Waverly Tennessee

On May 21, 2010, Noah B. Givens headed to Waverly, TN with his MeMe and Poppy, and on May 28,2010, we decided to go ourselves and join him and them for a week!!! I really didn't think D was going to let him go, but he did, and Noah had a blast. As for us, I stayed very busy with the garden, the flower beds, and the housework, D worked a bunch, and MeMe and Poppy are exhausted!!!

So, we surfed in the creek some! The creek was totally changed due to the flooding. The whole town, and surronding areas were pretty sad. Wet, moldy wood, sheetrock, and insulation was at the end of every driveway. MeMe and Poppy were blessed that their creek only came to the back of their house, and went back as quickly as it rose!

Little did I know that we would end up in Paris....Paris Tennessee that is!

And after Paris, we, being the world travelers we are, went to Kentucky to a little town called Horse Cave, where they have a cave and family park called Kentucky Down Under.It has lots of animals, including Kangaroos, and Noah loved it! And don't forget the cave tour, where we were told, "DO NOT TOUCH THE ROCKS!!!"

There are always two in our group who do not follow instructions!!!

I could never post all 561 pictures I took during the week, but I wish I could! It's really a very neat place, if you're ever in the area. The below picture is of Derrick and Noah petting a spoiled kangaroo!



Then it was on to something else....like Dinosaur World!

And, Noah has asked us every day since, when can we go to dinosaur world again!!!

As we were walking down the trail, which consisted of over 100 life size dinosaurs in the woods, Noah, the tour guide, led us like this...

"We are on a dinosaur journey. Many years ago, dinosaurs lived on the earth, with volcanoes!!!"

He's very observant to say the least!

I have spared you from all of the dinosaur pictures that our little guide insisted I take, but I did think it was neat that he got to dig for fossils and keep three of his favorites. Of course, he picked three teeth from a real "Sharp Tooth Dinosaur!"
And finally, after more relaxing, a little shopping, and a work day at the creek, we felt we deserved a nice trip out to eat for our last day with MeMe and Poppy, so we headed up to Clarksville (which also had massive flooding from the Cumberland River) to Logan's for some nice, juicy steaks!

So long Tennessee....until next time!

Women of Worth

Pictures first....story below!!!

This was the sun rising over the beach....the view from the balcony!

This was taken from the balcony outside of our room!

Baby Bella's first ladies retreat! (She's nursing and had to come, and didn't cause a lick of trouble!)

Here's Noah's mom & future mother-n-law Mrs. Heather! (Heather is Baby Bella's mom & she has an older daughter Abby)

Heather, Kendra (the hostess), Sis. Ann (our Pastor's wife), me, Wendy, and Tammy. This is just half of the ladies. We never did get a full shot of everyone!

I took over 100 pictures, but luckily for you I didn't post them all!!!

This past weekend, I got to spend a day and night with a wonderful group of ladies from our church. We meet the second Thursday night of every month, and call ourselves the Women of Worth, or WOW. We were so blessed to get an invitation to this huge 4 bedroom condo for one night, and we had a blast. It was so awesome to just get to know some of my sisters a little better, away from church, and to not have to worry about anything. The hostess with the mostess, Kendra, had a supper for us, snacks, coffee, and breakfast. It was wonderful!!!

We are already trying to plan another night like this one!

And I can't wait!!!

Moving Forward

This has been on my mind lately....so here it is.

Sometimes in life, we get busy. Busy sometimes with the wrong things. Either way, we get busy, and it seems like things are not going to work out the way they were planned to. Our ways are not His ways, and His ways are not ours! Sometimes, rather than focus on what's going to happen, or how it will happen, I feel like the focus should be on Who is gonna make it happen.....whatever it is will be for our own good.....for God's plan for us is:

1. to prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers

2. plans for good and not evil

3. life, and life more abundantly!!!

Those are just three of God's promises that have been on my mind lately....there is a whole book of these little promises!!!

And, of course, it's easier to say all of this than to put it to practice, but it's just been on my mind lately, and since I'm a blogger, not a preacher, I felt lead to share it on here!

Ya know, we have a little bird feeder right outside of Noah's bedroom window, just at the end of our front porch. We love to watch the different birds fly up and eat, then go to the bird bath and play. We probably have around, oh I don't know, at least 10 different birds that come eat everyday, and it's a lot to watch.

God sees every bird, all of the time.

If he watches even the birds, then surely, absolutely, INDEED, He sees His daughter, and knows what is best for me!

Also, remember, the devil knows your past, but God only knows your future! So, anytime I try to decide what will happen next, I can always rest assured that God already knows it, and He is working all things for my good!

One last thing, then I'll stop! The words below are to a song that we sing at church (it's not my church...it's His!) and it's called Moving Forward by Israel Houghton. I always like to share songs on here just the words, not any videos or music, because then the focus may shift to the persons talent, rather than the realness of the lyrics. So I'll leave you with these powerful words!!!

What a moment You have brought me to

Such a freedom I have found in You

You're the Healer

Who makes all things new

Yeah yeah yeah

I'm not going back I'm moving ahead

Here to declare to You

My past is over in You All things are made new

Surrendered my life to Christ

I'm moving, moving forward

You have risen

With all power in Your hands

You have given me

A second chance

Hallelujah hallelujah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

You make all things new

Yes You make all things new

And I will follow You Forward

School days

Today is Noah's last day of speech, in August he will be in Kindergarten!!! And he'll be going to the same school that his mom, and his pa-pa went to!

And he cannot wait! He asks me everyday if he can go to Kindergarten now!!!

His speech teacher says that he is doing so good. He has learned really fast, and that's really something to be proud of!

Noah Bryant-----my Kindergartener!

Great Giveaway!

A very dear, crafty friend of mine is having her very first giveaway! I read her blog often (her daughter is married to my cousin, so I love her pictures of her grandchildren!!!) and I love seeing her sewing projects!

To enter:

http://thangsandstuff.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-first-giveaway.html

And follow her easy instructions!!!

Good Luck!!!

Thank you Lord...

...for Your blessings on me!!!

Mother and Son on Mother's Day 2010!

Wifey and Hubby on Mother's Day 2010

My Family on Mother's Day 2010!

I am so blessed, and highly favored!

Her children arise up,

and call her blessed; and her husband also, and he praiseth her.

I would say that it would be undisputed with my brother and sister that we have the best mom on the planet!!!

And my daddy would agree too!

I also have a wonderful grandmother that's still here on earth pictured here with my nephew. She, although two of her three children have went to be with Jesus, deserves a wonderful Mother's Day. She is a very good example of how to be tough.

Up next is my mother-n-law. She always has sound advice, and seeks wisdom from God. She has two children, a daughter and a hunk of a son, and I am honored to be his trophy wife, and his mom's other daughter

And, although I had three aunts to start with, I was very close to this one, particularly in recent years, after my other aunts passed on, but every year I gave Aunt Ruby a Mother's Day card and gift, so even though she is in heaven, with her mom, I want to honor her too! Golly, I still miss her so much. It's still so hard. But, I am very happy that she is with King Jesus, in a place where the prettiest bed of flowers will be blooming.

Lastly, I'd like to thank God that he chose me to be the mother to a wonderful Noah Bryant!

12 hours after having a baby, as illustrated in the above picture, I no longer cared about my makeup, my hair style, or any of my other needs. It totally turned around in a matter of seconds, and what I wanted or needed no longer mattered.

One thing I will say about motherhood, as much as I love it, is that it is very hard work!!! Being a mom, yes even with one child, is very hard, physical and emotional work. And it's a job that will hopefully never be done. At 19 years old, I became a mother, and will be till I'm 119!!! I love that little boy with all of my being.

Her children arise up, and call her blessed.

Happy Mother's Day.