Our Thanksgiving Tree

"...but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" Psalm 66:19-20



We have a new addition to our Christmas decorations this year....a Thanksgiving Tree!
For the past couple of years, we have been keeping an answered prayer and blessings notebook. (Some of you are in there!) At the end of each month, we sit down as a family and read the answered prayers and blessings that God has given in that particular month. (And we usually follow up with a dessert!) This year at Thanksgiving, we chose some "major" prayers and blessings for our family and typed them on cards to hang on a special tree. (All answered prayers and blessings from God are major!) We also hung the "Adornaments" on this tree that state the names of God and their explanations. This tree stands in our entrance to remind us as we come and go that Christmas is about Jesus and that He is living and active in our lives. Thanks to Mrs. Pat for the idea!

Fall In Virginia

 

We were fortunate to spend Thanksgiving in Virginia visiting family. The leaves were gorgeous, but quickly fell to the ground. This picture was taken in Nones and Grandma's backyard.

BFF

My ol' college buddy, Nisa, came through the area on the way to a business seminar. She called and asked to meet for a "Girls Dinner"! Fun! Fun! This was a rare treat!
We had so much fun catching up. The waiter was very patient as we talked "90 miles an hour"! We have shared in much of life together. It is truly a gift when God sends a true, lifelong friend. It is also a blessing to encourage each other as we strive to be more like Him. Love ya, Nisa!

Ellie's 4th Birthday!

Ellie had a very special birthday! She had a firefighter party because she has always said that she wants to be a firefigher when she grows up. Pawpaw and Grammie came from Virginia to help celebrate. Ellie's friends, Claire, Jay, Sarah Grace, Haylee, Hannah, Nate, Carter,and Brantly all came for the celebration. We had a special guest, "Firefighter Daddy". He taught all of us some fire safety tips.
It was a wonderful day of fun and family and friends. I can't believe our baby is 4!

Lunch in North Carolina

 

Leah and Ellie enjoyed being spoiled by Nones and Grandma Nones for a few hours. We were so excited when they called to meet us on the road home from Virginia. Nones had just gotten back from a mission trip to Peru. It was great to see them.

More September/Virginia Pics

Shannon and Brad (Aka Unkie Brad)








Grandma Martin and Shannon


Mom, Brad, Aunt Bobbie, Dad, Shannon and Grandma Martin


Cousin Alex (the groom) and Shannon

September Trip to Virginia

OK, I know I am terribly behind! We were able to go to Virginia the middle of September and FINALLY meet our niece (and cousin) Olivia! As you can see here, the girls were thrilled! They were soooo good with her. Unkie Brad and Auntie Leigh were very gracious and allowed the girls to hold Olivia a lot. Leah is a natural with babies. She held Olivia like a pro. Ellie was good with her as well. She hovered over her and worried about what she might need. It was wonderful meeting the family's new addition.

While we were there, we also saw cousin Alex marry Kristen. The girls stayed the night with cousins, Matt and Meg. Stan and I had breakfast with God-friends, Patrick and Kristin. Then, Stan and the girls and I headed over to a day at Colonial Williamsburg. We stayed the night and spent the next day at Jamestown Settlement. It was a fun, adventure packed long weekend! On the way back to Georgia, Nones and Grandma called and met us in North Carolina for lunch! Blessings, blessings!

Compliments to the Chefs!

 

Leah is studying "Countries and Cultures" this year. One of her assignments was to bake a cake and decorate it with the 7 continents. Right up her alley!!! She loves to cook and bake. Ellie does too, as you can see. They did a super job with NO help from Mom. They are becoming quite the chefs!

SCHOOL IS IN!

 

We are so proud of our newest teacher in the family, Ellie! She is taking after her big sister and teaching whenever she gets the chance. We are also proud of how intently her student, Baxter, is listening. Being with our children each day is such a blessing! There is pure joy in the little moments such as these.

Matt and Meg Visit!

 

Matt and Meg, cousins from Virginia, visited with us the end of July. Leah and Ellie enjoyed them so much! We have always said they would pass for triplets! (Matt and Meg are twins 4 months younger than Leah.) We took them to Ceramics by You, the pool, Mayfield Dairy, the park and, of course, the Varsity. It was great to have them here to give the girls some good "cousin time"! We miss you, Matt and Meg! We had fun!

We have a new niece!

Here is Brad, Shannon's brother, holding his new daughter, Olivia Merritt Turner.
She was born on July 18th and weighed in at 10 lb, 9 oz. We are so excited for him and his wife, Leigh. Stan and I can't wait to meet our new niece. And the girls are excited about their new cousin. God has blessed....again!

Ocean Lakes, June 2007

Memorial Day 2007

Memorial Day 07

Memorial Day was also Leah's birthday this year. So, the girls were up early (amazing after little sleep!) to head out to the Dacula Memorial Day parade. Ellie kept telling Leah how special it was that they had a parade for her.:) Our Sunday School class participated in the parade and Stan sang in a quartet in the back of a pickup! Now that was special! What a fun birthday!

Leah Turns 8!

Leah's 8th Birthday

Leah celebrated her 8th birthday with her 2 best friends, Tori Beth and Hannah. She chose a Princess theme this year. The girls each made a Princess picture frame and we took their pictures. We talked about how they are God's princesses and what a true princess looks like, acts like, etc...Their beauty is to come from the inside more than the outside. After loads of fun and giggles, I gave them a spa pedicure. They ended the day with a movie and a sleep-over. Stan and I were honored to have all 4 beautiful girls in our home for such a special occasion.

INTRODUCING.......

BAXTER !!!!!!
Back in January, the girls and I started the Crown Financial for Kids curriculum. This is a wonderful resource to teach about God's intentions for earning, saving and giving His money.
As a result, the girls starting praying after each lesson for God to send them a dog. They had to research the costs (we went to PetSmart and priced items) and they researched what kind of dog would be best for our family. We decided that a Yorkie, a Schnoodle, or a Mini Schnauzer would really be the best type of dog (and I even stated that I liked the black ones best.) And so we prayed. I told the girls that God knew where all of the little doggies were and which ones needed a home AND He was in charge of our money and knew how He wanted us to spend it.
2 weeks ago, our friends told us about someone that had a wonderful stray dog. They would have kept it, but they already had 3 and boarded more. Would we like to look? Well, we went and there was a black, mini-schnauzer who acted like he had known us since birth. The family GAVE us the dog, a crate, a leash, a collar and food. God had answered the prayers of 2 believing little girls in a mighty way. God even provided FREE vet services and shots! (He is in perfect health!) NOW, God has revealed Himself as REAL and ACTIVE and INTERESTED in our lives. WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AN AWESOME GOD AND GIVE TESTIMONY OF HIM!

Mother's Day 2007

What a special day! These girls are such treasures from God. What an honor to be their Mom!

1 Peter 3:4-5 states: "Instead, it (your beauty) should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful." It is our prayer that we are raising beautiful, holy, young women!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

The Lord blessed us with 4 tickets and a parking pass to the Atlanta Braves!!! We were thrilled!God is so good and so faithful. We are so unworthy but thankful for His mercy and His blessings that He pours out on us. We had so much fun! We had GREAT seats and Dad and Ellie even made the "big screen"! What a night to remember!

The Jones Family Fishing Adventure

Abingdon Fishing April 2007

In April, the Jones family met in Abingdon, VA for a little fishing adventure. Stan's brother, Sidney came from Minnesota with baby Taletta. His sister, Bonnie, husband Jack and twins Matt and Meg came from Virginia. His parents also came and life-long friend, John. We missed brother Mark and his family. It was a cool day, but lots of fun for the family to be together with a popular pasttime. It was also sooo good to see those mountains! We know we are close to "home" when we see them. We don't realize how much we miss them until they enter our view.

Dinner in Knoxville!

On the way to Abingdon, VA to see family, we stopped off for dinner with our dear friends, The Beelers! How we miss them! As you can see here, the kids have grown, but they are still close at heart. It was wonderful to share a meal with God-given friends. We couldn't believe it had been 3 years.....What a blessing to still share life!

Super Speller!

Leah is confidently spelling one of her words. We were so proud of her effort and initiative.

There were 8 contestants in Leah's age group.

And then there were 2.......Mom was a nervous wreck by this point, but Leah was as cool as a cucumber. Each turn, she took the mike with a BIG smile. They had to move on to 3rd grade words because these 2 gals were Super Spellers! It was a tough match.



Our winner! Leah earned 2nd place in the Written Spelling Test. (She missed one word!)
Leah also placed 2nd in the Oral Spelling Bee.
We are so proud that she glorified God by doing her best! And her best gave her a lot of confidence! Way to go, Leah!

Grandma Martin Turns 90!

Grandma Martin's 90th!

March Virginia Trip and Granny's 85th!

Mom is "Moo-ving" on Up!

Back in January, Shannon was chosen to be on the Mayfield Dairy's Consumer Council.
And boy has it been a treat! There are an average of 12 people on the council who meet every month or two to give feedback on products and advertising. It is so much fun!
The girls have been so excited that "Mom knows Scottie Mayfield". But their favorite part is that we get some free Mayfield products. Another blessing from the Lord!

A Trip to the Atlanta Zoo!

Personality Plus!

Valentine's Day 2007 - PM

Valentine's Night is always a treat for the girls. Leah chooses the menu and they both help cook. This year we made homemade lasagna and garlic loaf. We usually light candles and eat on the
"china plates" as Leah calls them! (I think they like that the most.)
We gave each of the girls The Princess and the Kiss. Stan read to them and then we gave them each "Princess" shirts and lockets. Stan explained how they are God's and his princesses and he explained the lockets. (Read the book - it is fantastic!)

Valentine's Day 2007 - AM

The girls started their Valentine's Day with a party/lunch at Hannah and Haylee's house. They played, read stories, made a craft, exchanged valentines and had lunch. They had sooo much fun!

"Pony-Tails!"

Our Ellie is trading in her cute, short hair for cute, long hair. She wants to have "2 pony-tails" all of the time! This makes Mom a little sad because she is definitely growing up and looking more like a "Little Girl".

Leah Plays Again!

Leah played again on December 17th at church. Grandma Nones and Nones came down to cheer Leah on! The School of Music was invited to perform 4 Christmas songs for the congregation. This was the first time the church had seen them perform. Everyone was very excited and supportive. The children played "Still, Still, Still", "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "Angels We Have Heard on High", and "O, Christmas Tree". It was BEAUTIFUL!