Looks Like I Made It....

through October that is. I hate October, every single day of it. I've had devastating life changes in the month of October and no matter how far on the other side of it I am, I still hate October. It's a happy day when the calendar turns to November. November bears some sad reminders for me as well, but for some reason it is one of my favorite months of the year.

I love Thanksgiving! All the yummy food like cornbread dressing and fried turkey. I love the crispness in the air and the colorful leaves on the ground. I love the football games and the rotel dip. I love the time change and turtleneck sweaters. I love reflecting on all of my many blessings and hoping for more to come.

Good riddance October; you can't hold me down. November has arrived!

Is it Really October?

I can't believe my last post was in July and now it is the end of October. Where has the time gone? The kids have been back in school for a while, Brian and I have turned another year older, the leaves are falling from the trees and Christmas is just around the corner. I can remember as a child that time seemed to creep by so slowly, not any more! Our life in the slow cooker is suddenly not so slow.

My return to a full-time career has become just that...full-time plus. Days turn into weeks and the weeks into months. We are right in the middle of our season and I am counting down until November 15th. The golf course has kept Brian busy. We have actually seen each other more this week than we have in a while and that is only because we were both home sick with bad colds. Ugh! There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we are all looking forward to some reconnect time in the next few weeks.

The kids have been real troopers in all of our craziness and I am constantly reminded at how blessed I am. They are easy going and just go with the flow and are very patient with this hectic new life of ours.

I hope to be more diligent with my posts and apologize that I have gotten so far behind. Like I said...November 15th is right around the corner! More posts ahead with what we have "simmering" on the home front. Stay tuned!

Fast and Furious

That is exactly what our summer has been like! For those of you who don't know, I went back to work full time at The Rock Ranch. The Rock Ranch is Truett Cathy's (founder of Chik-fil-A) personal ranch. It is an agritourism site that offers field trips, camping, Fall Family Fun Days. It's a really cool place to work. I'm city gone country and it's fun!

The kids have been on the road with a trip to Granny Susie's. She took them to Myrtle Beach for a couple of days. It was Cole's first trip to the Atlantic Ocean. He says it's "AWESOME" and is begging that we go to the Atlantic rather than the Gulf for our next beach vacation. We'll see. It's hard to pass up on those sandy white beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. But, I could suffer through a trip to Hilton Head or Charleston!

After being home for a day and a half, they both headed off to camp. Katie headed to Global Youth Camp in north Georgia and Cole headed back to Camp Marannook. It just so happened that they were both the same week. They both had a great time, made new friends and came back with a deeper love for Christ. What more could we ask for?

Trevor went to camp in Andalusia, so we have not seen the boys in two and half weeks. We're going through withdrawals and ready for our nest to be complete come Wednesday. Katie plays in a golf tournament in Opelika this Tuesday and Wednesday. Brian will be her chaperone/coach for this tournament(thank God!) and they will be bringing the boys back to Georgia on Wednesday. Our house, that has been extremely quiet for two weeks, will once again be filled with laughter, footsteps and fights. We wouldn't want it any other way.

I've posted a few pictures of Cole at "The Nook." Katie did not take a camera so I don't have any of her. Hopefully we are slowling down for the remainder of the summer. The kids go back to school on July 29th. Ugh! Like I said...Fast and furious!

To the Very First Love of My Life

Daddy,
It stinks to have a birthday and Father's Day at the same time every year. You often get combined gifts and get recognized for two different things on the same day. You're lucky this year...at least it falls on two different Sundays! I am writing just one recognition but it does not lessen the fact that I celebrate you as you and you as my dad. I have been extremely blessed by both!

My very first memory is of you picking me up from daycare. I must have been 3 or 4 at the time. I remember standing on the seat next to you in the car. That was way before car seats or seat belts! I don't remember what we were doing or what we talked about. I just remember being excited to see you and feeling special to be yours. As much as I love my mother, I've always seen myself as a "Daddy's Girl." I remember that the first flowers I ever received were from you. A dozen red roses for making the cheerleading squad. They were delivered to my school. I remember you driving over for our football games and advising me that we needed to learn the game a little since we were often cheering when the other team had the ball!

I did not have the privilege of growing up in your house. But, I have always known beyond a shadow of a doubt that your were my biggest fan, my cheerleader, my confidant,... a safe place to land. Our relationship has evolved over the past 37 (ouch! I am getting old!) years and I have never enjoyed it as much as I do now. You are one of my best friends and the first one I turn to when I need wise counsel, a laugh or a shoulder to cry on. You are a big part of who I am today.

One of my favorite songs is "I'll Always be Your Baby" by Natalie Grant. It expresses exactly what I want to say. I'll close with the lyrics.

You were my first love
Always there for me
You taught me how me to walk and how to dream
God gave me your eyes
But it was you who showed me how to see
Now I can stand on my own
But I know you'll never let go

I'll always be your baby
No matter how the years fly by
The way you loved me
Made me who I am in this world
I'm a woman now
Not a little girl
Wherever this life takes me
I'll always be your baby

You are my hero
And that will never change
You still can dry my tears with just your smile
The one I've leaned on
From my first steps
To walking down the aisle
Now there's another man in my life
But I know by the look in your eyes

I'll always be your baby
No matter how the years fly by
The way you loved me
Made me who I am in this world
I'm a woman now
Not a little girl
Wherever this life takes me
I'll always be your baby

Your faith, your love and all that you believe
Have come to be the strongest part of me

And I will always be your baby
No matter how the years fly by
The way you loved me
Made me who I am in this world
I'm a woman now
Not a little girl
Wherever this life takes me
I'll always be your baby
Daddy, you mean the world to me. I hope you have a very Happy Birthday and a Happy's Father's Day!

I love you!
Buffie

First Try at the SJGT

This past weekend Katie and I headed down to Fort Gaines, GA for her first SJGT tournament. Since Katie aspires to play college golf, Will advised her to start playing on the tour so she could get experience competing at a higher level. The SJGT is a prestigious tour for juniors and one that has a lot of name recognition amongst college scouts.

Boy was this weekend an eye-opener! Katie was a basket full of nerves. Fortunately, Katie's friend and fellow golfer was playing as well and they were paired up for both days. If you don't think junior golf is serious, let me correct you. Will was right, this was a totally different level than we had ever played. It put the high school matches to shame. Katie came in 4th...out of 4 girls in her age bracket! But, I was very proud of her for sticking with it. Two days of walking 18 holes each day, carrying her own bag, hot weather and not so great golf play made for a tough weekend. Believe me, there were times I thought she was going to just walk off the course.

Todd and the staff of SJGT were top class and very understanding that this was the girl's first appearance in a tournament of this caliber. The two girls in the lead both shot 75 each day and had to go into a sudden death playoff that was decided after two holes.

We left there with our heads held high, a list full of things we need to work on, and the understanding that Brian will have to be at all the remaining tournaments. Katie suffered through my lack of golf knowledge and patiently accepted my pep talks from the side line. I have promised her that I would not speak of her score, only of how we will improve from here. I have included a few shots of her warm up on the first day and shot of Katie and Anna Logan headed off the tee box.

Love You Always

Barbara Burns Schmidt Singleton (1947-1992)

Thanks Mom….
For loving me before you even knew me.
For caring for me from the moment I was born.
For holding my hands as I took my first steps.
For taking time with me after a long day.
For reminding me that laughing is sometimes the best way to cry.
For not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.
For praying with me and for me.
For not just being proud of me, for actually saying it.
For holding me so tight, and for letting me go.
For being the example I needed when it was finally my turn to be a mom.
For teaching me that death is not the end, it’s the beginning.

Can’t wait to see you on the other side completely healed and basking in the Light of our Savior. ~ Buffie

"I am fooling only myself when I say my mother exists now only in the photograph on my bulletin board or in the outline of my hand or in the armful of memories I still hold tight. She lives on in everything I do. Her presence influenced who I was, and her absence influences who I am. Our lives are shaped as much by those who leave us as they are by those who stay. Loss is our legacy. Insight is our gift. Memory is our guide."
--Hope Edelman, Motherless Daughters, epilogue

I'm in A Funk

Mother’s Day always puts me in a funk. Mother’s Day is still a few days away and I have already had several crying spells. Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to be a mother and I am blessed with a family that showers their appreciation on me. I have also been blessed to have several wonderful “mother” figures in my life.

The real issue with Mother’s Day is that in 1992, cancer made me a motherless daughter. I don’t care how young or old you are, it is really hard to lose your mom. Time is a great healer, but seventeen years later I still leave Hallmark crying. I want to buy her a card or send her flowers. Honestly, what I really want is to be able pick up the phone and hear her voice. I think I have forgotten what it sounded like.

I remember the last few days of my mom’s life like it was yesterday. Even though we had watched her suffer and deteriorate for over a year, I wasn’t ready to let her go. I thought I was, but I wasn’t. I prayed for one more conversation (she had been unresponsive due to pain medications for many days). God granted us that last conversation the day before she died. I will remember that conversation until the day I die. Sometimes I wonder why I only prayed for one last chance to say goodbye. I should have prayed for more…more years with her here.

So, like I said…I am in a funk. I want to honor her. I want to share with you what a wonderful mother she was and what a beautiful testimony she had. But I can’t do that today. Today I just want her back.

A Full House

I'm home today with a sick child. I hate that he is sick, but am enjoying the opportunity to catch up on laundry, paperwork and blogging. We had a full weekend with a full house. Daddy and Dee-Dee drove over and brought Trent, Kelson and Jace. I think it was the first time in a while that they had more than one day to play together. They play so well together. It's interesting that the grandchildren came two by two so each one has a playmate their age. I asked Cole what his favorite part of the weekend was and he said "it was fun to have other people to play with," he went on to say that he has gotten a little old to play with Colton so it was nice to have his cousins here. The humor in that statement is that Cole is 9, Colton is 7. Not a huge age difference. Jace is 6, Kelson is 10 and Trent is 15. I guess Cole sees himself as closer to Trent's age. Oh boy, I have got my hands full!

We started off Saturday morning with my first attempt at homemade cinnamon rolls. Mmmm...were they tasty. I have to thank the Pioneer Woman for the recipe. Delish! After lunch, we loaded up and headed to the golf course. There was fishing, golfing, football, baseball and good conversation. I am not sure the course was intended to be used in all these manners, but that's the benefit of being married to the guy who runs things and the only benefit to the fact that it is closed until July. I did manage to snag Brian's camera and snap a few shots.
Brian with his first brim. The brim was the only thing biting today. No keepers, just catch and release.
Brian and Kelson watching for fish.

Katie and her shadow. if you ever want to know where Colton is...look for Katie, he is usually with her.


Kelson, our softball superstar. That girl can catch...and you wouldn't believe how well she pitches. Cole is looking on as the umpire.


Trevor, Kelson, Katie and Trent. Not sure why I never got a shot of all seven. But, hey...at least I got some shots!

I saved my favorite picture for last. This is Jace, the baby of the pack. he doesn't sit still much. I'm glad I captured this shot.


It was a fun weekend! It's not often that we are all together. I really treasure these moments because I know they are fleeting. It seems like yesterday that Trent and Katie made their first appearance and now they are inching closer to the edge of the nest. The others are right behind them. My prayer is that they will always be friends and have fond memories of these times together.

Our pictures may fade, but our memories won’t. Anonymous

Just a Few Pictures

Evidently, we did get a few shots from the family reunion. Hope you enjoy my aunts and uncles doing the "YMCA" and Katie leading the "Macarena". I taught Katie the Macarena when she was about 3 years old...looks like she did not forget those moves!

Brotherly Love

This week was Spring Break in our neck of the woods. Cole spent the week hanging out with Gran in Auburn. Most days he got to spend several hours with Trevor and Colton. I think it was fun for them all to play with each other on different turf. The way I hear it, Colton demanded that Cole be at his house by the time he got home from school each day. I think Gran delivered! Gran told me that one morning as Cole was saying grace over his breakfast he thanked God for his time with Gran and thanked God for getting to spend time with his brothers.

When you combine families, you never know how the kids are going to get along. We are so blessed that ours really act like brothers. They argue and get tired of each other as most siblings do, but at the same time they are so loving to each other. When they are together, a quiet house becomes very noisy. But I wouldn't trade the noise of brotherly love for anything.

All for one and one for all
My brother and my friend
What fun we have
The time we share
Brothers 'til the end.
~Author Unknown

Janet's Lessons to a Cynic

By nature, I am a cynic. Webster defines a cynic as "one who denies the sincerity of people's motives and actions." Yep, that's pretty much me. I've never seen this as a bad trait or one in which I needed to work on until this week. This week, God spoke to me about this trait through a woman named Janet.

Janet has been without a job for about 6 months and is in the process of losing her home. She was referred to my office to complete some paperwork for financial help. I don't normally handle cases such as Janet. As a matter of fact, I gladly refer these cases elsewhere. Not only do I not want to be involved, I am not trained to minister in that area. I don't buy their stories, I don't trust their motives...you get the picture. The last time I was involved in trying to help someone, my tires were slashed. I'm a little bitter.

Janet is at the end of her rope financially. Little by little she is losing everything. I mean everything. We sat and talked for over an hour and I was taken back by how her heart was overflowing with love for her Savior. She is losing everything, yet she trusts in Him. She is not sure how she will feed her family tomorrow, yet she is confident God will provide. She is listening and watching for what He would have her to learn. She is obediently walking down the path that he has placed before her.

Janet's visit had a profound impact on me. It has taken me a while to be able to process all that God has spoken to me through Janet. Even as I write I am processing. I would like to think that he placed us in the same path so I could help her. In reality, He sent her for me. He used Janet to teach me that I have much, but my faith is often small. She has little, yet she is rich in Him. I really felt like I was speaking to Jesus when I was talking to Janet. I saw Him in her eyes and I am still overwhelmed by it all. To think that I was dreading having to meet with her, to think how skeptical I was...I am ashamed. I could have very easily sent her away. Would I have been rejecting Him?

Thank you Lord for sending Janet to break my prideful spirit. Thank you for loving me even when my faith is small. Thank you for Janet. You know every need that she has and you have promised that you will provide. Provide for Janet today oh Lord.

We Are Family

A big thanks to Aunt Les and Uncle Norm for hosting the Berger family reunion. It was a blast! We headed up to the farm on Saturday and were greeted by at least 50 members of the Berger family. The day was sunny and hot, but full of laughter and love. I know I promised pictures, and I did take my camera. I even took my camera out of the car. Unfortunately, the camera sat in the bag while I spent the whole day running my mouth. That is probably why Brian will not agree to let me buy a Nikon D80. It would be better for the money to sit in the checking account rather than in a camera bag!

As I mentioned before, my dad has 8 siblings. All were in attendance at the reunion as well as most of their families. It really is an interesting dynamic. My grandparents had 5 children, then took a break for a while and had the last three. So, some of my cousins are the same age as my children! Pretty freaky! When I was growing up, we spent many weekends at my grandparent's farm along with the cousins that are my age. Other than not living in the same house, we pretty much grew up as siblings. Unfortunately, we have all scattered and don't have many opportunities to see each other. So I particularly enjoyed this weekend because I got to catch up with Sissy and Norm. Our three "young" aunts were in attendance. I am sure as children we drove them crazy. They were teenagers when we were kids. We liked to brush their hair, play in their rooms and hang out with their friends. As a matter of fact, I think Melissa, Amber and I were flower girls in their weddings. I really looked up to them. Now that we are all grown up we are more equals than pests. It was fun to share our journey.

My dad gave a brief history of the Berger family. It made me wish I had talked to Nanny more about her family. There are lots of stories I need to write down so that Katie and Cole can look back and appreciate from whence they came. In fact, my next post will be about my grandparent's love story. (I just have to verify some facts before completing the post.) My dad's cousins were also in attendance. I can't tell you who they were. I just heard a lot of..."the last time I saw you, you were two years old!" We had some awesome Southern BBQ and lots of good conversation. It really was a great day.

Perhaps the highlight of the day (besides catching up with my cousins) was the fact that my family knows how to have fun. After lunch, they broke out the music. There was the electric slide, the Macarena and much more. Most of the "performers" were over 50 or under 15. It was a good laugh. When they brought out the hula hoops for the hula hoop competition....we made our escape. I could not take a chance that I would be posted on Youtube!

Sweet Home Alabama!

Life has been very busy and very WET in the Tuck household this week. I can't remember a time ever that it has rained, and rained and rained. It started last week and hasn't stopped. Brian and I purchased some plants at Callaway Garden's plant sale last Friday and they are still sitting on my front porch. We need the rain oh so bad, but I am ready to start digging and getting my yard ready for Spring.

We've had a nice break from sports this week due to the rain. I say we have had a nice break, but I am sure the coaches haven't. Katie's team is trying to prepare for Regionals, but you can only play golf outside. I imagine we will be catching up on Spring Break. Another note on the golf front...after a pow-wow with Katie's former golf coach, we have agreed to take part in the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour. Be on the lookout for the next Annika Sorenstom (sorry if I mispelled Brian!). It will keep us on the road this summer, but will help Katie get to the next level of reaching her dream. Fun times ahead! Be on the lookout for Katie in a city near you!

Thanks to my dad and Brian, I am venturing out a little and planning on making my love for cooking a business. More on that later. I can tell you I have been baking all week and we are all going to be butterballs before I fine tune my repertoire!

This weekend we are headed to Auburn to catch one of Colton's baseball games/visit with the Tucks and then on to Alex City for the Berger/Cole reunion. My dad has a huge family since he is 1 of 8 children. I am very excited for everyone to meet Brian and to catch up with all my kissing cousins! We haven't all been together since my grandmother died in 2005 and even then, we missed out on the northern folks. I'll post pictures next week. Not only will it be great seeing family, but it is always a blessing to be able to return to Sweet Home Alabama. It truly is God's country!

Separated at Birth

You may not know this, but I have a sister. Her name is Jennifer and we were separated at birth. It really is tragic. Despite the fact that we did not grow up together, we are very much alike. We are like personalities, we like the same food, we think alike and we even named our children with the same consonants...K & C. Matter of fact, we both have a Cole. She is one of the few friends that I can shop with...although we have only done that a time or two! I could go on and on, the similarities are scary. The greater tragedy is that we weren't reunited until 2003. Oh, those wasted years!

Ok, I know I am probably freaking my dad out. Jennifer is not my biological sister. But if I had the choice of picking a sister, she would have been first on the list. I had the privilege of really getting to know Jennifer at a Women of Faith Conference. When you share a room with Jennifer, Becky & Helen, there is bound to be some fun. Since that time, we have just clicked. I love her husband, her kids and her dad. I love her!

Now, I must admit, I suck as a friend. I am not the type that is going to call you on the phone everyday and just chit-chat. I am pretty much just wrapped up in my family and life in general. Not a good excuse, just pretty much my m.o. But ours is a friendship that continues to stand the test of time. We may go months without speaking (other than FB) and we seldom see each other since I up and moved away from God's country. But, when we get together it is so amazing how we seem to just pick right back up from where we left off.

I got to visit with Jennifer for a while today over a pretty awesome burrito. I am amazed by her transperancy, her grace and her love for her family and the Lord. It was like going home and getting wrapped in a nice warm blanket. It made me sad for the miles that are between us, but it was a taste of home enough to keep me going.

I love you Jennifer, my faithful friend. Looking forward to our next "burrito"!

Five Boys and a Covered Wagon

This weekend we celebrated Cole and Colton's birthdays with a Conestoga Campout at Truett Cathy's Rock Ranch. We are not really the camping type, so I was a little leery from the get-go! But wow, what a great experience. Upon arrival, we found out that we would have a little campground to ourselves complete with it's own port-a-potty. Now that's primitive!...and sorry no pictures of the port-a-potty (but I will tell you that praise Jesus it was clean!)

Truett Cathy is known for his customer service and family friendly endeavors. The Conestoga Campout was no exception. The staff was pleasant, helpful and provided everything to make our experience memorable. So support Chik-fil-a, there aren't many businesses like it anymore.

Once we were settled in, we took a hayride then began the evening with painting bird houses. Katie thought the boys would not like to do an art project, but it was a big hit.



After that, the boys all gathered fire wood and got a lesson in fire building from Brian.



Mr. Harvey joined us before dinner for story-time. This is another activity that I was unsure of whether or not the boys would enjoy, but Mr. Harvey captured them with his songs, stories and pictures. He even taught them a rope trick that illustrated our need for Christ.



Next it was hot dogs and roasted marshmallows and of course cupcakes. Thank God for wide open spaces to burn all that sugar off! There was hide and seek in the dark, flashlight tag and whispers and giggles in the wagon before bed.

Bed time was a whole different story. It was COLD...I cannot express enough....it was COLD. Every move made could be felt throughout the wagon, including Trevor falling out of bed not once...but twice! Every sound could be heard...cows mooing, four wheelers roaming at 3 am, Brian snoring! Needless to say, it was a restless night. A little discomfort far outweighed hearing the giggles of friendship throughout the evening. When they all asked the next morning if we could do it again next year, I knew we had made the right decision. Although I think maybe it will be a guys only weekend next time! (at least a girl can hope!)

Cole is 9!

Dear Cole,
At 11:24 am you will officially be 9 years old. 9 years old! Will you please stop growing up?! I can still remember the day I found out that the baby growing in my tummy was a boy. It was such an exciting day. The doctor saw me first and scanned my tummy to make sure that you were healthy. She asked me if I wanted to know before everyone else came in the room. I of course said yes because I hate surprises. When she told me it was a boy, it was so hard to contain my tears and put a straight face on so I would not give it a away. You see, with a family full of girls, we prayed so hard for a boy. From that day our life has been a whirlwind. I could never have imagined the joy you would bring. You have taught me so many things. From the most practical...change diapers quick or you will get sprayed!...to the profound of finding humor in every situation. You have blessed our home with laughter. You have taught us not to sweat the small stuff. Nine years ago you were an answered prayer and today those prayers are still being answered as I get the privilege to see you grow.

Happy Birthday Cole...and even though I wish I could freeze you in time...I wish you many, many more! Love always, Mommy


When I first heard the news of you, I did the things most Mommies do. I opened up my heart so wide,Where you will always have a place inside. ~author unknown

Have You Seen My Husband?

One more thing I failed to mention below....Have you seen my husband? He is a HOTTY!

I Love My Husband, God's Son

A magnificent marriage begins not with knowing one another but with knowing God.~ Gary Ricucci
Brian and I had the opportunity to attend a marriage conference over the weekend. It was a simulcast put on by Focus on the Family. There was a great speaker line-up including Beth Moore (my favorite encourager) and Gary Thomas. The conference wasn't a "how-to" type, it basically dealt with the heart of marriage. To say we were profoundly impacted by this conference would be an understatement. And just to prove it, Satan has been knocking at the door all week! (I often tell my family that Satan doesn't come knocking unless you are following God, because he is not going to make that effort when you are following him.)

I purchased a book by Gary Thomas called Sacred Marriage and it is convicting me to the core. Here are just a few statements made in the book that are knocking my socks off:
~The real purpose of marriage may not be happiness as much as it is holiness.
~If I really want to see God transform me from the inside out, I need to concentrate on changing myself not my spouse.
~Once we enter marriage, we cannot love God without loving our spouse as well.
~Your spouse may be difficult to love at times, but that's what marriage is for - to teach us how to love.

I could go on and on...I have almost every line in the book highlighted! Sometimes it is difficult to love Brian, I am sure he would say the same about me. Love is hard, marriage is hard...it's not like all those fairytales I read as a child. But I am striving to look at my marriage with different lenses. God has blessed me with His son, Brian Tuck. Brian was created in His image...how could you not love that! Brian is God-fearing, he works hard, he loves ME warts and all! He's my helpmate, my lover and my friend. I am blessed beyond measure. Help me Jesus to love you more so I can love him better!

Brian, if you're reading...I promise that I will fight for our marriage until the day I die. You are not the man that I got to be young with...but luckily...your the man I get to grow old with!

Second Honeymoon

Well, not really! The kids are out for winter break so Katie and Cole headed over to Granny Susie's for a week long visit. We don't have Trevor and Colton until the weekend. To say the least our house is quiet! This does not happen often and we are really enjoying it. When you bring kids into a marriage, the whole dynamics are different. Life revolves around the kids. Even your dates revolve around children...(will they go with you? do you need a sitter?, etc.) There was never just a Brian and Buffie, we both came with extras! So this week Brian and I are learning a lot about well, Brian and I. There are no kids to be shuffled here or there, no meals to be cooked, grocery shopping, no homework, etc.


As much as we love our children, it has been nice to have some "alone" time. Time to just lavish on each other. We didn't plan a trip to the Caymans, just some one on one time at Brookfield Drive. It's been a great time to slow down, reconnect and savor the moment. When Friday rolls around, it's back to the Brady Bunch!

"My Beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2:16

Happy 15th B'day Katie!

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4

Katie-bug,

It seems like yesterday that Dr. Saucer laid in my arms one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen! I could not fathom then or now how God chose me to raise one so precious in His sight. I have been blessed to be in the passenger seat as you have grown from a tiny baby to the beautiful young lady you are today. You are the best of me and your daddy...beautiful, smart, gentle and kind. I could not think of a more fitting verse for you than 1 Peter 3:3-4. In the world's eyes, you are a beautiful girl. But, it is your inner beauty that is of great worth in God's sight. I am thankful that your are our "princess", but more thankful that you are His. We delight in you, but He delights in you more!

Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day and I look forward to many, many more!

Love always, Mom

A building is just a building

Today was the 50th anniversary of our church building. Not the church itself...the actual building. We had a combined traditional service (we typically go the the early contemporary service). Old pastors were there, the ladies choir from LaGrange College performed and we shared a BBQ lunch together. It was a big deal for our church.

I sat in that service though and was dissatisfied. I think we are missing the whole point. Did I really just spend 2 hours of my life celebrating a building? I am not knocking traditional church, I was raised in one. As the years passed, I found myself thinking something was missing and then I met Jesus...in a skate center, underneath a disco ball and my life has been forever changed. My view of church has changed.

You see, I don't think it's about a building. I have seen lives changed in a skate center, at a city festival where bottles of water quenched a physical thirst, but the Son of God quenched a spiritual thirst. I have seen lives changed in a crowded den at small group. Church is not about a building, it's about people. It's about people loving like Jesus...no conditions, no strings attached.

1 John 3 :23 "And this is His command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commanded us."

School Projects

So Cole has his first major school project due tomorrow. Have I told you how much I hate school projects? We have had 3 weeks to work on it and we are still scrambling the night before! I am a perfectionist, very detailed oriented. Cole is....not! It has been a clash of wills. It's interesting how God made us each different...but still in His image. I am trying to remember that today. Today I am vowing to step back and just let him complete it the way he wants. We'll see...we may need a referee!

I Miss My Friend

Today would have been Buddy's birthday. Usually we would be baking a cake, decorating the house, fixing a special meal. Birthdays were (and still are) a big deal at our house. We won't be doing those things today. Buddy's having a party in Heaven and it is one we haven't been invited to yet.

We will celebrate today, just in a different way...it will be a little quieter. Our hearts will celebrate a man who loved us "to the sky and back". Today we are thankful that we got to walk for a while with him. Today we remember so many things that he brought to our lives that have helped shaped who we are. He was a loving husband, friend, brother, dad and we miss him more than words could ever say.

Glimpses of God

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

As many of you know, death runs in my family. I often have to make jokes about it, because sometimes it is just easier to laugh than to spend your life crying. My heart particularly breaks when it comes to my children. They have suffered so much loss and even though I am remarried, no one can replace their daddy. If you've ever gone through a loss, you more than likely have heard the verse above. It really is a great verse, but not one you want to hear when your world is falling apart.

I pray the above verse for my children. I pray that they will get glimpes of a Heavenly Father who loves them more than I, or their daddy ever could. I pray that He will make sense out of their tragedy at least enough sense to give them peace. Lately, they each have been getting some glimpses and I thought I would share not just about their healing, but about a God who loves them so much that He has not forgotten about them.

~Cole spent some time with his aunt, uncle and cousin over the holidays. He in particular has been struggling with where he belongs, does he fit in, etc. Uncle Greg spent a lot of time telling Cole stories about his daddy and their ancestors. I spoke with Cole while he was away and one of the first things he said was..."Mom, I have a family tree." I nearly lost it. You see, I don't think he knew that we all have family trees. It's something I had never thought to share with him. But somehow this small piece of info meant the world to him. He does belong, he has people and his tree is so long....I can't even find a frame for it! Thank you God for using Uncle Greg to heal a wounded heart and to bring joy to a crushed spirit.

~Katie was challenged at her "adopted" youth group(thank you FBC!) to reach out to people. Well, she had been noticing for quite some time that a boy sat in the lunchroom all alone day after day. Well this week she got up the courage to go speak with him. In the conversation, the boy opened up to her and told her that he had been lonely ever since his dad died when he was 8. She said "Mom, I almost broke down right there." She went on to tell the boy that she new exactly what he was going through. She said "Mom, maybe God is using my story to bring comfort to someone else, maybe I will be able to share Christ's love with him." Thank you God for showing Katie that you do have plans to do us good and that there is a reason for darkness in our lives, even though we don't always understand it. Thank you for placing someone in her path who is walking the same road. Thank you for giving her the opportunity to demonstrate your unfailing love.

I don't know why tragedy comes our way, I probably won't have the answers this side of Heaven. But I am thankful for the glimpses God gives us to remind us that He has a plan for us... and it's not to harm us, but to give us hope and a future.

The Brady Bunch

Here's a story...about a man named Brady....
Oh, the Brady's made blending two families look like a piece of cake. What they failed to show was that each cake is a different flavor, with different icing and when mixed together does not always look that pretty or taste that good. Yes, blending families is not an easy process. I read a book recently on successful stepfamilies that compared blended families to a crock-pot. The families that have the most success once combined, are those that are given plenty of time to "stew". The book states that typically it takes about 7 years for the blended family to evolve into its own identity.

The bright side? We have two years down and five to go! So we are plugging right along, stirring as needed and trying to allow God to be the head cook. So join us on our journey. Beware, it's not always pretty. Hopefully, you can see through the mess and find the beautiful creation that He is perfecting through us.