Being Still

I am back from a most wonderful vacation on the Gulf Coast of Florida.  We went to Siesta Key and spent a week on the beach with my extended family.  We have been doing this for many years and even my mom went with her parents as a child.  The Sunday before we left for our trip, God spoke to me through the children's message at church.  Ms. Nancy used a verse that God has used in my life many times throughout the years.  I tend to be a very busy person, always doing something and God says, "Be still and know that I am God."  As Nancy pointed out to the children, if we are constantly doing and going and talking, how will we ever hear God?  God needs for us to take time out and to just be still.  So that's why I haven't been blogging, I've been trying to be still in the presence of God and soak up His words and bask in His presence.  It's been amazing.  For the first time in I can't tell you how long, I am not stressed.  I feel relaxed and I am at peace.  God really showed off while we were at the beach.

Sunset at the beach is my favorite time of the day.

That same night of that beautiful sunset, God gave us a rainbow too!

As I walked on the beach, played in the waves, laughed with my kids, and reconnected with Hubby, my batteries were recharged.  I laughed A LOT.  When the adults gathered in our condo for a Wii party, we had such fun.  Rock Band was a hoot ~ my sister especially rocked the microphone at 1 a.m.  I realized how truly blessed I am and how much I appreciate the closeness of my wonderfully supportive family. 

It's good to be back and getting into the swing of things again.  God is good.  I had my time away and now it's time time get back to it.  This is a big week at our house...Prince and Princess will turn 7 on Thursday!

Weather Woes

The first two days of our vacation were rainy, yucky days. The rain did break so that we could have a cook-out and see some amazing fireworks on the beach and for that I am truly thankful. We also got some great July 4th pics of the kids, which I will post. After watching it pour down rain all day yesterday, we all were a bit frustrated and ready to build an ark. At bedtime last night Princess said a special prayer that Jesus would let us have a sunny day at the beach today. Almost immediately after the amen, Princess said, "Mommy, I'm sad about something."
Me:"What is it, Princess?"
Princess: "Well Mommy, I don't know if Jesus heard my prayers. What if he isn't listening or what if he makes it rain tomorrow anyway and we have another day that we can't go outside to the beach? I really want to go to the beach tomorrow."
Me: "I don't think you have to worry about Jesus not hearing your prayers. He always hears our prayers. The thing is, it's never a guarantee that Jesus is going to do what we want him to do. Sometimes, he has to do something else and it isn't what we want because it is what's best for us or for everyone else."
That's a hard lesson to learn. I've been struggling with that one for a long time and I don't always understand the whys. I know it's hard for an almost 6 year old to understand.
Guess what...when we woke up this morning the sun was shining so brightly through the blinds! Princess' first words as she woke up were, "Jesus answered my prayer. We can go to the beach!"
And it has been a beautiful day at the beach at that. More pictures to come...Hubby has made a video from them that I'll try to post later.

Let Vacation Begin!

Let the vacation begin! I have been looking forward to this family vacation all year. Tomorrow morning we will leave for the beach for a week. The beach is baby powder soft and white. We have been coming to this same spot for many years. In fact, my mother came to this same place when she was a girl. When we go, it is my Mema, aunt, uncle, and cousins, my sister and her family, my parents and the four of us. There have been years when we have missed going, but mostly we try to go and it is such a great week.

This is the Prince and Princess playing on the beach last year.
A few of the things I am looking forward to doing at the beach:
~digging my toes in the sand
~relaxing on the beach, watching my kids play in the sand
~quiet time alone with God in the mornings
~date night with Hubby!
~seafood
~spending uninterrupted time with my extended family
~seeing my cousins that I don't often get to see
~laughing and playing with my kids without the distractions of every day life
~watching the perfect sunset night after night

I took these pictures of the Prince and Princess last year while we were down waiting for the sun to set. They are among my favorite of all times. I think it looks like God is just shining down His love on them. I also think that it looks like my children are worshipping and enjoying the beautiful world God created for them, for all of us.

Keys, Camps, and Other Happenings

It was the weekend I dreamed of....a trip to Key West with good friends. Hubby had never been before and it's been more than 20 years since I have been. Our friends, who have been to the Keys many times, showed us the ropes of where to eat, where to go, and how to have a great time in Key West. Although I missed my kids like crazy, I needed this time away and I did have a relaxing time and came back with my batteries recharged.
This was the view from our balcony at the hotel


And how could I not relax while sitting on a boat watching this beautiful sunset


While in the Keys I:

~tried new foods I have never had before such as raw oysters. I can't say that they are my favorite, but I have tried them and they were OK. The conch fritters were the bomb!

~went snorkeling over a coral reef, which was a neat thing to see the different fish. I must admit I was a little scared of the baracuda I saw.

~took Hubby to the Southernmost Point. I went many years ago but this was his first visit.

~visited Ernest Hemingway's house and took the tour. I don't know how people lived without air condition back then. I guess we are all just wimpy, spoiled people but it was HOT in that house.

~laughed A LOT. It's a great thing to be with friends you can laugh with and enjoy being around.


The food and drinks were yummy, the atmosphere was beautiful and the company was awesome. So thankful for adventures with friends.

Sorry this one's a little blurry. That drink must have been stronger than I thought! Just kidding ~ mostly. Actually, this was taken with my i-Phone and I must have moved while taking it.



The guys did a much better job taking our picture.



Random Quick Topic Change:
Last night as we were walking from the car to the baseball field, there was a lady standing on the sidewalk waiting for someone else who was a ways behind us. As we get close to her, Prince says, "Excuse me lady but you are gorgeous!" Thankfully I don't think she heard him and I tried to shoo him on as quickly as I could. What would posess him?! She was a nice looking lady, but he's 5! I wanted to crawl in a hole. That Prince is quite the charmer.

Princess is participating in Cheerleading Camp this week. She is so excited and has been cheering all over the house. I think she really likes being with the older cheerleaders. Fact: I know nothing about being a cheerleader. I was a band geek. Hubby calls me "Queen of the Band Geeks" since I was drum major. Those were good times.

Prince is attending what I call "Mommy Camp." Yesterday he wanted to know where the other Mommies and kids were. Apparently he thought there would be a group of people and he didn't understand that it was just going to be the two of us this week. Today he and I went on a movie date. It was a fun day and it made me realize that Hubby and I don't do enough one on one things with the kids. We tend to think of the twins as a package deal. Guess we'll be working on that.