Bedtime stories and thoughts

Tim put Luke to bed on Monday night.  He asked, "Daddy, can you read me God?"  Tim answered, "Sure buddy.  You mean the bible? " "Yes" Okay.  Then they read about Kind David.  Luke asked Tim if he could say his prayers tonight.  "Hold my hand, daddy, let's pray!"  Precious.  Luke and I have been memorizing verses this summer, thanks to Steve Green Hide em in your heart cds that I listened to when I was little.  He belts out Philippians 4:13 often in the car, and then also shouts out 1 John 4:16 (God is LOVE!)

If only I had a little bit more faith like a child.  If only life were so simple......What Luke is teaching me is that it is.  At 2 years old, I can learn more from my child than any class that I could take.  Why might you ask?  Because he is so pure.  So innocent.  So filled up with love that explodes out of him, only filled up by the Lord himself.  I pray I am more like my child.  Seeing the beauty in butterflies...cars that pass....excitement as I see things as we pass them by.

Yes, we all have our moments.  Screaming no is most likely going to be apart of my day with him.  But isn't that what I do to my heavenly father sometimes too?  The verse comes to mind...."Children OBEY your parents in the Lord, for this is RIGHT".  Easier said than done.  I pray that I can do that today.  Pray that I can be a good example for my own son, and for others watching.

Excited to spend time with my little guy today.  =)

Sisters!

So, here is the last of the Harrell 3 getting married, only we get a girl this time around!  This is Erin, adorable and happy and gracious.  And I get to two sisters now.....cause that is my other sis, Ivey, and my sweet niece, Layla.

Happy for my brother to have his own bride.  Happy for my parents to now be empty nesters.  Happy for Ivey and I to be having babies.  Happy to have a nurse, a teacher,  carpenters, a fireman, a businessman, a real estate agent, a sound production expert, a charming college recruiter, and much much more in our family......but its just a name, right?  Happy to call these people my FAMILY today.

Family is a blessing.

We have so much to be thankful for, don't we?

I started making a list recently.  It is not hard to write them down daily, I have found out!

Blessings

"The greatest thing is to give thanks for everything.  He who has learned this knows what it means to live...He has penetrated the whole mystery of life: giving thanks for everything!"  Albert Schwietzer

Thanks to Ashley for encouraging me to read One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.  Truly changed my life last week....truly changed my perspective in all things as I look at little things a bit more closely and say thanks a whole lot more for those things.

Being a mommy is such a blessing.  From holding your child in your arms the very first time and not really knowing what to do, to laughing and staying up "late" watching movies because it is summer and you have time to relax together.  I truly love my role.  I am learning to be better at it.  Always a work in progress.

Giving thanks for being a mommy today...

and of course i am thankful for my mom today as well as my dad....=)

Ringbearer preview.....=)

So, he wouldn't take Tim's glasses off before he walked(ran) down the aisle.  We bribed him with Mater from Cars and Thomas trains too.  Oh, and Annies Bunnies......If you know Luke, you know he could eat a mess of those too!  He didn't see me at the end until he took off his glasses and then he started to run....

and run....

as happy as a kid can be.....running to see his momma so she can give him fun toys!  He got to me and said, "Now can I have my Mater?"  =)

Thanks to Jess who found the bow tie tutorial off The Pleated Poppy blog.  Priceless.  More to come on Art projects that have happened this summer.......

Summer favorites! (so far)

This summer is quickly becoming one of my favorites!  Here is a look so far.......

69 cent ice cream cones!

Painting!

Sunglasses!

Kisses!

the pool....=)

trying on clothes for grahams wedding and practicing to be the ringbearer!

Curious George....Camping....PJ's,,,,,

Still HAPPY!

Book List

So, I am finding that I have an incredible desire to read.  LOTS.  My eyes don't hurt, my body is not exhausted from the work day, and I don't find myself crawling into bed before 8 anymore.  (a huge breakthrough......)  So, here is my list so far.  I have a wide variety of interests...

I just finished these three books and LOVED them.  A week and a half. 3 books. Finished.

Half way done with this after starting it last night.  Thanks Jennifer for giving this to me!  So inspiring to become a better "heart" person....

A reread, but as many of you know, the final part to the movie comes out July 15.  I want to remember every detail.  These are my favorite books.  

To look at simple things daily to be thankful for.....

Again, a reread, but there are some books you need to read in different seasons of life...

A book I would like to read before school starts.....

inspiration as a mom....

Besides the bible......this is an incredible day to day encouragement in the word...

For more quotes to fill my quotebook...

This is because Tim says I need to read this.....

And of course, anything that Luke puts in my hand....=)  I think I could have written this book for sure.  "Do you like my hat?  No I do not like that hat!  Goodbye....Goodbye"

My mind is so peaceful.  Thankful for a summer break.  Thankful for a SOUL break.  Thankful for no stress right now after a very hard year of all stress.

Any book recommendations?  Let me know.  I'm open!