Bountiful Blessings - Day 3

"They came to Him and said, “Teacher, we know that You are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by others, because You pay no attention to who they are; but You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.  Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?  Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”   Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.  And they were amazed at Him."

--  Mark 12:14-15,17

Today's day number 3 of November's Bountiful Blessings. 

I'm thankful for the right to freely cast my vote to elect the leader's of this country -- on the small scale and on the large scale.  Freedom and the rights that come with it is something neverheard of in many other countries and something that I take for granted at times. 

With yesterday being Election Day, this right has been on my mind.  The freedom we experience every day in this country is because of nothing a single politician has done...or ever will do - but solely because God has blessed the U.S.A.  Sadly, those politicians (and voters as well) have let those Christian values that were the soul of this country fall to the wayside. 

In my opinion, I'm happy to see Republican leadership at the wheel to steer this country back in the right direction...as best as possible. 

I read this status of a Facebook friend today and thought it summed Election Day up perfectly.  It read:  "I am thankful the 'conservative, tea partiers' showed up to vote!!! You can keep the change ;)"

Good stuff. 

[Thanks KW!]

Bountiful Blessings - What are You "Grape-ful" For?

There's a little fun thing traveling the Facebook world for the month of November that focuses on "Bountiful Blessings."  The goal is to post one thing for each day of the month that you're grateful for. 

Who needs a reminder about how blessed they are??  Sadly, it's me.  I get so caught up in the day-to-day rat race of life that I so very often miss those blessings in disguise.  Honestly, if I made it a mission to sit down and write a list of the things I'm grateful for, it would probably be a book but I still struggle a lot with living in the here-and-now, or being enternally-minded.  The things of this world -- AKA 98% of that day-to-day rat race of life -- is only temporary.  I'm blessed beyond measure, but still constantly have to dig myself out of the mindset where I forget.

That being said, I'm quite excited to kick off Bountiful Blessings here on my little blog!  So, today is November 2 and I'm now a day behind on Bountiful Blessings.  Is this not so typical of me?  "A day late and a dollar short," I can remember my Daddy saying and it's something I repeat a lot. 

Day 1 - Bountiful Blessings:

I am grateful for My Jesus.  Talk about writing a book?  There's a whole study worth of goodness from just that one name - Jesus.  Jesus is the greatest gift I've ever received and one that I could never reciprocate.  (AND today is my birthday -- quite fitting, huh?)

Day 2 - Bountiful Blessings

This ties in with day 1...I'm grateful for God's grace.  Grace that forgives me time and time again over the same things that constantly trip me up.  And, oh, it's a laundry list:  Pride, jealousy, covetness...and goes on.  I sometimes catch myself disciplining Harrison and saying, "Why do I have to keep getting onto you for doing the same thing over and over??"  All the while, the Holy Spirit's dealing with me and saying the exact same thing.  Except that grace doesn't demand discipline - it forgives regardless of the crime. 

Partly related to this Bountiful Blessings stuff:  Harrison was supposed to choose 3 things that he's grateful for and take pictures of those things to school with him today for a special project.  After explaining to him what it meant to be grateful and what blessings were, he told me, "So I need a picture of us (meaning me & Justin) and a picture of Briggy and a picture of Tiny ("Tiny" is Tyler, his cousin and BFF).  Those are vangs I'm grape-ful for." 

What are you "grape-ful" for?

Memory Monday

As we just celebrated Halloween this weekend, Memory Monday is quite fitting to take a look back at Halloween 2009.  I remember Harrison wanted to be a cowboy last year and we threw together a simple cowboy outfit with toys and such he had on had.

Fast forward one year...He decides he wants to be a cowboy again.  Yay!  We already had all the goodies for another cowboy.  I did take a few minutes to make him a faux-leather vest and chaps to church it up a little.  Pictures to come on that soon!

Looking at these pictures from last year, it's strange how different his look has changed in only one year.  He's lost that "baby" face and is looking more and more little boy-ish.  He does, however, still have the freckles and Mama l.o.v.e.s. that boy's freckles!

Little Cowboy

Howdy Partner!

Trick or Treat!

Wordless Wednesday

50 is Fabulous

Our "B" is the big 5-0!

To celebrate, we had quite the celebration with lots of family and friends in attendance.  It was a fun time of laughs, fellowship, and remembrance.

Harrison had spent the day of the party practicing his little songs and his memory verses.  He told me, "...Ummm, I vank I'm prolly gonna do like 4 songs and maybe 3 burses."  We didn't actually think he'd actually go through with it, but were totally surprised.  No need for a deejay, he was our entertainment!  In true Harrison style, he belted them out like the little country boy he is.  We were cracking up! 

I am so grateful our friend Michele captured a few shots of his singing in the "maackerphone." 

 Love this picture, but it makes me wish we'd had coordinated our clothes a little better!

This boy is my heart

...and this one too!

Fair Fun

By far a highlight of fall for my Harrison is when the county fair rolls around.  This year's fair was no exception.  Now that he's a big Preschooler, his school had taken a field trip to the fair during the morning.  Sadly, he thought we were there to ride the rides and such, but this was not that kinda trip.  BUT, they got to see a chimpanzee show and tour the 4H animals being shown.  He still had a great time!

Needless to say, Justin and I made a point to take him again for the full experience.  My nephew Tyler (the cutie pictured above) is only 11 months younger than Harrison and those two guys are just the best of friends.  They had the most fun last year riding rides together, so we made sure Tyler (along with new baby sister Claire and Mom & Dad) joined us again.  Those critters had the most fun!  The lights, the rides, the animals...all wonderful. 

On the drive home, Justin and I were talking about what fun the boys had, but when they grow up they'll be totally disappointed.  The fair is unbelievably lame when you're a grown up...sad to say, but true. 

Until next year, Baker County Agricultural Fair!

**Don't you love the coordinating shirts??  Find out how to get yours here. **

He's so cute, it's scary!

Riding rides

(I can remember riding this same alligator-themed kiddie coaster when I was his age...crazy.)

That blur in the photo?  That would be two little fellas belting out belly laughs. 

Fishing Game champs

Daddy loves his Mini-Me Brig

Fishing Game

Memory Monday

** Wow...realizing it's been a good two weeks or so since I've posted.  Guess it's obvious that we've been running non-stop those past two weeks.  Needless to say, I'm back and lots of new posts filled to the brim with sweet boys to come!

Ah, Memory Monday, we meet again. 

One year ago, my little family of three was anxiously preparing the arrival of a new bundle of sweetness.  My very dear friend Jennifer of J. Higginbotham Photography did a special maternity portrait session to capture the beauty that was my ever-expanding waistline.  She was also gracious enough to snap a few shots of our family as three.   Even before I saw the proofs, I had no doubt the portraits themselves would be great.  Jennifer is a.w.e.s.o.m.e.  (Know those sweet pictures one my blog header?  Those are courtesy of her too.  She's the greatest.) 

What I was not prepared for the day I saw the proofs were the tears that would pour from my eyes.  Seeing my growing family truly brought tears to my eyes.  I have tearfully browsed these photos many, many times since that day with the goofiest grin on my face.

I am one b.l.e.s.s.e.d. girl.