I hate being the victim!

Apparently, I am a victim of blog spam as I've been hit with 3 spam comments in a week...a total ego deflation as you think some thoughtful, caring person has taken the time to read your ramblings but NO! It's just trash dumped on your lawn after dark. You'll discover it in the morning and it will really put you in a good mood. Or it's like going through the drive-thru and getting back on the highway before you realize you've got a leaky cup. no good. I played with the settings to try to block future spam. We'll see.

Well, to redeem the moment, I'll say one thing about my adorable son. I was getting Nathan ready for bed tonight and it's so sweet how he gets really happy and smiley, almost cuddly before bedtime. But cuddly for him is playing a kissing game of banging his face into mine. It hurts but after about the fourth time, we're laughing so hard it doesn't matter. It turns into a tickling match and then Hannah usually joins in. I was lifting the little 31lb. linebacker into the crib when he said with the most darling blonde haired, blued eyed, ear to ear smile, "Momma bye-bye!" Let me translate..."Goodnight Mommy, I love you forever and ever! Thank you for killing yourself picking me up and sweeping the floor 89 times a day. You're the best!"

Wow! Now I know what all those ladies meant when they said their boys were special. Not that little girls aren't. Oh they are. I've got tons of little girl stories too. But this one of Nathan just made my day.

Sorting

I should have been more clear in my last post about our move date/time frame. Several people have asked us about it. Ben of course is still ministering to the students at Hinds until the end of this semester. He'll take a group to RUF Summer Conference and then sometime at the end of May... we'll be moving! June 1 is technically first day at TAMU.

I don't know how to say this without sounding cliche' or understated. We are so grateful for our 4 years here at Hinds. We have many neat friendships with the students and alumni of Hinds. Having my family so close has been an incredible blessing to us. The network of friends we have in MS is something we don't take for granted. We're dealing with lots of mixed emotions! Sad to leave family and friends, a little tense about the changes to come, but overall, eagerly anticipating the continued calling to minister.

We're MOVING to TEXAS!!!

"HOWDY!" Ben got an incredible job offer last week to be the RUF campus minister to Texas A & M University in College Station/Bryan, Texas! It all happened pretty fast. His phone interview was Thursday, Feb 7 and that night we got the call with the offer! Next thing we knew, we were making plans to fly out to check things out. I don't think I've ever really been to Texas, except through the airport. So this past weekend, we spent three days in Aggieland(yes, they really say 'howdy!' on campus!! It's beautiful!) and one in Dallas with the RUF committee. Our kids stayed in Raymond with my mom, Ashleigh, Anna, and Virginia (THANKS GIRLS!!!). Daniel and Ann helped too. We're very excited about working so closely in ministry with Wade and Marian Coleman, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian in Bryan! There were lots of students at the church. We're going to be undergoing a lot of changes in the next few months (finishing a bathroom, selling a house, buying a house, packing, defining the term "moving" to a three year old, etc) . Ben and I have lived in Mississippi our ENTIRE lives. Ben will be 30 in a few weeks so as you can imagine...this is a huge change!! You can pray for us as we continue to love and minister to the students at Hinds (has it really been 4 years?! ) and prepare to journey in faith in Jesus to Texas A & M!
Nathan loves to wear Hannah's boots! So the day of Ben's interview, Nathan got all dressed up and we emailed this pic to Ben. Maybe we should get him his own pair, what'd ya think?

Well, seeing that it's been almost four weeks since I last posted, I thought I'd jump back in with a story that ties in with my last post. :) This very morning, my dear adventurous son was "helping" me cook breakfast. I pulled out the FULL carton of free range, organic eggs from the frig and set them on the counter. I turned around to answer a question from Ben and yeah, you know what's coming...looked to see the carton smashed and sloshed all over the floor and on that pillow Nathan had been dragging around this morning. And bless his heart, he was handing the carton, dripping and oozing, back to me!!! "Uh-Oh." he said with big eyes. Oh, they're so cute when they're making trouble! Ben saved the day by swooping in to carry off the eggy little perpetrator but the chaos didn't stop there. I tried to salvage what egg could be rescued from the messy carton and scramble them in a bowl. Right then, about 4 things happened at once. My cell phone alarm started going off, the water for the grits was boiling, Hannah was yelling for help in the bathroom and of course the SALMONELLA was still smeared all over the floor! Horrors! (It doesn't matter how pure and hormone free an egg is, if it's broken and uncooked, I'm automatically assuming it's carrying diseases. ) I thank God for even the messes they make. I really do. Just not always in the moment. Usually it's later. I realize my children are huge blessings in my life. Some people would love to be blessed with the little messes a child makes.