Beth update:

Here's Loran Beth! Isn't she pretty!?!? My very first niece.

Little American Girl

This is Helen's new coat I told you about in the previous posts, thanks Grandmom!

Catch up

OK. I've just gotten a moment to take a breather from this week. I truly think I've been more stressed this week than I was while working two jobs and going to school full time during college. I thought that was pretty stressful, but MAN, this week has just kicked my tail.

We went to visit my family this past weekend for the Thanksgiving holiday and I loved every second of it. I always miss my family because visits to see my grandparents are few. My grandparents played such an important role in my life and short visits are just such a tease to my heart. From the time I was born until I started high school I remember seeing one or both of my grandmothers every week. During my early years it was nearly once a day! All that being said, I love them and they hold a very special place in my heart, as do most grandparents to their grandchildren. Seeing them all this weekend made me wish we could live closer so Helen can know them the way I know them and cherish them. She had a blast while we were there, so I suppose short visits will have to do! :)

We ate lots of good food and saw an awesome football game! Roll Tide Roll! We even had an early Christmas at my grandmom's house! She got Helen a BEAUTIFUL coat! It's black wool with black fuzzy hem and on the cuff and instead of buttons there are red velvet rose buds! It's even got a cute little hat to match! Go Grandmom! Sunday I'll get a picture of her in it and post it!

This weekend I got to visit my first niece. She's just four weeks old and so tiny. See my next post to read a little more about her. I'm still without more pics but they will come soon.

Helen started saying the cutest phrase this week. When someone says, "See you later alligator" the response should be "After while crocodile!" Well, she says, "After Croc-o-dye-dle!" and in her cute little baby voice she makes my heart happy! Brian tries to correct her, but I love it so much I don't want her to say it right! She'll learn it soon enough...

Something new and fabulous is that Brian and I have started a new business venture. I would go into detail, but it's very difficult to explain in blog format, but I'd like to invite my readers to contact me should you be open-minded and interested in working with us in a fabulous e-commerce industry! It's something we're doing to supplement our income during this very unstable time, neither my job nor Brian's is secure right now and when we found this organization and we saw our potential, it really made good sense to jump on board! We are now able to see the light at the end of the tunnel that is called retirement...yep, I said retirement. I'm on facebook (Kristy Gray - Athens GA network) and myspace (www.myspace.com/bkg1403) or you can email me at bkg1403@yahoo.com. We've even got a website: http://www.grayglobalnetworking.com/ if you'd like to check it out. Come visit us! We've got some great products on our site (for those of you looking for some fun and unique gifts).

I guess that's about it for us for the past two weeks. I know there's more I've forgotten to mention, but it's late. I hope you all have a fabulous week! Be sure to pull for UofA in the SEC Championship this weekend! It's gonna be a goodie!

Attention Christmas Shoppers: Check out Teale!

Hi all! Just wanted to send a shout out to the fabulous Teale who has graciously given me a free Holiday Header. I won the drawing in her HO HO Holiday Giveaway! Thanks Teale! Everyone please visit her website and check out her gallery! She does amazing work! She also has gift certificates available....GREAT STOCKING STUFFERS AND SECRET SISTER GIFTS!!

By the way, I know the header is a little off center but that doesn't have anything to do with Teale or her beautiful designs. She's actually going to help me make it look right.

I'm a little bit busy this week, but I'll have a "catch up" blog soon! Love you all!

Steph and Beth

This is my sister and her newborn baby girl Loren Elizabeth. Aren't they beautiful!? I got to meet this precious child this weekend for the first time. She weighed 8lb 11oz at birth, but she's so tiny, it's hard to believe she did. She might have lost a little from birth weight, but she's just perfect. She's four weeks old, has red hair and blue eyes, and has the cutest little toes and a button of a nose! I know this picture doesn't really do much to show her off, but I'll get some up soon; silly me forgot the camera in GA. I'm just so proud of my little sister I couldn't wait to show them both off!

A promise

Last Saturday the Lord blessed us to see a most magnificent creation:

I know that a rainbow is not a "miracle" but because they are so rare to see, when I do see one, I smile. Not just because it's beautiful, but because I know why it's there. God made a promise to Noah and that reminder has lasted thousands of years! (Gen 9:11-17) Can you imagine what Noah thought about seeing a rainbow? He'd just gotten used to the idea of rain and then THIS--a promise by our Creator that what he'd just suffered would never happen again. Ah....what relief that must have been every time he saw one.

The rainbow is a promise that the Earth would not be destroyed by water again, but it reminds me of another promise God has made to us. He gave us Jesus and promised us that through the blood of Christ we are saved from our sins. Through baptism we come into contact with that blood and are given remission of sins. And as long as we are obedient to His Word and live faithful lives, we will not be destroyed when Christ comes again!

Heb 10:1-25; Mark 16:15-16; Rev 2:10

What a promise! What a God! What a blessing!

****Be sure to see the next post****

Cousins

Since Ty and Leslie moved out here last July (2007), these two have become as close as brother and sister. This was at a church function a few weeks ago (just getting the time to post it). Aren't they adorable!

We're going to miss them when they move back to Alabama!