Our Celebration

Richard and I went to Hot Springs for our anniversary. I was very excited to be away with just him and have time to focus on us. We stayed in a wonderful B and B called Lookout Point Lakeside Inn. I recommend it if you want a wonderful, relaxing time away but don't want to go far. We ate great food, explored Garvin Woodland Gardens (another recommendation!) and we spent half a day at a day spa. We had a hydrotherapy bath (really a whirlpool bath), a 50 minute massage, lunch, a facial, manicure and a pedicure. The guy that did Richard's facial asked what he uses to cleanse his face. When Richard answered "regular soap" (we use safegaurd) the guy said "you must have good genes". Then when Richard was getting his pedicure the girl doing the pedicure told him he had the softest feet. She asked him if he wanted a clear coat on his toenails...I vetoed that before Richard could even answer :D We had such a great time together. I'm so thankful to the Lord for bringing us together and for giving us the grace to grow together. I'm also thankful to those people the Lord has used in our lives to encourage us in our lives as husband and wife. Now here are a few photos of our time in Hot Springs.

Twenty Years Ago Today

I received a great gift from the Lord. The Lord's grace is amazing.

Autumn Tagged Me

Rules: You must answer the questions using only one word. Then tag four others.

1. Where is your cell phone? Desk

2. Your significant other? Richard

3. Your hair? Frustrating

4. Your mother? Friend

5. Your father? Artistic

6. Your favorite thing? photos

7. Your dream last night? None

8 Your favorite drink? Water

9. Your dream/goal? Godly

10. The room you’re in? Sun

11. Your hobby? computer

12. Your fear? flying

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home

14. What you’re not? sleepy

15. Muffins? Yum

16. One of your wish list items? laptop

17. Where you grew up? Arizona

18. The last thing you did? Answered

19. What are you wearing? PJs

20. Favorite gadget? Phone

21. Your pets? Dog

22. Your computer? Dell

23. Your mood? Excited

24. Missing someone? Hope

25. Your car? Sienna

26. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes

27. Favorite store? One?!?!?

28. Like someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Changes

30. When is the last time you laughed? Yesterday

31. Last time you cried? Recently

I'm tagging: Kay, Krista, Kim, Holly

Needing to add to my thank yous

I didn't realize how long it had been since I blogged. I guess sometimes time really gets away from me. I need to concentrate on being thankful today...not sure why but I woke up in a yucky mood. I even exercised (you know to get the endorphins going or whatever) I still feel grumpy. I don't like this, when I'm grumpy but there doesn't seem to be a reason. So thankfulness...

71) my pink flowers on the front deck

72) that Terri asked me to go to lunch with her :) Let's do it again!

73) I'm exercising consistantly again

74) I'm eating well again...both of these are just God's grace in my life, not my doing

75) Richard is letting Hope fly with Autumn to MD

76) Autumn is willing to go with Hope

77) Autumn and Hope are going to get Dawn and the Boys :D

78) I have the cutest grandchildren around

79) I have some of the most beautiful daughters I have ever seen (the Lord does great work)

80) My husband wants to do something special for our 20th wedding anniversary this year

81) We can afford to take the dog to the vet

82) We are going to Dallas for the Rebelution conference

83) I love my dining room (pic at the end)

84) Being available to watch my grandchildren

85) God answering prayers

86) Cool wind on a hot, humid day

87) New jounals

88) Knowing what I'm using for school next year

89) Friends that send you links to funny Youtube videos...it helped me laugh today

90) Laura, who loves Dawn so much she endured wind, rain, hail, cancelled trains, etc. just to spend time with her :) Thanks Laura!!

Picture of the dining room before:

Dining room pictures after:

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 5

It has been a few days, hasn't it?! I had a migraine(sp?) for 3 days :P not fun so....
51)my headache is gone!!!
52)Dawn and the boys will be here in 25 days :)
53)I exercised today
54)We can afford to have the air conditioner fixed
55)The Lord is strong when I am weak
56)The Lord held the headache off until our Master's company had left
57)The four girls from Master's chorale who stayed with us...sweet girls
58)Hope is moving toward getting school finished for the summer
59)Decisions have been made about next years curriculum (sp? doesn't look right...still a little goofy from strong headache meds)
60)Sooo grateful for strong headache meds!!!
61)Richard decided to let Hope go with Aut to get Dawn and the boys :)
62)Autumn and Andy, who have been through some hard times, will celebrate 8 years as man and wife this weekend
63)Being able to minister and be ministered to by church family
64)Blogs with pics...gotta love 'em
65)Panera Bread is coming to Little RocK
66)Fresh Market...I just relax when I go in there
67)Getting to know neighbors
68)Autumn's encouragement to keep going on this
69)Free samples from the doctor
70)God's patience with me...I'm a slow learner

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 4

We went to Texarkana on Saturday for our niece's baptism. I was a bit sad because from her "testimony" it seems she only made a profession of faith so she can see her dad in heaven one day. I hope that isn't the only reason. Before we left I prayed and asked the Lord to hold off the bad weather till we were home :) He said sure so that is where I start my thanks today.
41)God said okay, to holding the weather off till we got home on Saturday
42)Cloudy but not rainy travel weather (no glare from the sun)
43)Wildflowers growing in the median and the fields
44)The song "Fairest Lord Jesus" on the cd while we are passing the above fields giving me a great picture of what Jesus is fairer than (make sense?)
45)I'm finished painting the dining room (pics coming soon)
46)I love the color of my dining room
47)That no one was hurt when the top of my china hutch fell
48)That the stuff that did break is easily replaceable
49)That a long time ago Mom reminded me that is it just things (thanks Mom, I remember that often. It has saved me alot of heartache and protected my mouth from sin)
50)For various sweet family members who gave me Mother's day gifts(will post some pics there too)

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 3

21)A husband that wants to help me overcome sinful habits
22)God's protection of at least (though I'm sure many more)one of His children in Myanmar
23)Friends who listen, understand and pray for us
24)Friends who have been where we are and are willing to help us through our time of difficulty
25)Getting to go to a Mother's day tea with my Mom, my daughter and my granddaughter
26)Hearing Judah help his mom sing "The Lord's Army" "yes, sir!!!!" :)
27)Getting the "kilz" part of the dining room finish (except for the little part where I discovered I was painting over VERY old wallpaper)
28)Music running through my mind
29)Living close to family
30)Hope Bible church in Columbia Maryland...They are Christ's hands and feet to Dawn and Matt
31)Ibuprophen
32)Hot showers
33)The girl at Home Depot last night...I can do it and she helped (custom paint color)
34)That I am a mom (children ARE a gift from the Lord)
35)My mom...one the greatest friends on earth
35)That two of my girls are moms (that means grandchildren...they are as great as everyone says)
36)For friends' blogs, they make me laugh, cry tears and cry out to God
37)For dandilions(sp?) They always make me think of Judah now :) (fower)
38)my new sliding glass doors
39)my husband's generosity, to me and others
40)50% off coupons

A Thousand Thank-yous pt 2

So I was thinking, if I do ten thank-yous each time I post it will take 100 posts (easy math) Here are more:

11)Easy math (math is not my best subject)
12)My grocery store is done remodeling
13)The e-mails my sweet husband sends me (it is a sacrifice on his part, he doesn't like doing e-mail)
14)veggie burgers and baby carrots
15)Daily grace to make right decisions
16)Being confronted with sin(yes it hurts and is hard, but I am grateful)
17)Technology that allows me to stay connected, even daily, with far away people
18)Living in a place where the seasons change, pretty much when they should
19)The Lord's protection during all the recent severe weather
20Weight Watchers online e-tools (more technology)

A Thousand Thank-yous

A friend of mine is posting one thousand things for which she is thankful. I thought/think it is a good exercise in gratitude, something I struggle with. I take so much for granted. I don't know how long this will take or even if I will finish (1000 is alot, but I have alot to be thankful for, right?) So here we go.

1)Being the first one up in the morning
2)The birds singing the "Dawn Chorus"
3)My salvation (should that be first?)
4)My husband caulking the dining room so I can paint tomorrow
5)The overwhelming smell of honeysuckle when I open my front door :)
6)Our homeschooling community
7)My Bible (all the copies I own)
8)Chocolate
9)Videos of Judah belly laughing
10)The way Noah says "bird", and similar sounding words

More later :)

Ch ch ch changes

Today was a big day in the FitzRandolph household! We have been waiting for something to be removed and today it finally was...one person is especially relieved :)

A quote I must share

Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors. In our ladies bible study this week there is a quote by Jerry Bridges that I have to share. The reason I have to share is the quote so applies to where I am right now. I think I have posted before that I have been struggling since September with my eating properly. I have been very frustrated with myself and making excuse after excuse. I have to say eating isn't the only area where I am struggling with sin so this quote applies to several areas, I'm just not sharing all of them :) Anyway, a few weeks ago I came to the conclusion that my problem with eating is a sin problem, not a lack of water, jounaling or getting enough fruits and veggies. Then this morning when I was doing my bible study (Thank you, Lord for the push to discipline myself this morning) I came across this quote:

Sin tends to cloud our reason, dull our consciences, stimulate our sinful desires, and weaken our wills...each sin we commit reinforces the habit of sinning and makes it easier to give into that temptation the next time we encounter it.

That is exactly what has happened to me. In September we went on a trip, things didn't go as planned so it was a bit (not impossible) hard to eat properly. As the week wore on I made more and more bad choices, thinking "oh this is okay, when I get home I'll get back on track" Little did I know I was falling for a lie. The lie that I can sin and get away with it. All I was doing was feeding (no pun intended, really) my old sinful habits...lack of self-control, bowing to the idol of pleasure (I really like food, the flavors, the feel of it in my mouth etc). These sins, as I have continued to give into them, have definately clouded my reasoning, dulled my conscience, stimulated sinful desires (not only for food but laziness, and others) and weakened my will to fight and not give in. It has reinforced the habit of sinning and has made it easier to give in to temptation. Is it any wonder God hates sin? Oh that I would hate it as much or even a smidgen as much as God hates it. If the Lord brings me to your mind would you pray for me...that I would hate my sin and that I would fight, remembering that the weapons of my warfare are not of the flesh but are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses (2 corinthians 10:4) Thanks!

Easter pictures

Okay, I left Hope in charge of the camera. She is taking a photagraphy class and she does have an eye for photography. I have pictures of Andrew(my great nephew?)and Hailey, my only granddaughter. I asked Hope about the lack of pics of the other kids and she said "the boys run so you can't get a picture of them and I was helping Hailey find eggs." So enjoy the pics I do have :)

Isn't he cute?!

And she is precious

I thought they were easy to find

a little of Camille in the background :)

Autumn is supposed to post some more pics so you can check her blog for more pics if you want.

HE IS RISEN!!!

Praise the LORD for HIS indescribable sacrifice. What love,what mercy, what grace. To HIM be all glory, honor and majesty for HE alone is worthy. Praise HIM!!!!

It happens just about every year

We get teased with a taste of spring. The daffodils bloom, the little tiny pink flowers that cover our yard spring up and the tulip magnolia shows her pink splendor. The days are warming up, the sky is a beautiful blue, since the humidity is still low then this happens: This would be the tulip magnolia covered in snow!!! I estimate we got around three inches today, though it has started snowing again even as I type. I'm not complaining really. I think the snow is so pretty and it seems to make the world quiet. This is the second time this week we have gotten snow. It was extra exciting this time because I had the Bruckman Grands with me. Can you guess what we did?? You guessed it we played in the snow or rather they and Hope played, I took photos. I may try to upload a video...Hope's camera takes video but with no sound so if it works it will be a silent movie. Just imagine, alot of laughter because that is what you would hear if the camera recorded sound. Enjoy the pics.

God Cares...

about what a 14 year old wants to wear to a Father/Daughter banquet. There is a story behind this and I want to share it because it is an example of God's love and goodness to my daughter. I pray she will always remember that He loves her this much. Hope's plans for this winter/spring included a father/daughter banquet at our church in February then a homeschool spring banquet in April. The dress for the father/daughter banquet was "sunday dress to semi-formal". We purchased a dress that was a bit dressy but was easily wearable for Sunday church. It was a bit pricey. We then found a dress for spring banquet...we didn't buy it but were planning on taking Dad to get it approved before the purchase...also a bit pricey. In the mean time we discover that we will be out of town the weekend of spring banquet. So that dress is out of the picture (it was beautiful and was gorgeous on Hope). There is sadness. Then we found out that the f/d banquet could be formal. New visions of the formal dress! We discussed it with Dad and he (wisely) said that there was already a dress for f/d and that we didn't need to spend so much on another dress when Hope already had one. He was willing to let her get another dress and gave us a limit, which I thought was a very generous limit. So the hunt began...and it was a hunt :P We literally looked everywhere I could think of for a reasonably priced formal. I was wishing that University Mall hadn't closed down because they had a store that would probably fit the bill but....it was closed. (for Autumn and Dawn, remember Nouri?) Anyway, there was one more store, that I found in the phonebook. That morning before we went shopping I prayed and asked the Lord to provide Hope's hearts desire. We went and looked...nothing (we were not only looking for low cost but modest or easily made modest) We left the store and I was ready to tell her that she would just have to wear the dress we bought. I said,"Do you want to go to the new Penny's one more time?" She said "yes". So off we went. As we came to the new shopping center where Penny's was located, I saw THE sign....NOURI. I told Hope to look at the sign. She became very excited and said "go, go" Well to make a long story a little shorter. The Lord completely answered our prayer. She got her hearts desire(the dress) AND shoes AND earrings for $15 under the stated budget!!! How wonderful of our God to do such a thing. Oh, the store had only been open for 4 days! God cares about His children and their hearts desires. Here is a pic of the blessing dress :) and our beautiful Hope.

Journey part 2

This is a journey that I know I must begin. It is one I want to do but it will take me out of my comfort zone.
1 Peter 4:9 says "show hospitality to one another without grumbling. Then again in Romans 12:13 "Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Yes, it is practicing hospitality. I love being around people, getting to know them and talking BUT I am so weird about it if they are coming to my house. The Lord has provided a nice home for us, so it isn't that. It is me...it is pride and fear of man. What will I talk about, will something burn, will I remember to make sure the tp is full? What if they don't like what I prepare, what if they get bored or we run out of things to talk about? What if my nervousness comes across and they begin to be uncomfortable because of my paranoia? Maybe silly questions but that is where I am. This has been something on my heart for over a year. Now, don't get me wrong, having family over? no problem, having close friends over? no problem. I don't feel the need to impress them. If they need tp they will ask or find it themselves. This is an area I need to grow in and I really think God in His love is going to teach me :) Here is why: the other day my sis-in-law, Melissa called and said there was a homeschooling family from Harrison down here in Little Rock. They had a family memeber in the hospital and there was another family member who needed a place to stay the night. AAAHHH All the verses about practicing hospitality and entertaining strangers came to mind. "Let me call Richard and double check with him." Of course he said yes. So I spent the day worrying about this person coming to my house. Would I make her comfortable especially considering what was going on in her life? I hope I did make her comfortable. We had a nice little visit. All this to say: God is good. He teaches His children what they need when they need it and takes them out of their comfort zone to teach them. I need to get out of the comfort zone and start practicing hospitality. So if you think about it will you pray for me? Thanks :D

Journey part 1

I've been thinking about this post for a while. A friend told me I needed to update my blog and I thought "I don't really have anything to blog about." Well, I suppose that isn't really true. I have literally prayed about this post and there are three things that the Lord has laid on my heart to share.

The first is a journey that I started a little over a year ago. People who know me know that I have struggled with being overweight for a looonnnggg time. I literally have been up and down the scale for the last 27 years...mostly up. Around Christmas of 2006 I began to really worry about my health. My dad had been diagnosed with diabetes. His grandmother had had it it and I knew it was hereditary. I remember just eating and eating that year. I would lay in bed at night and wonder if I was going to die. My heart would just pound, even as I would lay in bed (for all you English whizzes, I'm not sure that is correct grammar...please correct me if I'm wrong) I began to realize I had to do something to get healthy. I began to pray about it. I had tried so many different diets and failed at them all. I would go over and over in my mind about the advantages of this or that diet and then the disadvantages and of course the fact that I had done it before and failed. I was very discouraged. I talked to a good friend about it and she (I believed this was God's guidance) encouraged me to try Weight Watchers. I had done WW about 20 years ago and failed at that too. But, she had recently been successful and she showed me how the program worked now...different from when I had done it last. Well, January 17, 2007 I joined Weight Watchers. I didn't have my picture taken often before, this picture is from May of 2007. I may have been bigger by December, I honestly don't know.

So I started WW. The Lord has been sooo good to me on this journey. First, the leader of the meeting I went to couldn't have been more perfect. We are similar in age, height, goal weight and starting weight. She has kept her weight off for 5 or 6years now. What a great encouragement and incentive. Plus she is very motivating, down to earth and honest about loosing weight and keeping it off. Second, He gave me self-control I didn't know I had. I was, and am still amazed at the choices I make...it is not my nature to choose a piece of fruit over a piece of candy but I do it and am learning to do it more and more. Next is the amount of exercise I have done in the past year...amazing. I have probably exercised more this last year than I have my whole life :D By the time July rolled around I was down 59 lbs...please hear me, this is all of the LORD and the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. I went to California to be there to help Dawn and Matt during Elijah's birth and first week or so of life (precious time!!) I was shocked that Dawn didn't recognize me. I didn't/don't see the difference...it is weird. (oh, a side note, another wonder the Lord performed was me flying alone to California and back...Amazing...Thank you, Lord!!!) Anyway, in September we (my parents, Richard and me...um, English whizzes again forgive me if I'm wrong in my grammar :) )went to Maryland to help Dawn and Matt settle into their new home. This became my bump in the road. I'm not sure what happened but I really began to struggle with my self-control and eating properly, for my health. Another friend recently asked me if I thought being comfortable with your clothes and where you are could be a problem...I think she may be right. So from September until this day, I have been struggling. I should mention I also injured myself exercising and had to stop for quite a while. So, what has happened since September? God has continued to be good to me. I have days where I am walking in obedience to Him in this area and days where I am not. Some days I literally, in my mind, tell Him I don't want to eat a banana instead of chocolate (this may sound funny, the way it is written, but it isn't, it is sin to go against what you know is right (Romans 14:23 and James 4:17) ) So how does this show God's goodness to me? I haven't stopped the struggle! I haven't given up. Even on weeks when I knew I had not done well and I was going to have a gain on the scale...I went anyway. I tell you that is of the Lord!!! I would have given up along time ago. So I walk and fall, get up and walk some more. My ability to get up and walk some more comes from my loving, gentle, merciful heavenly Father. I still have a way to go before I get to a weight that I think is appropriate for me but the walk of this particular journey will not end until I am home in heaven with the Lord. I want to leave you with two things one a picture of what happens when the Lord, by His spirit, enables you to obey and two, more importantly, I hope this encourages you to walk in obedience to what you know is right, even if you fall over and over (there are days when I am stumbling over myself all day)keep getting up and walking in His strength and power.

Our Christmas Day

What a day we had!! Food, Family and Fun. We started the day with just the Esparzas and the FitzRandolphs. We opened presents then had a breakfast birthday party for Jesus. We forgot to take pictures of breakfast...I guess we didn't have enough coffee in us to be that functional yet :D Then it was time to get dressed and start cooking...oh, the turkey got into the oven late but it was probably a good thing; it was ready pretty much on time...I think. People started arriving and setting up the tables and chairs for dinner. Thank you to everyone who helped. Christmas for us couldn't happen unless there is alot of help. I'll start the pics.

Opening presents Esparzas and FitzRandolphs:








We don't have pictures of the cooking (read full kitchen) but we do have pics of dinner...the adult table anyway



We actually had a table for little kids, a table for the big kids and then a table for the food. There were 20 adults and 19 kids. We had some special guests, friends of my Dad. They are very nice and I was so glad to have them join us.

Jag

Geeta

After dinner the tables come down and we open presents...oh my word, may I say chaos??? It is a fun time though, a good lesson in patience because we start with the youngest and go up to the oldest. This year we did do something we haven't done before (a suggestion of my Dad's which I hope we continue) we sang carols together as a family. Andy played the guitar. The next time Dawn and Matt are here it will be Andy and Matt playing together, right Matt?? :)




Jag and Geeta's little girl opening her gift

Mom and Dad made stilts for all little boys. Here are others trying them out...


...including Brad, I just happen to catch him at a bad moment. He really is quite good at them :)


Toward the evening, after some people had left, we played games. I made a mistake while reading something and we all laughed so hard. Some of us harder than others...I think we were a bit punchy by that point. It was so fun. Autumn is the one to encourage playing games...I'm so glad she does that. I love playing games but don't think about it. Thanks Aut.

And last but not least a picture of Papa and Elijah. I think we all felt this way at the end of the day. I love this picture!!



I hope all of you had a wonderful, God glorifying day, full of happy memories. I did, I think I agree with Erik...It was the best Christmas ever :D

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I pray for each of my readers that they would remember why we celebrate today. The food, family, decorations, presents and all that go along with this celebration are fun and exciting. If it were not for the birth of Jesus the Messiah we would not have a reason to celebrate. If you know Him praise Him for His glorious gift and sacrifice...even leaving His Father to take on flesh was a sacrifice without even mentioning His ultimate gift, the giving of His life for you. If you don't know Him or have a personal relationship with Him...seek Him, find Him and trust Him with your life. He is worthy!!!

Jesus-I thank you for coming to this sinful and sin-full world. I thank you for living a sinless life, for perfectly keeping the law that I can't keep. I thank you for then giving your life for mine, so your Father would adopt me into your family. You are amazing. I praise you!

Some people will do anything to get their Mom to post :D

my hair is: auburn with some dark brown and gray roots (time to go see Glynn)a bit longer than shoulder length, layered and wavy/frizzie
my nails are: are in need of a manicure, but I tore one today really short...ouch
my clothes are: pink and black jersey pjs :)
my mood is: bored and a bit depressed
my spirit is: calm
my big To Do is: finish christmas shopping and grocery shopping
my fitness level is: better than it has been in many years
my worst habit is: avoiding what I know I need to do(copying Aut...maybe she learned from me...sorry Aut)
my house looks: okay, glad we aren't having company anytime soon (I will vaccuum tomorrow though)
my marriage is: at a point of growth
my car is: a salsa red 2005 toyota sienna...I love it
my children are: a great blessing to me, I love having all of them in AR even for a short time
my local weather is: cold
my dream destination is: heaven

Aut, Thanks for the idea and encouragement to blog...I need that!