2.13.2009

To: Katie & Yaw



From: Grady
Happy Valentine's from the Dingos!



From: Dominic
Katie n Yaw...huh...Katie n Yaw...find em Katie n Yaw...hi, Katie Yaw!!!


From: Maya
Love you miss you. oh, presents!
From: Gabriel
Help me!!!!
Blowing kisses...sorry, Gabriel had to sit out for this one lol

Valentine's Eve





















God loves you simply because He has chosen to do so.


He loves you when you don't feel lovely.


He loves you when no one else loves you.


Others may abandon you, divorce you, and ignore you,

but God will love you.

Always.


No matter what.


(I'll blow you a Valentine's Day kiss if you can tell me who wrote that little excerpt...)


;),
Sarah

2.12.2009

Thankful Thursday




















Today I'm thankful for love.  I'm thankful for being able to say that I've never been low on love.  Since the day I was born, I have been surrounded by family and friends who have loved me...and I don't just mean they love me; I mean they really, really, really, really, really LOVE me.  And the greatest thing: because I have received love, I can give love...even when I don't really want to!

I am praying that God will fill me with a little more love...some days I feel like I've run out of love gas lol...u know what I mean?  Just thinking about things that go on and people who don't know how to love.  Not to mention, as Max Lucado calls them, the vow-breakers, truth-benders, money-grubbers, and back-stabbers.  

I've been dealing with some of those types of people lately...those people that just totally suck out all of your energy and love.  I have been praying that God will first allow me to love Him with all of my heart, mind, and soul.  And secondly, I pray that He will allow me to love those people who are hardest to love, even when I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel. 

I'd like to wrap up this post with another piece that I really like, of course, by Mr. Lucado:

That's what love does.  It puts the beloved before itself.
Your soul was more important than His blood.
Your eternal life was more important than his earthly life.
Your place in heaven was more important to Him
than His place in heaven.
So He gave up his so you could have yours.

To me, that's true love.  How are you doing on love today?

Big love,
Sarah

PS: Tell your friends you love them, today!  I found out yesterday that one of my very best friends from high school passed away.  The last time I talked to her was September 20, 2008, and she asked me to call her to set a lunch date.  Unfortunately, I never made the time to do it...today my heart is with her family.  For those of you reading this who knew her and haven't heard, the visitation for Jackie will be Friday evening at Baker Funeral Home, and the service will be Saturday morning, 11:00 a.m., and VC UMC (by the Kwik Shop).  You can also sign a guest book online by viewing her obituary at www.kansas.com.


2.11.2009

A Love Worth Giving

God loves you.  Personally. Powerfully. Passionately.
Others have promised and failed.
But God has promised and succeeded.
He loves you with an unfailing love.
And His love--if you will let it---can fill you
and leave you with a love worth giving.

Max Lucado (My favorite author)

2.10.2009

He Leads Me Beside the Still Water...























High blood pressure.


Heart trouble.


Migraines.


Blindness.


Thyroid malfunctions.


Stomach disorders.


Sounds fun, huh?
Didn't think so.

Worry is not a disease, but it causes diseases, including the ones mentioned above.
A bad habit, let me tell ya. In Greek translation, the word "worry" breaks down into the meaning, "to divide the mind." And that's exactly what worrying does. I think worrying might be worth all the pain and high costs if it worked; but, it doesn't. It only prevails living a life of futile fears and anxiety, a lifestyle which I am guilty of living. Realizing that I don't have the ability to fight tomorrow's problems with today's strength, I am making an attempt to stop worrying so much. Tomorrow's problems are just that...and we should tackle them tomorrow with tomorrow's strength. At least that's what I'm gonna do. You can worry all you want. Let me know if it works. ;)
~Peace

2.06.2009

Honey Honey Lovey Lovey




Wow, blogging 2 days in a row...what a concept! lol  I'm trying, guys, really.  And honestly, I've tried posting about 10 different times when I've been at my grandma's house, but for some reason, I can't sign in to blogger on that computer.  So now that I've been spending some time over at my mom's again I'm back in the land of the blogging! :)

Well, it's February.  For us, that means birthday after birthday after birthday after birthday!!!  And of course, the supposed-to-be-fun-and-romantic-Valentine's-Day.  I'll touch on that one later.  Right now I want to talk about my lovey lovey honey honey, Dominic Alexander, who turned 4 years old on Tuesday, February 3rd.  I still can't believe it was 4 years ago when I was standing by my sister's bedside pulling out a gray hair from her head while she was in labor...it's a miracle I'm actually alive to write this! lol  

Those of you who know Dom are tremendously blessed to know such an awesome little boy; and those of you who don't know him have NO CLUE what you're missing!!!

A quick flashback...I was still living at home when Lovey was born, so I had the privilege of sharing a bedroom with him & his mama for the first 6 months.  Then, I moved out on my own, but Lovey was and never is far from my heart.

I remember the minute we brought him home from the hospital, I sat on the couch with Steph while she was changing his diaper, and he peed...everywhere lol...on me...oh the joy of having a little boy around.  I remember staying up until wee hours of the morning--I would usually be up all night until 4 or 5 a.m. playing games online with my friends...whenever Dom would wake up crying, Steph would bring him to me, and I'd hold him until she could get a bottle made or get whatever he needed.  I remember our first vacation together...we went to Branson and I got to share the bed with Steph & Lovey; not sure, but I think I woke up the next morning on the floor. :)  I remember waiting for him to come out of surgeries...the strength of that little boy has amazed me from the very beginning, not to mention the strength of his mama--so calm & collected.  Lovey would have his eye surgeries and come home hopping away as if nothing had ever happened.  And, I loved it when I would come home every day after work and say, "Honey honey lovey lovey give Aunt Sarah kissy kissy!" And there he'd be, all puckered up!  So sweet.  So pure.  So innocent.  So sincere.  So loving.  So fun.

As you are aware, Dominic started attending an Early Childhood Development preschool.  He is progressing in leaps and bounds.  We are so proud of him.  He comes home every day and talks about Mrs. Terre, Ms. Chris, and playing with his friends.  We're constantly anticipating each day's report.  Please continue to pray for him as he faces new challenges ahead.  He will be going for testing on February 17 with the physician who will be making an official diagnosis...whether it is simply a developmental delay, high-functioning autism, or something totally different, please remain in prayer for him and my sister.

Dominic has an indescribable passion for music...and what a BEAUTIFUL voice we are blessed to hear sing every single day, not to mention his natural ability to actually play (and not just 'hit') the bongos, the guitar, and the piano.  Every Sunday during church he usually asks to "GO PREACH!"  And, luckily for the rest of us, when he's ready to get the heck outta there he insistently asks, "ARE WE DONE YET?!?!?!?!" :)

Anyway, now you know a little more about my honey honey lovey lovey.  I could write an entire book on him alone, but unfortunately, I must sign out of here and go to work.  Don't fret, though...I promise you will learn more of him in future posts. ;)

Much love,
Sarah

2.05.2009

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for colors. I'm thankful that apples are red, oranges are orange, and bananas are yellow. I'm thankful that rainbows are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet (yes, I memorized ROY G BIV in grade school lol). I'm thankful that zebras are black and white, elephants are gray, and giraffes have brown spots. I'm thankful for my striped shirt, my blue jeans, my red, pink, and white socks, and my blue & white tennis shoes! How boring life would be without a little color added in the midst of everything!

And guess what else I'm thankful for? I'm thankful that I have 2 eyes and the ability to see colors!!!

What are you thankful for today?