Count your blessings name them one by one...

A good friend of mine, Stephanie, blogged not too long ago on things that make her happy. As I read it I thought about what a great idea it was and thought I would make a list too.

Well, days went by and I forgot to be thankful for 26 things, and it just kind of left my mind...until last night when I was doing my quiet time. A couple of girls from school and I are doing a study on the life of David and this particular day was about how Jonathan was used as an instrument of encouragement to David.

I thought of some things that encourage me...all the way from A to Z!

A-Anniversaries. Chris and I will celebrate our 5th one on October 1st!

B-Being a mommy and a wife, 2 of God's highest callings!

C-Chris Brown. He is a good husband, a good daddy, and my best friend!

D-Doctors. With their help from a great big God, my son is doing GREAT!

E-Early morning chats with my mom on the way to school...for SEVEN years now!

F-Family. The Brown's. The LaFavor's. Everyone in between!

G-Gage Brown. He is the smartest and sweetest 2 year old I know.

H-Heritage. I am the 4th generation of public school teachers in my family!

I-Interesting conversations with people. We will leave it at that!

J-Jeans. They encourage me to have a good attitude on Fridays.

K-Kindred spirits. I just started teaching with Kim but it feels like its always been this way.

L-Laughter. It is like medicine and it is GOOD for the soul.

M-Marriage- submission, love, respect, talking, laughing, crying, and just being simple!

N-Never having to doubt my salvation. God saved me once and for all! I am so thankful!

O-Ol'Captain. That is my dad. I love his fishing tales...its not about the fish...its about the people.

P-Provision. We have never had a need the Lord hasn't met!

Q-Quiet. When both of my boys are asleep...and its just ME time.

R-Remote ministry in the Boddie Projects...its not about the ice cream...its about the people.

S-Sinclair Baptist Church. Period.

T-Teaching kindergarten inclusion and working with a GREAT staff.

U-Unconditional friends. Hollie and I have been best friends since we were 16 years old!

V-Vacation time with the Brown's! Always a fun time!

W-Watching people laugh, enjoy themselves, and feel comfortable.

X-eXciting trips to the mountains with 30 women to talk about and sing to our God!

Y-Yard. We are the only house with grass in the back, so the neighborhood kids are always playing ball out there. It won't be long before Gage is right there with them.

Z-Zoo. This is going to be a fun trip, next Friday, for Chris, Gage, and I!

I have SOOOO many things to be thankful for...what are you most thankful for right now?

Avalon sings a song about it being a new day...

thank goodness that is true after reading my last blog...how depressing! Every "dog has its day" but mine is over. I am too blessed to be stressed and throwing a pity party. Its good to vent from time to time, but then its time to look around and say...ENOUGH of this! Can't wait to post about Gage's SECOND birthday!!!

Its my blog and I will whine if I want to...

I am tired!
I am ready for the weekend.
I am ready for our 10 year reunion to come...and to go.
I wish all 5 year olds would behave, listen, follow directions, and more importantly come with a good support system.
Everyone and everything is on my nerves.
I can't stand when people offer plenty of complaints but offer no suggestions to "fix" what is "broken".
I also can't stand when people think if you aren't on their boat, you will SINK.
I agree that if you aren't involved you will feel uninvited...just never thought it would apply to me.
I am ready to spend some quality time with Hollie- even if its just dinner in Macon.
I am ready to hear all about Stephanie's Kenya trip, but there is not enough time in the day!
I am ready to get over this beginning of the school year slump...

There is a fine line between...

holding on and letting go!

Gage will be 2 in less than a month and it has been hitting me harder that I ever would have imagined! He has given up his passy completely. He is beginning to give up his sippy cup (hence the reason they change his clothes at least twice daily at school) and he sits on the potty every hour at school(no luck yet). To the mother who has been there and done that you know these are BIG steps...and a lot to take in all at one time. His teacher at school says he doesn't really like to color at school...instead he likes to eat the crayons...he is trying to use his big boy cup, but more ends up in his lap than in his mouth- and to that the defensive side of me is thinking...well if he is eating the crayons he is either bored or he doesn't like to color- its not that he can't- he doesn't want to :) If he is spilling milk and juice all over himself put a top back on it for Heaven sakes...what does it matter??? While all of this is going on in my head, the teacher in me is hearing the mom in me and telling her to SHUT UP... I am reminding myself that he will do all that is requirred of him in time...when he is ready! There is this constant war going in my head and it sounds something like this...hold on tighter...no, let him grow...he is just a baby...wake up and look at him- he is growing up...slow down...no don't- we are having so much fun...let me hold you...but I love watching you run around the house...let's cuddle in my bed...no, its REALLY nice when you sleep so sound in YOUR bed...etc, etc, etc

There is no possible way Chris and I could be more proud of Gage. He is a precious gift from God and we could never thank Him enough for allowing us the opportunity to raise him. What an awesome responsibility He has entrusted us with. Gage is so tall and healthy, so happy, so sweet and so smart. He loves to laugh and sing and count. He loves to read books and talk...and talk...and talk. He can be a little nosey at times (not sure where he gets this). He loves Elmo, Thomas the train, and unfortunately...Barney. It is an amazing thing...being a mom...Chris and I constantly look at each other with "that look" and in both of our minds we are thinking we are-

BLESSED BEYOND BELIEF!!!

Who would have ever thought that time...

wouldn't stop...

but instead...

FLY SO FAST!!!

We still believe...

in MIRACLES!!!

One of my all time favorite photos...

That's what friends are for...

in good times, in bad times, I'll be on your side forever more....are you familiar with the song?

It's an oldie but a goodie!

My best friend Hollie is that forever friend to me! We met when we were 16 years old during the summer of one of the most pivotal years in high school. I wish I could say we were "bff at first sight" but it was not so much that way for us. She had just moved to Ga from Texas and as much as she talked about it I figured she would soon be catching the next flight "home". Her dad was in the army and throughout her first 16 years of life, she moved state to state to state. It took me a while to realize she just needed some time to adjust...and I wasn't exactly helping her...I am so thankful she came to Ga! We got past the initial funky time and moved almost immediately into a "best friendship"! Hollie and I went through high school together- disappointments in people and all! We came to college together, found our church home together, met our spouses at the same place...they lived in the same dorm! We fulfilled our dreams to become a teacher and a nurse at the same time. We were in each other's weddings, and there for each other during the births of our boys. Just as divorce is so rampant in our culture these days, so it is with friends, hard times come, ditch'em and find a new one. Hollie and I have had plenty of opportunities to ditch and divorce each other but, thank the Lord, we never have. Hollie has been there for me during some of the most critical times in my life when I could talk to nobody else...she is irreplaceable and she is more than a friend, she is family!

All that said to say...we are pushing 29 and I dare say...we are closer than ever! Our boys are about a year apart and we LOVE to see them play together. It is my prayer that Gage and Rowan will find in each other the friend that Hollie and I have in each other!

Ahhh...the beach

Here are three of my favorite beach pictures...there are more to come!