Everything by Lifehouse

This song came on my ipod during my run today. I literally started balling like a baby (yes, while I was running. I think I concerned some of the construcion workers I ran past.) because

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A. it's such a beautiful song

and

B. it brought back one of the best memories of my life.

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It made me remember the day I married the most incredible person I've ever met. My bridesmaids walked to the slower part of the song, and when the song picked up I walked down the aisle with my dad. This song was so perfect to play because it represented the very thing that was going to bind mine and Hunter's marriage together- the Holy Spirit. Originally, I chose to walk down to Helen Stellar's "IO" but then my mom approached me about walking down to "Everything" by Lifehouse. Wow, I'm SO thankful for her idea! The song turned out to be the perfect introduction to the life that Hunter and I now share.

the Coasters - Charlie Brown

I thought about this sweet memory today and it made me smile. My sisters and I used to always sing this song with our Pawpaw when we were little. We would sing the chorus part and he would sing "Why is everybody always pickin' on me?" and me, my sisters and Pawpaw would just get so tickled.

This video is incredible! The Coasters made "Charlie Brown" a hit in 1959. I long to have lived in this era of entertainment.

I have some great memories with that silly man and sure do miss him!

Christmas brings SUCH lovely things....

can't wait to put this little gem on the record player

he is excited to read this classic!

Scooby Doo with Uncle Hunter

Bella says "What's in the box? Can we open it? Can we open it?"

Aunt Nanny (Hunter's great aunt) bought me this lovely tiered candy tray in Chattanooga. It's so special and I hope to pass it down to my children one day!

snuggling with the Christmas blanket

I especially miss Pawpaw this time of year

You better watch out.... you better not cry..... you better not pout, I'm telling you why!

(Chase pouts too much.)

I bought a special ornament from this amazing store last Christmas when we went to Gatlinburg with Cuz D! (photo to come later)

"Who's this funny looking guy? What's this stuff you're putting everywhere?"

It's that time of year for Cuties!!!!! I LOVE eating these little guys!!!

Everyone loves the Christmas blanket.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! This time of year is so special and I can't wait for Christmas day. Putting the decorations up and giving presents and knowing the true meaning of why we even celebrate this season is one of the best feelings in the world. It's a time for cold, crisp weather, sparkling lights, hot chocolate, Christmas movies and the reminder of our Savior's humble birth into this world.

Thanksgiving

An interesting little tid-bit I read on Wikipedia:

"The event that Americans commonly call the first Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God for helping the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony survive their first brutal winter in New England.^[2] The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days, providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Native Americans.^[3] The feast consisted of fish (cod, eels, and bass) and shellfish (clams, lobster, and mussels), wild fowl(ducks, geese, swans, and turkey), venison, berries and fruit, vegetables (peas, pumpkin, beetroot and possibly, wild or cultivated onion), harvest grains (barley and wheat), and the Three Sisters: beans, dried Indian maize or corn, and squash."

Now wouldn't you have loved to be a part of that celebration? And check out that menu- when did Turkey become the must-cook for this holiday? Oh well. I'm glad it is!

Since it is called Thanksgiving, here are things I am truly thankful for:

First and foremost, I am thankful for a God who sent His Son to be sacrificed on the cross for the sins of His children, so that we can spend eternity in Heaven. We are a mess as His children, but His grace is beautiful and perfect, as well as His love. Without His love in my heart, I would be lost and wondering about pointlessly in this world. I am thankful for the heart beating strong in my chest that does not feel a void, but a joy that is only found from knowing Him.

I am thankful for a truly beautiful man named William Hunter Lamb who loves a crazy soul like me. His talent is endless and his heart is unconditional and sometimes I can't help but think I don't deserve him. The thought of him being in love with me will continue to make me giddy until the day I die.

I am thankful for a family who has been rescued from the grasps of the enemy time and time again. I am thankful for our bond and for our endurance to throw our anchors down in the middle of a hurricane. I thank God each of us knows Him, because without Him, we would have crumbled as a united family YEARS ago.

I am thankful for the reality of Heaven and that I will one day see my beloved family members who have passed on earth again.

I encourage you to write down what you are thankful for this year. It's something we should really do on a regular basis because we tend to take things for granted. Why not start on the very holiday created for such celebrating?

Have a HAPPY and BEAUTIFUL Thanksgiving!

great article written by (my favorite!!) Jon Foreman

read it by clicking here

let's provide for those who are in need this season...

Here are a few ways to be a part of those in need this season. After all, they don't say "Tis the season of giving" for no reason. Let's reach out to those less fortunate and take care of God's people who need help.

The first way I've listed is to make a shoe box for the Samaritan's purse. It's so easy and it goes to children in other countries who otherwise would recieve nothing for Christmas if it weren't for this program. The shoe box drop-off date is Nov 15-22. This is something my mom taught me about back when I was a teenager and there's just something so special about packing little toys, bars of soap and candy in a special little package that will go to a child living in poverty. You almost wish you could be there when these children are given hundreds of little boxes filled with goodies. Hunter and I will be making shoe boxes this year and I will be more than happy to collect boxes for anyone that makes one and bring it to the drop-off location. You can find more information on shoe boxes by clicking on the link below.

shoe box


Hands on Nashville is an amazing organization that provides many opportunities for those looking to volunteer. They created a special guide for areas of need for the holidays. There are TONS of opportunities to help the homeless, needy families, childrens' homes and animal shelters. The link for this guide is below:

HON


The Salvation Army puts up their Angel Tree in almost every mall during this time of year. You simply take a paper angel from the tree and listed on the back is a needy girl or boy with their age and wishlist for Christmas. Just buy the items and return them with the paper angel to the Salvation army. All malls in the nashville area have their Angel Tree up by now. More info is provided on the link below:

Angel Tree

Local police departments also create their own list of less fortunate families, children and singles who are in need of items for the winter/Christmas season. Just visit your police department and ask about their list of people available to help this season.

You may even know of a family personally who won't be able to do much for Christmas this year. I encourage you to do something special for them. Maybe be the "Santa" that they've never been able to have before. Maybe buy them groceries so they are able to make a holiday dinner they've always wanted. They're out there, I promise.

Matthew 25:34-40

a few more blasts from the past :)

I wish Winston still looked like this!

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The first band Hunter & Hayden ever toured with:

The twins were SO YOUNG!


look at Hunter in his torn jeans & Underoath hoodie!

I love this pic of Hunter :)