Friday, November 20, 2009

Weathering Storms with Optimism

I believe I have lived this the past three weeks:

“There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: 'The best is yet to be' ("Rabbi Ben Ezra," in Charles W. Eliot, ed., The Harvard Classics, 50 vols. [1909–10], 42:1103).”

Monday, November 9, 2009

1 DOWN 1 TO GO

 
This past week was a milestone in Madison Hill's life. Monday I ran out of pull ups and was just to lazy to go to the store to get some. I did have all intentions of getting some but the view changed. Maddie got up Tuesday and went to put on pull ups and there was none. So she put her big girl underwear on and began using the potty all last week and only had two accidents while trying to run to the toilet. i can't tell you how excited I am that she is potty trained and is done. I love you Madison. Thank you for making mommy's life just a little bit easier.
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Monday, November 2, 2009

PRESBYTERIAN WHITE LIE CAKE

Have you ever told a white lie? You are going to love this, especially all of the ladies who bake for church events: Alice Grayson was to bake a cake for the Presbyterian Church Ladies' Group in Tuscaloosa, but forgot to do it until the last minute. She remembered it the morning of the bake sale and after rummaging through cabinets, found an angel food cake mix & quickly made it while drying her hair, dressing, and helping her son pack up for Scout camp.

When she took the cake from the oven, the center had dropped flat and the cake was horribly disfigured and she exclaimed, "Oh dear, there is not time to bake another cake!" This cake was important to Alice because she did so want to fit in at her new church, and in her new community of friends. So, being inventive, she looked around the house for something to build up the center of The cake.. She found it in the bathroom - a roll of toilet paper. She plunked it in and then covered it with icing. Not only did the finished product look beautiful, it looked perfect. And, before she left the house to drop the cake by the church and head for work, Alice woke her daughter and gave her some money and specific instructions to be at the bake sale the moment it opened at 9:30 and to buy the cake and bring it home. When the daughter arrived at the sale, she found the attractive, perfect cake had already been sold. Amanda grabbed her cell phone & called her mom.
Alice was horrified-she was beside herself! Everyone would know! What would they think? She would be ostracized, talked about, ridiculed! All night, Alice lay awake in bed thinking about people pointing fingers at her and talking about her behind her back.

The next day, Alice promised herself she would try not to think about the cake and would attend the fancy luncheon/bridal shower at the home of a fellow church member and try to have a good time. She did not really want to attend because the hostess was a snob who more than once had looked down her nose at the fact that Alice was a single parent and not from the founding families of Tuscaloosa, but having already RSVP'd, she couldn't think of a believable excuse to stay home. The meal was elegant, the company was definitely upper crust old south and to Alice's horror, the cake in question was presented for dessert!

Alice felt the blood drain from her body when she saw the cake! She started out of her chair to tell the hostess all about it, but before she could get to her feet, the Mayor's wife said, "what a beautiful cake!" Alice, still stunned, sat back in her chair when she heard the hostess (who was a prominent church member) say, "Thank you, I baked it myself."

Alice smiled and thought to herself, "God is good..”

Saturday, October 31, 2009

A TINY MIRACLE CALLED ADOPTION

 
 
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This post is dedicated to Shane, Kim, Jacob and the newest member of their family Andria Grace Keeler, who was placed in their arms yesterday at 5pm from her birth mother and birth father. Our heartfelt thanks and prayers go out to Josh and Paige whom made the ultimate sacrafice and gave up their sweet daughter to a very deserving family. It takes a two special spirits to give something so precious away and that is exactly what Josh and Paige did. In our book they are heroes and will forever be blessed from Heavenly Father above for their decision. I have had many conversations with my good friend Kim over the years about having children and not being able to have children. Many tears have been shed. Kim has yearned for another baby for a long, long time. The Lord knew on his time line that someone special would come along and would be placed in Kim's arms. This was the year it was to happen. Andria Grace came into the world at 2:48pm and she weighed 5 lbs 11 oz and she was 18 inches long. The hill family can't express enough love to Josh and Paige, thank you for making our best friends so happy. May the Lords choicest blessings be upon you each. To the Keelers, happiness is not only at your home but here in the Hill home it is all we have been talking about. Yeah for Andria Grace, whom we can't wait to meet in the very near future.
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Friday, October 30, 2009

PARKERS FIREFIGHTER ROOM

Parkers Firefighter room is now complete. Mommy is happy and Parker is so proud of his room that he tells everyone that comes to our home to "Tome" (come) to my room.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

FROM PUMPKIN CARVING TO A MASSIVE SNOW STORM

Saturday, October 24, 2009

SPIRIT OF THE WEST AWARD

 

 

 
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I received a phone call from the Principal Mr. Strickland at the beginning of the week telling us the Paige had been chosen for the Spirit of the West Award. We were to keep it quiet because she didn't know she had won. So, yesterday at 1:30pm we went to the Assembly at Trails West along with our good friend Terri Plessman and we waited for Paige to get her award. When Mr. Strickland called her name out she sat there for a minute and then realized that he had said her name. We are so proud of Paige and everything she is achieving in her young life right now. She has a wonderful teacher Mrs. McCombs whom she adores and loves. Thanks to Mrs. McCombs for nominating her and to Mr. Strickland for choosing her. We do have one special little gal with a special little spirit in our home. Thanks to our Heavenly Father above who is allowing us to raise her and have her for eternity.

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