A New Smile

Today marked another milestone for one of our children....you know...crawling, walking, first tooth, first words, first day of school, first lost tooth, FIRST PHASE OF BRACES.  Matt and I knew this day was coming b/c our children have inherited our teeth.  Both of us wore braces for many years and it looks like the children will follow in our footsteps.  They do things a little different now and a little earlier than when we were children.  Claire is in Phase 1 of braces.  She has four brackets on her front four teeth and the orthodontist thinks they should straighten up in 4 to 6 months...we shall see.  She already has a beautiful smile....now it will be a little straighter!

 Before

 During

 After

Wow!  Is it just me or does Claire look about 10 years older??  Don't know if I like this braces thing or not!

Scrambled Eggs

Don't worry....I've heard all about the egg recall and I checked the numbers on our carton!  Thank goodness ours were not tainted with salmonella because my kids love scrambled eggs and were begging to cook some Saturday morning.  They put their aprons on and got ready to cook.  They love when I let them help cook and I should do that more often!  I'm not an expert chef...but they sure do love momma's scrambled eggs!

First Day of School

 Our first day back to school was successful!  Claire and Levi both awoke with ease and gulped their coffee milk down (they get coffee milk in bed every morning) before hopping out of bed to get dressed.  After eating breakfast, we all got into our van to head to school.  There was a little excitement in the air with Levi starting a new school and being at the same school as his sister for the first time.  He was also a little nervous but I think that subsided after getting to the right location.  We took the traditional first day of school pics, Matt and I left and then I waited patiently all day to see how their first day went.    Upon picking them up, Levi remarked,  "It was awesome."  "School is fun."  Claire gladly informed me that I was the one who had homework tonight...and I did.  Claire and Levi both have wonderful Christian teachers and for that...we are very thankful.  We are anticipating a fantastic school year!

 All Smiles!

Levi and his sweet teacher

Claire and her sweet teacher

We are so happy to be a part of such a great school.  We are the only 4 star school in our Parish and # 20 in our state.  Way to go, Mustangs.

Worth Celebrating

I'm a little late in posting this, but we celebrated Claire's 1 year spiritual birthday on Sunday!

  August 9, 2009 is a day I will never forget.  Claire grabbed my hand during the Sunday morning invitation and with a trembling hand and shaky voice she said, "Mom, I need to go talk to daddy."  We reached daddy in about 5 steps (we sit on the second row) and she told him that she needed to ask Jesus into her heart.  Kneeling at the altar, she confessed her sins and asked Jesus to be her Lord (boss) and Savior.  We were rejoicing with the angels in heaven!  There is just something about knowing that your children are secure in their relationship with the Lord.  It has been exciting watching her grow in the Lord this past year and we pray daily that He will use her in a mighty way.

She followed the Lord in baptism about a month later and her daddy had the 

privilege of baptizing her just like my daddy baptized me. 

It is a sweet memory I will cherish forever.

But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such

is the kingdom of heaven."  Matthew 19:14

Summer Fun

Summer is quickly coming to and end!  Not sure how I feel about this.  I look forward to having our routine back, but I'm not looking forward to early mornings and the trip to and from school (we have to drive about 30 minutes...but it's worth it!)  We have had a very busy and fun summer.  Here's a glimpse of what the kid's enjoyed during the Summer of 2010.

 Swimming with friends

 Playing in the sand pile at Papa and Nana's

Fishing at the pond

On Mission.....to Brazil and back!

Well, we've been home for a week and I'm still trying to process all that we experienced on our mission trip to Brazil.  This was our second trip to Belo Horizonte, Brazil and we really love the people in this city.  They are very loving, gracious and hospitable.  We always leave part of our hearts with them.  Last year Matt participated in evangelism and I led a VBS team.  This year, I wanted to experience more of the culture and actually go into the homes with Matt so I signed up for evangelism.  We served at IB da Serra Verde with Pastor Mauricio.  He is such a caring and compassionate man of God and has a heart for the people in his community.  I loved serving the Lord with my husband and seeing him do what he does best...sharing the Gospel.

Pastor Mauricio would have home visits set up for us each day and we would use the Evange Cube to share the Gospel with the lost or we would encourage those who knew the Lord and needed to be more committed to him.  Brazilians really like Americans and are willing to  listen to what we have to share....the Good News!  One visit that stands out in my mind was not an arranged meeting, but an unexpected visit.  At the request of a church member, we (3 Americans and 4 Brazilians) knocked on the door of her neighbor one afternoon.  The mother of the home answered the door and was shocked to see so many unexpected visitors standing at her door but she graciously invited us into her home.  Her two daughter in laws were there and one was visibly "angry" that we had come.  They had somewhere to be in about 30 minutes but the mother wanted to hear what we had to share after the Pastor explained who we were and why we had come.  Matt began to share the Cube and I began to pray because the tension I could feel from the "angry" daughter in law was strong.  The mother listened intently while the daughter in laws seemed uninterested.  After sharing, Matt asked about their eternity and the mother in law began to weep and say she had been waiting for this moment and was ready.  The girls didn't respond until Matt began to pray and one of them repeated the prayer with the mother in law.  After praying,  the "angry" daughter in law said amen and a smile broke across her face and she hugged and thanked us for sharing.  Her countenance was changed because of the Holy Spirits work in her life.  I have to stop and ask myself,  Can others see Jesus in me...in my life, in my countenance?
  

There is a language barrier when going to a foreign country but thankfully we had interpreters and were truly blessed when God gave us the BEST in Bianca and Florence.  

Bianca is an English instructor at the school where the interpreters study.  Florence is sixteen and one of Bianca's students.  They are both precious and love the Lord.  Bianca is coming to the USA to study at one our University's in the fall.  We are hoping she can make a visit to the South to see us and meet Claire and Levi.  Perhaps Florence will be able to do the same one day!

We thank the Lord for allowing us the opportunity to serve Him and share the Good News with the people of Brazil.  

Here are a few highlights from our trip.....

Our Fairview Team

Sightseeing trip to Ouro Preto

Worship and VBS @ Serra Verde

Great Food

New Friends

Awesome VBS Team and interpreters

Home, Sweet, Home

Happy 4th of July!!

Thanks to all the men and women who sacrifice their lives daily for the freedoms we enjoy every day!  Thanks most of all to Jesus Christ who paid it all in order for us to have freedom from sin and self and enjoy eternal life.

  Jesus paid it all...all to Him I owe!

"Peace isn't the absence of conflict, it's the Presence of Christ."

Happy Independence Day!