hE iS fAiThFuL

Yep... He is FAITHFUL!! 


I've had an exciting week.  I wanted to blog about it yesterday, but I got agitated while I was blogging yesterday and it just made me not wanna write anymore... so I stopped.  So I will enlighten you today! And I'm glad I waited so now I can tell you some really amazing stuff that happened last night! 


#1 So we are still collecting money for our Belize trip... only a month out! CRAZY! BUT... 2 weeks ago we were still lacking $10,000! OUCH!! Well... our God had been working... we are only lacking $2,000 now! Yep, He is FAITHFUL!  Jacob has been a little stressed about this since he's the leader and all.  I'm just the wife so I don't worry about money (never have)... I just prayed.  He listens... so that's good.  But this week we had a very FUN-draiser (get it?).  It's called STROKES OF FAITH... basically it's an awesome painting party! Check it out:

Some of our Belize Team

It was a blast and they painted such pretty pictures! We made about $700 too! :) FANTASTIC! 

#2 I got to see some very special people... I love them lots. They stopped for a visit on their way home from the beach!!! 

THE COKERS!!!! :) 

I got hug on Isaac Henry and his hot momma! It was glorious! I needed some bestie time... even if it was short. I'll take all I can get! 

#3 THE CONNECTION BANQUET!!!!!!!!! So... my heart has been a little anxious about this event for quite some time now. Our goal was to put Luke 14 into action:

the faithful men of the Connection ministry...
always there... always serving

¹² Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. ¹³ Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

So... we wanted to put these verses into action through our Connection ministry. We wanted people from our church involved and our goal was just to LOVE on those who came. We wanted to just smother them in Jesus' love!  We rounded up people to get table cloths, make centerpieces, bring fancy dinnerware, bring giveaways, etc! We went door to door inviting people with fancy banquet invitations.  We prepared grilled chicken, baked potato, salad, rolls, sweet tea, and lemon pie.  And we prayed for God to move! 

I was nervous that no one would show up. And it looked that way for a few minutes... and then they came! And they kept coming!!! We didn't know how many to plan for because in recent months, not many people have been coming. But last night... we fed 45 people and then had to turn some people away because we ran out of chicken! It was nuts! I was so pumped and joyful because HE IS SO FAITHFUL! 

Me and Miss Leah Beth. She's precious and quite funny. She loves Jesus.
She told me I didn't know who I was talking to when I was talking to her.
I asked her what she meant... she said "Hunny, I am a child of God. I KNOW HIM.
He reveals Himself to me... and I know you is chosen."
I said "YES MA'AM!" :)
I like her... querks and all! 

I've also been a bit discouraged about door to door.  We go every month and invite person after person... and then no one shows up.  Last Sunday I did NOT want to go door to door.  But... I've come to the conclusion when you really don't want to do something that has the potential to impact the Kingdom... you better do it! That's just Satan trying to stop ya! So... I went.  And we had about 15 people come because of our sharing and inviting on that Sunday!!!! Gosh... God loves me so well.  He loves on me in only a way He can. He gives my heart's desires in CRAZY ways. And I am ever grateful. 

These ladies right here are something special. These are the Connection ladies - faithful and true! 

Mrs. Hilma, in the middle, is the cook and she keeps us straight! We love her dearly! 

Thankful for RADICAL women like these in my life! 

All that to say... WOWZERS... God is just good! Now... onward to my great week's adventures. Needless to say... I'M PUMPED!!!  I would like to leave you with one of my favorite videos EVER. I kept this little boy at the parents night out we had... CRACKED me up!!! And now... introducing Gunner singing "Yion King" (that was not a typo... that's how he says it)

Thanksgiving Picture EXPLOSION!!!!

Last week was GREAT and as promised... a picture EXPLOSION right here for you. Are you ready??? Here it goes!!! 

The First ever Connection Thanksgiving dinner

It was wonderful and made my heart so full!!! 

It was very humbling at the same time. I went to each table and asked what they were thankful for this year. I had asked my Bible study girls this same question a week before and got answers like: phone, car, clothes, family, friends, etc.  - the typical teenage girl answer.  The answers that my friends at Connection gave me were quite different.  Every table answered the same: "I'm just thankful to be alive!"  WOW!! How often do I take that for granted!! I am so thankful for my friends that come every month to eat dinner with us.  I am truly thankful to be alive and trust in a LIVING Savior! 

FAMILY THANKSGIVING!! YUM!!! 

Here's me and my hotty totty hubby!!! :) We are thankful for each other!! He's the only boy that could EVER understand me!!! :)

We had Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house (the 2nd from the right). Her house is AWESOME and has a table that can sit 14!!! It was SO awesome to eat lunch ALMOST all together!!! The picture above is a picture of my mommy and her lovely sisters!!!! They are a hoot!! Funny story about the turkey - mom had to go pick it up from my cousin's restaurant.  The guy told her to heat it for 3 hours in the oven and it would be good to go.  So mom, being a good person, followed the instructions. Well, when we arrived at Sue's house to reveal the yummy turkey. Sue unwrapped the foil, stood starring for a moment, and then said "Kay... did you not take the plastic off?"  Ha! :) Mom cooked the turkey, lovingly named Tom, in the plastic!! It was still yummy... just look at him! 

Here's the famous mac!!! It was SOO GOOD!!!!!! I want more now! 

Here's my precious grandparents!!! I love them! Nanny and PawPaw! 

Here's us with Nanny and PawPaw!!! Please note... I am turning into my Nanny - I hope I'm as cute as her when I'm 80!! Jacob has a lot of entertaining coming with me! 

Me and my mommy!! :)

Please notice the cute little one in the pic... he wanted to be in every picture... so of course we let him.  His name is ClayTON.  He's my cuzzy's son! 

Here's ClayTON - PRESH!! 

Here's the Morgans and the Wombles!! My cuzzy and his cute wifey, Ashley!! Love them! 

On to the Morgan Family Dinner: 

Walt was forced to watch the festivities from the backyard. He was heart-broken, but o so cute! :)

Me and lil' Johanna!!She was so cute in her gobble gobble outfit!!! :) 

The Morgan brothers!!! :) 

Father and son!! 

I'm upset we didn't get a big family picture at the Morgans.  Jacob's Nanny takes a TON of pictures at every event, but I don't have a copy of them. 

NASHVILLE and ISAAC HENRY!!!! 

I MET HIM!!! He's perfect!!! He's soo tiny and lanky and I LOVE HIM!!!! 

Me and my BESTIE Em! :) I love her a lot! 

Some of my FAVORITEST people in the whole world!!! It was so good to see them, love on them, hear about life, and enjoy a new cutie!! Lindsey Jo and Bryant are SUCH good parents. It warmed my heart to see them love on their son... love love love my time with them!! 

This is my favorite picture from the visit!!! Isaac Henry SCREAMING and Em laughing!!! That's usually how our life is!!! I LOVE IT! 

I want you all to know that I am a closet expert diaper changer!!!! Ask Em or LJ or my mom!! They'll tell ya!! I impressed myself! 

Saturday, me and Em went out with the moms shopping!! It was a joyous time and I thought we should remember it with this lovely picture of us and the HUGE ornaments!!!! 

I am so thankful for my Thanksgiving break!!!! 

This week!

This week is THANKSGIVING!!!! Here are the things I'm gonna do this week... I'm PUMPED!!!!

THIS WEEK, I PLAN TO:

• NOT work Wednesday-Sunday!! Woot woot!  I love my job... but I need a break!!! Can I get an AMEN?

• Have a Thanksgiving dinner with my church tonight!!! I am so thankful for my church family!!! So very thankful!! I have often taken them for granted and forgotten to love them - BUT I AM SO THANKFUL!!! I am thankful for growth, pain, love, fellowship, prayer, friends. I will put some pictures up soon of me and the beautiful older more experienced ladies of the church. They are precious!! 

• Wednesday is the CONNECTION THANKSGIVING DINNER!! I am so excited.  The idea and passion for the community bloomed from a simple thought of feeding the community on Thanksgiving.  It is finally happening and my heart is so stinking excited!!! Pictures of that will be up here ASAP!! Be in prayer! 

• Wednesday after the meal... me and my honey are HEADING HOME! Can't wait to be home with the fam! 

• Thursday is TURKEY DAY = lots of food. lots of laughs. lots of family!!! i love and am SO thankful for my family! For lunch we are going to my mommy's family at my aunt's new house! I can't wait to see all is swanki-ness!  For dinner we are going to Jacob's fam! We are gonna look like puffer fish with all the food we are gonna gobble down!! YUM! I'm pumped MOST for my aunt's mac and cheese!! it's the best!! It has like 7,000 different kinds of cheese and it's baked.  Ya know... I'm not much of a cook so I don't know the specifics I just know it's GOOOOOOD!

• Friday when most of you crazies are out shopping, I'M GOING TO NASHVILLE TO MEET THIS CUTIE: 

I finally get to meet IH!!! I'm so excited! Not to mention... I'm pretty jealous of the birthday shout out Em got!! Why can't my bday be AFTER IH's??? Ugh...

I know we are gonna laugh and coo and cuddle and be best friends.  Don't worry... we will talk to IH too!! haha!! I KNOW pics will be put up of this man too!

Needless to say... I'm pretty thankful for Thanksgiving week.  

Here's some other things I'm thankful for this year:

Girls that i LOVE and are hungry for Jesus like I'm hungry for mac and cheese!!! 

Girls who LOVE Jesus and ASL and are willing to dance and praise in front of a congregation!!! 

My mommy!!!! :) Thankful for time together at the Chris Tomlin/Christy Nockels concert, lots of shopping, and good food!!! 

Thankful for a wonderful hubby and a precious niece!!! :) 

Thankful... most of the times... for a CRAZY dog! He looks insane right here... he kind of is, but he brings laughs all day long except when he poops in THE FLOOR - he's done it twice this week!!! AHHH! We still love him... we just want him to control his bowels! ha! 

HAPPY ESCAPE-FROM-THE-WOMB DAY!!

ISSAC HENRY IS FINALLY OUT OF THE WOMB!!! 

hip hip HOORAY!!!! 

He looks so handsome and perfect and I can't wait to meet him and overwhelm him with all my love!!! Funny thing is me and Emily will be meeting him at the same moment... so... he really might be a bit overwhelmed!!! OR maybe he'll relish in our excitement, loudness, and craziness!! Then we will REALLY know he's Ljo's kid!!!! That will be the tell-tell sign!!! So... here he is:

That is Emily in the floating box... she was smart and skyped with the new nephew before all the people flocked to him.  I wasn't that smart! 


Here's when he was born... well a little after:

He's a healthy buddy!!!! Isn't he precious!!!! :)

I love him!!! I can't wait to squeeze him a bunch!!!! 

I hope he loves his Auntie Ann!! He has about 400 aunts so he's a lucky fella! all our girls will be fighting for his love!!! (and his mom's cooking!!)

happy birthday hank!! 

i love you lindsey jo! Good job! He's a hunk!