Uh OH!

So I didn't realize it had been 3 MONTHS since I last blogged. I can't tell you how many times I started to write a post, then just got overwhelmed at what all I had to say! Good stuff. Just catching up on what's going on around this place. 

So I'm not going to go that far back because honestly, I can't remember:) If it pops into my head as I write, I'll write it. 

We are in full swing with our garden. Everything is growing SO fast, including the weeds:( I tried to go out there one day and pull some up and I got a LEETLE overwhelmed! So I just stuck with pulling weeds out of the strawberry patch, that was easy enough. We quadrupled our garden this year. What were we thinking?? I hate canning. Absolutely don't like it one. bit. So we're going to fly Larry's mom in for a couple of weeks, who loves canning like she loves Christmas (glad someone does) and she'll can everything that's ready when it's time. I don't call myself lazy in that

 department, just not my favorite thing to do with a toddler running around. It takes SO MUCH time.

Mariah is almost 20 months old! Wow so hard to believe! I had to dig on my computer to find a picture of her-this is from a month ago. She's been struggling with ear infections in her left ear but I think we **may be clear of them now** She's talking up a storm even though every time we go to church the kids ask me if she can talk! OH yes she can, but she's shy like her momma was at that age! In fact, if I'm not mistaking, I was so shy, my parents held my back in Kindergarten because I didn't talk. Not such a bad thing! I'm amazed at how fast she's learning everything. 

This past week we had revival with evangelist Rick Flanders and God really opened my eyes on raising a godly seed. Not just a good child, but a godly one. I am so burdened that our children turn out loving the Lord with all their heart. Larry and I sat down and I couldn't help but just cry over my burden for Mariah and any kids we have in the future. Look, I absolutely LOVE photography but it WILL NOT get in the way of raising my children for God. I can do photography anytime down the road (no I'm not giving it up, I'm still taking pictures, just FYI) but Mariah is little and my number one priority is raising her for the Lord. One thing that burdens us is getting it across to people that YOUR CHILDREN CAN TURN OUT RIGHT! It's a promise in the Bible "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it" Prov. 22:6. So many parents believe that their children may or may not turn out right and if they don't, it's not their fault. Yes IT IS!!!! What a responsibility we have and it tells us right here in this verse. God tell us to train them up in the way he should go. How do we do that?? By following God's Word in what he says in raising children. If our children do not turn our godly, it's our fault as parents and we will stand accountable one day. We take full responsibility. I kind of got off on a rabbit trail here but it's just how God worked in my heart this week at revival. 

So, what else has been going on? Church is great. I tell ya (here I go, I know) God has really blessed our church. We've seen it grow so much and we see His hand on our people. Last night we had our first "teen service" and it went great. Starting June 1st our church will have an assistant pastor. We are thrilled to death about that. Marlbrook has never had anyone besides the pastor on staff and we're excited to see how God uses John in the ministry here. It's hard to believe we've been here over a year but at times, it feels like this has always been home. People ask if we every go back to NOVA, well we do if we have to (since we still own our townhouse there) but if we don't have to, WE DON'T! (We definitely feel like foreigners there:) All that traffic??? How did we manage when we were there?? LOL.

Also in July, Marlbrook will have their very first missions trip team! We're taking our teens to Belize and can't wait to see how God uses us. Larry and I took the teens to Belize maybe 5 years ago at our previous church and we really saw God work there so we're going back. Yes it will be my first time leaving Mariah over night. EEEK!! Not sure about my feelings on that but she'll be at my parents in NC so she'll be well taken care of. 

Well, I'm going to stop writing now because this is already WAY longer than I had wanted it to be. Since I'm not a big reader, I try to keep my posts "shorter" for my readers:) We're off to go pick some strawberries today(ours are still green in our little patch) which is Mariah's favorite thing to do and hit up a little Chick-fil-A.

Happy Monday, everyone. And so I promise I will be back this week sometime. I will start blogging again cause I've missed it SO much! And I will have more pics next time, who knows maybe even a FUN one:)