A Big Day!

Today was Team Spirit Day at CCA. The kids were to dress in which ever team they supported the most. Of course my kids dressed in Auburn! TO be fair, Sawyer wanted to dress for the "other team" but once he saw that Carys was wearing Orange and Blue he could not help himself. I really fear that I have lost him to "the dark side", but we shall see as he gets older:)

The "big" part of the day was another milestone for Carys Jo. We were able to pull up ALL of her hair into one ponytail!

She was super excited and proud. We took time to say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for her healing and the restoral of her heath and hair!

1 Corinthians 9:23
I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

I want to you know that when I "share" these wonderful blessings that God had given us, it is ALWAYS to honor the gospel by which we know our Lord and Savior.

Everything I have and all that I am is because God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die in my place, to take my place in a sinners death so that I might be free.

I know that Carys' healing is not because of any good thing I have done. However, I do believe that the faith of many got God's attention and He healed her for HIS glory.

It would not be right to celebrate such a milestone without giving him the glory for these blessings!

Hanging Around

So, we have had a great last week or so. I seriously have not had time to update the many pictures that I have taken lately. I really want you guys to see our "snow" pictures. They are hilarious! I was determined to find a way to capture the snow, and I did!

My spring semester at UA began last week. I have a class on Thursday nights and two weekends a month. That starts this weekend. I really like weekend classes because it does not hinder progress on my weekly schedule (more on that later.) Last semester I had a Monday night class which was horrible (the scheduling I mean.) I like the Thursday night class because I only have to get one kid ready the next morning because Sawyer stays with his MawMaw that day. I am taking on three classes this time, but one of them is classified as undergrad so that helps. It is a foundations class and I think it will be a lighter load than taking on another grad class.

We got news this week of a "spot" on the ct scan of a friend of ours who went through treatment with Carys. They are not convince it is a reoccurrence, but they have to wait six weeks before they re-scan to see if it has changed. If it is Wilms, it will have changed. I have been spending a lot of time in prayer for the mother, Staci. I cannot imagine the heartache and fear that she has to fight daily for the next six weeks. It has not brought a lot of extra apprehension to Carys' check-up scheduled for this Friday. She will only have a chest x-ray and abdominal ultra-sound. Ultra-sounds are always hard for me because that is how she was diagnosed. This news did change Justin's plans as we had decided there was no need for him to go to this (16 month) check-up. He has now decided that he will not miss it and will work ½ of a day instead. See when Carys was diagnosed, he was not in the room. I had to come down and tell him. That is not a position he ever wants to be in again. However, I have great peace in my heart that the tests will reveal what we already know to be true! That Carys is healed!

Yesterday was MLK day. We were blessed with the most beautiful day at home. It was like 63 degrees out side. The kids were beside themselves that we were able to play outside; and without coats none the less! I sat on the porch swing as they played. I loved the feeling of the sun on my skin. It reminded me of how good God is and how much I needed to feel that. He always provides both the big and the small things we need! The kids played, painted, napped, and played some more. It was a great day.

Some of you may have read how I have implemented a daily cleaning schedule for the house. It has been such a help. I was thinking last night, as I set in a tidy living room with all the closes washed and dishes put away, how I wish someone would drop by so they could see! It is such a since of accomplishment for me. I know some of you think I am crazy that I am just now getting it together, but I have spent much of the last few years being so overwhelmed. Even when I was home when Carys was sick, it was so difficult for me to keep the house together. I am convinced that part of it was mental. I don't think I was depressed, just so tired trying to keep everything together that I would just crash in the evenings. I am telling you, God has been so good to me. He has blessed me with a wonderful family, job, and opportunity to complete graduate school that I feel like keeping things together is MY part of the bargain. The kids being older helps tremendously also. Last night, Sawyer asked to wash dishes. He did a great job too! He was do proud of himself and I was proud of him too. Anyway, just wanted to update that for us, the daily house cleaning schedule has worked great.

Just another week – Living 4 HimJ

New Kicks!

Love, Love, Love these shoes. It has gotten to where all I can wear is Dansko. I got them at 6pm.com about a week ago for $65. Today I checked on getting a black pair and they are back to regular price $115. But they are so worth it. How do they make these shoes (which are kinda heavy) make you feel as though you don't have shoes on. My feet and legs NEVER hurt while wearing my clogs and so far, the same for these! I think I'm going to save for a pair of black dress shoes that I can wear to work or church!

Spotless

Rather than making the ever so common “New Year’s Resolutions” I decided to make a few “Life Commitments.” I decided that these would be things only devoted to Faith and Family, and that they would be things I would work at each day. Tonight, I was reminded of how God uses so many things in our lives to speak to us, even dirty dishes.

Three of my commitment worked together to bring me hear what God wanted me to know today. First, I have vowed to try out new recipes. See, I love to cook. I think it is because it can be like a puzzle where you have to make all of the pieces fit together perfectly, or you get mush! Also, I did not learn many culinary skills as a girl. Not to blame my mother’s skills (although she is not much of the cooking type), but I place the bulk of the blame on my Dad’s poor palate! He always enjoyed the five food groups, pizza, tacos, spaghetti, hamburgers, and stir fry beef and green beans. It was great! And the guy always had perfect cholesterol – go figure! (and if he could come to dinner at my house, I am certain I would cook one of those things!) Anyways, I wanted to cook different things or thing that I used to cook for Justin and myself before the babies came along!

I also vowed to do the dishes EVERY night. This is a big one for me. We do not have a dishwasher, so I would often put off washing one or two cups which quickly mounded into two sinks full! I think the kids can learn self-discipline from me when they see me sticking to this task.

Thirdly, I ask God daily to make Himself real to me. To reveal parts of His nature and His will to me. My part of the barging was to be diligent in looking for these revelations. Sometimes they come in prayer, Bible study, through talking with Justin, friends, or even the kids. But tonight, He used something completely different.

Monday night I cook baked boneless pork chops with “THE Barbecue Sauce” – which is a secret recipe! I learned the definition of “baked on” food to the Pyrex dishes! So, as promised, I washed all of the dishes Monday night. I was unhappy with the results of the Pyrex, so I allowed them to soak overnight. This morning I still was not happy, so I put more detergent (which by the way it takes WAY more than a teaspoon for this stain!) and hot water and let them soak all day.

Which brings us to tonight. As I was scrubbing I began thinking, “You know, this IS clean. Even though there are still spots and blemishes on the dish, it is okay like it is. I mean does it have to be perfect? Maybe I should just give up!”
That’s when it hit me! This must be exactly how God feels when He looks at me. He is not satisfied to let there be one spot or blemish on me! He keeps scrubbing, washing, rinsing, and repeating on me. Everyday he cleans me all up and I seem to get new spots on me. But He does not give up on me. He knows that my soul can be restored to a place where He is first and my focus is on walking in His will.

Praise God is all I can say. “Thank you Lord for not settling for a few spots on me. You keep working with me because You see purpose behind everything in my life. My perfection will not be obtained until I reach heaven, but with Your Word in my heart and Your Spirit in my life I will press on! Thank you for continuing to work on me until I am spotless…” ~Amen~

Going Home:)

We are dismissing school at 11am today. A light snow has begun. It is supposed to pick up in another hour or so. I am praying for a good amount of accumulation for my kids to enjoy. They are so excited! Hope there is no school tomorrow! I am very thankful we came and got this day in so that we don't have to make it up or lose another weather day!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Stay warm and I am sure I will have lots of snow pics - if there is good snowfall!

Two Things...

First, we are anxiously anticipating the arrival of our snow tomorrow. I talked to the kids this morning and told them that we "might" have to go to school and then get to come home early. I understand that these decisions are multi-factorial and take time to decide...but I wish I could have a definite answer before bed tonight. Instead, I suppose I can wait until I get the famous Glenn Judd call announcing the decision early tomorrow morning (btw...I love to here Mr. Judd's message its just WEIRD to have his voice be the FIRST thing you hear...hehe!) I am doing all the normal preparations like buying a few things and charging the camera battery. I am also gonna get some clothes together for the kids so that we are prepared for going in and out of the house - which I am sure will require several changes of clothes:) They both have some nice snow gear, but it is "neatly" tucked away in their closets:)

Secondly, I am so in love with my husband:) I have been doing LOTS of office work this week so I have been snagging lunch with him. So blessed to be able to do this. So today, I was in a mid-morning meeting that went through his lunch...I missed seeing him so much. I wish that there were some great "thing" that I could tell you makes me love him so much! But, there are so many. Like the way he texts me just to say that he misses me. Or the way that he always makes time for both of the kids and makes them feel special and important. Or the way he embraces his role as the head of our house, never leaving out my feelings or opinions...but thinking long and hard about what is BEST for us to do. All of these things make him my love. On Jan 25th we will celebrate our "dating" anniversary. We have been together for 13 years (since 1997). I was 13 (going on 14) when God placed him in my life. That means that in 19 days, I will have been with Justin in my life as much time as I spent without him! How remarkable. I remember a monumental day in my life...

Justin proposed to me when I was a senior in high school. That spring, I was at Auburn high school for a scholar's bowl tournament. We had a bi-round so we waited and studied in the lunchroom. Mrs. Conklan and I were discussing the engagement and such things. There was an adult coach of another team that was sitting there with us (as he knew the Conklans.) After she said how great it was that we were engaged, this man spoke up and said, "Linda, why are you congratulating her? You know as well as I do that these things never work out. Being a kid and making promises that you have no idea about can lead to nothing but disaster! You should be telling her that she is too young and should reconsider this offer. She will thank you when she in 25."

Flabbergasted, I remember wanting to punch him in the face. Mrs. Conklan was very defensive of me and the fact that she knew I was allowing God to lead my life. (Thank you by the way!!) I remember thinking, I'm gonna show him! Logically, I agree with everything he said. But what God brings together...let no Scholar's Bowl Coach put asunder!

I wish that I could see him now. In person. I would not be rude. I would politely introduce my self, my husband, and my two precious babies. I would tell him thank you. Thank you for giving me one of many reasons to always work hard to make my family work. I set a goal that day to find a way to be just as in love with Justin years from then, as I was then. Forget puppy love...I KNEW I had a perfect gift from above. I have done very little to make my feelings for JC stay the same. BUT, I am so glad they have.

I love you Justin. More today that I could have ever imagined back in 2001! (or 1997) Thank you for growing up with me when so many couples grow apart. Thank you for being my friend and believing in me when others thought my tasks to be impossible. Thank you for growing into a WONDERFUL Christian husband and father who always considers his family before himself! I am so proud to have been your girl for 13 years!

~God Bless~

Photo Updates

Okay, so JC would say I do most things backwards...and so I will be posting my Christmas pictures backward!

These shots are from New Year's Day. It is my Grandmother's Birthday and the day the Lynn Bunch gets together for Christmas.

First, these are Savannah's shoes. I think they are too cute, but boy...if I had wore these when I was in the 9th grade...you can guess what would have happened!

Not sure who like the present opening more, the kids or Grandma!

This kid is NEVER serious!

This one is ALWAYS smiling:)

These two...what can ya say...is that THREE phones between the TWO of them???

Dylan, Bradley, Savannah, Brooke, Carys, Sawyer, and Brennan

We watched the Auburn game of course! It put our lunch off for a while seeing as how the game lasted like 4 hours!! It was a nail biter in the second half. I have never heard the Lynn Clan SOOOO loud! I hypervenlated, seriouly! But, it all worked out in the end. WAR EAGLE!!!

2010 Here We Come!!!

Well, the very least I can say is that I have been FREEZING the entire year! We had snow flurries this morning. It was fun to see. I debated on weather or not I should mention it to the kids. Sawyer's biggest Christmas let down was that there was not snow - like on all the movies! So, I knew that the flurries from this morning would be bittersweet for him. Lovely to see, sad to watch wither away before they even made it to the ground...

The Cottingham Kids are enjoying their last day of Christmas break before returning to school today. I returned to a ton of new semester paperwork this morning. This is my "busy season" I guess you could say. All second grade students in the state of Alabama are considered for gifted services during the first semester. The teachers gather data...and now I get to look at it:) and turn it all into something meaningful! I am trying to stay on top of things as I also begin three new Graduate classes this week. Well, I heard on the sports shows that UA was conceling classes for the end of this week due to some silly game...but I have not recieved an official word from the univeristy or from my professor concerning my THURSDAY night class. I told JC I would just not show up and say, "Well they said no class on ESPN!" Think that would work??

Anyways, I have TONS of picutres to post. I will try and do so incremently as to not overwhelem you:) I decided that the Christmas season was to inculde NO computer time (that of course does not include my BlackBerry:) and I did pretty good with that rule. I have not uploaded even the first of the roughtly 500 pics I made in the last two weeks! Yikes, that could take a while. They are forcasting snow for Thursday and yucky weather for Friday and Saturday. I am hoping for the snow and more time home with my babies (hopefully WITH power!) Thankfully we have gas heat that does not require electricity so at the very least we will be warm. I am not, however, looking foward to my weekly grocery trip. You know when they say the "S"now word here everyone acts like it is Y2K or something!!!

Anywho...better get back to work. I pray you all had a blessed CHRISTmas season and are having a blast in 2010!!!