Smile

Claire loves watering the plants...when she pours all the water she just says "more more" so we filled up the ice chest with water and she goes back and forth. These plants are going to the prettiest on the block with all the water they are getting!

Last night Miss Claire asked to watch a "mooh-V"...movie, so I press played and she said "Pet Pet Dora"! This is the first time she told me what she wanted to watch...Wonderpets and Dora are two of her favorites! Oh! How I love this girl! She just makes my heart smile!

Economic Cycle?

Recession....just part of the economic cycle, right?
Recessions bring hard times that generally are followed by a Depression....some would say that our economy is in a depressed state of mind during this current "recession", others might say we are through the recession and well on our way to recovery, another business analyst might say everything is holding steady...or simply put, just being still

With recession's come tough times, times when people get back to the simple things in life, times when you figure out what really matters, times you slow down, times you are humbled,

times you need hope....

hope that better days will come.

Where do you find hope?

"Put your hope in God...Psalms 42:11"

How many are praising and rejoicing in the Lord for the recovery of the economy?

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4

How many are trying to figure out how to be stable with Him? No great highs, no personal troubles, no bottomed out lows....just being still.

"Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalms 46:10

How many learned to live humbly during the last part of our "economic cycle"?

"I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3-4

How many people turn to Christ during this down times of our economic cycle?

How overloaded is His inbox with prayers??!!

My personal opinion...the business cycle is all part of God's plan...He needs us to seek Him, He needs us to find Him. Wonderful teacher Beth Moore wrote "You do not humble and test us to bring us low and cause us to fail but to teach us how to succeed in You." I think He created this cycle to bring people closer to Him....if I had to bet, I would bet more people seek Him in hard times than in great times....

What I find to be even more of a coincidence....the peak of the business cycle is when the wealth of the people is the greatest, when the riches are overflowing and people have more money to buy the things they want...but if more people turn to the Lord during the low end of the economic cycle during recessions and depressions, then the truth is our Wealth is the greatest, and our Riches are more abundant than ever imaginable than at the peak of the cycle. I just love this thought!

So just maybe the economic cycle is just our Lord's cycle?

"What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory..." Romans 9:23

The pictures are just from a beautiful day the Lord made....things I cherish :)

My Miss Priss

A beautiful weekend with lots to do....

Playing at the park and loving the slide...she preferred going down on her stomach

Wanting to be a big girl!

Making French Toast for breakfast...bed head included!

Playing "Outsi" with the sand

Put her shoe on all by herself!!!! The wrong foot and all but I was one proud Momma!!!

Welcome Happy Easter Morning!!!

Easter morning is spent in Little Rock, sitting in the beautiful Trinity Episcopal Church with grandparents. I am not sure I remember ever spending Easter in any other church. Easter is my grandfather's favorite holiday and Welcome Happy Easter Morning is one of his favorite songs! What a joy to be with the family on such a joyous morning...Happy Easter 2010! My Beautiful Claire Carter.....How Sweet!

Us 3!

Plus Auntie Emmie and Uncle Josh

Claire being silly:)

Where's Auntie Liz?

Higher, Higher!!!

Feeding the birds with cousins and grandpa...love how little bit is holding Nick's hand

Precious!

Off to hunt eggs....again!....Her Easter basket was the one I used growing up:)

Found one!

There's Auntie Liz....

Kisses for Momma!

This is a new face...I think she got this from me, when Claire does something "wrong" I say "Oooo"....so this face normally following something mischievous

Some candids of the family...

About half of the great grand kids....:)

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

18 Months, OH MY!!!

Miss Claire is 18 months...1 1/2 Years Old!

I am begging for time to slow down but this ride sure is fun!

25 pounds and 31 inches tall, she is right in middle on both

Blond Curly Hair, Big Blue Eyes, Fair Sensitive Skin

Who does she look like?, some say her daddy, some say her momma....I see both Loves her school and is learning new things everyday

Gets so excited going down the slide

The biggest bookworm....is always wanting to "read read". Love it!

Tells you when she is hungry

Tells you when she has gone to the potty...potty training here we come

Loves her family

Still loves all the dogs and LOVES playing "hitting" the cat

Somewhat of a picky eater, right now her favorite thing is corn...last week it was oranges; but mac & cheese, and sweet peas are still her favorites

Always wants to drink out of your cup especially if you have a straw

Says so many words now and is putting two and three words together

Says Amen at the end of her prayers...MAY! MEN!....yes, shouts it every time:)
Loves playing in the dirt

If you can't find Claire go look on the tractor (lawn mower)...I think she thinks its a playhouse

BIG HELPER:

unloading the dishwasher Claire takes things out and puts them in her cabinet, when watering the plants she wants to hold the water hose with you, when doing laundry she wants to put the clothes in the washer, I am a one handed cook because my other hand is holding my co-cook, if we take our shoes off she picks them up and puts them in the closet, when I am vacuuming she likes to push the vacuum with me....I can only hope she keeps this up!!!

Says "Hey" to everyone she sees...going through Wal-Mart she is such the social butterfly
She is an organizer and rearranges her toys but always keeps the groups together....all the little people together, the books together, the puzzles together...

I know I am forgetting so many little things....Claire is developing her own little personality, she is sweet, very smart, a hard worker, her teachers love her, always wants to know what is going on, does not sit still, and is always smiling!

She amazes us everyday and is by far the GREATEST GIFT GOD could ever give!!!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights..." James 1:17

Easter Take II

Easter Weekend in full force....after dying eggs in Arkadelphia we were off to play at Mimi's and Pop pop's! Nick and I had a wonderful night out with friends and Claire had some QT with her grands, aunties and uncle josh....and of course all the dogs! Look at what the Easter Bunny dropped off on Easter morning....this was the 1st of 4 Easter baskets!!!
Playing in the bath:)

Her favorite...playing on the stairs:)

Dying Eggs again....she loves it!