THE DEAD RACCOON

So, we woke up this morning as usual and i always open the blinds and brighten up the living room a bit....it is spring here in Memphis or so it seems as so much is blooming and beautiful and i've got some flowers growing that are so pleasant to look at.....opening the blinds and starting my day is one of my favorite things...........well today.........

SCREAM!!!!!!!!!

In the midst of the beautiful yard and flowers in the back lay a dead raccoon! this isn't the actual picture....but it was on its back with paws up in the air staring like it was enamored with the blue sky!

I called Stew as he was already up at the church and told him of this creature in our back yard....the whole neighborhood has been trying to catch or kill this coon for a while......so after my panic, i was glad that the coon was dead and not alive!

we've been gone all day, and just got home....our neighbor came over and bagged it up....he goes hunting all the time and knew just what to do with it......we had many suggestions, like..."you could fry it..." that was my favorite....but we chose to just let it go to the gargage in peace.....

another lovely day in our little neighborhood............just thought i'd share that.....haha!!

Me and Jac went to the zoo today!!! 

Me and my friend Jac were climbing this great wall in the polar bear exhibit...it was fun! 

Wesley-Grant's 1st Haircut!

"Mommy decided she would cut my hair this morning after i got honey all over it at breakfast....she was doing great and daddy liked it, then she trimmed my neck line and ............OOPS!........actually i moved and the trimmer went right up my neck....so i'm stylin a new uneven look....i told mommy it was okay and daddy said my hair would grow back, but mommy wasn't too excited....i'll just keep wearing my baseball cap until she stops crying......it's okay, mommy!!" 

Joe and Elizabeth sent our christmas package today! what a surprise!! Wesley-Grant started playing immediately with his new leggos (well Stew did, actually) and instrument from Africa they got him on their trip to Jo-burg, South Africa last Thanksgiving! We all got great treats!! Thank you elizabeth and joe for making our night so much fun!!! We love and miss you guys!!

Watching Elizabeth and Joe's pictures from their trip to South Africa....Wesley-Grant kept dancing to the music! 

Look what Wesley-Grant built with his new leggos! =P

THANK YOU Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Joe for my leggos!! I LOVE THEM!!! 

Wesley-Grant doesn't care much about fashion when it comes to baseball caps...all he cares is that it is on his head. He loves them! Stew and I laugh all the time about his new "baseball cap fetish" 

Wesley-Grant's new obsession with baseball caps.....hilarious! 

Lessons i am learning......

Living in the inner city for the past 2 years has brought a lot of transition...mainly to my thinking and my heart. We moved here with others in hope to share Christ with many and effect their lives, but in the process our lives are being greatly effected.

This is Crystal (holding wesley-grant) and keekee......they are sisters. i took them to the park b/c it is their last day before they move to a new town. About 5 mos ago, they moved across the street from us and started coming over to play with wesley-grant.

We love these girls. Crystal had been on my heart for a while....i had seen her in the neighborhood before they moved across the street from us and found out she was deaf. At first, i was nervous about communicating with her...how would i? but i soon learned lessons from my little son. He would throw his hands up at her and give her a big smile and she would hold and play with him. He would use the little sign language we had taught him and she loved that! She taught us new words too. Slowly it was "normal" to have the girls as part of my day and communicating with Crystal got easier and easier. We would have paper and pen all over the house and write notes constantly.

I started a "friday story time" where the kids would come over and i'd read a missionary story to them. It had big pictures and shared the gospel in the story of each child....one from Haiti, India and Africa. I was concerned about Crystal understanding the story.....the gospel. "How would she know, Lord if she couldn't hear?" But she was always there for the story.

One day she came over by herself and wrote, "Today, read story?" And so we read or i wrote a story for her....God is always at work in the ones I least expect. I am amazed at how God works....who he brings to service to know him.....i pray that Crystal will know Jesus and one day tell others in Africa or India about him. Please pray for Crystal as you think of her and her family.

Our hope is that the sent people of God would see all of their "spaces" as havens of redemption. Whatever our hands touch, wherever our feet walk, whatever connection or relationship...there exists a potential haven for redemption.....

TEA TIME......

As we anticipate the arrival of Sarah, of course, i have many thoughts....one being what colors or theme will i associate her with? I know that will change over years, but i keep thinking of bright pinks and greens with her and tea pots and tea cups...mainly due to Grandma Marie, who is from England and drinks tea all the time....she taught me how to drink tea and eat cookies....SO, "Tea Party" is what we think of these days when we think of Sarah Marie....

And what is so cool is that a friend of mine, Heather Souders, sent this lovely blanket and burp cloth that matches for Sarah and it was exactly what i was thinking of when i thought of Sarah....that is so cool! Thank you Heather!! We love the blankets and burp cloths!!!