazing talents...it is very time consuming to raise kids!!!

Sweet 16

AAAGGGGG!!!! Where did the time go??? My oldest baby is 16! She actually turned 16 in September but we had the flu at our house so we had her party this past weekend. She is such a delight! Seriously I couldn't ask for a sweeter more determined godly young lady! She has amazing friends who spent the afternoon eating and playing games. She is saving all her birthday money for a snazzy camera that she has her eye on. She is a wonderful photographer and I think she will use that talent in some way in her life!