What Song is that Mama?

This is a question I get at least fifty times a day.  

As soon as I've buckled George into his car seat, and I've cranked the car, George starts his 'jukebox requests'.  Minus the quarters.  

In an effort to maintain my daily sanity, I've tried to introduce George to music that Clay and I really love.  This mainly consists of hymns, old country songs, Nickel Creek, and, most recently, Christmas songs.  I do think there is a time and place for silly kid songs, and I love singing those songs with him at home.  But, for the most part, we listen to hymns in the car.  And I love that, now, George has memorized some of these songs.  

His favorite hymn is a song that our church sings, called 'Pearly Gates'.  This is usually the song he asks for as soon as I turn on the car, and the other day I heard him singing the chorus to himself in his room. I almost died when I heard him singing *word-for-word*:

'He the pearly gates will open, so that I may enter in.

For He purchased my redemption, and forgave me all my sin.'

I am fully aware that he has no idea what these words mean, but one day, he will.  And I love the way music has hidden God's truth in his heart.  

Not only does he love learning songs, but he is obsessed with musical instruments.  He loves to pick out the instruments he hears in music, "is that the banjo?  is that the piano?  the drums?  the guitar?" etc.  It really makes being in the car so fun- those wheels are always turning in that brain of his.

Clay has been wanting me to blog about George's love for music, because he wants us to have predicted that George would turn out to be our little musical prodigy.  Regardless of what his future is in music, it is really incredible to see George's interests and passions coming out on a daily basis.  I know that God's Word does not return void, and I love that so much of His word is in these old hymns.

In other news, we had some family pictures taken by a dear friend, Jessica Wright.  She gave us a disc with over 150 photos on it, and these are a few of my favorites (emphasis on 'few'- if I could upload 75 pictures to a single blogpost and it be socially acceptable, I would.  I decided to limit it to ten).   We wanted her to take some pictures of us all over our house, because we have so loved our little home on Woodhaven Drive.  We also wanted some pictures to take with us of our sweet nursery before we move.   Then, just for fun, we went to Jemison Park just before sunset to take some fun outdoorsy pictures.  So here's a taste of her incredible pictures!

My heart is so full looking at these pictures.  I could never deserve Clay and George, but I am so thankful that the Lord has given them to me.  As I think about celebrating Thanksgiving this week, it might seem that we have more to grieve than to be thankful for this year.  And maybe that's true.  Not having Nan with us will cause us some sort of grief for the rest of our life.  But where there is grief, the Lord's joy is able to abound, because human joy and happiness runs out so quickly.

As we consider what we are thankful for, it is almost too numerable to count.  We are thankful for our families.  Our dearest, and most steadfast friends.  Our unwavering body of Christ at Cahaba Park Church.  We are thankful for movie nights, George's silliness, Curious George, and lazy Saturday afternoons as a family.  We are thankful for the great things the Lord is doing in our little family, and for the small things day-to-day that make us laugh.  

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween and My 31st Birthday

The house hunt has officially taken over our life.  In a good way, I think, but it has definitely become all-consuming as we get closer to our closing date, and fewer and fewer houses are coming on the market.  But, one thing I do know, is that the Lord is leading us somewhere.  I just can't wait to see where! (!!!)

Anyways...Halloween was just over a week ago.  I have to admit, Halloween might be my least favorite holiday.  The only thing that has made up for it in recent years has been George's costumes. 

Halloween 2011: a sweet pea.

 Halloween 2012: the cutest darn lumberjack you've ever seen.

Halloween 2013: WOODY! 

It was just the obvious choice.  

Like my friend, Kelly, said, 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.'

 Y'all, I could just put him in this costume every single day and be so happy.  I sort of think George feels the same way.  He actually asked me this morning if he could go trick-or-treating again.

My birthday is the week after Halloween, and I have to say that the days leading up to my birthday were just so heavy.  I've mentioned countless times on here how much I love birthdays.  This year, I really just wanted to skip my birthday altogether.  Birthdays have to be the hardest thing for us these days, with holidays a close second.  My actual birthday was not so bad- it was filled with calls, texts, cards, gifts left at our door, and sweet messages from friends and family.  So much so, that I actually called Clay to see if he sent out a 'reminder' to people to make sure to remember my birthday.  I know it was the Lord's way of reminding me- as He does every single day- that we are one loved little family.  

That night, Clay took me to an incredible dinner at Highland's Bar and Grill downtown.  We had agreed that we wouldn't give each other gifts- since we're buying a house and all.  Naturally, I stuck to the rule when Clay's birthday rolled around in October.  Naturally, Clay did not stick to this rule.  I am a really hard person to surprise, I'd say.  I ask poking/prodding questions ALL the time, trying to figure out any possible way that Clay could surprise me.  So when we sat down at our table, and Clay pulled a little white box out of his coat pocket, I can truly say that I was totally shocked by what my sweet husband did for me. 

He found this little necklace with Nan's birthstone in it.  I was so overwhelmed by the sweetness and thoughtfulness of his gift.  I will treasure this necklace forever as a little subtle reminder of our sweet daughter.  It was the best birthday present I've ever received.  

I am excited to see what 31 holds for me this year.  I know the Lord is near to us, and that even when things are so, so hard, He is good.  I am thankful that I've learned that His goodness is not contingent upon my circumstances.  These are some sweet fruits that I am thankful to carry with me throughout the years to come.  

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."

Psalm 126:3