Intro

I have felt for a long time that the Lord has been leading me to share my testimony on this blog. "Why?" you might ask. Well, I am hoping to have the privilege to speak at the next Walk to Emmaus this Fall and I am looking forward to that because I know that there are several experiences I have had in my life that can be used to help others. So many of us hide behind family situations, things we have done and the Lord does not want that for us. The truth will set us free and I fully believe that we stay in bondage (i.e. depression, anxiety, addictions) when we can't freely talk about the bad choices we have made in our lives. People, we all have skeletons in the closet. We all have made poor choices. We have all hurt others by things we have said or done. Those who feel they don't have issues are the ones we should worry about and pray for the most, for they are the ones with a deep-rooted issue of pride (trust me, I have been there).

So with that being said, I pray that the Lord will lead me to say the right things and I pray that the Lord will give us all an attitude of humility and love as I share the wonderful journey the Lord has brought me on and that I continue to walk.........

Random Pics

Finally here are a very few pics of our little trip to the Blue Ridge and them just some random photos from our yard.

Highlands, N.C.

Chris and I are in Franklin, N.C. tonight and are going to head up to the Highlands tomorrow to hike a little. I will send some pics tomorrow. It is absolutely gorgeous!

On another note, it looks like I am going to have the opportunity this Fall to give my testimony/life story and I am going to start practicing on you guys -my blog audience. Don't you just feel so privileged?? So, look for me to start telling my story here in the next couple of days. Telling your life story can be very humbling, overwhelming, anxiety-ridden, etc. for someone who has messed up as much as I have, but I figure it will be easier to tell it over the internet to a lot of people first then to stand up and give it to a few in an intimate setting........who knows.

Okay, love to all!

Melissa

What a Beautiful Day!

We worked in the yard today until it started getting cloudy. We are SO ready for summertime.

Thanks!

Thanks to all my family and friends who sent cards and called. It is a little overwhelming to be turning 30, but oh well that is life.......

Love,

Melissa

Cheerleading Try-Outs

Abby has decided to try out for cheerleading next year at South Middle School. I am very proud of her for trying, especially while being sick this week. The first pic is of her after try-out practice tonight and the next is of how tired Eddie is just thinking about it - or maybe I have that backwards! :) How cute!

Melissa's Cheerleading Days!

What a dork! How 80's can one person get?? I was actually proud of that hair - and YES I was a flyer. Definitely private school - look how long our skirts are!

The Truck

Okay here is the new Ebay listing for my brother's truck. I had to take if off and relist it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=018&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=280218799252&rd=1

Abby Loves Chickens

Well, our chickens are alive and are being chickens. They have grown and require care and guess who gets to do that? After a frustrating evening of trying to get them in their coop (which my Dad built), I made the girls go out and take care of getting them in and here are a couple pictures I took. I have never laughed so hard I don't think. I can't wait until Abby is in therapy one day or, better yet, telling her husband about her terrible childhood, being forced to raise chickens.

Life is good!

Go Lady Vols!

Can't be prouder of my team or the SEC!!!!!

Here ya' go:

http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?videoId=3337173&categoryId=2491547&n8pe6c=3

Update from the Brown House (actually it is pink...)

I am so glad to see sunny weather. It has rained here for two days straight. We have flowers coming up in the yard and our trees are budded (some budding) out. I LOVE spring!

We are gearing up for our weekend trip to Shelbyville for the sub-state AAU girls basketball play-offs. Abby's team starts playing on Friday afternoon and hopefully will continue playing until Sunday. Emma has soccer also this weekend and somewhere in there I am squeezing in going down to Chattanooga to help my sister and Dad do some more cleaning on my brother's house. We are going to burn mattresses, etc. My brother's house is living testimony to how low alcoholism can take you. It is sad....but also a living testimony.

Other than that, we are just hanging in there living the usual craziness of our home. I have started to really miss homeschooling and if the kids weren't so involved in athletics, I really believe we would probably go back to it. I never find time to fit in a scriptural lesson for the day like I used to be able to. It seems like our days go by so fast and by the end of the day we are all so tired that all we are able to do is say our prayers and sack out! Anyways, the idea of homeschooling is milling around in my head again.........

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday! Love and many blessings to all,

Melissa