Family Day!!!

We had a wonderful day spent as a family today and of course we took advantage of this beautiful day we had. It was so exciting watching the thermometer change in the van from 41-56, the kids were beyond excited to see the sun and the breeze was just right. I sure do love days like today. I told the kids when we got home from town we would go for a walk because you just can't get enough vitamin D. :) We put sneakers on all the kids and then loaded Sawyer up in the stroller and Kira on her leash and off we went. We walked a total of 1 mile today and I can't wait to do it again.

On our journey we saw lots of streams, turkeys crossing the road and met a gentleman that lives 2 houses down from us. He told us all about growing up in Jefferson and knew who we were when we told him where we lived. He was so excited to meet Pastor Lovelace, from Truth Baptist Church. We talked for about 20 minutes and then we walked all the way back to our house with us and stood in the driveway and talked with Josh for another 15 minutes. I had to come inside to feed Sawyer he was very hungry.

What a beautiful day I had with my family and so much fun walking outside in the Spring weather. We have been longing for days like today, because this winter has been so long and dreary, but today shows us that Spring is finally going to come. :) Have a blessed day and hope you enjoy the pictures of our adventure!

Sawyer ready for his 1st walk

Love my family 

I had to get into a picture too...taken by Isaiah

Isaiah my photographer...he did a good job :)

The turkeys crossing the road

He loves his baby brother :)

Quick UP-date

Well, once again it has been forever since I have been on here, but it won't be long and I hope to be back more regular. Life is going very well, but we have been super busy for sure. I mean that in a good way with all we have going on...God is good! I am getting excited to get my Photography business up and going. I have just invested in some new items and I am super excited to get this started up. I will be posting some periodic updates, but for now I wanted to share some I took my kiddos today. I will be back shortly to post you up on the last few months I have been missing, but for now...Have a BLESSED day!

Isaiah 7

Landon will be 6 tomorrow

Lauren 3

Sawyer 5 Months

Our Newest Addition!!!

For all of you that regularly follow my blog I am sorry that this post has taken me so long to write. We welcomed our sweet little bundle, Sawyer William Lovelace to our family on October 3, 2013 @ 3:34pm weighing 8lbs 3oz and 21in long. I had a very smooth delivery which I praise The Lord for and my husband got to deliver him from start to finish. I know he was our 1st surprise and we were so excited about his arrival we forgot to look. :) We are so blessed to have him be apart of our family and he has brought so much joy to our lives.

The kids are all doing great with him and love him to pieces. He is such a sweetie pie. I am sad to say he is already 2 months old which really makes me sad, but we have enjoyed every bit of him being here. Thank you for all the prayers and support though my pregnancy and birth, I know many of you know the trials we have been through and what joy we have to have had a healthy handsome baby boy. Thank you again and here are some pictures.

Last Day :(

Well, tonight is our last night in our hotel, but this doesn't stop our vacation! First I will tell you about our day...We woke up and got ready as the sun finally made its way through the clouds. We went and ate our breakfast then it was off to the Summit of Loon Mountain.  It was so amazing listening to our children enjoy God's creation. They were amazed by the mountains and the river that the road followed the whole way up. We started on the Gondolas, everyone enjoyed the ride up, but Daddy and Landon...those two are so much alike ipI fee like I am raising my husband as a child...lol. When we go to the top we climbed up the big tower and looked at all the mountains and lakes. Then boys and Daddy climbed rough the caves and were all wet and dirty by the time they were done, while us girls sat back and waited for them while being eaten alive by Mosquitos. It was fun, but boys was it HOT! By the time we got through everything I had to go sit and cool down because I was over heated. I did drink lots, but my legs were shaking so we sat in a little cafe under the fan. On our way down everyone enjoyed the ride. We sat in the store in air conditioning for a few minutes then walked to the van as it just started to rain and it felt wonderful. The way down the mountain I kicked up my feet, cranked the ac and rested my eyes for a bit.

Oh and yes we once again enjoyed the Water Park, it was then off to supper back down to the Water Park and then baths and now the kids are in bed sleeping and we are relaxing. Blessed to have had another wonderful day of making memories with my family. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to stop and e joy God's creation every once in a while, it is all around us!

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handy work." Psalm 19:1

Vacation Day 2 and A Simple Thought!

Today was a great day all in all. We couldbe depressed because of all the rain, but The Lord held it off for us and kept it very mild. We got up this morning and ate breakfast...it was wonderful and then it was right off to the Water Park. The kids played for a while and then we came up to the room and got ready for our next adventure, but before we left we ate sandwiches to save on some money. ;) We then headed off and we all enjoyed the train ride, Lauren road with her ears covered because of the whistle, we just laughed. After that we went and did a little shopping and boys we found some great deals, shirts for the kids were $2 and under. Can't beat that! We wasted time till we went to Applebee's for dinner with a gift card we had been saving for our trip. Then back to the hotel and backdown to the Water Park for a few hours. We headed back to the room and bathed everyone and now everyone is relaxing kids are drifting off. What a wonderful relaxing day we had and excited for what adventures we will find to do tomorrow.

I was thinking a lot today as I watched my daughter go down the water slides. It amazes me how long it takes her to step out and realize how much fun it is. She also wants me standing at the end making sure she doesn't end up going under the water for too long. As a parent Josh and I are eager for her to take that step and do it,we also know we will be standing there waiting for her to cheer her on for stepping out and taking the challenge.

So many times as Christians we don't allow ourselves to step out by faith, but when we do, we realize how much fun it is serving The Lord and doing what He wants us to do. We need to rememeber the eagerness we have when we want our children to accomplish something as small as stepping out on their own to go down a water slide. Don't you think God feels the same way about us, because He knows He is waiting patiently on the other side to get us through and provide every step of the way and keep us from going under the water. Lauren would slide down and I would reach out and grab her hand so she didn't go under the water everytime she came down the slide. She waited, relied and had faith in me to watch over her and make her feel safe so she could enjoy herself. God wants to do the same for us, but we need to allow Him and have faith!

The faith of a child is so pure and innocent, but it really should make us think about our walk with The Lord. We as parents are disappointed when our children choose not to do something we want them to do so badly and at the same time, when God encourages our heart to do something and we refuse because we lack faith, how do you think God Almighty feels? Think about that next time! Just a simple thought for today! Have a great night!

"It is better to trust in The Lord then to put confidence in man." Psalm 118:8
 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Vacation!

We have made it safely on our vacation and we are looking forward to the next few days as a family. I will post pictures when we get back, but we are so thankful to have had the opportunity to do this with our children. Now if our children will go to bed and stop fighting we will be doing great!

Today we started our day out slow and just enjoyed God's creation. The kids were amazed by the BIG mountains and we loved sharing how God put them there. When we arrived at the hotel we got settled and took the kids down to the Water Park, Isaiah went down the water slides with no life jacket and was very proud of himself , Landon, hated the green water slide because it was enclosed the whole way, but at the end is now his favorite, Lauren started going down the small water slides on her own after a short time and once ended up completely under the water and never choked at all. They all had a blast and I enjoyed walking around keeping an eye on each of them. Daddy on the other hand, he enjoyed the water slides too and would stay with Lauren and I then back to the boys. We came back to the room to just relax and take it easy for the rest of the night and have dinner. So until tomorrow, have a wonderful night.

Attacked By The Devil

This week I have really allowed the devil to creep into my life and rip me apart.  I have been so discouraged and my heart has been so heavy.  This morning my husband preached a wonderful message and I sure needed it.  I praise The Lord for his leading on his life and how tender he is to the things of The Lord.  This past week I have not served with a servants heart and I have felt it in every part of my life.

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." Colossians 3:22, 

"Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free." Ephesians 6:6-8 

This morning I was on my knees asking for The Lord's forgiveness.  I am so blessed with all The Lord has given to me and this week my sight has been so clouded.  My negativity, attitude and thoughts have been completely consumed by the devil that I have been so selfish and prideful.  You may think as a Pastor's Wife I should never get this low, but I must say I am only human and we all have areas of weakness.  I have allowed everything said to me to be negative instead of just thinking it to be a statement or whatever else it might have been.  We have so much going on in the coming months for our ministry that I don't have time to feel like this, but it always seems to happen when you know God is at work and going to do amazing things.  NBT (Neighborhood Bible Time), our 4th Annual Backyard BBQ, our Teen Ministry and just church in general.  We all have times I guess in our lives where we allow a pity party to come over us and as women just the simple things of life become so petty.

I really felt led to share this from my heart because know matter who you are or what position you may be in, we all can be attacked by the devil.  Everything spoke from my mouth was negative and I couldn't look at anything positive at all.  As most of you know I am 6.5 months pregnant and could be one of those people that would do the normal thing and say, "I am hormonal and pregnant." I am sorry, but I think that is the lamest excuse ever and all I have to blame is myself not this wonderful, amazing little baby I have growing inside me.  I have know one to blame, but myself and I am taking full responsibility for it.  God has forgiven me and I feel like a whole new person.

Thank you for allowing me this time to vent and I am sorry I haven't posted in forever and all of sudden this is what you all have to listen to, but like I said...I am real and if we are all honest with ourselves the devil attacks us all by creeping into those back doors.  I pray that if you are having trouble with this or something similar that you will realize what it is and ask The Lord for help, because you can talk to anyone, but you will never feel right until you leave it with the one who can really help you.

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 1 Peter 1:7