My Monday...on Wednesday

I have to read this verse several times a day...the anxiety sets in every time I think about our NWA house. Maybe you need to hear this today too.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts, and your minds

in Christ Jesus."

Phil. 4:6-7

Puppy Love

I promise we let nothing bad happen to the puppy! Claire wanted so badly for the puppy to sit in her chair. She sure did love playing with her:)

Lent

Ash Wednesday has come and Lent has begun! My grandparents are faithful believes in lent and have for every year that I can remember given up their evening adult beverages during this time. Being they are part of the generation that the man arrived home from work at 5:00 on the dot and the "June Cleaver" would have already dropped a couple of ice cubes in the clear drink and added a couple of olives on the little plastic sword just as the front door opened....Awww! the stresses of the day disappeared for a brief second. Olives...don't you have things that trigger memories??...I will forever associate olives with my grandfather, he always let me have one of the olives off of his sword. I am sure you know my grandfather's drink of choice. And when you reintroduce the olives on the sword on Easter Sunday, let's just say we have had some good laughs! (please don't get me wrong I would never classify my grandparents as heavy drinkers) So, back to Lent...this year I have given up the social networking of Facebook, not that I am on it all the time but I just don't even want to be tempted to go sit on the computer when I could be doing things around the house or spending time with the family!! Have a wonderful LENT!!!

My Monday

Nothing in Life

Can Hold More Joys or More Tears

Can Make You More Proud or More Tired

or Give Back More Rewards

THAN BEING A MOTHER.

"You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Psalms 139:13-14

Party Girl

Last weekend, Claire and I made a quick 24 hour trip to Little Rock. We hosted a Kelly's Kids party, attended two birthday parties, and soaked in some family time. Auntie Emmie and Uncle Josh even came from NWA and all the cousins came for the trunk show. Such a Wonderful weekend! Coloring with the cousins during Kelly's Kids

Aunt Liz, Mimi, Pop Pop...Claire still wanting to play

Miss Claire loved the Water Station at Becca's Birthday

Claire LOVED The Wonder Place...a second visit is in our future:)

Tree House Slide

Playing Vet

She had to steal some one's tractor:)

Ruth's Birthday...Wheels at the Skating Rink

Mac and Cheese Anyone?

Need less to say all this partying made for one tired little girl....and her momma!

Puppies!!!

Claire helping with the pups...I promise no puppy was hurt while shooting these pics:)

We have 12 Lab puppies at our house...it is a zoo! If you know anyone in the market for a great hunting dog send them our way. The cute pups are AKC Registered, Champion Bloodline AFC, NFC, MH, JH and will be ready for their new homes the end of February. We have black male and female available. They are at the fun age now and I am just trying not to get attached to any of them:)

Blizzard 2010

My heart was so happy on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning...it finally snowed!!! I was so jealous of the rest of Arkansas and the winter wonderland that landscaped the state. I was praying for just enough snow that Claire could play in it and it would make everything beautiful, but not make driving hazardous...The perfect answered prayer, about 2-3 inches later everything was draped in white and Miss Claire got her hands white. She loved every minute of it and just kept saying "snow, snow, snow, snow". Who knows when South Arkansas will ever be this beautiful again! We not only played on Thursday evening but we got up early on Friday morning before the temperature rose to melt this wonder away!

"Choose this day whom you will serve" Joshua 24:15

Believing God....

A little background about me and my relationship with God. I seem to think this is my draft testimony...a testimony is progress. I was baptized as an infant, grew up in church, and have prayed throughout my entire life. I would attend church throughout college because I knew I needed to attend church. One day I picked up the book, A Purpose Driven Life, this book truly changed my view of the world....I would say this is the first part of my transformation. I truly do call this a testimony is progress because it doesn't have an ending yet...I truly am learning who I am as my relationship with the Lord grows. Having a new mind set after reading that book, things on the inside were a little different but I was still not satisfied. Years went by...which I never really did anything about not being fully satisfied. When I was pregnant with Claire I never felt closer to God then I did for those 9 months....I can not comprehend how someone can carry a child in their womb, give birth, and still deny the Lord exist. It's just not possible! Reading all those pregnancy books about what is happening to your baby at that exact time is mind blowing and only possible with our High Lord.

My story continues...skipping ahead and a few of the details...our family is in church...Sunday school and church...which we love and have not missed a Sunday since we made this commitment. I would say I am addicted to church right now!!! All the way from our study of Exodus in Sunday school to my bible study! I have always heard wonderful things about Beth Moore but have never participated in any of her bible studies. The first Sunday we went to our church I noticed in the bulletin a Beth Moore bible study was going to start the next week....sign me up!!! The study is "Believing God" and it has opened my eyes even more...one of the most profound things I have discovered through this study is....(you might all think I am nuts for not knowing this before)...the bible is not written in the past, it is not just the history of God's word and Jesus' life, but God actually talks to us in the present tense, His word is for today just as much as it was for the last 500+ years! and this study helps you understand why you should believe His word. Hence the name of the study...Believing God...we are believing His word right now in the present day...His words are written in the present active tense, not the past tense. If you ever have the opportunity to do this study, jump on board.....

Earlier this week I was reading "Kelly's Korner" and watched a video called "Cardboard Testimony"...no words were even spoken and I just sobbed. If you have not watched this video it is so worth linking over and viewing....just scroll down to a her older post and you will see it.

My transformation is in process, I am thinking about what my cardboard would say...I think I know the front side and I am anxiously awaiting what the marker will transcribe on the back side.

What's your cardboard testimony?.....it's ok if your still work in progress,

so am I...but it's a good place to be!!!

"Now may the God of all Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in BELIEVING..." Romans 15:13

My Dear Friend

I just love this picture of Miss Claire! She loves playing on the "tractor" aka lawn mower.

Yesterday was a first...Claire spent the evening with her first "non-family" babysitter...Mrs. Ashley. My dear, friend was so sweet to take care of her while I went to a last minute dinner. Claire did not shed a tear and just played,played, played! Claire just loves her and so do I!!! She is one of my favorite people...beautiful inside and out! It is strange to think that I did not even know Ashley a year ago and now she is one of my very best friends.

Thank you Mrs. Ashley for taking such good care of my baby:) "For God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

White Picket Fence

In bringing a face lift to the Wade House, I came across this new background and knew it was perfect. The White Picket Fence and all. Take your mind back to when you were 6 years old, with Barbie in one hand and Ken in the other, they got married, and went to live happily ever after in their new home fully equipped with that White Picket Fence. From "Leave it to Beaver" to "Desperate Housewives" imagines of that "perfect" family living in the house with that White Picket Fence occupy our minds. From the street all these fences look so perfect. Envy to have a house like that with a fence like that can take over our minds of how life is suppose to be. But the closer you get to the perfect house, with the perfect fence, and the perfect yard, you can see that the White Picket Fence has broken boards, nail holes, and peeling paint...our lives are simply that, a weathered White Picket Fence. We all have our cracks, crooked, bent nails, and could really use a second coat of paint and maybe even some rain guard. All the fences are put together differently and all have different imperfections.


There are so many things going on in our lives right now sometimes I have to remind myself that we are not the only people in this world who are having a hard time, everyone has problems, everyone endures their own kind of suffering at some point in their life, heaven forbid. Everyone has struggles and things their heart desires for that has not come to be.


Our home is not perfect but no one's is and sometimes I think we need to remind ourselves of that. Sometimes I think telling your story and opening your heart can show you a path you may not realize is there. I am not writing for anyone (or talking about anyone) when I say this. I just can't help but step back and look at the women who have written their stories for the world to read. Stories about the White Picket Fence that surrounds their home. The holes that have exposed the raw wood of the board... for the world to read have brought so many mothers, women, men together. Bonds have developed and friendships blossomed because each of these people have common interest....their fences all have similar flaws and imperfections.

Welcome to the Wade House, fully equipped with the White Picket Fence.

"So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another." Romans 14:19

My Monday...

Quote:

I have decided to try and reinforce my positive attitude I am going to start every Monday morning with a cup of coffee and a quote that speaks to me...in hopes someone else might need to hear it too:) On this first Monday the quote comes from the Beth Moore bible study I am currently doing. I heard this and have not been able to get it out of my head, so I think it is perfect.......

Faith that goes unchallenged goes unchanged.

simple pleasures

Now on a positive note, let's get back to the simple pleasures of life:

Claire's Smile and saying Love you, Momma

A long conversation with an old friend

Hearing one of my friends is pregnant...I love to hear about the name

Claire dancing in her squeaky shoes

Checking email and the mail

Hearing a sermon that I needed to hear

Realizing an acquaintance is now a friend

Eating a home cooked meal that I did not prepare

Hearing my favorite song on the radio

Time at our lake house

Christmas Eve

Playing in the snow

Completing a project...at home or at work

A warm sunny perfect temperature day

Pay Day

Claire smiling when she walked into the toddler room this morning and all her friends saying her name and running to greet her

Family being so excited to see you, you aren't even out the car before they greet you

Pictures

Conversations with my grandparents

A clean house...this is so rare these days

Stepping into a hot bath

Days I don't put on make-up or have to iron something to wear

Not setting the alarm clock

A happy ending to a good book

Legal Holidays

Bible Study days

Nick cooking dinner

A full tank of gas

Watching Claire play with her Daddy

Scratching a lottery ticket that wins

Claire's excitement over tractors

Claire's expression of what a snake does

Watching Claire try to hike her leg over the bath tub when she is ready for her bath

Claire running full speed ahead when she see me walk into her classroom

Claire putting her babies to "ni ni" in their baby crib

Cuddling with my baby

I could go on and on and on about the simple pleasures our little Claire brings me, there are too many to count in one day

Lazy day pleasures

Need to Vent...

about our house in NWA!!! We have had our house on the market in NWA for over a year...yes!!! a year! We have switched realtor's, offered incentives, reduced to price no less than 5 times, buried the St. Joseph in the front yard....I have tried just about everything I know to do to lift this financial burden. I am out of ideas!!!!!! I have prayed and prayed to God about finding the perfect family for this house....it is no longer my home it is just some brick and mortar on a couple of acres of land to me now. While banging the keys on the keyboard today on the brink of tears because I just opened the electric bill for this vacant dwelling....$344!!! Really!! This bill was not that much when we occupied this house....so I have come to a point. A real POINT! I will do WHATEVER GOD wants me to do to get this monkey off my back....I will PRAY over and over to Him times ten to show me what I need to do! I know I am not the only person out there struggling with 2 mortgages and have mercy on all those who are...I will be including all them in my prayers too. I am open to any ideas and believe me at the current listing price we are already taking a hit to the pocket book. This is not one of those situations that we are trying to make a dollar...the house in front of ours is also on the market for $166,000 it is the exact same floor plan and on less land than ours and ours is listed for $155, 900, The assessor's value and the appraised value are both quite a bit more than that. Please PRAY for us to find a buyer for this "home" soon, so that we may move forward with our lives in our new home. I am on my knee's, praying to HIM above to get us out of this pit. Please Lord, I turn over to you this problem and I trust that you will help me resolve it. Thank you for listening to me....