What am I doing right now?

I haven't quite joined the Twitter age or posting blogs from my cell phone about what I am doing moment by moment. To be honest, it would be really boring, but I thought this morning I would let you have a peek into my life. Right at this moment I am giving the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to a group of homeschoolers (including my 2). Once I get each section started, I have 15 to 30 minutes of silence. I am thankful for wireless internet so I can get on my laptop and check emails and such, but I should have brought a book.

Special Olympics

Last week the kids and I had the opportunity to work at the Greenville Special Olympics Spring Games. It was a really fun day and the weather was perfect. It couldn't have been nicer. Emily, Will and I were buddies for 2 atheletes. They were both 9. The hit of the day for both boys and Will was not actually the games, but climbing in some Army Hummers and talking to the soldiers who had come out for the day. Unfortunately, I thought I had left my camera at my parent's house on Easter Sunday so I didn't take any pictures myself. To be honest, I found my camera in my purse later that evening so I could have actually taken some. Someone else took the pictures of us below, but there were none of Emily.

Easter

Sunday was such a gorgeous Easter Sunday. After church, the family gathered at my parents for lunch. Mom made such delcious food; ham, sweet potato cassarole, broccoli with Hollandaise sauce, Sister Shuberts rolls, Mimi's famous Mac and Cheese, and Strawberry Cake for dessert. It was all so good!

We took a great family picture in front of the fireplace.

Back when Allan was in medical school, my mom had an Easter egg hunt for Emily and Will one year. I think the kids were 2 and 4. It was such a big hit that she began to do it every year. Sometimes my brother's kids would also be there. As we began our year long walk down memory lane, it was one of things Em and Will were excited about. They have mentioned it quite a few times since last Easter. My mom had no choice, but to plan another hunt. (like she would have ever told the grandkids no) Since she hadn't done one in 3 years and this might be the last one, she went all out and had 18 dozen eggs filled with all kinds of goodies. After lunch, the "kids" hid the eggs for the "grandkids". My brother set the rules: at this age, the eggs had to be hidden well, but at least part of the egg had to be able to be seen. I was in charge of hiding 12 golden eggs that each had a gold dollar inside. That responsibility included remembering where they were hidden. Well at last count, there were still 15-20 eggs hidden in the yard, including one of the gold eggs. I can't remember where I hid it. I have even offered a reward to the kid who finds it, but it is no where to be found. Maybe 30 years from now some child will make a wonderful discovery. Of course if they discover one of the ones with chocolate inside, I wouldn't recommend eating it.

The kids getting ready to hunt eggs.

They decorated these bags when they spent the night with Mimi and Pop the week before.

They needed large ones for 18 dozen eggs

Will on the hunt

Revelation

It's late and my mind seems to be racing with all the thoughts running through my head that I can't seem to turn off. As we anguish over the decision laid before us, once again a song seems to express my feelings and emotions better that I can. If only I were eloquent enough to explain what is in my heart tonight. The Christian group, Third Day, says it much better:

My life has led me down the road that' so uncertain...

This time, I know you are holding all the answers...

My life has led me down this path that's ever winding
Through every twist and turn I'm always finding....

Give me a revelation
Show me what to do
Cause I've been tryin' to find my way,
I haven't got a clue
Tell me should I stay here,
Or do I need to move
Give me a Revelation
I've got nothing without You
I've got nothing without You

I don’t know where I can turn
Tell me when will I learn
Won't You show me where I need to go
Let me follow Your lead,
I know that it's the only way I can get back home

Give me a revelation,

Show me what to do

Cause I’ve been tryin’ to find my way,

I haven’t got a clue

Tell me should I stay here,

Or do I need to move

Give me a revelation

I’ve got nothing without You

I’ve got nothing without You

Revelation by Third Day

14!

Emily turned 14 today!

It is hard to believe she is so grown up. She has become such a beautiful young woman.

On Saturday, we celebrated at our house with the family. Emily chose to have fried chicken and a Matt Kenseth cake.

She is a huge NASCAR fan and has enjoyed being able to watch it this year.

Allan and I are learning to like it.Afterwards, we went go-karting per Emily's request. She has always had a need for speed and she drives around the track pedal to the metal. I might need to be scared of her turning 16.

Here is a final picture of Emily this morning after breakfast ready to open presents

God of This City

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head? Usually when that happens to me, it drives me crazy. Often it is some bizarre song that I don’t even really like. In the last few weeks I have had the song “God of This City” by Chris Tomlin suck in my head. This time, it is driving Will crazy. You see there aren’t too many words to this song and I tend to sing the same 3 lines over and over. On the other hand, I have liked having this song playing over and over in my brain. The Lord has really used it as a great reminder of why we are serving in the Philippines. As we struggle to raise enough support to return to the Philippines, it helps me remember that He isn’t done with Manila yet regardless of what our future holds. There is Hope among the poor and hopeless of Manila. Please pray with us that we will be able to return to the Philippines in late July and share His Love, Grace and Mercy there.

Below are the lyrics to this song along with some pictures of things that flash through my mind as I hear it. You can hear this song at http://www.last.fm/music/Chris+Tomlin/_/God+Of+This+City?autostart It will start playing automatically.

God of this City

by Chris Tomlin You’re the God of this City
You’re the King of these People
You’re the Lord of this Nation
You Are

You’re the Light in this darkness
You’re Hope to the hopeless
You’re the Peace to the restless
You Are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For Greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done in this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
We believe, we believe in you God

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

SNOW!

Since December the kids have hoped and prayed for some of that white stuff and yesterday those prayers were answered. The heavy rains began changing over to snow around 3pm and it snowed constantly until almost midnight. We received 6.5"! (Ok for those of you in places like Chicago, I realize that is almost nothing, but for South Carolina it's a big deal) The kids are thrilled and so thankful to be able to trek back in forth through the woods to their cousins'. We lost power about 11:30 last night, but it was restored about 4am. My brother is still without so everyone converged upon our house for lunch. The afternoon temps are expected to reach 40 so the kids are busy trying to get their fill of snowball fights, sledding, and snowmen before then. Here are a few pictures we took this morning. Some of them were taken in the woods behind our house. We headed out for a walk back there around 8:30 this morning. It was so beautiful and we loved trudging through the deep untouched snow. Thankfully the kids have some old snow pants to wear so they aren't too wet or cold and can stay out all day. I've never taken a snow day in homeschooling before, but sometimes you got to stop and throw a snowball or 2.

Pelting Dad with snowballs

Yesterday around 5pm

Today around 9:30am

We took a gorgeous walk through these woods this morning

A Bridge down in the woods behind our house

Will's 12th Birthday!

On January 17th, Will turned 12. We celebrated by spending a day at the lake. Will wanted to have a party with just his cousins. They are all a little obsessed with the movie Prince Caspian. They often play Narnia in the woods behind our house. Last fall they all made swords with scraps of wood from my brother's house. We upgraded everyone with new nerf swords. It was the coldest day in the past 3 or 4 years, but the kids braved the biting wind for a little while. Afterwards, they came in and warmed up with hot chocolate and video games on my parents big screen tv.

The King and Queens of Narnia

Chasing down Dad

Video time!

Uncle Tray's Birthday

We recently celebrated my brother's birthday at a Japanese steakhouse. It's always a fun time. The kids hadn't been to one since they were 3 and 5 so this was really a new experience. If you know Emily at all, you can imagine how thrilled and excited she was. She really loves life.

A few Final Christmas shots

I know, I know.... Christmas was over a month ago and I have been pretty slack at blogging recently. I just downloaded these pics from my camera and thought I would share a few before moving on to other topics.

Christmas Morning at Mimi and Pop's

What every teenage girl needs...make-up

"Thanks for the new Casting Crowns CD, Will"

The kids with their cousins in Birmingham.

I can't believe how old they all are

Allan's parent and Grandmother with the kids