But 'Mary Beth' treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

A birthday party for Jesus!

A host of terracotta "potts" angels

Decorating our tree.

Zoo Lights

Every Christmas it was a tradition to read Luke 2:1-20 as a family on Christmas morning before we opened our gifts. I have continued this tradition with my children but this year I wanted to do much more so starting at the beginning of this month we began the journey with Zacharias, Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph. I wanted my children to focus on the true meaning of Christmas and to really understand why we are celebrating. The title of this blog post is actually from Luke 2:19 replacing Mary's name with my name or actually just adding Beth in the verse. This verse is a special verse to me now that I'm a mom. Before when I read it I never got the significance of it but now that I have children of my own I understand Mary's point of view. Motherhood alone is a HUGE responsibility but being the mother of Jesus Christ... WOW! So as I take this journey of Advent with my children I'm constantly aware of these moments and I cherish them. Thank you Jesus for coming to earth and saving us, thank you for my children, help me never to take for granted the time I have with them and I pray that Ellie, Ethan, and Eli will learn early in their lives the kind of relationship you desire to have with them and Your will for their lives. AMEN

Halloween 2010

Ellie and I have started a Halloween tradition. Ellie tries to come up with the most original costume she can think of and we make it! Ellie and I love arts and crafts so this is a great challenge for us. The first few years of her life she chose to be some sort of princess... a ballerina princess, a fairy princess, a disney princess, and so on but one year I managed to talk her out of that and the crafting began. It all started with an ice cream cone in 2007 then we had to do a golden fairy creation in 2008, in 2009 she was a cupcake and this year was a red lego. The past two years she has won first prize at the school fall festival in her category.

The boys are not as big into the arts and crafts part but they do enjoy coming up with a costume. This was the first year Eli participated wholeheartedly, in the past he was not to keen on putting anything on his head or over his face but now he wants to do whatever Ethan does. That worked out great this year because Ethan wanted to be the Super Mario Brothers so Eli was Mario and Ethan was Luigi. Last year Ethan was Indiana Jones (very cute) and he also won first prize at the school fall festival in the preschool category.

This year we went trick or treating in Hernando with some friends. We all rode on a big trailor and hopped on and off (not as much fun for mom and dad). The pictures above show costumes from this year, the trick or treating trailor ride, and carving pumpkins with Dad.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Frangrance-of-our-Lives.html?soid=1101120263365&aid=L1Itbt4yPfc

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Frangrance-of-our-Lives.html?soid=1101120263365&aid=L1Itbt4yPfc

Pack it Down Tight!!!

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; Thou dost support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me. Psalms 16:5-6

for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Hebrews 11:10

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2: 19-22

I remember when my house was being built. I was so excited that I use to bring the kids and we would have picnics in the yard before there was even a house. I would watch as they began preparing for the foundation of our home. As a lot of you know my husband, Brandon, is in that line of work and I asked why they drive over and over the dirt as they build it up. He said it was because they needed to pack it down good and tight. This is the beginning of preparing a firm foundation. I love how God uses examples from everyday life to help us understand His Word. When I read the verses above I think of my own spiritual foundation. Many people have paved the way for me to reach this point in my life. Every person that crosses my path and invests time in me has packed down the foundation a little tighter and made it more firm.

"The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places" and Jesus Christ is my cornerstone. I am so glad that God chose to place me among others that share Christ's love with me. When I am sitting in church, or going on a ladies night out, or spending time with friends that have a "stay at home mom" schedule, or my small group arrives at my home and walk in without having to knock and they know where to find cups and forks in my kitchen, I know that I am a part of a new city being built. I am with my fellow workers, and we are growing into a holy temple in the Lord. This excites me and I want everyone to experience it. I love that we are being fitted together and we are sharing life.

Just wanted to share with my friends and family that I love them and as they meet new people and begin new friendships to be careful how you build upon those new relationships. We are there for a purpose, God's purpose. Let's pray for one another to have wisdom and love as we continue to build.

Well it's the beginning of Fall and we have a couple of months of school under our belts. Ellie is adjusting to 4th grade and Ethan has decided he likes kindergarten. Eli has decided he likes having mommy to himself during the day and sometimes asks if we can leave ellie-ethan at school. I have gone on two field trips so far this school year and have enjoyed watching the kids interact with the other kids in their class.

Ellie's field trip was to the Pink Palace and I got to ride the school bus with the group. It made me think back to when I was in 4th grade. It's funny how things haven't changed much. There is still the boy that likes to flip his eyelids out and that one person that says present instead of here when the teacher calls roll, one girl was slightly creative and said "I exist". The boys were telling "YO Mama" jokes while the girls were playing silly games and giggling. When I was in school it was called "cooties" but for some reason now it is "cheese touch" (wierd I know, the way you avoid getting it is by crossing your fingers). My personal favorite Yo Mama joke was "Yo Mama is sooo ugly she looks like you!" I wonder why there are no Yo Daddy jokes? Anyway it was an interesting trip and I realized that 4th graders are 4th graders whether it is 1988 or 2010.

Ethan's field trip was to the zoo. Ethan, his friend Luke and I spent the afternoon walking around the zoo. I enjoyed the boys and their enthusiasm over animal poop. Luke was a very energetic child and tried to join the animals by attempting to climb over the fences a couple of times. Ethan has been dubbed Potts because there is more than one Ethan in their class. So I kept hearing "Hey Potts" or "Wassup Potts", it was cute!

You can see from the pictures above that Ethan is playing football. He hasn't quite got the hang of it yet. There is a lot to remember and he ends up just running around on the field and if he gets lucky he finds a pile of boys to jump on. They look like little bobbleheads out there trying to hold up those big helmets. It's fun to watch but I don't think we will be getting offers from the NFL any time soon.

No babies for me anymore. I'm past the days of bottles and diapers. I have two in school and one on the verge. Ellie is a young lady now. Ethan is learning to read and write. Eli goes to the potty by himself (most of the time, anyway). The time goes by quickly. They each have their own personality and interests. I love watching them grow and learn. I am thankful that I am getting to stay home and be there for them during this time in their lives. I was reflecting on the simplicity of my daily life and I just thank God for this time. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!!

Smile by Uncle Kracker - Lyrics

This song makes me think of my kiddos. Mama loves you!!

Smile by Uncle Kracker - Lyrics

This song makes me think of my kiddos. Mama loves you!!

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

I heard this song this morning on the radio while taking the kids to school and then I read something my aunt had written including the lyrics to this song so I decided to post it on my blog. Ellie, Ethan and Eli, this was the song that Pop and I danced to at my wedding.

Grandmother's Bible

I started this blog for my children. I thought it would be something great for them to have from me. As they get older they can read it and learn more about me and the things I thought and said as I was raising them. My grandmother puckett, my mom's mom, passed away in 1989 before there was such a thing as internet but she also left me something that has helped me get to know her better through the years, her Bible. I read this Bible on the daily basis and I carry it with me to church. I love to flip through the pages and see what she wrote, what she studied and what she prayed.
At first I set this special book on a shelf and didn't want to touch it. I wanted everything to be as it was the last time she had opened the book herself. It stayed like that for years... sitting on a shelf or in a box collecting dust, untouched. I went through my preteen years, junior high, high school and then college. I packed the Bible and took it with me to college. By this time I did open it but I didn't want to move the ribbons in it where she had marked the pages. I'm sure I read it at different times but didn't really pay attention to the things she had written in the margins until the past few years. Then one day something caught my eye... it was my name written in the margin in her handwriting! Actually as I looked closer it said "read to Nikki and Mary Beth", Nikki and I are her oldest granddaughters born just a month apart from eachother and I know she prayed for us often. It sends chills through me to know that years later I can share something with her that she read, pondered, and prayed over. Here is the passage... "Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty." Proverbs 4:5-9 This passage speaks of wisdom and I believe Grandmother prayed for us to acquire wisdom. I also believe that she particularly liked the words I have highlighted in red. Those are beautiful words... I believe these words personify wisdom and my grandmother was praying that one day we would be examples of this. I don't remember her ever getting a chance to read this passage to Nikki and I but when I had the chance to read these words on my own and realize that my grandmother wanted us to read and learn from this passage I think of another verse... "So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11 I think it is amazing how God uses us. More than 20 years ago my grandmother was sitting in her vinyl covered chair in the den off the kitchen reading God's word and praying for her grandchildren, pondering over specific words and then at the perfect moment many years down the road I open this book and see the words she wrote and read what she read and these words begin to accomplish what God desired, and this will continue. How amazing!!

I have heard that others have read my blog and people have shared that it has touched them or meant something to them and I give God the glory for using me. I will continue to mingle God's word with the stories I write because I want it to do exactly what Isaiah 55:11 says. These words will succeed in the matter for which He sent it. Pray that I will acquire wisdom and that I will allow the Holy Spirit to lead me as I write.

Eli-isms

Eli has really started talking a lot lately and he has come up with some unique ways to express himself...

My Ellie-ethan which means his sister and brother.

The Che-ater = the refridgerator.

Shark spoon= sharp spoon which translates as fork.

Pop's cheep= Pop's jeep which we are driving while we have no car.

Jemmers= our friend Jennifer

Wokay= okay

I wanna hold you= hold me, mommy

It's a lot of fun to listen to him. He is 3 years old now and he insists that he is not a baby. We have almost mastered going to the potty... thank goodness! Now he is adjusting to being by himself now that Ellie and Ethan are both in school. The one thing that does entertain him is anything with wheels like tractors, trucks, racecars, oh and he has a real passion for trailers that hook up to things, uh yeah this must be a man thing. He also loves tools and tries to fix things. I try to write these things down so I don't forget. It seems to all go sooo fast. I might blink my eyes and he will be driving a real truck and pulling a real trailer and my whole head will be full of gray hairs.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!! Ironically, I believe I am about Ellie's age in this picture and you are probably about 32 or 33 which is how old I am now. So life has come full circle. The dress I have on in the picture was one of my favorites it was white with little blue flowers. We were dressed and ready to go to church and I guess Mom must have thought this was a Kodak moment.

"So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate." Matthew 19:6

First Day of Kindergarten and 4th Grade

Well this was a big week!! The kids enjoyed their visit from Binky Ben but there was another big event this week... the first day of school. Ellie is always excited about school. She never seems to get tired of it. This year was no exception. She wanted to pack her lunch a week in advance and she had her outfit picked out to wear... she was all ready to go. This year was a little more exciting because Ethan would be joining her at school. Yes, Ethan is five and it's already time for him to start kindergarten. I can't believe it!! Ethan is a little different from his sister. He just doesn't share in the level of enthusiasm that Ellie has for everything. He also likes to sleep a little later so 6:45 just comes much too early for him. I was well organized on the morning of August 5, the kids clothes were laid out, lunchboxes were packed and I even had my camera ready to go. Ethan took a little coaxing to wake up but he finally got it together. Ellie was ready in 5 minutes. We had waffles for breakfast and brushed hair and teeth... we were ready to go. Ellie had her brand new outfit on and Ethan chose to wear his favorite Super Mario Brothers tshirt... not mom's first pick but it's his day. Dad was going to join us for the momentus occasion so he chose to go in a little late for work. Before we headed out the door Brandon said a prayer with Ethan and Ellie praying for them and their teachers. Eli thought it was absolutely necessary that he also bring a backpack and lunchbox. So everyone gathered up their stuff and we headed off to school. I was holding back tears the whole way there. I managed to control myself as we made it in the front doors of the school. As we make our way to the red hallway where the kindergarten classrooms are Ethan looks up at me and says "I got it from here, Mom." I insisted on following him to the classroom despite his eagerness to be sooo independent. I was able to steal a kiss at the doorway to his classroom and then I loosened my grip on my baby who insists upon growing up. I walked away as his teacher was showing him where to hang up his backpack. These things make my heart hurt but I know it is inevitable. I only have one baby left at home with me. Eli has two more years before he starts. You know what I dread most though...it's not kindergarten, t's their Senior year. I'm just not going to think about it!!!

What's a Binky??

When Ellie was beginning to talk she developed some unique nicknames for people. Every one knows the one she created for my mom, BooBoo, but she also decided that "uncle" was not going to work for my brother so Binky Ben it is! Don't really know why but when we would try to teach her to say Uncle Ben it just came out as Binky. Anyway it stuck so the boys call him binky also. By the way I have called him Brother and he has called me Sister our whole lives so you won't hear me refer to my brother as Ben, ever.

Well, Binky Ben came for a visit this week as the big finale of summer vacation. My brother decided that he wanted to take the kids to the zoo as a big treat and it was a big treat except that this happened to be the hottest week of the summer!!! So BooBoo, Binky Ben, Me and the three E's made our way to the zoo. We carried a big cooler and found every air conditioned building we could find between the lions and the elephants. Despite the heat advisory the kids loved it! Eli didn't fuss one time and no one ever whined. My brother happens to be a wealth of trivial knowledge. He used to read encyclopedias while he sat on the toilet (had to add that just because) so he knew many facts about the animals that he shared with the kids this was especially fun for Ellie. The next day Ellie requested that we go to Dale's for lunch and BooBoo met us on her lunch break. That place hasn't lost its popularity, it was packed. After lunch Binky Ben took the kids to Target to pick out a toy for their birthdays. Ethan picked out a DS game, Eli picked out a red mustang (the miniature version) and Ellie just kept the money.

We had many other activities while Binky Ben was here. Of course, Saturday night when Binky Ben had just arrived Pop and BooBoo came to our house and we all had supper together. Then Sunday night Cousin Jill (check out her website, jillcarterphoto.com) came over along with her family to take a family portrait. We told Becca and Collins to come over and bring their kiddos. So, we had a cookout that night with all the cousins, well not all the cousins but it sounded like all of them... Drew, Callie, Hayley, and baby Ford plus my 3 which makes 7 kids at the Potts house. The kids had a blast!

Well it was good times, Binky Ben. Thanks for the zoo trip and shopping for birthday treats. Shout out to Aunt Justine sorry you didn't get to join us but we will see you soon. Congrats on your new job! So Binky Ben left on an important day which was the first day of school this will be the next post...to be continued. So the question was "What's a Binky?" well it's an Uncle with a little pizazz!!

Through the eye of a needle

Well, say goodbye to the minivan. I have been through a lot with the ole girl but she's going to a family with four children now. I'm currently between vehicles and we will be shopping around for something that fits more within our budget. Brandon and I are trying to do God's will according to our finances. We will either have to do without or do with a little less. You would think giving up the minivan wouldn't be that big of a deal unless you are a busy mom with multiple children then you might understand the convenience of my Honda Odyssey a little more. So I am looking to God for His perspective. "And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:17 So here is a verse God showed me... pretty self explanatory. My house, my car, my clothes, my youth, and so on and so on; these things are passing away they won't last forever. We all know that these things won't last forever but we still try to hold on to them. So I have some work to do in this area. I need to start building up my treasures in heaven... "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." I want my heart to be with my Heavenly Father and I don't need money for His treasures. Jesus stamped PAID IN FULL on that debt! Do I hear an AMEN!!!



I read the story about the rich young man who wanted to know exactly how to get to heaven (Matthew 19: 16-26) and Jesus told him to sell all he had and he would have his treasure in heaven. Unfortunately, this was a hard pill for this young man to swallow. Jesus told his disciples that it would be harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven than a camel to go through the eye of a needle. After pondering this story and realizing how hard it might be for me to let go of certain worldly possessions (my van) I find myself discouraged and disappointed in myself. However, Jesus goes on to say that "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." So now my less than skinny behind is going through the eye of the needle because I know God is in control. Thank you, Lord, for making this life on earth a journey to learn these lessons and to get to know you better!

Ethan's Faith

Well, Ethan is my middle child. Quiet and independent but not at all shy. He just turned 5 on his birthday, May 3, and is about to begin kindergarten. He loves to play the Wii especially any kind of Super Mario Brothers games. In this picture he had just gotten his trophy for finishing his first season of t-ball. He doesn't talk a whole lot but when he has something to share he will make his opinion known. I never know what he might say and sometimes hold my breath when I here him saying,"Sir, Sir, excuse me but...". One day he told a man he liked his hair which was very polite however, the guy was bald with a comb over. It was probably the only time the guy would get a compliment on his hair. He always makes a point to speak to police officers not sure why but he likes to say hello. Some police had a person pulled over in our driveway right off of Highway 301 the other day and I had to run out to stop Ethan because he was making his way out there to speak to them. He's not at all bashful when we pray at meal time he often volunteers to pray and for a long time his prayer was "God shares, Amen." Short and sweet and completely true. He didn't ask for anything just praised God for sharing. Another time when he was having some trouble with nightmares he would just simply come to me and tell me we needed to pray so he wouldn't have bad dreams then he would go right to sleep. I began all this to actually tell a story about him that just happened today. Brandon had gotten home a little earlier than usual and so Ethan wanted him to play the Wii. Brandon was using the excuse that there was a glare on the t.v. because he wasn't doing so well playing the game. Ethan says "I think God wants me to talk to Him." So he goes over to the window looks up to the sky and then bows his head. Then he prays, "God will you move the sun, please. Amen." Of course, Ethan just wanted to finish playing the game with his dad. He has no other worries in this world, if he even knows what the word worry means. He just knew if he asked God to move the sun that He could and would do it for him. Why can't I make things that simple?

Eli is 3 today!!

My baby is 3 years old today! I wasn't really expecting a third child and wasn't excited about being pregnant for a third time but I certainly couldn't imagine life with out him now!! Right now you love all things in the form of a motor vehicle (cars, trucks, tractors, motorcycles, etc). You are proud of the fact that your daddy is a fireman and you say you want to be one too and I have no doubt that you will be. You also enjoy working on your cars and trucks and hooking them up to things to tow stuff around, which would be a lot like your Pop and your daddy. Your favorite color seems to be blue right now and your favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and you like the movie Cars. You really like music and you are always telling mommy to sing. Brayden Lemonds is your best buddy and of course you love your big brother, Ethan. You love your sister because she babies you and she will probably do that your entire life. I'm afraid you are quite a handful for mommy right now. When you don't get your way in stores like Target or Walmart you sit down in the floor and take off your shoes. You know good and well what the wooden spoon that I carry in my purse is for and Mommy uses it often. You are in potty training mode right now and you do well for the most part but we have definitely had some interesting situations arise. Right now I am just praying that you will be a godly man and that you will love the Lord with all your mind, soul, and strength. Strength is the word for you because you are strongminded and strong physically so if that strength is used for God you will be a mighty warrior. I love my little man.

"The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Psalms 92:12

Visit with cousins

Here are all seven of the kiddos together.

We all know Ellie loves babies and Kara Lynn is one of her favorites now. I think Kara Lynn kind of liked her big cousin too.

Rub a dub dub 3 wild boys in the tub!

Beautiful Cupcakes!

Making the cupcakes was hard work because we had to taste test each candy to make sure it was good enough to decorate these special creations.

Some of my most cherished moments were spending time with my cousins during summer vacation or during the holidays. I have a lot of cousins and we are all close in age so whenever we had family get togethers there was a lot of kids and a lot of fun!! This week my cousin Kelly brought her four children to visit for a couple of days. Kelly and I have spent the past several years being pregnant and usually around the same time. When Kel came to visit newborn Ellie she was pregnant with Katie. Kelly had Clay in July 2004 then I had Ethan in May 2005. Then we found out Kayla was coming and everyone looked at me and said "Well, what about you MB?" I promised them I would not be joining her this time. . . Kelly had Kayla in March 2007 and Eli was born in July 2007. Finally, Kelly announced that the fourth was on the way and I told Brandon to go sleep on the couch. Kara Lynn was born last December but I stopped at 3.

Let me give you a break down of all the activities. On Monday afternoon when all the cousins were finally reunited (we haven't seen them since last summer), we went swimming at Uncle Tim and Aunt Tricia's. A swimming pool with lots of fun memories for me. Then everyone came over to our house for supper. It sounded like a 3 ring circus. Everyone was sooo excited. Ellie and Katie were doing arts and crafts. Ethan and Clay were playing the Wii and Kayla and Eli were chasing eachother around the house. Aunt Tricia, Uncle Tim, Mama, Brandon, Kelly and I enjoyed a not so quiet dinner but we enjoyed watching the kids play. Everyone eventually headed home and Kelly and I straightened up the kitchen and then headed upstairs to round up kids for bedtime. Kayla wanted to sleep with the boys so we headed to Ethan and Eli's room and laid sleeping bags out for everyone. The two big girls headed to Ellie's room to escape the noise and enjoy a good read. Kayla and Eli kept popping up and down. Clay was trying his best to wind down but the excitement of day was still on his mind. Ethan was face first in his pillow and the first one of the night to fall asleep except for Kara Lynn who got to sleep downstairs where it was a little quieter. Kelly and I sat down at the kitchen table to catch up. There were a few more pitter patters of little feet but eventually all was quiet. Kelly and I shared stories of potty training, tips on easy meals, and took a stroll down memory lane. We laughed a lot, cried a little, and then headed off to bed.

The next day we started off with donuts for breakfast. Ellie and Katie began planning a surprise party for Eli and Clay who both have birthdays in July. I decided it would be fun to load the 3 older girls up and head to Dollar Tree for some party supplies and Kelly stayed behind with the boys and Kara Lynn. On the way to the store Kayla (3 years) was thinking hard about what we could buy. She spoke up and said I know what we can get at the store, some "go ticks". I needed her big sis Katie to translate... glow sticks was what she said. I thought this was a great idea. When we got there you could tell I had some professional shoppers on my hands. We could have easily spent $50 if we had let Kayla take control so I had to step in and take control of the final selections. We headed back home to start on the cupcakes and to prepare games for the party. We started out with hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner, then we had the lovely cupcakes, then there was time for games and opening gifts. All the kids had tons of fun and Kelly and I were impressed with Ellie and Katie's party planning skills. One of my favorites was the sign they made which said "Hey, Eli ...What's Up, Clay...Yahoo...It's your birthday!!!" For the big finale we waited until it was dark outside we turned off all the lights, turned on music and danced around with all the glow sticks. We did take the time to bathe all of the kids. We took shifts. The boys were my responsibility and they basically splashed around until I thought they were clean enough. The bathroom got a nice cleaning too. It was a busy and fun filled day and all the kids went straight to bed with almost no trouble at all except for Kara Lynn. We think she was a little overstimulated. I can't imagine why.

Sad to say the fun had to end and our cousins headed back to Arkansas on Wednesday morning. The kids said there goodbyes and I got some hugs and kisses and now we are looking forward to the next visit. Ellie, Ethan and Eli love their cousins, Katie, Clay, Kayla and Kara Lynn!!

New Orleans Wedding and VBS

The children are sitting on a fountain in the French Quarter. We were just out sightseeing after breakfast and checking out the more kid friendly part of New Orleans!

Here are Allison and Eric tying the knot! We pray for God's blessings on Aunt Allison, "new" Uncle Eric, Peyton and Atley.

Here are the kids performing at the Riverbend VBS finale. We had a lot of fun and are truly blessed that we are a part of this church family!

I haven't posted anything in a couple of weeks so a lot has been going on since my last post. We went to New Orleans for Aunt Allison's wedding and we came home to VBS festivities which were a lot of fun.

We enjoyed visiting with family in New Orleans but to be quite honest Brandon and I are truly country folk so the city is only a place for short visits. I do however love to walk and window shop. I love to look at the artwork and the historic buildings so I wish we had had more time for that but when you have children that need naps or would rather be at the hotel pool there isn't any time for what mom wants to do. Mostly, I just enjoyed being with my husband because it's a rare occasion that I get to spend and entire day with him much less an entire 4 days so that was a highlight. The wedding was at Benachi House in New Orleans which I believe was built in 1859. Brandon was especially impressed with a certificate hanging in the hallway that was signed by Abraham Lincoln. Ms. Nancy, Aunt Brenda, Cousin Amy and Cousin Ann Martin worked really hard to create a beautiful ceremony and reception for Allison and Eric. Of course both Allison and Eric's families had a lot of sweat on their brows after setting up and then cleaning up. Of course the ultimate goal was to get Allison and Eric hitched and we accomplished what we went there for so you two enjoy marital bliss!!

So Monday June 21 we headed back home from New Orleans so that we could get home for Ethans last t-ball game and to go to Vacation Bible School. The kids really enjoyed Bible School. Ellie got to take her friend Andrea and Ethan took his friend Tony. Eli just enjoyed getting to be a big boy and joining in the fun. He also got to be with his best buddy Brayden. They sang, they crafted, they listened to stories, they enjoyed every minute and looked forward to every evening when it was time to go to the church. Ethan and Ellie especially enjoyed Ms. Theresa as she told the Bible stories. I believed that was the favorite of most of the children. I'm so glad they enjoyed hearing God's word and truth. We as adults forget that the Bible is full of wonderful characters and amazing stories filled with drama and suspense. Special thanks to our Children's Director, Liz, that works hard to organize all of the activities for the kids. She is just a big kid herself and I know God made her that way for this very reason. Brandon, another big kid, and I had the pleasure of working with Liz ahead of time to prepare some of the decorations, namely the big ship that took up most of the stage. Brandon did the building and I did the painting and we enjoyed taking part. I also enjoyed assisting Ms. Shelley with craft time and Brandon was there most evenings not sure for what other than to stir up trouble. I think his excuse was to come help Mr. Clay with rec time. Anyway it was a nice week with plenty of fellowship and learning how to be more like Jesus so I am thankful for our Riverbend family and the dedication they have to our children.

Sanctus Real - Lead Me (Slideshow With Lyrics)

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you , O valiant warrior." Judges 6:12 It's Father's Day and I wish my father, Tim, and husband, Brandon, a joyful day. We love you and pray for you. I know that leading a family must seem impossible sometimes but I plead with you to stand firm and look to our Heavenly Father for strength because your family needs you to be warriors for us and most of all for Christ. When Gideon heard those words "valiant warrior" spoken to him he did not believe he was capable of leading his people to victory against the Midianites but God doesn't see us as weak human flesh He sees how He is going to use us. He sees the end result... the redeemed, the sanctified, the cleansed, the forgiven, the valiant warrior.

I realized, Daddy, that you are the patriarch of this family. Know this... your family kneels behind you in prayer. "Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; they will not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies at the gate." Psalm 127:4-5 You are blessed, your quiver is full... me, brother, Ellie, Ethan, and Eli (and I'm sure more in the future). I love you, Daddy.

For my husband... thank you for your hard work and perserverance. I mostly appreciate and am thankful for your spiritual growth. I pray for your protection as you enter the world everyday and I pray you will be a light among the darkness. I pray that other men will see you are different and they will desire to know what makes you different. When you take my hand I feel the result of hard labor but when you hug and kiss your children I see the result of a gentle spirit. Continue to grow and walk in Christ and I will continue to pray and support you. We love you.

I pray this for my father, my husband, my brother, and my sons...

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:12-15

The song I have posted above I feel has a wonderful message so listen and enjoy. Happy Father's Day!

What will we do today?

Well, we have been busy the first 2 weeks of our summer vacation. First of all, this is the time that I enjoy being a stay at home mom the most. Everyday the kids get up and ask "what are we going to do today?", and we go from there.

We started off with Memorial Weekend and spent most of our time with the Lemonds (refer to Amandas blog or facebook for pics because she always has her camera and I always forget mine). On that Memorial Day Monday Ethan had to go to the doctor and get his 5 year shots so he can go to kindergarten in the fall. I haven't cried yet but call me on the first day of school and I'm sure the floodgates will open. Also, that week I had to go meet with the insurance agent about life insurance because they so graciously reminded Brandon and I that we are ten years older and we need to go over some things and update policies. We also went shopping on Ellie's birthday but she managed not to purchase anything with her money. We had a special lunch at KFC and then that night we ate supper at the Mexican restaurant. Ellie got to wear a sombrero and the waiter sang to her (once again sorry about the pics but I took one with my phone and I don't know how to download it, upload it whatever I'll do better next time.) We ended the week with a t-ball game and Ellie had a sleepover with her friend Andrea. I spent some time baking a barnyard cake for little Jake McGinnis' first birthday (yeah go to Jen for pics). We also cooked out with the McGinnis', you will learn that Todd and Brandon share a love for food and grilling. It's kind of ridiculous really. Jennifer and I sit through many conversations about meat and seasonings. Well that's just the first week.

What's next, you ask? Well I will tell you. This week we went to the dentist. No cavities for all three kids, what are the odds? After the dentist we stopped at the Collierville mall and walked through Build a Bear, too expensive for Ellie, we used the potty in Gap, went to Dillards just to ride the escalator at Ethan's request, went in Barnes and Noble so Eli could play on the train table, and finally I managed to get to walk through Charming Charlie's with only a few complaints and grumbles from the kids. Finally, we had a cookie. Also this week, Ellie and I dragged the boys thrift store shopping. Ellie loves to buy books at thrift stores. She always has her nose in a book and is usually reading 2 or 3 at a time. Brandon and I have been building and painting props for VBS. Brandon has built a ship and a ships wheel and I have painted a ship and a ships wheel plus a jungle scene. Maddi and Wade Malone came over for a play date on Wednesday while I was painting the ship and the kids spent the day splashing in the pool. Yesterday Ellie went to a friends to play and Ethan, Eli and I went to Pop's tractor store. Ethan got to help Pop park a brand new tractor that had been delivered that day. Then we visited Aunt Gail at the bank and got loaded down with suckers. I also put some of my paintings on craigslist and through that I got a job doing some custom paintings for a lady who is redecorating her living room. So today is Friday and what will we do today? I don't know. Wherever the wind takes us!

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl, Ellie! You are growing up fast. Today is your ninth birthday and I can't believe how quickly those nine years have gone by. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you. You are so smart and you do so well in school. You are happy and you make others happy when they are around you. Remember to always be kind and to make others smile whenever you can.

We love you sooo much!!!!

Lord, I pray that Your Beauty will be upon my precious daughter that you have given us and that you will establish the work of her hands. I pray that as long as she lives, her life will be dedicated to you Lord. Use her, work through her, bless her all the days of her life. AMEN

"I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

Plan of Salvation

God loves you!
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life."

You are a sinner.
Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"

You are now dead in sin.
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Christ died for YOU.
Romans 5:6-8 "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

You can be saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:30-31 "and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, '"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."

You can be saved and KNOW it.
1 John 5:10-13 "The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son. And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."


You are now a child of God and you are to obey Him.
Acts 5:29 "But Peter and the apostles answered and said, " We must obey God rather than men."

I was born into this world October 27, 1977 but I was born in Christ when my daddy prayed with me beside my bed in 1988 and I accepted Jesus into my heart. My life began then and will be forevermore. At that moment I began my journey to learn the meaning of life... Every day you get up and perform your daily activities and EVERY DAY God is working around us. You can either join Him and walk closer or you can get caught up in your daily activities and walk farther away. And Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." Mark 1:17 This is why we are here. God's children have the light we know what we are suppose to do, the question is are we doing it? Am I doing it?

The tie dye extravaganza

Ellie loves to come up with themes for birthdays and this year she has decided to invite her classmates to a tie dying frenzy on Saturday. Here is the itinerary...when the guests arrive they will immediately be escorted to the tie dying station to make their tshirts, next they can make their way to the picture taking area where I have tie dyed an old sheet that will be the backdrop for silly pictures, they will also be able to swim, play, and socialize, then they will enjoy tie dyed cupcakes and rainbow sherbet ice cream along with a candy buffet with an assortment of sweet and sour, sugary goodness. This is our vision for the perfect party, anyway. I'm not sure that a bunch of 9 year old kids will cooperate but no matter what I'm sure they will have fun. I am absolutely positive that I will be exhausted. We are already starting to brainstorm next years party ideas but that is TOP SECRET information at this time.

lolly pop song

The kids just love this song. I saved it to my ipod and we have fun singing and dancing along. Eli just sings the word lollipop over and over. I just wanted to share one of the top ten on the potts family music charts.

Aldi's Accident Report

So,whenever I go anywhere with the kids I never know what's in store. We leave our mark wherever we go and today was no different. I have to go pick up a couple of things at Aldi's so that Brandon can have dinner for tonight, no big deal. I get my bags and my quarter for the cart and we cross the parking lot. We always looks like a mother hen and her chicks the kids even line up in order of size. Anyway Eli announces he has to go potty and Ethan chimes in that he needs to go No. 2. It's always No. 2 for Ethan. So automatically my quick stop turns into a longer one. We manage to get everyone in the restroom, Eli takes care of business and Ethan is of course going to take a little longer. I go out to check on Ellie who is right outside the door and the next thing I know Ethan is following behind with his pants still around his ankles. I push him back in the restroom and get him dressed and I prepare to gather up my few items. Eli wants to push the basket and Ethan and Ellie are irritating eachother. I have gotten most everything and I turn to grab something out of "my grocer's freezer". Then in an instant I hear a crash, a gasp, and a scream. I turn to find my basket tumped over with things rolling across the aisle and Eli is underneath the groceries and the basket. A woman is already lifting the basket up and hovering over him. She looks up at me and assures me she is a nurse and just wants to check him over. No broken ribs, cuts, or bruises but he does begin to develop a huge goose egg of a knot on the back of his head. The Aldi's employees swarm around me asking me questions and I'm promising that I will not sue. One lady grabs a bag of frozen peas and places it on Eli's head. At this moment I just want to check out and leave or better yet leave the groceries on the floor and just escape to my van and head home. An Aldi's employee insists that I fill out an accident report and asks me exactly what happened. I finally get to check out but not without people coming up to us asking if everything is okay. Eli is fine and it turns out Brandon had already eaten so it was not necessary for me to run to the store after all. FYI: the above pic says 2007 but it was actually 2010

Just Another Morning

Well, Ellie is off to school. She rides with Ms. Kim (Kimbo) to school every morning and I take Ava while her mom teaches sixth graders all day. Eli has been up for a while and Ethan has not graced us with his presence yet, not sure how he will handle getting up for kindergarten this coming school year. Ava is now down for her morning nap just a little earlier than her usual 9 a.m. nap time. Wait a minute... what's that I hear... snoring muffled by a green and blue froggy blanket. How did I get this lucky? Eli has fallen asleep. Does this mean I have a moment for some peace and quiet? I could hurry up and fix me a bubble bath, or I could straighten up the kitchen, maybe fold some clothes, nah! I think I will just relax in my big yellow, flowered chair and listen to the quiet. I'm watching the breeze ruffle the branches of the trees and the sunshine peeking through little peepholes and I am reminded of something I read this morning... "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the Lord, for He is coming; For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, And the peoples in His faithfulness." Psalms 96:11-13 Next time you have a moment to enjoy sitting outdoors and the wind begins to blow and the trees wave their arms, the leaves rustle and the birds sing, realize that you are witnessing nature as they worship their Maker, your Maker, because He is victorious.

We had an action packed t-ball game tonight. Ethan made a great dirt pile while playing short stop. He and his buddy Wade had a nice conversation about whatever 4 and 5 year old boys talk about and then threw some dirt at eachother while the other team was at bat. However, there were some plays made. Ethan grounded a couple of balls and made a couple of good hits. Boo Boo and Pop were there to cheer him on and so were Mrs. Ambere and Mr. Andrew. Thanks to grandparents and good friends we had a great cheering section for #7. I provided a short video of Ethan in action, so enjoy.

My First Blog

This is my first blog!! I have thought about doing something like this for a while but didn't know where to begin. So, special thanks to my friend Amanda, who is an experienced blogger, for getting me started. This will be a great way for my friends and family to keep up with the adventures of our daily lives. Believe me when you have 3 children plus a husband, who is a child at heart, everything from going potty to family vacations is an adventure.
On a deeper note, I added Isaiah 28:16 to the title right now ( I'm sure verses will change as God works in our lives ) because Jesus Christ is the precious cornerstone of our family. Brandon and I have a goal to build on this foundation together with God as our center. We are going to cherish the time we have with our children and I pray God will bless our home. We want our children to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength and we look forward to watching God use the lives of my beautiful daughter and my two handsome young men. Friends and family that follow this blog please join me in praying this for my children.
Okay, well lets begin the journey. Stay tuned for what happens next...