It's Hot and School is Almost OUT!!

Ready for Super K Mom but summer time first!!

Friends...

Granna, will love these sweeties

He needed some encouragement to pet the animals. His little friends gave him a hand. This is the smartest little sweetheart you could ever meet. He thought he was so brave... he's sooooo me! Wow, this year has flown right by us! I can't believe were in the last week of school. I can't believe that my car registered a whopping 98 degrees today.... I also can't believe we live in Texas and don't have a pool. Hoot had his end of school party yesterday.... Let me set this up for you.... I had to work... I'm in a black lined suit, heels and headed to his school for the big party.... It started at 12:30PM and it was an OUTDOOR PETTING ZOO!!! Most of the mommies were in sun dresses or shorts and tank tops.... Are you getting a visual? 10 minutes into the zoo Hoot asked me to come inside the pen to take pictures... it was hot, stinky, sticky and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. He had a great time with his school mates. We left the party and he went swimming with one of his best buds afterwards. (not at our house). SUMMER IS HERE!!

Cookout in Texas

A few weeks ago we were outdoors enjoying the cool breeze on our front porch. I told Lambert we needed to have a cookout while the weather was still nice and the mosquitoes hadn't taken over.... so I made the invitations and decided to invite our small group friends. We were supposed to have everyone over last weekend, but there was a conflict with our church calendar and not everyone was going to make it. So we decided to move it to this weekend. It's ALREADY HOT and the MOSQUITO'S have totally invaded. We sprayed, lit the tiki torches had the clip ons, the candles... all the above and we still were almost eaten alive by the mosquitoes. Poor Lambert is a sweater and he was drenched before he started the grill... We enjoyed the company, but decided our next outdoor gathering will have to be in February. I can't believe summer is already here. One of our friends told us about a mosquito system she has at her house. It intermittently sprays the perimeter of her home and the mosquitoes are not a problem. We may look into this. So this it what I had in mind for our little social.... It didn't look anything remotely like this.... It was hot hot hot and did I say humid? But I love our group and we had a great time. We even made smores in 90 degree heat. The kiddos loved it and I think their parents did too.

Good Friday

I didn't get to post yesterday as we were preparing for a party at our house for tonight. I just wanted to share how BIG and GOOD our God is. You know we had new neighbors move in several months ago. Along with new neighbors, we had new fears.... PIT BULL FEARS... We have fretted over this for a few weeks. We even put our house on the market. (knowing it wouldn't sell in this market) Well... yesterday we noticed the neighbor's had a huge tree limb fall in the backyard. We saw the teenage son cutting it up and hauling it to the front yard all by himself. This was a MEGA HUGE limb. Lambert felt compassion for him (you know he has a heart for teens) so he asked the boy if he could help him. The boy's dad was working out of town and his mom was at work as well. We learned a little about the family and Lambert had a good conversation with him. We also learned that because they don't have a fence and aren't home a lot, they got rid of the dogs!!!! YEAH GOD!!! We got to meet a nice young man that we had formed an opinion of and God answered our prayers about the dogs. I feel it's a start and hopefully we will get to know the new neighbors and get rid of all the fear and judgment. God is GOOD on Friday and every other day too.

Philippians 4:6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God

Wise Counsel

I have been inspired, amazed, motivated, impressed, reassured, encouraged and challenged by this woman. She is indeed a godly woman who speaks truth in love through her blog that touches so many. I'll even go as far as to say, I have been a little intimidated by her. She is one of those that always looks great and put together. She claims to have her days, but I've seen her out and she is put together. I know... we all have our days even Kim. Today I was blessed by her. I've been at my wits end with "the wait" and she gave me wise counsel and godly encouragement. I just want to say a big thank you to this woman. I also want to thank the rest of you for being so supportive and helpful with contacts, websites, links and lists. I have a better attitude today. thanks to all of you who were so kind as to carry my burden along with me.

Galations 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of

Excrutiating Question

So, how is the adoption coming???????????? I can remember when we first filled out our paperwork and submitted everything to our agency... I thought, well that wasn't so bad. Our social worker said the hardest part is the wait. I read blogs of moms who were waiting and I even said these words.... these women are so dramatic... (i did. i'm sorry). I knew that with international adoption came "the wait". If you ask Lambert, he will tell you, I am not the most patient person. I'm not... I'm soooo not. I am ready to crawl out of my skin with this wait. We have been on this journey for 19 months and I am ready to explode some days. It's the days when well meaning friends, family, co-workers ask that question... "so, hows the adoption coming?" why is it taking y'all so long, it didn't take so in so this long, is there a problem?? I don't post about it often and I do stay pretty busy with Hoot and serving and friends, but I had to share this today. I HATE the WAIT!! but here is what I beleive...

Psalm 25:10All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

and one more I came across just now on another blog.... I think God is talking to me DIRECTLY

"The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."
Isaiah 32:17

Libbie's Room and a Great Door

I've been wanting to start this little project since I saw one like it at http://jonesdesigncompany.blogspot.com/ I wish I could take credit for it, but I totally stole it. I've been wrestling with how to decorate Libbie's room and I decided to go neutral.I know that I am way premature in this decorating craze, seeing that we haven't received a referral yet, but it's going to take a lot of time. I love all things neutral. I also figure when she's a little older I'll let her decide the colors for her big girl room. If she loves pink... then pink it is! I love pink too, but really really love creamy dreamy whites. It's hard to see with the glare, but I lined an old picture I bought several years ago with a burlap color linen. I picked up the Feltman Brothers Dress at a flea market store for $4.50!! That's right!

Last year on our ladies retreat, a few of us stopped in Brenham, to shop. I found this little bamboo chest and had no way to get it home. After I returned home I decided I couldn't live without so I drove 3 hours back to Brenham the next week to get it. THANK GOODNESS it was still there. I did call first...

I bought this Little Miss Muffet lamp 10 years ago at an antique store just in case I ever had a little girl. I love her colors. She's very old. (i think)

My workers! I've wanted my back door painted for over a year!! It seems like we always have something going and never get to it. We've (HE)sanded and sanded and sanded. Finally.... it was good enough and my sweet back door got a beautiful coat of robins egg blue tonight.

I can't wait to grace her with a beautiful wreath and some vinyl address decals like the ones above...

Pancho and Lefty

My little athlete~! Lookout King Pin!

We took Pancho and Lefty bowling Saturday evening and it was HILARIOUS. Lambert and I decided not to bowl and just help the boys. Jason is a natural athlete and Hoot... well... is me... This kills Lambert because he is a natural athlete too. Jason has defined biceps which baffles me. He just turned 5. Hoot asked me if he had wimpy arm muscles because his bumps didn't look like Jason's bumps. I told him that God made all of our bodies unique and special and that all of our muscles are different. He didn't buy it... he wants bumps BIG bumps... Jason could move the ball down the isle with great speed... Sometimes when Hoot bowled, the pins would re-set because the ball didn't make it fast enough. We died laughing... all the while Hoot thought he was a pro! He did a victory celebration after every turn. We will definitely be going back. We don't usually wear sweatshirts in May, but the bowling alley was FREEZING!!

Zoom- Zoom

What a great kiddo.

Two Thumbs Up- Momma My little Bach! Hoot has been gearing up for his piano recital for about a month. He played a piece called Zoom-Zoom the Witches Broom. It was right up his alley. He lives for all things creepy and this song had such a slow deep scary little tune. He loved it. I think he thought he was scaring the audience. He had rehearsal earlier this week and he told me he creeped out all the other students (mostly girls). I am so glad that he's taken to music. He can keep a beat, read the notes and he actually does pretty awesome. His recital was held at our local college in a good size lecture hall. The black grand piano was rolled in and all the parents sat in stadium seats. Hoot wanted to know if they were all there to watch him perform. He then told me that he might have stage fright.... He's 5... and already a drama king. He lives for it. Immediately following his performance, he took a large bow and remained seated like a true gentleman for over an hour while the other students played their numbers. It was truly awesome to see how the students progress over their years of discipline and practice.

Good Friday

Photo from Google Images

Well it was a rough Friday, actually a rough week for me. so I thought I would post about Abraham. He was good. What an amazing journey God took him on. He was so faithful and followed God's instructions even without clear answers. Think about this... God instructed Abraham to leave his family with his wife and nephew and all his wealth and set out for a foreign land. The bible says Abraham did as God told him. He left, without a map to guide him or GPS to show him the way. He trusted that God would lead him as he said he would. He also trusted that God would bring him a son when he and Sarah were at a RIPE OLD age and God did. Abraham called him Issac as the Lord instructed. Next comes the unfathomable. God told Abraham to offer Issac as a burnt offering and Abraham faithfully obeyed the Lord. He didn't waiver. He didn't come up with his own plan, or alternative plan... he just did exactly what God called him to do. He fully trusted in God.. As I was reading this today, I was so impressed by his unwavering faith. I was even more in awe at what Abraham said to his servants when he was ready to go up to the hill and slay his one and only son... he told the servants to stay behind while he and his son went up the hill to worship.. then he says to them... We will worship and WE will come back to you. It amazes me that he trusted his Father so much that he knew God had a plan and that together he and his son would come back to the servants. That is BOLD faith if you ask me. How often, I start out faithful to God and then customize God's instructions to fit my plans... I'm asking God for bold faith this good Friday and my prayer is that I will step out and follow where He leads.

Matthew 17:20 He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

My Boy Walks!

Hoot Graduates! What a year.

I just love those little legs

I couldn't be prouder of my boy!

Hoot's letter was U in the word GRADUATION. U stood for: Unto thee O God do we give thanks Psalm 75:1. He had to memorize a verse a week for the entire school year from A-Z. It was a great habit/practice to start and I think we will continue it through the summer. What a blessing for us as parents to hear our child quote scripture so proudly on stage before an audience of parents/ grandparents and supporters. Very encouraging.

When I woke up this morning I was greeted by Hoot singing Happy Birthday. About half way through he said, "mom, I'm graduating today, Happy Birthday". I thought to myself... I want to hear those same words 12 years from now and so on. Where in the heck did 5 years go? It seems like only yesterday he was 5 months old and I was rocking him to sleep. Now he's 5 years almost 6 and walking the isle for kinder graduation. Now... he is not going on to first grade. Hoot is going to Super Kinder at a new school. It's really plain ole kindergarten, but we call it Super Kinder in our house and that makes him happy! He's a late August baby and soooo not ready for 1st grade. They would eat him alive! I think he'll thank us for it when he's in junior high and not the smallest kiddo in his class. And.. the other benefit is that we'll get to keep him home for an extra year before we ship him off to college. (I can't even begin to think about that).

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Sweet Baby Girl Shower

I made these white chocolate baby bear lollipops and placed them in a footed bowl filled with Whoppers!! YUM YUM YUM

We enjoyed gliding in the breeze on this Indiana treasure, adorned with a new shabby cushion and a fresh coat of Heirloom White paint.

I got the idea for pink pom pom flowers from Southern Butter and Martha Stewart. They were so easy to make and Lambert even helped!

these plates were my dear great grandma Edna's. They were perfect for this shower. I don't get to use them often so I was thrilled to pull them from the cabinet, hand wash in soapy water, and proudly serve some delicious hors d'oeurves on them.

This picture didn't turn out great. These were silver baby cups and rattles hanging from my dining room chandelier by pink satin ribbons. It was so much fun to host a baby shower for a sweet sweet mama for a precious baby girl that's on her way! We had pink fluff everywhere. I can't believe I didn't get a photo of the cake. It was a pink baby bishops dress that was too die for! The pictures don't do the shower justice. it was such a beautiful day to celebrate new life. The shower was a surprise for the mommy. She was supposed to arrive at 9:30 and at 10:00 she still wasn't there. We told her it was a little ladies retreat reunion get together. Her sister in law called her to ask if she was coming. She said, we just woke up and the boys are tired. I don't think were going to make it.... YIKES I had a house full of her friends and family and a lot of good food and beautiful gifts!! So, we called her back and begged her to come. She arrived around 11:00 and was totally shocked. This is her third baby so she was not expecting a shower. It was so much fun showering her with girly outfits and pink EVERYTHING!!

Psalm 100 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his [a] ;we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Good Friday, Sat Sun Mom's Day WOWEEE!!

Yes that's my wide load on the new cruiser! Maybe it will help work it off!

Best JOB in the WORLD. I am totally blessed to be a mom of this great little boy! I love love love being a mommy. I count my blessings every day. I have a healthy happy child that brings me true joy. I thank God for this gift and ask that he equip me to raise this little boy to be a man of God. Oh God, I pray that you will call my child to you and that you will equip me to teach him your ways every day of his life. I know that he is yours and only given to us to watch over for your glory. Deuteronomy 11:18-21 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth

What a weekend!!! I shared that Lambert was taking us on a surprise getaway vacation. Well, it was one that surely did not disappoint! I was in suspense until we pulled out of our neighborhood. I was totally prepared for Hyatt Hill Country and not really looking forward to a 4-5 hour drive at 5:00PM. So when Lambert told me we were heading to Galveston, I was excited. We haven't been for a weekend stay this year, and it's sooo our place. What he didn't tell me is that we were staying in the AWESOME San Louis Hotel on the Seawall. We usually stay at Moody Gardens which is very nice, but no San Louis! Friday night was wonderful, our room was amazing, the view was amazing, the food was amazing.... and so on. Saturday we spent most of the day at the pool, but we wanted to head over to the strand to shop at some of our favorite haunts that have finally re-opened. We passed this tiny little bicycle shop on Broadway. It had a vintage looking used pink bike outside.... similar the one I've been wanting. I asked Lambert if we could swing by there after our visit to the Strand and take a look at the bike. So we did. The bicycle was really really cute. We decided to go in and ask the about it. When I opened the door I immediately noticed they had the vintage (looking) cruiser I've really been wanting, but I didn't want to make a big fuss. I was completely okay with purchasing a used bicycle if it was reasonably priced. (you know I live for a bargain treasure) I asked the owner about the bike outside and then Lambert said, lets look at the new bike you've been wanting. The owner said well this bike is already sold, see here it has a sold tag... to SHELLY!!! I was a little confused and was wondering if there could be another Shelly.... Lambert had it all set up!!! They put the other pink bike out front as a DECOY and I fell for it hook line and sinker!!! I could not believe my Lambert pulled this off for me. I think he's a keeper for sure! I sooo don't deserve him. We had a wonderful Saturday evening dinner at The Salt Water Grill... a must if you're ever in Galveston. It's off the Strand and not a chain restaurant. the food is to die for and they have wonderful seasonal specials. Sunday morning Lambert told me the surprises weren't over yet...I thought we were headed to I-Hop for breakfast when he escorted me to the San Louis Spa... It was a morning of relaxation and pampering. He and Hoot had breakfast and then made their way to the pool while, I was scrubbed, rubbed, smoothed and polished at the spa. I spent the rest of the day with two great guys and could not have been more blessed! So.... it was indeed a good Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I sure hope all of you moms had a wonderful day too.

Proverbs 31:30-31

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.