Our New Normal

Life has been a whirlwind over the past few months. Moving has been a well concocted blend of blessing and hardship. Leaving Williamston proved to be just as hard as I thought it would be. There were many tears shed as we packed and said our goodbyes. As sad as leaving was, we could not have asked for the move to go any better.  Things seemed to fall into place seamlessly. We know that the transition was covered in prayer, Because we felt those prayers.

We truly love living in Lenoir. I've told Larry over and over again how much I like this town. It seems the perfect blend of city conveniences with small town charm. We live within a mile or two from the Aquatic Center, Library, Aldi's and Wal-mart.  We're less than a block away from an awesome Greenway.  If our road didn't have such a steep hill, we could easily ride our bikes there. We can see Hibriten Mountain from our front yard. I'm really looking forward to the fall and winter here. I have always wanted to live in the mountains, and now we are. That is so exciting to me!

The members of Lower Creek have been wonderful. They continually amaze us with their love for our family, especially our children. Things that I worry over, the sound of running feet, the pulling of fire alarms, and a loud response to a rhetorical question during a sermon, those things just tickles them. Just as an FYI, an un-named red head and I have both set off the alarm. Oops! I guess we all have things to learn!

We are finally settling into our new home. Most everything is unpacked, and has found a place. What doesn't fit upstairs is stored away in our basement.  It's a great house with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, a school room and a big back yard. We live in a nice neighborhood less than a mile from the church. It's a little weird getting used to living in a neighborhood again. Our previous home had a corn field on one side and a grave yard and church on the other, so this has proven to be an adjustment. We ran into a few problems with the house in the first month of living here. We had three leaks in the basement, the A/C didn't work for a weekend and we had numerous plumbing issues. After the first few problems, it was discovered that there was a pressure issue with the water coming into the house. The first leak was the worst and it was the night before Larry's first sermon.  A value on the hot water heater broke and we had water all over the basement. Not exactly how we planned to spend our evening. However, what the devil meant for evil, God meant for good. We had two sweet church members come over to help us clean up. Our landlord, who has been amazing through all of the problems, also came to help. We laughed through most of it. The old saying proved true, Many hands make for light work. Although, I wasn't the one carrying the buckets of water up stairs and outside to dump. This house is a blessing to be able to rent,  but we hope to be able to buy a home in this area when our lease runs out.

The kids have done better than I expected with the move. There are times when they say that they miss Williamston, or they ask questions about our friends from there.  Eden and I had a good cry together the other night because we both were missing our friends. It's just part of the hardship of moving. But our special friends have remained close.  We are able to call often, and Eden is a pen pal with her best friend. I know they these are the kinds of friendships that will last our lifetime, no matter the distance between us. And most importantly, they will last through eternity because of our common faith in God. We have already been blessed by 2 different sets of visitors from Williamston. We hope to host many more in the future.

Just to give you a little run down of everything we've done in the past few weeks that I don't have time to go into, but want to remember:

• We celebrated Eden's, Titus' and Larry's birthdays.
• We had a great weekend VBS with the church.
• Titus was potty trained. He did such a great job! It's amazing what you can get a child to do for some stickers and a sucker!
• I went to my first Southern Gospel concert, and met Ivan Parker. 
•  We celebrated Josiah losing his first tooth.
• I've canned lots of summer vegetables.
• I've learned how to use a riding lawnmower. After a few rounds on that machine, I think I have a good shot at a future in bull riding!
• We went to an antique car show. The kids loved it, especially Titus!
• We went to the Blackberry Festival. The kids loved it too.
• We've been exploring the area and getting lost on purpose. We've found some great neighborhood  where we might want to live. 
• We've also found some neat parks. One had a creek. We got to be the kind of parents that let their kids jump in cold creek water and swim with their clothes on. I'm smiling now, just thinking about the fun they had.
• I second shot a wedding that Larry helped officiate.
• We've gone to lots of different programs at the Library for their summer reading program.
• Larry and I went to Boone. It was amazing! Can't wait to go back with the kids.
• We've spent time visiting with our church family,  and getting to know our neighbors. This has revolved around great fellowship, and great food!
• I spoke to one of the WMU groups on Titus 2. With the 25 ladies represented at the meeting there was over 1000 years of marriage represented. Boy, do I have a lot to learn from them!
• Everyday life with our 7, 5, and 3 year olds.

Here are a few snapshots from my phone:

Thumb ups for Oak Hills Park.

 Meeting Ivan Parker

 Boone :)

 Stopping to watch the deer on the Greenway.

 Lego time at the Library.

 The kids favorite place to stop while walking on the Greenway.

 Backyard summer fun.

What were you doing 8 years and 1 day ago?

2006

May 2014

I've been reading though my blog. I'm so happy that I've chosen to capture memories here, because  I'm awful at keeping a journal or baby books. Eden has a week or two filled out in her baby book. Josiah might have some of the pre-birth stuff filled in, in his book. I don't think I bought a book for Titus. I know 3rd kids and all right, Abbey??? :)

Anyways, I was reading this post and thought if these words were so true 4 years ago, how much more are they true 8 years later, And how much more will they be in 12 years, 32 years, maybe even 58 years from now! So I'm reprinting them with some added details, Which means all the stuff that happened in the last four years in mind, and especially with Titus added in. He's a 3rd child and will feel left out if he's not included. I filled some details and helped continue the story because the words are more true today than they were 4 years ago, or even 8 years ago. The God who knows me, and my story, He orchestrated all of this together to make us a part of His story. I'm just happy we get to be a part of it. So without further ado:

What were you doing 8 years and one day ago? Not many people will remember that day, but I do.

This time 8 years and 1 day ago, I was sitting on my washing machine having my pre- wedding melt down. It was the night before our wedding and I was a mess. I assume that all brides go though this. I've seen some on Bridezilla, but refuse to believe I could ever act like that ;)

My house was full of family that had come in from out of town. So to have what I thought was privacy, Larry and I went into the kitchen to talk. Since then my little sister told me she heard our whole conversation while  we thought she was sleeping on the couch. Oh well, so much for privacy.

The conversation went something like this: I can't believe how much isn't done! There were all sorts of things that I wanted, things that right now I can't remember what in the world they were, but there was a lot of them. So you know they must have been crucial if I can't remember them now right?? :) I started to Squall. Squall: a word I learned living in the country. "Squallen'" means you cry so hard that your eyes turn red and puffy and snot begins to run uncontrollably down you nose. It's also known as an "ugly cry." It's a pretty gruesome sight, especially to a groom-to-be! The "for better or worse" wasn't supposed to start until the next day.  Oh boy did Larry get a full dose of worse that night!

So as I'm squallen', I'm thinking this man has no idea what to do with me right now! And bless his heart, he didn't. BUT THEN, (I love BUT THENS in stories) he hugged me and said everything would be OK. He asked what was bothering me and what he could do to fix it. Then there was some pretty serious conversation about running off to Vegas and finding an Elvis to marry us and to heck with all the unfinished details!

After laughing through that thought, I calmed down. Larry spent the next 20 minutes convincing me that the important thing was we were getting married. The silly things I was worried about were just that, silly things that were not important. What was important was we would stand before our friends and family, and GOD and declare our love to one another for the rest of our lives. Those silly details compared to our lifetime together wasn't enough to get that upset over. Wow! Perspective! Speaking Truth in Love. Maybe this man did know what to do with me after all!

So we got married. :) There were things that didn't go right, but I don't think of that now. What I do remember is the look on Larry's face as I walked down the isle to him. I remember laughing through our wedding (we haven't stopped laughing since then.) I remember thinking I had waited so long to meet the right man and get married. Wow! He was worth the wait!!!! God gave me a wonderful man whom he had been sculpting and growing for years. Then he gave Him to me. Next to my salvation, Larry is the best gift I have ever received.

And as these past eight years have flown by so quickly! We have had to deal with so many BIG life changes in such a short amount of time. Having 3 children in 4 years, and raising them in a constant sleep deprived state, I'm surprised daily we all made it out of those newborn days alive, that's a grace of God thing! Finishing grad school, moving to the country, dealing with the joys and hardships of full time ministry, Eden having major heart surgery, starting a doctorate program, moving to the city, and just living life together daily has been challenging to say the least. But just like the night before our wedding, Larry has been right by my side. Loving me, speaking Truth to me, making me laugh all the time, Loving me like Jesus would.

Are we perfect? Nope. Are we best friends? Yep! Are we so in love with one another that it hurts to be apart? You betcha! Is marriage hard work? Most defiantly, yes! I have know nothing else in my life that has shown me my own sinfulness as much as being married has, But I wouldn't want it any other way. Because I have also known love so purely and deeply that I can only compare it to God's love.

So to my husband,

I love you more today that I ever thought possible 8 years ago, I can only imagine how deeply we will love one another 50 years from now. :) I have so many things to thank you for, Thank you for taking your vows seriously. Thank you for cultivating tender affection for me. Thank you for looking at me with that twinkle in you eye that melts my heart and makes me fall more deeply in love with you each time we touch. Thank you for providing our family a wonderful home and the financial security that enable me to stay home to raise our children. Thank you for making me feel like our marriage and family are your first priority behind your relationship with God. Thank you for honoring our marriage and holding it in such high esteem. Thank you for forgiving me and loving me though my many faults. Thank you for not keeping a record of my wrongs. Thank you for the countless hours of discussions we have had about our Lord. I know Jesus better, because I'm married to you. It makes me happy to know that when God sees you and me, He sees the two of us together as one. Thank you for loving me like Jesus would. I am a blessed woman because of you. I'm looking forward to what our future holds, because we know who holds our future:)

My favorite gifts :)

I forgot to post these during the holidays. These are by far my favorite gifts!

Camo Sunday

 I'm not a hunter. In fact, If you hear that I've killed a deer you should ask to see our mini van, because that's about the only way I'll have opprounity to kill one. However, hunting is huge in our area. One of our church members suggested that we have Camo Sunday and invite hunters who might not attend church to worship with us, dressed in camo. We also hosted a wild game lunch. It was a great success.

 This sweet church member outfitted our whole family in camo, which by the way, our kids love! So while I can't see me climbing into a deer stand in the wee hours of the morning, I can anticipate the day when my children decide they want to.

An update :)

I looked back at my last post and realized it’s been over a month since I blogged.Thankfully the world still turned and life continued with this lapse in my Internet input. :) As busy as we’ve been, it’s no surprise that I haven’t had time to blog. It seems this will be one of my hobbies that might become a little neglected in the next few months.

On the bright side, we have been able to travel a lot lately. I’ve made three trips across the state in the past month. It was wonderful to see our family. We had Spring break with Larry’s family, Mothers Day with my Mom and family, a mini Homecoming at Southeastern, and I was able to attend the NC Home School Conference in Winston- Salem. Now do you see why I haven’t had time to blog? : )

Larry started his Doctorate program. I’m so proud of him! He made an A- on his first big paper and presentation. Life will be a lot harder on him as he tries to maintain his full time ministry, being a full time student again, and being a full time husband and father.  Knowing God has called him to this and has prepared the way for us to be able to accomplish this task, helps us draw strength when the pressure has gotten difficult.  

Larry has enjoyed the program and his “cohorts” That’s what they call the men in this program. He will take classes with all of them for the next two years. They will build a camaraderie similar to what Larry experiences while attending the Citadel. I still think “cohorts” has a mischievous ring to it. Kindda like naughty boys with sling shots and bare feet. But have no fear, these are all godly men, and they all wear shoes.  

My plan to start a photography business is still in the hopeful stage. There is A LOT that goes into starting a business. It’s not like one day you say, hey I’m going to be a photographer and poof, and you’re a photographer. Well maybe you can, but if you want to start a business AND get paid for it AND have some money left after Uncle Sam takes his cut, you’ve got to start it right.

So I’ve spent a lot of time watching YouTube tutorials, learning editing skills, reading photography articles, planning to revamp my blog, started the branding process, finding out about getting registered as a LLC. Heck, just trying to figure out what to name my business has been tough. BUT I am still preserving. Realizing the business start will take a lot more time to get it up and running has been a little bit of a downer. But I still have hope. I also have a new camera and lens that softens the sting a little.

The other biggie in our life is our decision to home school our children. Like I said, I was able to attend the NC Home School Conference in Winston-Salem. It was amazing! It was such a blessing to be able to attend. And I was also able to visit with two of my mentors while visiting in Wake Forest, both of whom are Home Schooling veterans.

Larry and I have been interested in home schooling since Eden was born. Now that she is turning 5 and will be starting Kindergarten in the fall our conversations became much more focused. We began asking ourselves: Can we do this? Should we do this? How do we do this? Between the visit with my mentors and the conference we’re convinced we want to Home School our children. We have the answers to our questions: Yes we can, yes we should, and with a pencil written plan and a prayer.

We’re ready to join the other 45,000 home schooling families in North Carolina. I have a blog post running around my head with our ideas about home schooling. I hope to post it soon. Maybe it won’t take a month.

Making plans

Life in the Gilbreath house is always busy. It seems as if something is always going on, often we are preparing for something big or just getting over it. I’ve tried to convince myself that things will slow down, but I know I am just kidding myself. Recently, Larry and I decided we were going to make some big life changes.

Larry has been kicking around the idea of going back to school for his Doctorate of Ministry for over a year. We spent some time in Wake Forest meeting with the director of the department. For those of you interested, a D. Min is a 32 hour program with a 3 year minimum. It is a doctoral degree that focuses on an area of ministry, Larry’s area of focus will be on leadership. Larry has to maintain a full time pastorate while in the program. It’s a wonderfully practical program that will help him become an even better pastor.

We assumed that the D. Min schedule would coincide with a traditional school schedule. Well, we were wrong. It starts in May or January. We talked it over and decided that January would be a good time for Larry to start. Over lunch the Department chair was impressed with Larry and offered to waive the program fee (it’s a lot) if Larry would go ahead and start in May. He has an opening, and he wanted Larry for the position.

To say we are overwhelmed is an understatement. The scholarship he offered Larry is a huge deal for us. It was as if God was saying, I’m in this with you. It will be hard, but I’ll make a way for you to do this. So for the next few weeks, we have to get paperwork and applications filed. Larry has a ton of work to do to prepare for the First class. He’s overwhelmed and excited!

And can I just say, I love Wake Forest. It was so nice to be back. There is a sweet spirit there. If I can plan well, I hope to be able to take the kids and visit during the time that Larry is in School. So for those of you, who live in Wake Forest and would like to host us for a night or two, please let me know. We will be in Wake Forest this May 21-25, January 2013, May 2013, and January 2014. It’s crazy we have plans for 2014 already!

And if that wasn’t enough to keep us busy. I’ve decided it’s time to move my hobby into a profession and start a photography business. The major thing I’ve done, or plan to do is invest a lot of money into a new camera and lenses. I have signed up for a class to help me with some editing software and have been busy practicing  at weddings lately.

How I’ll add opening a business on top of Larry’s busy schedule, home schooling Eden, caring for Josiah and Titus, keeping our home running, and not loose my mind is still an unknown.  But I know that the Lord has brought us to this point. He will guide our steps and make a way for us to accomplish all of our dreams!   

The Nasty Bug :(

We have had our fair share of the stomach bug lately. Poor Josiah has had it 3 different times. It started when we were in Huntersville visiting my brother 3 weeks ago. He would get better, then a week later it would strike again. This past Friday he started to vomit and just couldn't stop. I don't think there can be a more helpless feeling as a parent than to just watch your child be so sick.  He quickly became dehydrated and we decided to take him to the ER so he could get some medication and IV fluids.

We are so thankful we had nice nurses and doctor. We didn't have to wait long to be seen. I was so proud of Josiah. As sick as he was, he still said yes ma'am and thank you. He also did great when he got his IV. He didn't fight it at all, which just goes to show you how sick he was. Larry and I both agreed that wouldn't have gone as smoothly if he had been up to his usual speed.

As the meds started to work, Josiah stopped getting sick and was able to rest. I had to leave to get the other children settled. When I returned, Josiah was asking his normal questions and was back to smiling. I knew he was doing better when he said he was hungry. The only thing I had in the diaper bag was Titus's puffs. Josiah didn't mind. In fact, he liked them. I am amazed at how quickly children can get sick, then recover. I know the meds and fluids had a lot to do with it. But Josiah just amazed me in this sistuation.

Sunday I started with the virus. It returned today. :( So we've had some down days. Lots of TV watching in our pj's, reading books and playing with puzzles. I have bleached, lysoled, steamed, vacuumed, sanitized, and cleaned every surface in our house! Not sure what else I can do to battle this nasty bug. I would like to ask that you please pray for Josiah and I to get well and stay well. And please pray that Larry, Eden and Titus do not get it. I'm ready for this bug to be gone!

Gilbreath Family Rules

We've had our hands full lately in the Gilbreath home. Full of blessings and hard work. There are days I fall into bed exhausted! Parenting is such a difficult tasks, it is not for the faint hearted!

One of the reasons we've had our hands full is obedience training with the kids. Larry came home for lunch today. We had a good conversation about the challenges we've been facing. ( I am so glad I married him!)We're trying to develop a plan specific to each child's issues. We realize that punishments and praises effect each of our children differently.  We also realized we needed to team up. It's three against two now :) 

It dawned on me that I had assumed that our children knew our family rules. I feel like I am constantly telling them, something is unacceptable behavior. And most the time I'm upset or angry while telling them. Well what does unacceptable behavior to a 4 and 3 year old? So I decided that I need to type our rules out and read it over with the kids. They each got a copy and one was put on the fridge. We are hoping they will begin to understand our expectations and consequences.  We're praying their behavior will improve.
 
Eden responded very well to it. She likes list and rules. (That is her Momma in her) This will be a good thing for her. She asked question and during dinner told Josiah the rules when he would break one. Josiah was more interested in the letter and words than their meaning. BUT I am praying he will begin to understand and respond well over the next few days. I plan to go over it with them daily until it is ingrained in their brains.
 
Al least I feel like I am being proactive instead of reactive. Not sure if this will help, but it certainly can not hurt. Here is the list I created. I looked online and got ideas from different sites. I kept it short and simple, addressing some of the big issues we're having a hard time with, like hitting, table manners and obeying right away and without and attitude.

Gilbreath Family Rules

1. Obey All The Way, Right Away, and With a Happy Heart!

2. Treat each other with respect.
no yelling
no hitting
no kicking
no biting
no name-calling

3. No arguing (talking back) with parents.

4. Respect each other’s property.
Ask permission to use something that doesn’t belong to you.
Put the toy back where you found it
Share

5. Do not complain or throw a fit!

6. Practice good table Manners

You must sit at the table to eat
Use your fork, spoon and napkin
Do not talk with food in your mouth
Ask to be excused when you are finished

7. Clean up what you mess up.


8. Look for ways to be kind and helpful to each other.

Well, Bless Your Heart."

"Well, bless your heart.” I wish I had a dollar for all the times I’ve heard that lately. We would be rich. Not Bill Gates rich, but you get the point. I often have my three children with me where ever I go, the grocery store, church, Wal-mart, the park, the library. You know, where ever life in general takes us. People often ask how old they are and I tell them, 4, 2 and new. Then It comes, “Well, Bless your heart!” or my 2nd favorite, “Well you must have your hands full.”


Some people, like my wonderful Mother in law, bless my heart and it is a sweet term of endearment. It conveys care, concern, a level of compassion that makes you feel as if the individual blessing you cares for you and your situation. But most people bless my heart with much less enthusiasm for my young family. Often the bless you heart is the intro to how they feel about me having so many children so close in age. Like it is their kind way to pronounce judgment on my young and growing family.

I am amazed at how freely people joke around asking if we know how we got pregnant, or ask about birth control. To which I would love to reply something sarcastic right back, but in remembering that I’m a pastor’s wife and a reflection of Christ. I try to hold my tongue. A lady working in a department store told me three young children were too many. And I had another lady tell me before Christmas, She sure didn’t envy me. She then went on to tell me how she hated when her children were young.

Wow! I don’t want people to envy me, but I sure don’t want my children, (who were with me) to get the impression that this lady’s attitude and all the others are biblical. I want them to understand that children are a blessing from the Lord; That Larry and I are blessed to have them as our children. When people bless my heart I try to say I am indeed blessed. That I love my children, that I would rather be their momma than anything else in the world.

And the crazy thing is we only have three children! I wonder when it was that three children became too many? It was only two generations ago that large families were the norm. There are lots of families that I know of in my grandparents generations that had 8, 10 even 12 children. I wonder if those Mothers had their hearts blessed all the time.

If God chooses to bless us with more children, Larry and I would be thrilled. But He’ll need to give me thicker skin because I can only imagine how many more comments we will receive if we have 4 children. I should make a shirt that says, Yes, They are all mine, and I home school too! Just to get people really worked up!

Eden's Heart Surgery

Today while the boys took their naps, Larry and I talked to Eden about her upcoming surgery. We began by giving her the princess pajamas that her Grandma and Granddaddy sent for the time she's in the hospital. She was thrilled! Then I explained how she would be wearing these special pajamas while she was in the hospital. I was surprised I stayed as calm as I did as I explained everything to her. That was a God thing, because I've been anxious about the whole things for the past few days.

Eden's first question, "Do I get to ride on a helicopter?" Her cardiologist's office is next to the landing pad for the helicopters. Then she asked. " am I going to get a baby?" The last time we went to the hospital, Momma had Titus. Then she said, "And PawPaw was just in the hospital to get better." It's funny the things that run through the mind of a four year old. After all was discussed and questions answered she was ready to pack for her adventure.

Eden was 2 months old she was diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). We were told that if she didn’t grow out of it that she would have to have surgery. Sadly, she has not grown out of it and the surgery is scheduled for Tuesday morning at 8:30am. You can find more information about SVT here and Eden's story here. Essentially, Eden’s heart races for no reason. The last time she had an episode that was recorded her heart was beating 278 beats a minute. That is a dangerously high level. So she will undergo surgery to ablate (or destroy) the tissue that is causing her heart to race.

We are thankful to be surrounded with a community of faith. We believe in the power of pray and ask that you and your families please join us and pray for the following specifics:

Pray that Eden’s surgery would go well and have no complications. The surgery will take between 6-8 hours. Please pray for her Cardiologist, Dr. David Fairbrother, and all the other doctors and nurses that will be caring for Eden. Pray her recovery would be quick and as painless as possible. Pray that she would do well with the anesthesia. Pray that she will not be fearful. Pray that she will rest well the days afterwards when she need to be still so that healing can take place in her heart and arteries.

Please pray for Titus. We have been trying to bottle feed him for the time that I need to be with Eden. He has not done well with taking a bottle. Larry's Mom and Dad are planning to stay across the street at a hotel so I can go back and forth to feed him. However, there will be times I need to be with Eden and he will need a bottle. Please pray he will eat well and that he will return to nursing easily when we return home. Please also pray he would start sleeping through the night. It would be much easier if I didn’t have to go back and forth from the hospital to the hotel in the middle of the night.

Pray for Josiah. Larry’s parents are going to keep him and will do an excellent job distracting him. We  have to have restful days after the surgery. So no wrestling or rough playing between Eden and Josiah. This is a favorite pastime for them. Keeping them separate will be hard. Pray for wisdom and understanding there.

Pray for Larry and me as we try to make decisions to best serve our family. I am struggling with a lot of anxiety. I normally have all three of my children with me all day. Having us split up in different places is hard for me to handle. I know all three children will be well cared for, it just can’t be by me, and that’s difficult. Plus the worry of a mother for her child is heavy.

This is a trail that the Lord is using to grow our faith. It is hard, and I am weak when it comes to the health and well being of my children. BUT the God of the universe who created Eden, Josiah and Titus knows this situation and it is in His control. Please pray that we will bring Him glory as we face fears, hardships and health issues.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What's not to love? The focus is on being with family, eating lots of great food, and giving thanks to the Lord for all he has blessed us with.

We traveled to Larry's parents for a few days, then on to my brothers for the rest of the week,. It was wonderful to spend time with our family. I am amazed at how fast our children are growing. I've also realized how young  my parents are now that I'm getting older. :)

 Eden's best friend Brielle. These two LOVE one another.

Wondering what Brielle is thinking with that look on her face :)

The best fried turkey cook ever!!!!

Bittersweet- Part Two

Bittersweet is how I’ve described my time in Florida the past two visits. During both occasions I was going home to a funeral. Larry drove Titus and me down to South Carolina where he passed us off to my brother and his children for the remaining drive down to Florida. It was hard to be in the car for so long. It’s a 12 hour drive that I get frustrated with. It’s hard to imagine how difficult it was for the three children. But it was the best time I’ve spent with my brother in years. We got to talk about all sorts of things for hours. And the children did a great job traveling. It was fabulous!


We arrived just in time for the visitation. Mind you 5 month prior, we went through the same ritual for my grandmother. It was no surprise to be there. Granddaddy had been struggling with Alzheimer’s for years. The surprise was in that he outlived her.

Saying Goodbye to my grandfather was difficult. He was such a wonderful man of God. I can’t speak highly enough of who he was or the impact he had in my life. As Shannon and Kelly eulogized him, we all knew he was in a much better place. My cousin Casey said, he didn’t know who would be more excited, Grandpa for seeing Jesus or Jesus for seeing Grandpa.

After the funeral, the wonderful part started to happen. Cousins that I grew up with, that I rarely get to see, all went back to Granny and Grandpa’s house. We spent the day together. Then the stories started, memories were shared, old pictures were brought out and the laughter began. All of this took part with our children playing around us. It was such a flashback to how we played when we were children. My Grandparents would have loved to have heard all that laughter in their home. To see the future generation of the Kinsey family.

You see my grandfather was consistent in sharing a passage of Scripture that he claimed as his life verses. He fell in love with these verses when he was Serving in Japan right after the war.

Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,

who walks in his ways!

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;

you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

Behold, thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.

The LORD bless you from Zion!

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life!

May you see your children’s children!

Peace be upon Israel! Psalm 128

Oh how they would have loved to have seen their children’s children’s children.

My sweet traveling companion. :)

Just to make you smile :)

Doesn't this picture make you heart smile?

These are the most recent additons to the Kinsey family. In the past 6 months we have welcomed ( in order from left to right) Lydia, Cooper, Titus, and Mason. And there will be another additon in January with my nephew Pierce.

It's so wonderful to see all of these children together. I can only imagine how proud my grandparents would be if they could have seen all of these new blessing.

Oh how I would have loved for my granddaddy to lay his hands on Titus and pray a blessing over him as he did all of the other grandchildren and great grandchildren. I would have loved for Granddaddy to meet Titus and know his namesake. Our hope is that the strong character and great faith that my granddaddy displayed  would be evident in Titus. 



Seminole Baby

In addition to raising our children with a love of the Lord, We're raising them to love Florida State!

Go Noles!

Granddaddy's Battle

My Granddaddy is an amazing man of God. That amazing man of God is fighting his last days with Alzheimer’s disease. Momma called me this morning to let me know he was unresponsive and that it his battle with this horrible disease would not last much longer.


So today, my mind has been full of memories of Granddaddy. He has always had a wit and charm that made him easy to be around. His twinkling blue eyes held an equal portion of mischief and love. I see that same look in Josiah’s eyes at times. Titus is named for my Grandfather, Titus Simon. Simon is my Grandfather’s name. It is my prayer that my sons grow to be men of faith like my Granddaddy.

All of my memories of Granddaddy have some aspect of his faith in action. He and my Granny were married for 65 years. She went to be with the Lord this past May. Their marriage was a great testimony to the longevity of love. Granddaddy also served as a deacon for 60 years. He has spent his life loving his family and serving the Lord. Which is why watching him suffer through Alzheimer’s disease just seems so wickedly unfair.

Within a Christian world view, I know that this is only one of many ways that mankind feels the effect of the fall. It is part of the suffering that we must struggle through in this life. The suffering is never without purpose.

I think Alzheimer’s is in a special league of evil all of its own. I can think of few other illnesses that destroy with such a disregard to one’s identity. It affects not only the individual with the disease, but also the family. We suffer along with our loved one. My sweet Grandfather is a shell of the man that he used to be. Alzheimer’s has ravaged his mind, and now his body, in a way that has been so difficult to watch. Granddaddy has suffered for years with the disease. Over the past few months, he has had a significant decline. So much so, that he needs 24 hour medical care.

One of the last times I was with him, I was so saddened at his decline in health. He was confused and anxious, unable to rest or even sit still for more than a minute. At one point he had a bad moment and began yelling. This was uncharacteristic for my grandfather. I don’t ever remember him yelling while I was growing up. After he collected himself he apologized then began to go outside to walk. Before he left, He stopped in the doorway and prayed. The prayer he spoke was amazing; the Holy Spirit was evident as words of scripture and repentance poured out of my grandfather. That was the man I knew, that was the Granddaddy I remember from my childhood, always praying for restoration and healing, Praying blessings on his children, grand children and great grandchildren. It was amazing hearing the words of a man whose mind was full of confusion speak with clarity and hope. It was demonstration that the Holy Spirit was still alive and active in my grandfather.

The nursing home staff has also commented on the character of my Grandfather. A nurse told my sister that she could tell he was a man of faith by his actions. She told of how he would roll his wheelchair into other patient’s rooms and pray for them. She said a baby could not pass by that he would not lay his hands on and pray a blessing upon them. As much as he could, he would try to bless the other residents as he helped the nurses pass out medication. What an incredible testimony of a man who struggled in so many ways still try to demonstrate the Love of Jesus as he served his last days on Earth.
Now I await a phone call letting me know my grandfather has entered into heaven. My heart is so heavy knowing he will no longer be here. But it is with great joy that I look forward to him being with his Savior. He has suffered for so long, His body has struggled with illness for years. What a blessing to know his body and mind will be restored and he will be with the Lord whom he loved and served his whole life.

One of Grand daddy’s favorite hymns was Amazing Grace. The words are a gentle salve to my heart ache of losing him.

“Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

and mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil,

a life of joy and peace.”

How do you keep toddlers busy?

This past weekend, I packed the kids in the van and we ventured to Huntersville to celebrate my nephew Shay's 6th Birthday. The kids had a blast! Keeping them busy was a constant task. One of the things they enjoyed most was bubbles!

I love the look on Brielle's face. She is such an awesome kid!

PawPaw was the best bubble blower, and Josiah was the best bubble popper!

They made a perfect pair :)

Labor Day/Gilbreath Visit

 I'm blessed to have married into a wonderful family. Jeanne and David have never treated me as just Larry's wife. They treat me like the daughter they have prayed for since Larry was born. They are a wonderful example of marriage and ministry and work hard to encourage us. For two brother's to be born so close in age, Timmy and Larry show no signs of competition. On the contrary, I have never known brothers who love one another so deeply and want good for the other like the Gilbreath boys. And Corey is the perfect fit that brought additional joy  with her relaxing good nature.

We all wish we could spend more time together as family. Sadly we are spread over many miles. So we try to cherish special weekends like Labor day when we can all be together. We have a great time and look forward to the next time it will happen again.

My favorite men.

The girls are out numbered at our house. We're not in testosterone overload yet, but I can feel those days are just around the corner. Here are a few photos of my favorite men.

Josiah loves to hold "baby Titus", but still has to do so under a watchful eye. I can anticipate a day soon when he'll try to do it all by himself. I am trying to train Josiah to wait for Momma and Daddy, and that he must be gentle with baby Titus. Josiah loves to kiss Titus and decides each time if he should kiss Titus's head or foot. It's so sweet!

 Just today, Josiah told me Titus was his little brother, which beats the heck out of his previous answer when asked who was Titus....Josiah would say, "I don't know!"

                                          Titus is thinking...
                          You look like your happy to hold me, but if you hit me there will be payback one day!

                    Larry is such a wonderful Daddy! I couldn't imagine raising these little men with out him.

Daddy's Hands

There is something amazing in the way a newborn looks in their Daddy's hands. As I think about the role that Larry plays in our children's lives I couldn't imagine raising them without him. He is their protector, provider, and role model. He's the example Eden will have in her head when she thinks about the kind of man she wants to marry. He's the one who will teach our sons how to be men. Larry is the spiritual leader in our home and will be the one most responsible for their knowing and loving the Lord. 

Yes, Daddy's hands hold a lot of responsibility, but in these pictures they hold our future.