quick trip to staunton:

driving over sweet afton mountain * healthy/yummy dinners made by my mom * little b all smiles with gdaddy & grammy * barrett showing off his new skills * lots of laughing * reading crazy love * journaling * catching up on my one year bible reading * long talks with dad about life and future * barrett trying new foods * actually getting a little more sleep than usual * missin my best friend * little munchkin turning 8 months old * asking mom lots of questions about being a mommy * meeting the newest murray addition josiah * celebrating stephanie & andrew's engagement with friends * passing barrett around to the staunton clan * my boy making me a proud mama * watching my mom rock Barrett when his teeth hurt at night * falling in love with my little man's sleepy eyes and new squinty smile * missing daddy * b rockin the bumbo at dinner * celebrating zeke's first birthday * chatting with my old pals that are now amazing moms * encouraging each other * texting ray * watching barrett throw toys across the room ha * stopping in to see great-grandma mccarthy * jj & pearl (grandma's dogs) keeping barrett's attention * little boy eating yogurt melts for the first time while being pushed around the grocery store * mom's little portable fire-place * bringing roses from my hubby with me in the car so that i can enjoy them * b laughing at new things * reading books with grammy at pufferbellies * really missing my raybo * buying presents for zeke & kayden at pufferbellies * thinking how fast time flies * tearful at times just remembering how precious life is * talking new recipes and healthy ideas with mom * church friends * i LOVE memories... i love remembering them, making them, and being a part of them, and cherishing them!

Our sweet Barrett boy

Proverbs 4:1-6

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;

pay attention and gain understanding.

I give you sound learning,

so do not forsake my teaching.

For I too was a son to my father,

still tender, and cherished by my mother.

Then he taught me, and he said to me,

“Take hold of my words with all your heart;

keep my commands, and you will live.

Get wisdom, get understanding;

do not forget my words or turn away from them.

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;

love her, and she will watch over you.

Sweet Barrett, Mommy & Daddy are praying for you daily:) We are so glad you are our son! You are a gift and we know that God's got wonderful things in store for you! Love you Forever!

no one can LOVE him like you

Good Reminders for Marriage here :)

my favorite: "No one can love him like you!"

We are finally getting to go a date tonight!!

Just the 2 of us!

Excited to spend special time with my man!!

Yeah!

Maybe we will actually take a few pics :)

To love Him more...

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes; so you can see." Revelation 3:15-18

"Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a 'Christian' without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd... God's definition of what matters is pretty straightforward. He measures our lives by how we love." Crazy Love

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast, it is not proud or rude. It does not insist on it own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoings, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all thing, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends... faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:4-8,13

In the book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan ask to insert your name for the word Love in this passage. As I started to do this little exercise I felt like a liar. Is this really true?? Ashley is patient... yeah right?!? Ashley is kind... not always.

I am very aware of God's grace and mercy in my life, but I have also been made aware lately that I have been making Christ part of my life, rather than my WHOLE life!

Reading Francis Chan's book, Crazy Love, has really started to rock my world! What am I living for? Where do I place my energies? "But we need to realize that how we spend our time, what our money goes toward, and where will invest our energy is equivalent to choosing God or rejecting Him. How could we think even for a second that something on this puny little earth compares to the Creator and Sustainer and Savior of it all?" Crazy Love

Oh that my life would be lived out of LOVE FOR GOD, rather than checklists, what other are doing, guilt, fear, obligation, etc. Why do I get up and read His Word in the morning... BECAUSE I LOVE HIM! Why do I reach out to my neighbor? BECAUSE I LOVE HIM! Why do I strive to honor and love my husband and son? BECAUSE I LOVE HIM! I am realizing more and more that all that matters in this life is if I have loved God and His people. What could be more rewarding....

More love to Thee, O Lord,
More love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make
On bended knee;
This is my earnest plea:
More love, O Lord, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved,
Sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek,
Give what is best;
This all my prayer shall be:
More love, O Lord, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work,
Send grief and pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers,
Sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me,
More love, O Lord, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath
Whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry
My heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be:
More love, O Lord, to Thee,
More love to Thee,
More love to Thee!

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/368#ixzz1BVohOXCo

lost

May these words from 1 Chronicles 16:23-27 ring in your heart as you watch.

Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and he is to be held in awe above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his place.

LOST (click here)

Into the New Year we gOOO...

With a little snow...

into the New Year we go!

So far our days having been filled with spending time as family, nights hanging out with Ray's family, watching Barrett investigate everything around him.. and then put it into his mouth, working long days as a mommy & daddy... and a nurse & a salesman, learning new healthy recipes, hanging with friends, enjoying out home, and just taking it one day at a time!

"I have one desire now - to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it."
— Elisabeth Elliot (Through Gates of Splendor)

December Days

The Last few days of December have been full of friends, family, and lots of fun! Here's a few pics of what we have been up to...

My besties came! It was AMAZING!

We are going to try to start a tradition for a once a year reunion!

I cannot tell you how good it was to catch up with my best friends...

I am so thankful for how honest, encouraging, loyal, and godly these girls are...

So so thankful that even in the distance, our hearts have remained close~

Christmas Eve Service at SGC...

dressed all adorable in his Christmas pj's

and a new hand-made hat from Mrs. Mimi!

All tucked in bed Christmas eve...

See you in the morning sleepy boy!

Ray has continued the tradition that my family had of

reading the Christmas story before we open presents.

It was cute to read it to Barrett... he even helped his daddy hold the Bible!

After our Christmas we headed over to Barrett's GiGi

for Christmas with them! Barrett was taking it all in!!

Uncle Caleb was sweet to help Barrett open his gifts!

Caleb got Barrett a new little football!

Us on Christmas!

Barrett playing with one of the two gifts he got from mommy & daddy!

He loves things that make noise!!

And then we got a HUGE snow the day after Christmas!!

It was beautiful!

And a quick, but wonderful visit from my family!

Aunt Betsy just couldn't get enough of her nephew!! :)

We have also done alot of...

Cuddling with mommy!

Eating his first pancake! LOVED it!

Waiting for daddy to come home from work...

It is adorable to see the big grin that Barrett gets as his dad walks up he

driveway!

Staying in our Pj's all day! :)

And driving his new car around the living room!!

December 2010 proved to be an amazing month! We packed it full of memories and fun thats for sure! I must say that this was probably my favorite Christmas yet! It was so special to be a family this year!! Even though Barrett didn't understand much, my heart was so so happy to have him here with us! The love in our hearts for our son seems to grow with each day...

In all the trials and hard times, we are blessed and our lives are truly full because of all that we have in Christ! He is our life... and I pray that we know that even more through 2011!

Taking a deep breath....

And jumping head first into 2011~

As good as it has been... I know that it can only get better...

With hearts full of faith and excitement for what the Lord has in store for us this year...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!