Sweet Thirteen

This week we celebrated Rebecca's thirteenth birthday.

We decided to celebrate "backyard style" with a cook-out and a camp-out.

The Lord was sweet to give us some glorious weather.

My beautiful girl is a "teen"!

The Lord has truly blessed this chick with lots of precious friends...

 

.

... and mommas too!

We did the cutest craft!

Parties get a lot easier at thirteen...ya just throw some paper, paint, and modge podge at 'em...

and look what happens!

We sang to the birthday girl...

... and everyone blew out a candle!

This little munchkin just wanted a cupcake!

There was some Electric Sliding...

...and some regular sliding!

And we had a goofy DJ!

We had a S'More Bar....

And a "flashlight walk" around the college.

And then everyone snuggled in...

.

...for a good night's sleep! (Ha.)

Happy Thirteenth Birthday Rebecca!  

You are a beautiful young lady, inside and out, and I am proud to call you mine!

Let Me be Singing when the Evening Comes

I realize that this here blog is called "Joy Making Days", but sometimes this here life is just too stinkin' hard.  I really don't know how people live it without the promise of knowing that this is not our home....it is just the "land of our sojourn."  

Growing up, my momma used to quote an old John Denver Song, "Some days are diamonds.  Some days are stone."  This day, for the most part, was a "diamond day"...with a few "stony moments" sprinkled in.  I would love for my sweet Heavenly Father to just make this life easy.  Wouldn't that be so nice?

But He knows the "stone days" keep me running to Him.  And here is one thing I know...

Whatever a day might bring, He is ALWAYS the same, ALWAYS faithful.  

And I am learning to let my hope and expectation (for each day!) rest in Him.

 

 "The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes."

24 Hours of Fun

  

While Daddy and Caroline headed out for a Daddy/Daughter Camp Out...

I had the privilege of doing the "craft" for the Junior High Girls' Annual Summer Slumber Party at the "Hall's Ranch".  

With piles of fabric and patterned paper, the girls went to town on their little wooden picture frame blocks.

These girls had the blessing of two fantastic "big sisters" for the evening, Miss Layne and Miss Rossana, who love on them each week at Youth Group.  I'm so thankful for how they choose to use their free time to invest in these girls' lives 

(especially since "my girl" is one of them.)

Squishy faces!

And a big fat THANK YOU to sweet Mrs. Martha for hosting this happy event!

 

 I had a delightful time watching them CREATE! 

I left this party for my own little slumber party with this little booger...

(before make-up)

...who gave me lots of kisses!

  

(after make-up)

Samuel and his momma and I had a jolly good time!

On this Summer Day...

I woke at 6:30 and snuck out to walk all by myself.... earphone-less with nothing but the song of the birds.  

I LOVED IT!  I like to walk far away from the house, and then walk back.  (I'm not a fan of circles.)

Titus informed me he is not a fan of pictures...as I was taking this.

When I returned, I made Andy's lunch and sat down with a piping hot cup of coffee and my new study, 

"Knowing God", which I have to read REALLY SLOW cause it's deeeeeep. 

The girls and I were then off to Lowe's for a 2x8x12 that I had cut into 15 pieces for a craft project I'm doing with the Jr High girls tomorrow night.  My conversation with the young guy cutting my pieces went something like this:

Me:  I need these for a craft project I am doing.  

I wonder how many mommas you get in here needing wood for craft projects.

Lowe's Guy:  Not too many.

Rebecca rolled her eyes and promptly whispered "you're so weird" to me when he wasn't looking.  

(My weirdness has been more apparent to her since she hit 7th grade.)

Helping Lauren.

We made a quick trip into Michaels for the last of the necessities and then raced home.....famished! 

After throwing some lunch together  (my current fave is Palmetto jalapeno pimento cheese!), 

we welcomed some friends over for an afternoon playdate/"get a little project done" time.

It was a little far-fetched to think that much would be accomplished...

Bethany thought the pin cushion was a little pillow...she tried it out.

...but with the help of two sweet "tween-agers", we actually did accomplish a few things!

Iker with Caroline who is holding a picture of them one year ago...cute.

Jr High Girls Craft Project example... that was fun!

Some mighty cute pants... 

and a few good laughs over this soon to be "dolly". 

After our "playdate" I ran to pick up our scrumptious dinner (courtesy of Mr. Matt Lusk) and sat down with my family for a little BBQ feast.  Daddy told stories of his mom's mom, Nanny, and how she used to take her wig on and off, and her teeth in and out, and make everyone laugh.... which of course we all did, as well.  Daddy tells the best stories!

Capturing the memories...one "Joy Making Day" at a time.