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Tuesday, May 21, 2013
As I took my seat in seminary class the other dayI was invited by the professor to introduce myself and offer a model for leadership I had been exposed to. You see my class is about minister as public leader. The first model of leadership that came to mind was the leadership that was modeled to me by my parents - shared leadership. Hierarchical leadership is something that my generation strives to dissolve as we recognize the beauty it is to be in mutual respected leadership opportunities embracing a shared leadership model. That being said, I watched as my mom wasn't the "stereotypical mom of the black and white television shows"-- her and dad both made decisions for our family. They share household responsibilities and both answer their calls to their vocations. I then shared the understanding of servant leadership - that of Christ. Where God became human flesh to dwell among us. To live in servant partnership with people just like you and me. Servant Partnership. On my very first mothers day, I found myself thanking God for the great joy of being Kately's mommy but not just her mommy but being her mommy sharing in the joy with her daddy! My first mother's day was beautiful! Robert even got crafty! My prayer is that Robert and I continue in servant partnership as we raise our little girl!!! Enjoy the pics and as you do, reflect on what models of leadership you have been exposed to and what model of leadership you strive to uphold in your faith walk, your family, and in your vocation!
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Faith and Curiosity
Have you ever questioned your faith? Have you ever felt a little bit of doubt when it comes to fully trusting God? I know I have during my faith journey. At times I have found myself on my knees begging God to reveal Godself to me in certain situations. I have asked God WHY on various occasions in desperate need to try to understand the beautiful mystery that is God. It is in these moments that I know even though I have some questions, that the Holy Spirit is the very essence igniting in me curiosity. Curiosity to imagine God in creative new ways (reformed and always reforming), always a beacon of hope to those things we as broken beings will never comprehend. So, I set out to explore faith and curiosity with my high school youth! During my discernment of how to spark this type dialogue by giving these youth permission to question, permission to live in the questions, and in doing so seeking the kingdom of God, I noticed that Kately started pointing - she points at people (Ill teach her manners soon!), she points at dogs, she points when she gets excited , she points constantly. Perhaps in this 10 month olds curious mind she is wanting to know, to explore, to figure out what she is experiencing. Nevertheless, I don't think this action of pointing is much different than where I have been and will be again one day im sure along my faith journey. A time of seeking answers. That is when I decided to go back through some recent pictures of Kately as she has curiously discovered: what sand feels like, how to walk in shoes, how to open an easter egg, the technology of an iphone, the idea of facetime, how to splash in a fountain, the wonder of meeting a new person. You see, these moments of curiosity for Kately are metaphors to our journey of faith! In Sunday school, I flashed up pictures of kately in new experiences and ask the youth to take the image of what was on the screen and to apply it to their walk of faith! The connections were marvelous! I was in awe at how our youth could connect the act of walking in new shoes for the first time to aspects of their faith journey, or to how water from a fountain splashes you in the face and how that is like the times in our faith journey when we need a little water thrown in our face to wake up and experience how God is at work in our lives! I share with you the pictures and invite you to discern how the images of curiosity speak to you about your journey of faith: the great joy of reading scripture and the gospel story coming to life, the discovering of God's creation, the complexity of God's mystery, the renewal of God's grace, the beauty of baptism, the desire to know God deeper, the awe of Holy Spirit active in our lives! Thanks be to God for the privilege it is to participate in God's work of the church!
Friday, April 12, 2013
My Chair
Perhaps this was a chair I loved to rock in as a little girl! I have seen numerous pictures of me as a young child rocking away in my little rocking chair! Perhaps I would create an adventure using my imagination about where my chair was taking me! I remember watching the Cinderalla movie starring Brandi and she sang a song saying "In my own little corner, in my own little chair, I can be anywhere/anyone I want to be!" It is now in Kately's Room!
About a year ago during an education ministry staff meeting we are invited to think about our chair! Where is it that when you sit there God is most fully present? Reflecting back to growing up - whenever I was upset, needed to pray, needed to be by myself I would drive to Dahlonega Presbyterian church and sit in the prayer garden. At times it was beautifully landscaped and at other times it needed some tender care. Nevertheless, my chair as a teen was a bench in that garden. I would frequent it often.
In college, my "chair" was by the pond on campus. At night when I needed a moment to myself I would go sit by the pond. The same pond that generations in my family before me probably sat around. I remember sitting there and having the most holy conversations with myself and with God. One night after attending bible study, I went and literally cried out to God to reveal Godself to me because I was struggling with who I was.
In Hartsville, my "chair" was the back step on the porch of the house I rented! I sat one those steps on evenings when I was realizing more and more what it meant to live inthe real world! I watched Bailey, grilled out with friends, hosted parties, and ofcourse shared those steps with Robert as we began to build our relationship!
My chair since then has been constantly changing with the seasons of life! When doing this devotion a year ago - my answer for my chair - the chair in kately's room. I would find myself sitting in this chair praying for our little girl! Praying that Robert and I would be good parents! After Kately entered this world, I sat in that chair night after night rocking our angel. I still do.
This devotion came back to me the other morning when I thought to myself while attempting to get Kately to eat prunes...I have another chair that I have had my whole life! It is our breakfast table. This table was in our house as I grew up. It was those chairs that each evening we sat around, held hands, blessed the food, then mom and dad bugged us four girls about our day! We had birthday dinners, canned corn, sunday lunch, homework parties all around this table! Now, this table sits in our home. As I was feeding Kately, I realized she is sharing the same table that has been part of my story! These chairs have been with me all along! O if they could talk! So my chair - my newest chair - where I remember, reflect, and rejoice presently in the fullness of God - is the chair I sit at our kitchen table. Its the chair where I hold Robert's hand now to bless our dinner, the chair I sit in to watch kately try new foods for the first time. Thanks be to God for the chairs in my life!
Where is your chair?
About a year ago during an education ministry staff meeting we are invited to think about our chair! Where is it that when you sit there God is most fully present? Reflecting back to growing up - whenever I was upset, needed to pray, needed to be by myself I would drive to Dahlonega Presbyterian church and sit in the prayer garden. At times it was beautifully landscaped and at other times it needed some tender care. Nevertheless, my chair as a teen was a bench in that garden. I would frequent it often.
In college, my "chair" was by the pond on campus. At night when I needed a moment to myself I would go sit by the pond. The same pond that generations in my family before me probably sat around. I remember sitting there and having the most holy conversations with myself and with God. One night after attending bible study, I went and literally cried out to God to reveal Godself to me because I was struggling with who I was.
In Hartsville, my "chair" was the back step on the porch of the house I rented! I sat one those steps on evenings when I was realizing more and more what it meant to live inthe real world! I watched Bailey, grilled out with friends, hosted parties, and ofcourse shared those steps with Robert as we began to build our relationship!
My chair since then has been constantly changing with the seasons of life! When doing this devotion a year ago - my answer for my chair - the chair in kately's room. I would find myself sitting in this chair praying for our little girl! Praying that Robert and I would be good parents! After Kately entered this world, I sat in that chair night after night rocking our angel. I still do.
This devotion came back to me the other morning when I thought to myself while attempting to get Kately to eat prunes...I have another chair that I have had my whole life! It is our breakfast table. This table was in our house as I grew up. It was those chairs that each evening we sat around, held hands, blessed the food, then mom and dad bugged us four girls about our day! We had birthday dinners, canned corn, sunday lunch, homework parties all around this table! Now, this table sits in our home. As I was feeding Kately, I realized she is sharing the same table that has been part of my story! These chairs have been with me all along! O if they could talk! So my chair - my newest chair - where I remember, reflect, and rejoice presently in the fullness of God - is the chair I sit at our kitchen table. Its the chair where I hold Robert's hand now to bless our dinner, the chair I sit in to watch kately try new foods for the first time. Thanks be to God for the chairs in my life!
Where is your chair?
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Dear Kately
(Disclaimer: this is raw, not fluff, raw - you may not agree..and that is totally okay!)
I write Kately emails! I send her prayers, thoughts, you name it! I even send her songs that really speak to me and explain why. Through emailing Kately, I talked to God. one day kately will be readingmy emails - by the time she gets to this one (she will know im a goof!) but she will have also picked up on the fact that I know one day I won't be here on this earth with her. In fact it is a fear of mine - I guess you can say that is why I have asked for my seminary supervised ministry to be on death and dying, holding the hands of those under hospice care, creating grief curriculum for all ages of the church - it will challenge me and stretch me. This adventure will be my seminary studies next summer. So - at times I tend to send Kately parts of me, of who I am today (Thank goodness the newest brain research lately says that indeed our brains do continue to change, grow, new ideas, etc as we age!). I know I am a far from perfect mommy and I will probably look back over some of my emails and think why in the world did I write that - she will totally use that against me at age 17!!! So here we go! I think I felt like sharing with in my blog because it is a piece of me - perhaps I want my family to know, my sisters to know, my cousins to know my heart too...not sure but I couldn't sleep last night and in my head as I prayed I crafted this letter to our beloved daughter...
My Dearest Kately,
I love you. I am humbled each time I hold your little life in my arms. Thank you so much for what you have given me and your daddy. We are in complete awe of you my kathleen loving!! The past I think two weeks i have had alot on my heart! THank goodness your daddy has been patient with me!! So I wanted to share with you some thoughts I have been reflecting on...in all I say I love you! All these words are meant with love and my dear - the ONLY thing I ever ask of you...is to LOVE, that is it, to love with DEEPEST GRATITUDE...so here we go
1. Expections - Kately girl, people will always place expectations on you. Ones that they speak out loud and ones that they think you know but you have know idea that that expectation is on you! Expectations can be a beautiful thing when they motivate you -however lately expectations have overwhelmed me. I know I can't live up to everyones expectations. Everyone wants a piece of you and you are expected to give 100% in relationships, in work, in attitude, its hard! We do need expecations but i want you to never ever ever feel like a failure if you can't live up to expectations people place on you. I have felt this and it consumes me. So when you feel like I am placing expectations on you that are life hindering instead of life giving - let's have a laundry room talk!
2. You can't make everyone happy - believe me I have tried and its exhausting!!! You nor I have the power to make others happy. We can give of ourselves, speak the love language of others, let others know we love them and deeply care for them but we can't control another's happiness. So baby girl, don't let that beat you up. Each of us are the keeper of our emotions. Now don't get me wrong - when you have caused another one hurt - you are to forgive, to communicate, to mend that relationship through saying I am sorry. Those are powerful words, "I am sorry, will you forgive me"
3. Appreciation - Kately, I appreciate life and I so hope you will to! I try to recognize the good in everyone and hold them high. I fail at times because I am human. So I ask that we hold each other accountable (when you are able to have this convo!!) with showing our appreciation for others!
4. LOVE everyone sweeet girl! As much as I hate to say it - you are no better than anyone else and no one else is more better than you! We are all God's children! Black, white, gay, straight, christian, muslim - I firmly believe that racism towards any other being can be combated through looking at the other not as gay person but as person; not has homeless person, but has person (a youth said that once and I was struck with tears with how beautiful that is). we can cultivate love and not hate. We can cultivate acceptance without jeopardizing who we are. Love - baby girl! love with a heart so so wide!!
5. Family - my mom told me as a teen that when I get married - first comes your husband, then your children - Kately I pray the same for you. But girl, it is easier said than done with the large family we have!!! For four years every decision I have made as been putting your daddy first - holidays, vacations, how we will spend our time - it has been about your daddy and me. Now its about the three of us. It is hard to balance time with everyone but one thing I can firmly say is that those words my mom told me in the car on a dark night in dahlonega - they come back to me loudly when daddy and Ihave to make decisions. and o and one day if you have siblings...they will be your best friends. I know i sound like my mother - yes you will fight (we still do) but that is the beauty of it!
6. being the oldest - is hard and good. Hard because the youngest siblings have a hard time understanding the life phase you are going through (not at all their fault by any means - its just life!) young adulthood, marriage, babies, etc. But the good - wow! It trumps the hard!! you will get to watch your baby brothers, sisters (o good lord im not having that many kids), baby cousins and you will be the oldest! What a gift my dear baby girl! to watch your family grow, fall down and get backup!!!! I am elated to share in being a first born with you our little poot poot!
7. Balance - I can't master it and I don't think anyone can!!!! Perhaps its not trying to balance it all - like work, school, wife, mom - because each time of the day, each day you have new, different priorities. So dont beat yourself up little one if you find yourself not able to balance it all - just take one step at a time (yes dear Im writing myself a personal note and just addressed it to you with this #7! self talk is a good thing - your mother will do it all the time - don't judge!!!! )
8. Communicate - ALWAYS communicate your fears, your thoughts, your hurts, your joys. We are told as a culture to just deal with it, fix it, don't say anything because you will be judged. I think that is a LOAD OF CRAP! yep - yes when you are 7 you will get in trouble if you say that word - but its true! I empower you Kately to be VULNERABLE. its okay to share your heart! God made us human, God made us to live in community, God made us relational - not to harbor our feelings but to be in community with them. And the Good news is God didn't just make us past tense - i believe God is always at work making us!!! So communicate your doubts, communicate your laughs, share in the story of this life we have!
9. Nothing nothing nothing you can do will seperate you from God. NOTHING. no matter how hard you fall. Kately, baby girl, God loved you before you were ever ever imagined in the hearts of your mommy and daddy! God created and creates you!!! God calls you Gods own! You don't have to climb a latter of good works to reach salvation - nope - its a free gift that God gives you! it is called GRACE! We have the honor, the priviledge to live in that good grace by participating in God's work here on earth! But I do say, as you get older and faith becomes more of your own - explore, ask questions, experience God the way that God speaks to you!
10. I firmly feel that God's kingdom can be seen, experienced here on earth! I see God in you! I see God when your daddy is passionately coaching on the soccer field. I see God in the little kids that I play with in Yucatan. I see God in scripture. I see God in conversations that I consider holy with your great grandparents. I see God in high school youth as they struggle with who they are. I see God in worship. I see God in art. So little one, keep your eyes open! Eyes open to how God is at work in, with, and around you! Never lose sight of the fact that we are never complete!
11. Its okay to cry. Its beautiful to laugh. Its okay to be blah! you have my permission! In fact, tears speak passion. When you cry whether because you are extremely hurt, frustrated or because you are so moved by happiness and overwhelming joy - tears speak passion.
12. Be present TODAY. be present in the moment. I loved the fact that my parents let me play house until i was a sophmore in high school. they never said i was too old. they gave me permission to create to use my imagination with my sisters. It wasn't about making sure I had enough extra curriculuar activities in middle school to make sure I got into the best college. I see it too often today. So be present and PLAY with all your heart! I still take times to play - secret - this is why I go to montreat so much. It is my opportunity to set aside grown up world of this is how you should act - and allowed my childlike faith to participate in the mystery that is our God through ARW, Montreat Youth Conferences, etc. No worries Kately - you will be exposed to Montreat. I wont force you to love it but I do hope it brings you a ray of sunshine like it does for me over and over again!
I love you Kately! I love you so very very much! I am very sorry if I have seemed distracted these past two weeks. I want you to know I am human too! I will have bad days too! yes you can remind me of that at age 13 when you think the world revolves around you and I (like any mother of a 13 year old) am the worst person in the world according to the egocentric self identity searching teenager!!!! I love you! I pray for you. I pray for your daddy. I pray for our bailey. I deeply love you dear child.
Humbly,
your mommy
I write Kately emails! I send her prayers, thoughts, you name it! I even send her songs that really speak to me and explain why. Through emailing Kately, I talked to God. one day kately will be readingmy emails - by the time she gets to this one (she will know im a goof!) but she will have also picked up on the fact that I know one day I won't be here on this earth with her. In fact it is a fear of mine - I guess you can say that is why I have asked for my seminary supervised ministry to be on death and dying, holding the hands of those under hospice care, creating grief curriculum for all ages of the church - it will challenge me and stretch me. This adventure will be my seminary studies next summer. So - at times I tend to send Kately parts of me, of who I am today (Thank goodness the newest brain research lately says that indeed our brains do continue to change, grow, new ideas, etc as we age!). I know I am a far from perfect mommy and I will probably look back over some of my emails and think why in the world did I write that - she will totally use that against me at age 17!!! So here we go! I think I felt like sharing with in my blog because it is a piece of me - perhaps I want my family to know, my sisters to know, my cousins to know my heart too...not sure but I couldn't sleep last night and in my head as I prayed I crafted this letter to our beloved daughter...
My Dearest Kately,
I love you. I am humbled each time I hold your little life in my arms. Thank you so much for what you have given me and your daddy. We are in complete awe of you my kathleen loving!! The past I think two weeks i have had alot on my heart! THank goodness your daddy has been patient with me!! So I wanted to share with you some thoughts I have been reflecting on...in all I say I love you! All these words are meant with love and my dear - the ONLY thing I ever ask of you...is to LOVE, that is it, to love with DEEPEST GRATITUDE...so here we go
1. Expections - Kately girl, people will always place expectations on you. Ones that they speak out loud and ones that they think you know but you have know idea that that expectation is on you! Expectations can be a beautiful thing when they motivate you -however lately expectations have overwhelmed me. I know I can't live up to everyones expectations. Everyone wants a piece of you and you are expected to give 100% in relationships, in work, in attitude, its hard! We do need expecations but i want you to never ever ever feel like a failure if you can't live up to expectations people place on you. I have felt this and it consumes me. So when you feel like I am placing expectations on you that are life hindering instead of life giving - let's have a laundry room talk!
2. You can't make everyone happy - believe me I have tried and its exhausting!!! You nor I have the power to make others happy. We can give of ourselves, speak the love language of others, let others know we love them and deeply care for them but we can't control another's happiness. So baby girl, don't let that beat you up. Each of us are the keeper of our emotions. Now don't get me wrong - when you have caused another one hurt - you are to forgive, to communicate, to mend that relationship through saying I am sorry. Those are powerful words, "I am sorry, will you forgive me"
3. Appreciation - Kately, I appreciate life and I so hope you will to! I try to recognize the good in everyone and hold them high. I fail at times because I am human. So I ask that we hold each other accountable (when you are able to have this convo!!) with showing our appreciation for others!
4. LOVE everyone sweeet girl! As much as I hate to say it - you are no better than anyone else and no one else is more better than you! We are all God's children! Black, white, gay, straight, christian, muslim - I firmly believe that racism towards any other being can be combated through looking at the other not as gay person but as person; not has homeless person, but has person (a youth said that once and I was struck with tears with how beautiful that is). we can cultivate love and not hate. We can cultivate acceptance without jeopardizing who we are. Love - baby girl! love with a heart so so wide!!
5. Family - my mom told me as a teen that when I get married - first comes your husband, then your children - Kately I pray the same for you. But girl, it is easier said than done with the large family we have!!! For four years every decision I have made as been putting your daddy first - holidays, vacations, how we will spend our time - it has been about your daddy and me. Now its about the three of us. It is hard to balance time with everyone but one thing I can firmly say is that those words my mom told me in the car on a dark night in dahlonega - they come back to me loudly when daddy and Ihave to make decisions. and o and one day if you have siblings...they will be your best friends. I know i sound like my mother - yes you will fight (we still do) but that is the beauty of it!
6. being the oldest - is hard and good. Hard because the youngest siblings have a hard time understanding the life phase you are going through (not at all their fault by any means - its just life!) young adulthood, marriage, babies, etc. But the good - wow! It trumps the hard!! you will get to watch your baby brothers, sisters (o good lord im not having that many kids), baby cousins and you will be the oldest! What a gift my dear baby girl! to watch your family grow, fall down and get backup!!!! I am elated to share in being a first born with you our little poot poot!
7. Balance - I can't master it and I don't think anyone can!!!! Perhaps its not trying to balance it all - like work, school, wife, mom - because each time of the day, each day you have new, different priorities. So dont beat yourself up little one if you find yourself not able to balance it all - just take one step at a time (yes dear Im writing myself a personal note and just addressed it to you with this #7! self talk is a good thing - your mother will do it all the time - don't judge!!!! )
8. Communicate - ALWAYS communicate your fears, your thoughts, your hurts, your joys. We are told as a culture to just deal with it, fix it, don't say anything because you will be judged. I think that is a LOAD OF CRAP! yep - yes when you are 7 you will get in trouble if you say that word - but its true! I empower you Kately to be VULNERABLE. its okay to share your heart! God made us human, God made us to live in community, God made us relational - not to harbor our feelings but to be in community with them. And the Good news is God didn't just make us past tense - i believe God is always at work making us!!! So communicate your doubts, communicate your laughs, share in the story of this life we have!
9. Nothing nothing nothing you can do will seperate you from God. NOTHING. no matter how hard you fall. Kately, baby girl, God loved you before you were ever ever imagined in the hearts of your mommy and daddy! God created and creates you!!! God calls you Gods own! You don't have to climb a latter of good works to reach salvation - nope - its a free gift that God gives you! it is called GRACE! We have the honor, the priviledge to live in that good grace by participating in God's work here on earth! But I do say, as you get older and faith becomes more of your own - explore, ask questions, experience God the way that God speaks to you!
10. I firmly feel that God's kingdom can be seen, experienced here on earth! I see God in you! I see God when your daddy is passionately coaching on the soccer field. I see God in the little kids that I play with in Yucatan. I see God in scripture. I see God in conversations that I consider holy with your great grandparents. I see God in high school youth as they struggle with who they are. I see God in worship. I see God in art. So little one, keep your eyes open! Eyes open to how God is at work in, with, and around you! Never lose sight of the fact that we are never complete!
11. Its okay to cry. Its beautiful to laugh. Its okay to be blah! you have my permission! In fact, tears speak passion. When you cry whether because you are extremely hurt, frustrated or because you are so moved by happiness and overwhelming joy - tears speak passion.
12. Be present TODAY. be present in the moment. I loved the fact that my parents let me play house until i was a sophmore in high school. they never said i was too old. they gave me permission to create to use my imagination with my sisters. It wasn't about making sure I had enough extra curriculuar activities in middle school to make sure I got into the best college. I see it too often today. So be present and PLAY with all your heart! I still take times to play - secret - this is why I go to montreat so much. It is my opportunity to set aside grown up world of this is how you should act - and allowed my childlike faith to participate in the mystery that is our God through ARW, Montreat Youth Conferences, etc. No worries Kately - you will be exposed to Montreat. I wont force you to love it but I do hope it brings you a ray of sunshine like it does for me over and over again!
I love you Kately! I love you so very very much! I am very sorry if I have seemed distracted these past two weeks. I want you to know I am human too! I will have bad days too! yes you can remind me of that at age 13 when you think the world revolves around you and I (like any mother of a 13 year old) am the worst person in the world according to the egocentric self identity searching teenager!!!! I love you! I pray for you. I pray for your daddy. I pray for our bailey. I deeply love you dear child.
Humbly,
your mommy
Thursday, March 21, 2013
A Penny!
Four girls scurrying around the house intently searching for the perfect copper piece: 1984, 1987, 1989...for their own birthday penny! All the while dad is overseeing concrete being poured for our additional drive way and for the basketball court so I, the sporty sister, could show off her skills! (JUST KIDDING! although, I did beat the twins a time or two...before they could walk!! I could beat mom so we are good!) We placed pennies with the year of our birthdays on them, one for each of us. So now, whenever we go back to our home on 45 highland road...the yard, the house, the people may have changed...but our copper pieces will still be there in the concrete!!! So...one can only image...YEARS later...I find myself looking under pillows, in the junk drawer, in the center consoles of the cars to find the perfect copper piece...2012!! Kately's penny! Dad put up her swing that Robert and I had gotten Kately for Christmas. As he was pouring the concrete, I went back in time to the day we placed our pennies in the ground! Well, so Kately has a penny in our back yard of our first home!! She loves her swing! Our baby girl is 9months old today! WOW! I thank the Lord every day for her. I can't believe Robert and I were the ones honored to be her parents. I pray each night that I am being the mommy that God has and is preparing my heart to be for our Kately. She has started crawling. I just tear up! Thanks be to God for the precious little glimpses of God's kingdom HERE and NOW!
Kately 2012
LOVE!! 5 teeth! just glowing!
swinging with Auntie Maggie!
PURE JOY!
Thank you G-Daddy for putting up my swing!
Swinging with Auntie Robbie!
So much fun!!!!
Relaxing with Bailey after a full day of swinging!! until next time...
(i can't get enough of this picture!!)
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Back to my Roots!
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Thanks be to God for a few days showing Kately Dahlonega! (yes I know she will not remember - but I will!)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
5 Senses
I have always said one of my biggest fears is losing the sense of hearing. I want to always be able to hear the voices of my love ones, to recognize the laughs of those closest to me. When Mr. Guy passed away I would practice hearing his voice. Uncle Alfred's too. The sense of smell is a sense that I try not to take for granted either. The Pelican Perch has a scent - perhaps its the smell of sunscreen or boiled peanuts! Papa has a scent - he just smells like Papa! Grammie has a scent and so does Memama! I have noticed my mom's scent more than ever because perhaps I long to smell it when I want her closer by! Robert - well he goes back and forth from smelling handsome to smelling like wet grass!!! and Kately - her scent is still inthe making - I hope she will outgrow the poop smell!!! But yes her baby smell is a scent I long for on a long day at work. I cherish scents. Sight. Sight, the gift of seeing, is one I need to take more seriously in recognizing the beauty of the gift of eyes. To look into Kately's eyes, to watch her grow. To look through pictures, To watch God's creation unfold before me! One day I found myself reflecting on why I take so many pictures when someone was somewhat making fun of me for how many pictures I post on facebook. Why do I spend time behind the lens taking snapshot after snapshot...so I don't forget. So one day, I can recall, remember, and see my story of life with my family, with Robert, with Kately, and with our Bailey unfold. Bailey. Tomorrow he will have an eye removed. He is at risk of going blind and it really scares me. Bailey is a part of our family! He was my protector in Hartsville, he was my judge of Robert when he enter our lives, he has kept me safe many nights at home alone, he is Kately's big brother, he is the warmth I feel at my toes each morning. He always greets me at the door wagging!! Bailey is a part of our family. I pray he will be okay tomorrow. I pray he won't be in pain. I pray that he will not lose sight in his other eye too quickly because I know, I know deep down he loves watching Kately, he loves cuddling with Robert to watch espn, he loves to watch Robert grill outside, he loves to watch me load the car in the mornings, he loves to watch us at the dinner table. God, thank you for our Bailey.
And now a look at Bailey! From the night I brought him home, holidays, beach trips, hartsville, charlotte, Bubba's engaged, youre going to be a big brother, loving on kately, to just laying around! I love you, Bailey!
And now a look at Bailey! From the night I brought him home, holidays, beach trips, hartsville, charlotte, Bubba's engaged, youre going to be a big brother, loving on kately, to just laying around! I love you, Bailey!
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