Thankful!

Every year we have so much to be thankful for and this year is no exception. There have been many times that I have been in awe of what God had done in our lives, as well as, our family and friends' lives! 2009 brought with it times where we were thankful in the good and the bad. We learned so much through our struggles and were thankful for them. All we saw were messes that were made not knowing that God was weaving a beautiful work within us. He was turning our messes into a message! Love that! Here are just a few things we are thankful for:
-Cade's progress with his eye-successful surgeries!
-A job-one that I love!
-healthy family-mom and dad
-My sister's pregnancy and little Addison
-My brother's new job in Memphis and his family
-Children who have been adopted and have a forever family
-new friends that the Lord has given me-Jennifer and Tosha-love you both!!
-vacations spent with family at the beach
-being able to visit Chris' family each summer in Texas
-financial provisions that came only from the Lord!
-a new home
-Cade's friends-Joshua, Timmy, Christopher, Caleb and Ace
-Cade's teachers-they love him like their own
-the Lord's wisdom in making decision regarding Cade's eye
-my salvation!
-too many to post!

We are so blessed and thankful beyond words! The Lord has given us so much and my prayer is that I begin to look for more ways to bless others who have nothing.

I just finished reading Crazy Love and at the end of the book Francis Chan gives us several stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Those whom the Lord gave much to they gave back ten-fold. The story that I loved was about a doctor named Nathan Barlow. The Lord called him to Ethiopia to minister to people who had a disease called "mossy foot." What this disease did to the people there was similar to those who where lepers in OT times. They were considered outcasts. Dr. Barlow became sick and had to take some medical leave out of the country for a while to receive treatment for a tooth. He hated being out of Ethiopia and was so distressed about being gone from his mission, he ordered the doctor to remove ALL his teeth and give him dentures so that he wouldn't have this problem again and he would not have to leave the Ethiopian people. He loved this country so much, when he passed away he was returned to Ethiopia and buried there.

This doctor had so much, but he gave so much! This was just one of many who sought after God's kingdom instead of their own, because they knew their treasure was being stored in Heaven!

My prayer is the same, not to look at earthly pleasures, but to seek His kingdom first and to look for opportunities to help those in need..

Be thankful!

Blessings,
cb

I was country when country wasn't cool...

So the CMA's were AMAZING! I was so excited that by the time I got in the car to go I had already used the bathroom 4 times. When we arrived, I began looking for everyone. Our seats were incredible. We sat to the right of the stage. It was a big night for Taylor Swift-becoming the youngest to ever win Entertainer of the Year. Her performances were fun to watch. Some of the highlights of the night for me were:
1. Seeing all the gorgeous dresses Carrie Underwood wore as host.
2. The Zac Brown Band performing "Devil went down to Georgia"-what an amazing fiddle player
3. Sugarland's performance.
4. Watching Tim and Faith present Entertainer of the Year.
5. Daughtry performance with Vince Gill.
6. Lady Antebellum...
7. Watching Brooks and Dunn's last performance together on the CMA's.
8. The puns regarding Kanye West's interruption of Taylor Swift at the MTV awards.
9. Carrie Underwood's performance of "Cowboy Cassanova"
10. Martina McBride and George Strait's rendition of Barbara Mandrell's "I was country when country wasn't cool." (she was inducted into the country music hall of fame)

An unbelievable night for me and one that I will never forget. Thank you to the Adcocks for taking me! I took some pics, but they were not great! My camera could not get anywhere close to the stage..hate that, but here are a few!

Country Music Awards!

So everybody already knows by now, but I got tickets to the 43rd CMA's this year! I cannot tell you how excited I am.. I have been wanting to attend this forever! I did attend a small awards show about 6 years ago, but nothing like the CMA's..(Country Music Awards) Every top musician will be there and the performers range from George Strait, Taylor Swift, Sugarland, Chris Daughtry, Brad Paisley, Jamey Johnson, and many others!
I have a student in class whose family owns box seats. We are going with her family. So not only do I have tickets, but box seats at that! So blessed beyond words! I am also going with one of my favorite people in the world, my forever friend Tosha! We have so much fun together and I know it will be a blast. I will take pics so that I can do a follow up post!
The last time I was this excited about an event was when I was in highschool and my parents got us tickets to go watch Michael Jordan play in Atlanta! So amazing! I will never forget that!
This will be one to remember! Check back for pics! (can I say Chris is very bitter about me going...he loves George Strait!)

Cade's post

I wanted to share a little bit of what Cade has been saying or doing lately just to have a record of it. He is getting so big and his vocabulary has been cracking Chris and I up so much at home. We realllllly have to be careful now with what we say.. which means daddy can't be using his bowling words in the house! (JK) So here are some things Cade is doing and saying right now:
1. He is not a morning person and has either a breakfast bar, honey bun, donuts, or cereal before we head out the door in the morning.
2. He loves his MWF teacher Ms. Della and his best friend is Christopher-you should see them play together.. they have a love/hate relationship.
3. When he is hungry, he says "i hungy mommy."
4. He prays for Nana and Papa's beach house every night. (they don't have one but we spent this summer at the beach with them, so he assumes it is theirs.)
5. He is learning his letters and he can count to 30!
6. He can spell his name..not on paper yet, but he can say it.
7. He is the most popular 3 yr. old at CPA where I teach.
8. He loves to wrestle and watch wrestling. His favorite is John Cena and Triple H.
9. He still plays with his cars and trucks.
10. He loves when he sees a police car, fire truck, or ambulance on the road.
11. He eats at McDonalds at least once a week..(i know, it is awful!!)
12. He eats the whole time I go grocery shopping. I guess just being there around all that food makes him eat...who can blame him?
13. He does not like the slow worship songs I play in the car only the fast ones, and asks me to put on a fast song.
14. He knows that Jesus loves him and that he lives in Heaven and in our hearts! Love that!
15. His favorite movies are still Cars and Finding Nemo, and he loves the Amazing Race.
16. He is becoming more independent every day and has started going the potty by himself.
17. He thinks our jeep is the slow "beep-beep" and the altima is the fast "beep-beep."
18. When you ask him what his favorite football team is he says "daddy's team."
19. He can point out a doctor a mile away..
20. He is the strongest and bravest 3 1/2 year old I know!

Love you Cade!

mommy