A Lillybee Birthday

Today, our little fur baby turns five! I can't believe it. I got Lilly when I lived in Orlando, Fla. I was working my first job out of college. I had two life-savers in Orlando: my friend Liz and getting Lilly.

Kate, my parents yellow lab, had a litter of seven puppies and I got one of them. Labs are the best dogs! I've grown up with Labs my whole life and I just couldn't imagine having any other dog. They have the best personalities, super fun and so darn cute. The match up with Lilly couldn't have been more perfect. Lilly is such a hoot!





















How could you resist that face?

This is Lilly at my house in Florida. She has always "modeled". When she sees a camera, she really models. It's so funny!

While in Florida, I fell in love with Up Country Inc. collars. She has a million of them. She even models for their website. How funny is that?

Lilly and Curtis hit it off right from the beginning! She loves her daddy probably more than me. He is seriously her best buddy.

We take her with us every year to St. George Island, Fla. for our beach trip. She love the beach because it provides endless opportunities for digging in the sand, swimming and bird chasing.

Tired after a long day at the beach!

Lilly and her favorite toy, OJ, at the park.

Last, but not least, Lilly loves to spend time with her best friend Sierra. They have such a good time together!

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Loud Noises

I went to the doctor this morning because my throat and ear was really killing me, but just on the right side. The whole visit was interesting. My general practitioner is an internal medicine guy. His nurse comes in and does the whole routine, "what are you here for today?"...but about 10 levels louder than most people talk. I know they see a lot of older patients, but it reminded me of how the nurses talk to Curtis' Granddaddy... "MIS-TER SAN-DERS, HOW ARE YOU FEE-LING TO-DAY???" I felt like Brick on Anchorman, "LOUD NOISES!"

So, I explain, in a softer than normal tone...I guess to compensate for her yelling, that last night the sore throat and ear ache came on kind of suddenly, but no stuffiness, etc. I did have chills, but I haven't taken my temp. Seems pretty self-explanatory, right? This is what follows:

Nurse (still loudly): "any soreness in your throat?"

Me: "Yes, on the right side."

Nurse: "Any congestion, stuffiness or drainage (I hate this word by the way)??"

Me: "No." Thinking: I thought I said that, maybe not.

Nurse: "Any soreness in your ear?"

Me: "Yes, on the right side." All while thinking, "didn't I just say that..."

Nurse: "When did your symptoms start?"

Me: Thinking, "Really? Will she ask about fever next." but saying slowly and enunciating "Last. Night."

Nurse: "Any fever?"

Me: "Nope. Still haven't taken my temp."

Nurse: "Have you been exposed to strep?"

Me: "Who knows, I'm sure I have." It's winter and I'm out in the public... I'm thinking the odds for being exposed are higher than someone who is a shut-in.

Then the thing I hate more than anything at a drs. office...the pain scale! It's so degrading! "Look on the pain scale and rate your pain." Really? Smiley faces? Is there no other way for adults to rate their pain? Should I answer, "I'm not a crying frowny face, maybe a little more than a maroon straight face." When did, "It hurts when I swallow become insufficient"?

So she does the strep test and says very childishly, "Now open up for me and say 'aaaahhhh'...this will be real quick!"

Get me out of this twilight zone!

Turns out I have any ear infection. Go figure. I haven't had one of those in over 20 years! You want to know the real kicker?? I have not gained one pound. NOT ONE! What is the deal? I called Curtis immediately to tell him this shocking news and he was even baffled saying "How can that be?? You're eating me out of house and home". I'm not complaining, but this is insane! I have not denied myself anything...nothing! In fact, I've eaten a lot more than I would actually like to...and I love to eat. Strange. Right now, I have a one pound bag of M&M's in my purse that I snack on. What is the deal? The irony! If only it was bathing suit season, I'd be packing the lbs on left and right! My metabolism must be through the roof...all good stuff until you need to "be less lean."

Answered Prayer!

The Lord has heard our prayers!

Cigna and Wellstar have reached a verbal agreement!! Yay!! For us, this means we'll stay on the same course of action with our new infertility doctor. Whew!

...showers of blessings!! Thank you Lord!

Thank you for praying for us!

Showers in Season

Streams in the Desert: January 8

What is your season today? Are you experiencing a season of drought? If so, then it is the season for showers. Are you going through a season of great heaviness with dark clouds? Then that too is the season for showers. "Your strength will equal your days" (Deut. 33:25). "I will send....showers of blessing." Notice that the word showers is plural.

God will send all kinds of blessings. And all His blessings go together like links in a golden chain. If He gives you saving grace, He will also give you comforting grace. God will send "showers of blessings." Look up today, you who are dried and withered plants. Open your leaves and flowers to receive God's heavenly watering. Charles Spurgeon

You, O Lord, can transform my thorn into a flowers. And I do want my thorn to be transformed into a flower. Job received sunshine after the rain, but was the rain all wasted? Job wants to know, and I want to know, if the rain is related to the sunshine. Only You can tell me -- Your cross can tell me. You have crowned Your sorrow. Let this be my crown, O Lord. I will only triumph once I have learned the radiance of the rain. George Mathison

----

What a great word of encouragement!

Father, just as George Mathison prayed, transform my thorn into a flower. Help me to see that in the dark seasons You still provide showers of blessing...like this daily devotional. Lord, I don't like the rain in this life, but I also don't want to miss the blessings of this time. Rather than living for when it's over, help me to trust You more, look for the blessings now and be thankful in and for all things. Thank You for meeting me in the quite moments with words of comfort. Thank You that You don't leave me alone. You are slowly transforming me. But I see there is still so much work left to be done. I'm glad You're bigger than all this!

Rest Here a While

Have you ever felt like your circumstances are just sucking the life out of you? Like you need to physically stop for while and rest? Maybe like you want to pause life, take a breather, then continue on. I have felt like that recently. Almost too tired to even pray about it.

Monday someone asked me if I had tried praying to the fertility god. What?? Is that a real question? Of course, her friend's, brother's, wife's, friend's, sister did it and it worked!! (It's always a story like this.) What do ya know! Should Curtis and I also drink a bottle of wine and listen to Def Leopard for added good "luck"? All I could say is, "Yes, I pray to the God of all creation. And, I'm pretty sure that was just a coincidence."

These stories have made me so much more aware that sympathy is all you have to give in moments that seem a little awkward. Sometimes all that's needed is "I'm so sorry." or "I'm praying for you." Advice is not always needed.

I was reading Streams in the Desert for December 23 today. What a fantastic writing about Elijah! I love to read about men and women in the Bible who were tried in their faith, yet displayed human qualities...like disliking their circumstances, being tired, wanting a break. I can relate so much more.

Ashly and I have joked about the verse in the Bible where God promises He'll never give us more than we can handle. We laughed saying, "Lord, I promise I'm not this strong!" But, oh, we can't fool Him. He knows. He knows much better.

I'm too tired to trust and too tired to pray,
Said I, as my overtaxed strength gave way.
The one conscious thought that my mind possessed,
Is, oh, I could just drop it all and rest.

Will God forgive me, do you suppose,
If I go right to sleep as a baby goes,
Without questioning if I may,
Without even trying to trust and pray?

Will God forgive you? Think back, dear heart,
When language to you was an unknown art,
Did your mother deny you needed rest,
Or refuse to pillow your head on her breast?

Did she let you want when you could not ask?
Did she give her child an unequal task?
Or did she cradle you in her arms,
And the guard your slumber against alarms?

Oh how quickly a mother's love can see,
The unconscious yearnings of infancy.
When you've grown too tired to trust and pray,
When overworked nature has quite given way:

Then just drop it all, and give up to rest,
As you used to on your mother's breast,
He knows all about it -- the dear Lord knows,
So just go to sleep as a baby goes;

Without even asking if you may,
God knows when His child is too tired to pray.
He judges not solely by uttered prayer,
He knows when the yearning of love are there.

He knows you do pray, He know you do trust,
And He knows, too, the limits of poor, weak dust.
Oh, the wonderful sympathy of Christ,
For His chosen ones in that midnight tryst,

When He told them, "Sleep and take your rest,"
While on Him the guilt of the whole world pressed --
You have trusted your life to Him to keep,
Then don't be afraid to go right to sleep.
Ella Conrad Cowherd

Father, thank you that You know. You know us better than we know ourselves. You know the very thoughts we have even we when can't speak them. Thank You for understanding, caring and even washing my feet. Thank You that You make all things new and restore my strength in You.

This song goes right along with this line of thought. It's the second song on my playlist if you care to listen.
All That I Can Say
By David Crowder

Lord I'm tired
So tired from walking
And Lord I'm so alone
And Lord the dark Is creeping in
Creeping up
To swallow me I think
I'll stop
Rest here a while

Chorus:
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give
And this is all that I can say right now
And this is all that I can give, that's my everything

Lord didn't You see me cry'n?
And didn't You hear me call Your name?
Wasn't it You I gave my heart to?
I wish You'd remember
Where you sat it down

Chorus:
And this is all that I can say right now, i know it's not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.

Bridge:
I didn't notice You were standing here
I didn't know that
That was You holding me
I didn't notice You were cry'n too
I didn't know that
That was You washing my feet
And this is all

This is all that I can say right now, oh i know its not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
This is all that I can say right now [right now], i know it's not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.
This is all that I can say right now, oh i know it's not much.
But this is all that I can give, yeah that's my everything.. yeah that's my everything.. yeah that's my everything.. everything...

Picture Update

Front door wreath...




















Christmas tree '08...




















Mantel...unfinished. I never went back and took a finished picture, but you catch the drift.

Cheers!

2008 is officially over. This was such a fast year!

Last night, we went to my parents house and watch the Chick-fil-a Bowl Game, Georgia Tech against LSU. What a terrible game! I even pulled for the Jackets, but victory slipped further and further away as the minutes ticked on. I knew you wouldn't believe this unless you saw it with your own eyes, but I even wore a Tech jersey.














Curtis was dying for me to have a jersey, so I compromised all I hold sacred for one night. However, today is a new day. I will proudly wear red and black for the Dawgs as they play Michigan State. GO Dawgs!!

So, what's in store for 2009? Good question. No doubt, it should prove to be an interesting year. In January, I'm traveling with my mom to New York City. I fell in love with NYC during my summer semester there in college and loved traveling there on business. I'm happy to be mom's tour-guide on her first trip there.

Later in January, I'll travel with Curtis to "Sin City" on a business trip. There we'll visit our friends Tony and Lia. Curtis is also in their wedding in May. We'll also visit my cousin Kendall Wallace, who plays basketball for UNLV. We're going to see one of his games and do Las Vegas. Kendall is such a cutie! I'm sure he's quite the heart-throb on campus.

Aside from traveling, this year I will read through the Bible. I make a fantastic effort each year, but never see it through. This year will be different! I'll keep you posted on what the Holy Spirit reveals to me...

I have also decided I'll pick back up on my home renovations. I have two guest bedrooms and the living room left. I've put the bedrooms off in anticipation of making them into a baby's room, but no more. It's not good to live your life on hold waiting for something you have no control over. So off I go. Pictures to come soon...

Last, but not least, to babies in 2009! Not just for me, but for some close friends and people I only know through their blogs who are desiring the blessing of a child. Lord, hear the prayers of these Your servants and grant us the desires of our hearts according to Your perfect will and plan. 2009 brings a sense of hope because out of the 365 days it will contain, surely a baby will be part of mix. But, it's also a little scary because I thought that about '07 and '08. But I will hope in the Lord, the rock of my salvation. He is capable!

I stumbled across this blog post from another couple dealing with infertility issues and had to steal it. It was too funny to pass up!

"C'mere you stupid stork..."

"...quit digging around in the grass and go find me a baby!"


Here's to a new year of trusting Him more deeply, knowing Him more truly and walking humbly where He leads! "

Father, reveal Yourself a little more each day of this new year. Give us eyes to see Your glory revealed. Help me to wait upon You, walk with You and rely only on You, trust You and obey -- no questions -- only obedience. Father, give me ears to hear the whispers of Your plans for my life and feet to walk where You lead.