Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas to our sweet family and friends!!! I have been slack on our Christmas cards but I didn't want Christmas to pass without you knowing how special you all are in our lives... whether we see you daily or once a year, your friendship has truly blessed us. God has been teaching us a lot about perspective this season. We pray that God's perspective is ours, and that we remember we are a part of a much larger story. May God's unfailing love and perfect plan weigh heavy on your heart this Christmas as it is ours...

Christmas 2008

We have a wonderful tradition of getting to go see Santa at the Poston house every year...
this year was so cold but the kids did great!!! Not only did we see Santa but ALL 9 grandkids were together!!! That is huge for our family... what a blessing to have so many cousins and the kids love being together. It just makes me so thankful to see them al together.
So they all got pics with Santa with Cici and Pipa.
Front row: Bella, Merritt, Santa :), Emma
Back row: Cooper, Cici, Luke,Pipa, Andrew, John Allen,Jared and Jake

We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and pray that Jesus Christ is what you are celebrating this year.

Christmas Past to Present

I have had so much fun looking at Christmases past... how time flies!!
The picture above is when I was 4 months pregnant with Bella...
Bella's First Christmas 2004

Our First Christmas as a family

Christmas 2005

Look at those legs!!!

Christmas 2006
Andrew is 4 months old...

Bella is 2 & 1/2

Andrew still gives that look!!!

Christmas 2007

Andrew 1 & 1/2 and Bella is 3 & 1/2

Christmas 2008 to come... HO HO HO!

Stepping Stone

It been been a much better week this past week...I think.:) Bella is still sick but hopefully on the mend! She did not make it to school at all this past week. We headed back to the dr yesterday (3rd time in 2 weeks) and she is wheezing, so on the oral steriod we go! Hopefully this is the last of it and I a praying for my little guy not to get all of this... :)

I am involved in a Bible study right now called "Truth". It is awesome and put out by Focus on the Family. It has been truly AMAZING!!!! I have been overwhelmed by the truths that God is revealing to me and all the lies in the world I am exposed to daily. This past week was about Gods whole picture and story. If we only looked at our history truly as Biblical history we would see that we are a part of a greater story. It is not all about us but about HIS story and planned fulfilled through us. The truth is our purpose on this earth is to glorify God (Duet. 8:10-20), to take every thought captive to Him (2 Cor. 10:5), and to acknowledge that God is sovereign and in control (Acts 4:27-28) no matter our circumstance or ability to believe... The video said and reminded us that our problem is that we remember what we should forget- we must remember Gods unfailing love and faithfulness towards us in spite of who we are!!! What an incredible blessing this is to me!!!!

So all this to say I will will never be a stepping stone used by God unless I am caught up in the whole story... it is not about me!!! :) I hope this encourages you as much as it has me this week...

Settling down...sort of.

It has been a while since I have blogged. We have been out of the cyberworld over the last couple of weeks. It has been a true whirlwind! As as I posted before about 6 weeks ago we started looking out for a house to move in. Well, we ran into these beautiful new town homes and were asked if we would like to sell our house to the company that built the town homes. A far fetched possibility to us came true! When Cooper and I weighed all the pros and cons the pros came through!!! So we started packing... I never imagined that moving with two small children would be so hard. You realize everything settled is not just for you but for them as well... we were set to close, and long story short we were delayed a week because of some paperwork. So for a week we lived in boxes. For anyone whose has ever done that you know how miserable it is... The whole time I felt God just testing my reliance and trust that His plan is perfect. Finally we got the word the paper work went thru and our closing was set! So closed Thursday, November 20th and moved the next day. We were so excited!!! Little did I realize that even when change is good it is still hard.

So we made the move and I was looking forward to a sweet first morning in our new home. Cooper was still asleep and I got up with the kids and preheated the oven to make cinnamon rolls. All of the sudden smoke started billowing out of the oven and I screamed for cooper. I am throwing open all the windows and Andrew is yelling out of the window "FIRE!!!!" We turned on the oven light to discover that the paperwork for our new oven was inside burnt to a crisp!!! It smelt like a camp fire for two days in our house.

So Monday we have our first day of no school and I am driving the kids to the dr only to find out Andrew has a double ear infection and Bella has a terrible sinus infection behind her eyes. The beginning of the week was filled with unpacking as many boxes as possible while trying to entertain my two fussy children. Wednesday rolls around and I fix me some lunch rather than lay down with Bella... Andrew is down for a nap. All of the sudden I hear "drip, drip, drip." I look up and our ceiling is leaking!!!! Into our den! Our laundry room is on the 3rd floor... very cool I thought in the beginning b/c all the bedrooms are upstairs, but now not so cool! SO I run upstairs to find the laundry room flooded. Then all of the sudden the smoke alarm starts to go off. They are all connected in the house so every single one of then is going off LOUD! Bella is screaming, Andrew is screaming and I am completely frazzled!!!! I called Cooper and so sweetly asked him to rush home as fast as he could...turns out water got into the walls and went all the way down into the garage and was flowing through the actual smoke alarm. Well, I had had it... that was it, I could take no more. :)

Finally, Tuesday after Thanksgiving, life is resuming back to normal... NOT! School called today and Bella has pink eye and still a sinus infection. I head BACK to the dr and got our second round of antibiotics and eye drops and I am praying that Andrew will not get it!!!

SO I ask myself, what is God trying to teach me through all of this. I am resolved to the fact that God allows me to experience what I do to show my love and devotion to Him. It is not about my circumstances but my devotion and my heart towards Him. Our circumstances change but God never will... that is what keeps me hanging on by my thread most days. Bella out of the blue started singing the other day, "nothing can separate us from God's love" and it was such a sweet true reminder for me. It still does not quite fill like home yet, but I know in time it will.

Encourgement by a sweet friend...

Just thought I would share with you a blog of a very close and sweet friend of mine. She is an incredible encourager in God's living Word and I pray that you are blessed reading her blog as much as I have been!
http://lizblalock.blogspot.com/

Moving on...

It has been six years this Thanksgiving that we moved into our current house... We bought it from Cooper's brother and his wife who lived here for many years before us. There is not an INCH in our house that Cooper has not worked on. Literally, we have painted, moved doors, added closets, brought our babies home, built a swing set,had birthday parties 1-4, played, chased, loved, cried, prayed, and many more things all in this house. A house is just a building, yes I know. But there is something greater about it when so many memories fill the walls.

We are moving this weekend, and we are very excited. It has been a crazy four weeks, from when we first looked at the house that we are moving to and now this! MOVING! The Lord has totally confirmed to us that this is what we should in every detail. The company that we are buying our house from is buying our house!!! But it is hard not to turn and look over our shoulders... to what is comfortable and memorable. Bella will be in kindergarten next year and I have always desired for her to go to the school system that Cooper and I went to and grew up in.

So here we go... moving on. It is exciting to think about what the Lord has in store for us! We are moving to a newly built town home in Marietta, very close to the square. Something new, exciting, and low maintenance! Please come by and see us... and pray for my sweet babies as we make this transition.

Below are some pictures of the past crazy two weeks...

Hidden in between the boxes...
Cici with Bella and Merritt...

The girls love to be twins!!!! They love to tell people that they are sisters...

That is such a blessing to me because my sister means the world to me.

Peekaboo is taking the move hard... haha

She has made a new friend!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Happy Halloween!

Ready to go!!!

Aunt BaBa

Best buds... Reid and Andrew-Does it get ANY cuter???
Cousins...the love of our lives!

Bella and Merritt

Hollen and Ashton

The Blalock girls...

We had a great Halloween! Bella was a Auburn cheerleader and Andrew was a Braves player...

The last couple of years my sister and I go on our great friends street so we can all be together... it is such an awesome street! So many fun memories we all have...

We have way too much candy and the kids loved trick or treating!!!

Meditations of my heart...

It is truly refreshing to believe and know that God is the only way... nothing else matters. It takes the pressure off of all the "things" and standards we set before ourselves. Being a parent has had me on my knees more than I have ever been in my life. These are the meditations of my heart... may you cling to the Truth as I am seeking daily to do.

Isaiah 41:10- So do not fear , for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 37:1-5 - vs 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture

Ps 56:11-In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Matthew 6:33-34-Jesus had compassion on the people and saw they were like sheep without a shepherd and He began teaching them.

John 14:27-Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 15:4 Remain in me and I will remain in you.

John 15:10-11-Your joy will be complete in Him.

John 16:33-I have told you these things so you have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world.

1Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way OUT so that you can stand up under it.

10: 31-So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the Glory of God.

Romans 8:28-And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Phil 4:6-9-Do not be anxious about anything , but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends ALL understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 3:13-16-Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Jesus as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

1 John 4:18-There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Psalm 73:23- Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

Proverbs 19:23 (satisfied sleep)-The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.

Please Pray

Some great friends of ours are adopting... please pray for the baby, birth mother and the Cowens...
http://cowenadoption.blogspot.com/

Please pray, pray, pray!!!

Shelli Allen Photography

A sweet and talented friend of mine has gone into photography. Shelli Allen is one of those girls you meet once and you never forget! She is a shining, beautiful light on the outside but even more on the inside!!! She has always been that friend that has captured moments of your kids that you cherish forever...her work speaks for itself. Check out her site:
http://www.shelliallenphotography.com/

Catching up...

Future Football Player!!! Ummmm.... life having a big sister. What do you do???
Andrew and his best buddy Reid love being together. They are both so easy when around each other and all they want to do is play!!!
Future line backer and future QB?

Bella has shown much enthusiasm for hair lately... they love to dress me up!

It has been a good couple of weeks... God is so faithful and so good!

Our verse as a family right now...

Do not fear for God is with me. Isaiah 41:10

SORT IT OUT!!!

SO excited about my new website... Our best friend Mark Frazer did it for me. Please pass along if you know of anyone interested.



http://www.sortitouthome.com/

Cooking in the South with Johnnie Gabriel

I have to brag for a second and share with you a great success story! My mom has had a close knit group of girlfriends here in Marietta long before I was born. One lady in particular has been as close as a sister to her, Johnnie Gabriel. So much so that she is my Godmother. :) Johnnie opened an INCREDIBLE restaurant in Marietta called Gabriels Desserts years ago. Not only can you order wedding cakes, birthday cakes and desserts, you can now have breakfast, lunch and dinner as well! The homemade veges are my favorite! The thing about Johnnie if you know her is her heart of gold. She loves the Lord and loves serving those around her. She has just published her first cookbook and it is so special. Not only does it have a ton of yummy recipes in it, there are so many personal stories inside Johnnies life. If you are in the need of a good cookbook with recipes that you know you don't have to make once before your guests arrive, this one is for you! It is a classic! You can go to Barnes and Nobel and get it or at her resturant to eat and buy!

All Aboard the Choo Choo Train!

Andrew and his best buddy Reid turned two and we celebrated with their favorite thing...

CHOO CHOO! We had a blast and the boys rode the train for an hour straight!
Does it get any cuter than this???
The boys and their Sissy's.

"Happy Birthday" shock...

My sweet little family

The boys and their Daddy's

Our sweet friends the Hunters

Sweet boy... look at those legs! Yummy!

Merritt and Bella

So shy...

Kalynn and her girls

"Our boys"