First Day of School 2009...

Yesterday, we had our first day of school for the 2009-2010 school year. Ashley is in 4th grade and Lauren is in 3rd grade. That just does not seem possible. My girls are growing up tooooooooo.... fast. The girls have been so excited, especially Ashley, to start school that they have been asking for weeks if they could start school. The day went well and they were able to get everything done in a short amount of time because the first part of each book they do is just a reading and introduction. When we got finished Ashley was disappointed because she wanted to do more. Then Daddy came home with a nice surprise for each of us. He came home with a yellow and red rose for each of us. He wanted us to have something nice to bring in the new school year. He did it when the girls started school in Alabama for the first time. I thought it was so sweet of him. I pray the Lord will bless us with a good year. Also pray for Paul and I as we will be team teaching this year, due to me working at the Library part time. Pray that we will be able to teach them the values and lessons they need to know and that they will grow in the Lord. Here are a few pics of the girls on their first day and then some of us with our roses.

Lauren with her 3rd grade Bible book...

Ashley with her 4th grade Bible book...

Ashley and Lauren with their roses from daddy...

Paul with his girls and the roses he got them...

Paul and I with the roses he got me!

Proud Parents...

On Sunday the girls played for church. My parents were here for the week and they never get to hear the girls play so we had them play especially for them. The girls did a superb job. Lauren played "Come Thou Almighty King" for the offeratory and Ashley played and sang "Oh How I Love Jesus" for the special, this was her first time to sing and play at the same time. You have to listen carefully to hear her singing because the mike did not pick her up very good. We were very proud of them. They are doing so good with Mrs. Rita as their teacher. We thank her so much for all her work with them. Below are the videos I took of them playing.

Lauren playing the offeratory...

Ashley playing and singing the special!

It's Official...

I am now an Anderson County Library Employee. Several months ago I applied for a part-time job at our Library here in Iva. I did not get the job then and that was okay. Well, a few weeks ago the lady they hired the first time quit to move to Ohio, so I decided to try again. This time I got an interview, which scared me to death. It was my first formal interview. Then later that week I was offered the job. I had told the Lord it was in his hands from the beginning. Well, it was meant to be this time because today I started my first day on the job. It was a lot of fun, but talk about brain over load. I think I am really going to enjoy the job. It is a nice relaxed atmosphere and it is only 15 hours a week, 3-4 hours a day. I will be working Mon.- Wed. and Fri. I will have Thurs. and Sat. off. This week I am working 20 hrs. but I am also training. Please pray for me that I will catch on fast.

4th of July...

For the 4th of July our church does a pig roast every year. It is a big event, lots of work and planning, but lots of fun. Every other year we try to have music to go along with it, by having someone come to sing. This year Brent Vernon came to join us. He did a great job. He sang for about an hour and along with that he had "Sam" entertain us. Sam even sang a song about Body, Mind, and Soul. Everyone had a great time and the food was wonderful. We had the pork, hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw, chips, watermelon, canteloupe, and lots of yummy desserts. Below are a few pics I was able to get of Brent, Sam, and the kids that were there.

Brent singing away...

Brent doing what he does best...

Sam entertaining us...

Brent and Sam with all the kids...

Brent and Sam with Ashley and Lauren.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy...

We had to celebrate Father's Day early at our house because Ashley was going to be gone this weekend. Ashley was going with Paul's parent's, to Maryland, for a family reunion. The girls had gotten Paul a nice bird bath and had hid it at my inlaws house, so we went over there Thursday so the girls could give it to him. They were so excited. They made him close his eyes and they carried it out to him. When he opened his eyes I don't know who was more excited, him or them. He has been wanting a bird bath for awhile now. We have a bird feeder and he loves to watch the birds. Below are a few of the pics I was able to capture from the moment.

Ok daddy, open your eyes...

Just what he wanted...

Paul and his two girls!!!

Sandy Fun...

The other day we were at my mother and father-in-laws house and Sandy discovered the balloon that his dad had in the hospital. She was hilarious trying to get to the balloon. She would catch the string and then get it twisted around her feet. She kept us in stitches. I think she realized she was entertaining us. She finally got smart and jumped up and grabbed the bootom of the balloon. She meant business then. She got ahold of the string and laid it under her paws. Here are a few pics of her just being silly.

Sandy twisting it around her body...

She finally got smart...

Now this is more like it...

Sandy at almost 11 months old!!!

Garden Update...

For those of you who read my blog a few months ago, you know we planted a garden. We asked you to help us pray the the Lord would bless our efforts, since we have never done this before. Well, He has!!! Last night we had green beans for supper that we planted ourselves, and some squash out of our friends garden. It was so exciting to know that it was something we planted and that God grew for us. The Lord is really blessing. We have stuff coming up left and right. The only thing that is not doing good is the peas. They got so high and have just kind of died off. We also do not have a tiller so the weeds are trying to take over in between the rows. We are trying our best to keep the weeds away from the plants themselves, but it is not an easy job!We are looking forward to trying the rest of the food when it is ready. I was out there this morning and we have a tomato turning red. It will be ready soon. Ashley is excited about the 2 little watermelon that are growing, she loves watermelon. Here are a few pics I took this morning so you could see the progression of the garden.

A couple of our tomato plants...

It won't be long and these tomatoes will be ready...

Our squash plants are taking off...

This squash is just about ready...

Ashley is excited about this watermelon...

Some of our green beans. They sure are yummy!!!

Look close in the center and you'll see the first okra...

The cabbage is starting to form a head...

I can't wait for stuffed peppers...

This is what I'm really looking forward to!