Every June Sadie attends a 4 day speech camp just outside of Gainesville.
She's spends 4 days with a MAGNIFICENT team of speech therapists, grad students and volunteers.
It's an intense camp that focuses on significantly improving speech of children with cleft lip/palates and other cranifacial issues - through games, water sports, craft activities, paint, etc.
Sadie learns SO much and has SO much fun while there that she forgets (honestly) to call home!!!
We are SO blessed and SO thankful for the entire UF team that puts on this camp!!!
Sadie with her "room mate" and Ginny - the founder of the camp.
Sadie with this year's camp BFF :-)
Reuniting with her brother and sister.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Speech Camp
Thursday, June 18, 2009
My Testimony
Recently our Pastor challenged us to share our faith and our testimony with others around us.
I have always thought my "testimony" was rather boring.
I know some folks who were literally in the pit of hell and the Lord reached deep down into that pit and pulled them out. I know others who were unsaved one minute and then born-again-on- fire-for-Jesus believers the next. And others who grew up in the church and have been faithful followers of Christ all of their life.
My testimony is nothing like any of those. No radical changes, no great conversion. Just a slow steady growth, some stumbles along the way and a tender heart sold out for Jesus.
But it is my testimony nonetheless and one I am most thankful for.
So at my Pastor's promting I'm sharing my testimony with you.
************************************************
When I was 5 years old I got the chicken pox. It was May and while I was home sick my Kindergarten class made plants as gifts for Mother's Day.
They were quite cute. The class saved their empty milk cartons from lunch, washed them, added potting soil, then seed. They took care of the plants daily and watched them grow.
When I was well enough and no longer contagious I returned to school. It happened to be the Thursday before Mother's Day.
I remember my teacher showing me the "presents" the other kids were making for their moms and I was sad I did not get to participate.
My teacher told me to save my milk carton from lunch.She said we would make one together that afternoon.
And we did.
She told me to go home and pray. She told me to ask Jesus to bless my work and to ask Him to grow my plant so that I would have a present to give my mom on Mother's Day.
(side note - this was a public school)
I did just as my teacher had instructed and when I went to school the next day I remember my plant was SO big and beautiful, green and full of life.
I remember being so excited and my teacher told me to thank Jesus.
I remember asking her to tell me about Jesus. She shared with me that Jesus was the son of God. That we all (even me at just 5) was a sinner. She said that Jesus came into this world, suffered, died and rose again so that we (I) could have eternal life. She told me that Jesus loved me and that He wanted me to love Him.
From that day on I have always gone to Jesus. In good times, in bad times, in scary times and in lonely times. I have ALWAYS trusted He would be there.
I also began going to church. I would walk to church by myself, attend Sunday school and walk home. My parents were always faithful to give me 50 cents for the offering. It didn't matter where we lived I would just walk to the church closest to our home.
Sadly, once I became a teenager I lost that discipline. I no longer desired to go by myself, it was harder to make new friends, and it certainly wasn't something the friends I had were interested in. So I stopped attending church and I begin to wonder aimlessly.
But the Lord never left me!
I made A LOT of bad choices, A TON of mistakes. I hurt people I loved. I was lost. And I was hurting.
But the Lord in His perfect love, overflowing grace, and mercies that are brand new EVERY day protected me - from myself and from my sin!!!
I was His!
When I began dating Brian He began to draw me back to Him.
Brian and I started dating in August of 1994 and by December of that same year we were talking marriage.
My parents - concerned about our age (18 & 20) - suggested we meet with a church leader. So we did just that.
I will be thankful to my parents for that simple (yet life changing) request for all eternity!!
It was at that meeting that I recommitted my life to Christ. It was at that meeting that I had a desire to be back in the Word, back in church and back on my walk.
My life - My walk - My relationship with Christ is an ever growing, ever changing, everlasting journey.
Sometimes, my life - my walk - and my relationship with Christ endures trials, burdens and sadness.
I still sin, make mistakes, and unfortunately hurt people...But I'm no longer wondering aimlessly and I am no longer lost.
Instead, I'm convicted, I confess, I seek forgiveness. I have hope, peace, and a promise of everlasting life.
I am still overwhelmed by His perfect love, overflowing grace, and His mercies that are brand new EVERY day.
It is my hope and prayer that you are too.
If you are not, please know that Jesus loves YOU. That He died for YOU, for YOUR sins and so that YOU could have eternal life with Him. Just call on His Name and He will be there. With open open arms, with endless forgiveness, and with hope everlasting.
Just call on His Name....
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Simple Pleasures
One of my most favorite things is my Gardenia Tree and Gardenia Bush...
Brian, bought them for me Mother's Day 2008. The tree and bush were green when we planted them and stayed green until winter when they went bare. They didn't bloom even once.
Until....
Now.
Aren't they lovely?
Friday, June 12, 2009
Good Excuse?
I know. I know. I have REALLY neglected my blog. And I love my blog.
I love adding pictures and writing posts and sharing my life...and I haven't done so for a whole week! But I do have a "Good Excuse".
On May 31st my sister and her husband and their 3 children moved here from far away PA.
And so the last 12 days have been FULL!!
Take a look:
We've done aqua gymnastics - is that a real thing?
We've had "girls only" pool parties.
We've gone to Home Depot to make Father's Day presents
We've had LOTS of sleepovers and sleep outs - is that a thing?
We've tortured (I mean caught) frogs
We've spent time in the sunshine
We've had "meetings" to discuss....
Our current construction "project"
We've had A LOT of ice cream
And we've spent LOTS of time at Nana and Pepe's
This is my sister with her precious "baby".
**Not pictured are the many dress up sessions, movie outings, park days, live concerts (put on by the children) and the beach days we've shared in just 12 days.
I am overflowing with JOY and DELIGHT and sheer excitement to have my sister and her family here. This is a dream come true for me!!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Centurion - TONIGHT
Just wanted to remind you about THE CENTURION showing TONIGHT.
We do hope you can attend ~ you'll be glad you did!!!
Brian and I saw the presentation on "The Centurion" Easter weekend and we were moved beyond words.
Our friends James Cannata and Mark Marshall do an outstanding job with their dramatic presentation displaying the life of a Centurion who participated in the crucifixion of Christ Jesus. We would like to personally invite and encourage you to come to the next showing of this sensational piece.
Details below. **********************************************
When: Friday, June 5th, 2009 @ 6:30 P.M.
Where: The Mos'Art Theater (http://www.mosarttheatre.com/)
700 Park Avenue, Lake Park, FL
Cost: $8 admission
Who says you need Easter to focus on the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ....Come and witness the sacrifice that was made for you. Step back in time with us as we experience Christ's crucifixion from the very person who nailed him to the cross. Join this Roman Centurion as he experiences the process of salvation and get an even better understanding that Jesus wasn’t simply put to death, but that He willfully was humiliated, brutally beaten, and experienced the agonizing death by way of crucifixion, for all of us.
Praise & Worship by Mark Marshallhttp://www.myspace.com/markmashallnet
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Madison A.K.A. "HOLLYWOOD"
Have I mentioned before that Madiosn was a "GIRLIE GIRL".
Check her out here....
Fast asleep with not one but TWO lipsticks in her hand...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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