Saturday, November 30, 2013

What is happiness?!

It's long walks in the most beautiful woods with friends, 
especially having CanCan home to go with us!
It's playing on the trampoline with Boo, Bean, Madison, Hallie, and Lucy!
It's seeing this darling face so full of joy!!
It's having a HOUSEFUL of people for a singing night-- 
praising GOD for hours on end!
It's watching this little girl-- who is wayyyy too big-- 
get ready for Halloween!
It's waking up to see these faces every morning!! :D
It's finishing "Teach Your Child To Read In 100 Easy Lessons." 
She did a fantastic job!!
It's going to Aunt Debbie with friends and family and 
having pumpkin carving day!!
It's seeing allllll the cute and funny expressions Lucy makes!! 
(And is Hallie not beautiful!?)
It's having incredible Christian women in my life who I can go to for help, support, love, and just to be together and have a grand ol' time!
It's the goofiness and goodness of kiddos!!
It's sunshine, a pretty aunt, sweet kiddos, and yummy food, 
and a softball field to watch our #12!!
It's being on the Sydney Team! 
It's having a day with Lyssa Lou and matching in outfit styles and 
getting to worship God!

It's all the little things... 
That mean EVERYTHING!!!

"Every GOOD and PERFECT gift is from ABOVE!"

Friday, November 29, 2013

Fall Fun!

Every time of year has its own blessings... But, ohhhh how I do love the FALL! 
I LOVE the changing trees. Colors everywhere. The leaves on the ground, the crisp mornings... somehow it gets me even more excited and happy to be alive... but then, the snow, flowers, and camp all do, too! :) ha ha
Nothing like having a beautiful Saturday, though... one where we got to play outside all day, taking pictures, laughing, and thanking God for all of His bountiful blessings!!!
McKenna Anne Heck
Here are 1 and 2 blessings I thank HIM for every day, 100s of times a week...
Carter Boyd Heck
I DARE you not to LOVE THEM!!
On Thanksgiving morning, when I got to Grandma's and walked into the room where Ken and Carter were drawing, they looked up with big smiles on their faces. "This is the moment I've been waiting for!" KenKen says and hugs me! CarterMan promptly picks up his pretend gun, aims it right at me, shoots me, and kisses my lips. ... He kinda likes me, too. :) The whole day was just fantastic. Those moments will be locked away in my memory forever. So blessed to be so loved... and to love them so much!
I got to hang out with them tonight. We don't have as much time just the three of us anymore... though we do still have lots of family time all together as a big group, and it is all just as it should be, though oh, do I miss them! It was nice to hang out tonight. Laugh, talk, play, cuddle, do Bible time, and play games. 
Just seeing them makes me happy.
I daily pray for them, and for my future kiddos, that they will grown and increase as it says that Jesus did in Luke 2:52:
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man."

August Awesomeness... just found!

This post didn't post the right way last time... here's hoping it does now... 
I love all the darlings in this shot. We had a perfect day. It was awesome. 
Because these are friends and family who are Christians. 
We share the same goals. Hopes. Love.
It makes my life better just knowing they're around. 
Just to think of them makes me smile. 
They're like sunshine itself. 
4 of the sweetest sweethearts in all the word. 
Madison. Carter. Hallie. McKenna. 
Cousins. Family. Can't imagine life without each other.
These kiddos are each a year apart. They know one another so well. 
They are each others best friends. They play together beautifully.
Beautiful girls. Inside and out. 
Girls who reach out to others to help them when they see that they're not happy. 
Girls who are smart, silly, helpful, active, and good. 
Girls who I love to be around. 

What a blessing "little ones" are... 
they really are the ones who make life worth living-- 
to show them where we can go one day... 
where we'll never grow old! 
Live by example!

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Change.

 Change. Change is not my favorite. Trying new things? Yes, I do enjoy that. Having firsts? Yeah, that's normally pretty interesting, too. Adventures, those are awesome. Traditions, that's special... but change... sigh. Not the easiest thing in the world. It kinda goes along with growth... which is lovely to watch in a flower, or even new grass seeds outside in the front yard... Growth in yourself can be nice to look back at and appreciate, but the stretching and changing as you're mid-growth. Ouch.
  As you all might have gathered from my Facebook posts of the past few weeks-- and really, months and years would be accurate, life is always full of lessons and learning-- I've been learning, growing, and stretching a lot. I get a good reminder sometimes when it hurts, that I could have saved myself some trouble, sadness, or pain if I'd listened to those smarter than I from the beginning. Though I will not always get it right, I have determinedly decided to do a MUCH better job about listening to advice from Godly Christians. My parents are my number one set of example and encouragement. And oh, how the list does go on from there. I've been blessed with such a support system, I can't even tell you how far around the world it reaches. Our GOD is too good to HIS own!
 So, I've learned to tolerate (I'm not gonna say I love it, but I actually cannot say that I hate it as much as I used to) some alone time. Between jobs, with sometimes not a sound in the house, other times loud music or a phone call with a friend while running around to get little things done. I've learned to not need others as much, to need God more. And this is a very good thing. I've learned to reach out father than my usual circle to give and to also receive fellowship. I've tried new things, I have new jobs, I've been making myself read books again.  (This may sound super silly, because I've grown up loving to read and being read to and even now to read to littles... sitting down to read for me, though, is something I'm out of the habit of and don't do often because I would always pick to be with someone above reading. But, it's been a good task for me. Little Women was the first book of choice. It's an old friend. I'm almost done, having enjoyed every minute.)
I've realized why I can be such a pain to others. Why I'm not always totally believed or trusted because of my usual happiness. I've learned that I need to show some of my difficulties, also sharing all the incredible joys that truly do OVERFLOW my life. I am blessed beyond reason, I do have a very easy life-- but it's not all because it just "happened" that way. Many people have made serious choices and held to them to make sure that my life had many of the things that I should-- a safe and happy home because my parents were united in Christ and divorce was not an option. A fantastic congregation in GA because the elders made sure that they fought every bit of false teaching or steered us away from any sin that tried to come into our fold... and now, strong Christian friends who help me stay on the right path, to stay focused, and again, a wonderful congregation led by elders who are determined to help us all get to Heaven. And I have had to make and hold to some very strong decisions, Because they are what is right. The more you do it, the easier it is, but it's not easy. And, also, the more you do pick the right thing, the LESS you would even want the bad things... and the better you are at understanding your blessings.
It's hard to live without the constant joy of having your favorite two kiddos in the whole world by your side every moment of the day, but, as I pray for them, as I let them go, as I am so excited for their futures, I turn more towards my future, and to what work there is to do right now. And there is so much. The word BORED is not in my vocabulary. Because I do not allow it to be... because life is too short to not get out there and live every minute of it-- I do love this life, though it is hard, but I'm ready to go on, whenever, to what is waiting. THAT change? That one won't be hard... :)

Friday, August 16, 2013

Aunt Shauna's birthday!


Happy Birthday, Aunt Shauna! 
How is it that a day that brings so much happiness for so many years. can bring so much sadness now? How is it that something so fun to do, is also so emotional? 
It's because you're not with us. 
But you're where we want to be.
Knowing you are there waiting for us makes life mean more-- makes getting to Heaven even more important. The little things matter more.
Family matters. You know that. You show that. 
Sunshine matters. Living in it. Bring ready for what the day brings with a smile, a laugh, a word of encouragement, a hug, a song, a prayer. We CAN do all things through Christ.
It's always a pretty day. And the kiddos love it so much. The balloons all being inside the house is super fun, too. Normally one or two pop before we can let them fly, but, you would just smile and hand them another. That's what we do.
The balloons always seem to stick together. That's what we need to do. Fight through the problems in life and make things work for GOOD. We're not perfect, but we know what IS perfect. I miss you being here, but you would be happy. Really, the way the kiddos are growing, how happy they are, how great Darren is doing with his riding and being a dad, the gorgeous places they get to travel to and all the fun things they get to do. 
Life is good.


"Can't get enough of this everyday love!"
It's the simple things... 
It's 
LIVE. 
LAUGH. 
LOVE.
GOD-CENTERED!

I know your birthday was beautiful. One day, we'll share it with you. 
I love you. 

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Tennessee

There is no place like home... but there is almost no place like 
Gran and Grandad's.
I have spent countless hours playing in this yard. Being read to by Gran-- and Grandad. Everything from the Bernstein Bears to whole books of the Bible at a time, to car magazines and money papers.
From the time where I couldn't step this far and had to jump, to being able to jump totally skipping one, to taking small steps to step on every one... I have be here. I have made memories in every place you can imagine around this house. In every room. There stories go on and on... :) Especially when Gran tells them at night and Christina says, "Just one more story Gran... THEN what happened?" (If you're wondering our very favorites are about G&G's dating time, early marriage, and Daddy!! :))
Do you know how many meals I've eaten here? How many songs I've heard Grandad sing from the bathroom? How hard it was to get that shower door opened or closed when I was a kid? How I would giggle to myself to see Gran making faces at people on the phone for our benefit?
How I've knitted, colored, hemmed, studied... how I've just sat and listened to the sound of traffic flying by on 55. To the cows. To Jesse. To the judge shows on TV. To the crime shows that scared me when I was little but I couldn't walk away from. Or if I did... I could still hear in the next room-- and no way was I going downstairs by myself!
To the driving back to G&G's at night after Thanksgiving or being at Granny's. To see this light shinning for us across the field, through the trees. To know Gran was sitting in her chair reading, sewing, or writing (or sleeping)...  to know that when we got there, she'd put down whatever she was doing and ask if we wanted something to eat, if we'd had fun. To hear whatever we wanted to tell her.
I am a runner. Maybe not super long distances kinda runner. But a "I want to get where I'm going faster, so I'm gonna run" kinda runner. As a little kid, this was always true. I would run down those steps, turn and back up. If you're super cool, you don't even use the deck, you just go from one step to the next. And let me tell you, when Gran calls you, you should always come-- #1 because she's Gran and you should always obey her. But... #2. Because it's normally for something awesome! 'Cause she's one of the coolest people in the whole wide world!
Did you have days of sewing with your Gran? Of shopping-- learning the amount that you pay on something isn't what maters. It matters if it's good and helpful. And you can clean just about anything up to look good again. Don't be afraid to bargain. Or to walk away. And to be giving. And that an ice cream or Diet Coke is NEVER very far away.
There's a lot of walking in TN. In the early mornings with Gran and Grandad. Walking between them-- having to run to keep up with them when you're little. 'Cause you can come, but you have to keep up. Knowing that there would always be something neat to see. And that Grandad would make you laugh at something Gran would say and what his response would be. He's super smart-- and very funny. When you make him laugh, you know you've said something funny.
They've taught us so much. They've expected so much out of us. I couldn't thank them enough for the way they expected us to act, for helping us know so much about money and being wise with it. For going on trips with us and sharing in so many "little things" about our lives. Gran has written me a letter every single year for my birthday and many in between. She wrote letters in block capitals so that I could read it. The first time she sent me a letter in cursive, I felt so cool-- because she thought I was old enough to read it that way... and because I was!! :)

The field. The motorcycle rides. The field Grandad taught us to drive in-- and a stick at that! Riding a horse. Loving Hardee's. Reading a pattern. Washing the dishes is super hot water. Making tea. Catching the microwave before it yells. The smell of bacon. Perfect chocolate pies. There's too much to tell about!!
 
 Gran and Grandad are hard workers. They are the "hard to keep up with" kinda workers. The kind that make God happy. They help so many people-- both in this country and in others. No job is too menial. They are not looking for thanks. Just to do what is needed. 
Their example is priceless in my life.
While I was home on this trip, I felt like a little girl again. Everything was just as it should be. It was perfect. Every time I go back I retrace my steps through my play-places as a kiddo. I normally do this alone. This time, I did it with a camera because I want to remember everything. This is the grave of my kitty. I couldn't have a kitty in GA, but this was MY kitty in TN. Blackie. I loved him. <3
 I don't know why I was given such a perfect childhood. It was the kind where you grow up good, you grow up slow~ like American Honey (Lady A). It's the kind that leaves you thanking God every day for all HE gave to you, and wanting to give it back to others.

I love my Gran and Grandad's.
Because I love them.
They love me. 
And we love HIM! 
<3