Our first fieldtrip

Disclaimer (Carrie said we'd need one...ha):

No animals or children were harmed in the following photos....

Belle and I headed out bright and early Thursday morning to make it to Carrie's by 10:00. We had an "appointment" to take Easter pictures of the girls with a lamb and some baby chicks at Carrie's in-law's farm. The sun was shining, the chicks were fluffy, the hairbows were big...everything was lining up just right for the perfect Easter shots. EXCEPT that these two little girls weren't really "feeling" like having their picture taken---the sun was in their eyes and they were wanting naps! It's hard to work around a baby's schedule! Neither of them would even look at the camera much less smile... After singing "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and rolling around on the ground in "fire weed" we did manage a couple of cute shots. My legs still have whelps on them!

I wont put the best pictures up, since we're planning on using those for our Easter cards. I'll show those after they've been mailed. Here's a few cute ones, though.....

Look at Belle's face... she cant believe Allie is holding that thing!

Of course, look who's all smiles and looking RIGHT at the camera when we got them home and changed... Silly girls...

It was certainly a fun first field trip. And I am happy to report that Little Miss did great on her first big "outing"... this was the farthest she's ever been from home! (Carrie lives a little over 100 miles from us).

Thanks Aunt Carrie & Allie Claire for inviting us... and Mizells for letting us use your lamb and chicks!

~annie~

Why do I do it to myself????

I have just returned from yet another colorful experience at the grocery store.
Have you ever gone out in public wearing your exercise pants (which you just threw on, not because you were exercising or anything silly like that) and your T-Shirt with the Australian flag on it, thrown your hair in a ponytail, grabbed your eczema fighting baby and ran into the store? Oh, you haven't? Well me, either, until today.
It's been a normal day around our house... taking care of Little Miss, doing some laundry, spray painting tree branches, baking ribbon, you know-- typical everyday things. Oh, so you don't spray paint tree branches and bake ribbon?
This afternoon, just like every other day I started to think about what I was going to take out for dinner. When I decided what I'd make, I realized that we needed some cheese and our milk was old. So I thought we'd just run to town and pick these up. Now, I had way too much to do to change my clothes (my black capri length exercise pants, and my bright red Australian T-Shirt) or to put on makeup or to do anything with my hair for that matter. So I waited on sweet girl to wake up, strapped her in her carseat and headed for the grocery store, HOPING I wouldn't see anyone I knew. Ya'll know the rest of that story-- if you ever go out not wanting to see anyone you know, chances are you'll see EVERYONE and their brother!
So, of course, I did. I saw a couple people I knew and apologized for looking a mess and promised them that I did bathe my baby and take care of her, no matter what her little skin looked like. (This sensitive skin thing is getting to be something!!) Anyway--- I hurry through the store, dodging a couple other people I know and make it safe to the checkout lane. I throw my few items on the belt. The cashier looks at Belle and our conversation went like this:

Her :"awww, she's SOOOOO cute, what's her name?"
Me: "Annabelle"
Her: "That sounds like an old lady."
Me: (well, thank you ma'am, thats a very nice thing to say.) "Oh."
Her: "Is she named after anyone's grandma?"
Me: "No, my husband just liked the name"
Her: "oh. Well, what's her middle name?"
Me: (Can we please just pay and end this conversation?!?!?) "Well, her middle name is after my grandmother, it's Peg."
Her: (through laughs, I might add) "ohhhhh... well, WHAT's her last name?!?!?"
Me: (I thought for a minute about making up a name. I thought about "Snodgrass" (when my mom was little, her sister used to tell her that she wasn't really their sister, and that her real last name was Snodgrass. So I thought I'd claim those Snodgrass relatives we fictionally have. Thankfully, I didnt, since I was fixing to pull out my credit card and pay and I didn't want any trouble if my last name didn't match the one on the card. That's all I needed! So, I bit the bullet and said, "her last name is Whitehurst".....
Her: "ooooh. Is she sick? Her face is all red."
Me: (Are you KIDDING me? I was just waiting on her to tell me that I looked like I had just fallen out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down!) I say, "no. she's got really sensitive skin and we are fighting eczema.
Her: "well her eyes are all red, too."
Me: (obviously young cashier lady didn't have kids, because if she did, she would recognize those red watery eyes and realize that sweet girl was trying to potty. I wouldn't have embarrassed my little lady and discussed this with cashier lady, so I said, "yeah, I think it's allergies"
Her: "Is that credit or debit?"
(Rejoicing silently in my head...Praise the Lord, this conversation has come to an end!!!!)

WHY do I keep going back for more? I think I should steer clear from the grocery store. Might help my weight loss goal, too. Cause I came home with the stuff to make dessert tonight, too! Oh my!

~annie~

Belle's Update....

It's Belle again. We've been busy, busy, busy!! Eating, and burping (well, me, not Momma), and napping, and playing! In between all of that Momma has been putting out a few of our Easter decorations and making a few new things. Remember this stuff we got last week?

Here's what happened with it:

My Momma made this wreath on Saturday. We decided that while we like the way that Reindeer moss looks, we don't really like the way it smells. Momma wants to spray it down with Febreeze or maybe Windex???... Supposedly, Windex cures everything... Maybe she should just get a Yankee Candle Car Jar and hide behind it! We just love the Yankee Sage & Citrus scent!

Were you wondering what we made with our Cricut last week?!?! We made these:

We are planning a big Easter Egg Hunt for my Whitehurst side of the family this year! We are really excited because Momma says that egg hunts are so much more fun with a whole bunch of kids!

We have a few more Spring/Easter ideas, things to put out, and a couple projects to work on.... but for me, it's nap time! I think I'll put Mom to work while I nap!

Oh, I almost forgot! I have really big news. I slept in my own room for the first time last night! I told Momma to be a big girl and to not cry. She's kind of a baby. I did so good. I think I am going to love my room. Of course, Mommy captured this "first" on film....

Love,

Belle

Momma's Up to Something....

This is Belle Whitehurst reporting live from my Boppy Bouncer seat in my living room...

Momma is up to something...

We went shopping on Wednesday for a few things.... you know, typical Easter decorating things: ribbon, eggs, moss, ribbon, ribbon, ribbon.... (my Momma LOVES ribbon. She buys it all the time.) She says she wants to try out a couple Easter projects....Aunt Carrie got some stuff, too and she got the prettiest glitter Momma & I have ever seen! We cant wait to see what she's going to do with that glitter. I hope she posts a picture on her blog! I don't really know what my mom's going to do with all this stuff, but here's what we got:

And she got out her Cricut. She's been cutting out lots and lots of bunnies... I wonder what she's doing with all those paper bunnies???

Mommy's even got Daddy working on some projects. Poor Daddy. Mommy always has BIG ideas and somehow he always gets dragged in! She says Daddy is a sweetheart though (I think so, too)... he's always up for whatever! Here's what I've seen Daddy doing....

Momma said she can't do a project without doing something for ME, too! So she's been working on some more hairbows for me. I am trying to grow my hair as fast as I can, I know Momma can't wait. Until then, thankfully, we have my headbands that she can clip my bows on!

Momma usually doesn't make me something new without making my best friend, Allie one, too. That's because we love Allie and momma says that friends always share. Here's what she's working on. I can't decide which ribbon is my favorite. I can't wait to see it all finished!

It looks like it's going to be a busy week around my house. Momma has lots to work on, but of course she can only do that when I am napping! I am only 3 months old, you know! And I LOVE to be held and talked to. Good thing that Momma's two most favorite things are 1. holding me and 2. talking to me!!! We make a good pair!

Here's a new picture of me. I decided that I would put my bunny dress on and lay in a basket. Well, not really. Momma put me there and told me to smile. Of course I did cause that's what good babies do!

I'll be updating when Momma finishes all of our weekend projects!

From all of us in my Boppy Bouncer (that's me, my silky, and my paci), Have a GREAT weekend!

~Belle~

Finding Shade & Resting in His Shadow

Yesterday morning, I was awoken to the sound of a chainsaw and some sort of tree-limb-grinding-trailer-contraption being pulled through the field in front of our house by a big bucket truck.

The power company had sent out this crew to cut back one of our trees that had gotten struck by lightening last year. It was a big oak, and they needed to cut back the branches and limbs to keep them from drying out and falling onto the power lines. It makes me sad to loose one of our beautiful trees, but at the same time, I DO NOT like going without power. I was definitely born during the era I should have been. Any time the lights flicker, I cringe. I call Devin down at the office to see if they have power and to make sure someone's "calling it in." I know I do that, because when I was a little, and anytime the lights went out at our house, Granny was on the phone calling from her house to see if my Momma had "called and reported it" because we lived on the same power lines. Anyway...it makes me sad to loose a big oak because I know that you don't just "get" big oak trees- it takes generations for them to grow.

After all the trimming, cutting and grinding, here's what the tree looks like now:

Pretty pitiful, isn't it? Boy, can I relate. Some days I feel like this tree--most days, in fact. I feel cut down and weak. Vulnerable to wind and rain damage caused by the storm's of life---unable to provide anyone with anything good---unhealthy and damaged.

Several weeks ago, I was in the middle of a "rough patch." satan was on me big time and had me believing some of his lies. I got an email from my aunt, who encouraged me with this verse:

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty."

- Psalm 91:1

My aunt also encouraged me to remind myself that being led by God means that when we follow him so closely, we literally become his shadow. We have nothing to fear! Wow! What a thought. As a Christian, and a follower of Christ, I know I am in His shadow--- but I desperately want to be CLOSE in His shadow... I don't want to be in the back of the shadow, I want to be full on covered in the front of it!

This is a thought that I have been repeating to myself daily for the past few weeks. In the moments when the enemy sneaks up on me, I pray it loud. "God keep close me in your shadow, Remind me, I am in your shadow!" I feel like a baby chick running to get under the momma hen! In the moments when fear nearly consumes me, I tell myself again, I am in His shadow!! I love the picture that my mind paints when I think about it. ME safe in HIS shadow! It's hard to even imagine the greatness of it.

There, and in my weakness is where His strength is present. I may be struck by lightening and limbless but in His shadow I find peace and strength.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me." - 2 Corinthians 12:9

Today I will gladly say I am weak and HE is strong! Lord, let your power rest on me. Cover me with your shadow like the shade of a mighty oak!!!!

Today I pray that every person (or at least the two that actually read this), will run like a baby chick, as fast as they can to get close to our God. I pray He draws you as near to Him as you can get (you can stand by me, cause I am holding on to his sleeve today--nah, there's room, you can hold his sleeve, too! :) -- I pray that you feel His peace and strength in your life today like you never have before--no matter what storm's of life you are facing, find rest in His shadow.

~annie~

A Great Deal!

It's been over a year ago since I ordered our address stamp. Since then, I cannot tell you how many people have asked about it. I love it. It has our last name and address on it (you could have probably guessed that, though..) here, let me show you...

I got it here:

http://www.expressionery.com/product.aspx?lineid=29&productid=2121

Today, I got an email from Expressionary that said they had some new designs of return address stamps! They are now carrying the line "Three Designing Women." They have some really cute address stamps and the best part is... they are offering.......

40% off all of the "Three Designing Women" products! Here's the link the to "Three Designing Women" stamps, and the coupon code is GIRLPOWER.

http://www.expressionery.com/line.aspx?lineid=334&lid=MF3

~annie~

TO: Spring FROM: Belle

Dear Spring,

Please come and stay.

Because if you dont come and stay, Summer will never get here.

And I am dreaming of Summer!

Plus, I am worried about what my Mommy will dress me up as next. A flower headband first, who knows what's next! It might be the Easter Bunny or something crazy like that! Oh, wait, I see bunny ears... ahhhhhh... SPRING, Come quick, come quick!!!!

Love,

Belle

Sewing & Such....

My BFF, Carrie has spread her bib making bug to me. No, I haven't made a bib yet, but I've been inspired to drag out my sewing machine and try my hand at some of my own sewing projects.

My personal sewing history goes way back. I mean WAY back. Back to 4-H and the Suwannee River Fair Fashion show. Oh yes, in Elementary school, I sewed a dress every year for the fair from the time I was old enough to start. Then on Thursday night of fair week, all the "mini-seamstresses" would "model" their dresses on the plywood "runway" that was constructed on top of the saw dust and in the middle of the livestock show ring. We were BIG stuff. After my stint in the Suwannee River Fair fashion show, I was once asked to emcee a fashion show up in Taylor county. I think they only asked me because I talked loud, but of course I accepted and did it! Now don't yall all start asking me for my autograph and all, that was years ago, when I was 11, and way cooler than I am now.

My sewing projects consisted of a long romper, a sleeveless sundress with a sailor collar, and a long sleeve button up dress complete with a petticoat that peaked out from underneath (just think Little House on the Prairie and that was it...) I STILL cannot believe I did that.

I participated in the Home Economics division of the fair for three years (3rd, 4th & 5th grade). By the time mom and I had sewed our third dress together, well, let's just say that we both knew that should probably be the end of my sewing career.

I'll never forget going to the fabric department in the old Wal-Mart (back before Super Wal-Mart) for the first time to pick out my fabric and buy a pattern. My first project was the long romper. This was during those years when rompers were the big thing. Don't act like yall didn't have a one piece romper. I had rompers that were shorts and rompers that were pants. Rompers with bows on the cuff of the pants, and rompers with big bows on the waistline. All kinds of rompers. Well imagine my delight, when there was a pattern for a romper! We picked a fabric that was navy blue with tiny red and yellow polka-dots on it. For the buttons, we picked out these little yellow daisy shaped buttons that just screamed, "romper!" Well, I was only 8 years old and had no idea how this fabric and buttons we'd just purchased was going to become my newest romper, but I knew Mom would make it happen. We got home and I couldn't wait to cut out the pattern and get to work! I cut out the pattern, we pinned, we cut, and mom taught me how to read pattern directions.... then it was time to start sewing. Now, I know this will be hard to believe, me being the big cheerleader that I was in high school and all but I have no coordination. (just to clarify: the only reason I made the cheerleading squad was because I was loud...and I could paint really cute "run-throughs" for football season) but, I have no coordination what.so.ever.! I can't dance and I can't sing. I don't have rhythm. I walk into walls and door jams DAILY. I just flat don't have any coordination---and to push the sewing machine peddle and "gently guide" the fabric through at the same time, well that just was NOT working with that little 8 year old uncoordinated girl! The more I would try to concentrate on guiding the fabric through, the harder I would push the peddle and then that machine would take off and I'd be left with a seam running back and forth from one side of the pants leg to the other... it was not pretty. I think once my mom had gotten the seam ripper out and ripped about a hundred of my seams and let me try again, she decided that she'd "help" me a little more. Now, no one in my family has much patience, but of all of us, mom has the most. But by this point, she was running low. So she pulled two chairs up to the sewing machine and put her hands on top of mine and "guided" them and the material through--- but even that didn't help for long. After a couple good runs, I'd follow with a dozen bad ones... and by this point, all patience was OUT THE WINDOW, and so she told me to push the peddle, while she guided the fabric. And that is how my sewing projects would end. Me pushing the peddle and mom doing the rest. :) And all three years I (well, we) got a blue ribbon on my (well, our) project! The little house on the prairie dress even got a rosette! And the sunflower sundress won Best of Show! Yep, we still have the plaque somewhere to prove it. But now, I am coming clean-- my secret is out--- I didn't sew all those dresses by myself, in fact I really didn't do much more than the cutting and peddle pushing.

To be real honest, these "sewing skills" of mine are STILL border line non-existent.

However, nearly two decades later, I am happy to say that I am slightly more coordinated and I do remember a few of the things that my mom taught me back then while I was pushing the peddle, and I've since been inspired to take on a little project. I saw this fabric and thought it was so cute. I thought it would make the cutest little jumper for summer (for Annabelle). I am NOT about to start sewing my own clothes! Although Devin's real proud of me and wants me to sew him some jeans--its hard to find pants long enough to fit that 6 foot 4 inch guy of mine. I am SO kidding---

Anyway, I did it. I really did it! All by myself! And I only had to rip out one seam! And it wasn't even my fault! It was my sewing machines fault. See, its REAL old. It's a 1957 Singer with metal gears (now, I know the impact metal gears has on the quality of the machine, because my mom told me so). So it's old and it hadn't been used in a while, and it took it a while to get going right, so I had to rip the first seam out. Anyway, this machine was Devin's grandmother's. I love that. I never got to meet his "Grandmother," but am convinced by stories I have heard that I'd be crazy about her! I tell my father-in-law often that his momma would have loved me. I'm just certain of it! I should be kidding that I really said that, but I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't really said that before... anyway, I am just sure I would have loved her and I love that I have this little bit of her. I made this for Annabelle on her Great-Grandmother's sewing machine:

After I finished the little dress, I was so shocked that it actually looked like a dress, and a dress that could be worn at that, that I decided I'd just go all kinds of crazy and sew a matching patch on a burp cloth to go with the dress. And that's what did. Then I decided that that burpie would be so much cuter if it had some of the matching ribbon on it, too! So I sewed it on! And it was straight. And I was proud.


I think I will sew a few more things, maybe, since I feel kind of guilty keeping those blue ribbons and plaques without having really truly earned them on my own. This will be my way of proving that I really do deserve them... and ease my guilt, which isn't bad enough to make me forfeit my plaque and "1993 Best of Show" title or anything crazy like that...



And of course, no post is complete without a baby Belle update. Well, she's had a hard time trying to keep up with me these days. You see, for THREE days in a row, I have exercised. Yes, THREE days! We've been burning up the driveway with our jogging stroller and she's exhausted. Hopefully her momma will be able to keep up the momentum, because I have a closet full of spring and summer clothes that I REALLY want to fit in!

Miss Priss in her jogging stroller. (With her shades pushed up so we could see her eyes in the picture...she wanted to make sure everyone knew she was awake during this workout!)

~annie~

Some Advice, via my latest Fieldtrip....

If I have taken the "field trip" on a particular situation, I like to share my advice and experience with others to save someone else from having to take the same trip.... MOST of the time, my "field trips" are not the fun, exciting trips you're thinking of complete with cheesy overpriced merchandise to commemorate the trip... Nope, my field trips are usually embarrassing and the only souvenir I usually take away is a good lesson, along with a red face and neck (when I get really embarrassed (or on the rare occasion that I get really mad), my neck turns bright splotchy red...its a tell-tell sign that something is up! I consider it my warning sign...)
Anyway, my latest field trip....
Friday, Belle and I met our BFF's Carrie & Allie at the quilt shop for lunch. I had not yet been to Carrie's new favorite hangout, and all of her sewing bibs has inspired me to break out my sewing machine as well (I'll do a post soon about what I made last weekend!), so we wanted to have lunch and check out their fabric. Wow, is all I can say about the fabric selection. There were so many cute patterns and textures and it was so hard not to say, "I'll take a fat quarter of it ALL!" Do yall know what a fat quarter is? I did not. Carrie didn't either. Thankfully, the all-knowing Ma'am was there (Allie's grandmother, formerly known as Carrie's momma, or to me as Ms. Cindy Jo) to answer our inexperienced question. We learned that a fat quarter is a quarter of a yard of material cut in a square... hmmm, makes sense...
Anyway, this is not part of the field trip for you--- you can count that as a freebie...
Back to the trip...
We looked around, and I picked out as many fat quarters as I could put my hand around and until my arm went numb from carrying around the car seat carrier loaded down with Miss Priss and her big hairbow. I think the big bow adds at least a pound.

We decide we've had enough and proceed to the cutting counter, where I must say I received my very own frequent shopper punch card! Now, don't worry, you didn't have to sign up like the Winn-Dixe savings reward card, so I wasn't holding anybody up by getting it! We got our fabric cut, our tickets tallied and headed for the checkout counter.

The sweet lady rang me up, and I so graciously handed her my beloved debit card. She was so sweet, and asked, "Sugar, does it matter if I run it as credit or debit?" I, proudly, replied, "No, Ma'am, it works either way!" She swiped that sweet little booger, (which it is quite familiar with), and then it happened....the little receipt machine spat out the smallest receipt-like paper I have ever seen, which read, "DECLINED".... WHAT?!?!? I was puzzled. Funny thing is, the same thing had happened when Devin had tried to use his debit card at lunch two days before this. Now, I'll be honest, it might not be too hard to believe that my account is running low, but for it not to take Devin's card, well, there's just NO WAY... So I said, "Well, something must be wrong with our bank or our cards, because the same thing happened to my husband on Wednesday...." (She probably thought I was SO making it up, but really it did.)

So the sweet cashier, said, "Well, Darlin', let me run it as debit, do you have a pin number?" (Oh, yes, ma'am, I have a pin number, and I am not afraid to use it!) So I say, "yes, ma'am, let's try that..." SWIPE... crrrr,crrr,crrrr,crrrr (receipt machine spitting out that TINY receipt again...) DECLINED.
OH.MY.GOSH. I could feel it, my face was burning and I know my neck was screaming "Mortified!!!!"... I knew there must be some mistake. I mean this was Friday, and Devin gets paid on Thursday (which means my "mad money" goes in via direct deposit and I KNEW there was money in my account...) Now, any other day of the week, it might be questionable, but on Friday, there's always money in there! Not for long, but on a Friday at lunch, I KNOW it's there!
The lady was so sweet, and I said, "Well I am so sorry, I promise there's money in there, I don't know what the problem is..." She said, "Oh, sweetie, I'm sure there is. You just call your bank and check on it." Well that was good, at least she wasn't mad with me. I can't stand for someone to be mad at me. But we still had a problem. I had two tickets I still had to pay for -- the lunch ticket, and the fabric ticket. So, I opened that wallet of mine, and handed her my B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L Discover card. (it really is cute... its pink with a big daisy on it. Devin picked it out for me and surprised me with it when I stopped working... REALLY, a credit card when I STOP working?!?! Remind me again, HOW I got so lucky?!?! Don't worry girls, he isn't THAT dreamy (almost but he's no dummy) because when I got that cute little card it came with some guidelines... I use it for house and kid purchases and in emergencies...) But this was totally an emergency, and if you had seen that fabric you'd think so, too! Plus, I don't think my husband would want his daughter and I washing dishes to pay for lunch, so I knew he wouldn't care... So anyway, Sweet Mrs. Cashier-lady, takes my card and smiles sweetly and says, "Oh, sugar, this would be fine, but I can't take Discover"... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..... Here it goes again, the neck is on fire... Now I look like the girl who's card has been declined not once, not twice, but three times! I am beginning to wonder if that's why Devin got me a Discover card--- unlike "Visa, who's everywhere you want to be", some places discriminate against my plastic Discover card friend. I am sensing some pre-meditation in making his choice on what card to give me.... So what am I to do now?
I did it, yall. I pulled out old faithful. My checkbook. I was worried that Sweet Mrs. Cashier wouldn't take my check, seeing as my debit card, which is linked to my checking account was declined. Fortunately, she accepted the check. And after what felt like an hour long battle of trying to pay I was paid in full and beyond ready to get my red face and neck out of there!
Now, what was this field trip lesson, you ask?
Oh, well, after I dropped Carrie off and headed to Wal-Mart, and just before I called the bank to find out WHAT in the world was going on, it hit me.
About two weeks ago, we got letters in the mail on both of our checking accounts that said we would be receiving new debit cards in the mail soon. Then a few days later, we got new cards. Well, me, being me, threw them in the mail basket and never thought twice about them.... UNTIL that is, my card was DECLINED because it had been deactivated and needed to be replaced with my new card that came in the mail a week earlier and was covered up in the mail bin.
So there it is, guys, the field trip lesson that I took for team, so that you don't have to---
DON'T THROW YOUR MAIL IN THE MAIL BASKET ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS YOUR NEW DEBIT CARD IN IT!!!!!!
~annie~

John 16:33

Being a "newbie" to the land of Blogging, I have learned that it really makes the world a smaller place. I have visited and read so many blogs over the past few months and am amazed at how many people have suffered similar losses to mine. It can be, at times, overwhelming at the number of people who are suffering and facing trials and heartache.

Being from a rather large family, I have seen my fair share of firsthand suffering and tragedy. There have been times when I feel like there is a massive bulls-eye on my family that troubles and sorrow keep landing on. Today was one of those days.

I got word this morning that one of my first cousins' 19 year old son was killed yesterday in a car accident. The sting of death never fails to get to me, but now more than ever---especially when a child is involved. I know that 19 years old isn't a "child", but really it is. Parents are not supposed to outlive their children. It's not supposed to happen like this.

My heart hurts for my cousin who lost his son. It hurts for my Uncle & Aunt who lost their oldest grandson. I hurt for them, because I know what lies ahead and I wish they did not have to walk this valley that their lives has turned into. I am thankful that they have our Heavenly Father to see them through the days, months, and years ahead.

My verse of scripture for my memory team for Feb. 15-28th seems quite fitting for today.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

I have to remind myself often that God never promised we wouldn't face heartache, but he did say he'd never leave us!
Thank you, Lord, for your unending mercy and love.

~annie~