These hands are made for building

My Jackson is "all boy" as they say. He was in the backyard A LOT yesterday working on his "building site" (that's what he calls it). What was he building? A building, of course.

What will he build with these precious hands through the years? Only God knows. As I assisted in the building, sitting out in the sunshine with my son, I just kept hearing the phrase "build the kingdom" and I just kept praying that Jackson's life and his precious hands will build God's kingdom. He is so full of imaginative possibilities. . .he wants to be a mechanic one moment, a "knuckle fighter" the next (that would be a boxer!), a drummer in a band (currently called "The Little Smith Band") or a tractor-driver. I'm so glad that God sees the end from the beginning. He knows why he created boys--and my boy!--with this inner drive to BUILD. So. . I'm back to wondering what he'll build with those hands of his? Only God knows. And I can't wait to see.

Happy Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful week in Houston.  John Durham, our pastor at FBC Irving, said something that really impacted me this morning. He said, "There's a big difference between feeling thankful and truly giving thanks to the One who is the giver of all things."  I've been feeling very thankful all week. . . but have I truly worshipped Jesus in thankfulness? 

Here's a verse the kids and I sing frequently. . . "Give thanks to God in everything." 1 Thess. 5:18

Happy Thanks-giving!

The kids and me

The Smith family (pre-turkey!)

The kids with Great-mama

Hope's Milestones

WOW! Our Baby Hope is 7 1/2 months old! In the last month she has learned to sit up, wave bye-bye, clap her hands, and say "ba-ba" (bottle-her first word!) and "da-da" (Daddy). Obviously, I'm pushing hard for "mama" now! :)

I'm telling you, she is precious beyond belief! Anyone who is ever around her is as amazed as I am by her sweeter than sweet disposition! She is the most easy-going, good-natured, gentle-tempered little girl. I've thought several times that baby Jesus may not have been sweeter than baby Hope! She's just that good!

Here are 2 pics of our sitting up, hand-clapping, book-reading-genius baby Hope! Enjoy!

Boys and Girls Country

Stephen, Hope, and I did a quick zip-to-Houston trip Tuesday night to participate in a wonderful event. It was a huge gala at the Hilton of the Americas in downtown Houston. Stephen's creative services company (Maddstar) has been working over the last 3 years with a special organization called Boys and Girls Country. He has literally been working since last January on all the various publications, invitations, signs, etc. for Boys and Girls Country's Heritage Award Dinner and Gala evening, so we were excited to cross this "finish line" and to get to attend the event. One of the best parts of the evening was when Stephen led the choir (The Heritage Award Singers) made up of about 35 children from the Home in singing "We're All in this Together" from High School Musical 2. It was so precious to see these children of all ages (elementary to high school) singing and clapping! They were too cute! We have been so grateful that Maddstar (through one of Boys and Girls Country's board members) has been able to be part of this event. I think everyone there (nearly 1300 people) had to have been blown away how wonderful it is that the leaders of B&GC truly are committed to these children who cannot-for various reasons-live with their biological families. They truly become their family and they raise them up in a Christian community.

Way to go Stephen!!

Way to go Boys and Girls Country!


As an added bonus. . we got to stay with my parents and go see Baby Caden and Melody on Wed. morning before heading back to Dallas. Caden is absolutely beautiful!! He looks so good! He is feeding completely without an IV, and it looks very hopeful that he'll be able to be home before Thanksgiving! Yea!! Praise the Lord! Thank you--again--to all of you sweet friends who have prayed for Caden. Please pray things will continue to go smoothly so that we can have in home for Thanksgiving! Also, please keep praying for Melody and Nathan. They are doing well, and God is gracing them with strength and wisdom.

Here's a picture of Hope from Monday night. . can you say "Time Change"? We're still adjusting. .

Here's a picture from Sunday night (Maddie is middle row, far right). Madison sang with our High 5 Kids Choir Sunday night and they did such a great job! Afterward, the Jones' came over for Sunday-night-pancakes and a little football watching! We are grateful for the Jones' and all they do for our church! They are amazing! (wish I'd taken a picture of little Jackson Jones. . . you can see one on Amanda's blog)

One more "snapshot" from Smith-world. . . . As I was telling Madison good night last night she very seriously said "Mom, maybe I can be the President one day." I proudly thought "Wow. I'm so glad to see her confidence, her desire to be a leader, to make a difference. . ". Then she said, "I'd make a rule that kids can eat candy and hang their heads out the window whenever they want to." WHAT?!?!?! Now I know, of course, that candy-consumption is a big deal, but hanging your head out the window??? Who knew that was so important to a kid? I just laughed and said "Good-night".

Have a great day!

Halloween Pics

We had fun-filled night night! We dressed up as 3 cheerleaders, 1 basketball player, and 1 coach. . . TEAM SMITH!!! We went to our church's Fall-a-Palooza for candy, games, blow-up slides, cake-walks, and a costume contest. Then, we made it home in time for some neighborhood trick-or-treating. Jackson didn't remember that we get to do a "candy hunt" on Halloween (and I apparently forgot to give him the heads-up about the whole candy thing!), so he was pretty excited. Madison, of course, needed no reminding--she was ready! And sweet Hope. . she was just happy to be there! Stephen was the coach, but I'm afraid that I didn't ever get a picture of him on our camera! We did get one family picture of TEAM SMITH, but it was the "official" picture taken at church, and we'll have to get a copy of it later. Anyway, enjoy these cuties from TEAM SMITH!


The annual costume contest. . . (Jackson is the basketball player on the right)


Maddie playing putt-putt


Me and the kids

Our Basketball All-Star!!!


Team Smith-Kids!


Go-o-o-o-o-o-o Team Smith!

Hope finds her voice!

A Funny (?) Story from Monday

We've all had those moments when we walk into a room and feel anxious--embarrassed--unsure--humiliated--mortified--you know, that sinking feeling?

Well, my sweet Madison had just such a day on Monday, but it worked out great and a "miracle" happened!


Last Thursday when our family was quickly making our way to Houston, Madison came home with a bright red sheet of paper announcing that this week was Drug Free week. To reinforce the message, they students were to dress up each day in a different way (crazy socks, camouflage, etc). Well, it listed that on Monday "Banana Puddin' would be presented in the cafeteria at 1:30 and the children are to wear a numbered jersey". OK, WHO or WHAT is "Banana Puddin'" and WHY would that have anything to do with a jersey??? I don't know! But, of course, I was congratulating myself on Monday morning when I actually remembered to put Madison in a jersey for school. (I was also thankful to Stephen's mom because she had just brought this pink A&M jersey to Maddie a couple of weeks before. Yea!) So, we put her in the pink jersey, put her hair in a pony tail, slipped on her wind breaker, and sent her off to school.

Well, when she got to school, she immediately realized that she was the only one with a jersey shirt on!!!! Everyone else was wearing camouflage!!!! Turns out, they had sent home a REVISED Red Ribbon note on Friday because now "Banana Puddin' will be presented on WEDNESDAY in the cafeteria at 1:30 and the children are to wear their numbered jerseys on WEDNESDAY and their CAMO on Monday"!!!! YIKES! Can they do that??? Well, they did!

So, Madison quickly zipped up her jacket, carefully stuffing the edges of the jersey under the jacket, and she asked her teacher to go to the bathroom. When she got to the bathroom she took off the jersey and just had on the long-sleeved white T-shirt that had been under the jersey. Then she prayed for a miracle.

When she got back to her classroom, she looked in her desk and there was a purple camo headband she had left one day awhile back!!! A MIRACLE!!! Her friend Haily helped her brush out her hair and get her head band on. Fortunately the dress-code rules were a little bit lax and her teacher didn't say anything about the collar-less white T-shirt. My sweet Madison wore that purple camo headband and made it home with the jersey. . . to wear on Wednesday. .. when "Banana Puddin'"-which turned out to be some monkey puppets--did their drug free message!

When she got home she told me how she had prayed for a miracle in the bathroom that morning. . .and got one! :)


Oh, and the doctors DID get the PICC line into baby Caden and he's had a pretty smooth Friday and Saturday. Thank you for praying for them. Keep praying for our baby boy and my sweet sister and brother-in-law. Thanks!