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

Verse for the Day

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 118:2

Suggestions?

As many of you know, our family is going on a missions trip to Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota in June. I have come up with a few ideas for fundraisers to raise money for us to get out there and back, but thought it would be a good idea to get suggestions from my ever faithful blog audience (if there are any.....). We have until the end of April to pay the $600.00 fee for our family to go and then we will need to raise about $900 for gas (main portion of this amount), food and at least two hotel stays. Thanks to my friend Jen in California and a few family members, we have raised about $200.00 so far. Any ideas would be appreciated!

The Space Station

Our whole family laid on the trampoline last night and watched the European ATV (auto transfer vehicle) speed across the sky with the International Space Station following fairly closely behind it! It was incredible!!! Here is the link to see when the Space Station will be flying over your city.

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings

Melissa

Puritan Prayer

The Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine; let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty, Thy glory in my valley.

Easter 2008

We had a wonderful Easter Day! Got up early and went to breakfast at church with my Daddy- which was WONDERFUL! Then after church we came home and spent the day with my family. I miss my sister and my nieces so much and it was great to have them here to spend the day with us. My Dad came up Saturday and built Emma a chicken coop in the backyard for the chickens. We had a great time. We spent the weekend hanging out, having an Easter egg hunt and just being goofy.

Church Easter Play

Okay, here are pictures of the Easter play. I could not for the life of me get a good picture tonight. The lighting in the gym is weird. BUT, here are some pictures and just overlook the graininess of the photos and the fact that everyone has white eyes for some reason. They did a great job and then at the end they all came in with banners (by that time my battery had run out, imagine that!). Emma's said "Lord of Lords" and Abby was the last one to come in with a beautiful banner saying "Jesus Loves You". You will have to just envison it.

Love to all and I hope that as we all are approaching Good Friday, we will consider the cost that Christ paid for our sins.

Melissa

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (that would be me)!

We now are the proud owners of 15 baby chickens. They are very cute and the girls are excited (as is Eddie). Eddie is just waiting for one to get out of the box so he can have a snack.

Happy Easter!

By the way, Precepts training on Saturday went wonderful. It was a wonderful experience and hopefully I can start a class here in the Fall.