Super D Duper Bridals!

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Moo Moved

Drum Roll please.........my mom has officially moved right down the street! YEA! NPayne has been killing himself moving all her heavy stuff, but it's almost all moved. He's tired, cranky, and sore; but....he's mine! ;) Besides a lot of junk to sort through and unpack, a few other things she needs, and settling some financial disagreements with the plumber who completely overcharged her....she's there and happy. By the way, why can't folks just do honest work and not try to take advantage of people? Seriously......that is on my last nerve! Back to topic at hand, the kids are thrilled to have Moo (my mom) so close. They will be heading over there tonight to say hello, give a hug, and help out.

Of course I still would like to move too....I'm tired of city living! SIGH!

Days I Enjoy

I'm sort of on a role with posting, so here goes another. Can I just say that as fortunate and grateful that I am for our wonderful schools that my children attend, I am ready for summer. As you know, I am not a person who likes to be busy. I like waking up when we naturally awaken minus an alarm clock, hanging out in pjs half the day, eating late breakfasts, playing around the house together, maybe venturing out for some fun, not having a deadline for bedtime....just being together. I love having my kids home, and although I value their education and sometimes do need for them to be out of the house a while.....I cannot imagine being an empty nester. Okay, now I'm sad; and I must go do something to cheer myself up.....like hold baby Maggie. :)

To Confirm or Wait

I have a dilemma....not a real earth shattering dilemma....but a dilemma nonetheless. Callahan, my son, seen in previous post is in 6th grade. If any of you have children who have gone through confirmation, you know....6th grade is the typical year kids become confirmed in Christ. I bet you can figure out what my dilemma is....can't ya? My sweet special needs boy....going through confirmation....and all that entails. Is that possible? Honestly I don't know. I am not sure what Cal really understands about Jesus, The Holy Trinity, The Cross, ETC., ETC., ETC. Of course I find many times that I don't really understand it all either, but I digress. Anyway....NPayne and I are on the fence....we aren't sure if we should go ahead and let Cal go through 6 weeks of confirmation or wait until he's a little older. Will he understand it in a few years any better than he does today? What does he need to really understand to be considered confirmed? I know that the end result is that the child being confirmed fully accepts Jesus Christ in his/her life. Does Cal get that? Will he? Has he already? Sometimes I wonder, because he seems to have a supernatural connection to many things....including Jesus....that most "typical" people don't. Maybe because they ignore it, don't have time for it, just don't listen, are scared of it....I don't know. But Cal in his very simple and very complex mind seem to relate to so many simple yet complex things much easier than typical folks do. Maybe because he doesn't question or over analyze, he just listens. So sits my dilemma....should he or shouldn't he? Mainly he needs to know who Jesus is, what He did, and how much He loves Cal. I don't know if Cal already knows this, has no clue, will ever have a clue, will get it someday....I'M SO CONFUSED!

I do believe that Cal was fearfull and wonderfully made Psalm 139:14. I know that he was made in God's own image....Genesis 1:27...

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

I know that Cal was made perfect. I know that he will go to heaven....whether he understands or doesn't the sacrifice and love Christ gives us. I fully believe this with all of my heart.....thanks to God's grace. As for my dilemma....it still remains....I'll keep you posted.

Callahan

Me and my prince on photo booth! Good Grief do I love this boy. He completely exhausts, frustrates, and wears me out; BUT....he also gives me more than I could have ever imagined. I'm so blessed by his specialness and by all he brings to my life! Thank God for Callahan Leigh Payne!

They Must Be Felt With The Heart

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched- they must be felt with the heart."

~Helen Keller

Can you imagine being blind, deaf and mute? Pastor Ken read this today in his sermon. All I could think about, as my sweet little Elli was sitting in my lap and I was rubbing her arm, was how much I would miss if I couldn't see her. I was thinking about how it would be if I was not able to hear my girls sing this morning in the church choir, or what it would be like if they never heard my voice say "I LOVE YOU!" There are so many things to be grateful for, and there are so many situations.....so many people.....that I know personally and that I've just read about where God is glorified in the midst of struggles, hard times, heartbreaks, even devastation. Helen Keller's words are a true example of this....although she would never see her sweet daughter's sparkling blue eyes or precious tiny feet or hear her girls' sing in the church choir or even be able to vocalize her love for them....she knows....she really knows that if you don't feel the emotions in your heart, then it doesn't matter what you see, hear or speak. That's hard for me to grasp, since I spend most of my time soaking in my children's expressions and conversations; but I also know that I feel them in my heart.....sometimes so much it's truly overwhelming. Would I feel them in my heart if I couldn't see, hear or tell them.....I know without a doubt that I would....but if I'm going to be really honest.....I'm so very thankful that I don't have to.

NPAYNE

Yesterday was NPayne's birthday, but we celebrated it today. In honor of my husband's day late birthday celebration, I wanted to share some things about him....things that make him who he is!

He loves unconditionally.

He never knew his dad, he died when he was a baby.

He grew up in a house full of estrogen....2 sisters, 2 female cousins, a grandmother, an aunt, and a mother.

He worked in high school....not to pay for gas, dates, clothes....but to help pay the water bill, electric bill, and buy food.

He is a talented musician.

He is super duper smart about lots of things.

He is quite handy.....he wasn't always....but he watched, learned and listened a lot from my dad when he was alive. Now he is quite handy.

He thinks I'm beautiful.

He is not a planner, and he is not organized.

He is a last minute kinda man, and he flies by the seat of his pants.

He is a do it yourselfer.

He sacrifices most of his wants for his kids' wants and needs.

He loves to play guitar.

He works harder than about anyone I know.

He has a huge heart for serving others.

He is a romantic and quite a gentleman.

He is the best daddy to our special needs son than I could have ever hoped for.

He doesn't hold grudges.

He forgives.

He is a fantastic dancer.

He makes me laugh all the time.

He adores his girls, and he loves to sing them Stevie Wonder songs at night.

He will cry at each of his kids' weddings.

He is 3 years younger than I.

He is the only person I've ever been truly in love with.

He has a strong faith and reliance on God.

He doesn't complain.

He didn't get to go to college but would like to go now.

He is pretty easy to convince when I really want something. ;)

He is my rock.

He keeps me grounded.

He is the love of my life!

He is the most wonderful, kind, loving, rational, reasonable, honest, giving father I know.

Happy Birthday NPayne....even though it's a day late....you know I love to celebrate birthdays all month long! I adore you!

Happy....

This makes me so happy.......

I DO....

I had the sweet privelege of shooting engagements Saturday. I absolutely love doing engagement sessions....I DO.....I DO.....I DO....you will get what I'm getting at if you check out the rest of the photos from this adorable couple's session by clicking here!

TO DO

Have I mentioned that my "To Do" List has 150,000 things on it? Not simply 150 or 1500 or even 15,000 but 150,000....give or take a few! I'm exhausted just thinking about it and broke too, since a lot of it involves spending money on something....house repairs, dental visits, car repairs....to name a few! Needless to say, I've been busy. And although I was hoping things would slow down for me a little after the holidays, well.....they haven't....at least not yet! So me and my two hands truck on....marking off one thing at a time....of my 150,000 things to do. I can mark one off now, since "Writing A Blog Post" was on my "To Do" List!

I'm off to continue editing the super duper engagement photos I took today. OH MY GOODNESS....I am in LOVE with some of these photos. This couple is about as cute as a newly engaged couple can get. POSTING SOME SOON!

CRYING

Things that have or do make me cry...

The video of Johnny Cash singing "Hurt"!

Reunions between service men/women and their families.

Singing in church!

Elliot asking me if Baby Maggie can play in her dollhouse with her when she gets bigger.

Watching babies be baptized.

Cal sitting in church and taking communion for the first time.

When my friends cry.

Realizing how fast my children are growing, and that I won't have a baby in my house anymore.

Thinking about the last time my dad looked me in the eye and how his face looked.

Cleaning out my grandmother's house....knowing I would never go back there again.

When my friends have babies.

Reading "The Shack" and "The Poisonwood Bible".

The suffering that some people I love have gone through, and their faith that holds them together.

When my dog, Willie, died.

Reading "The Hole In Our Gospel"!

Watching Steel Magnolias.

Listening to my girls sing in the church choir.

Reading Kisses From Katie's blog.

When my littles hug me so tight.

Cal telling me "I LOVE YOU MOM!"

Knowing that Jesus died for me, forgive me, and wants me to be in relationship with HIM!

And those are just to name a few!

God Grant Me Patience

It's a new year and a new day.....I have vowed to put my worries behind me at least for this weekend. ;) I do believe that God answers all prayers....sometimes yes....sometimes no....sometimes we won't know His answer until we get to Heaven. Once we get to Heaven, will we even wonder the answer; or will we be in such a state of bliss that those earthly worries won't matter? I can only imagine! The other day was the 2 year anniversary of my lifelong friend, Leslie's stroke, it was on that same day that she lost her second son during childbirth. Her faith is so very strong and honestly it sustains me sometimes when mine is wavering. This is what she said on Jan. 5th 2011....

"Shiloh Ross Power - sometimes it's just sweet to hear your name! resting in the promise I will get to hold you for eternity! big kiss...momma!"

My faith is strong, it's my patience that's wavering.

My Prayer

I will trust in You! I will trust in You! Oh Lord, I know you can do anything; and I will trust in You! Praying for Your perfect peace and will to be done! I would appreciate a little sign that it is Your will being done....I tend to oftentimes confuse my will with Yours! Thanks TONS! LP

NPAYNE vs. LPAYNE

The differences in NPayne and myself:

He is not the most organized.

I strive to be the most organized.

He never complains.

I complain a lot.

He strongly dislikes his job.

I adore my job.

He looks around and thinks...."I can't believe I have 5 kids!"

I look around and think...."I can't believe I only have 5 kids!"

He is optimistic.

I am pessimistic.

He can't be bothered by most things.

I can worry myself into a tizzy.

He likes to watch a lot of TV.

I don't like to watch a lot of TV.

He is pretty handy.

I am not handy and don't really care to be.

He is not tidy.

I am tidy.

He is content.

I try to be content.

He thinks other people's junk is trash.

I create cool stuff out of other people's trash junk.

He compliments me a lot.

I don't think enough of myself.

He thinks 5 children is plenty.

I think 5 children is just getting started.

He LOVES Me!

I LOVE him!

Peace

I've been having sleepless nights....yes it's true....not sleeping much at all. Last night when I was wide awake, I looked at pictures of engagement sessions, along with pictures of newborn twins, for hours. I prayed a lot for those who have requested prayer, for those who have not but would appreciate it, for those who I just felt led to pray for, for my family, and for peace and contentment for myself. I crave God's perfect peace. Remember my friend, who just found out she's pregnant, well guess what? It's TWINS! :)

New Years Resolution 2011

It's A New Year!

I am not a resolution maker....honestly I just don't like to put that kind of pressure on myself....however; this year, I am going to make a general resolution! Besides the normal daily resolution, that I try to live by, which is treasure the little things....enjoy the day; I have decided that I want to see some major stuff done to our house. Our house is older than dirt....well actually it's not....but it's close at the ripe old age of 103! Over the past year, we have simplified a lot and gotten rid of a lot and I want that to continue. I also want to show some respect to our house by finishing up many unfinished projects and rooms. With NPayne working and our financial status being that of paycheck to paycheck, that won't be easy; but I think if we focus and budget....we can get some stuff done! The upstairs bathroom and closets are first....then I'll be ready to tackle the downstairs bathroom and KITCHEN....ahem....excuse me while I jump up and down in celebration. Then refinishing the woodwork, painting anything that needs to be painted and finally refinishing the floors. The outside will get a little TLC too....mainly a new fence but possibly a little paint. Eventually NPayne will build us a master bathroom....the day that comes...my heart will skip a beat with joy! I'm not resolving that all of these things will get accomplished in a year's time, but we are going to put forth some effort and get as many done as possible! We are blessed to have such a big old house to comfortably house all 11 of us (5 kids, 2 adults, 2 dogs, 1 cat, and a fish), and I feel like we should definitely show it some love!

Happy New Year! Look forward to what's to come, don't dwell on what's passed you by; and live in the present!