What is the sweetest sound you ask?

It would have to be Gage and his two friends Leroy and "Squirrel" in the back-seat laughing and talking tonight on the way to church. What makes it so sweet? Gage could care less that these two boys do not look like him, dress like him, or live in his neighborhood...when he sees them...he sees his friends. He screamed with excitement when they got in the car, and he cried with disappointment when they got out.

Thank you Lord for being so faithful to answer our prayers for our son...we pray this sweet attitude follows him all the days of his life!

A good Saturday includes...

Gage sleeping until 7:00...

An early morning walk before it gets too hot and Gage waving to and talking with all of the neighborhood dogs...

Saturday morning cartoons...our favorites...Elmo and Curious George

The smell of Chris' coffee and the sound of he and Gage laughing in the kitchen

Fun in the sun on the back porch with Gage playing in/around his pool as Chris is cutting the grass and waving at Gage every time he passes by on the lawn mower

An easy and yummy dinner and then being tired of staying at home...so a quick trip down the road to see and feed the "ducks" AKA geese at Walter B Williams Park

While there my mind wandered back to memories of being an 18 year old girl playing softball where we are now pushing Gage in the swing. My mind also remembers a picnic date Chris and I had there not long after we first started dating (we will be married 5 years in Oct and have been together 8) I can also remember taking 2 boys I used to babysit swimming there and they are now in middle and high school...Walter B...not a bad place!

Giving Gage a bath, a breathing treatment, and a kiss before putting him to bed!

What is my favorite thing about this Saturday?

We spent it together...just the three of us...no plans...no obligations...nobody else...just me and my two favorite boys!

Is it fair to be this blessed? Certainly not! It's grace, and God's love and blessings! Thank you Lord for a great day! We can't wait to worship You tomorrow with our Sinclair family!

Saturday was a hit...

Thanks to everyone who made Saturday a success...from bringing/cooking food, to setting up, to picking up the women and kids, to serving food, to watching the kids, to visiting with the women, to taking home, to cleaning up...you truly displayed the "body" of Christ...each one had a part! Thanks a lot! I am looking forward to our next event the last Wednesday in May...mark your calendars!!!

I have gotten a lot of feedback/response about helping on Saturday...it gets me REALLY excited! I wanted to give you an unofficial itinerary and ask you to respond.

Saturday, May 15th

Set up: 9:00...tables, chairs, test the sound equip, decorations, etc.

We may get there and get it done in 30 minutes, or may take 2 hours...but I would rather have too much time than not enough. If there is a lot of time left over we can help cook AND ride to the neighborhood earlier than planned.

Needed: help moving tables, chairs, etc.

Transportation: 11:00ish...Chris is going to head up this area...we hope to have the van ready by then, but if not, the more people who can drive...the less trips it will take!

Needed: drivers and vehicles

Eating at 12:00ish...We will be serving the ladies chicken, green beans, potatoes, rolls, and desserts. We will be drinking tea and lemonade. The kids are going to eat pizza and drink juice.

Needed: desserts!!!

If you would like to donate frozen pizzas and/or juice boxes that would be welcomed too!

We will be cooking all morning, so if you want to donate $ to the chicken, buy potatoes, green beans and/or rolls...please respond to this email simply so we don't all purchase the same things. We are going to plan for 50.

Program during lunch: a friend of mine from school is bringing a group of dancers from her church to perform.

Needed: a friendly smile and a welcoming spirit!

Chris and I have heard from several people...we are REALLY looking forward to Saturday as well as other events to follow in the neighborhood. Above all else for Saturday we ask you for the following things: prayer, love, a friendly word...as Chris and I were talking tonight after passing out flyers, he said...I hope these women feel like queens on Saturday...and my prayer is that they will feel like queens...not a cause. I know yall and I know your love for the Lord and can't wait to share it with these women and their children alongside of you on Saturday!

Lauren and Chris

Fun times with our MAC

He is PRECIOUS...love him more EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!

What has HE done for me lately?

Are you familiar with the song? This post is not about my "man"...it's about my God!

Well...for months after I became a mom I prayed for my "place"... at home, at church, at work, and just in life. I went from being involved in too many things to being involved in what I thought was nothing...just being a mom. For those months I spent searching to find myself, it turned out for the first year of his precious life, Gage was my ministry, is my ministry, and will be until God calls us home. That said, there had to be something more to it for me. I wanted there to be something "in ministry" that Chris, Gage, and I could all do together. If you read my previous post, you know that God provided an opportunity for us to be involved in local missions in a neighborhood near our home. Gage will grow up, as Chris and I did, knowing that there are people that don't look like him, smell like him, talk like him, and it is our prayer that he will grow to love them with the love of the Lord. Did God stop there? In the words of my dad...I thought you would never ask...

Not only did I pray for a opportunity to minister, I prayed for a desire to read God's word, so what did He do? He put it on the heart of a girl I teach with to start a Bible Study...there are 6 girls in our group- all as crazy as I am- which makes it very interesting and encouraging! In that Bible study that I also referred to in my previous post I was reminded that God is the ultimate provider. See...I hate debt...I hate to owe anyone money...including credit cards, hospital bills, etc. I guess you could call it worry, but I like call it a "concern" when it comes to money. Even though God has provided for our every need and want...I still "concern" myself with the area of finances...so what did God do? He provided money for us to pay off our credit card bill (more that we could ever think)...and then He provided some more money for that unexpected hospital bill (and more that we can imagine). He is too good! Does he just take care of the big things you ask? NO- we recently gave away our dog, Bella, she had a bad habit of using the bathroom all over our hallway carpet and since our scare with Gage possibly having asthma it seemed the perfect time to give her away. Unfortunately when Bella moved out, her stains stayed...so what did God do? He provided some great men to rip up the carpet and put down hard wood floors...the verse is true that says that if God provides food for the birds, He will take care of us too. He is a great God, and we are undeserving, but ever-so-grateful children!

What has He done for you lately?