Happenings. . .

Hi, friends! Lots has been happening around here the last few days. Here's a run down on all the activity. . .

*Last Thursday: Madison's 1st grade field trip to the Fort Worth Zoo. We had a blast. The 5 little girls in our group were precious. Maddie and I can't wait to take Stephen and Jackson and Hope back to the FW zoo this summer. The craziest thing we saw was a white tiger pacing back and forth just inches away on the other side of a piece of glass. Jackson and Hope stayed with Miss Jenny (Travis) while I was gone. I got home at 2:30 pm. and then. . .

*Thursday night: Miss Kathleen came at 3:15 to keep all 3 kids while I went BACK to Fort Worth for a Smith Band date at the seminary. This was a huge blessing. . .John, Aric, and Stuart were with us for a college conference. Lots of Sagemont people were in leadership, and they did an awesome job. Vodie was the speaker and was amazing, of course. We didn't get home until 9:30 or so. . .boy, I missed baby Hope!! I've never left her ALL DAY like that! She did great, but it was hard on me! I do thank God for an easy baby girl who can go with the flow!

*Friday morning: I got the big kids off to school and then the guys came to Irving (I missed the morning session). We all went to eat Indian food for lunch. They headed back for the afternoon session (which I also missed), and I headed to Stipes for Madison's field day! This was a non-competitive field day where the kids moved around from station to station playing games. They had a ball!

*Friday night: Miss Jenny was back to stay with all 3 kids while I headed to FW. We went to eat at the Mellow Mushroom (YUMMY)! Ya know, it's a treat to go out to eat with just grown ups!!! :) The students were really responsive at this session and it was a blessing to be a part of the evening. Thanks be to God.

*Saturday morning: Miss Kathleen was back to stay with M, J, and H while we went back to FW for the final session. We finished strong! The speaker, Jim Henderson, really challenged me with this question: Do we try to impress people with our own abilities and strengths or do we try to impress people with GOD's might? Do they come to our churches to see our personalities and hear and see how great WE are or do we point them to God with what we do and say? This was on my mind Sunday morning. ..

*Saturday afternoon and evening: We all took a huge, long nap and then went to La Madeline for supper. Our kids actually like going there! It's all about the huge cookie you get with the kid's meal! I had this very yummy crepe with shrimp!! Tooooo delicious! Those of you with kids know that the pre-church/Saturday evening ritual takes a while. .baths for THREE. . clothes laid out. . bags packed .. . coffee maker prepped. . .house picked up. . .to bed.

*Sunday morning: I led with Stephen at our 11:00 o'clock service. This was a blessing because I haven't led with him on Sunday since the middle of March (pre-Hope). I was so glad to be back! :) My friend Alicia sat with Hope in the service and she slept the whole time, of course. She sleeps A LOT! I'm not complaing or anything, but people are always shocked when they actually get to see her with her eyes open!

*Sunday afternoon/evening: The kids and I went to Taco Bueno to grab some lunch ( I'm absolutely addicted to beef muchacos--not good for my weight-loss goals!) and then ran Madison home to change . . and then took her back to church to get ready for Donkey Tales, our children's spring musical! Stephen and I both had a parenting moment where we realized just how much she is growing up! She is so responsible and actually helpful!!! She helped with set-up and then they rehearsed at 3:00. After Jackson, Hope, and I had naps, we were BACK at church for the big performance!!! Madison and the kids did GREAT!!! She actually had a lot to remember. One great thing about our church is that it's big enough to do a full-on musical, but small enough that every kid has a few parts.. . so Madison had 3 big parts. . she rode on a wooden donkey and had to lean LEFT-RIGHT-LEFT-RIGHT through the song on the beat. . . she was the "preacher" in a song that told the story of the good Samaritan. She had on a red robe and carried a Bible.. . .and she also did "foot work" on one song. Why do they call it "foot work" and not "dancing"? I really do not know! Maybe so some boys will participate (though none did). It cracks me up!!! They basically did the grapevine-to-the-left and grapevine-to-the-right through the whole song! It was awesome! :)

Okay, so that's our weekend. We've got more excitement to come this week with Jackson's school program on Tuesday night and Madison's gymnastics program on Thursday.. . stay posted for more pics!

Have a blessed Monday. . oh, and check in later to find out if Melody is having a boy or girl!!!!! They have the big ultrasound at 4:00 which I will be attending via my mom's cell phone!! We are soooooo excited!

Star

Oh, and please visit Amber's blog and/or http://www.hisvoiceforsudan.com to hear about their current trip to The Sudan.




Madison with Savannah, Esmerelda, GiGi and Jeannie.




The pacing tiger.




Jump roping at field day. I actually jumped a bit, too! It was fun!

A Mother's Thoughts Today

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 147:1-2

This morning as I read this Psalm, I immediately thought of my children. Oh, that God would grace them with such a deep, fervent love for Him that nothing else compares. . .that they may live for Him all their lives--with all their lives. My prayer is for number of days and substance of days. . that they would not trust in princes and mere mortal man (verse 3-5), but would put all thier hope in Him alone!

My second thought was of my sweet grandmother. I love Grandmama so much, and she is a beautiful, living illustration of loving Jesus for all you days. What a legacy she is leaving for my mom, my sister, my daughters and me to follow. Her courage and determination in coming to the "Meet-Hope-Party" on Saturday in Houston was truly a blessing to me. I'm so very grateful that she set her heart and mind on coming. . .and she made it happen. I know she's paid the price with an extra-sore body, but I'm so glad she was there.

On Sunday, my dad got out the video camera for us to record words of thanks to our mom. That was an easy assignment! I told my mom, and it's always true--she is the most wonderful example of being a Godly woman--she loves Jesus, her husband, her family, her church, her friends--all in the right priority order. She generously and gracefully serves all those around her. She is wise in all things. I honestly think through many situation with the WWMD test--What would mama do? By the way, I thought it note-worthy that MELODY was the one crying--not me!!! SHE has the pregancy hormones to deal with--not me! :)

I have a renewed sense of mothering being the most important "career" (to use my dad's word). These children are my life's work, and it's my joy to pour into them. . .to labor in prayer for them. . . to read with them and play with them. . to care for their daily needs. . and on and on.

Thank you, Father, for this amazing journey of motherhood. You have been so good to give me living examples that I am glad to follow! Thank you for the three children you have blessed me with. I put my hope in YOU, Lord! I need YOU to give me a fervent passion for YOURSELF. . that I may lead the way for my little ones to follow in loving you all my days.

Grandmama and Hope chillin' at the party.

The beautiful table that my mom and Melody prepared. Yummy!

Madison and Jackson with friends Makenna and Delaney Crane (and Fudge). We were so happy to see the Cranes!!!

Hope with sweet friends Jan Hart and Anita Clark. It was wonderful to see these moms and Tara and Cathy. Also. . Jamie and Carol!!

Nathan and Melody!! (note the bump on Mel :))

Friends

I KNOW that God put it in our heart to just need friends--true friends. These last 10 months (yes, it really has been 10 months) in Irving have been interesting for me in this regard--I HAVE lots of friends--it's just that most of those in the life-long good friend category are not very close by proximity-wise. I have tried not to complain (too much) because I am not alone (though lonely sometimes). Anyway, Stephen's grandmother, Lee La, admonished me 3 weeks ago to pray that God would give me a friend because that's what she had done, and God had faithfully brought her a friend. So. . . I have prayed for a friend. . .and God has answered by showing me the friends that I DO already have and deepening those friendships. Examples: Jennifer Durham--who has CERTAINLY been my sweet friend--came over last week to eat lunch and hang out. That meant so much to me! I miss Tara and my other Houston lunch buddies. Also, my friend Sheri--who has been so kind to me (though we haven't done anything together since last fall)--emailed me to go to lunch before school is out--and we're going on Monday! AND, today as I read Tina's blog, I felt so connected to her--like I can relate!! AND, I'm going to Houston on Friday and will get to see some PRECIOUS FRIENDS!!! AND--last but certainly not least--my friend Amber Burger came over yesterday with her son Titus (who is Jackson's age). God so clearly showed me that Amber is my friend. He has brought her into my life with great purpose!!! She loves the Lord so much, and her heart for the nations (especially The Sudan) challenges me immensely--and I'm so grateful!!!

Here's a picture of Jackson and Titus after their play date. They had a ball in the play room and outside in the dirt pile!!




So, my heart is filled with thanksgiving today for the friends God has brought into my life--the life-long kind and the new kind--who I have a feeling might just turn out to be the life-long kind, too! I love you, sweet friends!

Fantastic Friday's

Stephen and Hope and I just returned from a lovely, peaceful Friday morning. . we have so enjoyed having most Fridays to go run errands and to lunch together. . and we have only a couple more opportunities before SCHOOL'S OUT!!! Oh, my goodness! I can't believe that summer is upon us! These Friday's have been treasures to us. . a date with no babysitter to pay!!! :) We can talk about whatever we want without interruption!! Amazing! I must brag on my wonderful husband. He is an amazing daddy--he loves our children to pieces and will do anything for them. He is wise in his parenting and so helpful in the day-to-day practical way! Now that we are out-numbered (as Jennifer Richard reminded me!), we really have to tag-team it more than ever! And thanks be to God, it's somehow working!

By the way, our outing this morning included a new experience--the farmer's market! We went downtown and bought up all kinds of fresh fruits and veggies! Yummy! We're going to grill some of them tonight and then have vanilla ice cream with the fresh blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries we got!! DELICIOUS! As you can see, I'm already looking forward to supper even though it's only 1:45!!

Well, almost time to go get the "big kids" and let the afternoon craziness begin! Have a wondful weekend!

April Update

Wow! So much has happened. . and not happened since my last post. Isn't it weird when you've been busy all day long, but you just can't think of anything news-worthy that you did? My friend Kristin Hill was perfectly timed in reminding me that being in your pajamas at noon and playing with a baby on the floor is a perfect season of life to remember that our perfect Father wants me to perfectly rely on Him!!! My world seems rather small and close-knit right now--though filled with the most important people in the world to me. I am (mostly) loving it--I AM somewhat of a home-body--for a while. . . This continues to be a very unique and stretching season of my life--filled with challenges and blessings. God is faithful to continue the refining process in me!!!

One HUGE blessing--a quick trip to Houston over the weekend!! I DO love being at home, but I DO love adventures, too--so to Houston I went with all three kids! We had an amazing time and I am so glad that I did it! Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!





4 Generations of "Marcy's"




Lee La holding her newest great-granddaughter

Happy Easter!!!

Easter has been precious around the Smith house! We have enjoyed watching "Miss Patty Cake Eggstravaganza" MANY times. . which is awesome! Jackson and Madison have been singing about the "Mighty Resurrection Day"! I love it!!! Jackson, especially, has awakened to the Easter story--he's learned that "The tune (that's how he says it) is empty! He is alive!!".

The Easter bunny visited us on Saturday morning (We asked him 7 years ago to do that so that Stephen could be a part of the fun--since he has to be at church so early on Sunday.). Right as we started to dig into the baskets, Madison looked out the window and yelled, "It's SNOWING!!!" And. . it was!!! We could hardly believe it!! At 10:00, Stephen took the big kids to church for an Easter egg hunt--outside in the cold!!! Mawmaw (Stephen's mom) came it to see us on Saturday afternoon, and we enjoyed celebrating Easter with her!!!

Now, I must say my children looked ADORABLE on Easter morning!!! They are so cute! Thank you to my mom for supplying the Easter finery! I could just eat them all up!

Enjoy the pictures! More posts about baby Hope's absolute precious-ness to come!

Today is Stephen's Birthday!!

Wow!!! Today is ANOTHER special day in the life of the Smith family!! Stephen turns 33 today. Amazing. We had an awesome day--celebrating with food all day long!! We started with a birthday breakfast with the family, and then for lunch, Stephen, Hope, and I went to Brio in Southlake for a DELICIOUS lunch! I wanted to lick the bowl after eating my lobster bisque. YUMMY! Then, this afternoon, our B-day cake was ready, but supper wasn't quite done and it was time for Stephen to head to church, so. . .. we ate cake and ice cream for supper!!! (Then ate our tetrezinni later. :)) We had a dinosaur-themed party--those are little dinosaurs on their heads in the last picture! It was a great day! Happy Birthday to the most awesome husband in the world!