sweet boy & good friday

yesterday afternoon caroline & i headed over to athens.

we were hooking up with savannah and three of her best girlfriends for a little

friendship/noonday photoshoot.

we were forecast to have rain so i felt like i was racing with the devil to get there

& get some shots in.

basically the clouds moved on & we ended up with a gorgeous sunset

& a gorgeous spring night.

i'll be back next week to share some of these gorgeous girls

in all their Noonday glory.

 

got home late last night to find out my brinkley had been throwing up

& unable to go to the bathroom.

that followed a fitful night of sleep where

each time he moved , i woke up.

& he whimpered to go outside

multiple times ( very out of character)

& tried to "go" each time.

i called our vet first thing in the morning & was able to get him in pronto.

they love him there.

love him.

they ran blood work

(negative for pancreatitis, common in goldens)

& xrays were taken.

xrays were inconclusive for obstruction, which was & still is my fear.

(i lost a black lab years ago to this issue).

the vet felt he didn't present as an obvious obstruction case

& that since he looked stable

& that to open him up for surgery 

while it could be done

didn't seem the prudent choice.

we brought him home & have been feeding him rice, cottage cheese

yogurt and green beans.

he's been able to keep that down but still is unable to go.

we threw him some tennis balls-his favorite activity on the planet

& it's clear , he's not 100%.

i tell you what.

i just don't know how to suck it up & act all good

when things like this happen.

fear eats me alive.

i guess i love big

& i love wide open.

therefore when those i love are in jeopardy

it's a huge, almost unattainable quest

for me to trust that things will be ok.

i also realize that for many, "he's just a dog".

but for me, he's far from that.

i've been fuzzy all day & just a distracted wreck.

plus, i clearly don't function well on little to no sleep.

i praying he sleeps well & is better in the morning.

if not, surgery may be the next step.

we have tickets for the Good Friday service

which is nothing short of an amazing contemplation of the cross

& worship service.

powerful, so powerful, & beautiful celebration of our Jesus

& his death and Resurrection.

(caroline made this little diptych from some of my iphone images).

i'm praying that brinkley is all better tomorrow

& that i'm able to attend what has been one of my favorite events of the year.

we truly have so much to be thankful for this Easter.

~~

"By your wounds we are healed
  You have conquered the grave
And in your rising, we will rise
To carry your name
Above every name "

christy nockels

He is risen!

 i hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!

i was trying to remember the last cloudy rainy Easter day 

& i can't remember one. i feel the last several years have all had such beautiful weather.

& yesterday was no exception!

the love birds celebrated a special day in their relationship

with a yummy dinner at Nava in Buckhead.

 (remember, if you will, when i explained my girls reaction to my
"mini-wedges"?

well, check out their platform wedges in these images & you'll understand

exactly what they consider a true wedge! ;) )

 

the highlight of our weekend

was watching our Bailey's baptism!!!

the scripture says there is no greater joy then seeing my children walk with the lord...

well, she's not "mine", but i felt so much joy witnessing her

make this public profession of her faith!!

prior to the baptism, savannah shared some tender thoughts

& blessed bailey...

sweet bailey girl, it has been a privelge to watch you grow in the lord.

i see his spirit in you!

 i know you will do great things at ole miss!!

i love you & am so proud of you!!

 

 

 we are blessed at Grace to have an awesome staff

especially our youth pastors.

brian, the high school pastor, has been a huge influence on the girls

and was who baptized bailey!

 

 we headed home after the baptism

ate a little chocolate and then headed over to celebrate 

with Passion City Church, at the verizon amphitheatre.

i really wish i had brought my camera, but i doubt the picture would have captured

what a glorious day it was!

PCC is the "other" church we occasionally attend, usually on sunday nights.

PCC is the one where Chris Tomlin leads worship & Louie Giglio teaches.

wow!

wow is what we say after every service there.

however having worship with those guys

outside on a breezy gorgeous spring morning

at a fantastic venue 

with the birdies chirping no less

was so powerful.

one of the phrases louie spoke on was that Jesus came

to bring

life

forgiveness

& freedom.

that gave me chills.

 i am so thankful for a savior who gave it all for you & i to have life!

 why on earth am i slumping?

 quick wardrobe change for a couple girls

& then hooked back up with emi

before heading over to my brother & sis in laws

for a great lunch!

 

thank you sweet madison

for whipping up some cute bunny cupcakes!

what would i do without you?!

He doesn't give up on YOU!

You paid my ransom

You chose to suffer

Love I cannot deny

Sure as the morning light

Jesus, my Redeemer

Now I am not ashamed

To You be the highest praise

Jesus, my Redeemer

"Barbara's difficult home life had left her afraid and insecure. While the other children talked, she sat. While the others sang, she was silent. While the others giggled, she was quiet. Always present. Always listening. Always speechless.

Until the day Joy gave a class on Heaven. Joy talked about seeing God. She talked about tearless eyes & deathless lives.

Barbara listened with hunger. Then she raised her hand & said....Is Heaven for girls like me?...

I would have given a thousand sunset to have seen Jesus' face
as this tiny prayer reached his throne.

An earnest prayer that a good God in heaven would remember a forgotten soul on earth.

A prayer that God's grace would seep into the cracks and cover one the church let slip through. A prayer to take a life that no once else can use and use it as no one else can.

A prayer to do what God does best: take the common and make it spectacular......

To take three spikes and a wooden beam and make them the hope of humanity.

God would give up His only son before He gives up on You."


~~~~ from Max Lucado's Six Hours One Friday

my friends, i pray this Easter fills you with the hope of sweet Jesus,

who paid the price for our sin and gives you new life!!

He is Risen!!