Update

Hello family and friends!

I'm sorry we've been so absent from our blogging in recent months...  We started doing some renovation projects to our house to get it ready to market for sale and those took longer than expected and we wound up disconnecting our Internet connection altogether.  Then, since we only have a few months until the new house will be completed, we've just never bothered to reconnect the Internet or hook the computer back up.  As it turns out, that was a really cool move because we've converted our office into a play room where Savannah and Thomas can keep their toys and play together.  We have a BLAST in there together!

Regarding the new house, things are progressing nicely...  We've got all the framing completed, the roof is on, all the rough plumbing and electrical is done, and the bath tubs & shower are all in place.  It's looking good and we're really getting excited as we see it all coming together!  This week, we should be getting brick and sheetrock, and then we'll follow that with paint, cabinets, and floor coverings.  We're really seeing a light at the end of the tunnel a LOT faster than we expected to!!!  (Now if we could just hold still long enough to get the rest of the checklist items completed on the old house so we could go ahead and get it listed on the market!!!)

Savannah and Thomas are both doing great. Savannah is learning at exponential speeds and constantly surprises me with all the new things she knows and does. Thomas is a doggone monkey and loves to climb on everything.  I can't believe that he will be a YEAR old in less than a week!  And then, Savannah will be THREE years old in less than three months!!!  Where did the time go???

Anyway, just wanted to check in and let everyone know we haven't fallen off the face of the planet.  We hope you are all well and that God's blessings are as abundant in your lives as He has been in ours lately.

Taking a sabbatical

Hey y'all!

We have started some major home improvements over the past few weeks so we had to disconnect our home computer in order to move our "office" to storage.

Sorry for the delay in blogging but it may be awhile longer before we have everything up and running.

Right now, I am using the computer lab at our wonderful library in downtown Montgomery. I have Thomas with me so this will be short and sweet.

Please stay tuned! My blogging days are not over!

Have a wonderful day and remember..... "This is the day the Lord has made." Psalm 118:24

Changing the World

Hello All -

This is Aric, making a very rare appearance on the Blog...  I just wanted to send out a quick note to let everyone know that Emily and the Leaders have arrived successfully in Wiggins, MS and have begun their work.  World Changers is the organization they are working with and they are doing several construction and renovation projects to a home that was beaten and battered by Hurricane Katrina.  Yes, there are still a LOT of people in the greater Gulf Coast region that are trying to recover from that massive storm all those many years ago!  Anyway, they got down there last night; got settled into the church where they are staying; and had some devotional time with the other groups that are participating in this mission trip over Spring Break.

I am sure Emily will post an update with more details about the goings-on and the work they do this week once she gets back, but I at least wanted everyone to know they are there and are working hard.  Please pray for this group as they attempt to help change the world, one small piece at a time, through a demonstration of Christ's love for others and through the spreading of the Good News with those that they encounter.  May God bless those that the Leaders are helping and may this experience be a blessing for the Leaders as well!  And, may God bless each and every one of our family and friends who are reading this.  We love you all and hope you are well!

Katie...update

Last week, I went down to Fairhope to help out my sister. She was literally, helpless. I felt so bad for her but kept her spirits high while I was there. I went down on Monday and came back Wednesday night. She had a doctors appointment Tuesday morning and it went very well. The doctor was hopeful that she will be running again and as for right now, no more surgeries in the future! She will have to be on crutches, however, for about 6-12 weeks and it is going to be at least 6 months before she can do any type of exercise. And when she does get to that point, it will have to be low impact, like water aerobics, cycling, etc.
She is doing a little bit more every day. When I first arrived, she couldn't even get dressed without help, now, she can SLOWLY do it herself.

For my sister, this is a very hard thing. She has lived on her own now for 5+ years and is not used to really relying on people for things. It is VERY HARD for her to ask for help. She is getting used to the fact that she is going to need help and it is OK to ask for help.

I am going to brag on her running club for a minute. These people are AWESOME! They have been taking her to her doctor appointments, bringing food, going to the grocery store, walking her dog....need I go on. And the best thing is, they do it with a joyful heart. Katie is very lucky to have such sweet friends. Of course, I am not forgetting about my parents, they have been a huge help too, but I was just amazed at how her friends have really stepped up to help out. With me not getting down there to visit very often, I don't get to meet a lot of her friends but this past week, I had the pleasure of meeting a few of them.

Moving right along, once I got home Wednesday night, I was POOPED! Taking care of an adult, a toddler, an infant and yourself is not an easy task. I totally have MUCH more respect for single parents out there. Especially single parents of 2 or more kids. I don't know how they do it! All of that being said, I was glad to help out. I wish I could have stayed longer but I sure did miss the husband. I might actually make another trip depending on her progress. Katie will go back to the doctor in 2 weeks for another check up on things she will also have some PT. We will just see how things go and move from there.

I don't know if I have mentioned this before but I am going on a mission trip in just a few days! I am going with the Leaders Club down to Wiggins, MS to help out with World Changers. I will be going down with 11 of our teenagers with Leaders Club and 2 other adults. The fun thing about this particular trip is that it is not only my first mission trip, I am also leading it! God is giving me an opportunity of a lifetime here! Once we get to Wiggins, MS, we will be staying at FBC of Wiggins and will be working on a house that was hit by Katrina. Please pray for our group as enter this mission field. We will be leaving this Sunday around 9AM and coming back Wednesday afternoon. For more info, go to www.world-changers.net.

Thomas had his 6 month well check up earlier this week. Is now 14lbs 6.5oz and 26 inches long. He is sitting up by himself, rolling over, grabbing EVERYTHING (including my hair...ouch!) He has the sweetest little laugh and is doing very well on baby food. We started stage 2 last night! Sleeping through the night is still a struggle but with the problems we have had with Savannah, this is nothing new for us.

Tomorrow we are having some men from our small group from church coming over to help Aric on the house. We are trying to get it fixed up fixed to sell. We are VERY fortunate to know these people that are coming help and hopefully the work they help us with will help get our house looking better.

I apologize that this blog entry is late and a little scatttered. I actually started typing this last week when I got back from Fairhope. Our week has just been so busy!

I will post some more about the mission trip when I get back. I can't wait to share what God has done!

Happy Friday y'all!

Emily

Katie

My sister had an accident Tuesday night while with her running group. She fell and dislocated her hip. For those of you who don't know her she is an avid runner. She recently completed her first marathon in under 4 hours! Holy Cow that is awesome!
She has been a runner now for a while and loves it. Most people have kids, or craft hobbies or something they really enjoy, well, running is IT for her. Not saying that is all she does but she really enjoys it and is REALLY good at it. Anywho, my sweet sister lives in Fairhope and has a sweet boyfriend, pictured here


Darin has been helping her since the accident but he is a civilian contractor and has been in Afghanistan for over a year now, he has to return home this weekend so he can go back to Afghanistan.
So, to the grimy details. After she fell, her running group called 911 and she got rushed to the hospital. First of all, let me just PRAISE GOD that she was with some people. Katie runs by herself often and had she been by herself, I don't even want to know what would have happened.
They tried to put her hip back in place but it just wasn't happening. They did a surgery to try and repair it and while in surgery they found that some bone had been broken off when her hip dislocated. While that surgery helped a little, she had to then see a specialist to see if further surgery will be needed and they concluded that more surgery would be the answer. That was decided today. She will have surgery in the AM at USA in Mobile.

My mom just had cateract surgery today and will be going to help my sister out after her follow up appointment on her eyes tomorrow morning.
Once my sister is released from the hospital, which will probably be Sunday, I will pack up the kids and head down there to help out.

Please say a prayer for Katie. I realize it could have been a lot worse but she is really shaken up over this whole thing. She is worried that she may never be able to run again and if she can run, that she won't be able to run fast.
Also if you could pray for me as I journey with my two kids to help out. Aric will have to work so I will be traveling by my lonesome.

Katie, if you are reading this, we love you. Hang in there. God knows the plans He has for you. No matter what happens, remember to praise Him and give Him glory. He will never leave you or forsake you.

Unfortunately this is the most recent pic I could find of me and the sister. I guess I need to do a better job of taking pictures!





Katie finishing at "Make it to the line" 4 mile run at the Flora-Bama

Spring weather and a few other warm thoughts

How about this beautiful weather? I wish it was like this year round. The problem with that is, I would never get anything done because I would want to be outside all the time! I must say, this warmer weather will perk up anyone's spirits and give you that much needed encouragement to lose those pesky pounds you've been storing all winter. (preaching to myself here)
As my thoughts wander to an image of a slimmer self, I digress. I am going to enjoy this weather and make the most of it. Before we know it, it may be snowing again...hey, it is Alabama we're talking about here!

Some exciting news to share...Savannah has been going potty lately, A LOT! While she is still not 100% potty trained, she is making big steps in the right direction. Aric and I decided we wouldn't push potty training too hard but, since she has been showing major interest, we decided we needed to start being consistent and start encouraging her more. The cutest thing is, and I'm sure only a parent would appreciate this, but, she will get SO EXCITED after she does her business. I LOVE IT and can't help but to get excited with her. I like to make a big deal out of it so I pull out all the happiness that you can get from singing, to dancing even cheering. Can any other parent's relate to this? Please say yes and make me feel better :)

Thomas is getting bigger by the day and cuter ;)
Last night I gave the kids a bath togeher and it was the cutest thing to watch them. Thomas really likes to study Savannah a lot and Savannah loves to entertain Thomas. At one point in time during bath time, Thomas started splashing in the baby tub which I put in the big tub with Savannah, and both of them, at the same exact time, started to laugh. Thomas had his cute little baby squeak of a laugh and Savannah had her sweet toddler cackle. It just warmed my heart to hear that and all the sleepless nights and moments of defiance quickly melted away.
Some recent accomplishments of "the boy", as Aric and I like to call him, are that he has rolled over and is continuing to do so on a daily basis and he is not doing too bad in sitting up by himself. Aric reminded me this morning that Thomas will 6 months old in two weeks! Time to start planning his first birthday...j/k!

Valentine's Day was just another day around our house. We never really do much of anything and I am ok with that. Aric surprised me by taking me to lunch at Ala Thai, one of my favorites! The sweet part about that is, Aric CANNOT stand Thai food. He managed to hold down some pad thai but in the end, probably left there starving because I know he did not enjoy it at all. Oh the sweet things my hubby does for me. He adores me and I am so undeserving of it.


We have some other exciting news to share...NO, we are NOT pregnant! Don't get me wrong, if God blessed us again with another child we would be thrilled but, we are praying that he blesses us with something else right now, like.....a house! I don't want to speak too soon but, if all goes well, then we will have a house built in Prattville. This is something we have been in prayer over for a long time. We are busting at the seams in this house Aric bought way before I even met him. While I am grateful to have this house we are in now, a lot of our lifestyle is happening in Prattville and this decision to move has been in the works for some time now. Prayers are coveted right now as we embark on this new journey.

Well folks, that is it for now. I could really blog all day about many useless things but who has time for that? ;)

Now, lets all get out and enjoy this weather! (happy dance, happy dance)

Emily

A not-so romantic Valentine...interesting!

I found this article on a website, see link below, and found it interesting. I will warn you, it is a bit lengthy but if you can take a few minutes to read it, you might just find it interesting as well. (okay, okay, I am probably the only nerd that will find it interesting)
Happy Valentine's Day!



Valentine's Day — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts

The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to "christianize" celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman "lottery" system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap."

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