Bible in 90 Days...

Several of the ladies I follow on Twitter have been mentioning the whole month of December that they are going to read the Bible in 90 days. I really enjoy reading tweets from these ladies, so the idea began to take root. I love a good challenge. This is a huge challenge. I have tried to follow the calendars to read the Bible in one year a couple of times and have not been successful with it. I have a hard time committing to do something for a whole year. I know in the grand scheme of things that a year is not a long time, but it feels like it is. 365 days vs. 90 days. I think I can handle committing to 90 days. One of my Christmas gifts was the actual Bible in 90 Days Bible. I need to make this challenge easier in any way I possibly can.

Amy over at Mom's Toolbox is leading an online group of women by encouraging them to read the Bible all the way through in 90 days. There will be some discussion once a week on twitter. I love that there are a group of women doing this together. I need the accountability, encouragement and support. If I'm going to be completely honest, I thrive off of competition and it will be a competition(at least in my mind) to get to the end. I want to be one of the ones to finish what I start with this for once. I want to be able to say I've read the entire Bible. We are planning on doing it as a family. I think our older children could benefit from reading it, also.

One of my goals for this year is to have a deeper walk with Christ. I know He's there and watching over me, but I long for more in my spiritual walk. I think reading the Bible all the way through from cover to cover will be a great start.

What I learned this week...

Jo-Lynne over at Musings of a Housewife is having her weekly carnival. I finally decided to join in again. Since I tend to internalize my feelings, I really need to get them out somehow this week. There might be a lot of posting going on.

Watching my family hurt is breaking my heart. I'm hurting too, but seeing other people you love hurting is so hard. I have learned that we honestly never know what is going to happen to any of us. We've done the one month to live series at church and it truly opened my eyes to how important relationships are, but having a death close to us that was totally unexpected has shown me that no matter how much time you spend with someone, you're never prepared for them to leave.

I have learned that we tend to put too much priority on little things that honestly do not matter. I have learned that we need to focus more on relationships and not things and activities. It's so easy to get caught up in our own lives. We have spent a lot of time with Stinky this month and I am so thankful for that. We needed that time with him. I am so thankful for the kind of Daddy and Pappaw he was.

I have learned that Ernie's stepmom is very strong. I am worried about her, but she is hanging in there and is stronger than we all seem to be. I have learned that we need to take more pictures. Especially of those 2nd, 3rd and more kids. We were devastated to only find one picture of Annalee with her pappaw and none with Bella and him. I wish we had more, especially now that he is gone.

I have learned that true friends are priceless. The encouragement, support and prayers we have received have been unbelievable. The visitation was tonight and I learned just how many friends he had and how many people loved and respected him.

I have learned that when I don't know how I'm going to get through a situation, God is there to carry me. I have learned that when I am angry and want to scream and cry at God for allowing Stinky to leave us so suddenly, God is big and can take it.

I have learned that my Momma is an amazing woman and I love her so much. I have leaned on her strength this week and it has been so much help. I have learned that we need to tell people we love them. You never know when it might be the last time you see them. I have learned that you cannot take one day for granted.

Celebrating Mae...

Ernie's dear, sweet, compassionate, nonjudgemental, loving grandmother went home to be with the Lord this morning. There are many, many more wonderful adjectives to describe her. She's been doing poorly for about 2 months. They called the family back in Tuesday this week. Ernie and the kids went to see her at the nursing home Tuesday evening. Ernie went back Wednesday evening. He was able to say goodbye and tell her he loved her. Bella and I were quarantined at home due to her having swine flu. I am so thankful to have had the past 15 years knowing her. She was such a huge blessing to us. She was always there for everyone, any time she was needed. Her family meant the world to her. When Ernie and I started dating when I was 15, she took me in just like I was her granddaughter. She was always so accepting and approving of other people. She was my grandmother by marriage, but she was definitely the best grandmother I ever had. She was such a giver. When Michael was a toddler, we spent many days at her house visiting. She would cook him purple hull peas every single time we went to visit. He used to say "Peas? Mae, cook me peas?". She loved her family like no one I've ever known. Our kids adored her. She is so missed already, but I know she's in a better place. She's in Heaven with her husband who's been gone 30 years and her son. Maybe she's already met the baby we lost almost 6 years ago.






Michael's gotten a little too big to share the recliner with her. :)












When all of our kids were little she would rub heads with them and call it "head sugars".





I know it's only goodbye for now, until we see her in Heaven again one day, but it hurts. She shares a birthday with Ernie and has always called him her little birthday present. Michael almost shared a birthday with them, he was born two days earlier. I have never known anyone that loves their family like Mae did. She deserves a lot of credit for the kind of woman and mother I have turned into. I would spend hours with her when Michael was a baby. We would pack up and go spend the day at her house. I was 19 and a new mom, with most of my old friends still in college, definitely not married with kids. She was always there just to hang out with or to share a meal together. She always had an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. She will never be forgotten.

Disney Day Six!

Our last breakfast reservation was at Ohana at The Polynesian. I think we served the best breakfast for last! The food here was really good. Ernie and I loved the POG(Passion fruit, orange & guava) juice. The kids weren't huge fans. Service, food, characters, atmosphere and price were all great. I think this was our least expensive meal of the trip, out of all of the table service meals. I was happy to pay for this one out of pocket, which we had to do, because we had booked a couple of meals that required two table service tickets. Bella enjoyed Lilo and Stitch a little bit.








My kids look worn out!


Bella smiled a little bit at this meal.








Parading around the restaurant.


Stitch snuck up on Annalee.


Stitch playing with Michael.


Bella smiling a little bit at Lilo.




The Magic Kingdom getting ready to open!








Halloween decorations.








Splash Mountain!






















It's a Small World... my least favorite ride! My knees were killing me from pushing against the bench in front of me the whole ride. It was cramped and I'm a short person!


More Halloween decorations!

We spent the afternoon at the resort then came back to MK for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. It was a blast and well worth the extra price, in my opinion!


Best Tooth Fairy costume I'd ever seen!
























Waiting for the Boo To You parade.


Headless Horseman!






















The lady beside me was going on and on about the pirates... I just don't see the attraction!


























Candy station