A Heart of Service and Love for Others

During my time at AAGM while we were in Memphis, I worked with a woman who amazed me.  I don't think I ever mentioned to anyone how much she amazed me.  Lisa had her shared of challenges.  Challenges that I would have given up on years ago.  But she didn't.  She came to work everyday to help provide for her three children.  And she worked so, so hard.  She never said no at work or in her church.  While I would go out to a frivolous lunch with friends, Lisa would sit down at our conference table and eat her lunch as she read her Bible.  She was either preparing a lesson to teach the children the following Sunday or preparing for her own Bible study group.  She was so faithful to her God and His people.  It was amazing.
When I was pregnant with Darsey May, we went out to lunch, and I saw the most precious elephant in a gift shop.  I really wanted it.  Lisa went back and got it for me!  Lisa had given me a gift I knew she'd sacrificed to give me.  She was just that kind of person.

Last fall Lisa began a battle with cancer and has been doing amazing, but in a quick turn of events, she lost her earthly life this past weekend in a battle with pneumonia.  While I ache for her family, I am so thrilled for her.  All of her worldly concerns are gone.  She is Home!  For nearly five years, we worked side-by-side, and I probably wasn't the best co-worker.  But at least I was watching and learning.  Happy Easter, Lisa!

A New Neighbor!

Okay, they aren't exactly right next door, but in the world of sprawling Atlanta, ten minutes away is practically like having a neighbor! After a brief stink way out in the suburbs, the Chapmans moved closer in to town near us! We are so excited to have them closer.

Okay, maybe DM is a bit more excited than Nate!

Happy Birthday Tahoe Man!

Somebody else had a February birthday!  Officially, Tahoe turned 2 February 29th!  Oh, how I wish my aging guy was really only 2!  Happy Birthday Tahoe Man!  (I know things have changed Buddie, but at least we remembered your bday!)

TWO!

Dear Darsey May,
You are an amazing blessing to Daddy and me.  After literally years of apprehension about your arrival (on my part), we are blessed beyond our wildest expectations.  (I know, I know, every parent say this!)  But honestly, I interrupted this blog post to wake you up and move you to the basement during a tornado warning.  You never cried or said a word until I finished singing Jesus Loves Me as I was trying to keep you entertained without putting you down on the yucky basement floor.   You clapped and asked to go back to bed.  How precious!

Happy Birthday, May.  (Your current name for yourself!)  We celebrated all month.  Even though you were so sick on your birthday, you tried your best to smile and have fun. 
Love you,
Mom

Happy Valentine's Day!

DM just accidently colored on the floor with her new Valentine's Day crayons.  She grabbed a rag and cleaned up the crayon marks!

Road Trip!

We headed this weekend to the mountains for some family time!  I'm embarrassed to say we haven't ventured far from home with DM in over a year so we definitely needed to get out.  We only booked two nights not sure of what we were in for and ended up wishing we'd planned to stay longer.  The weather was CRAZY warm and we had tons of fun on the porch and around the cabin grilling, making s'mores, coloring and  playing with playdough.  DM and David appeased me and went antiquing for a bit, and BOY, are there some deals to be had in Ellijay, GA!  If we'd had room in the car, I would have packed it FULL!  We ventured out for some "country cooking", which was yummy!  I think Tahoe may have had the best time of us all.  He was so good!  Here are some pictures!

 DM hugs the bear by the front door.

 DM is really getting more interested in coloring these days!

 Couldn't leave home without Elmo!

 I think we exhausted our old guy.

 It was so warm we could run around outside in our pajamas in the mornings.

January: Where did you go?

January is my least favorite month of the year.  Always has been.  It is cold, dreary and always dark, but this one wasn't so bad!  We stayed busy with play dates and company!  DM had her first "train wreck" of a play date.   She was a total stinker.  Totally out of character and of course, we are just getting to know the parents so I can only imagine what they thought.   The good news is they still invited her over to play so we must not have scared them too much.

Our Auntie E came MLK weekend, a visit that I think all of the adults needed!  Elizabeth is one of the few people I have ever met who you can be completely real with and she will listen and encourage but never judge.  David hung out with DM while I took Elizabeth to my FAVORITE - Scotts! 

Our friend Amie has also been staying with us on Monday nights and that has been a great way to start off the week!

We made cookies for Valentine's Day with Mimi!

 (And ate icing!)

And just as we were finalizing furniture plans for the screened in porch, we discovered this:

Our entire yard is a muddy mess (and so are Tahoe's paws)!  But we now have a completely repaired septic system!  AND the contractor was generous enough to "bump" that little tree in the picture above so we didn't have to pay someone to take it down.