Sweet Siblings

When we went to Shreveport to see the Imagination Movers (see that post here), we went to the Carter's outlet after the show. I found these cute big brother, big sister, and little sister shirts, and I just had to get them!

I wanted to get a good picture of the kids wearing them. I took 17 pictures all together...and this is what I got.

At first they didn't want to cooperate...

Especially Marley...

But then they decided they would show me their pretty smiles!

Then Marley decided she was DONE! Enough already, Mommy!

Parental Care Ministries

I don't think I've mentioned this on my blog yet, but I have a new "job." I'm working for Parental Care Ministries and our friends Mark and Monica Barret.

They started this ministry about 3 years ago because of a Christmas card their youngest daughter gave them for Christmas. You can read that story here. (Scroll down to the section titled 'History.')

Justin and I prayed several months ago for a ministry we could be involved in together. You would think that the student ministry would be that for us, but with our three kiddos, I'm just not able to be very involved. The students' schedules are very different than my kids' schedules!

God answered our prayer almost immediately. The Barrets were at our house for dinner, and Mark asked if I knew how to do something on Excel. The next thing I knew, Justin was volunteering me to do their administrative work for them. I am so glad he did! The ministry and the work I do for it have really been such a blessing to our family. I love staying home and raising my children, but I have also realized how much I love being connected with the outside world through this ministry! Justin is also very involved and we have loved this new part of our life. The Barrets have become very dear friends of ours over the last year. (And you know it's a bonus to be good friends with your pediatrician!)

The last few days have been pretty busy getting everything ready, because the Barrets (Mark and Monica and their two girls) flew out this morning on their way to Uganda. I would love for you to check out the Parental Care website and read even more of what this ministry is all about. I mentioned this in another post, but we sponsor a boy named Bosco. Here is a picture of him from July:

Monica thinks he looks like one of our kids...what do you think? :-) I think he's so handsome.

What I love about our sponsorship is that it is so personal. We mail letters directly to Bosco, and he mails letters directly to us. No translators or middle men. Also, the Barrets know him! Last time they came back with a video of him talking to us...he actually said our names and knows us from the pictures and letters we send him. Parental Care and Pastor Emmy are committed to giving these children an education, and more importantly, leading them to a saving relationship with Jesus.

The ministry also supports a network of pastors by providing money and training for them. It helps build churches and buildings at the Parental Care school and...anyway, I could go on and on and on and on...but I'll stop there. :-) If you're interested in more information or sponsoring a child, please check out the website or e-mail me or leave me a comment. Also let me know if you would like to get an e-mail telling you when the Parental Care Ministry blog is updated, and I'll add you to the e-mail list. Once the Barrets make it to Uganda in the next couple days, I expect to have new blog updates up almost every day until they come home. Reading the blog will give you a great understanding of what Parental Care Ministries is all about!

Thanks for taking time to read about this new blessing in my life!

My Life

You know what my favorite part of my life is? The fun people I get to spend every day with. You know who they are...but here are a few recent pictures of them.

2 Gingerbread Houses

While we were grocery shopping on Wednesday morning, the kids saw a gingerbread house kit and wanted to buy it. I had already been thinking it would be a fun thing to do this year, so we bought it. Although the kids wanted to do it as soon as we got home from the store, I told them we had to pick a night when everyone was home so Daddy could help too. So Thursday night was the big night!

Daddy and Carter putting the pieces together

London decorating the window

Carter creating the perfect tree

Mommy doing the messy icing

London showing that she was eating as much as she was decorating!

Here we are with our creation

the finished product

As Justin said, "It looks just like the box!" :-) We asked the kids if they thought it looked just like the box, and they said no. So I asked them which one was better--ours or the one on the box--and they said ours!

If you noticed the title of this post is "2 Gingerbread Houses" and you're wondering where the second one is--this is 2 in 1! The FIRST and the LAST gingerbread house that we'll ever make! Unless of course the kids see one in the store next year...