A Balloon to Heaven

Here are a few pictures from Christmas in Georgia. I can't even believe how much the girls have changed since my last posting (6 months ago...).

On Saturday we were at Chick-fil-A, and a nice man came along and gave the girls helium balloons. I appreciated the gesture, but deep down I was hoping we could get rid of them somehow. So, when we walked outside, I said, "Let's let the balloons go and send them to heaven!" Of course this met with whining and crying from Neely. So I said never mind.

Needless to say when we got home (after the balloons were floating around in the van for about an hour- nightmare). Sadie gladly let hers go into the clear blue sky. As we watched it climb higher, Neely started crying, and then wailing, and then screaming (keep in mind she was still holding onto her balloon). Here is the conversation:

Neely: I don't want Sadie's balloon to go all the way to heaven!!!

Me: (Thinking this could be a great teacheable moment) Neely, let me tell you what heaven is like so you won't be so sad that the balloon went to heaven. There is no crying in heaven... and no sadness, and no one is ever sick. And no one ever dies. And the best part is, you get to be with God and Jesus all the time. It is always happy in heaven.

Neely: (Through big crocodile tears in her eyes) Do you think when I get to heaven someday, I can get the balloon back?

Me: (Realizing with a smile that I am not so different from Neely) I think when you get to heaven someday, if you still want your balloon, you can have one.

Isn't that so like us? We were talking about in Sunday school this week how we are so like the Israelites-- being fed manna every day in the wilderness, knowing that God is our true Bread of Life, but grumbling about what He gives us or does NOT give us. In our hearts, do we really want Him more than anything else? If we did, we wouldn't be thinking about our old balloons as we journey through life. We would be setting our minds not on earthly things. And as we truly behold the majesty of Christ, we would long so deeply and so desperately for nothing but Him.

Happy New Year! Here's to seeing Christ as my All in All.

This is for you, Sara!

At my parents' house with sunflowers we picked from the pasture.

on my parents' front porch




In the laundry basket, a favorite game!



A rare hug, and no one got hurt! Amazing!

Build your own rocket in Highlands, NC. It was awesome- and then NASA was there with a water pressure hookup that launched the rockets about 100 feet in the air!

Our family trip to Highlands, NC for my parents' 40th Anniversary!

My brother Travis, sister in law Melanie, Tate, Miller, our fam and my parents.

Sadie LOVES to point!

Our family shot at my aunt's house in Highlands. You may see this again at Christmas if we can't get another one with everyone smiling. :)

Summer has been really wonderful. I have to admit I was dreading it a bit...no mom's morning out, hot weather, etc. but we have had such a great time. The only sad part is that my friend Sara Boney (along with her husband and two kids) are leaving Tuscaloosa for the bright lights of Birmingham. Sara is a faithful blogger, much moreso than I am. So, this is for you, Sara, because you will probably be the first to read it. We'll all miss you a ton. Can't wait to visit you in Homewood.

Also, my great aunt Martha (Sister Madeline) Roddenbery died on Sunday night at age 92 in her sleep. Our Bible study this summer has been Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life." I have thought a lot about this charge over the past several weeks. Martha was a nun in the Sisters of Mercy. She gave her whole life in service to the Lord- she had a very real and living relationship with Christ. She certainly did not waste her life. She was my grandfather's last living sibling, so that is a little bit sad, but she is with Christ, and there is no sadness in that!

My quarterly installment

Me with dear friends (and bad bangs) on my 31st birthday

Julie, Sara, Erin, and Rachel

Giddy up

Shhh Daddy

Pop's birthday

Classic Neely

It's all about Sadie- 1st Birthday!

Neely, Sadie and cousins Tate and Miller

1st Cake

Brother Travis with Miller and me with Neels

I made the "Sadiebug" cake

Neely with my lipstick in a borrowed dress- Lex, notice how there is no lipstick on the dress itself. Miracle.

SO, I know it is a lot of pictures, but that is what happens when I wait 3 months to update. Enjoy!

Mary Gibbons and Neely eating popsicles

Sistas

Happy Easter

Lydia, Neely, Mary, and Sadie

Neely and new BFF Lydia

Sadie and sweet Mary

Alexis and me, also in matching shirts- oops!

I guess this is my quarterly blog entry! So many fun things have been going on-- our church, Trinity Presbyterian, has a building, finally! It is so nice to see the work of the Lord in providing a "launching pad" for our church. We love it!

And best of all, my BFF Alexis and her husband Jerry and two daughters Lydia and Mary came to visit for Spring Break '09. WAHOO! Lydia is one year older than Neely and Mary is one year younger. They are like 4 little stair steps, and all got along famously.

Saide is almost one- WHEW! And my parents are coming in town for Easter tomorrow. I am sure I will have some pictures from the annual egg hunt paparazzi...

A joyous Easter to all-- because of Christ and His great love for us...

Lazy in Alabam

Sadie's first Christmas!

Neely playing dress up! I LOVE having girls!!!

Sadie with GiGi and Pop

Neely and Sadie with cousins Miller and Tate. Everybody has a baby!

Neelster

Playing so nicely together.

We are still around, I have just been lazy about blogging. I know Alabama is behind on a few things, but I do know it is not still Halloween!!

I will just post a few pictures because I don't really have a lot interesting to say. Sadie has started crawling, so I am experiencing a whole new world (and so is Neely-- we are learning to share! ).

There's No Place Like Home

Dorothy and Toto at Halloween...

Also a few more recent pics.