Smiling at Tomorrow: August 2009

8/29/2009

Hurricane Katrina

Today is the 4th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's Gulf Coast landfall.
Please take time to pray for the city of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. There is still so much suffering there.
On this day 4 years ago, we were sitting in the Officer's Club at Fort Benning (we evacuated to Columbus, GA), trying to eat lunch while watching the news coverage. I was 7 months pregnant with Bull and Gator was almost 3.
So much of our lives changed as a result of this storm (I've blogged about it here, here, and here). I am still moved to tears by God's faithfulness all these years later.
On Tuesday at PWOC, we sang the song Blessed Be Your Name (written by Matt Redman and performed by Tree 63). We sang that song at my parent's church six days after the storm hit, not knowing what - if anything - was left of our belongings. It will forever be connected to that season of our lives. I had to make a conscious choice to praise Him in the midst of all that was happening. He was faithful, and continues to be!
"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord." Job 1:21

8/27/2009

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is my Daddy's birthday. Happy Birthday to you!

Where I live - part 2

Here's the rest of our house. For pictures of the downstairs, click here.

Upstairs landing

The landscape was painted by Hubs' grandmother. This is where we display our family pictures.

Gator and Bull's room

The valance is made from old bedskirts, and the closet covering is made from twin sheets. Sliding doors used to be there, but I was scared of them - little fingers and all. I'm still working on the art for upstairs. I have some ideas for this room. I just have to get around to it.

Boys' bathroom

Gator picked out this shower curtain a couple of years ago. I still think it's adorable, and it will work for a couple more years. Then we'll get something a little more grown-up. I removed the shower doors b/c they grew mold like nobody's business (thanks for the tip, Brianna and D!)

Monkey's room

This is obviously a work in progress. So much has already changed since I took this picture! I made the valance from old bedskirts. We got a daybed and a crib. I snagged an antique oak dresser for $150! The glider and ottoman are in here too.

Our room

I seriously need some art in here. Also, I really want grown-up end tables - I'll find them one day! The valance is a window mistreatment thanks to the Nester - just a huge remnant of fabric (Hobby Lobby) that I folded a bunch of times. I didn't want to cut it because I never know what the windows will be like at the next place! The pictures are from our Israel trip.

Our bathroom

Again, I took off the shower doors.

That's our house. Once Monkey's room is complete, I will post pictures of it. I'm becoming inspired!

8/26/2009

Where I live - part 1

Here are the photos of our house that I've been promising for four months.

Living area

There's another bookcase with all the art supplies and puzzles tucked to the left of the window on the left. All of the tablecloths are made from sheets. That table in the right bottom corner is my sewing table. My kids' art decorates the front wall.

Half bath

This is as Americana as I get - with a nod to Hubs' submarine service.

Eat in

Kitchen

The valance over the sink is made from a sheet. It's teeny tiny, so only one person can fit in there usually. But sometimes that is kind of nice! For such a little kitchen though, the cabinet space is absolutely amazing.

Landing

This little space houses some of my pictures from our Israel trip and a quilt that my grandmother made out of dresses that she and her mother used to wear. It's the first thing that you see when you walk in the house, so I couldn't leave it bare!

There's the downstairs...upstairs is tomorrow!

8/24/2009

A new little one!

My sister just had her second girl yesterday! Labor and Delivery went very well and quickly. In fact, my BIL almost delivered his daughter - the nurses got there just in time. I think the doctor got there a few minutes later!

Baby A is 8 lbs even and 20.5 in long, and nursing well already!

Our families are growing with healthy babies. It's so exciting! What blessings are ours.

"Behold, children are a gift of the LORD. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Psalm 127:3-5

8/22/2009

Florida vacation - Second Half

I'm doing these vacation posts in reverse order - it makes it easier on my pregnant brain!
Hubs joined us for the last half of our Florida week. We went to visit his parents, grandparents, extended family, and his sister, brother-in-law and their newest addition. We also celebrated my MIL's birthday!

Hubs and his nephew:

The grandsons...it will only be this way for a couple more months!

Here's the quilt that I made for him.

I think that there was a picture taken of me holding Baby D, but my SIL took it with her camera. He slept almost the whole time we were there (including while I held him)! Gator was just as nurturing as ever. Bull did not pitch a fit this time (unlike he did when we met my first niece). He was just nonchalant about the baby. I like this reaction much better! I hope that his attitude continues when he becomes the big brother in December!

8/21/2009

On the first day of first grade...

I'll tell you what he did...(I've been singing that song from Veggie Tales Jonah for days now!)

Gator did not cry. In fact, he walked right in like he owned the place, plopped his backpack down and asked if he could go out to the playground! He really had a wonderful day. I'm so glad that we decided to enroll him at the tail end of last year. He had a hard time adjusting then, but it has paid off now! He knows most of the kids in his class, and is already familiar with the school. Whew!
I didn't plan this, but Bull's shirt says "2 cool 4 school." Once I realized that he was wearing that shirt on Gator's first day, I had to laugh! We're still on the waiting list for Bull's preschool. Until he gets in, we're enjoying some one-on-one time!

Here are Gator's other first days:
First day of Kindergarten
First day of Preschool

We went to the doctor for Gator's back-to-school physical on Thursday. He is in the 97th percentile for height at 52.5 inches and the 91st percentile for weight at 61 pounds. What kills me is that he has grown 5 inches and gained 7 pounds in ten months! And he's not even a teenager yet! Oh, the grocery bill....