D-Team Event: AZ Pop Can Drive!!!

The Judson-Walker girls D-team went out collecting pop-cans this afternoon to raise money for the AZ mission trip! It is so cool to see these girls getting excited about supporting the high schoolers :)

(L to R) Emily Pucket, Ashleigh Barrett, Molly Pucket, Sarah Denny

First house, no one there :(

Silly walk :)

 A Sophie Chica and Ashley and Elliana Strom of arriving late (please take note of Lauren's reflection)

Savannah Wassom showed up a little later too :)

 We split into 3 groups to cover more ground

First Blood!

A LOT of cans!!!

Maybe bending the rules for a couple of blocks to Winco :)

We collected over $70 in cans!!!

Treating the girlies to some LimeBerry to celebrate :)

Collected during our journey

We've uncovered a slight gummy-worm obsession among our D-team

Wonderful time of laughing, bonding, and serving. We love you girls!!!

Romans 1:18-22

Romans 1:18-23 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did   not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools.

During my quiet time this afternoon I was struck by this passage. As I read the first verse I felt a slight welling up of fear- it is in the present tense. I am many times both ungodly and unrighteous, and the wrath of the God Who created all things could smother me in an instant. My thoughts flitted to the fact I know I’m saved, almost by rote, and I suddenly realized it had been a long time since I’d considered myself “saved”. I’m not talking in the christianese sense of the word (that I’m a believer), but that 2000 years ago Christ died to pay the penalty for sin I currently do so I wouldn’t feel the wrath that is currently descending.

I was rescued from a very real and imminent danger just as surely as if I were standing blind in the middle of a highway with a semi-truck 2 seconds away from bearing down on me. And, knowing He would die, Christ pushed me out of the way and was crushed Himself.

And, amazing grace! Christ not only saved me from the danger I was and currently would be in, but He gave me a truly wonderful hope here on earth, and promised me heaven for the other 99.999999999...% of my existence after I die.

Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing me.

to cheese, or not to cheese.....

Ok, so I checked out google images of "cheese" to find an image for this post. I was actually pretty impressed with what it came up with:

Kind of creepily cool, huh? That has nothing to do with what I have to say, however.

Today I concluded that I am a much better mommy, wife, and daughter of God when I don't eat dairy. A little random, I grant you, but true none the less. 

For the last 2 weeks I've included dairy back into my diet on a daily basis, since I wasn't having ant kind of a "noticeable" reaction. First week went great, this last week I've been exhausted, coughing all day long, and had some huge mood swings. And it wasn't "that time".  I decided to take a few days off dairy to see if that was doing it and guess what?!!

Today I've done 4 loads of dishes, 5 loads of laundry, started my daughter on solid foods, made half of dinner in advance, and had over an hour to play with and read with my children. And it's not even nap time yet! 

So, although one would think I'd be sad to loose cheese again (because who doesn't love cheese?) I am thankful I have a "happy me alternative" to fall back on :) 

Briella Rose Higgins is 6 Months Old!!!

Briella turned 6 months on Sunday Jan 16th, and we had her 6 month check up on Tuesday. Everyone at the doctor's office commented on how sweet she was and how HUGE she is!! She is now 17.5 pounds and 27 inches tall- that's 2 ft 3in, that's 75% in weight and 98-99% in height for her age group. To give you an idea of scale here, Westly was 2 ft 10in at his 2 year check up. 

She is rolling around like crazy, easy reaches and grabs anything she wants, laughs, babbles (I could swear she has tried to say "hi" a few times), *almost* sleeps through the night, smiles all the time, and has us all wrapped around her pudgy little fingers :) 

A new development, just as of this week, is crying because she is mad. Up until now she has only cried when her little heart was breaking, but she is now learning to hold her own against big brother!!! When he takes a toy from her this girl lets out a wail that brings me running pronto, sure Westly has maimed her at least! It really freaks Westly out and he usually gives her back whatever she wants as soon as she calms down enough to grab it. It's bad, but I can't help laughing every time! I'm sure I'll get sick of the "drama" eventually, but right now it's hilarious to see our little sweetheart learning to work her brother already!

Catching a snooze on the couch :) She looks so long in this photo.

When I got her dressed this morning, I was struck by how grown up she looks in this "little girl" outfit. This inspired a photo shoot, and I really couldn't choose, so I posted them all :)

I love those big innocent blue eyes :)

Law of parenting #505

Law of parenting #505: The more tired the parent is, the more energy the two year old has. 

This would be why some animals eat their young. Scientifically proven fact. Look it up. 

This morning I am running on 3 hours sleep. Anything under 5 is unholy in my opinion. So rather than lovingly cuddling my son as we woke up to a movie this morning, I am more tempted to run screaming "Stop talking! Stop making noise! Stop moving!!!! Please, please, please!!!!!" as my child rolls his hair in his jellied toast, talks hollers non-stop, and jumps on my back blowing raspberries as I try to type this post. 

I am in need of help. Supernatural help that only God can provide. Praying this morning for patience, love, and a Spirit-led, thankful attitude toward/about this precious boy God has placed in my life. And for a break in the rain so I can unleash some of his energy on the neighborhood :)

Life as we know it...

We got a new camera Christmas Eve! So that is where our photos begin :) 

(Please forgive some our photos being a little blurry- we have been doing some experimentation with different camera settings :)

 Westly's gift this year! We scored this huge (not even close to everything is shown) wooden thomas the train set and table on Craigslist for $100. Yay!! 

 This is us at 4am Christmas morning after cleaning our house and setting it up! (Yikes! did we really do this every night in college?)

 Westly seeing the table for the first time :)

He LOVES it :) Plays with it for hours every day! 

West's other BIG present! May be a *little* too big for our apartment. Oh well. We will just have to buy a house, then!

 Christmas morning at my parents. 

 Hmm, not sure...

West got playdough for the first time! 

 My dad being way too cute with his grand-daughter :)

Aunt Martha and cousin Austin with Sissy

Christmas Dinner with Paul's Family

Westly's "focused face"

 Cousin Meghan with Briella

The Uncles (nice face Peter :) 

back to life as usual...

Scrubbed and tubbed... 

Life with West :) This boy is on the MOVE!!! 

So sad this photo is blurry! Auntie 'Manda being silly with Briella :) She came over for an evening with April to watch Dr. Who. Interesting show....

This would be my son having rice "cookies" (rice-cakes) dipped in syrup and jelly for breakfast. At his request. And yes- he is drinking the syrup in this pic.

Westly LOVES watching the bread machine working :)

Snuggle time :)

 West is such a good brother :) He really loves his sister and is very good at understanding what she wants, and making her smile. I do think this girl will be tough though- he never means to hurt her but he is a 2 year old boy...

We went on a 30 degree walk one morning. I set Briella down for about a minute... do you think she was tired?

 Toddler-with-a-binkie sighting! We may be regressing...

I'm going to have to do a Halloween through Christmas Eve post in a bit... once I collect the photos from various relatives :)