It's How You Live

First...pictures from Audrey's birthday party will probably be posted tonight! I haven't been able to get them off my camera and on to this computer! I promise, I'm trying!

Ok....I know I've posted a link to this song before but I've been listening to it all day and I wanted to put the video on our blog again. All you can worry about in life is "how you live" and it's really only between you and God. After listening to a wonderful sermon on Sunday by Brian McCormack (http://brianmccormack.wordpress.com/) and a conversation I had after that, it's even more sweet of a message!

Here are the other videos from Edge Camp! The boys had a ball and came home excited about our church, their friends and most importantly, their faith!

Hopkins

I just got finished watching one of new favorite television show, Hopkins. ABC has done such a great job telling the individual stories of patients and doctors. Watching the show actually makes me want to go to medical school.....is 38 too old to start a second career?

Probably so.....anyway, if you get a chance to watch Hopkins next week, you will really be glad you do. Thursday night, 9 Central on ABC

http://hopkins.abcnews.com/

Happy Birthday Audrey Lynn!

Today my baby turns 3!

Audrey was born at 4:11 p.m. on Friday, July 22nd via c-section. She weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. She was the 2nd smallest of all my babies, even though they were predicting she would be well over 9 pounds.


We love her so much...she is funny and observant and truly loves every member of this family. She knows exactly how to tease each of us in totally different ways. She is outgoing and brave, but she is the cuddliest of all my babies. She still needs to "nuggle" with me each day!


Happy birthday sweet, blonde Audrey! You were the perfect way to seal our family and I can't imagine my life or our life as a family without you in it! I will treasure our "nuggle time" in my heart forever and can't wait to see the woman you will grow into. I love you all the way to HEB!

Edge Camp Day 2

Here's Monday's video....and much of it is from the "Dreaded by Moms Everywhere - Wheel Steal!" The make a giant mud pit and then basically wrestle each other for the wheels. Last year Clayton took his clothes from that day, put them in a large Ziploc, closed it up and let it ferment for the rest of the week! It was a science experiment in itself! They were both instructed to just throw away their "Wheel Steal Clothes!"

Adam can be seen at the very end of the video...throwing the ball in dodge ball. He's wear his Duke Lacrosse t-shirt!

I'll say it again.....

I Want To Go To Church Camp!

Edge Camp Day One

The first day of Edge Camp was posted to YouTube! (Isn't technology amazing?) My crazy oldest son can be seen dancing three times in the video...he's wearing his A&M shorts and has obviously inherited his Father's dancing skills! "He's Awesome!"

I didn't see Adam on the video....let's hope he was just trying to steer clear of his "Dancing Queen" of a brother!

I wish I could go to Church Camp!

Our Plan B

I found this video the other day while reading through some blogs I like. I was touched by this message on so many levels. I know so many people, who are in the middle of a major switch to their plan B. Not all have lost a child, but they've all lost a dream and, in the midst of that, many have lost their faith in a God who is with them through it all. Frankly I don't blame them. I've struggled with it just watching them go through it.

How could God allow these things to happen? How could a loving, caring Father watch His child suffer? I don't know what I would do if I was tested like this.

If you would like to learn more about this amazing family or about their sweet Audrey Caroline, their blog is http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/. Audrey's Dad is one of the voices of Selah, so you may recognize him for that reason.

This video is about 25 minutes long, but it is so worth the time. The pastor doing the interview is from Cross Point Church in Nashville. http://www.crosspoint.tv/ Please honor Baby Audrey by taking time to hear her story and the way that God has touched her family.


Smith Family Story from Matthew Singleton on Vimeo.

Edge Camp 2008

Clayton and Adam have been at Edge Camp for more than a day now. I know they are having a great time. I'm so proud of both of them and the fact that they are both truly making their faith their own. They were both baptised as babies and we've raised them in the church, but that doesn't mean you have a personal faith. Just believing because your parents believe isn't enough. They think through what they believe and why they believe it....it's so mature and something that I didn't do until I was much, much older.

They were excited that Matt Carter http://www.austinstone.org/who/mattcarter.htm was going to be speaking this week. Zach Hendricks was also going to be there leading worship for the week. We made t-shirts on Sunday to go along with the theme.....the 80's! We decided on "Save Ferris" with a picture of Ferris Bueller on it. Adam ended up in the "Big Wheel" group and Clayton was in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle" group. Other groups included the "Cabbage Patch Dolls", "Care Bears", "The A-Team", " The Brat Pack" and many, many others.

I'm excited to hear about their week and see how their faith has grown this week. I sent two cameras with them so hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures next week!

It's been a busy couple of weeks here in the Lowell home! The boys left for church camp today. I was able to help with check-in this morning....imagine 300 7th - 12th graders arriving at 8:30 in the morning ready for a week of insanity! Whatever you imagined is not crazy enough. The best thing about your teenager having a cell phone is that I now know they arrived and are safe and sound! God Bless the counselors!

With the boys away Steve and I were able to get a babysitter for the girls and go out for a quick dinner tonight. We were gone about 2 hours but it felt good to get away alone. I know....it's boring! But we love our kids and they are our lives!

Nana had her knee replacement on Thursday and our prayers were answered. Everything went well and, although we've only talked to her on the phone and don't know for sure, she sounds pretty good on the phone! We hear that she has one sexy walker!!!!! Feel better Nana!

Ok....now on to more pictures!

Audrey Jumps! (and this weekend really began swimming on her own.)

Sisters and Best Friends

Emma with her Great-Grandmothers, Mamaw and Nanny

The kids sitting on one of the floats

Woodlands Lacrosse in the Parade (with our church in the background)

I took over 300 pictures at the 4th of July parade and this was my all time favorite. This guy came and stood by me for a minute after he walked the route. Look at the sweat on his cheek. This is the whole reason we have the 4th of July.....because of people just like him! I have no idea who he is or what branch he's in....but in the words of my kids, "Thanks, Dude! You are in our daily prayers and we are so thankful for all you do." God Bless America!

Important Information!

From a woman who has a clean house that smells so good and who wanted to cook a package of bacon but didn't want the house to get that "just cooked bacon smell", you should know.....

....it is not a good idea to grill bacon! I thought about proving this and grabbing my camera so I could blog about it.....

.....but I was seriously afraid that I was burning the neighborhood down.....

.....and I'm not kidding!

I'm Smarter Than That!

Why is it that

if 99 people give me a compliment

or say they love me

and

ONE person is a jerk,

I believe the JERK?

I'll have the tape recorder playing

over and over of what they said.

I'm smarter than that!

Why don't I just pop in my good tape?

I totally need counseling!!!!!!

Summer In Pictures

Steve bought me a new camera for our anniversary.....a Nikon D60 and it's great. I have lots to blog about but not much time so I'm going to upload some pictures from my new camera.

Happy Summer!

"I'll do it by my big-girl self!"

Still crazy in love!

A reminder of my good friends, who came to my rescue with flowers, pampering socks, cookies and an offer to band-aid a certain car for me! That's what friends are for! Our Charlotte, who's been working on her web by our trashcan





Seven weeks until football season starts!


The BEST!

We're locking her up already! (As Becker would say, straight out of the camera....no photoshop.)Fancy Nancy

(Emma loves her some dress-up time.)



Looking forward to the Olympics.....practicing for the 2020 Olympics

Nothing better than a snack by the pool
Summer + Friends = Perfect


"no, I have not been in your makeup. Why do you ask?"

While we are on the pet peeve subject.......

Another one of my pet peeves has really increased now that we are family of six. I HATE it when people get a table at a restaurant, where you order at the counter, before they've ordered their meal. If you have an elderly or really preggo member of your party, I'll cut you some slack. If you don't, just stay in the line, order your meal and then get a table.

We were at Jason's Deli on Sunday only because Clayton wanted to meet some friends there after church and I'm a good Mom and agreed to let him. I NEVER want to go there anymore because there is NEVER a place for us to sit once we place our order. Once again, it was true. We ordered our food, paid and then walked around the restaurant looking at people sitting at empty tables waiting on the rest of their party to get through the line and order.

Other restaurants that drive me crazy for this reason.....Potbelly Sandwiches, Cafe Express, and Pei Wei used to but their management figured out the error of their ways and fixed it! They have a sign when you get in line that asks you to order your meal before you get your table and have "seaters" assigned to the registers. When you order your food the "seater" takes your number and shows you to a table. And you know what? It all works. Never is there a family walking around with food looking for a table.

There.....I feel better! And if you are a friend who commits this crime, please don't be mad at me. Just come on over to the good side!

Going Crazy!

My #1 pet peeve is driving me crazy today!!!!

What is it, you ask?

WHINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lord, give me patience!