Welcome Autumn!

Leaves
Elsie Brady

How silently they tumble down
and come to rest upon the ground.
To lay a carpet, so rich and rare
beneath the trees without a care.
Content to sleep, their work well done
colors gleaming in the sun.
At other times they wildly fly
until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
til all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
to wait, like children, for the snow.


Oh, I love autumn! If only it looked and felt like this here in West Texas! Although the afternoons get quite warm, the mornings have been beautiful and cool - a chill in the air. Saturday I got out all the fall decorations and today I bought pumpkins for the front porch! I LOVE AUTUMN!!! Pumpkin bread and caramel apples. Sleeping with the windows open (you can do that in a small town!). Friday night high school football games!

I would add some other great fall pictures I found, but Blogger is being Blogger. I guess this is as good as it gets!

Happy Birthday Kacole!

Today is my sister's birthday! She is smart, stylish, creative, talented and absolutely hilarious. She is straight-forward and tender-hearted. Tears come very easily and so does laughter! She is compassionate, practical, and can turn trash to treasure in the blink of an eye. She is thoughtful and gives wonderful gifts full of meaning.

Not only is she a great sister, but a wonderful aunt! When our first nephew was born, she introduced herself to him and said she would be his "favorite aunt"...ahem! She wasn't far away when both my boys were born and loved them from the moment she saw them. All our kids are crazy about her, even though she moved out of the house with the pool! She also has been known to give the kids some awesome gifts as well - even though they can be awfully noisy! But, her day is coming. The brother and I have vowed to supply her kids with the most obnoxious toys on the market!

Since I am the emotional, sappy one, I will keep this post along those lines. Our brother can roast our sister in his usual manner! In all, my sister is one of my most favorite people in the world. I wish we lived next door to each other, but I'm sure we never will get that privilege. One day she will become an incredible mother and I can't wait to see her become that person.

So, Happy Birthday Sis! I love you very much. Here's a thought I heard this morning that made me think of you:

"When you get in your late 20's, you realize that no one you ever looked up to knew what they were doing either!" -John Mayer

Oh so true!

But I Really Want It

We always want what we can't have!

I'd give just about anything for a huge, fresh spinach salad.

Even if all the fresh spinach in the country hadn't been tossed in the DUMPSTER, it's not like I could run to the store and get me some. Our tiny grocery store doesn't sell it even when it hasn't been contaminated with E-coli! Sad, huh? We only have iceberg and wilted green leaf!

I really want some spinach!

Interesting Observation

Being a mother can be tough. It was interesting to read that a panda mother's heart breaks, too!

Please Pray for this Family

A few months ago, Susan wandered over to my blog and now I consider her a friend. There is something so wonderful about blogging with Christian women. The Lord has a way of knitting our hearts and lives together in a special way - even if we never meet in person.

Susan and her family are on a heart-wrenching journey right now. She is pregnant with their 4th child, due next week. A few months ago they found out that their baby has no kidneys. This means that as long as he/she is in her womb, there is life. A few hours after delivery, their baby will die. As most of you know, at the end of pregnancy, the only thing you can think about is going into labor. You are anxious to deliver and hold this precious life growing inside you. You are READY to have your baby. Not so for Susan. She knows that when Tuesday comes, she will in fact deliver her baby and hold him/her until that little life is gone. She has stayed so strong all this time, but reality is setting in as the day grows closer.

Susan and Marty have 2 sons here on earth. I mentioned this is her 4th baby. This will be the second child born to this couple with Potter's Syndrome. Please take a few minutes to participate in some ministry opportunities for this family. In the days to come there will be hundreds of people praying for and encouraging this sweet family through a very difficult time.

What's He Saying?

This is what G, my almost-3-year old, says daily: "mompadod"

We know what he's saying, but can you figure it out?

White Rabbit

My friend decided a long time ago that it would be fun to be the first one to say "White Rabbit" on the first day of the month. This game has become quite an obsession among a few of us. She and I have gone to great lengths to "White Rabbit" each other - even using our children if necessary! I was accused of taking the game way too seriously when I (through shear determination!) had my second child 8 days early - November 1st! I just knew I'd have myself a little white rabbit baby!!

Of course, DeVon and I still play "religiously", but I've sucked a few others into this psychotic game - like my husband and sister. It is SO aggravating to make the trip to the potty sometime after midnight on the 1st and hear hubby say "White Rabbit" when you crawl back into bed!

Knowing that my sister will probably check my blog today, this one is for her!

Gotcha!