bend it like beckham ....

An Amazing thing was discovered a few weeks ago! I was inside one afternoon cooking dinner (which I admit I rarely do) and Casey and Anna-Claire were outside playing! Other than us actually being at home, me actually cooking dinner and Casey and AC actually getting to play outside, it was like any other afternoon! As I was finishing up preparing our delicious dinner, Casey popped his head in the house and said, "You have got to come out here and see this!" With my curiosity peeked, I quickly went outside to see what in the world was going on. So I go outside to find Casey standing with Anna-Claire's princess kickball in his hand. Then I see Anna-Claire standing in the yard smiling! So of course you can imagine I am thinking "ooookkkk so what's the big deal?" Casey then proceeds to tell me, "Watch this!" He takes the ball and has Anna-Claire kick it from the house all the way to the neighbor's fence! Which is a pretty good spread. Three kicks is all it takes! The girl has got an amazing kick! I must say I was pretty impressed. She had to have kicked that ball back and forth from the house to the fence at least 10 times!

So of course the very next day Casey and Anna-Claire head to Wal-Mart to get a cheap soccer ball. Please keep in mind that Casey HATES soccer! Like totally despises soccer! It is funny to me though when a father sees that a child might possibly have potential for a sport they immediately begin to force their prejudices for that sport to the side all for the sake of the child ... of course. I mean Casey actually went to Wal-Mart and bought (paid money for) a soccer ball! That is just hysterical to me. Oh, and no he didn't stop there. No! No! He actually took the time to get on the computer and google soccer coaching tips and drills. You gotta love a man's passion for the world of sports!

Shortly after the purchase the two headed back to the back yard! Casey practiced drill after drill with Anna-Claire. He even taught her how to dribble the ball up and down the yard! And I have to admit she was good ... I mean really good! She dribbled that ball, she kicked that ball, she scrimmaged that ball as if she had been doing it for years. I was totally in shock! Could it be that my girlie girl was an up and coming future soccer player? Needless to say we are signing her up for the local church soccer league this fall!

Look out David .... Anna-Claire is going to bend it like Beckham!

fancy was her name ...

After the whole ear piercing event, Anna-Claire and her trusty sidekick Alyssa decided to milk Claire's for all it was worth! I mean "Hello" how often do two girlie girls get the opportunity to spend what seemed like an eternity lavishing themselves in jewels, tiaras, and everything fancy!

They first spotted the hats! Anna-Claire showcase her Minnie Pearl look! But because the hats just weren't fancy enough, they soon found the shelf of tiaras. Of course you can't have a tiara and newly pierced ears without ... necklaces, bracelets, tutu skirts, Happy Birthday sashes To see these two girls in action was a total hoot! It seemed the more they could find to put on the fancier they felt!

I mean after all the fancier the better ... right!

diamonds are a girl's best friend!

I secretly have been waiting for the time when Anna-Claire would come to me and tell me she wanted her ears pierced! I promised myself long ago that piercing her ears would be a decision that only she would make! And if and when that time came I would gladly let her have it done! I wanted her to experience the excitement and the nervousness that I got to experience when my mom took me to get my ears pierced! I can remember like it was yesterday when my mom took me to Goldsmith's Department Store (now Macy's) and driving up that ramp, parking the car, walking boldly in the door and with glassed over eyes telling the lady the exact pair I had proudly chosen. (which by the way were gold stars because I was in love with Wonder Woman) I can remember holding me breath, my stomach full of anticipation and then seeing for the first time a big girl with newly pierce ears starring back at me in the mirror!

So you can imagine my excitement when Anna-Claire out of the blue said to me one day, "Momma, I want to get my ears pierced!" As excited as I was that she mentioned it I remained calm, cool and collective as all moms do and said, "Well let's think about it some!" I later went on to explain how it hurts just a little bit and how it is very important to keep them clean and how once one ear was pierced there was no turning back! LOL So she pondered back and forth for about a week and said, "Well, you know I think I will get my ears pierced when I am like six years old, no ten years old, or when I am a mom like you!" So I told her it was her decision and when she wanted to get them done is when we would get them done.

About a month or so passed and the topic never came up again until one day right before bed she said, "You know I think I am ready to get my ears pierced now! I am a big girl and now is the time!" Coincidentally, her decision came right before the week of her Pre-K Graduation! What perfect timing! Anna-Claire would be given a very special graduation gift .... her ears pierced! How exciting! She was so excited but you could tell a little on the skeptical side! So she asked if she could bring a friend with her to hold her hand!

The Saturday right after graduation, we headed to Claire's! Anna-Claire's best friend Alyssa came along for moral support! I had called the day before to make sure two ladies would be there to pierce both ears at the same time. (Way to think ahead mom!) You could see the excitement building in her mind and eyes as we parked the car. She walked with such confidence into the store! When given the choice of earrings she immediately pointed to the diamonds (they were really cubic zirconias but who cares)! And there my little baby girl sat, holding her best friend's hand, all the while anxiously awaiting her fate! In a matter of seconds it was done! She looked up at me and I could tell she was about to cry! And then I said to her, "Your earrings are beautiful! You look so pretty!" Not a tear was shed that day! No not one! As one of the ladies handed her a mirror I knew this day would be one she would always remember! As she looked in the mirror I could see her refection! I knew that look! I had seen it many, many years ago!

The look of seeing for the first time a big girl with newly pierce ears starring back at her in the mirror....

you say goodbye and I say hello ...

This post for me is kind of a bitter sweet one! I am faced with countless emotions .... My reactions have been many .... I have smiled, I have cried, I have laughed, I have been silenced. For any mother or parent for that matter that reads this you will know my heart! For anyone that is not yet a parent, my prayer is that one day you too will relate!

I don't think that any other title could be more appropriate or more fitting! Young or Old we all face seasons of change! It is a way of life! Where we say goodbye to one season in the same breath we are saying hello to another. The second hand is always pressing forward, on to another minute, which leads to another hour, that creates another day ... yet it is moments like this where time stands still and you are caught in between goodbye and hello!

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of watching my Anna-Claire graduate Pre-Kindergarten! To date, it was probably one of the proudest moments for me as a parent! I watched my grown baby walk down an aisle in her white cap and gown, take her seat and look at me with such confidence ... all while "Pomp and Circumstance" played on a small CD player in the back of the room! The Pledge of Allegiance was we recited and songs were performed that a few days prior had been rehearsed hour after endless hour! Her walk was tall and her stride was long as she went to accept her long anticipated certificate. Her pride on display for the world to see as that Pre-K diploma rested tightly clinched in her hand. It was absolutely breath taking!

As white caps were thrown in the air, I couldn't help but reflect on the past five years! Five years! I have spent the last five years watching my baby grow into this extraordinary, young person that stands before me! I have been a part of every first in her life thus far! I have toted that carrier around with her precious little body snuggled up in it! I have strapped her in her car seat time after time after time! I have dropped her off and picked her up many a time from her daycare! I have heard account upon account of what happened each day at "school" down to minuet detail of what was for lunch and snack! I have sang "Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee" until I am blue in the face! I have taken home and stored literally every piece of art work brought home and proudly displayed on the fridge! If I have zipped that little fall jacket once, I have zipped it a hundred times. I have been to every parent child party, every parent teacher conference and yes I have even mastered the warrior pose thanks to Pre-K Yoga Class. I have given high fives at every Green Tree window it seems. I have been shown and explained every center in every class! And I have seen that precious face light up brighter than the sun itself as she darts to the playground gate to meet me after a long tiring day! ...

I don't think there was a memory I didn't recall as those white caps floated to the ground! And that was that! In that moment her Pre-School days had come to an end! The graduation reception was attended, the cupcakes were eaten, pictures were taken and hugs were given! As much as I wanted that fleeting moment to last forever, I knew it was time to tuck the past five years away deep in my heart!

As I said goodbye to that season I said hello to a new one .... Kindergarten is now only three days away! And I have come to accept that in three days Casey nor I will sign her in and take her in to the building, she will be walking into a new room where she will spend 40+ hours a week engaging in numerous activities, she will be introduced to a new teacher that will in a year give her the tools she needs to further learn and explore, she will meet new friends that will soon become her kindergarten confidants, she will eat lunch in a real cafeteria that will house all the daily "table talks" that will occur, she will experience so many new and wonderful things.

As excited as I am to say hello ... it is equally as hard to say goodbye ....

Busy Little Bees...

Shocker I know! I am actually posting again! I have been asked over and over (and not just by my mom), "When are you going to post something?!" I first chalked up my lack of blogging to having Blogger's Block! So I let a few days (weeks) pass then just when I am feeling the urge to post ... life took over! I just got busy! Plain and simple! But seriously praise God for my busy-ness!

First let me say ...the Young's LOVE us some Highpoint Church in Memphis! It is AMAZING! It has become home for us. It truly is where God has placed us! And for Him and His Glory, we are baring much fruit and are so blessed and grateful! We recently started leading the Singles Group there and never in my wildest dreams did I ever foresee us leading Singles! I mean seriously??? It has been a really, really long time since we were living the Single Life! The Lord definitely pushed us out of our comfort zone for sure! But man what an awesome journey it has been thus far! Our lives have been touched by so many incredible single men and women. All who have different stories and backgrounds. All who are at a different point in their spiritual journey! All who have a passion and desire for learning more about God! It is truely humbling that the Lord has placed Casey and Me and even Anna-Claire in each of their lives by way of some form or fashion! I now have single women in my life that I can pray with, I can dig deep in the word with, I can be accountable with! I have single women that pour their lives into me and I into them! The men I will leave for Casey to tend to! This group has become such a vital part of our lives! There was an emptiness in both Casey's and my heart! That void has been filled by way of these wonderful singles we serve!

It seems that these days we have very little time for us! If we aren't going here ... we are going there! If we are not spending time at church we are spending time with people from church! Our home is fastly becoming posted with an "open" door policy! And the moment I think, "We can actually go to bed early!", a text message appears on my phone or an email in my inbox! The list could go on but I would hate to exhaust you!

I say all that to say this ...I am in LOVE with being busy! Let me rephrase that ... I am in LOVE with being busy for my Lord! Everything I do, Everything I touch I want it to be because I long to serve Him! So that He alone can profit the Glory! My prayer is that I may never be found idle when there is something out there He has called me to do! May I never be unwilling to sacrifice my time for His need!

There have been times in my spiritual journey that Christ has called me to be still. He has called me to rest. He has called me to drop everything so that He can restore. And I am very thankful for that! But praise Him that He always calls me back to being busy! Our pastor Chris Conley recently made a profound statement that I absolutely loved! He said at that end of everyone's day we are all found tired because we have all been busy. So if we are going to be tired anyway, why not make part of the reason we are tired because of something we have done to impact God's Kingdom! What he said really made sense. How many times do we say I can't do this for the church or I can't do that becuase I am so tired from being busy! News flash we are going to be tired at the end of the day regardless of what we have done! Here is the catch, "Is our much needed rest because of something we have done for Him and His glory?" ... Is my much needed rest because of something I have done for Him and His glory? My prayer is that it is! I don't want to find that when I am face down on my hands and knees before my Savior that gave EVERYTHING for me I bring Him nothing. I don't want to come to Him empty handed because I was too busy doing something that in the grand scheme of things didn't really matter or empty handed because I was just too tired to carve out time in my day and in my life to serve Him!

Often times I use worry how our busy-ness affects Anna-Claire! It seems that everyday without fail she will ask one of two questions 1) Who are we going to dinner with tonight? or 2) Who is coming to our house tonight? Those questions no longer bring me to worry! They bring me to a place of joy! I know in my heart our busy-ness is not only teaching my beautiful daughter what it is to have a Servant's heart but what a Servant's heart looks like! And I find peace in knowing that I am leading by example. She sees Christ alive in me! Aside from her one day accepting Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, I desire nothing more than for her to poses a passion and willingness to give her time for His cause!

So with that my apologies for being a Blog Slacker but Glory be to Him for the reasons why!

Finding Frieda - frieda-cise

At one time, not so long ago, I was under the belief that once your child reached the ripe old age of five she had graduated (with diploma in hand) from the 'Expect the Unexpected' moments. You know those moments. The ones were you walk into a very, quiet room only to find your sweet, innocent child strangely resembling a human rainbow thanks to the help of Crayola markers….Well, I recently learned that that belief was a myth camouflaged in sheep’s clothing!

The past few weeks, Casey has been dedicated to the P90X exercise program. Our hearth-room has some how managed to become an Olympic fitness center! I am surrounded by dumbbells of all pounds and sizes, a beautiful weight bench that matches my home décor perfectly (please sense the sarcasm) and an array of beloved exercise bands. How might you ask does this have anything to do with an ‘Expect the Unexpected’ moment? Well, let’s just say Frieda decided to create her own form of exercise! I proudly give you Frieda-cise ….

My Little Mermaid

Yesterday marked the first day of Anna-Claire’s swimming lessons! I had no idea what to expect from my little lady! She is not very fond of the water, and she is definitely not fond of being splashed in the face. Combine those two factors with two weeks worth of swim lessons and who knows what one will get!

To my surprise, My Little Mermaid did an amazing job! Within an hour, she learned how to do flutter kicks. She learned how blow bubbles. She even held her breath and went all the way under the water not once, not twice, but seven times! She was so proud! And I was so proud for her. As we rode home, she went on and on telling me how she loved the water! She wished she lived in the water and could do everything in the water! She could sleep in the water, eat in the water, play in the water, talk in the water… Looks like have my very own Ariel in the making …

i will rise ...

I was riding into work today and Chris Tomlin’s song “I Will Rise” came on the radio! I love the song and have heard a million times (once even live in concert) but for some reason today it spoke volumes to me! I am doing the Experiencing God Study which is amazing. I am refreshing my mind and heart in what it means to have a “love” relationship with my precious Lord! Throughout the past three weeks I have prayed and asked Him to allow me to experience Him in a way I have never experienced Him before. Praise be to Him that He hears and answers our prayers! With that being said, I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to do this study with a group of wonderful and extraordinary women. They each touch my life in different ways. Isn’t it amazing to have women surrounding you that have a passion for the Lord and a passion for His word! If you don’t have any gals like that I strongly suggest you pray for God to bring them into your life! It will change you … Trust me! Ok, I have diverted! That is so me ….

Ok so where was I? Oh yeah driving into work, hearing “I Will Rise” and it speaking volumes! … This overwhelming reverence to My Jesus came over me as the Holy Spirit in that moment allowed the words of that song speak so loudly to my heart! The lyrics are as follows:

“I Will Rise” – Chris Tomlin
There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

…. This is my heart’s cry! Praise God Jesus has overcome and the tomb is overwhelmed. Where would I be had the victory not been won and had He not risen from the dead? Because of Him…Because of all He did … I can and will rise when He calls my name! How great will that day be when I am standing before my Father, the God of all Creation and can fall on my knees before Him in worship giving Him the praise He so greatly deserves? Oh what a glorious day that will be! I long to hear the voice of many angels sing and the cry of every longing heart, “Worthy is the Lamb”! ….

“And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise” ….

Will you rise? …My prayer is that as we live our lives here on earth we are found faithful. That we worship Him now in this life in preparation for our eternal life! That we long to serve Him daily. That we never look at our lives or our situations except against the backdrop of the cross. That we pursue a love relationship with our Heavenly Father! That we cry out to Him, “Worthy, Worthy is the Lamb” …..

One Shady Lady

My Anna-Claire loves the many pair of sunglasses she has acquired over the years! I think we are up to like fifteen pair now! I thought it would be cute to show the different pictures I have taken of her showcasing her shades.

It is so good to see I have taught my fashonista the proper way to accessorize! The more glam the greater ... the more bling the better ... and always, always top it off with a stellar pair shades!

Finding Frieda - Slip Slidin'

For the second installment of Finding Frieda, we find Frieda mastering the Slip N' Slide. Well, not exactly...

This past Sunday was a beautiful afternoon, so we decided to pop open the Slip N' Slide and give it a slide for it's money! Let's keep in mind, Anna-Claire has been just dying to play on it ever since we purchased it at the beloved Wally World! So let me set the scene, Casey sets the Slip N' Slide up. We turn the water on. Everything is ready to go... Except Frieda. Casey even goes as far as demonstrating the art of sliding on the Slip N' Slide (which by the way was HILARIOUS), but to no avail. Frieda refuses to give it a try. So you would think the story would end there right? ... WRONG...

She finally gets on the slide but there is no Slipin' and there for sure is no Slidin'. But there is however, a five year old little girl pretending she is a Disney Fairy that has been given the talent of "making water". (If you have no clue what I am talking about be sure to rent Disney's Tinkerbell and you will be well aware, LOL) So as I sit and watch this whole storyline unfold, I am thinking to myself...."Ok the "water making" fairy act will subside and she will eventually attempt to utilize this $20 roll of plastic for its original intent, right?"....WRONG again....

Freida not only continues to parade up and down the Slip 'N Slide portraying to be a fairy with a :water making" ability but she insists that I capture the whole "water making" experience on film. That's my Frieda....living life as a princess fairy and having mom there to capture every moment of it!