My Tribute "Family": Disney World, Home, & "Magic"

    Disney was wonderful; so thankful we got to go. We had so much fun! We did have a "magcial time"; but really, the magic for us happened mostly oustide the parks!!!!! It was spending time with each other in the hotel having pillow fights. It was having joining rooms with my mom & dad- n-law. It was the bus ride to the parks and I let the boys stand up while riding, it was the free refills of orange coke for the boys, it was playing the Ipad late in the night cuddled up in bed, it was snuggling with my boys and sleeping with them, it was spying on Noble when he would quietly sneak out of bed each morning to get the Ipad and a snack, it was spending quality time with my in laws and family, it was the road trip with Noble pottying every 10 min and Tj about going crazy, it was playing miniature golf with the boys and thier grandparents, it was all the things in the park, all the things out of the park,  and all things that happened inbetween that made our trip so "magical".   

     What I learned most of all from this amazing trip is that kids just want to spend time with thier family and magic can happen every day, any day, anytime.  "Magic" happens everytime we eat at the dinner table together as a family and take the time to really communicate and look each other in the eye with joy.   It happens in the backyard, when my boys sword fight and jump in mud puddles. Magic explodes when my nieces come over and my boys can play with thier cousins. It happens everytime family gathers together, everytime I kiss a boo boo, cuddle my boys or hear Noble yell "mamma" every morning when he wakes up. It happens everytime Valor looks at me ands says "I love you" and "Im so glad God made you mommy."  It happens everytime Tj helps me around the house and snatches me for a 6 second kiss. Its all around me when I talk to my sister and kiss the sweet warm cheeks of my children.  It suprises us every day,  in some way,  when I love God and put Him first.

     When leaving Disney World, Tj asked Valor, "What was your favorite part about Disney, son?"  Valor, replied quickly, "You dad".  This just confirmed what I had felt all week.  That,  there is indeed  "magic" all around us and we dont have to leave town to find it! (Unless we are traveling to see Gigi and Pawpaw) :-)   For my family and I, Disney World was so much fun and I have tons of pictures and memories to prove it!  However, I have to admit that Magic Kingdom isnt the only "magical" place on earth. Theres an, even more special, place where "magic" and memories are being made. Its a little place I call "Home".   

    So today, I thank God for vacation, a family to go on vacation with, good times, Disney World, and  tons of pictures. I also thank God for a home to shape my little, ever growing, 2 little desciples in.  Im so thankful to be in The Land of Princes'.  It can be overwhelming at times, it can be frustrating, hard and exhausting. But there is great reward and joy in the home that delights in the Lord and delights in each other.   Home Sweet Home!

Praise Him in ALL things at ALL times

Warrior Valor - brave and couragious

Laying in bed with my sick boy,, Valor,  ( healed of The Lord) and ready for our nap. When the song "break every chain" came on, he slowly slides out of bed and starts dancing and praises the Lord the best he could. After bout 30 seconds, he tiredly gets back in bed. This is one of Those times that I'm reminded of how much we can learn from children. Im honored to learn from my son, even though he's unaware he is teaching me. Gods praise will continually be upon my lips and I will praise Him at ALL times in ALL things. He is faithful and true.

I thank God for my sons, Valor and Noble. They are Gods good and perfect gifts to our family. God is faithful to have given me my hearts' desire...children, a husband, family.  Jesus. You are faithful and true. Heres to living in the Land of the Princes! :-)

Your heart is as gorgeous as your smile!

Dearest Kara... Im writing you this letter to honor you. I wish I could kiss your cheek and see your radiant smile as I write these words to you. Someday I will. Maybe God will show you this letter. We dont really know what goes on in Heaven in full detail until we get there. I do know several things. You are not in pain and you never will be. You will never shed another tear. You are having a blast. You have seen Jesus face to face and have felt more love in that one moment than you have felt in all your life. I know that you are exploring Heaven and you are on a great adventure there. I know you were greeted by other family members and friends that went ahead of you. I know that you are singing, dancing and rejoicing. You are seeing and hearing real, live, breathing angels sing "worthy is the lamb". You have never been so fascinated! You are seeing people from the Bible that most of us have only read about. I wonder if you have met King David yet? Or Mary? or Ruth? Or maybe Mawmaw has taken you to visit Queen Esther or Jesus is giving you a grand tour even right now? I'm sure it takes all of eternity to discover every supernatural, fascinating detail of Heaven. I know you are worshipping God and He is adoring you. You are in perfect peace. You are full of the knowledge of God, lacking nothing now. You are complete, and completely yourself. You have become perfect just as He is perfect. You are in awe of His glory and He is in awe of you. You are surrounded by His pure beauty and the gorgeousness of heaven. (Is gorgeousness a word?):-) Im sure angels have gathered to hear you sing to Jesus and they have joined in with their heavenly harmonies. I see in my heart that you are full of giggles, awe and wonder and have perfect,unspeakable joy. I cant help but to think that you have met and are playing with tjs' and my little angels, "Jewel and "Liv" that mawmaw is taking care of until we get there. This makes me happy that Aunt Kara is loving on them. I just know, in my heart, that Mammaw and other family members had the priveledge, along with Jesus, to show you your new breathtakingly, awe inspiring, "blow you mind" custom made mansion filled with all your hearts' desires. I bet it sits on the most lovely hill your eyes have ever seen, overlooking the Land of Glory. I cant imagine your view!!!! I bet its next door to mammaw and yall share a Rose garden with every color rose imaginable...even colors that earth has never seen. I bet when you walk oustide its aroma makes you and Mawmaw giggle. I know I may be crazy to say the following, but I also would like to think that Jesus surprised you when you looked in your back yard and there was a pool! None like you have ever dared to dream about! Maybe it's pure crystal water rests on rich, smooth saphire and turquoise. Perhaps its trimmed in thousands of polished, smooth diamonds of perfect clarity! Yes, Kara...its full of bling bling,just like all of Heaven,and just the way you like it. :-) Perhaps there is a rushing waterfall that pours into it, with pink butterflies that have rubies, diamonds and tanzonite gems in thier wings flying through it. Heaven is so much more than we can imagine!!!!!!! I know you are celebrating the rewards you have earned during your life. I know you are thrilled, honored, thankful, and in awe of the crowns you earned. I'm sure there are endless treasures that King Jesus has for you. Jesus tells each of us to store our treasures in Heaven, not on earth, where moth can not destroy it,man can not steal it, and we will never loose it. You have done this Kara! You surely have tons of rewards, crowns and priceless treasures to partake of that are yours and no one and nothing can take them away from you. They are yours to enjoy for an eternity! I know you are rejoicing in the rewards and crowns that Mawmaw earned as well with other family and friends that are with you in Paradise. The truth is...I dont know everything you are doing in heaven except that you have never been so happy, and have never experienced so much love, peace and joy. You have come into the fullness of who YOU are, because now you are like Jesus lacking nothing. You have seen the fullness God. You have touched Him with your own hands. He has kissed your cheek and you have felt the warmth his lips. I, along with most people, dont understand death and we dont understand heaven because we have not been there. I know that the Bible says "precious in the sight of God is the death of a faithful one" I know I dont view death and life the way Jesus does. His ways are much higher than mine. So in times when I dont understand and this is one of them...I have to choose to trust God. You are His child and He is your Father and he has and will continue to care for you. I know that there are many promises you have waited for your whole life that you have now inheritaed. One promise you have is eternal life. You have this promise because you have Jesus in your heart and I pray that all your family knows Jesus so that they can share eternal life with you and our Savior. All these things are diffucilt to write becuase I dont understand so many things. I have not seen Gods face as you have. I have not heard his audible voice call my name and I have not felt His strong arm embrace me. I have not seen the gloroius city where there is no more pain and no more tears. I do know, even though I dont understand it, that if myself or anyone else cuaght just a glimps of what you have seen we would all beg to go there now. Kara you are loved, and you will be missed more than words could ever say. You are the nicect, most caring, most giving, loving, generous, beautiful person I have ever met. You have changed my life in the little time that I knew you. All your kind deeds that we all could write a novel about have been noticed and are now being rewarded by God Himself. You always lit up the room you were in and I know Heaven just got a little brighter with your smile. I wont be surpised one bit, if when I get to Heaven, Jesus has your smile...or rather you have His. :-) Your family will miss you very much. It will be hard. Your family will grieve in a way that they didnt know was possible. However God has promised your family many things too. He has promised to never leave them. He has promised to comfort them. He has promised to bring them peace. He has promised to never forsake them, to always love them and take care of them. He has promised to be a ever present help in time of trouble. He has promised to be a shield unto them and cover them with grace, strength and love. He has promised to carry them forever as a shepherd carries his sheep into saftey. He has promised to be a good shepherd and a good Father. He has promised to be their provider, thier healer, thier friend. Jesus has promised that He will stick closer than a brother and that your family can cast all thier cares on Him for He cares for them. God says that mourning last for a night but joy comes in the morning. God promises to restore joy and peace and rest to your family. Things wont be the same but we have Gods promise that He is the same today, yesterday and forever. Kara, your legacy still lives on through your husband, your children, your parents, your sisters, your inlaws, your nephews, your nieces, your entire family and friends. The seeds you planted so well, so faithfully, so tenderly and so lovingly still grow in the hearts that you planted them in. God is faithful to see that those seeds will grow into full bloom and produce fruit in and out of season. Heres to..not the end of your destiny...but the beginning. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. In His presnce is fullness of joy and pleasures forever more. No eye has seen and no ear has heard the wonderful things He has in store for you, Kara, because you love him. I will see you again and when I do, I might give you a hug that lasts 100 years! :-) Afterall, whats a 100 years when we will have eternity together! Love you always and forever, Tara