Pouty and pictures

If I'm going to be honest, I must tell you that on Thanksgiving, I almost jumped in my car and headed out of town...to get away from family. You see, two days prior, my loving husband, offered to do Thanksgiving at our house. HELLO!!?? Aren't you supposed to ask the other person who owns the house with you, lives with you, you know, your spouse, about something like that? I guess he missed that when he read through the rule book. It was just hard...we usually do it at one (or both) of my grandmothers' houses...but they have passed away, so that really wasn't an option this year. I knew we needed to gather and give thanks as a family, but just wanted to head out on the highway and do something different...to get my mind off of things. No such luck seeing as how the hubby offered us up. So, I awoke that morning, ashamed to say, in a foul mood. I was being selfish and pouty and was so annoyed. Although, D did step in and make the dressing and pecan pie, neither of which he has ever made, and both of which he did a great job. Plus, my mom showed up and helped out...I was soooo thankful for that. It turned out to be a great day, and ended up being pretty relaxed. I felt bad for feeling like I did, after all, I do have so many blessings and things to be thankful for...but I was just having one of those days...on Thanksgiving, no less. But, again, once it was all said and done, minus the morning breakdown, it turned out really nice. And, for the first time ever, I don't think I ate wayyy too much...only a little too much.
We got some cute pics of Izzy and my nieces...my boys refused to take photos...and the mood I was in didn't help, because I was in no mood to hassle with them. Of course, now I'm annoyed at myself that I have no photos of ALL my blessings from that day :-(


A couple days before Isabel got a shipment of dresses from Formal Kids that we needed to shoot some pics of for their advertisements...
I thought they turned out pretty good, considering she has an awful cold, runny nose, watery eyes, and a broken out lip...LOL
Keep in mind, these are "pre-edit"...



Ok, well, it's time to start counting down the days until Christmas (actually I think Wal-mart started the day after Halloween)...I can NOT belive that time is almost here again...each year goes by faster and faster...my kids think I'm nuts when I say that, but then again, I thought the same about my parents when they said that to me...

Basically nothing & Happy Thanksgiving...

I don't have much to blog about...but I have a couple of cute pictures I wanted to share of Izzy, and my niece, 'Rissa, playing in the gym:




I also wanted to share what I read today in a daily devotional...
Sin has a toxic effect. Unconfessed sin weighs us down; it distorts and darkens our image. Confessed sin and a repentant heart bring light, life, confidence, and freedom.

Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have commited, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Ezekiel 18:31

So, not sure why I felt the need to share that, God just put it on my heart to do so.
I hope you all have a fabulous, blessed holiday...Happy Thanksgiving!

Happiness, sadness, & cookies...

Well, this week has been great, but TGIF (technically it's Thursday night, but who's counting?)!
We started off with a long awaited appointment in Dallas for Joseph, on Monday. Things went better than I expected, and we are in good spirits & high hopes ready to embark on this journey...I must say, as if you didn't already know, God is good. He NEVER ceases to amaze me. I am just so thankful that he is so merciful.
On Wednesday, Izzy & I got together with Amber and Addy (see her blog for some cute pics). It was supposed to be for coffee, but turned into Amber cooking lunch for us (which was great!). I needed that time and it had been too long! We ALWAYS have a good time with them.
I know that Jesus never turned anyone away, and if we are to be like Jesus, then we should love on EVERYONE, no matter what they are like, or how unlovable they are (especially knowing that could be US sometimes). I know that we are supposed to be a light for HIM, helping to guide others to HIM...but sometimes, it just FEELS GOOD to be around someone who shares the same morals and values as you. It feels good to be around other believers who are an encouragement to your faith, when the world is always so quick to bring you down. I am thankful for these kinds of people in my life/my families life...they are such a blessing.
Last night, I got in the mood for "Prize Orange Cookies". As a little girl, my great grandma Galbreath would make them for me...and every time she gave them to me, they would be layered between wax paper, in an old coffee can. These cookies are the BEST EVER. They are best chilled, and the coffee can was perfect for that. She passed away when I was about 18. My Mamaw (grandmother) taught me how to make those cookies years later, and I now have the recipe and can do it on my own. Yesterday, I was missing my Mamaw incredibly (she left for Heaven on Aug. 6th), maybe that is what spurred me on to delve into the 3-4 hour process of making these cookies. As I got out my mixer, and began to work, I felt so close to my Mamaw. I wasn't trying to rush through it like always, but felt calm and took my time and enjoyed the pouring, sifting, measuring, juicing, grating,mixing, and baking. Isabel even helped a little. Of course, I can't say the same for the cleaning up afterwards part. I don't claim that there were no tears, because actually there were many of them...it was sort of like therapy. My memories of her are still so fresh, I can just about reach out and get my hands around it. I can still clearly see her at work in the kitchen. I miss her so much that as you read this I want to jump out of your screen and ask you if you know how much she meant to me...to our family (I know, kind of a scary thought...me jumping out of your screen). It's amazing how your heart can be so broken at times, yet continue to beat.
Anyway, the cookies were delicious, and even though she's no longer on Earth, her love was in every bite.
As long as I'm on this earth, I will never understand death, and I am thankful that because of my Savior, I don't have to. I trust that he has a plan, and that it's a good one. I trust that he knows my own heart, better than even I. I trust that He has the whole world in His hands...my brothers, my sisters, the little bitty babies, you, and me...He has all of us, In His Hands. :-)

Women's day of refreshing/being thankful

Today @ church was our Women's day of refreshing.
Though we looked at several verses in the Bible, our main one was Psalms 100:4

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Give thanks unto him, and bless his name."

We talked about being thankful, and how it shouldn't be just a cliche.
The speaker read an email she had received, which touched me.
I don't remember all of it, though I could probably search the web for it.
It talked about being thankful for things you wouldn't normally be thankful for.
For instance, being thankful for your huge electricity bill, because it means your family is cool in the Summer, and warm in the Winter...being thankful for a messy house to pick up, and laundry to do, and endless dishes to wash, because it means you have a loving home filled with family...etc...
Even if we have nothing, or no one on this Earth, just the fact that we can breathe is enough to be thankful for.
We talked about how there is nothing we can do to earn God's love, that he just loves us in spite of ourselves. That is amazing. It makes sense though...it's the way I feel about my own children...there is nothing they have had to do to earn my love. I loved them from the moment they were formed in my womb, at least from the moment I knew they were there. And, no matter how many things they mess up or break, or how many times they forget to use their manners...or how many times I have to ask them to do something they should just do on their own...I love them in spite of it all. I think about how much I love them, how nothing could ever change it, and then just try to imagine how much deeper the Father's love is for us...and then I realize that it is so awesome that I can't even begin to comprehend it, and I must just accept (and am happy to do!) it.

I want to be thankful to GOD, just for giving me breath.
I want to be thankful to GOD, that I have to cook dinner and make my husband a plate, and then clean it up...because it means I have a husband who works hard all day to provide for his family.
I want to be thankful when my car is a mess and I don't have time to wash it or clean it out, it means we have transportation, and get to go places and see people and do things together as a family.
I want to be thankful when my child has a messy room, because it means I have a healthy child that can play...and we have been able to afford toys and clothes.
I want to be thankful when my friends call and gripe and complain and I have a headache and am really not in the mood to listen, because it means I have friends that trust me enough to talk to me...and that will also listen to me when I need to vent.
I will be thankful when I am sick, because it means if I need to I can go to the doctor and get medicine if need be.
I will be thankful that the sun rises and sets on yet another day, because GOD has given me blessing after blessing to fill it up.

There is an endless amount of things to be thankful for.
I want to challenge you...I want you to take something "not good" going on in your life, something that has been bothering you, eating at you, trying your patience, driving you crazy, even something that has you scared or worried...
I want you to take that something, and find a reason to be thankful for it.

I once read a story...
I don't remember it exactly, but there was something of a concentration or refugee camp. People were housed in shabby tents and barely feed or cared for, it was filthy disgusting living. It was harsh, at best. There were two sisters who were housed together in a tent. There tent was infested with lice, mosquito's, and bugs. One sister complained daily (this would be me! I mean Hello, who would be thankful for bugs) and the other gave thanks in their prayers for the bugs, and rough conditions...and told the other sister she needed to do the same, and though she didn't quite understand it, she did it anyway.
Once they were released from the camp, they learned that the guards had been going into all the tents and abusing the women at night, but stayed clear of the one tent with the sisters because it was so infested with bugs...WOW...how miserable it must have been to have bugs constantly everywhere, how awful, yet they were better than what would have happened had the bugs not been there.

Choose something that is hard to be thankful for, and be thankful for it anyway.
God has a plan for you and he knows your heart.
Trust in Him and be thankful, for everything give praise to Him!

this&that

I was going to post pics of Izzy's hair cut...but the day we did it, my camera batteries were dead. I took pictures with my phone, but have no clue how to get them onto the computer, so until big D has time to help me, they will have to wait. She pretty much has the same hair style, but we took off about 6 inches! It is so much easier to manage now, and she likes it, too.
This morning Isabel and I had a sausage and biscuit fro breakfast. She came up to me and told me she ate all of it, I told her to open her mouth and let me see, then told her how proud I was of her for eating all her breakfast. She then proceeded to say, "Mommy, now open your mouth and let me see if you ate all of yours....ohhhh, you did...good girl, I'm SO proud of you, Mommy!".
Well, my friend, Amy, is moving to Denton this weekend. I will miss her, but look forward to visiting her in her new place :-) I pray the transition is smooth into the new home, schools, work, etc...love y'all :-)
You know, it's Fall. I do love Fall...beautiful weather & scenery, warm scents and feelings, Thanksgiving...etc...
As much as I love it ALL, I hate thinking about this special time, meant to be shared with family, and the fact that neither one of my grandma's will be here this year...it will be my 2nd T.G. w/0 G-ma, and my first w/o Mamaw. In a way I just want to take off and have T.G. somewhere else. I feel like if we celebrate in a place that is not as familiar, it won't be so different by the lone fact that my grandmothers aren't here to celebrate with. Oh, I am longing for a hug from them...just to sit around and talk with them. I know they are better off than I, in Heaven, but I miss them, nonetheless:-). So, if you are fortunate enough to still have your grandparents on Earth to celebrate with, hug them tight and enjoy your time together.


Btw, David is on vacation next week, but do we have anything planned? NO! I can think of a few things I would LIKE to do...but we will just have to see, it's hard with the kiddos in school, we can't just take off ya know?! If anyone has any ideas for a short day or two trip, pass it my way.
Abrazos, Katy

Powerful

I have already shared this video with some of you, but I couldn't resist posting it here thinking it might reach a few more people...
To me, it is such a simple, short video, yet so very powerful...
it even moved my husband (who has watched it daily since we came across it, btw) which is hard to do :-)
It just reminds us what GOD does for us on a daily basis, and all the things that get in the way of our relationship with Him, it's so easy to get caught up in the day to day hassles,
so take a few minutes to watch it, and I hope you are blessed by it...
before you do so, you will need to scroll down and pause my playlist...
And for some reason it doesn't show up as big on my blog page as it does from it's home page, so if you would rather have the link instead of watching it from this page:

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=ee73e63418003b47d7d5