4.11.12

We're on Spring Break this week.

We started the break with an unplanned trip to the woods

A make shift grill and campfire next to a creek was the perfect spot.

Katie protected us from the bears :)

4.9.12

As promised...more prom photos.

Papa let him borrow his mustang. Pretty sweet ride for your Senior Prom.

Zach and Ariel

Ivan. He is hanging out at our house until graduation.

He thought this picture was silly and did not want me to take it. He finally gave in and smiled. I love this picture.

Fun times.

Fall Ball

A few pictures from this year's Fall Ball.

And yes, one of them actually danced....guess which one?

He even danced with me :)

Thanksgiving

It's quiet at my house this morning. Soon, I will be cranking up the oven for pies and mac n cheese....my contribution to Thanksgiving Dinner.

I had every intention to have a daily Thanksgiving post this month. *ahem* Didn't quite work out as I had planned.

This month has been CRAZY. I even have a *beautiful* stress rash on my arms and legs as proof.

I believe it is important to focus on the good things, the positive things, the blessings in life. Here's my list:

Bob - I married well....despite being young (2 weeks shy of 19) and totally unprepared for marriage, I somehow managed to find the perfect person.

Clay - He's grown up a lot this year. He is confident, dependable, honest, and a hard-worker. We rode together to a wrestling meet last night and the conversation was good. He's got a smart head on his shoulders and an incredibly giving heart. I'm so proud of him.

Zach - He celebrated a birthday this week. He's had a tough couple of months but "the old" Zach has returned and I'm thankful. He's my quiet, stoic one that is often misunderstood by those who don't know him well. He's the one who will always sit on the couch with me and slowly open up his heart. He's the one who has taught me to sit still, be patient, and listen for the meaning behind the words.

Adam - Adam has always been our "perpetual sunshine." He got his learner's permit this month. He posted on facebook that his first driving experience was "intense." It was. His first wrestling match was last week. He lost his match. He was disappointed for a little bit but within the hour posted the following on facebook: "Well I was the first person to loose in wrestling in Union County history." *his spelling--not mine* Bless his heart. You can't be around Adam and not smile.

Health - I'm thankful that both my mom and mother-in-law are doing well. They both still have health issues but they are doing much better. The spiritual and physical strength these two ladies have shown this past year is amazing. I love them both.

Service - I'm always thankful for opportunities to serve. This year, we were on the opposite side of the fence. We were the recipients of service. Some folks may not even realize how they "served" my family with their kinds words, sweet cards, and prayers. But oh-my-goodness....how blessed and loved we felt during that time.

Family - Today my family will meet together to eat, laugh, argue (just a little), and love on each other.

My job - I really love my job. This year is one of those "overwhelming" years where the sheer number of students is whipping my rear-end BUT....I have the most amazing classes. I absolutely love each and every one of them. I'm just frustrated there are so many (187 to be exact) that need "more" of me and I can only stretch myself so far.

5th Grade Sunday School Class - I just love this group. They are so funny and sweet. They bless my heart in so many ways.

Katie - Everyone needs a sweet beagle in their life. She's always happy when we get home and the perfect companion on the couch. Every evening she will put her face on my knee and give a sweet sigh of contentment....my heart instantly melts and forgets about the chewed up underwear in the driveway :)

A Prayer for Revelation

Last winter I chose a specific one word prayer for the boys. Throughout this year, God has been answering those prayers....in little and big ways.

This week was another answer to prayer.

Dreams written out on paper

Clay made a bold decision this week.

College English has paid off! Who would have thought Clay would use the words "minimalist fashion"? We won't mention anything about the misspelled words :P

He's decided to follow his heart and intuition.

A change in plans, a sense of direction, peace over the decision.

I used the following quote on Zach's senior ad. As Clay talked, debated, and weighed his options this week, I was reminded of the quote.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Steve Jobs

For a believer the "inner voice" is the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for Clay. I pray he will continue to follow his heart and intuition by fully relying on God.

Everything else IS secondary....

One Happy Family

I recently wrangled my guys into a family photo session.

There were a few moans and groans....but...overall, everyone promised to behave and smile for the camera.

We met the photographer at the local park on a Sunday afternoon.

The leaves were beautiful. The weather was amazing. It was simply gorgeous....

A perfect day for pictures.

A great day to celebrate FAMILY.

all photo credits: Dana Kogod Photography

Great memories.....

How we spent our Sunday

Be the Church

The First Game of the Season

First home game is tonight.

The beginning of the end for one player.

The first game as a high school player for the other one.

I'll try not to cry.

Prayer Request

My mother-in-law will have surgery this Friday. She has two large masses that will be removed plus exploratory surgery. The masses are so large she can't eat more than a few bites and is in constant pain. She is getting weaker and weaker every day.

Our family would be most appreciative if you remembered Sandy in your prayers.

20

20 years.

I can't quite wrap my brain around that number.

There have been moments of awkwardness, challenges, and growing pains (for you and your parents). But always...always love.

As you leave your teenage years and look ahead to the future, I hope the happy times, the laughter, the cherished moments are the ones you think of first.

And I hope your heart always brings you back home.

Happy Birthday Clay. We love you.

Your legacy

In a couple of weeks we will celebrate our 25th anniversary. In less than 9 days, we will celebrate 20 years of parenthood.

Remember when we brought him home? Remember how he cried from 11 PM to 2 AM?

Every. Single. Night.One of my fondest memories from those first weeks of parenthood is forever imprinted in my mind. You're stretched out on the couch with Clay across your chest. It was a perfect moment...until the colic hit and we spent another night trying to console the inconsolable.

Thank goodness for those magic drops the doctor prescribed!

You are an amazing dad. You willingly worked two jobs that allowed me to stay home with the boys. You've given up dreams of your own to provide for us. Your faith and quiet strength has been a consistent force in our home. We've been blessed.

As the boys grow up, I've watched them watch you. Now that they are entering adulthood, I see bits and pieces of you in their words and actions. I love that.

While we don't say it nearly enough, we love you. Happy Father's Day!

A long recovery

Mom came home on Tuesday. She was still weak but we were hopeful that being home would speed up her recovery.

My sister called on Thursday morning worried about mom's progress. Her O2 levels kept dropping and she was having hallucinations. By the end of the day, she was re-admitted back into the hospital. She'll be in the hospital over the weekend.

A small clot was found in her neck where the central IV had been placed. Hopefully, taking care of the clot will also take care of her other symptoms.

I'm headed back down to the hospital. This is one time that living in the mountains is a huge inconvenience. The hospital is 55 miles away and it takes over an hour to get there.

Please continue to keep her in your prayers.....

A Sharpshooter

We traveled to the 4H State Shotgun competition this weekend. Adam hit a perfect 25 at district which qualified him for the state competition.

He hit 20 at the state meet. He was a little disappointed but my "eternal optimist" was already planning for next years meet before we left.

By the time we gathered the group together for a picture, he was back to his cheerful self. He was "striking a pose" in the picture above. He planted those hands on his hips, stuck out his chest and announced to the world that he was ready for his photo shoot. One of his coaches turned to me and asked, "Who does he get that from?" I just shook my head and said it was some weird DNA mutation.

I love this boy.....he is a delight.

I'd like to hit the pause button....

There are so many things going on in the next few days...

My oldest is getting on a plane tomorrow to fly west. He'll spend the summer with his grandmother and work with his uncle. This is a good thing. I'm happy for Grandma Sandy....she'll feed him well and I suspect my skinny college boy will come home with a few, much needed, extra pounds on his frame. He'll also get to spend time with Bob's family. He may even learn to ride a horse :)

But.....I'm going to miss him. I really hate all this growing up business....

My mom's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. She has a Biliary Cystadenoma. Approximately 60-70% of her liver will be removed. We've been warned the recovery will be long and hard. My family would appreciate your prayers. Prayers for a successful surgery, no signs of malignancy, and a quick, uneventful, recovery.

This morning, all the "stuff" ahead has left me a little depressed. So today, I'm hitting the pause button and putting aside the fretting and fear. I'm going to embrace the day. I've written the following verses on a slip of paper to carry around today. The words calm my heart.

I bless GOD every chance I get;

my lungs expand with his praise.

I live and breathe GOD;

if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy:

Join me in spreading the news;

together let's get the word out.

God met me more than halfway,

and he freed me from my anxious fears.

Psalm 34: 1-4

(The Message)

Zach's video

Here's his recruitment video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wsXHGBUdec

Morning Head Count

The holidays brought Clay home from college.

I have a little habit that developed a couple of summers ago. Each morning of that first summer of "teenage mobility" (aka - driver's license), I would wake up and complete a mental head count.

One, two, three.

Who was here...who spent the night with a friend. Some mornings would find a few extra heads to count.

One, two, three, four, five, six....

I didn't realize I had developed this almost unconscious habit until Clay left for college. The head count had become a little ritual that provided me a sense of peace because everyone was safe and accounted for.

Then Clay left for school, and my little morning ritual was disrupted. *sigh*

But the holidays brought him home again and for one sweet week, my morning head count was

one, two, three :)

2011

Happy New Years from the Williams Family.

My goals for 2011?

Balance.

Bible Study.

Create.

Be Joyful in all things.

Worship

Celebrate.

Love more.

Boys, Snow, and 4 Wheel Drive

It's not often we get a White Christmas in the South. Here in the North Georgia Mountains, we may get a cold Christmas or a Christmas with a light snowfall but rarely do we get a 6 inch snow.

Miss Katie loved the snow.

We got up on Christmas morning and made the decision to stay put. Or at least I thought that was the decision. The guys were convinced they could make it to Granny and Papa's house. They were sure their 4-wheel drive trucks could handle the road.

I think they just wanted to play in the snow...big boy style. Instead of sleds and snowmen, they wanted to slip and slide in their truck.

Instead of driving the main roads, we chose the National Forest Service roads. The drive through Cooper Creek Wildlife Management area is one of our favorites. The snow was beautiful. I could have taken pictures the entire day!

Here the guys wait on me while I snap a few more photos. We were the first ones to ride through the area.

My Alma Mater

This is the smallest school in the state of Georgia. It houses grades k-12. I graduated with a bumper crop of 12 students! I love this school.

We safely arrived at Granny and Papa's house for Christmas Dinner and were only 25 minutes late :)