I will trust in Your Word

We had a really mixed up day today, and it seemed that nothing went as planned.

Anyway, we were in the car after Community Bible Study, and I was sharing with Turner that I was feeling stressed and just didn't have it all together.

And she said to me, "Mom, it's all ok. 'God is your helper and you should not be afraid.'" WOW! I needed that reminder today, and God delivered it through the mouth of my baby girl.

Thank you, God, for your Word and for the wonderful people who volunteer and teach her about you at CBS on Friday mornings!

Swiper...

Swiper, NO SWIPING our jack-o-lantern!!!

Curious about Football

The Photo Evidence

Parker is officially a "Guerard" boy.

He woke up this morning, and Thomas went in to get him. The first words out of his mouth were, "Daddy. Couch. Milk. Golf. Please." (Golf, of COURSE, means FOOTBALL).

Parker wanted to lie on the couch with his milk and watch football. Thomas could barely believe his ears, so he put the tv on an old Auburn game, and asked Parker again, "Are you sure you want football, buddy? Or do you want Curious George?" (Curious is one of Turner's favorites that Parker watches with her on occasion).

"No, Daddy. Golf!"

So, Parker laid on the couch...by himself...for 20+minutes this morning, drinking milk and watching football in sheer contentment.

Nana, in case you were wondering, it IS genetic! Lord, help me!!!

Amazing Day with Our Pumpkins!

We had a wonderful day today! It started with a soccer game that was really special for three reasons:

1. Cousin Mary, Uncle Ted and Aunt Robin came to cheer for Team Victory and were super fans!

2. Turner had a great game

AND

3. Turner did something really cool for one of her teammates that we were much more proud of than any of her goals: She dribbled the ball down the field to right in front of the goal. Then, she defended it, while she called over her teammate who had not yet had the chance to score a goal, so SHE could kick it in and score it. It was so awesome and what soccer at this age is all about! Learning the game, having fun and learning to be part of a team.

Then, we all piled in the car and headed down the road to The Rock Ranch. Teddy, Robin and Mary had been with us last year, and we had so much fun, we decided it should be a tradition.

Rock Ranch is hard to describe, but I think it is truly a family's paradise. It has everything from a pumpkin patch, to a pumpkin cannon, hayrides, cows, pedal boats, Gator motorized tractors for the kids to drive, corn mazes, slides, jumpies, horse rides, petting zoos, trains, etc. And this year, we hit the jackpot, because it was the day all the hot air balloons were on site.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and the kids were all so, so good. It was truly a joy to see the three cousins laugh, play, hold hands and enjoy life together. And the adults had as much -- or maybe more -- fun than the kids.

As I get ready to say my prayers and go to bed tonight, I am filled with gratitude. For family, fall, old fashioned fun and good fellowship.

Fall in the Mountains

Hiking, while singing a "mean" rendition of "The Bear Went Over the Mountain!"

Our Mountain Kiddos! One more little guy will be in next year's picture. And he's our GODSON!

Anna and Parker

Micah Fest 2010!

"Like Sisters"

Sparklers! Parker LOVED them.

The sweetest picture of a BRAND NEW calf and her mama

The Booker boys and Parker spotting a CHOO-CHOO!

New Friends (whose parents are OLD friends!)

We had two weekends to get up to the mountains this fall, and we seized them! It's so beautiful up there, and we had not had the chance to go since May! Both trips were super special and full of fun times. We are blessed to be able to enjoy God's creation in such an amazing place, and we are doubly blessed to have sweet friends with whom to share our lives!

Sweet Mary Evelyn King

Our hearts are really heavy this week over at the Guerard household. You see, Turner has prayed faithfully every night for 10 months for eight year old Mary Evelyn King to be healed of her cancer. You may recall that we went to her “Cuts for the Cure” event a couple of months ago, and Turner had the privilege of meeting her.

Anyway, Mary Evelyn’s family called in hospice last week, because there was nothing more the doctors could do for her. As soon as we heard the news, Thomas and I agreed we had better start preparing Turner. I was anxious about it and prayed that God might give me the right words to say to a four year old.

And – as He always does – he provided.

You see, on Wednesday, we were driving to get haircuts around 4pm, and Turner said, “Mom, can I have some dessert?” To which I replied, “NO! It’s the middle of the afternoon and almost suppertime. We’re not having dessert right now.”

A few minutes later – OUT OF THE BLUE – she said, “Mom, I really wish I had gotten to ride the pony at Mary Evelyn’s party.” (We didn’t get to “Cuts for the Cure” in time for the pony ride that day).

This led me to say, “Turner, I really am worried about Mary Evelyn. She has gotten really, really sick again, and I am feeling really sad and worried.”

Turner, in complete confidence said, “But, Mom, God’s got it. I am praying for her. When I prayed for her before (in January), she was healed. He’ll heal her again.”

“You are right, Turner. God can do anything. He can heal anyone. But…you know how you just asked me for dessert, and I said ‘no?’ I said ‘no’ because dessert isn’t healthy at four in the afternoon. You know how sometimes you ask for dessert after a healthy dinner, and I say, ‘yes, of course!’...Or you know how you ask for dessert after lunch, and I sometimes say, ‘yes, but maybe later’?...

Well, God is our Heavenly Father. And just like mommy, when we pray and ask God for things, He sometimes says ‘YES!’. Sometimes he says, ‘YES, But not right now,’ and sometimes he says, ‘No,’ because he knows what is healthy for us and he knows more than we do.

God may say, ‘Yes’ to our requests to heal Mary Evelyn, He may say, ‘not right now’, and Turner, he may say ‘no.’ That doesn’t mean we stop asking. Or stop believing he could say, 'yes.' But, we have to be ok when he says, 'no.'”
************
Isn’t God amazing? He really set me up to explain things to her in a way she could get. She was pretty quiet after this talk. That night, and the ones that followed through the week, she prayed with fervor for Mary Evelyn to be healed.

Heartbreakingly, Mary Evelyn passed away Friday night. It seemed so fast to all of us, but she had fought the good fight, and it was time for her to leave her earthly body.

Needless to say, Thomas and I had to process our own grief and were not too excited to share the news with our sweet baby girl. But, dying is part of life, and we wanted to tell her the truth.

So, Saturday night at tuck-in, we both went up with her. We knew she’d pray for Mary Evelyn and thought it wise to share the news while she was snuggled up with both of us.

I reminded her of our talk about prayers and God’s answers, and then I shared the devastating news. She was torn up and cried and cuddled with us for a while. We explained to her that Mary Evelyn now had beautiful, long shiny hair and was in heaven with all the angels. She left her weak, sick body and was now a new, happy, healthy little girl, dancing and playing. And it was our job to pray for her family to not be sad and for us to not be sad.

That night, Turner began to pray a new prayer for Mary Evelyn. She’s had a couple of tough moments the last few days, when we know she is still processing this new world, where young people die and God sometimes says “no,” but she inspires us both to keep the faith…even when bad things happen to good people.

We ARE hugging a little tighter these days...and a little more often.

Table Decor

Mommy's Lovely Place mat
Parker's Firetruck Placemat
Daddy's Rainbow Place mat
Turner's Place mat

Turner decided we needed place mats around here! So, she custom designed one for each of us. Parker is a HUGE fan and can't get over his awesome firetruck!

I am taking them to be laminated tomorrow, because I fear a revolt if/when they get messed up (which, in these parts, is just a matter of time!).

p.s. I have to say that Turner's desire the "dress up" the table comes very naturally. Her namesake, Alice Turner, ALWAYS has a done-up table! Love ya, Grandy!