Grieving.

What a crazy last week we have had. It has been quite the roller coaster. I'm sure everyone has heard about the horrific death of Anne Pressly. I think I tried to prepare myself for that as the week went on, but it was still so shocking. Dalton has been quite the early riser over the past month and so every morning we woke up at about 5 and started watching Anne, Beth, and Melinda on KATV. She was so endearing and even though I only had a few encounters personally with her, I was enamored. She was so vibrant, and so fun and just really lit up a room. Being in the season of life that I'm in, any relationship that I had with any young women I held very dear, and the same went for Anne.
I think we hear about crazy horrible things happening all over the world, but this just happened so close to home. I still can't believe it. I cry every time the videos of her come on the news or that someone starts talking about it. It was just such a hateful, malicious crime and he's still out there, probably so proud of himself and thinking he got away with it ... gross.
I just pray that God will use this for His glory. That He would be glorified through all this and that people will lean on Him for strength and understanding. I have become scared in my home though- and we dont' even live in the same city! I made Lisa stay on the phone with me last night, walking to my car at Wal-Mart. I just hug and kiss on my kids all day, even more than usual, thinking of how I wouldn't be able to be lifted off the floor if I were her mother. Ugh, I feel sick again.
Speaking of which, everyone in my family has gotten the stomach bug over the past week, so that helps.
I hope everyone will keep Anne's family, friends, and co-workers in their prayers in the weeks and months ahead. Their worlds have just been rocked and I can't imagine the pain those that were really close to her are enduring, if even those of us who had just met her a few times of us are hurting as much as we are. Our community truly loved Anne, and we are suffering an indescribable loss.

Bubba Boone

I just had to write a little something about how I have absolutely fallen in love with a boy, his name is Dalton Davis Boone, affectionately dubbed "Bruiser" by Aunt Weesa ;). I have loved him since I have known he was coming, but something about when they get to be a few months old and begin to develop a personality and smile and coo I just get all googly-eyed.
He is just precious. I love his feedings in the middle of the night where it's just him and me up in the very quiet dark house and in between big gulps he stops and smiles oh-so-big. I just love love love that little man. I love that he gives big wet kisses. I love that he tries to nurse Aaron's nose. I love that he and Avery both smile so big when they see each other. I love that he is a little on the porker side and has many many rolls! I love that he loves his bath and giggles when I put him in it. I love when I lay him on his tummy on the floor and he does his swimmer moves. I love when he gets really excited and begins his "dance moves" in his bouncy seat.
I am just absolutely infatuated with this little man ... and couldn't help but share!!

Miss Anne Pressly

I have been a constant wreck over the last few days. For anyone who hasn't turned on their TV or radio station in the past few days one of my sweet friends, Anne Pressly, a local news anchor here in Little Rock, was hurt very badly when attacked at her house. The details of her injuries are unspeakable and the horror of this has truly devastated the whole country. Anne is such a Godly girl and His joy is truly evident just by talking to her. She is absolutely delightful and I have had the best time getting to know her lately and have seriously been so consumed with every detail of this the past few days. How did this happen? Why did this happen? Why didn't God protect her? Today in my bible study video Beth Moore said that it's not that God won't let us get hurt, or let us die, or bad things happen to us. It's that He is protecting us from the evil one, sealing us from letting him inside us. I don't know what to think about that. I pray over my children and my family every day. I walk the rooms of my house praying scripture over my children. I don't even know how to pray for Anne it seems. I pray she won't be able to remember, but I want her to be able to identify this guy. I pray she will be able to use this as a platform and an outreach. That people will want to know how she got through this. I pray she will be surrounded by people that love her and she will pull through 100%. I pray that who did this would be caught very soon. I can't even think straight about it. Today I went over to one of my favorite friend's houses, Lisa Fischer, and I just cried as soon as I got out of the car. She's really the reason I met Anne, Anne and Lisa are good friends and so I think we both heard about each other through Lisa. Our community has been so affected by this. My mom said she hears people talking about it all over town, at bible studies, in the grocery line "What would he have wanted with her?" Please keep Anne and her sweet family and friends in your prayers as we are. This is such a sad time and so many are grieving that she went through this. Pray for wisdom for her doctors and steady hands as they nurse her back to health. Pray for the culprit to be caught. I pray that he makes stupid mistakes that the police catch up on quickly. I think today they are saying that the guy used her gas card at an I-30 gas station between 3-4 Monday morning. I pray there is video. Just keep her in your thoughts and prayers as you go about your day.

Prepare Yourself ... this entry is somewhat spastic.

Good Morning! Isn't fall the most fabulous time of year?? Especially in Arkansas with all our trees and fantastic weather ... I cannot IMAGINE living anywhere else in the whole world. However, with the world getting scarier every day and my parents threatening to move to New Zealand ... I might have to follow ... ha.
On a much heavier note ... yesterday Judy Taylor gave her testimony about her oldest child dying many years ago. I have heard the story several times and knew what was coming, however I have never heard it since I've had kids. Oh my goodness. For anyone who hasn't heard it, she had three boys 5 and a half, 3 and half, and 2 and was 8 months pregnant. She got frazzled and let them run outside to play while she was finishing something up. The two year old fell off his bike and rolled into a pond. The 5 and half year old went in to save him and drowned. The 2 year old almost died as well. This is really just bits and pieces of the story and it seriously made me physically ill. I think that I am a pretty laid back mom, I really kinda have to be with two that close together. And, I think I am just so trusting that God is my protector and He would never hurt me with that kind of pain, but you just never know what God's plan for your life is. All this made me think maybe I'm too laid back. I am very hands on and I play with them all day, I'm sure you could tell from all the toys and books scattered throughout my house. But, I just started reeling through all the possible scenarios of things that could happen. They are just so precious and so delicate and so irreplaceable. Ugh, I think I just got sick again thinking about it. I always am praying for my kids and praying scripture over them, but I think I'm about to take it to a new level! I'm starting to realize how big of a deal it is to trust God with your children. I think I almost borderline idolize my kids. If God tells us that "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:33 then that's where I spend all my time and energy. Gosh, it's harder than I thought.

On a much lighter note this weekend was Emerson's 11th birthday party. Yes, his birthday is the day after mine in December, but he never gets to have parties because of the time of year and it's cold outside and everything. So, this year Mom let Emerson have an Airsoft Capture the Flag War ... It was seriously the funniest thing I have ever seen. These boys came ready to fight. Check out this kid. Aaron and I got quite a kick out of him. Please notice the pistol in the holster on his hip. He was not playing around.

The pics are for the Woodruff boys, I know they will get a kick out of seeing this. Hopefully this will get them all pumped up about moving to Arkansas!! Aaron and Ben were the facilitators and Colonel's for each team.

Here they are plotting their strategy. And of course a couple pics of the hoodlums .... love 'em. I have been multi- tasking this morning so this entry was really all over the place. Welcome to my life! ;)

Isn't God good?!?!

What a difference a year can make!! I can honestly say that I have never been happier in my life than I am right now! Everything is just going so well and we are all falling into a great routine. I think that I just really started claiming that when you make God your most conscious pursuit he will give you the desires of your heart ... and he has!! I just cried as I was painting the living room this morning (ha, which doesn't mean a lot- I cry quite often!) so thankful for the great works God has done in my life these last two years. Life is good and God is GREAT!! 

I know everyone thinks they have the most beautiful, perfect kids ... but we really do! ;) I just couldn't ask for anything more for my children. They honestly bring me more joy than I ever thought possible. I just love every little things they do!! And somehow each morning, no matter how mundane the day before seemed, I am seriously excited to wake up and see their smiling faces again!! OK, enough with the cheesiness. I am really loving this time of year. It makes being outside so much more pleasant. I recently got a double stroller and I think I am going to start taking the kids to the park everyday and stroll them on the walking trail. I think they would just love that. And, the exercise would be good too! Avery just loves going "bye bye" as much as possible. She's quite the traveler. We turn up the Casting Crowns music and roll down the windows and she is just the happiest kid in town. Dalton has started laughing out loud a lot. He's coos and giggles and loves tickle bugs. Mmm... they are absolutely DELIGHTFUL!! 

Today we are at Sarah Baker's house. I have been leaving the house on the days where someone can't come help me paint because the living room is really the main room in our home and I can't keep Avery out of there.

Avery spent the night at Sarah Baker and Ben's last night and this morning we went on a walk and came back and ate lunch and have been watching the Backyardigans while Dalton takes a nap. We're about to run some errands and then head back home!

Hopefully the painting will get finished up this weekend! Fingers Crossed ...

Lots of Love, Rebekah

Painting My Life Away!!!

Well friends after two years of marriage Aaron has finally agreed to let me paint the wood paneling in the living room. WHEW we are stepping out of the 70s ... or earlier, and going with the Southern Living Idea House's "Churchill Hotel Wheat" it's kinda a creamy wheaty color ... Beautiful! :) The room already looks so much lighter! Before and After pics to come ...
Fall is here and is proving to be such a fun time of year. I feel like there are so many fun things coming up! Emerson is having his birthday party early this year and is having an Airsoft Gun Capture the Flag WAR this weekend. Aaron and Ben are going to command one team each ... for some reason I am pretty excited about this and think it is going to be quite a hoot! Then the fair is coming, Boo at the Zoo, Halloween, Razorback Football, Oh My! I just love this time of year! For Halloween Avery is going to be a Razorback Cheerleader and I haven't quite decided about Dalton. I did see a very cute pea pod costume the other day, but maybe a cow- Milk is definitely doing his body good! ;)
Here is a pic of him the other night after his bath ... had to post it!





Hehe ... love that Bubba. And so does Avery! She wakes up and as soon as I get her out of her crib she's calling "bubba, bubba, bubba!" Then she runs to get her shoes and her bow and points to the door "bye bye, bye bye" the child loves to go anywhere! She's so funny! Now I feel the need to plug the movie FIREPROOF. For any and every married couple or anyone thinks that they just might get married I would seriously recommend seeing it. It was so good. We went and saw the movie last Tuesday night and I absolutely loved it. It was such a honest look at how your marriage can go into a "slow fade" when you stop constantly working on it and let so many little things go by. I think the point that convicted me the most was the way that the wife was just "Miss Congeniality" to everyone around her, everyone at work, people she even hardly knew. But, when she got home she was hardly recognizable. Hateful and just ... scary. I know that I am guilty of this- going around and putting on a smiling face being as kind as can be to everyone, and then coming home and being irritable or impatient with the most important person in my life, Aaron. I think it was good for me to see that marriage is hard for other couples too. Sometimes, especially in the south, people just tell you how everything is fine, everyone is great and nice and you can sometimes feel as if you are the only one that thinks marriage can be challenging. I feel like marriage and having kids are the hardest things I have ever done! It's so hard to die to yourself every day-all day, to not spout off something just for the satisfaction of a smart remark, or to honestly desire the best for your spouse and what their needs are. I was so blessed by the movie and have thoroughly enjoyed doing the Love Dare challenge. I feel like in the last few months God has really done a number on Aaron and I and this was such a great reminder to not get caught up in the complacency of a good marriage, but to strive for a great marriage.I hope everyone hasn't been able to see it yet can get to see it this weekend or soon, we thought it was great!!Well, I guess that is all for now! More soon!!

Oh Happy Day!

I think that I am just realizing more and more each day how blessed my life really is. God has been so good and once I made a daily effort to be thankful I am amazed at how he has opened my eyes to all the gifts he provides. I think my main struggle in life is contentment. I think I could just "want" myself into the wall ... and for what??? I am really in a season of seeking out God's purpose for my life right now. I just feel like he really has a calling over my life and a purpose and a plan and I really get EXCITED about seeing how His glory will be fufilled through me!
This weekend I got to go to Fayetteville with my parents, Ben, Sarah Baker and Emerson. Aaron last minute didn't get to go which was disappointing but it was so nice to just get away for a little while. Aaron's mom kept the kids and it was so wonderful to be with my mom and sisters and just play and talk without the kids. I really don't remember the last time I enjoyed them so much! But I will say on the way home from Fayetteville, hardly 24 hours later, I was DYING to see them. I just couldn't wait to hug and squeeze and kiss on them. Dalton is just so stinkin' loveable and kissable right now and just smiles at everything. Wow! I just could seriously eat him up. Avery is just a wiggle worm that really just wants her daddy. But I steal plenty of kisses from her too! Here are a couple pics from this weekend!










Also thanks for all the prayers that went up this week for my TERRIBLE case of hives. It was so strange and so horrible and I have just never seen anything like it. The lady at the doctors office check-in almost freaked out when I walked in because they were so severe. She just kept saying "Oh dear, oh dear, this will get better, it will get better. Then Dr. Gray actually laughed at me when he came in and saw all of them. I was just covered Head to Toe, probably over 85% of my body! It was absolutely misersable. However, a couple rounds of steroids and a steroid shot later and I'm doing SO much better! So thankyou thankyou for keeping me in your prayers! I hope everyone has a fun-filled week!