a new beginning

When we left Dallas to come to Tupelo, we never in our wildest dream thought that we would now be leaving Tupelo to plant a church in Memphis. In fact, I remember so clearly both of our prayers as we made the journey to Tupelo. God, just let this be a place where we can really put down some roots. Let this be a place we can be at for the long haul.

I can also remember leaving Memphis for Dallas with the question, "What if?" on my mind. What if there was a really gospel-centered church that was contemporary in worship, believed strongly in discipleship and was highly missional in the Memphis area? Memphis has been on our heart since the day we left Memphis. There's something about growing up in the city and watching the apathy towards the gospel and people who are tired of being disappointed in churches that makes your heart ache and grieve to see restoration in the city.

When we came to Tupelo we never thought that God had given our pastor, Sam Shaw, the same desire. We thought he was done with Memphis, been there and done that. But, God had continually placed Memphis on his heart since he left.

I truly believe that God has allowed us to have unrest and to move around many times in order to prepare us for this moment. Our journey has led us to this point with Pastor Sam in order that we can plant this church in Memphis. Also, we have been out of our comfort zone. We have not been allowed to get too "comfortable" in any place. I think that is because with church planting you have to be flexible and roll with the punches so to speak. So now after having asked God so many times ,"Why are we moving again?", He has given me the answer. It is for such a time as this. I now see the hand of God so clearly writing out this story.

So now we step out into faith and truly believe that God is holding us in his hand, guiding our every move.

"When I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul." Psalm 138:3.

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one that goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

A passage that helped me get confirmation...

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;" Acts 17:24-27

Leaving is hard. Leaving is hurtful. I pray that our relationships we have made in Tupelo are not contingent upon us serving there at the church. I am praying diligently for Hope Church, and I hope they will do the same for us.

As for now, it is time for a new beginning...

backyard fun

Sunday, after church, the girls ripped off their smocked dresses and exchanged them for some play clothes. It was such a gorgeous day! We needed some relaxing sunshine after a stress-filled Sunday morning.

But, really, aren't all Sunday mornings stressful?

I know they are for me as the single parent trying to get out the door and make it for church. In order to make it to service, it takes us a good 3 hours to get out the door. If I can't make it to a 10:30 service on time with 3 kids, you can forget about bible study prior to service. People ask me all the time why I am not more involved in a bible study on Sunday mornings. My response? I would be happy to as long as you're coming over to help us get out the door:)

This past Sunday morning was no exception to insanity. We were actually doing pretty good, and we are time. That is, until the welcome time of the service. A sweet lady notified me that I still had the sticker left on my newly purchased jeans. You know, the sticker that says your size OVER and OVER again as it runs down your pants leg.

Way to go, Kelly. Major self-esteem booster for the new mom of 3.

Then, as soon as it is time for the teaching, my sweet Lila decides that her constipation issues are over. She begins to let out horrific gas complete with sound. But no, that's not enough. She grunts and grunts until her issues are... well should we say, resolved.

And then the crying begins. Loud wails ensue. I can't get out of my seat fast enough.

So... needless to say, between the embarrassment of the proclamation of my size and the bowel movement of my child, it just makes you wonder, why did I even come?

But, anyways, on to the pictures.

Here's Lila looking a bit sleepy since she decided to forego her nap during church.

We recently gave our dog away to a sweet family at our church. This was the pen we had for him outside. Ava was acting like she was stuck in there. If only I could stick my children outside in it for awhile during the day...

I'm not sure about this little pose of Emma's. Reminds me of a pin-up girl's pose.
Picking "flowers", otherwise known as weeds.

My marathon runner.

A good old-fashioned race. It was really just a ploy on my part to make sure that they were good and tired for a nap.

this one is for the hubby

After I posted the last round of pictures, the hubby told me that I didn't even post his 2 favorites.

Because I am a mind reader?

Just kidding.

So, this post is for you, honey...

I do love this picture, though. Anyone that knows Emma, knows how quickly she gets frustrated. She wants to know how to do everything and how to do it right. No patience at all. I just can't think who that reminds me of:) Her face says it all in this picture.

Ava having a sweet, innocent moment...

some film from a month ago

Jason got back some film recently and this is what we found:)

The girls love to play dress-up. I have conceded to the fact that if we are going to be at home, Emma and Ava will not be wearing anything that I have put them in. Apparently, they have way better fashion sense than me.

Emma as a bride. We need to save this picture for when she gets married one day.

Ava as Princess Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

I think Lila was only a couple of weeks old in the following pictures.

Look at those tiny feet! And those chicken legs! No tiny legs anymore. We've got some nice baby rolls going on now.

Emma at her "laptop". Maybe she's seen us doing this a little too much.

All snuggly in her chair...

presley's 2nd birthday

I was so excited that we all got to attend my best friend Candice's little girl's 2nd birthday.

Candice is such a creative person ,so I knew that Presley's party would be adorable. Candice did not disappoint. Presley's party had a garden/bug theme, and it was precious!

The cake... the centerpiece. Seriously, how cute is that?

Candice made the tissue paper flowers that hung from the ceiling. There was ladybug and bumblebee balloons and even the food was themed with items like "ants on a log", celery with peanut butter and raisins.

Lila hanging out before she went to sleep.

The birthday girl holding her first purse that she got as a gift from her grandmother.

Precious P... poor thing ended up sick later that night.

Presley and her Daddy

Emma and Ava watched so patiently as the gifts were open.

Nothing like some yummy cake to top the party off!

wednesday's thoughts

• A funny thing happened tonight. Well, not that funny to me, but funny if you happened to see me. As I was getting out of my car at the mall tonight, I dropped my phone. My iPhone fell underneath the car that was next to me... in the middle of it. After looking at it from every angle because clearly I was in denial of what I was going to have to do, I dropped to my stomach and laid flat on the pavement and attempted to retrieve my phone. After about a couple of minutes, I was able to finally stretch myself far enough to reach my phone. By the way, I have no idea what my iPhone is made of, but I have never known a phone to get dropped on pavement, concrete or hardwood more than mine and still work great. The screen of my phone is cracked all up, and it still works perfectly. Jason wants me to get a new phone since mine is in embarrassing shape. I told him, "What's the use in it? I'm just going to drop it again."
• Jason and I agreed to both give up sugar for Lent. I was excited about our decision and I knew it was and is going to be quite the challenge for us. Today, I decided to make a big pot of spaghetti. Knowing I could not use the canned sauce because of the sugar in it, I made the sauce from scratch. I have a favorite recipe that I use when I feel ambitious. I checked all the labels on my canned tomatoes and all was good. No sugar to be found. So I am tossinfg all the ingredients in left and right, and I just toss the 2 Tablespoons of sugar the recipe called for without thinking. My "I have a newborn brain" clearly isn't working. First day of Lent Commitment is a fail.
• My sweet hubby got me a gift certificate to Ann Taylor Loft as part of my valentine. I went there to spend a little of it. I don't understand why I am more careful about spending a gift certificate than my own money. I become OCD checking prices and seeing what bang I can get for my buck.
• We received a check for overpayment to our OBGYN today. Love it! God must have noticed that I needed to get my roots done because it was just the perfect amount.
• All ministry wives should get a copy of the book ,You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes by Lisa McKay. Such awesome practical advise! She writes about raising ministry kids, coming and leaving churches, having close friends in the congregation, and conflict in churches to name a few. I really gained so much insight from this book.

1 month

(not the most flattering picture between the camera and the frown)

What's going on with Lila at 1 month?

• The girl loves a good bottle. She can knock 'em back with the best of them. You can bet that she will never miss a bottle!
• Because she loves a good bottle, she has the most precious "chipmunk" cheeks!
• She is smiling! Just now I went to take her picture and all she would do is frown at me. I put the camera down and she gave me the biggest most precious smile. She is going to be like her sisters and not be a fan of the camera.
• Lila is really starting to grab ahold of things. Just this morning while she was in her swing. She reached up and grabbed ahold of a toy I had hanging there.
• She is having some acid reflux and gas pains. Days for us are pretty fussy. Her stomach is tight and gassy. She likes to be held really tight and close to me. I think it makes her tummy feel better.
• Already at a month, she has had 2 minor colds and she has barely been out!
• She is a good sleeper. Just last night, Lila slept from 10:30 to 5:00! I am thankful this is getting to be the norm!
• Her nickname is becoming Lila Cake. We got this from Ava. She is determined that this is Lila Kate's actual name.

my monday in bullet points

• Jason is supposed to go to a conference in Nashville this weekend. The plan was that the girls and I would be dropped off at my family's house in Memphis. It would be a pain in the rear end to travel and stay for almost a week when you have a newborn, however it is so much better than staying here by myself with 2 kids and a newborn. Now, it is snowing in Memphis. Please tell me I am not going to have to be here by myself if Jason goes to the conference!
• Also, we took Ava to the doctor this morning. She has an ear infection. I am just glad it is not anything contagious.
• The doctor noticed when she listened to Ava's heart, that she had a heart murmur. Sometimes children can have a heart murmur when they have fever. The thing that concerned the doctor was that Ava did not have fever at the time, and we have not noticed her having fever this weekend. The doctor is setting up an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist as a precaution. The doctor also told us not to worry about it. Yeah, right. You say pediatric cardiologist and I am not going to worry? Not possible.
• I do not know if it will ever be possible for us to get our children to school on time. I think we are late to preschool about half of the week. What are we going to do when Emma goes to kindergarten next year? Our child might just fail out because we can't get her there. Hopefully, one day we will get our act together...
• I am realizing that I need a lot of sleep. I have to have my 8 hours. It is just not pretty if I don't. What I am thankful for is that Jason does not require as much sleep as I do. He's a much better Mommy than me in the middle of the night. I am so thankful that opposites attract!
• Just started reading the book, You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes. It's a book for pastor's wives written by a pastor's wife. It is funny, and it is real. It about breaking down the stereotypes we and people have about what a pastor's wife should be from dressing to personality. I love it. We are not all meant to be robotic "Bless you" and "I made you this casserole" and "I got up at 5 this morning and spent 3 hours in the Word" kind of women. Thank goodness!

lila's birth in film

Jason just got back some of his film that he shot in the hospital when Lila was born.

Please pardon that way I look in the following pictures. I look like I am drugged up. Oh, wait I was.

We had a great weekend. Friday night, a friend and I went to dinner and shopping while our wonderful husbands watched our kids. It was a much needed girl's night for me!

Saturday, we had a friend from church volunteer to watch the girls while Jason and I had a lunch date and ran some errands. We enjoyed a quiet night at home cooking dinner and renting the movie, Love Happens.

Sunday, was a no-go for us for church. Lila was fussy much of Saturday night, and this Mommy could not get up and go. We even had Superbowl plans with friends and I could not find the energy to go. I took an almost 3 hour nap Sunday afternoon because I was so exhausted.

I know what you're thinking. I have a really great husband who lets me get out and lets me take naps. How did I get so lucky?

Well, I am lucky, but I do think he's got an ulterior motive. He's leaving for a conference in Nashville for 4 days next week. I think he's trying to make it up to me.

Good times with 3 kids. I hope I make it:)

3 weeks

3 weeks can go by so fast. I am so scared I am going to "miss" the baby phase with Lila. With Lila, she may be our last. We haven't decided yet. But knowing that she may be our last, it has made me want to treasure, remember and hold onto all those sweet things that I may not get to experience again.

What is Lila doing at 3 weeks?

• She is Mommy's girl.
• She wakes up one time during the night to eat. Thank goodness!
• She's already smiled some for us. Call it gas or whatever, it still warms my heart!
• She only likes one pacifier and it is the one we came home with from the hospital. We have tried all different kinds and still that one is the only one that satisfies. We even tried the same brand as the one from the hospital, and she still knows that it's not the same.
• She is loved by her two older sisters. I could never have imagined that so far the transition of bringing Lila home could go so smoothly. My biggest fear with Emma and Ava is that they will love her too much. They are so proud of her and love to show her off to people when we go out. They thank God for Lila in their prayers at night. When we leave the house, they both ask Jason and me if Lila is going to come with us. They are still confused at why Mommy's baby gets to come with us when they have to leave their babies at home:)