Patience is one!

Enjoying birthday cake.
Gracie picked zuchinni from our garden after swimming.
Patience in her adorable new dress from Grandma Gunn. She opened her presents this morning but unfortunately the camera batteries weren't charged then so we didn't get any photos until this evening. By then, her dress had been drooled on quite a bit, but it is still very cute on her.
Waiting for cake.
Beautiful!
This is the now famous birthday cake which Gracie made from start to finish all by herself. She even dyed the frosting to be pink! I think it is absolute perfection. When she was done she placed it on the table with a huge smile and said, "I sure do love Patience!" What a gift!

Daniel Hannan MEP: The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

Bravo!! I wish this gentleman could come over to the U.S. and give the same exact speech to Obama.

Fun!!

This just makes me wanna get up and dance!! Good clean fun even if it is a commercial.

Glenn Beck on Obama's 'Change': Socialism

When did socialism become a good thing?? I've been waiting for someone to call Obama out on his socialist agenda. Finally!! Forcing people at gunpoint to "share the wealth" and even to be charitable is not Biblical. We should be charitable but not at the fear of being imprisoned if we don't.

Capitalism works because it allows the markets to fluctuate on a supply/demand basis and not on unnatural forced government regulations. Stealing from taxpayers, printing more money, and then trying to control the salaries of workers in companies will only result in inefficient companies and overstressed taxpayer wallets.

I don't know much about Glenn Beck so I can't say if I endorse him or not, but in this case, he's right on.

Seven's Heaven

We have had a great week of sevens. First of all, our oldest son Noah turned seven years old. I've really seen this birthday as a turning point from little kid to young man. He's growing braver, smarter, and stronger all the time. For his birthday his dad got him a BB gun and with his first shot he got a bull's eye! What a thrill. I'm so thankful for him.


In other news, we recently found out that baby #7 is on the way. We are absolutely thrilled. Each new baby has been such a joy and a gift, and we look forward to getting to know this little one and falling in love again for the seventh time. Not sure of a due date yet, but I'll post one when I know it. Here's a picture of Patience, just 'cuz. :)


We were recently at the SAICFF and were so blessed to get to meet many large families that were an encouragement to us. I especially liked talking to the mother's who had some grown children. I heard the same thing over and over... It gets easier the bigger they are, and more joyful too! I was thrilled to tears to get to meet Mrs. Duggar. She was one of the kindest, sweetest, and most joy-filled ladies I've ever met.

Lessons being learned

God tests his people so that they will learn to fear Him and not man or earthly consequences. He tested Isaac to see if he would obey Him without question and sacrifice his son, his only son. Isaac obeyed, was found faithful, and therefore was spared having to commit the act of sacrificing his son. God is testing me to trust Him in an otherwise unstable and trepidatious time. I have failed and I have feared and cried out against Him. Through Jesus though I am still accounted as righteous. I have learned to submit to His providence because truly there is nothing I can do about it, and He has planned all for my good. He loves me. More than I love my own children. He dotes on me, disciplines me, delights in me. Even though I leave this earth with nothing, I still have His love, and His son's blood to cover me. In heaven I will fear no more. I will lack no more. More importantly, I will doubt no more. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Marriage/Love/Romance

I fed myself a steady diet of romance movies and novels when I was growing up. I even read all those so called "Christian romance" novels. This was the sum of my knowledge about marriage and romance. Suffice it to say I was an idiot when I got married. I totally bought that you would know that you'd found the "right one" when everything clicked and you heard or at least felt the background violins. So, when Colin and I had difficulties or conflict, I not only felt the defeat of that argument in that moment, I also felt the defeat of Hollywood telling me that I'd married the wrong one. I was sure I'd made a mistake until we made up and I felt "in love" again, and then I thought maybe it wasn't a mistake. Until the next argument came along. I bet y'all are so jealous of Colin finding such a catch as me,eh?! Anyway, it's been a long time coming, but I'm starting to learn to look at marriage with a biblical perspective and not a Top Gun, Princess Bride, Sixteen Candles one. Uh-oh I think I've dated myself with those pop culture references from the eighties.

So, now that I'm so old and a little wise, I realize that marriage is supposed to be a reflection of Christ and His church's relationship. There will be many opportunities for the husband to learn to love someone despite their total lack of loveability, and there will be plenty of opportunities for wives to learn to honor and respect their husbands despite being absolutely sure that they're wrong. Only in this give and take and bowing the will of oneself for the other can we truly find happiness and joy. Through being considerate, patient, forgiving, we will truly know the indescribably close bond of being husband and wife. Only then will we know the depths and beauty of being truly "in love." Marriage is for happiness, but it's not through the path that Cameron Diaz or Bradd Pitt will lead you. It's through a lot of sanctification and selflessness. And it is truly a beautiful thing.