Weekend Update..........

Ok, just so you know, the 8th graders won the scavenger hunt, BUT the 11th graders are the D-Now High School Basketball Tournament Champions!! I'm so glad they won, not because of bragging rights but because that is ALL my 11th grade boys have talked about, well besides "hot" girls, lol. They have worked on their game plan and plays and even practiced in the driveway. So, for the selfish reason of me not wanting to hear them whine about losing, I am SO happy they won =)

Now for the best part of D-Now.....

This is our 6th year to be a host home for D-Now. All the sleepless nights, the many miles driven, the food bought, the crumbs and empty cups/cans everywhere, the smelly house, the cold showers, the picture frames and towel racks broken, were so worth it when our youngest daughter, Kylee,12, accepted Christ last night at the D-Now rally. She came forward this morning during worship service to make a public confession and to say she wanted to be baptized. I have prayed for this day since she was born. This alone is the most important decision she will ever make. God is faithful. I am reminded of Isaiah 43:1b which says "...Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name; thou art mine." I am so thankful today Kylee is His. 12 years ago, without us even asking, God surprised us with Kylee. We had Haley 5 years earlier after many painful years of infertility. We were so thankful God finally answered that prayer that we didn't want to be greedy and ask for another child. We were content with what we had. I'm so thankful God knows what we need, when we need it. Had he listened to my plan, Haley would be an only child. Instead, she has a beautiful, 12 year old sister who is kind, caring and compassionate that also happens to be sassy, and funny, and out spoken (not sure where she gets that from, wink wink). She has brought countless smiles to my face and immeasurable joy to our family. Take a moment and meet the my favorite surprise, Kylee Brooke
I'm thankful for His plan for us. I am thankful He knows, far better than us, the plan He has for us. Aren't we know it all's? Don't we think we have it all figured it out sometimes? Don't we try to tell God how to fix it it? Don't we limit God?Let's don't be content. Let's let God work HIS plan in our lives. I can't wait to see what He has in store for us next. Did I tell you I was thankful Kylee accepted Christ? Yeah, I am =)

Ok, I have a new blog friend and we have been talking weight loss. Over the last year I have lost 70 pounds. She asked for before/after pictures. This is not the biggest I ever got, but this was on my birthday in January 2008. I decided I was tired of being fat, tired of being the fattest one, and really just tired of being tired, plus my Doctor told me I was fat and had to lose some weight. I eat what I want but I try to eat normally, not be a glutton just because it tastes good. For example, today at lunch I wanted a cheeseburger. Yep, a big, fat juicy cheeseburger mayonnaise and all, but I only ate half of it. I was drinking only real Mtn. Dew's but now only drink water, unsweet tea, fat free milk, coffee, and a nightly cup of hot chocolate (yummy). I'm not a sweet eater normally though I have an addiction to Reese's peanut butter cups, and I would rather eat mashed potatoes than anything. I struggle everyday. I HATE exercise with a passion and would rather do without food than exercise. It has been a VERY slow journey and I still have 30 pounds to go but I'm getting there one pound at a time. I started out in a size 22, needing a 24 but I refused to buy them. I now wear a size 10. This is before and after close-up pictures, well not really an after picture because I'm not finished=) December 2007
January 2009


I have rambled enough. I hope you have a wonderful week!

=],

Gracie