Chase's Chorus Concert

WOW!! The last 2 years Chase has been in year round school, so I don't think we have experienced the end of the school year "stuff " like we have this year!! It just seems like there is something else to go to or do everyday!! Don't miss understand...I am thrilled that Chase is getting involved and I am so proud of all the things that she has accomplished this year. Maybe this is a good lead in for next school year!! (Between Chorus, and Pep Squad, and Yearbook Staff...next year is going to be a full year and this is only extra-curricular activities)

Here are a few pictures from her concert!! We had a great time!! And we had a special guest to show up to see Chase perform...The Worship Leader from Luthersville Baptist came to support Chase. Chase was so excited to see Celeste there...It really meant the world to her!! Thanks Celeste for taking the time out of your day to come and support Chase we all appreciate it more than you know!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY: What Could I Say Really??

Thank you Veterans!!

Today is the day we observe Memorial day!

We remember those who have put their lives on the line to keep this country free and we remember those who have given their lives for our freedom!

I come from a Military family, my dad, his dad, and his granddad!! My dad is retired from the US Air Force, he proudly served his country for 22 years, first in the US Navy for 4 years and then in the US Air Force for 18 years! I am so proud of my dad and all the sacrifices he made to help keep this country free, for me, for my children, and for my grandchildren. Thank you Dad, for your service, thank you for teaching me to love this country, thank you for making me proud to be an American!!

This is my dad in the Navy:This is my dad in the Air Force:

Here are a few more pics of my dad from his years in the USAF

(My dad is the one in the white hat!)

This is my dad today!! Isn't he cute in his overalls??

I would also like to thank my brother Robert, for his service in the US Navy, thank you for the sacrifices you made to serve your country!

Thank you to my son Matthew, who is currently serving in the US Coast Guard, I am so proud of you, Matthew and I am thankful to you for all you do to serve your country!!

This is my Uncle Berryman Warren who served in the US Navy, he was my mom's brother!

My nephew Coy also serves in the US Navy!!

Thank you to all the men and women who have served this country or who are presently serving!! We know the sacrifices you are making and we are so thankful!!

Please remember Freedom does not come Free!!

And My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

(II Chronicles 7:14 NASB)

Honors Day at Smokey Rd Middle

Chase came home the other day with an invitation for us!! We were invited to the Honors Day program...which of course meant that Chase would be recognized!! We are so proud of Chase!! She has attended 3 schools in the last 3 years, and through all that transition she still manages to keep her grades high! Chase is an excellent student and we are so proud of her!! Just a little side note: Chase is in Advanced math and about 2 weeks ago her Social Studies teacher called me and asked for my permission to recommend Chase for Advanced Social Studies!! Way to Go Chase!! We are so proud of you!!

Chase before school

Here we all are at the Honors day awards ceremony!

Chase was recognized for having All A's and B's for the entire school year (Wake Forest included) and She also received an Award for her earning a Superior rating on her solo at the District 6 Solo/Ensemble

In addition to these 2 awards, Chase also received an award for participating in the District 6 Coweta County Honor Chorus (Chase has also been asked to try out for All State Chorus next year as an 8th grader) she was also recognized for Perfect attendance for 9 weeks (that means no absences, no tardies, and no early release), she was treated to a donut breakfast for that one!!

Billy's Birthday Gift!!

We have been so busy the past couple of months, so between our schedule and Brian's work schedule we haven't had a chance to give Billy his Birthday gift!! So the other day just by chance we called to see if Brian was working (we never know his schedule...I'm not sure he does...Brian is a manager at Red Lobster) We called and Brian, Gerie and Billy were out and about so we arranged to meet them for lunch! We haven't seen them in about a month, so it was so nice to have time to spend with them! After lunch we invited them to our house to spend so more time together and let Billy play the Wii and also to give him his birthday gift!:) Gerie already had plans for what she needed to do that day, so Brian and Billy came over!! We had a really good time...Brian played Guitar Hero, he was pretty good!! Unfortuanely, I didn't think to get any pictures of that...I was having too much fun watching Brian "rock out" then Billy played some Wii golf and some Wii baseball with Granddaddy, by that time...I was headed back to Newnan to pick up Chase from school and when we got home...Billy opened his present from us!!

Billy turned 4 years old on April 22nd and He is a little computer wiz! (: So we got him a Webkinz Jr. It's the same as a Webkinz, but a Bigger animal and the website is especially designed for ages 3 to 6...We also got him a SpongeBob Squarepants puzzle!!

Billy loved his dog...I don't think he totally understood what his doggy would do, but Aunt Chase took him to the computer and showed him what cool stuff his doggy would do!!!

Billy named his dog "Harry"

Happy Birthday Billy...Sorry we were so late getting your present to you!! We love you and we hope you are having fun playing with Harry on the computer!!

Luthersville Baptist Church

It took us 3 years to get here, but waiting on the Lord is always worth it!! We moved to Wake Forest, NC in May 2006 for Tommy to attend the College at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tommy knew the Lord was calling him into full time ministry, so we set off to prepare for whatever the Lord called us to do!! Tommy wasn't sure at that time that the Lord was calling him to be a Pastor, although I knew Tommy had a pastor's heart! (And not just me...many people have sensed that in him as well!) We were just open to go and do whatever the Lord called us to do. The Lord has truly blest our obedience. Tommy has spent the last 3 years going to school full time and preparing for this very moment!! Tommy graduated this past December with an Associate of Divinty Degree and since that time (actually before graduation) we have been prayfully seeking a full time ministry position...Today our prayers have been answered!! We have been actively talking with the pastor search committee from Luthersville Baptist Church, in Luthersville, GA. Which is about 15 miles from our hometown of Newnan, GA. Tommy preached at Northside Baptist Church (our home church in Newnan) for Luthersville's pastor search committee on March the 29th. We then had a meeting with them on Sunday, April 26th. They gave us a proposal and they informed us that they intended to recommend us to the church for the Senior Pastor position!! They announced to the church the following Sunday, May the 3rd that they had a candidate that would preach on Sunday, May the 10th (Mother's Day). At that time some of the members asked if we could come by on Saturday, May the 9th for a Meet & Greet time...which we thought was a great idea!! Saturday went great!! We felt very welcomed and that things were very positive when we left on Saturday! We were also invited to a breakfast at 8:30a Sunday morning, we had a great time getting to fellowship with the church members before the service. We had a wonderful service, Tommy spoke on Hannah being a woman of faith and it was evident that the Lord was present in the service. We were told before the service that they would actually conduct the vote the following Sunday, so we still had one more week to pray and seek God's leading for Tommy, for our family and for Luthersville Baptist Church. We were notified shortly after the service today that Tommy(and Chase and I) had been voted in as Pastor (and family) of Luthersville Baptist Church...We are more than thrilled!! We have felt the Lord's working in all aspects of this process!! We are looking forward to this new adventure in our walk with the Lord! We thank everyone who has been praying for us and we ask you to continue to pray that the Lord will do great things through us at Luthersville Baptist Church!!!

Here are a few more pics of the church and their Mission House:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! (Phil 4:4 NASB)

Happy Mother's Day!!

~Happy Mother's Day~

Today is kind of a bittersweet day for me...I lost my mother when I was 8 years old and I miss her always, but especially on this day!! It has gotten alittle easier since I became a mother...Chase and the boys have brought so much joy and happiness into my life I can't even begin to explain...I am sure every mom feels the same way I do about their children. I count it a privilege to be their mom and I love them all dearly. And I would like to say something to each of them!! I will go by birth order!!

Brian...I know you are not my son by birth, but you are in my heart...I love your kindness and your compassion, and your laid back nature...You are a great blend of your mom and your dad!! I am so proud of the man you have become...I love watching you with Billy, you are a great dad and I count it a privilege to be your step-mom!! I love you Brian with all my heart!!!

Nathan...I will start the same with you...I know you are not my son by birth, but you are in my heart...I couldn't love you anymore than I do...I love your humbleness and your sense of humor, you get both from your dad...and you have alot of your mom in you as well, her love of sports was definitely something that she pasted on to you!! I love so many things about you, but your ability to make me laugh is probably the thing I love most!! You are a great man, and father and I love seeing you with Jacob and Kinley!! I am proud of you and as I told Brian I count it such a privilege to be your step-mom!! I love you Nathan with all my heart!!!

Matthew...I don't want to seem like I am saying the same thing over and over because you are all special to me in your own way and in our seperate and equally important relationships, you are not my son by birth, but you are my son nonetheless...I have loved you since the first time I held you in my arms...you were about 3 months old!! You are so much like me it's scary!!! I love that though...I love that we have such a wonderful mother/son bond that can never be broken~ I will say you may look and act like your dad, but there is still alot of your mom in you!! And she would be so proud of all three of you boys!! As am I!! I love that I can talk to you three times a day and still be on the phone for hours at a time!! I love that we never run out of things to say to each other...I love your kindness and your sense humor!! I love your service to your country!! I love that you put your family first!! I love that you are such a great dad to Hannah and Kaleb...I am so proud to call you my son!! and like your brothers...I count it a privilege to be your step-mom!! I love you Matthew with all my heart!!!

Chase...My daughter, my love, my life...I count it a privilege to be your mom!! You are all I could have ever dreamed of in a daughter...You are not perfect (none of us are) but baby you are close enough to perfect for me!! I love your kindness and compassion...I love that you are so much like your daddy!! I also love that you are so much like your brothers!! I love to hear you sing and I love that you take great pics of me and I love that you have my eyes!! You are my every dream come true!! You are my greatest joy...I am so proud of the young woman that you are becoming!! Keep your eyes focused on the Lord and I know He is going to do great things through you!! I love you Chase with all my heart!!!

I thank God daily for my boys and my daughter!! I thank the Lord that each of them have accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord and that each of them live out that love they have for the Lord...I am also thankful for 3 wonderful daughter-in-laws...Gerie, Hester, and Sarah...Thank you for all you do to make my boys happy and for the wonderful job you do raising our grandkids!!

I have to say being a Mimi has been one of the greatest experiences ever!! Hannah, Billy, Jacob, Kaleb, and Kinley mean the world to me and I thank God daily for their lives and for the joy they bring to our lives!!

Here are a couple of pics of me with my Mother's day present from Tommy and Chase:

My new Touchscreen Cellphone...I love it!!!

I told you Chase takes great pics of me right???

Superior Rating - Way to go Chase!!

Chase went to the District Six Solo/Ensemble today...She was judged using the same criteria that is used to judge large groups at chorus festivals!! She was judged on Tone, Intonation, Diction, Technique, Interpretation, Musical effect, and also choice of music, stage performance, and appearance!! Chase earned a Superior Rating for all catagories!! We are so proud of her!!

Honor Chorus Performance

As I mentioned in a previous post...Chase is in the Coweta County Honor Chorus. Saturday was the performance, so per Tara's request I videoed a little of the performance to try and upload...I actually tried videoing a clip with my regular camera hoping I could upload the video better. So far I have been unsuccessful at ever uploading videos!! And unfortuantely this time is no different I have tried and tried and I just do not know how to upload a video...Sorry :(

Here are a few pics from the performance!!

Sierra looks a little like her Aunt Heidi in this pic!!

Chase and Sierra

Sweet Isabelle...We Miss You so much!!

Fun with Jacob & Kinley

Today while Nathan and Hester were getting the rest of their things moved into their new home, Granddaddy and Mimi got some time with Jacob and Kinley.

First we went to Chick-fila for breakfast and some fun on the playground

Kinley wasn't sure about the slide at first, but after Jacob coaxed her down the first time...then we couldn't keep her off of it!!

Now on to Granddaddy & Mimi's house for some more fun!!

A fun day was had by all!!!