Stay tuned...

I just wanted to drop in and catch up on what I have been doing... :)

$7000.00 dollars

2 hours in Wal-Mart with my sweet friend Kasey and a very sweet Wal-Mart employee named Amber

Endless hours online

600 backpacks (25 cases, currently in my garage)

"What in the world are you talking about", you ask?!?!?!?
A ministry...

loving on people...

sharing the PRECIOUS WORD OF CHRIST...

helping out families in need...

showing kindness and compassion...

AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON... STAY WITH ME!!!

Last year our church FBC Malakoff (http://www.fbcmalakoff.com/) started something known as "block parties" we go into three different neighborhood areas with free fun, food and fellowship and do all of those things listed above with the people in the area... and boy is it a blessing!
Our last block party is held in our hometown in which we give out FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES!!! YES FREE!!! No strings attached!!! This year I was honored to be asked to organize this years school supply drive, that's where my sweet friend Kasey comes in, she also has been working diligently with me to get this pulled off... so tomorrow we go and pick up all of the supplies from Wal-Mart ( 4 pallets) and get ready to have a "backpack stuffing party"... so... "STAY TUNED" for pictures and stories of such a blessed event!!

"Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord- YOU SERVE THE LORD CHRIST." Col.3:23-24

Dear Father,
Remind me often that you are God and I am not. Help me to seek your face and your counsel as new responsibilities and opportunities are offered to me. Amen.


Blessings~
Brandi

THAT'S ALL FOLKS... FOR NOW...

WHEW!! What a long and EXCITING week filled with lots of laughs, tension, tears, and of course lots of SUPER PROUD PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, FAMILY AND FRIENDS!! This week we have been playing the State T-BALL tournament!! 14 teams from all around in competition for ONE title "The Champions"... I am sad to say that Hannah's team the "Dirt Dobbers" did not receive that title, but I am here to tell you...THEY PLAYED HARD and they did an outstanding job, placing 7th out of the 14 teams...I am so proud to be apart of such a great team!!

On Monday we defeated our first team 29-1...WOW!! I know :)

On Tuesday we played a double header:

Game 1 our favor 33-22

Game 2 :( our first loss 18-7

Today our second lose :( 32-31

Here is THE TEAM...DIRT DOBBERS after the game today (not the best picture, but there were about 15 parents taking pictures and the girls were not exactly in the picture taking mood) HOT, TIRED, AND MANY TEARS!!

GREAT GIRLS AND GREAT COACHES!!

OK... so I have to admit, I am gloating abit...ok ALOT :) Hannah did an FABULOUS job this week (as with any ball game)Kevin and I have had MANY compliments and request for Hannah to play on so many teams...She plays third base and might I say...SHE IS GOOD!! The other teams were actually telling their girls NOT to hit it down third base line, because Hannah would get them out!! I LOVE IT!! She jumped, dove, slid and ran them down!!

Our local newspaper http://www.athensreview.com/ featured Hannah on Tuesday with an action shot and a team article. After each game the opponents coaches made sure to pull Hannah to the side and tell her how impressed they were with her ability to play ball. At the end of tonight's game the umpire came up to Hannah and I and told her that on Tuesday at 4:00 he wanted her to be on the field at Athens High School to practice with the varsity girls!! :) My heart has SWELLED with pride this week!! Way to go baby girl!! FaLL BaLL here we come...

Keep up the good work and remember to put GOD before ANYTHING!!

I will leave you with this word on my heart tonight...

Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; shout for joy, all you upright in heart. Psalm 32:11

Blessings from one PROUD momma~

Brandi

28 days...

Isn't that the title of a movie?!?!?!

Well, I'm talking about something else :)

28 days until my SUMMER break is OVER...

I can't believe it!! I have enjoyed my time being off... In approx. 28 days I will be making my usual 20 mile drive one way to work. I will have to say that I love the district that I work for and I love my second grade team that I teach with, but I don't love the fact that it's already time to go back...
One week of "STAFF DEVELOPMENT" to see all of the changes that the district is going to implement this year and exciting workshops to re-motivate us teachers...motivation seems to be harder and harder for me to find these days...HA HA :)

SO...I guess for the next 28 days I will live it to the fullest, enjoy sleeping in, no makeup, not dressing up, swimming all day and playing outside with Hannah, maybe a few mini vacations!! I love SUMMER TIME and I love my JOB!!

On a more serious note...please do pray for the upcoming school year, the students and the staff who face daily challenges!! I covent your prayers for wisdom and strength, as I have found out that teaching goes far beyond "the books." It is truley a passion for the children!

Isaiah 33:2

Oh, Lord, be gracious to us, we long for you; be our strength EVERY morning and our salvation in times of distress.

A teacher affects eternity, you can never tell where your influence stops.
~Henry Brooks Adams

My outdoors girl...

Well today has been a very productive day for Hannah!! (Just look at those feet) She has been very busy outside all day, only coming inside to get a drink and then back out the door !! Here is one of her accomplished projects... with the help of two good friends, of course :) Kacey and Presley

"The Clubhouse"

This is where they started... a shady spot in our backyard, the clean slate!!

We have a "trash can" and a bird house... what great imaginations!! I love it!

We have a shelf (thank you daddy) and an old video camera...survellience Hannah said...OH MY!!
We have a door (soccer goals) which by the way now it has bricks around it and flowers planted by the "door"...it is adorable!!

And now.......

TAAAAAA DAAAAAA.....the canopy for shade, complete with a bench, two lawn chairs, a small table, and a shower seat and yes...a hammock!!

This has been a really fun day, swimming, bike riding, sidewalk chalk, making kool-aid and of course"The Clubhouse"!! I love playing with my baby girl!!!

Well... she did it AGAIN!!!

This is Ranger, Hannah's dog. She is sweet, loving, and adorable, yet she is very smart and SNEAKY!!! Ranger spends most of the time indoors, but if we go somewhere and at night she stays in the dog pen with our outside dog Buddy. However, Ranger apparently was not real excited with this decision...

Let me take you back about a month ago...

We were given a large dog pen by a friend of my brothers, so after going to pick it up, we brought it home, placed between a large shade tree and the privacy fence. My husband and I dug a trench to set the cage in, lined it with bricks inside and out, put in the dog house and put food and water inside. This was perfect...for a day or two! My husband was out mowing the yard one afternoon and in a few minuets, Ranger joined him...hhmmmm, how did she get out? We looked and looked no holes dug, the gate was locked, we had no idea! We put her back in and repeated this same thing several times, only to watch her secretly from afar, she was literally scaling the side of the pen and climbing over the top!!! WOW!!!

So....Kevin boarded the top along the sides and decided to put a tin roof on top...well we are still in the process of that, yet Ranger was still up to her escape, we just had NO idea how she was getting out.... when yesterday, it all became clear..... Kevin (my hubs) comes running in from outside yelling "Ranger is stuck in the cage!"Hurry, come help!" so Hannah and I ran outside with him to find this...

YES, believe it...hudini dog!! We had to CUT the fence to get her out!!!
I have no idea how she plots her get aways!!! I have never seen anything like it!!!

Yes, she took a nap on the end table the other day?!?!?!?!

We love you Ranger!

Encouragment...

Click on the box at the bottom of my blog page..."Walk With Him Wednesday"...Great encouragement! Great site!!

Blessings~

A Simple Conversation

Last night Hannah and I were having some quiet time, just sitting on the couch together watching TV (Animal Planet) and the conversation came up about dogs and the many different types, we went through why some dogs are big, small, med....etc, and dogs that have different jobs...anyhow the conversation went on something like this....



Hannah: "Mom what kind of dog is Buddy?" (our outside dog)

Mom: "He's a beagle mix, just a yard dog."

***Boy, did I open a can of worms by saying "beagle-mix"

Hannah: "What kind of dog is Red?" (our neighbors dog)

Mom: "Red is a boxer mix, just a yard dog."

*** I think we went on with every dog we knew... then being silly I asked

Mom: "So Hannah what are you?"

Hannah: " Well mom...I'm half of you and half of God' s creation."

At this point my heart melted...
I love it when the simplicity of a child's heart reflects all that we parents are teaching daily.
Thank you God, for allowing me the privelege of teaching my daughter about you.
Blessings~