Keira is 6!!!!

The morning of her birthday!  The kids love waking up to their door decorated!

I can't believe Keira turned 6 on July 27th, or that she is about to begin 1st grade.   Over these past 6 yrs, we have watched Keira grow from a little baby into this little girl, who thinks she is older than 6!  She is quite the girl - strong personality, confident in who she is, knows what she wants, does great in school, a natural talent in sports, sings well, and a joy to us.  We try our best to teach her God's word and talk about Jesus and what He did for us, for we are all born sinners.  I love this girl more than all the stars in the sky!  We pray that the Lord will mold her and use her for His kingdom.  I have tried to teach her that this life is not about us, regardless of what the world says, but about Jesus!  We are here to glorify Him!  I pray she will be a child of the King one day and I can't imgine anything better than to see your child be freed from their sins! 

Brock and Keira had a joint party back in June, but we still celebrate their special days.  I always want my babies to know they are special.  On July 27th, Mamaw, Brock, Keira, and I went to her 6 yr check up. She is in the 90% for weight and >95% for height. Still always amazes me at her phyiscal stats!  Best thing about the check-up, other than her being healthy, was hearing no shots on this visit and no more until 11 yrs. Yea!!

We then went to the mall and did some clothes shopping, ate lunch, got her ears pierced (they grew up after we left them out one day, a few months ago), had ice cream and came home!  Good day! 

Thursday evening, the grandparents came over to celebrate and we ate supper, had cupcakes, opened gifts, and enjoyed our time together.  Keira was beaming the entire evening!!   We love our girl and so thankful to God for our first gift!!  Happy 6th Birthday!!

 

Great articles

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank

http://www.raisingarrows.net/2011/06/i-look-like-a-mom/


These 2 articles were recently sent to me and they both blessed me greatly!   I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, staying at home with my kids.  This is the path that God has laid out for me and my family and I don't care what anyone, including family, thinks about our decision as hubby and wife for me to stay at home.  Yes, I gave up my goals, my dreams, my plans for my life..............  If I worked - we could have already built or moved into a bigger house, we could afford a newer vehicle or 2, I could buy more clothes for myself and my kids,  my kids could do more, I could carry a new brand name purse each season, I could have a gym membership and a trainer, we could have all this stuff and more.  Isn't that right? 
You know what?  We have not missed out on anything!  We are so blessed and have more "stuff" than we ever need. Okay, I don't have a brand new Denali, but my old one runs just fine.  We don't have a big house, but our little home is just perfect for us right now and only time will tell if we move or not.  We will know when the time is right. We are blessed beyond measure and we don't care anymore about others or keeping up with others.  We are trying to live for the Lord and what works best for us. 
I recently contemplated going to work for a year, a job came open in pe and it would more than likely just be for a yr, and I inquired about the position, but went no further.  Honestly, I kept thinking how great this would be to take the salary I would make and just put it in savings and still live off the hubby.  But, when you start looking at the pros and cons of going to work, more cons than pros, and deeep down, I know where I belong - at home!   Just paying for daycare was not really worth it and many other reasons.  I let Satan tempt me with thinking we needed the money more than my family needed me at home.  Wrong - my kids and hubby need and want me at home.  The thought of leaving my sweet Brock at a daycare made me sick to my stomach, I don't want strangers raising my kids.  I want to spend every moment I can with them, they grow to fast as it is.
Just as one of the articles talks about how people think you are crazy for wanting more than 1 or 2 kids, I have fully realized how true this is.  I can't tell you the times women have said "you must be crazy to want another baby", or even better, "how do you stay at home every day, I need adult interaction, or I don't have the patience to be at home."  Whatever - these are the women who miss out and obviously need a reality check.  But, to each their own, I am not their judge.....just sayin'.    I never myself imagined I would want more than 1 or 2 kids, but here I am, still missing the 2 babies I miscarried this year.  The Lord has blessed me 4 times being pregnant and how thankful I am to Him for that, even if the last 2 times were brief.  I am a mother of 4 and I don't care what people think of that.  No, I am not crazy and will not say I have 4 kids when people ask, but in my heart, I have 4.   Who are these people to tell me what and how many kids we should have?  This is God's plan, not mine or yours.  As my daughter says and sometimes I would very much like to tell some people, "worry about yourself" , but I keep my mouth shut. 
So, as I think about how my goals, my dreams, and my plans - I just know I was going to win a state basketball title (or several) and then coach college - went down the drain, does it cause me sadness?  Nope! Because the Lord has given me so much more when it comes to plans and what I need to be doing in my life, this reward of staying at home is worth more than any championships I could ever won.  I am blessed beyond measure and don't deserve any of it, I deserve nothing, yet by the grace of God :

He chose me
He saved me
He loves me despite all my failures
He washed me with His blood
I am just a sinner saved by grace!   Praise the Lord!! 

July 4th weekend

My grandfather always got the first dance, so this year, my uncle stepped in and danced with aunt Teresa.

Shirts for the gathering!

We enjoyed an evening at my Uncle Jerry and Aunt Teresa's 3rd annual 4th get together.  They have a beautiful place in town on the lake and people come by boats or cars to hang out.  A huge meal is had and then a band played for entertainment.  W had a good time and loved watching Brock dance to the music.

more July 4th weekend

My grandfather's funeral and burial was on July 1st, so it was hard for me to look forward to the weekend. But, we had a good family weekend filled with many activities.  We ate at Papaw and Mamaw Leffew house, played, chased lightning bugs, and shot fireworks.  Sunday was church, out to eat, a little shopping, and then to another family event.  On the 4th, we spent the day at Uncle Wade and Aunt Pam's enjoying good food and great family time.

1 party for 2 birthdays

This year we decided to try one party for both birthdays, since they are only 6 weeks apart.  It went great! So much easier than doing 2 separate parties.  We decided upon a swim party and had it at the local pool.  The kids picked out their cupcake cakes and we had minimal decorations and it was just plain, simple fun.  I wish I had done this before. 

Papaw Duncan - a great loss for our family

My 89 yr old grandfather, unexpectedly, went home to be with Jesus yesterday afternoon.  He was outside his house, not sure exactly what he was doing, but fell and went thru the rose bush and hit his head on a brick or the concrete.  This is very difficult for our family and just something that caught us all off guard.  It just does not seem like this is really true.  A neighbor was mowing and saw papaw laying in the yard.  He called an ambulance, but he was gone before they got to the hospital.  I hope he did not lay and suffer, that thought crossed my mind as my dad told me what happened.  However, on the bright side, that suffering was quickly changed to glory and praise as he stepped into eternity to be with Jesus.  This is a different hurt (if that makes any sense) than when my grandmother passed away 2 yrs ago, the love of papaw's life, because she had alzheimer's and we had slowly watched her dwindle away for almost 12 yrs, and the last 2 weeks of her life was spent in the hospital, drifting away.  We expected her time to come, but not his.  Equally painful to lose them both, but just different circumstances.  I like to think they are holding our 2 babies we lost this yr and that just makes my heart melt, and all the while singing praises to the Lord!!

Papaw loved his Savior, loved his wife of 62 yrs, loved his 4 children (their spouses),  8 grandchildren (their spouses), and 3 great-grandchildren. He had a love for life and found humor in many things.  He could remember jokes from way back and his mind was very sharp.  I loved to hear him tell stories of his life.  He was a rough one growing up, but after marrying my grandmother, she got him into church, and he eventually was saved from his life of sin. Papaw was so proud of his family and supported all of us. He came to watch me play ball from a little one right up thru college.  Even just this past year, you could find him at my cousins games, who are turning 11 and 13 this summer.  He would even drive from OS to Kingston this past winter to watch Keira play basketball.  Always made me smile to see him walk thru that door.  He loved his little BB, as he called Keira, and his little buddy Brock (LD), he has nicknames for all the great-grandchildren.  I think b/c he could not say Keira correctly when she was born. 

Papaw was a World War 2 veteran and I am grateful and thankful for his service.  He received some awards and has been honored over the yrs for his service at various functions.  He also got to participate in the Honor Air program a couple yrs ago, what a wonderful experience for him and the other veterans.  He told some things about being in the war, but like most vetereans, not much.  I can't even imagine to begin to understand what that is like.  Thank you Papaw for your service for your country. 

I am going to miss him so much, I dread walking into my grandparents house for that first time without either one being home.  He was my last living grandparent and I have been blessed to have a grandparent in my life for over 33 yrs. He always made me feel special and called me "his girl."  Things will be different now. I loved all my grandparents and they all are special to me in their own ways, but this marks the end of a chapter in my life, as life goes on without them.  I have many, many memories and will cherish those and all the moments we had together.  I will miss the little things, like the smells (i know that sounds strange, but my grandmother's perfume and papaw's smell he wore), the things he said, the loving smile, the caring eyes, the offer of gum, the offer of food or anything for that matter, the laugh, the songs papaw sang to us and my babies, the way he loved my babies.  I am going to miss him!!! 

I could write so much about him and his life, but to others it won't mean as much.  But to me, it is a lifetime of love. 

Play day

This past wed. the kids and I met our friends for lunch and to have a playday. Alyssa came home with us and Brock went home with Cayden.  Worked out great - girls at one house and boys at the other.  Plus, it was a stormy day, so this was just perfect.  Keira is really enjoying having friends over now and I need to do this more often.  I always say that, but life just gets busy!!

Father's Day 2011

Kids with Papaw Ronnie

Big Papaw Duncan and Papaw Woody

I did not get pictures of the kids and daddy.  Oops!!  We gave him his gifts before church, so didn't get the camera out. This was Sunday evening during family game time.

After church, we had the grandparents over to our house for lunch and to celebrate Father's Day. We sure are blessed with the men in our lives!!

Brock's 4th birthday

My sweet Brock turned 4 on June 11.  I can hardly believe it!  God blessed us with this special little boy, who brings so much joy to us.  He is loving, kind, and tender hearted.  I pray that he grows to be a man of God and puts Christ first in his life.  I love our little talks about heaven and why this or that happens. Sometimes, I don't have the answers, but try to explain as best I can and that only God knows why, etc.  I love this little boy and am dreading the day I have to send him to Kindergarten.  I so cherish our days together and can't imagine not having him at home with me. 

Saturday morning, Keira and I sang happy birthday to Brock as soon as he woke up.  He loved his bedroom door that I had decorated and he was just thrilled about his big day.  Daddy took both kids fishing and Papaw joined them.  That evening, the grandparents came over and we had cupcakes and ice cream.  He opened gifts, played pin the tail on the donkey, played with his new toys, and simply just enjoyed celebrating his turning 4.  We had a great evening and if I had not already booked a party in a few weeks, I would just do this simple party for the kids at home and forget all the rest of the stressing, running around getting things, food, etc for a bigger party. The simple things in life...............

Myrtle Beach

On June 3, we headed to Myrtle Beach and returned home on June 10.  What a wonderful week!  Papaw and Mamaw Leffew came by airplane and we got the pleasure of picking them up.  The kids had signs made for them, it was so cute!!  We also got the pleasure of spending the week with Uncle Wade, Aunt Pam, Jenna, Allison and their friend Madison.  Keira and Brock love the girls, who are 19 and 17.  Keira thinks she is just as old as them. Always amazes me how she will do whatever the girls ask her, like her hair, eating, etc.  Always a struggle with me when it comes to certain things.  We couldn't ask for better role models than Jenna and Allison for our kids.  We stayed in North Myrtle Beach and have fallen in love with the place we stayed. Destin has been our favorite beach the past few yrs, but this may have changed.  We will visit Destin soon, and then decide. Ha!!  This year it has been nice that the kids can swim on their own and we can kick back a little.  They love the water and Keira just amazes me how how well she is swimming w/o assistance. Brock has to use arm wings or other devices, but is doing better.  We ate great dinners each night and went to a brazilian steakhouse, our first time.  Absolutely wonderful!!  Better have a big appetite for it. We played putt-putt twice.  Our kids are competitive, not sure who they get that from.  Ok, maybe me :)  The kids rode some rides, did the jumping thing, rode a camel, face painting, and on and on.  We had great weather and just perfect days.  Loved our family time and wished it could have lasted longer.  Something about being at the beach makes all the "stuff" going on in our lives disappear, if only for a short time.  As much as we enjoy vacation, it was nice to come home to our own beds and cozy little home.  I want bore you with anymore details.  I love my family!!

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a great Memorial Day weekend! Friday, we went to Dollywood and Saturday we spent the day at the lake and then Sunday, after church, we went to the pool at my cousin house.  The kids are water dogs and love it!!

First Dollywood Trip of the season

Brock got bumped up to orange for the rides.  He was so excited, since this allowed him to ride new rides.

Our drivers

Little man and I on the elephant ride.  Can't you tell he was thrilled about picture taking?  HA!!

We finally made it to Dollywood and got our season passes renewed.  It is always a chore to get the hubby to go, he really doesn't like this much, but since the kids love it, he does go most of the time with us.  We rode some new rides this time since both kids got bumped up on the height requirement for the rides. We stayed most of the day and Brock went to sleep at 5:30 and slept till 6 the next morning. 

tball

Keira and Brock played tball for a few weeks at Luminary Church.  This is a great experience for the kids and we have enjoyed this so much.  The church does all this for free and the games are saturday mornings.  I love the fact that the season is short and we are not at a ballfield often.  Just the right amount for this age.  Brock was not going to play and going to the first game he changed his mind.  So glad he did, because he had a blast.  He would ask during the week when the next game was.  He stayed on the ground most of the time and really went after the ball.  At first, he was upset that he didn't get the ball each time.  We told him he had to let others have turns.   Keira enjoyed playing, but had a bad attitude the last game.  I told her she had to let other kids get the ball and she got upset, even crying.  She missed part of the game b/c of this.  But, she got over it and played and had a great time.  The church got the kids medals and of course my 2 were thrilled. 

Preschool Program

Brock's first year of preschool has come and gone.  He attended a local church 2x a week and loved it.  This was good for him, especially as attached as he is to me.  The kids sang a few songs and we watched a slideshow and then the kids moving on to kindergarten received certificates.  Brock will be going back next yr and will move up to the 4 and 5yr old room.