50 Things that Matter

Part of the reason I keep this blog...besides that I love to write and don't have time to keep a real journal anymore ...is so that my kids can always have a record of some of my thoughts!
I found a little book at a store called 50 Things that Matter and it got me thinking...

50 Things that Matter to me in the day-day life I live:

1.  Jesus' Resurrection.  Christmas is fine and all, but without the living part...well, Christianity could just be another religion.
2.  My husband's unconditional love
3. The fun my family has together
4.  My children laughing

He watched this for weeks and finally got to ride!

5.  Being able to play outside mid-morning on warm days with my kids and  not a being stuck in a classroom with kids that aren't mine
6.  summer nights out late playing in the yard
7. traveling anywhere you can, as much as you can
8.  letting the kids run wild
9.  camping out
10.  hiking to waterfalls
11.  throwing rocks (I have learned to really enjoy this pastime with the boys).
12.  cool nights on the porch swing
13.  walking with J on the driveway even if is short bursts
14.  laughing with girlfriends
15.  having friends who don't judge me when I mess up
16.  loving children that aren't mine
17.  petting animals of any sort
18.  getting lots of good exercise
19. my mom not giving us sugary cereals, soft drinks, cheese puffs, and spaghetti o's growing up!--so thankful!

20.  compassion

first tennis lesson!

21.  having a dad who played sports with me
22.  tennis
23.  encouraging people when I can
24. giving compliments
25.  Popsicles
26.  dancing for fun and silliness
27.  learning new things
28.  good books
29.  Bible verses that change my life, convict me and inspire me.
30.  missionaries
31.  feeling cool river water run through my toes
32. smelling mtn laurel

33.  jumping waves in the ocean
34.  sun therapy after a mid-mo winter
35.  snuggling up with the kids in bed with a book
36.  kissing Cay's cheeks
37. playing sports with Jeb
38.  singing with Molly and her sweet, sweet voice.
39.  a mother in law who will help me keep the babies and really acts like she always enjoys it!
40.  late night chats in the dark with J about all kinds of things important and silly
41.  watching my children learn
42.  enjoying and respecting college students, even though I don't get paid much to teach them
43.  walking to the waterfall
44.  getting muddy in the creek
45.  hearing the river and digging in the sand on the shore
46.  reorganizing things and throwing out junk (I do get in trouble for getting rid of stuff sometimes though)
47.  a husband who is happy to keep the kids for shopping, girls night, etc.
48.  good pictures that make you laugh and weep, too
49.  telling people what you think (yes, I do go too far sometimes  but at least folks know where I stand)
50.  a church that focuses on all the right things (not perfect, but focused)
so I could not stop at 50 and I just left this blog open for days as I thought of them...
51. frappucino
52.  getaway adventures with J
53. going out of your way to invite new people to things and plug them in to friends!
54. try new things...don't be so close-minded towards other experiences/food...or too afraid!
55. good college friends who make you a better person even though they were only with you for a season
56.  making smores
57.  swimming all the time in the summer
58.  saying thank you often and much for big and small things
59.  going to church and loving it ...not just when it is convenient or special
60.  going for a walk
61.  seeing a little baby smile
62.  having a sister who is a friend
63.  my flowers blooming each spring  esp. the ones from Granny's
64.   snow days when school is cancelled
65.  a good find at a thrift store
66.  my mom cooking good meals and having us all sit down together usually

Mildred almost froze in our freezer, sneaks in my car, and has been rescued off the roof.  If he did not love this cat so much, she would be GONE.

Happy New Year family!

Wow, it has been so long since I have written! Still, I have good excuse.  After two years of waiting, we have a new child to love here...and then there is Christmas!  I can't blog about Little Miss yet since nothing is final, but the transition has been semi-easy (considering) and it seems like she's been here much longer than a month!  I can't wait to share pics of her first month in our family, but now is not the time!  

digger from Santa

BIG soccer goals Daddy built-game on!

Caleb really did belt it out at his Christmas program.

the boy did not miss a syllable and he really did have some volume!

his fans

This boy is nothing but a joy!

but all boy!

What a handsome man on the inside and out!  

I have to share though, that the timing of all this is always purely God's.  On a Monday in the fall, I had the first melt-down over our adoption journey that I have really had in almost 2 years. I questioned God's call on my life to do this, I questioned not birthing another child, I questioned how old I was getting and how God seemed to be not moving here, I questioned God about what else I could DO, I told him I was mad, had fasted/prayed/served, had others pray, and just could not figure out what I was doing wrong that he could not use me/our family to love a child?? I just did NOT get it.  On Tuesday, I had the first ever cry with our small group over WHY God had not answered OUR prayers.  Little did I know, that he already was (For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Eph 2:10).  On Wednesday, THAT call came that we'd been "chosen."  She said they'd been looking at our file since Monday...well, I had no idea that my hissy fit was pointless, but I guess that God knew it was coming and he better get movin' on me before I gave up on Him.  Within 2 weeks, we heard about our one-day child and within another 2 weeks she was in our arms and our house was turned upside down--in a good way!  Then, on the exact date of our acceptance letter two years ago we signed a pre-adoptive agreement (and they set that date).  WOW!

Since you've been here "sister":
We've remembered how fun tub baths are and how fun it is to run around naked after them (well, at least the boys do anyway), how fun jumping on beds can be, how fun acting crazy on the trampoline is, how fun it is to scare people, and how fun it can be to snack 24/7.  You are such a sassy little tom-boy--just perfect for us!

This just about sums things us nowadays…and family sports league!

Cay likes to hunt.  Jeb is playing soccer.  

 I can pretty much eat what I want right now due to all the soccer running I am doing  to keep up with Jebbers.  We decided that we would not do b-ball this winter, but instead of parents being on the road and sitting on the sidelines we’d commit to a soccer game each Saturday morning.  Also, I am working Jeb out with the tennis regimen these days.  He loves for me to pitch them pretty quickly like in a real tennis drill and he runs back and forth from forehand to backhand to hit them.  I am amazed at out little time I have invested (and no money) for him to be improving. 

I am seriously considering starting a “family sports league.”  In this league, families would meet somewhere about once or twice a month to play sports…no fees, no rec coaches to like/dislike, no long-term commitment, and the best part is that the coaches/players are all parents and siblings who need exercise, want to improve their skills, and want to play and have fun with each other! 

 I still think that my parents had a point when they did sign us up for anything (except for some tennis lessons with our cousin here and there and mostly in the summer) really until middle school.  Instead of paying someone else to teach us, THEY played with us themselves.   I have such great memories of my dad hitting me pop flies and some of my family playing tennis together over the years.  Still, mostly my Dad was the only coach I ever had and I only went to camp  twice in my life.  Nevertheless, I excelled in my chosen sports and still have a passion for playing today!  I still believe the best place for a kid to learn skills, teamwork, that life is not fair, and that losing happens is in the family!

random pretty yellow fall tree in our yard.

...and I still love tennis…especially, when I  can put a whooping on my little brother.

My little Author and this year’s fall find!

Every year J seems to have his best hunting luck in November and this year is no different.  He shot the fattest deer I have ever seen.  The boys were enthralled and Daddy was pretty proud.  J is so committed to spending time with us and working around here that he usually hunts in pretty short bursts, so I feel like for 30 mins sitting in a stand one morning this is not bad!

Jeb has really taken off in his pursuit of being an author!  His latest two books are about out trip to Holllywild and about a Monster that he eventually makes “stoo” out of!  They are so cute and fun and I could not be more proud of how he LOVES to write them and share them  with his class.  As you can see in the picture he is the “author and illustrator,” spelled in a very creative way!  His next book is something about Clemson and the Gamecocks, but the book has not yet been released.

Halloween 2011...and other random stuff about impulsivity and celebrity

 We had another really fun Halloween at the Ray's.

 Alex and Cay have enjoyed pre-school together this year.

Billy from "Where the Red Fern Grows"...just in case you didn't know-ha!

 I think Cay thinks he is some sort of celebrity. He gets out of the van smiling and waving like Brad Pitt has just arrived at pre-school.  He is super happy for 6am and when his teacher met him this morning he said, "I am going to make you run."  Since they always hold his hand he hatched a plan to "make her run" I suppose.  He has also started to say things like, "Mama, I'm going to miss you when you're gone/I'm gone," which melts me to the core.  I love this funny boy.  I am getting so cracked up at how he talks to adults and strangers everywhere we go.  He saw a nasty and huge rat with sharp, nasty buck teeth at Wal-mart in the clearance bins and just had to have it. It had no tags, so the cashier and I negotiated that the price should be .50 cents ...I did start at a quarter just so you know!   He has hidden it to scare Carson and Jeb.  Then, he decided (at THREE) to put in in his backpack this morning so when his teacher goes to put in his papers she will get a nice scare.

 Boys are so impulsive.  I think their brains sometimes talk directly to the limbs with out using the reasoning/logical portion of the brain!  Jeb decided (despite years of telling him to stand back and how it could hurt him and how he's never to play on it) to sneak in behind me while I was on the phone and walking on the treadmill and stick his finger IN the belt of the treadmill.  And, well, it ate the top layer of his skin off on that thumb and scared us BOTH to death.

This little face lights up my world!

Lake Summit, NC

The gang ready to bike!

Now I know why folks are crazy about Bass fishing. That fish was gorgeous.

The boys were so proud.

I can't believe I let these two old farts take my man out on that vessel-ha!

We had a nice family soccer game, Nana didn't really like being goalie...but she didn't want to run either.

Love this face.

BRAVE boy with no healthy fears of anything.

The gang on the way to Bradley Falls, which was NOT easy to locate.

Our first full-family camping trip was fun!