Various pictures of late...

These are a combination of photos as it's been a while since our last post. We start off with this funny one of Owen on a Sunday afternoon. I thought I had heard him while I was down on the couch and then didn't hear him for a while. Then Andrew spotted him like this at the top of the stairs. I sat on the stairs ready to catch him when he woke up and he was there for an hour.

Marcie found some books that look at Christian Heroes of Faith. I am reading a biography of C.S. Lewis here, and just started on one about George Mueller. Good stuff!! Easton got inspired to write and illustrate a book after hearing about C.S. Lewis writing as a boy. It's called "Swords of Raxus"...just know you heard it here first!!
The next photos show the boys and their first day of school...so far so good. Andrew was excited to start kindergarten.

Here is Isaac starting 3rd grade.

Hard to believe, but Easton is starting 5th grade.

Last but not least is Owen starting Pre-school 3 mornings a week...he was really excited, mostly about his "frog" lunch box.

Easton and I were able to go to our first Alabama game thanks to a teen in our youth group. It started out raining as we watched the players walk in 2 hours before the game, but it didn't rain at all during the game. It really was a neat experience.

Here is the man who turned the Tide back on top for Alabama...Nick Saban. You can tell he already had his game face on...although I think he always does (ha)!

Here we are in our upper deck seats, but they were still great seats and Easton loved it!

This is where the beatdown started on North Texas. Number 3 in the nation.

This gives you an idea of the stadium...great atmosphere and beautiful place.

Scott and Heather treated us to Dreamland Barbecue in historic downtown Montgomery when they visited us last weekend.

Look at poor Eli...his parents wouldn't feed him anything.

Here is Uncle Scott reading to the kids during our devotional time together.

We had a great day today celebrating Marcie's 36th Birthday...look at the cake I made! I mean, that Dairy Queen made. It was fun to see the boys enjoy their Mom's birthday today.

Here is a good Word from the Lord for you today and forever...Philippians 4:6-8 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise...Amen!

Grandparents Camp/ Andrew's Rite of Passage

This photo below was the beginning of our Rite of Passage as we went out to the bluff to read about the Armor of God from the Bible, from the book "His Mighty Warrior", and pray about our time together. Andrew is a sponge and asks a lot of great questions. After this photo I will show some Grandparent's Camp photos and then go back to the Rite of Passage. God is good!

Pretty cool sign huh?! They welcomed us with this and we got a group photo together.
After all the grandkids, here are the 5 year olds and up that got to stay.

We snuck in a photo of them while they were about to make bow and arrows in the woods.

The rest of the cousins stayed at the Dugger's house back in Searcy.

Owen and Josiah had a great time together...look at the poor turtle upside down!

When it was over, they greeted us with a great performance of "Days of Elijah"!

Some love for the great time they had together for Grandma and Big Daddy.

Andrew off the rope with the new diving board platform in the background...yep, that's me laboring out of the water with Owen behind. Could I be any whiter?!

Marcie got Andrew a little sword with Hebrews 4:12 on it...he loved it! She had to leave right after this photo. She helps plan everything and is very unselfish to let us enjoy it all.

All these guys with Andrew told him things they love and appreciate about him and what they see God doing through him now and in the future.

The "Treasure Hunt" for the Armor of God began with the "shoes" of peace below. It was a challenging hike along the bluff and river...and Andrew loved every minute of it!

Next was the breastplate of righteousness. We intentionally got underARMOR for this. Andrew had to lead the way with markers guiding him...trusting God and His leading.

He found the belt of truth here...the orange marker on the right is what he followed through the woods with Big Daddy, Papaw, and me following him.

Here Andrew found the shield of faith...look closely and you'll see the shield.

Now we have the helmet of salvation on this part of the Treasure Hunt...he can't wait to find the sword now!

Andrew was excited to find the Sword of the Spirit at the bluff.

Big Daddy and Papaw were great at encouraging Andrew along the way. He doesn't know yet how blessed he is to have these men in his life.

We read through Ephesians 6:10ff. I had to set up the treasure hunt with Big Daddy, and then took Andrew on it...a little sweat on the bill! Loved every minute of it.

We got stuck on our way to go floating and fishing on the Little Red. Andrew is in the back and Papaw drove like Nascar as Big Daddy and I pushed us out. Andrew caught a nice-sized walleye!

Andrew and I got some great one on one time at the pond. He's great at the kayak too!

We drove into Heber Springs for dinner and stopped at the dam John F. Kennedy dedicated about a month before the grassy knoll.

At dinner, we gave Andrew his new Bible. It's a very cool Bible and he loves it!

We had a great time with Andrew and encouraging him of what's expected as he heads into kindergarten. He is going to be a mighty warrior for His Kingdom!!

Time with Cousins, Part 1

Before I went to Mexico, Renee and her kids came to visit us while Nick was in a solo fast with the Lord. We had a great time together as the cousins teamed up to make a video for Grandparent's Camp. While I was in Mexico, Marcie visited the Pendergrass family on her way to Searcy. They had a great time at both places!

We just recently returned from Arkansas after the boys had experienced Grandparent's Camp and Andrew's Rite of Passage. Those photos will come in the next blog posting. Enjoy the pics as we pray for each other from different parts of the country.

Owen with the newest Pendergrass...Elizabeth.
Marcie with Elizabeth

The boys and Allie Kate in the African part of the Global Village that Big Daddy built next to Camp Tahkodah.

Andrew with Charis Joneshill

Isaac with Maia

Easton and Allie Kate

Owen and Josiah

Hannah painting with the cousins

Big Daddy and Easton made a sign for our fort here in Montgomery

Big Daddy made some swords from scrap wood for the boys

Easton doing a back flip off the rope swing...they get their grace from Marcie

A choreographed jump and swinging from the platform...we made them do one thing at a time

Owen and Josiah training

A bonus picture of our boys playing outside in the rain