Friday's Photo

Thursday's Thanksgivings

I was more than happy to stay up late Tuesday night to greet my husband upon his return from New York.  The kids were thrilled to wake up and see their Daddy Wednesday morning.  We are so thankful to have David home!  And we're thankful for how the Lord used this mission trip in the lives of our youth, as well as - I pray - the lives of those whom they were able to serve.  David and a team of adults took our a good portion of our youth group to upstate New York to serve alongside the Attaway family - some precious Alabamians who made the move up north.  Among other things on the trip, David was very encouraged by his time our friends.  

I am so grateful for the help that my parents - along with David's - offered during our time being husband/daddy-less.  My parent's graciously let the kids and I move in with them for a couple of days and nights, and David's parents checked in on us frequently.  

David and I were able to have a last minute, yet much needed dinner-and-a-movie date tonight.  I'm so thankful for time like this with my oh-so-fun (and handsome) husband!  And special thanks to JoJo and Pap for accepting the spur of the moment request to keep the kiddos.  They had a great time :) 

Last - but definitely not least - I want to mention how thankful I am for my friend Melanie.  If you visit our blog from time to time, then I'm sure that "Miss Melanie" is no stranger to you.  Ever since Claire was born, Melanie has so graciously served our family and more than willingly helped me out with the kids (and provided needed grown-up conversation and friendship :) specifically when David is working.  She also was a tremendous blessing to us during big family events, like my brother's wedding and John David's birthday party.  Because of Melanie, I was able to really focus and enjoy Kameron's wedding weekend as well as John David's party . . . where she pretty much did ALL of the work!

Melanie will be heading to Louisville, KY next week, where she will be attending Boyce College.  Words cannot express how thankful I am for this time that we have be blessed to have Melanie with us.  There is nothing we could do that could pay her back for ALL that she has done for our family.  I pray that the Lord will bless her a hundred fold for how she has lavished unselfish blessings upon us, as well as so many others.  Melanie is a true servant who loves to give.  We are so grateful to have been recipients of her generosity for over the past 10 months now.  

Melanie and I have been friends for a while now, but since she started coming to help with the children, our friendship has most definitely flourished.  I have found this stage of life a difficult one for me to have/maintain friendships well.  The demands of two small children are great, taking much time and energy.  Melanie is one who always comes to our house and flexibly works around our often crazy schedules.  I am thankful for her friendship.

Melanie ~ My children love you, David and I love you, and we are so thankful for your life and the ministry you have had to our family.  We are indebted to you for so much.  But, we know that you have received joy in serving us, for the Lord has indeed wired you with the heart of a servant, as well as one that has tasted the reality that "it's more blessed to give."   We are thrilled to see the opportunities the Lord allots for you to serve and give during this new chapter you're about to begin.  And I am so grateful that we live in this age of technology where goodbyes are not "official"; AND, much more than that - like you said in your post - as brothers and sisters in Christ, we will be united one day in heaven . . .  forever!  May the Lord bless you for being a blessing to so many.  We will miss you, "Miss Melanie".   Thank you for EVERYTHING!  

Below are a few of my favorite pictures that Melanie has taken of my little ones over the past months.  Like I said . . . only a FEW - she's taken SO many, which is another reason for a HUGE "THANK YOU!"  

  

Miss Melanie and the Kizziah kids, who love her so much!

Scripture Memory Monday

These familiar verses from Romans have brought comfort to me so many times throughout the years.  They were listed as the "Verse of the Day" today.  I felt that this passage fell fresh on the ears of my heart this morning and that I wanted to continue meditating on them throughout the week.  Praise the Lord that no situation or circumstance, no person or power or predicament, can separate us from God's love.  Hallelujah!  Amen!    

"For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)

10 Months of Baby Claire

Claire is 10 months old today!

She loves jewelry, car rides, and cows . . . (and lots of other things :)

She's precious and fun; her will is still strong and there's no mystery to her opinions.

The more I get to know her, of course, the more my love for her grows.

She has been doing a lot of fun things lately, and I hope to share those things here soon.

Sweet little Claire ~

You are so fun, so unique, and so dear to me.

I praise the Lord for how He has made you.

And I pray for grace and wisdom to teach, discipline, and train you 

to be all that God has made you to be.

I can't believe you are already 10 months old!  Time is flying by so quickly.

I love you, my darling girl.

Friday's Photo

The doorbell rang this morning, and I opened my door to these ~
Special birthday love from my husband who is far away today.
Thank you, my most thoughtful David.  They're beautiful.

Thursday's Thanksgivings

David is out of town this week on a mission trip with our youth group.  I am so thankful that his absence is not "normal."  I often take for granted that I have a husband who has a somewhat flexible work schedule and that his job does not require lots of travel (except for summertime!).  It is hard for me to imagine ever getting used to him being gone weeks on end. 

But I have come to realize that just because a man lives at home with his family, doesn't necessarily mean that he is involved in their lives.  Many husbands and fathers - despite the fact that they come home from work each day - are far too "absent."  

I am thankful that this does not describe David.  He is quite the opposite.  I am often overwhelmed at how he loves and serves me, as well as takes the initiative to spend special time with our children.

I am thankful that David points our family to Christ by loving without condition and serving with humility and joy. 

I love David Kizziah, and his children adore him.  We will all be thankful when he returns.  Until then, we will be grateful that his absence is only temporary.

*These photos are from February 2009, but I thought they were fitting.*

Rewind Wednesday : A First Time for Everything!

From boo boos to "bed head" . . . there is definitely a first time for everything.  I wanted to make mention of a couple of events during the past few days.  

On Monday, Claire received her first busted lip.  So sad.  In an unsuccessful attempt to crawl, she ended up with her mouth meeting the hard floor (teeth into lip - only minor bleeding).  Thankfully, she recovered quickly and the swelling went down within the hour.  

Poor girl 

A sweet, puffy smile :) 

And last week she awoke in the morning with her first "bed head."  I loved it! :) 

I vividly remember when John David had both of these firsts . . .

He definitely took the hardest hit. 

He fell on a wooden block (one of those things you couldn't do if you tried!)

 and it knocked several teeth out of whack.  This was MUCH more traumatic for all!   

A little less painful looking; 

John David's first "bed head" :) 

And rewind to earlier today ~ 

Claire officially started crawling :) 

Scripture Memory Monday

As I sit to type this tonight, I am convicted that too often God's Word is NOT at the forefront of my heart and mind.  "Your Word is a lamp to our feet," O Lord; we are lost and wandering without it.  I pray for grace to teach Your Word diligently to my children; to speak of it when I sit, when I rise, when I walk by the way.  I pray that Your Word shall indeed be on my heart and bound as frontlets between my eyes (Deuteronomy 6: 6-9).    

With that being said, I want to be more and more intentional to meditate on God's Word throughout the week.  I plan to try and memorize the verses that fall in between verses 17 and 21 of this chapter that I made note of last Monday.  

18 "The LORD is near to all who call on Him, 

to all who call on Him in truth. 

19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him; 

He also hears their cry and saves them.  

20 The LORD preserves all who love Him, 

but all the wicked He will destroy."

Psalm 145: 18-20 (ESV)

Friday's Photo

Thursday's Thanksgivings

I am very thankful for "snuggle time" with my children.  

It's definitely one of my favorite parts of the day.  

Yet many times as I hold my children close, my mind will fast forward to the day when they will either be too big for this sort of thing or may no longer desire it. 

The other night with John David was extra special.  

It was late, and he was having a hard time going to sleep.  I was hoping for him to settle in easily, for I still had chores to do before I could retire for the evening. Yet I was reminded once again how precious this time is.  John David said, in his sweet, tired voice:   

"Hold me in your arms.  Wrap your arms around me.  Hold me for a while."   

Needless to say, I stayed for "a while" longer and savored the memory.