I ♥ Summer Pictures

I have been meaning to upload pictures from this summer and now I have no more excuses! This week, I ♥ Faces is a non-judged week, simply devoted to sharing some pictures from your summer. As most of you know, summer is almost over and in a little less than a week we'll be starting another school year. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was trying to figure out what I was going to do to fill these summer days? My mind was so wrapped up in homeschooling that I couldn't imagine life without grading papers and making up tests. I worried about how I was going to entertain my children on these hot, Georgia days. Last year we joined a neighborhood pool and went swimming most days, but this year having three children, three and under-I didn't think I could do it by myself! Wesley and I finally decided to buy an 8 foot (in diameter) swimming pool. We thought it would be big enough for our 10 year old and small enough to fit on our back patio and for the boys to play. We haven't gone on any trips other than to grandparents houses and they live within a few minutes of us (which we are so thankful for!), but our annual beach trip is coming up in a few weeks and I know it will be worth the wait!

So without further ado, here's our summer wrapped up in a few photographs.

The kids LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Saturdays because Daddy is home and can play!

More swimming!
And of course a summer isn't complete without playing in a sprinkler!

My grandmother came and stayed with my parents for a few weeks so we got to visit with her some.

Randol had lots of play dates! Here are some of her fellow homeschool friends playing Little House on the Prairie!

The highlight of Randol's summer had to be going off to summer camp. Here is a picture of the boys watching her leave. Foster refused to leave the parking lot until the church van was gone! They missed her a lot, but she had a blast! She keeps saying she can't wait until next summer so she can go back!

So now that summer is almost over, I find myself wondering what this new school year will bring. I've cleaned off bookshelves, made lesson plans and organized as much as I can. Now we just have to wait in expectation to see what God has in store for us this 5th grade year! I can't wait to find out!

I ♥ The Beach!

This week at I ♥ Faces the theme is The Beach, which also happens to be one of my favorite places to take pictures! Every summer my husbands job has a conference at Jekyll Island, GA. This is the first summer in six years that we have not gone, due mainly to budget cut backs. We would have left yesterday so I've been a little sad thinking of the fun we are usually having at this time of year. I took this photo three years ago on one of our Jekyll trips, of my sweet Foster man when he was 9 months old. This was his first trip to the beach so it was definitely a memorable one! He has grown so much these last three years, but he still has those big blue eyes. When I look at this picture I am reminded of how much has changed in such a short time. When you have children, you can see time slipping away, just by looking into their sweet faces! I am going to hold on to these precious days because before I know it, they will be grown!


Well enough of my sentimental self! Make sure you head over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/ and check out all the awesome entries this week! You won't be disappointed!

Photo Help

The summer is almost over and I can't believe I haven't shared a single photo of it! Shame on me! I started looking at a few in Photoshop when I got stuck on this picture. While I really wish the lawn chair wasn't in the background, I love the look on Will's face. I started to crop it, only showing his face, but I missed seeing what he was so excited about-splashing his Daddy! I edited it a few different ways and couldn't decide which I liked best. I finally decided to post them all in hopes that you could help me! So...which tint do you like best?

Tea

Black and White

Chocolate

I ♥ Faces: Fabulous Feet!

Hello again! I know I've been incognito as far as this whole blog thing goes. I'm sure many of you have given up on me-(with good reason). I have honestly been spending all my free Internet time starting a new photography web site. (GULP! I said it out loud, that must mean it's true!) It is SO TIME CONSUMING, but...I. LOVE. EVERY. MINUTE. OF. IT! I have been prayerfully considering starting a side photography business. The moment that thought enters my head is the same moment all my insecurities come into play. I'm not good enough. I don't have enough equipment yet. I need to learn more. etc. But I know those thoughts are not of God and I'm trying to trust Him and HIS TIMING (so hard to do!) and see if this is in His will. We'll see. In addition to that, school is starting soon and I've been making lesson plans for our new homeschool year. I am so obsessive about being organized, I drive myself crazy sometimes!

Anyway...on to I Heart Faces! This week....we are doing feet <gasp> not faces :) I love tiny toes and the sweetness that goes a long with them! I was so surprised by just how many pictures I have of feet! I like them more than I thought I guess :) I finally decided on a picture I took at a recent photo shoot of sweet Abigail, the daughter of our closest friends, Seth and Ashley. This is one of the shots of her sweet baby feet! If you're interested, you can see more pictures from that day at http://marionsphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/8822662_dAxde/1/584468999_5Ky5F

As always, I love your comments! Make sure you head over to http://www.iheartfaces.com/ to check out all the other fabulous feet!

Life Worth Living

Summer Breaks

Today is July 1st...July 1st? How did that happen? Where has this year gone? It's half over! We are in the middle of sweet summertime! This is the time of year that people take a break, relax, go on vacation, go to the pool, stay up later and sleep in longer. There are BBQ's and fireworks, time with family and movie nights. This is the time that kids look forward to all school year and it's half over (at least according to the schools).

I've noticed that summer is also the time of year for a different kind of break. So often people take a break from church, a break from reading their Bible and a break from their usual fellowship with other believers. Lately I have talked with other women who say they are getting farther and farther in the pit because it has been so long since they have cracked open God's Word. They are becoming hungry for it and realizing just how empty their lives are without it. That is how I have felt since Sam was born. My daily quiet time ceased and slowly by slowly, day after day, I was slipping farther and farther away. My patience has been thin, I get frustrated more easily, I beat myself up about silly things. Now don't get me wrong-I pray all the time, thanking God for my blessings and asking Him to help me in my daily trials. My prayer time has not really suffered, but my listening time has. God can still answer our prayers even if we don't read our Bible, but so often we miss it. I heard Beth Moore describe it like this-what is more powerful than two sticks of dynamite separated? Two sticks of dynamite tied together. That is how prayer and God's Word can be. When you join the two together-nothing can stop you from living out God's purposes for your life. Satan cannot get in as many "sneak attacks" as before. When you use the two together your ready, your standing watch and you can spot his deception more easily.

Live the rest of your summer for Him! I wonder what plans He has for you-don't waste the summer away, before you know it, school will be half over and you'll be checking off your Christmas list. Time goes so fast...

For the word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword,

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit,

joints and marrow;

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.

Everything is uncovered and laid bare

before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:12-13