Happy Anniversary!

March 1983 March 2008

To the world's bestest parents......Happy Anniversary!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

March 25, 19?? the world was not ready, but welcomed anyway, Phillip Scot Reed! And boy, it's never been the same! Here we are x amount of years later, celebrating that earth shattering event!!!

Really, my daddy is 51 today, and I love him dearly. We celebrated his birthday last weekend with smoked pork, bbq chicken, deer sausage, and the fixins! Then it was outside for fun, cake, and more celebrating!

First on the agenda.....roasting marshmallows to make smores!

Here's Noah, catching on fire....haha....

...and here's Pa-Pa helping him!

This is how his smore looked.....

....but where'd it go?


I even whined a little until someone fixed me one too! Baby loved it!

Uncle Ted talked about the war...he served in Vietnam aboard the USS Enterprise in the United States Navy.

And the kids had their own war.....playing water balloons!
Notice how far away those pictures are.....you didn't think I was gonna get up to take them did you?!?!?

This little dude loved it when the balloons popped, he didn't care where it landed or when it popped, he loved it!
Then it was time to blow out the candles.

We are so Martha Stewart too, here is just a piece of the cake in a bowl (no need to bring the whole cake out) and notice the candles, a number 5 then a single candle! That's 51!

Here's my uncle and my daddy, 2 of my 5 favorite guys in the world!

The 5 are of course: Jesus, Noah, Derrick, Daddy, and Uncle Ted!

All jokes aside....Happy Birthday Daddy, I love you, and I thank God for you daily and that you are my Daddy!

I wish you so many more!!! (Like 100 more ought to do it!)

Quickie---field trip and photo shoot!

This will be quick, as my camera batteries died (all three sets I had) but I did want to share a little about a field trip we went on, then some pictures Mr. Noah insisted upon!

First up, Sea, Sand, and Stars is Orange Beach Elementary's Science Dept./Museum. Really, it's hard to believe it's in our same school district.

Anyway, we were lucky enough to get to visit the Science and Nature Center that has lots of natives from our neck of the woods.

If you live where I live, I know you've seen him...

...and him!
And the teacher showed us more....
Then let us touch....see Noah listening to the ocean!

He and Conner were both drenched from almost "diving" into the touching pool!


Here's Mrs. Parsons, Noah's teacher, showing Noah and some classmates what she likes in the water!
Then they had a fish tank, a planetarium, and we had a picnic at the beach, and played frisbee....all while all 3 sets of my batteries were dead! But we had a great time either way!



The next day, I asked Noah if he'd take my picture, along with my belly, and he said, "Ok mom, but what about pictures of me?!?!" How could I resist?!?

He said this flag is his favorite place in our yard...hehehe!

RTR!

The apple tree and it's farmer .....
...and a close up!

And a couple of mom and baby-19 weeks!

See.....told ya that'd be quick! Be back soon with more!

The dust of His feet-Getting the Word!

As some of my readers know, I am currently enrolled at Family Ministries Bible Institute, and the course I am taking right now is called Knowing God's Voice. I think this is my 7th semester, maybe 8th. Either way, this past Monday night, after completing our lesson, we watched a clip from a DVD called In the Dust of a Rabbi: Becoming a Disciple. It's a commentary by teacher and historian Ray Vander Laan. Please read about this series here!

The clip we watched Monday night was the first session, which is when the Rabbi says, "Come." The movie was set in Didyma, and I was amazed at all the building I saw. When the Greeks built this temple, the Temple of Apollo, it had hundreds of huge columns all around the front of it. It took an estimated 57 years of a persons life to build 1 column. They dedicated their entire life for building a monument that was not for our true God.

Here I am making excuses about why I don't have time to read the Bible, or I'm too tired to go to Mid-Week service.

Anyway, in this temple, people would travel from all around to get an answer to a question about their life from their God, Apollo. They'dtravel as long and hard as necessary, and would take the whole family, because they'd be gone so long. The family would then wait their turn to go to the massive doors of the temple, where a priest of Apollo would greet them, and simply say, "Apollo will hear your question." Then the head of the family would speak out their question, which could be something like, " Can I switch trades, and if so, will it anger my God?" Then the doors would shut, and the family would wait. Sometimes for weeks. The priest then went to the back of the temple, to the oracle, which was usually an old woman who sat over an opening in the earth, and the commentator from the movie said she was sitting over something similar to glue fumes. Then the priest would ask the oracle the question. Then, when she felt like it, she'd give an answer. Then, when the priest felt like it, he'd go answer the family and they could return home.

The historian went on to say that Rabbis (which is what many called Jesus) studied the Word, lived the Word, and died the Word. They would say, "Come," and a true disciple would follow so that they could learn everything the Rabbi had to say. And as the name of the movie series may imply, "The dust of a Rabbi," the lesson out of the trip to Didyma was to show Christians that if the Pagan Greeks would go through such great lengths to get an answer from a God who isn't real, then we should follow Jesus so closely that we are in covered in the dust of His feet! And that's where I want to be! As the teacher from the movie said, "When Jesus says 'Come,' how close are you willing to follow?" That really got me to thinking. I was so happy our instructor showed the film. I want to see more of it! It has 5 sessions!

So, I had purposed in my heart Monday night after class that I would try to get so close to Jesus that he'd want me to get off His back! That He'd say, "Get back!" Or better yet, when the crowds are around Him, and I press through to get closer, He turns and says, "Someone touched me!" Anyway, what I am saying is, I want to be in the Word more, in prayer more, and love more. I want to know everything I can about Jesus outside in and inside out!

Well, the very next day, while I was on Facebook, I saw where a good friend of mine, who is so stinkin' smart, and has spoken at our Bible Institute, is starting a blog of his own, all about questions and answers from the Bible. His site is found here. I thought how fitting as I had just said I wanted to learn as much as possible about the Word!!! Please go check him out sometime. You will not be disappointed.

And, back to the Bible Institute Course, I believe I know and have heard God's Voice. No, not audibly, and as a matter of fact, a big part of our course is knowing God's voice when it isn't audible. But, I believe myself that after one clip of a video, which opened my eyes to what I should be doing, then the next day, me finding a blog from a well respected man who is very knowledgeable about the Word, confirming what I already felt on Monday night, that I do know God's voice, and I have heard it loud and clear!!!

So, when Jesus says 'Come,' how close are you going to get?

Our God is Greater

You cannot outgive God!

We need more school holidays!

Although we do not go to Mardi Gras, we are quite thankful for the 2 days out of school we get as a result of it!!!

As if our trip to Fairhope wasn't a treat enough, when I mentioned to Derrick that our neighbor was coming over Tuesday, he said, "Take them to see the Chuckster!!!"

So, that's what we did!

Before we left, I asked the kids to let me get a good picture of them.

Here's what we got!

Noah said, "Mom, I was fussin' because she wouldn't stop touching me!"

I sure hope to hear that ten years from now!

And seeing the Chuckster for us means crossing the State Line!
But before we cross it, we always pass this church. Derrick's Paw-Paw was the Pastor for umpteen thousand years! You know I love family ties, and thought it would be fitting to post this part of our heritage. And they've really fixed it up nice.

Anyway, after the longest ride ever for two 6 year olds, we made it!

Here was Noah a.k.a. Lebron's favorite game!
And Maddie was really good at this one...

And even I hit a jackpot or two...

They also liked to ride the rides!
And do the Cupid Shuffle with Chuck.


And of course, when the free tickets went to flyin', the kids went to catchin'!!!

We even got Chuck to say Cheese!
And he showed me some love too!

Then we had pizza!

We redeemed our 780 tickets, and went on our way, making a few stops on the way home, including an important one for an IceDream Cone!

We need more school holidays, but I might need more "back to school days!"

What happens in Fairhope.....

....stays in Fairhope, but not this time!!!

About every week or sometimes every other week, I go visit my Na-Na at her apartment in Fairhope. She's lived there most of her life, with the exception of Montgomery and Iowa, and she can tell you a story about every house on every street just about it!

I love when she shows me places that she or her sister have lived, and it's kinda sad to think that they are both widowed and have retreated to the apartments (they each have their own 1 bedroom unit!). Either way, she's been begging me to bring Noah, so yesterday, when our schools closed for Mardi Gras, we headed on over!

She wasn't there when we got there, she was running late at work; yes, she's "elderly" and she works 25-30 hours a week as a cashier! No rest for the weary!

So, we decided to head to the fish pond, and feed them some old bread.

Then she pulled in and said, "Come on, I am starving!" She asked Noah where he wanted to go, and he said, "Burger King!" She said, "Ok, have it your way!" haha

So, we stuffed our faces, and NaNa asked Noah, "Where do you want to go next?" He said, "No where." I said, "NaNa, take us where you want to go!"

Who knew that would be Fels Avenue Park?!?!?!

That's the same park where she took her own girls (one of them my mother!), and when I would stay weekends with her and PawPaw when I was little, they would take me there!!! Actually, I think she'd be at work, and PawPaw would take me there, right after we had coffee at Julwin's. Anyway, now, NaNa wanted to take Noah there!

My PawPaw built the bench NaNa is sitting on! He was with the Kiwanis Group.


There have been a couple of new additions since I was little, and I'd hope a lot of up-keep since my mother went there (uh.hum), but there were still some of my favorite things there too!

And Noah really liked looking through this real telescope!

After playing for about 1 1/2 hours, we left, because NaNa had bigger and better things on her mind!!!

This was a real surprise, and a little of a sacrifice-----after all, my NaNa had left for work at 5:30 am, got off at 11:15 am, took us to Burger King, and Fels Avenue, then drove around Downtown Fairhope during Mardi Gras crowds to make sure we got to go here! If you've never been to Downtown Fairhope during the Mardi Gras holidays, DON"T!!!! haha. People were dadgum everywhere! But, NaNa wanted to make sure Noah got to go to one of "her" favorite places!!! That's more like it! Oh, and I had a coupon! She used to own an Ice Cream Parlor before I was born, and she sold it when I was a little Tiff, and I told her if they'd kept it, we'd be rich!!! After we got our treats at Mr. Gene's Beans, they were lined up out the door!!!

Anyway, we enjoyed ourselves greatly, and made our way back to the apartments, on the way, NaNa showed me yet another place where someone has lived, this time it was Aunt Betty (her sister!) , and I think sometime (not Mardi Gras) I should have her start on one side of the town, and we'll work our way to the other, and I'll be snapping pictures of all of the history of my family!

Here's Noah with Aunt Betty and NaNa. Both of these old mares aren't what they used to be, but Noah made sure he stayed right with them both! He really does have a tender heart. And I know both of these ladies will be talking about this visit for the next few days anyway, till they forget!!!! Like I said, they aren't what they used to be!


And finally, while NaNa and I sat at the pond again, Noah found a friend with a fishing pole, he'd caught three, and he said if he'd caught another one, he'd let Noah reel it in, but no luck....it was too chilly. And, don't worry, although they were filleting size, he threw back his three, after gently removing them from his hook!

Until next time, when what happens in Fairhope, will stay in Fairhope!!!

Random....very!

By random, I mean random, but if interested, try and keep up!

First, Mr. Noah has learned what to do without training wheels on this thing!!!!

I am so proud of him!

Next, this past weekend, we had an overnight visitor....you may remember little Anthony.

And his parents chose the most appropriate shirt they could've sent to our house, and yes, Uncle Derrick did try to steal it!!!

Next, I was just reading the beginnings of All Things New, and I was totally shocked at how often I blogged, and how creative I was!!!! Wow! Hard to believe I wrote all of that stuff!!! Anyway, I have been wanting to do more, and stuff with more meaning, I have just been slack, but now after seeing my earlier work, I have become inspired to do more!!!! Share more!!! Right after this post....haha......you'll see!!! ;)

Next, see Buddy Boy.....

Here with Noah at Christmas 2008
Feb. 2010

Well, now, our sweet Buddy Boy, after surgery and an overnight vet stay, is more like Buddy-not-so-much-Boy! After 2 years, we decided finally to have him neutered! And they put this on him....

I think it bothers me more than it does him, but still, my poor Buddy Boy!!!

But, as always, I have already been shown a sermon.....that's right......it's mini-sermon time, but don't worry, I'm not a typical preacher, I will not take up an offering!!! haha.

Anyway, God showed me (in just a couple of hours) that He wants me (well, everyone) to be more like Buddy Boy! Let me explain, you know my sermons take a while to get it out!

Buddy is quite child-like. He is rambunctious, he likes to play, and run, and he trusts anyone.

So, I took Buddy for a ride yesterday, to the vet, and boy was he excited. I'm sure he was thinking "My lucky day...woof woof!"

But, then, I just left him there, under the care of the doctors and staff, to be neutered. I'm sure when he came out of anesthesia, he was trying to remember why he was thinking it was his lucky day!!! Either way, vet's office said he did great and that after 24 hours, I could come get him.

So, I get there to get him, and he was still excited to be around other dogs, but he was more excited to see me!!! I figured after the way I felt yesterday, he'd never want to see me again!!! haha, But, dogs are "man's best friend" right?!?

So, I got him home, took him to the backyard, just in case he needed to potty, and then brought him on inside (which we don't do much, because he's been quite rowdy in the past!), and he's been following me around ever since. Literally. As I sit here now, typing this, he is just staring up at me, with that big lampshade collar on, and his tail is just a waggin'!

He's not jumping all over me like he normally does (he's probably afraid his insides will fall out!) and I am sure he'll get back to his normal rowdiness soon, but right now, he's just standing and staring! If I go to the kitchen, he follows. When I went to the bathroom, you guessed it, he followed.

The point is, (hey, that's not too bad), that even though things didn't maybe go his way yesterday, with the surgery and being left overnight, and wearing the lampshade, he still trusts me, and has not taken his eyes off of me!!!!

Don't you think God wants to be able to see if we can just go by faith, fully trusting Him, without murmuring, and be able to trust Him, follow Him, and not take our eyes off of Him!

So, thanks Buddy for showing me this kind of faithfulness. I know that no matter what else happens with who else or what else, this puppy is countin' on me!!!! Him loves him mama!!!!

And, thanks a million Lord for showing me this! I'll plan on not turning my eyes away from You, and I'll follow You in faith!!! This has been humbling Lord, Thanks again!

Here's to future posts.....

Remember, God makes All Things New!!!