Happy Thanksgiving 2009

We have so much to be thankful for! Our lives are blessed beyond measure. We may not have as much money as others, but we have so much more.

I am most thankful for Matt’s and my relationship with God. He has brought us so much closer. God is our rock, and Matt and I are twain (as we like to say J ), so we always have God and one another to lean on. I am thankful that God found us. We weren’t even looking for Him, but He was looking right at us. God brought us to the place that He wanted us to be at so that our lives could unfold and be enriched and blessed beyond measure. Matt and I do not think it is coincidence that we found our beautiful wooded acre of land in Big Cove, only to call about it, be told that it had already been sold, and then be called back a week later to be told that the land was again available. Indeed, God was working behind the scenes, and He knew just where we needed to be.

I am thankful for Matt. For twelve years he has been my best friend (besides God, of course). Matt has seen me through some rough times, and we have made it through some rough patches, and I am glad to say that though we are not perfect, our love for one another is! With God by our side, we know that we can make it through any trial. Matt has helped me to be a better person. I know that he was chosen by God for me. That story deserves a post of its own…

I am thankful for my beautiful, perfect girl. Kennedy has been and remains my light on dark days. She loves me despite my faults and forgives my mistakes so easily. I wish that I could give her the world, but she already has it because she puts God first and loves Him so much. I have learned more from that little girl than I could ever teach her.

I am thankful for my sweet, huggable boy. Case is just the most daring little thing, and all of his harrowing antics terrify, yet amuse me. He is Kennedy’s polar opposite, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love that he brings me Lucky the Wonder Dog and pulls on my leg to let me know that he wants to be held. He is the baby, and we have spoiled him rotten (just like we did his sister).

Case enjoys reading books, or at least abusing them.

I am thankful for my blood family and my church family. Over the past few months, it seems as though my relationship with my parents has improved, and that is wonderful! I love them all toujours! Our church family has been so good to us. I am blessed to know them. I have been missing Bother James Earl so much over the past few weeks, and I know that his family is missing him today too. But he is at rest with his sweet Lucille, and I know he couldn’t be happier.

The Night I Learned to Make Dressing

(with Matt's parents)

I am thankful that Matt and I have not only good jobs, but jobs that we LOVE. Going to work is so much easier when you actually enjoy it. I have such a sweet little class of 23 (not so little, huh?), and their parents treat me like royalty. They are probably tired of all of the little projects I send them, but they keep asking for more, and I don’t want to let them down.

I am thankful that our babies have such wonderful teachers!

I am thankful that I learned to make dressing the other night and that I get to go shopping tomorrow at 3 am sans kids. J I am thankful that my sister Lark and my cousin Whitney better be meeting me at my house to hit Best Buy! Speaking of Whitney, I am so thankful that she is staying with my parents right now. Please say a prayer that God will truly bless her life.

I am eternally thankful that Jesus came to Earth, walked in our shoes, and died for our sins. I am thankful that we are free to celebrate his life and mourn his death. That brings us to Christmas, my most favorite time of the year (though it takes place during my least favorite season; this eczema on my hands is just horrible and painful in the winter). I LOVE all of the Christmas festivities, and we have already begun watching our Christmas movies!

Bridge Street Tree Lighting

We hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Kennedy's Hands

I love to look at Kennedy’s hands. They are so gorgeous! I often sit around and just marvel at their beauty. But, this wasn’t always the case. I used to look at Kennedy’s beautiful hands and be saddened in my heart because I knew she was in pain…

When Kennedy was about three and a half (like she was in the picture below), she began to get warts. At first she had one, then two, then three, and so on.

I have had warts before (I find that most people have), and I know how annoying and painful they can be. Three times I had to have fingernails removed! When Kennedy began to get them, Matt wanted to try to freeze them off, but I refused. That freezing is painful business, and Kennedy has the pain tolerance of a balloon (which I think would be extremely low). Instead of using modern medicine, I decided to use the oldest form of medicine ever created: PRAYER!!!

I prayed fervently for her warts to go away. I fasted. I sacrificed. And do you know what happened?

They got worse! But I kept praying, fasting, and sacrificing. Matt joined the pursuit too!

In October of 2007 we were at church when God let me know that He was going to heal Kennedy’s warts. I was so thrilled to know that He was looking at my little girl. I had no doubt that He would take care of her. I didn’t know the time or place, but I knew the Who and the means.

Well, over the next eight months, not only did Kennedy develop eight warts on her hands and one on her knee, but she also started getting skin tags in various places, including her top lip and beside her eye. She probably had about ten tags (that seemed to pop up overnight) in all.

It would have been real easy just giving in and taking her to the doctor, but I had God’s promise, and God is no liar! Matt and I have a sign in our house that reads, “Faith is not believing that God can, but knowing that He will.” And I knew that He would heal Kennedy’s warts and skin tags. Instead of praying and asking that God heal her, I began to thank Him for His promise of healing her because I knew that in His time and in His perfect way, He would. I prayed harder and tried to be a better servant.

February 2008 rolled around, and I was constantly sick and in pain from being pregnant with Case. One day Kennedy got in my lap, and when I looked at her beautiful face, I noticed that the skin tag on her lip looked funny. I flicked it lightly with my finger, and it just came right off, like a crumb. I was elated, and through my pain I yelled for Matt, told him what had happened, and began to give praises to God. After that it seemed like Kennedy’s skin tags disappeared as quickly as they had appeared. Her warts, however, were still hanging around.

May 2008 came, and I had to move classrooms, end a school year, and get ready for a baby who would be coming in August (and who was named Walker at that time). Life got SO busy that I failed to check Kennedy’s hands for improvement. The third Sunday of May we were at church when Kennedy sat in my crowded lap. I was holding her hand when I suddenly noticed that ALL of her warts were gone!!! I could only see the dim scar of the worst one (and that scar is now gone). I began to rejoice in my heart. I was sobbing uncontrollably. Matt came to see what was wrong, and I showed him just what was right!

Since then we have reminded Kennedy again and again of what God did for all of us. We NEVER want her to doubt the power of prayer or the power of God.

There are so many obstacles in our way in life, but sometimes, nay always, the best ‘medicine’ for dealing with those obstacles is prayer. With God all things are possible.

There are FAR worse problems than warts, and I surely know that! In fact, I almost deleted this entire post because warts seem so trivial compared to what other people must endure, but I feel that God put this testimony on my heart for a reason. I pray often for children and their parents who are afflicted, and I ask God to let me bear some of their (maybe even your) pain. But I wrote this post to remind you that no obstacle is ever too big or too small for God to make right. Just go to Him in sincere prayer, and your burdens will lighten!

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

Please let me know if I can pray for you in any way. We appreciate ALL of your prayers!

Two Mrs. Clarks?

This story has cracked me (and several others) up since Friday afternoon. I just have to share it.

I have been reading to me class the first Magic Tree House book: Dinosaurs Before Dark. Well, the story got to a point where information was given about a triceratops. In the book it said the triceratops was a plant eating dinosaur who weighed about 12,000 pounds. Now, in an effort to completely enlighten my students so that they will be the brightest kids around, I always give them a scale reference to go by. I was thinking of how many first graders it would take to equal 12,000 pounds.....still thinking....got it! So I say, "That would be about...(pause to make sure I have the right number in mind)....

Before I could get the number out of my mouth, sweet Cameron, with his big blue eyes helps me by saying, "Two Mrs. Clarks?"

I cracked up. He was so sweet and sincere about it!

With that being said, I bought a workout video that I am going to HOPEFULLY begin tonight. I asked Matt if he thougth I really had 50 minutes to devote to the video four or so times a week, and Matt replied, "Do you really think you can do it for 50 minutes?" I tell you what, all of these gentlemen in my life sure know how to woo me!

Trick or Treat '09

We had a wonderful Halloween!

On Friday night we went to our church Halloween party. Kennedy got our moneys worth out of the inflatable slide! She was sweating from playing so hard!

Today we did some afternoon shopping, and Case took a late nap, so he was ready for trick or treating. We got Kennedy ready, took some pictures of just her, and then Case woke up. We got him ready (eardrops and all), took more pictures, and off we went with a cowgirl and Master Yoda. Sidenote: Last night a friend asked if Case was Shrek. I have cracked up all day about that. I obviously need to buy her a Star Wars movie! Yes, our whole family loves the Star Wars movies (excluding the prequels). Cowgirl and Yoda hit a few houses on our road, but then we went to a subdivision that we have been going to for several years. Usually it’s busy with children, but this year it looked like a ghost town. Several of the residents there told us to take as much candy as we wanted because they for some reason didn’t have as many trick-or-treaters as usual. We became bored with the ghost town, so we went to a different subdivision, which is going to be our new trick-or-treat place because it was abuzz with action! At the end of the night, Kennedy’s bag was full of candy, Case’s belly was full of milk, Matt was full of exhaustion, and I was just full of love for my sweet family. We had such a fun night! Even Case was well-behaved. J He even followed behind us on the sidewalk, rather than running in the opposite direction. Perhaps he’s turning over a new leaf! I’m still praying…

This is my favorite picture of the day, and I actually took it. I do not usually take such good pictures! Kennedy is just so gorgeous, inside and out. She has a natural beauty, but she’s not very photogenic (which she gets from Matt), so pictures do not usually do her beauty justice. This picture, however, showcases her beauty!

Here’s a picture from last year. It’s unbelievable how much my babies have grown in a year! I wish time would slow down a bit.