carley's first worship experience, TT&R update and praise report

she couldn't have done better. :) yeah!!

she slept all the way through the service, even when she had to go up onto the stage with mr. eddie--and reagan--for mr. george to pray over her and ask the congregation to love her and be a support system for us as we raise her. (they do that with all the babies their first time to church and it's wonderful and so special.) i woke her up to feed her during class and she was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (even smiling at people) until lunch, when she fell asleep again.

thank you, Lord, for happy babies and loving church families.

updates on the other crazies: tyler and taylor have started basketball. it's fun and not always fun. their teams haven't had much practice and the school can't afford a coach yet so they're not learning too terribly much. this makes scott almost spontaneously combust but he's being patient and we know they're only in the sixth grade. they're both really quick, though (should we credit their dad or their papa?), and will be good ballers in the end. you wouldn't believe what scrappers they are. tyler has gotten a lot more aggressive than in baseball, which is great. taylor is a little stealer and she's so fun to watch.

reagan got into the communion bread and juice at church last week. ask him about it sometime. no wonder he kept saying he had to go to the bathroom. he's the crazy one. he got a new football friday night and i said, "another football? that makes about 17." he said, "mom, i haven't had a new one since 1983!"

and now for a praise report! bear with me. it's worth the read. (at least it will be to will and mel.)

i have been praying and have asked others to pray about our going home to alabama for christmas this year. it's not our year to go but we have a new baby, emily has a new baby, and my cousin has new twins. scott said friday that we can go (yippee!!) BUT airfare is really high right now (even southwest is almost three times what we usually pay) and driving uses up two days (and way too much energy and patience). so, we keep praying.

well, mom calls today and tells me that she has just received a free rapid rewards award that we can use. YEAH! that's a free ticket. thank you, Lord.

i know that we have a free one coming because of our american express points so i log on just now to get the points transferred over and we only lack 7 points. YEAH!!! that's free ticket #2. thank you, Lord.

next, however, when i log on to scott's southwest account, i see that he already has a free ticket that i didn't know about...BUT it expires on november 25!! i was just sick.

THEN i do a little more research and find the words"reinstate award."

come to find out, for a $50 fee, you can have them extend the expiration date another 12 months!!!

YEAH!! that's "free" (well, technically $50) ticket #3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU, LORD!!!

so, now we only have to pay for two tickets!

i think i'll hold out for two more free ones.

as beth moore would say, "Lord, please show up and BE BIG!"