August 2011

Alyssa's Adventures: Movie: Finding Nemo, WALL-E
Color: Pink
Toy: Caterpillar-with different feet: laces, buckle, snap, etc.
Clothing: a blue boa from her birthday party last year
She said: Momma-I need my baby soup (bathing suit)

Samson's Shannagins:
Toy: leapyear car he got for his birthday
Game: the slam your head down on the couch, laugh and fall over game ;)
Words: new words are iloveyou  all one word---and sounds more like "eye-luh-eww" :)
Food: Boy can eat some avocados and bananas like no one's business
Newest Thing: besides a new bottom tooth--wanting what everyone else has and to do what everyone else does--for example:alyssa had pigtails--child wanted pigtails. child threw a tantrum--screaming and yelling--til he got them too....

Bobby has spent this month re-cooprating from traveling in July and preparing for the upcoming school year. I have this month with my Mom2Mom (M2M) Bible Study Group on Monday Nights. Maple stated Life:Connect on Sunday Nights-small grroups. I started the David Study by Beth Moore. I am not sure if you are familiar wtih Beth Moore, but I finished her Esther study and can say this: That woamn is an amazing instrument for the Lord. She doesn't hold back on those spiritual butt-whoopings, calls you out, and encourages you in your daily walk. Amazing. Bobby just started the Experience God Study by the Blackabys. That itself is an amazing study as well.

We're excited because not only are we growing closer in our walk with the Lord and deeper in our faith, but to be able to do this in the context of our small group is great. I can see the impact and difference this has made/is making in my M2M group. I started the group because we were built for relationships and connections with others. I know that as a mom I am incredibly overwhelmed at the task before me: the day to day of being a mom and the overarching responsibilty of raising a generation to follow the Lord. I needed an outlet where I can fall flat on my face, be held accountable, and be encouraged to look up and to keep going. I was blessed to have this type of group in college and am blessed to have this type of friendship and accountability now as well. Our lessons over the next few weeks are about marriage. The first few were about us as women-our worth and valuve being in Christ alone. Now we are learning about marriage and then the next 7 lessons about parenting. Whew! Incredible!

My birthday was this month too. My mom made a gardeners bench for me! Now, I have an awesome place to store my potting, planting, and gardening tools! I absolutely love it!

We are excted for our 1st family vacation in September! We are going to the mountains! Check out the rest of our family pictures on facebook :)