"A man's pride brings him low..." Pr. 29:23

Before I had children, a wise woman once told me, "Let God change you now. If not, it will show up in your children." Boy was she right. One of my children, not naming any names, spent the entire drive home from school defending why she WAS INDEED prepared for her History Test today. Since there was an actual study guide that I never saw, and since she did not bug me to "quiz her" on the info like she usually does, I KNOW that she was not prepared. The conversation got ugly and there were tears. I will not divulge who all was crying.

The sad part is.... she didn't really make a bad grade. I just thought she could have done better. That nasty sin of pride reared it's ugly head on both our parts. "I" could've done better on that test if I had just known about the study guide. Wait. Whose test was it anyway?

Maybe it was just God's "test" to see how we would respond. We failed. But in the end, "He" aced the test, because once again, He taught us all we needed to know.

Lovely: having beauty that appeals to the emotions as well as to the eye.

She is lovely.
She is kind, and she is gentle, and she is patient.
She is laughter and joy and delights in all things delightful.
She serves, and serves, and serves...with a happy heart.
She is thankful.
She accepts with open arms all that God gives her.
She loves to sing His praises.
She is gracious and rarely complains.
She is not perfect, but she is close.
She is my hero and I wish I were more like her.

This weekend she turned 34 and I got to celebrate with her! We three (she and Bebe and me!) enjoyed a wonderful weekend in the mountains relaxing and doing all things girly and fun. We ate, we shopped, we scrapbooked and sewed.
We laughed alot.

Happy Birthday Mary Elisabeth Cutliff! I am so glad you were born!

It is not "Autumn" yet.

Why do they already have these things out? They were just sitting there at the check out at Walgreens. Don't they know that I eat entirely too many and get a horrific stomachache. There should be a law. "No candy corn and pumpkins until October 1st." And who knew they made Caramel Apple Candy Corn?

Hand Towel Happiness

About a week and a half ago I was at Target all by myself (that can be dangerous at Target) and I wandered down the kitchen towel aisle. I saw this cute little apple hand towel and picked it up, decided that I did not NEED it, and put it back on the hook. After all, I had a buggy full of school supplies and cute little apple hand towels are really not in the budget these days.... even if it is just two dollars and some change.

Today (day 2 of school), I found a little bundle on my desk from a student. It was a bag of coffee wrapped in a "cute little apple hand towel" with a big bow and note that said, "We are praying for you and wishing you a wonderful school year."

Could've been coincidence. Or it could just be that my Heavenly Father loves me that much.

(Thanks Sydney... and the whole Stewart family!)

Ready or Not, Here we go!

I have had the best time "creating" my classroom for this new school year. Tonight was Orientation and tomorrow starts a brand new year. When I was a little girl, the night before the first day of school was like the night before Christmas. I loved it. Still do.

Gumballs and pennant bunting...so fun!

(Writing Center)

"Swimmingly" Good Behavior!

Pennant Name Plates!

My happy place for the next 9 months!

Now I just need some students to fill it up. Looking forward to making memories with them!

Monday Thanks

#400 A week of highs and lows and ups and downs and the way God worked it all together for good.

#401 New classroom full of new ideas all ready for a new year with new little munchkins...so grateful!

#402 Mary Kathryn's arrival...safe and sound....beautiful!

#403 Eliminating pizza from my diet for a good solid month and then having it three times this week.

#404 Fellowship with family, swimming, grilling out hamburgers, making homemade "Frostys", cousins laughing, Caroline dancing to the Wii, sharing ideas with my sis-in-law, refreshing good time.

#405 Pinterest....love.

#406 Teacher Treats

#407 Overflowing tomatoes

#408 Staying on top of the clothes...sort of.

#409 2 1/2 hours all by myself in Hancock, picking out fabric for my newest quilting project, the sweet lady's help, 9X9 templates

#410 Stormy ride to Royston and arriving to the sun

#411 Youth Group Summer's end swimming goodbyes

#412 Andy's delight to be there

#413 Iced Chai Tea Lattes

#414 The movies with friends....The Help....so enjoyable.

#415 Celebrating Taylor's move-in day at AU....pink dorm rooms...happy smiles on the faces of mom and daughter.... new adventures

#416 Food Network Star finale with the girls

#417 Singing on Praise Team with my daughter... her teaching me.... the privilege of serving Him in that way.

#418 Faithful ants...ha.

#419 Praying with my husband...just before we both drift off to dream.

#420 Peaceful sleep.

#421 A new day, new week, fresh with no mistakes in it.

#422 Oh and Andrew David's arrival! So precious! Healthy and safe and beautiful!

You're Not the Boss of Me!

Caroline loves to tell me what to do....or better yet, what I am not doing right. She does it all the time. Like, just now, she is yelling at me from the kitchen:

"MOM! You left all this stuff on the counter and it is going to get hot and ruin!"

"Caroline, that is on the counter because I am about to cook it for dinner."

"Well you better hurry because it is going to spoil. And I need this counter space to make my brownies."

She forgets. She forgets #5. You know the one about "Honorin' yo' momma!"

Thank goodness she's got me to remind her.

Squishy Faces

This morning I went to Wal-Mart; this afternoon I went to Publix. At Wal-Mart I saw Abbi; at Publix I saw Britney....young mommies with their toddlers. Those little munchkins were so stinkin' precious. It made my whole day to see their cutsie little squishy faces and hear their thoughts and enjoy that moment in the grocery aisle. What a treat!

Britney and I left Publix at the same time so I promptly pulled her youngest out of the buggy, carried her to her car and buckled her in her car seat....sending mine on to my car with the buggy and groceries. Mine can unlock the car themselves, load the groceries, push the buggy to the "buggy stop", and buckle their own seatbelts. Waaaah.

I don't want to go back. These days of parenting are super fun. But it does make me wonder...

Did I soak it up? Did I listen to their tiny thoughts? Did I hold them enough? Did I really play with them? Did I let them make messes? Did I watch them sleep?

I think I did. I know I did. But, boy, did it go fast.

People tried to tell me.

A Multitude of Thanks on Monday

All that we behold is full of blessings. ~William Wordsworth

#370 A sweet weekend of celebration.... celebrating the one my heart loves (Song of Solomon 3:4)

#371 New school supplies

#372 Blistered lips...blech.

#373 Caroline's little voice two rooms away...singing the same phrase over and over again.

#374 The daily call from Andy as he drives home from work...his delight to tell me all about his day.

#375 Celebrating with the Cutliffs

#376 Tim's hearty laugh

#377 Boxwoods from our trash pile to the yard across the street, planted and thriving...trash to treasure:)

#378 Neighbors

#379 Lindsay's one dollar table runner (so adorable!) I bought at her yard sale...trash to treasure!

#380 Waking to minimal sugar ants on the counter...maybe they are leaving for good....they've worn out their welcome.

#381 Whistling teapot

#382 F-A-I-T-H...the gift of it.

#383 Sweet conversation with my daddy...true and genuine love on both ends~ even if there are 20 years missing

#384 "Blessed is the man who trusts in You." Ps. 84:12

#385 The privilege of sitting at Your feet (Luke 10:39

#386 Thomas, Timothy, Kelsey serving in worship

#387 Mary Elisabeth's delight to lead Music/Drama Camp... serving the Body wholeheartedly

#388 Promised Provision

#389 The joy that comes from practicing restraint

#390 Caroline's delight in putting new books of the Bible tabs in her Bible.... using them in church. Sweet.

#391 Caroline's arm through mine at church, her head on my shoulder.

#392 My girls, on their own accord, saying "no" to a TV show because of the content.

#393 Rising 5th graders still enjoying Littlest Pet Shop

#394 Fresh tomatoes peeled and cut up with avocado and salt and pepper...lunch!

#395 Bebe.... enduring, faithful, bearing, dear, and precious friendship.

#396 Quilting...my new found hobby!

#397 Sweet conversation with Abbi at Walmart... 1st birthdays and new yellow bouncy balls and happy children and sharing new found hobbies!

#398 Painted fingernails that still haven't chipped!!

#399 Work-out...check!

#400 Four hundred Gifts recorded... the joy that comes from the practice of writing them down.