Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Ella and I arrived home last night after a super-busy 53 hours away from home.  We had a lot of fun with my family, and I will post about all we did later.  As for now, I've spent the morning trying to figure out the best way to arrange pictures of a baseball pitch.  I couldn't really find an arrangement I liked so I decided I would just post the pictures alone.  It's easier to see the progression this way.  I quite enjoyed having my camera at a baseball game.  

Don't miss the ball flying out of the frame!

(How does someone learn to throw a ball 95 mph?)

Through Ella's Eyes

Ella and I are on an adventure together.  We're spending the night at my brother and sister-in-law's apartment tonight and heading to Atlanta tomorrow with my family.  Braves game, fireworks show, and Six Flags are in store.  Ella is pumped up, and I'm really excited, too.  It's so fun to spend time alone with her.  I love the way she sees life.  To set up tonight's story, I must share something from several months back:


While leaving a hospital in Birmingham at night, Ella looked out from the parking deck at the lit-up city and said, "It looks just like Paris!"  Bless her.  Downtown Birmingham.  Paris.  


Lately she's been spending a lot of time in the world of the Lord of the Rings with her daddy.  As  she looked out the car window tonight at the pine trees rising on either side of the road she said, "This is so beautiful.  It looks just like Rivendell."  I laughed.  Then she laughed and said, "That was just a joke.  It really looks like Bree."  I love her.

An Announcement

Sunday Photo Shoot

LOOK

WHAT

I

DID.

I'M TRYING

TO

MAKE

SURE

NOTHING

COVERS

UP

THE

PICTURES.

:)

THANK YOU, DAVID AND HILLARY,

FOR

LETTING ME

PRACTICE

ON YOU.

I

REALLY

HAVE

A LOT

OF 

STUFF

ON

THE

SIDE

OF

MY

BLOG.

YOU DON'T

EVEN 

HAVE

TO

READ

ALL

THIS.

ALMOST

THERE...

She talks like me.

Ella and I had a funny conversation yesterday.  She was playing some games on Preschool Disney's website, and she uncovered a picture of Cinderella's castle.


Ella:  I wish we could go to Disney World again.
Me:  Me, too.
Ella:  It's so beautiful there, and it's so fun.  
Me:  You're right; it is.
Ella:  You don't have to worry about anything when you're at Disney World.


She's right, isn't she?  You don't have to worry about ANYTHING when you're at Disney World. What's funny about this conversation is that it came not long after I was thinking about someone I knew who was at Disney World and wishing it wasn't such a long way and such a big ordeal to get there, because it really IS beautiful and fun.  

KJ laughed when I told him about this conversation, because it sounds like something I would have said.  I speak in absolutes a lot (and yes, I know that only a Sith deals in absolutes).  "Anything, everything, all the time, never, always..."  They come out of my mouth constantly, even as I laugh at myself now when they do.  Oh, here's another Ella quote from the past week:


"Take that picture of the clouds, Mommy.  That will be the best picture ever."


Did you catch those absolutes?  At least she uses them in a positive sense.  Will watching my daughter grow up always cause an ache in my heart?

Remembering

KJ and I spent yesterday with his entire family, celebrating the life of his grandfather, Oliver Harrison Pugh.  Though it was sad, and we mourn the loss of Pop, there was an overwhelming sense of thankfulness that permeated our gathering and filled our hearts.  

As for me, I felt thankful to be a part of the Pugh family, thankful for the great grace that has been shown to them/us, thankful for Pop's life and the legacy he left behind, and so thankful for the extra brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and grandparents I've gained by being grafted into this family.

It was good to remember the past and all that the Lord accomplished in Pop's life and good to think about the future grace to be shown to Pop's descendants.  As he told KJ's mom before we left his home a couple of weeks ago, "Take those kids home, and raise them right."  And by God's grace we will.

Seeing His Face

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I were able to visit KJ's grandparents, and I posted several great pictures I had of Pop, taken over the years since I've been a Pugh.  Pop passed away on Friday night, and we are preparing to drive down for his funeral service tomorrow.  Please pray for our family.  


The first time I met Pop, KJ and I were only friends.  I drove up with another friend to hear KJ preach at Granny and Pop's church one Sunday when we were in college.  Pop welcomed me then with the same warm hug he welcomed me with each and every time I saw him after that.  KJ's grandparents lived on the road between school and home, and it was such a joy to stop and visit with them on our trips there and back again.  I'm so thankful for those memories.  


The words to Isaac Watts' hymn, Windows of Thy Grace, were running through my head yesterday.  I know I've posted them here before, but they were so encouraging to my heart, as I was reminded that Pop is now seeing Christ's face.  It is a sad time for our family, but after talking to several different Pughs, I know they are grieving with hope, putting their faith in God's promises that Pop's faith has been changed to sight.

I love the windows of thy grace,

Through which my Lord is seen,

And long to meet my Savior’s face

Without a glass between.

Oh that the happy hour were come

To change my faith to sight!

I shall behold my Lord at home

In a diviner light.

Haste, my Beloved, and remove

These interposing days;

Then shall my passions all be love,

And all my powers be praise.