I'm starting this tomorrow, want to join?

Amy at Mom's Toolbox is starting a read through Proverbs in 31 days tomorrow, and I'm all over that!  She will probably blog each day, so you will definitely want to check out her site.  It is doubtful I will find the time to do that, ha, but maybe each week?  We will see.  I was mentioning my plans to David this morning, and he told me that I should also read 5 Psalms a day to go along with the Proverb, and then I would read both books by the end of the 31 days.  I'm sold!  Anyone else want to join in and read with me?  I'm all about accountability and the more the merrier!

B90days.

My B90days blogpost is way overdue.  I think our move to Hattiesburg and jumping right into our new ministry here have dominated my time and thoughts, and honestly we have loved every minute of being here.  My journey through the B90days has so much to do with where we are now, so I wanted to blog about it for memory sake and perhaps to encourage some of you.  So what is B90days anyway?  Some of you probably have heard of it.  You can read more about it here.  

So, here's my B90days story.  This past summer I noticed a post on facebook about the B90days challenge.  I had no idea what it was about, but I was so intrigued.  Basically, Amy at Mom's toolbox provides a venue where you can participate in reading the Bible in 90 days.  That sounds like a lot, but what I loved most about it is that you are matched up with a mentor and you have to check in each Monday telling where you are in your reading as another form of accountability.  So great!  We were in Arkansas visiting David's family when I began.   David and Carter were in Wyoming on a mission trip, so the girls and I were staying with is parents while they were gone.  I began my reading on Sunday, July 10, which was a day early, but I was so anxious to get started!  Plus, I figured it wouldn't hurt to get a bit of a head start.  During this time (no coincidence at all), David was getting further and further into the interview process with our new church.  I love that during that season of searching and praying the Lord had me immersed in His Word each day.  So precious.  I finished my reading on Monday, October 3.  This was the week we began packing our stuff for our move to Hattiesburg, again no coincidence.  I have been a believer for most of my life, but I am ashamed to say I have never read the Bible all the way through, and this is something I have always wanted to do.  I loved it.  I could not go to sleep each night until my reading was done.  Some mornings I wanted to get it done right away.  I loved loved the Old Testament.  It reads like a novel, the greatest one you'll ever read.  I loved the New Testament book of Acts about the early church.  But most of all, I loved being in God's Word every day during this precious season of God leading our family to a new church, a new state, a new home.  

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo! How about you, you, you?

Tuesday, I had the privilege of chaperoning a field trip with Carter's class to the zoo!  In fact, the entire K5 class at PCS went, all 91 of them!  So much fun!  

We began with a snack at the park.  The zoo and Kamper park are right beside our church and our home, so we have actually played at this park before.  Such a great place!

Before going into the park, we took a class picture beside the butterfly.  Look at those adorable children! Carter's teacher, Mrs. G, is a bulldog fan, too, so we love her already.  She and her husband were actually living in Athens for two of the years I was there!  What a small world! 

I honestly can't remember what the children were looking at here, something in the water, maybe?  

This was the big daddy, King Alligator, himself!  He was HUGE!

Carter loves these two girls.  He talks about them all the time.  

Carter riding the carousel with one of his friends.  This little boy's momma and I were on a bench in front of them for the ride.  I really enjoyed visiting with her.  

How much do you love the look on Carter's face.  Pure joy.  Pure excitement.  Pure cuteness.  

One of the animals that the children were able to pet was the chinchilla.  Carter said he thought it looked like a guinea pig; I thought it favored a bunny with a long tail.  

And this is the bearded dragon.  The name is much scarier than the creature. 

Carter was not sure about touching the bearded dragon, but he later told me that the scales were really rough. 

One of my favorite things we got to do was ride the train.  

On our ride, we passed by this beautiful building!  Our church!

The tortoise.  

The ostrich was my favorite.  He/she came right up to talk to us.  

One last group picture.  I was so thankful to be a part of this special day for Carter and his class.  I think I could get used to this whole stay at home, go on field trip, mom thing.  I kinda like it!

Not so wordless Wednesday.

For the next few Wordless Wednesdays, I am going to share some pictures of the children taken this time last year.  They have grown so much!  Thought you might enjoy looking back,
as I have.   

Looking for adventure.

Ever since David and I have been married, we have found ourselves in some crazy situations.  Our move to Hattiesburg should not slow down our adventure seeking, should it?  

Thursday, we picked up the children from school and hit the road.  Our destination was Tallulah, Louisiana, I know!  It gets better.  

We were picking up a vehicle for this very special fella, who has waited a long time for it and is well deserving.  Can you tell from the giddy grin on his face?  After about a 10 minute turn around at the McDonalds, we headed back home with the plan to stop on the way to eat.  Well, we missed our only stop for a LONG time, so we ended up driving almost all the way back to Hattiesburg and eating in Magee, Mississippi at this place.  

We walked in and it was busy, but there was plenty of seating and it was loud, so we knew we were in good shape.  David ordered for us, I think without looking at the menu, so we all got the buffet, which was amazing, and I'm not much on buffet eating, but it was so good.  At the end of our meal, the bill came, and we were like, WHAT?!?!?!  Let's just say, we probably won't be going back any time soon, and we will always look at the menu pricing from now on.  Never assume that just because you are in the middle of nowhere Mississippi, that the eating is cheap!  

PCS Bobcats!

Carter, Summer, and Tilly are all enrolled in PCS, Presbyterian Christian School, in Hattiesburg.  They love school so much, which is such an encouragement to my heart.  It was homecoming week at PCS which meant, this was a week of firsts for our family, first spirit weeks and first parades, that is! And boy did the children LOVE it!  If they love high school and college homecoming parades, can you imagine what they will think about Mardi Gras? I know!  

Wednesday, I loaded up these three cuties and took them to the PCS homecoming parade, and we had so much fun!  Tilly and Summer loved the cheerleaders.  I think everyone down the street could hear Tilly when she yelled, "Mommy!  Here come the cheerleaders!"  So sweet!  

Here's the Bobcat, Boomer, I think is his name.  Tilly was not a fan of him.  She hid behind me until he was way out of sight.  I don't know what it is about mascots, but she is not a fan. At. All.  

We are making so many memories already as a family in our new city, and we just love it.  We live right in the middle of everything, and that is so much fun!  

USM Homecoming!

Our family is all about making memories where we are, and today, we did just that!  We headed down Hardy Street towards downtown Hattiesburg about 930 this morning to get ready for the USM Homecoming Parade.  

The big 3 were so excited, as they had been to their first parade earlier in the week (another post later this week, sorry out of order!).  

Little bit did not know what to think, she just sat wide eyed with her lovey, until we gave her a sucker that is, and she was in heaven!  I went to parades lots as a child, so it was very exciting for me to take my children.  Growing up, we always went to the Ogeechee Fair Parade in Statesboro, and many a times in March, we went to the St. Patrick's parade in Savannah.  

The policemen got the party started right on time.  

Here is the President of University of Southern Mississippi.  I couldn't catch her looking our way.  

The cheerleaders, my girls' personal favorite.  It wasn't long before Carter, Summer, and Tilly were shouting, "throw me some beads!"  Or, "throw me some candy!"  It was so much fun to watch their little faces and join in with their excitement.  

Summer wearing all of her beads at one time.  

Tilly with her beads.  

What a fun morning that turned into a fun day.  David and Carter went out to tend some land he and some other church members will use once hunting season begins, and the girls and I stayed home.  We painted our fingers and toes, watched Angelina Ballerina, took naps, and enjoyed being together.  So thankful for these sweet memories we are already making in our new city.  Tomorrow is a big day, our first Sunday at our new church!  I'm looking forward to hearing the new preacher at Hardy Street Baptist Church!

The big easy!

Last weekend, our party of six hit the road to one of our most favorite places, New Orleans!  It was a year ago this time, we were there for David to defend his doctoral project.  Going back this time was way less stressful with the exception of trying to keep up with all of our little people, ha!  They were troopers.  

Friday night, we wanted to eat at New Orleans' Food & Spirits, David's favorite restaurant, but it was slammed, so we opted for Deanies, which is loud and fast, ha!  We enjoyed fried shrimp, po boys, and seafood pizza.  

For dessert we hit up one of our NOLA favorites.  There was not one close to our home in Georgia, but we have one right down the road in Mississippi, so we have to practice saying no daily!  

Here is Story saying "cheese" for the camera, love it!  PS how cute does she look in her flare leg jeans?

Love these two!  So. Much. 

I told you she was good.  Any time the camera is out, she looks at you and says cheese, mouth full and all.  

I love Tilly's look of pure delight.  

Saturday morning, we hit up the french quarter.  Cafe du Monde was packed, lined up around the corner, so after a quick breakfast at McDonald's we walked around.  

I snapped a few pictures of St. Louis Cathedral, isn't it stunning?  We couldn't figure out why, but New Orleans was really crowded last weekend.  The Saints weren't even playing at home.  Maybe a lot of people were on Fall Break, who knows!

For lunch, we got po boys at Crabby Jacks, another favorite.  

After lunch, we took the children to the playground on the seminary campus to burn off some energy before naptime.  

Love these four!  

We ate at Voo Doo BBQ for supper.  The last time we ate here was after David had graduated the first time from NOBTS with his MDiv.  It was fun to go back with our four.  

Can you guess where we went after supper?  Sno Balls, just down the road from where we lived.  

Saturday night around 8:00, we finally got into this place.  This was our third time to try.  You can't go to NOLA without going here, can you?  We don't think so!  I promise we did more than just eat, well maybe not, ha!  New Orleans is such a special place for our family, and we loved being able to go there last weekend.  How special that the Lord saw fit to move so close to this place where we felt so very close to Him!  

So long, Austell! Hello, Hattiesburg!

 The day before we hit the road, we wanted to take one last picture of the children at our home on Brooks Drive.  We lived in this house for 3 years, and brought home Tilly and Story from the hospital to this home.  So, it's kind of special.  Three of our four children learned to walk in this home, three of the four were potty trained in this home, two of the four learned their letters and sounds in this home, one learned to read in this home, four of them filled the halls with their laughter and footsteps, and for that we will certainly miss Brooks Drive.  

 Carter and Summer are so obedient to look at the camera and smile.  Tilly, is it really that bad?  Story has learned to say cheese whenever I take out the camera, and it's so cute!  

One last picture a little further away.  I am thankful for our time in this home and the memories made there.  I am excited for the next chapter of our family's story, and I am eternally thankful that home is wherever the six of us are, so the address really does not matter.  

Wordless Wednesday.

Frank and Shirley.

We left behind some very special friends when we moved. That's part of it right. Part of being obedient and following after God's will for your life.  Mr. Frank and Mrs. Shirley (Tilly says their name FrankandShirley, all together, it's so cute!) are some very special friends.  This is a picture of our last time with them before the move.  As the usual goes, we met at our favorite eating stop and had supper.  We have been doing this ever since we moved to Austell, before Tilly or Story were even a thought on our brains.  Aren't they brave to take on all of us, especially now that there are six of us?  I think so, and they do it with such grace and patience.  I love this picture of them walking to their car, hand in hand.  It makes me look forward to growing old with David.  I sure hope we can bless the socks off some young family, just as they have done for us.