Fellowship of the Unashamed!

My roommate in college (and still great friend) Corie shared this with me way back in 1995 but it still holds true today!! May I live this boldly each day and teach my daughter to love God with all her heart, soul, mind and strenth.


“I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His and I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I'm done and finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, or first, or tops, or recognized, or praised, or rewarded. I live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by Holy Spirit power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow, my way rough, my companions few, but my guide is reliable and my mission is clear.
I will not be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice or hesitate in the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He does come for His own, He'll have no problems recognizing me. My colors will be clear!”

WE HAVE PIG TAILS!!!

The day I have been waiting for...WE HAVE PIG TAILS! They are not the most beautiful ones, but she has them! It was so fun today to see her running around at Gymboree in her cute little pigtails. I did have to put her in her exersaucer in front of a DVD in order to keep her still....but it worked!!

Ava is a SUPER HERO!!

TA DA!!! It's Super Ava!!! Today at VBS: Heroes on a Mission, Ava dressed as a super hero! She wore her super hero pink glitter shoes and her pink and white flowered cape!!

VBS 2010: Heroes on a Mission

Ava had a great time at her first experience with VBS!! The theme for the week is "Heroes on Mission". The verse for the week is 1st Timothy 4:12, "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young but be an example to them in life, love, faith and purity." It was fun to walk by Ava's room and see her participating with her teacher and little friends!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, ADAM!! Ava gave her daddy a sweet little book called, "Dance Me Daddy". It is a book written by inspiration from the Point of Grace's song, "King of the World". It is a super sweet song and if you are a daddy's girl (like I am), you will not have a dry eye!

KING OF THE WORLD

Spinning around of the tops of his feet smiles of the angels can not be so sweet
wide blue eyes and piggy tails swirl shes her daddy´s girl cuz he knows the jokes that always make her laugh takes her for ice cream instead of her nap at the end of the day by the light of the moon they turn up the music in their living room
and she yells

dance me dance me around till my feet dont ever touch down theres nothing better than being your girl and if i am your princess then daddy you are the king of the world

its funny how life moves in circles of time to think not so long ago that face was mine houses get smaller we take different names but some things in life stay the same

dance me dance me around till my feet dont ever touch down theres nothing better than being your girl and if i am your princess than daddy you are the king of the world

some day she'll go off and find a life of her own and marry a good man and make a happy home until she comes back and sees with those same eyes what time can not disguise she walks through the door with that look on her face cuz daddy´s brown hair has all turned to gray they talk for hours they cry and they laugh watchin old movies and thinking back, just as she turns to go she says hey dad how bout one for the road

dance me dance me around till my feet don´t ever touch down. dance me dance me around till my feet dont ever touch down cuz theres nothing better than being your girl oh no theres nothing better than being your girl and if i am your princess then daddy you are the king of the world king of the world. Spinning around of the tops of his feet smiles of the angels could not be so sweet

Boundaries???

None of us like boundaries or rules or to be told no, but all of these things are necessary! Ava is no exception! Most of the time she is a sweet, precious little toddler who is flexible, that likes to just sit and "read" her books. But lately she has started testing her limits a little bit. First of all she loves to go outside and knows that the door to the deck is the one we usually use. So now she goes to the door and whines. So we have had to work on saying "out" or "side", so that we do not turn into a whiner. Secondly, we are working on Ava having a more varied palate for different foods. She loves, fruit, sweet potatoes, beans, cheese, yogurt and peanut butter crackers, but trying to introduce new things to her, is met with some drama!! Lastly, I am so excited that Ava is now walking so well, but this means that she does not really want to stay in one place for a long time. So Adam and I have put up a gate in between the kitchen and the dining room, so that I can keep an eye on her when I am getting a meal together or cleaning up from a meal. She does not like being gated in, but it is for her safety. She likes to walk/run around the house and there has been several bruises recieved by running into a wall or coffee table...so safety first! Finally...just for fun, notice her rocking, pink glitter tennis shoes!! I got these shoes for her a while back and she is now just able to wear them...I love them on her!!!

What to do when it is TOO HOT outside?

In the past few days it has been HOT in Georgia! By noon it is usually up to 90 or 95 degrees. So in order to stay cool Ava has been able to enjoy some new activities. On Thursday, Ava went to Gymboree for class and then afterwards made some crafts for Father's day. Then today Ava went to story and music time at the Kennesaw Rec center with some of her friends. Ava enjoyed running around in the open area and trying to be a big kid. All was well until a large child, knocked Ava over. She was fine, I was probably more upset!! But overall story and music time was a fun time. After story time, we played for a few minutes at the playground that was at the park and then ate at Chick fe la...yummy! New food Ava loves...Chick fe la ice dream!

A picture that changed my perspective

They say a picture is worth a thousand words....but to me this picture is a dividing line in my life. It is the point at which I went from a woman who said she was completely sold out to the Lord but really wasn't. A woman who would live like a Christian one day and a lost soul the next. A woman who would trust God in the good times put would easily turn away from Him when life was unfair. That woman with wavery faith was transformed through suffering and uncertainty on December 30, 2008.

My precious daughter was born, by emergency c-section, 10 weeks early! I had had it all planned out. She was not suppose to be born until March, so I was going to spend my Christmas break (I taught 6th grade at the time), getting my hair, toes, and finger nails done. I wanted to make sure I looked "perfect" when it was time to deliver. But oh, how God's plans are so much higher, wiser and more PERFECT then our plans could every be!

On December 17th, I was rushed to the hospital in preterm labor. I was then on bed rest for 2 weeks. The first 4 days of which I had to lay perfectly still and was not even allowed to go to the bathroom. So you can image how beautiful I looked and smelled!! God was humbling me, and teaching me day by day, hour by hour. Then on December 30th my miracle happened. Ava Elizabeth was born! She had to stay in the NICU for 8 weeks and during that time God continued to grow and refine me.

All my past worries of what I looked like, what I acted like and what others thought about me went out the door. For my whole, almost 32 years at that point, I had been a people pleaser. My moods and decisions would change based on other people's opinions. I would be up one day and down the next. I would make a decision I "thought" was right one minute and then change it the next because someone in my life did not approve of it. That all changed when I had Ava. The only person I worried about was that little 2 pound 14 oz little girl fighting for her life in her tiny incubator in room 4 of the NICU.

Today I looked at the picture in my hallway of my chipped finger nailed hand being held by my precious, beautiful, miracle, life altering daughter, Ava! So who am I today. I am a woman that is bold, brave, and completely sold out to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Am I still a people pleaser? Well, sometimes, but not as often. Everyday I seek to be the mother of a daughter, who is a true miracle. A daughter whom I desire to lead, guide and direct towards an amazing relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Enjoying Grammy and Doc's pool!

Ava and Mommy enjoyed an impromptu time at Grammy and Doc's house. Adam was in Chicago and I am too chicken to stay by myself. Michelle and Brandi came over to swim. They brought their two daughters Mia (Brandi) and Audrey (Michelle). Michelle and I have been friends since college (1995) and Brandi and I have been friends since I graduated from college, we met at a singles Bible Study (1999). So the three of us have been through stupid boyfriends, breakups, engagements, weddings and now babies together! It was so fun to see our daughters now swimming together and eating lunch together just like the three of us have done together some many times!! We are truely friends are friends forever..ha ha!

Ava also enjoyed having some fun pool time with Grammy and Doc! She loved floating in her little float and being pushed around the pool. This weekend Ava even learned to say fish and veggie (for veggie sticks). Ava and I are both very thankful for awesome parents that let us come a crash anytime!

On last thing...Ava and I did get to visit for dinner with Brad, Carri, McClellen and Hudson. Ava LOVES her cousins and had such a fun time playing with them. It is so cute to see how much fun the three of them have playing together!

Playgroup friends at the pool

Ava loves the pool! She has no fear of the water and especially likes to go swimming with her friends in playgroup. Last week AJ's mom, Sarah invited Ava and the rest of "playgroup" to go swimming at her parent's neighborhood pool. It was a perfect day of swimming, picnic with friends and beautiful weather. The only down fall was that I dropped my camera in the pool. So I only got pictures of Ava with her friends Maddy and AJ. But Ava's other friends, Dylan, Brock, Brody, Lyla and Lucy were also at the pool!

Adam did a little work on the camera so that I could load the pics on the blog, but my camera is officially dead! But good thing Adam has a camera that he is letting me use.

The park is more fun when you are a walker

Hot day + Sunscreen and hat+ good friend+ being a great walker = a perfect afternoon!! Ava had such a great time this afternoon at the park with her friend AJ. Ava walked all over the park and even climbed up the stairs and went down the slide by herself. She was such a big girl that she sat at the picnic table and held her little drink by herself.