What HOPE!

OH MY!

....oh my goodness, I was crying crocodile tears watching this slideshow. My kids came in the room and wondered what was wrong with me!

    For many years, the music of SELAH has been a blessing to my life.  A few years ago we went to a fundraiser for the local crisis pregnancy center and SELAH gave a concert. There are some songs they sing that speak volumes to me. The lead singer w/the group is Todd Smith, and this slideshow was made for his daughter, Audrey Caroline, who is now in the arms of Jesus. It is written and sung by her parents. AND for 9 months they experienced "life" with her in her mother, Angie's womb. Just an unbelievable testimony. Everytime I've read an update I cry. I just can't imagine. 

   I think what strikes me the most in the slideshow is the JOY and the LIFE that they express even in the face of death. wow. It's only because of JESUS and I know HE has carried them through this valley, just as Angie carried such a precious baby. What a promise...... "I Will Carry You" from our Heavenly Father. They have that HOPE and therefore in those pictures you sense peace, you see smiles, you see love, you see HOPE....you see JESUS!

Romans 15:13

"Now may the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit."

CORN on the COB

What CORNY faces!
Tonight we enjoyed one of our favorite & fun vegetables for dinner, along w/salad & tuna.
I was proud of myself for having a meal with all the food groups. :-)
One of ours doesn't like corn, so as you can see he made faces with corn chips instead.
Two of the boys lost teeth this past week, one is missing the top two, and the other is missing the bottom two. It was funny watching them "work" at eating the corn! We had quite a few laughs at dinner tonight!

~Canyon Lake~

~2001~

 Canyon Lake

My girl loved the lake!

And she still does!

She also loves her little cousins

who very much enjoys the lake!

Today we went out to Canyon Lake, which is about 30 minutes northeast of where we live. I have great memories of many days & evenings spent at the lake when we used to live out there. It was when our oldest two were little, and then our 3rd was born out there also. Not "at" the lake, but ya know, at the house we lived in for 2 1/2 years right down the street from the lake. :-)  It really is a beautiful lake, especially in the spring. It's man-made, as the Guadalupe River flows into and out of it. 

   The kids had a blast out there today. And the weather was absolutely glorious. Lys and I were constantly counting 10 heads, well really 9 since the baby stayed right there by us. We only had one scare when my nephew ran out of breath, well basically just panicked out in the deep and alerted us with screams. It was hard to tell if it was drama or real, but Lys wasted no time running out into the water clothed to rescue him. 

   Back when we used to live out there she and I would take the ONLY 4 kids we had between us (and the two others that also were born while we lived there) to the lake quite often. (see picture at the top of the post) Time sure has flown by. How fun to watch these kiddos all growing up together. And how fast they all multiplied in number too!

     Our husbands were working out  there this afternoon near the lake, but then they joined us just before sunset. Seth brought everyone sub sandwiches & chips for dinner and we left just before the lake park closed! 

THEN, as 2 year olds.....

NOW as 8 year olds!

Whenever we go out to CL, which really has only been a couple times a year recently, I tell myself that I need to go out there more often. It's really the only thing I miss about living out there.......the LAKE!

So I'm thinking

.....that I am going to start up this blog now. And that it be more than just a picture post. 

Or that I will post one picture a day to sum up my day, or something random like that. 

I just don't know if anyone even reads this blog over here instead of xanga. 

Just can't decide which one to keep up. So, if you read this one, let me know. And if you're a blogspot blogger, tell me why you prefer it. thanks~