Baptism

This subject has really gotten Anna Grace's attention. The entire month of August, our church is having baptism's every Sunday at the beginning of our church service. We go to a Baptist church, so our baptisms consist of full immersion. Anna Grace goes to Sunday School in the morning and then joins us for service at 10:30 on Sundays. She has done pretty well (as long as we have markers and coloring books to keep her occupied). Well, two weeks ago Anna Grace and I were running a little late to church and as we walked in they had already started the baptisms. AG exclaimed, "What is going on?" I told her that they were having baptisms and she quickly ran to the front of the church to check it out. I had to run up after her and bring her back to our seat (where Thomas was sitting). She intently watched and asked a few questions after the service.
Last week she was pleasantly surprised to see two friends get baptized! She intently watched them and enjoyed it. When we came home she informed me that she would be getting baptized this Sunday. I was thinking to myself - yes, she likes the thought of "Swimming" during church! So I talked to her and told her what baptism meant. I told her that when people are baptized, they are showing the church the change that has already taken place in their heart. Before people are baptized, they pray to God and thank Him for sending Jesus to die on the cross for us, ask for forgiveness of their sins, and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of their life. Once they have prayed this prayer and believe it, then they are baptized to show the church the change that has taken place in their heart and life.
She took it all in and that was the end of our conversation.
Yesterday Thomas and I had lunch while AG was at school and Thomas said, "I meant to tell you that Anna Grace was baptizing her baby dolls in the bath tub Sunday night. She would ask them, "Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?" and the dolls would say "yes" and then she would baptize them."
Wow! So many times we don't think our children are listening or understand what we are saying, but they do. I love that the gospel is so easy to grasp that even a child can understand it. I love that seeds are being planted slowly and my daughter is starting to understand salvation. I love that I go to a church that baptizes during the service, and I love that our church allows children to come into service and be a part of what is going on. I love that our God is so great, and yet He can open the eyes of a child's heart and show them who He is. I love that my child is baptizing her baby dolls in the bath tub and I love that she asks them first if they have accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior! I do believe she is starting to understand and it fills my heart with great joy!

Romans 10:9 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Romans 6:4 - We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

First day went well!

Just a quick update on Anna Grace's first day of school. It went really well! As you know, we dropped her off without any problems. AG told us they learned all of the rules in the classroom. Mrs. McCall has a yard stick and it has different colors painted on it (green, yellow, blue and red). Your clothes pin starts in the green and is moved down if you break a rule. AG's stayed in the green yesterday. She was very proud and said she got a sucker since her color didn't change. She ate ALL of her lunch!! She brought her lunch to school and was very glad she did b/c she said the hamburger at school did not look good to her. It had lettuce and tomato on it, or "salad" as she calls it, so that wasn't appealing to her. They played outside and she said she met a few friends. She said that a girl named Alex and her talked about how hot it was. (sounds like little old ladies talking!) Her only complaint was that the day was VERY long...which I know will take some adjusting to get used to. She said Mrs. McCall made a special cookie snack for the kids. That was AG's favorite part of the day (of course)!
The two bad parts of the day happened when I picked her up from school. The car line was LONG!! I left home at 2:15 and the school is one street over from our house, so I thought I was doing well until I rounded the corner and realized the traffic was backed up all the way down the road. It was all the way to the BILO grocery store!! So I sat and waited and talked to my friend Terrica on the phone...and waited...and waited...and talked to Terrica...until 3:00!!! By the time I finally saw her and she got in the car, she was crying. And AG doesn't cry much at all. I asked her what was wrong and she said, "I thought you had died." Earlier in the day I parked across the street to walk her into school. We had to cross the traffic, etc. to get there. AG thought I had parked across the street again and when I didn't show up, she thought a car had hit me. It is amazing what she can create in her head...in a short amount of time! I told her I was fine and the carline was long. Then she was upset because her new shoes rubbed a blister on her foot...and it had popped and hurt. So, we got her home and doctored her up with a band aid. She was good to go and in much better shape after we got home.

All in all...it was a wonderful day and I just know it is going to be a fabulous year!!

Thanks for all of your prayers, emails, phone calls and support!!

First day of school

....went VERY well!! I think I cried a lot yesterday and got it out of my system, so there were no tears left to cry today! It also helped that Anna Grace was SO ready and excited!! She walked right into her classroom, hung her backpack up and found her name at the table and started coloring a picture with her new friends. She also showed Thomas around the classroom. We gave her lots of hugs and kisses and left her. She did great!!

The school had a "Sip and Sob" that Thomas and I went to in the cafeteria. We were able to write her a letter that the teacher will give her later today. We told her how much we loved her and how proud of her we were!!

We are looking forward to picking her up soon and seeing how her day went!! We are all doing remarkably well!! YEAH!!

Anna Grace before school this morning


Anna Grace and Mommy


Anna Grace and Daddy


Anna Grace and the cats


And when we left her at school, this is how she was...


Can't wait to hear how the day went!!

Letting Go...

Tomorrow Anna Grace starts 5K. She has been blessed with a wonderful teacher named Mrs. McCall. We met Mrs. McCall and the asst Mrs. McGee on Friday at an open house at school. Anna Grace enjoyed meeting her teacher and loved her new classroom. She had so much fun that she wanted me to leave (and leave her there)!

Here is a picture of Anna Grace with Mrs. McCall (in the black and white dress) and the asst Mrs. McGee.


And here is a picture of AG at her table. She found her name!



I have so many mixed emotions. I knew this day would come, but I never knew it would be here so soon. I have been blessed to be able to stay home with Anna Grace over the past 5 years. There have been many days when I wanted to scream, many days when I wanted to go back to work, many days when I needed Thomas to hurry and get home so I could have a break, many playdates, chic fil a lunches, library times, playing barbies, cleaning up, playing outside, park play dates, tears, laughter, anger, but most days have been pure bliss. Wow!! I am SO blessed I have had a little over 5 years at home with my precious child. It has been amazing to watch her personality take shape and watch her blossom from a baby into a 5 year old little girl. So now I just ask myself...
Is she prepared to meet friends in 5K? Is she ready to not have me around for 5 days during the week from 7:30am - 2:30pm?? Is she prepared to handle long days at school? Will she be hungry? Will she be tired? Will she be happy?? Will she use her manners? Will she be nice to the other kids in her class? Will she enjoy learning? Will she like school? How will I be tomorrow morning at 7:30am?? Will I even be able to leave her?!?

No more long days where we sleep in until 8:15 and wonder, "what will we do today"? No more turning on the tv and watching "Martha Speaks", "Curious George", and "Arthur" until we eat breakfast. No more calling friends to meet for lunch and play. No more just her and me doing whatever we want to during the week....I thought this day would never come, and yet it came so fast. Some days seemed so long...like they would never end...and yet, looking back now, they went by so fast. Didn't I just bring her home from the hospital?? Didn't we just move to Florence??

It makes me sad to think she won't be with me when I run to Target in the morning or go to the gym. I will be alone. Tomorrow will be hard, but I know I will make it and each day after will get easier....just part of the process of "Letting Go". My baby is growing up and it makes me sad, and happy at the same time!


















































Time for the next chapter to begin!!

Last day of School

Anna Grace with her 4K teacher Mrs. Bertram, and friends Maddie and Lauren Nelson

Another year has come and gone and I can't believe it is over. Time continues to fly and move at a faster pace each year. Moments like this are so bittersweet. I am happy summer is here, but so sad it means that we are getting older and my "baby" is growing up! I can't even grasp that she will be in "BIG" school next year. Where does the time go??

I remember when we moved to Florence a little over 3 years ago (AG was almost 2 yrs old), it seemed like an eternity before we would have to think about schools for AG to start 5K at....so where did the time go?? How did we get here so fast?!?

Here are a few highlights from the last day of school...

The children giving Mrs.Bertram her end of the year gift. When we came to the classroom to give her the gift, the children were helping Mrs. Bertram take down everything on the walls and pack up. It was so sad.


They had a few jump castles to jump around in! AG enjoyed jumping around with her friends.


AG has been at Calvary for three years and it seems like yesterday I called Mrs. King and asked for a tour of the school. I enjoyed the last day of fun at AG's school, but I was also very sad at it. It is hard to say goodbye to a place we have driven to for 3 years and know we won't be going back. It is exciting and sad to close a chapter in this book and start the next. Thinking about dropping AG off at Delmae next year makes me so excited and sick at the same time!! I want my baby to grow up and at the same time, I want her to stay young forever. So many mixed emotions about next year. I know AG will do fine. I pray that I will do fine too!

Day at the beach

Anna Grace and I went to the beach last Tuesday to visit my sweet friend and roommate from college, Lou. She and her family were vacationing at Litchfield beach for the week. It was such a special treat to see her and spend time with her family. Laura lives in Atlanta, so I don't get to see her often. What was even more special was that it was Laura's nephew's birthday. Little George was turning 5 and they had a transformer party for him at the beach house. AG and I were delighted to celebrate George's special day with the family! We felt like family too!

At George's party, he had an Elmo pinata!
George took a turn hitting the pinata.


Anna Grace takes a turn hitting the pinata!


Time to sing "Happy Birthday" to George!
George's mom Shannon helps sing!


Time to play in the ocean!
The ocean water was FREEZING and the weather was overcast and windy...but that didn't stop two 5 year olds from putting on their swim suits and rushing for the water!


Running around in the ocean is so much fun!


AG and George had a great time playing in the sand too.


They had a ball together!! It was a special day.


Happy Birthday George! We enjoyed celebrating your special day with you! AG has been asking when she can see you again! Thanks for inviting us to your party!

Sweet Moments

I love the BIG moments with Anna Grace and am so glad I was finally able to catch up on my blog about them. But what I LOVE even more is sweet, simple, unplanned moments with Anna Grace. We had a few of those last week and I want to share.

Thomas and I are going on a mission trip this summer with our church. There are about 30 adults going to Belize. We leave June 25th and will be back on July 2nd. This is our first international mission trip and we are very excited about it. We are not going for medical missions. We are not going for construction. We are not going for vacation bible school. We are going for a simple reason. It is to tell people about Jesus.

If you came to KidzFest at our church on Saturday, then you saw a sampling of what we will be doing in Belize. We will be playing high energy, competition style games with the kids to get them pumped up and excited about Jesus. Then we will share scripture with them and the wonderful news that Jesus came to this Earth, lived a sinless life, and died on a cross for our sins, so that we may be forgiven of our sins, and live forever in Heaven. Such a sweet, simple message that we are very excited to share!!

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life."

Anna Grace will be staying with her grandparents while we are in Belize. We have told her that, and she is THRILLED she will be in Greenville for a LONG time at her grandparents house. Thomas and I are blessed that both of our parents live in the same town, so she will get to spend time with both sets of grandparents while we are away. We have told her we are going on a mission trip and she has asked us many questions about it, which we have answered for her.

She and I were in Schlotskys the other day and she started talking to a man in the restaurant. She told him, "My mommy and daddy are going on a mission trip to Belize." He said, "That is wonderful", to which she replied, "There are many people in this world who don't know Jesus. They are going to tell them about him." There were many people standing around listening to the conversation and all I wanted to do was cry. She put it better than me. She completely understands why we are going on a mission trip and I love that!! There are so many people in this world who don't know Jesus. What are we waiting for??

Matthew 9:37-38- "Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

I love that my 5 year old is already telling people about Jesus. What an example she is to me!
Acts 16:31 - "They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."

A few other fun, special moments...
Thomas was away last week, so AG and I spent some special time together. I can always tell a difference in Anna Grace when we spend time together. She craves time with me and when I don't give it to her, she starts to act up. But, when we spend time together, I can tell a difference in her - she is a different, happier, joyful child.

We bought a bird house at Hobby Lobby and came home to paint it...


Here she is working very hard on it.


AG loves to paint, draw and be creative.


We let it dry overnight and then found the perfect place in the yard for it...
Ta da! The perfect place for it to reside - in her play house window!


And here it is up close!


Matthew 6:26-27; 34- "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And then we had Wyatt over to cook with us!
Anna Grace received an Easy Bake oven for Christmas and she hasn't cooked with it yet...so Wyatt came over with aunt Sage and guess what we did?!? Got the Easy Bake oven out!
Anna Grace was so excited! She went and put outfits together for herself and Wyatt!


And don't they look cute?!?


Here they are stirring up cake mix with water...


And (of course) sneaking a taste!


AG wanted the chocolate icing, so Wyatt (was very sweet) and took the vanilla icing.
They both sampled their icings. AG said hers was YUMMY, and Wyatt said his was DISGUSTING. Here they are showing us what their icings tasted like...
AG - "MMMMMM"
Wyatt - "YUCK!"


Since Wyatt was such a good sport and so willing to share with Anna Grace, we found some yummy chocolate icing in the refrigerator for him to use on his cake. We tossed the nasty vanilla icing in the trash.


And here they are eating their yummy cakes that they made themselves!!


What a sweet, fun afternoon with my daughter and nephew. Sometimes I just need to slow down and realize what is important. If I move to fast or get caught up in the busyness, I miss the moments that make being a mommy so special. I love sweet, special moments like these!!