Beautiful Saturday for a Concert

Having a July day where it's a high of 73 degrees is just unheard of....so we took advantage of it and spent our Saturday outside as much as we could.

We met up with my 2 nieces and nephew and Nana and Gampa at the park to play, and unbeknownst to us....also watch a concert.  The kids had been playing on the dinosaur so we took that opportunity to snap a few pictures.

They are so cute....and definitely related.

Then we added a fourth one on the back.....

And another one on the front.  I bet that dinosaur has never had 5 kids on it before.....or maybe it has.
After our photo shoot and playing on the slides and swings we then walked over to the concert.  The crowd wasn't real big and the group singing might not be somebody you've ever heard of before....but they sure did a good job.

It was a perfect day for a concert....especially this kind of concert.
I'm not sure if my favorite part was Bubby G's bow, watching him play his pretend drums, or hearing him shout at the end, "I did it."  All in all it was a classic cousins moment.

Big Eyes & More

When we were looking at Sissy G's ultrasound before she was born I got the idea that she might have big eyes because I thought her eye sockets looked big.

But right after she was born her eyes seemed small so I supposed I was wrong....but I guess it was too early to tell because after just a few days her eyes really popped out.

Big Eyes....

Big Eyes....

And how bout I throw a smile in there too.

How in the world are we ever gonna be able to say 'no' to this lil girl when she looks up at us with those sweet adorable eyes?

Big eyes....just chillin in the tub.

Big eyes....This was taken two days after she was born while me and her were sitting in the hospital room together.  She had already stolen my heart.

And a smile!!  We haven't gotten a smile from Sissy G that is a true smile....all of these are from when she was dreaming so she looks kinda silly...but her smile is still precious!  I can't wait till the day when she looks at me and gives me a big ole smile.

I tried to get pictures of the kids last Sunday when it was Sissy G's 1 month birthday....but this pose ended up with Sissy G....

Not smiling.  But big brother was doing all he could to comfort her and we eventually got a....

Smile!  Love this picture of my two kiddos.

Rut Ro....the bottom lip is popping out.  I think she's done smiling.

Let's get back to big eyes.  This was taken during her first bath.

This was from her first bath too.  She had big eyes pretty much the whole time I was trying to wash her.

More big eyes.

And more smiles.

Big eyes...

And there's another cutie's big eyes....he was in the process of telling me a story in this picture.

Big eyes...

And a smile.

Big eyes staring up at Papa

Big eyes staring at her Bubby.

Big eyes...

Big eyes...

Big eyes....

Big eyes....and a funny face!!

Big eyes....staring out the window.

Still staring out the window.  This girl is mesmerized. 

I guess you wouldn't call this a smile....but she sure does look peaceful.

I think this is a cross between a smile and an about to cry face.

Aw....now there's a smile.  The sad thing is I had to bribe the boy by telling him he'd get a pop tart if he first smiled at the camera.  It worked.

Big eyes while doing tummy time.  This is one of the first times she was lifting her head off the ground.  My baby girl is growing up so fast.

Taking a rest...

And she's back up.  Sissy G was only about a month old but this picture reminds me of....

 This picture when Bubby G was about 2 1/2 months old.  Can't deny that they're brother and sister.

This is isn't big eyes....or smiles....but its sweet of the three of them.

A sort of smile and big eyes all at once.

I think they are both smiling here...

 One last big eyes...

And then we'll end on a sweet note.

40 Years Of Ministry

This last Sunday was the 40th anniversary of when my dad preached his very first sermon.  My mom has been ministrying as a preachers wife for 37 years and my dad has been ministrying for 40 years.  And the number doesn't do justice to all that they have done for the Lord in those years.

They are a "dynamic team" as brother said in his speech on Sunday.  And over the years they have often told me how proud they are of me, but this time I want them to know just how proud I am of them.

To make this day extra special for dad most of his family was able to come to support him.  We had kept everything a surprise so I videotaped my dad when all of his family walked in.  My dad doesn't ever show too much excitement about things, but trust me when I say he was "plum-tickled."

My mom had set up several special things for dad at Sunday's morning service including a special song by one of our members.  The song was called, "As For Me And My House."  It was perfect for the occasion because mom and dad's ministry has always started at home.  They put our family before the church and because of that all three kids are saved and heaven bound.  Can't thank them enough for that.

This is dad listening to the song....he didn't realize that anything special was going on until this point in the service.

You can see part of the Nashville Christian Church congregation along with the section of dad's family and friends.

This picture I think is kinda neat.  40 years ago to the day the sweet woman sitting on the left, my dad's mom, was sitting in the crowd hearing her son preach for the first time and now 40 years later she is still in the crowd getting to enjoy his sermons.  I'm not telling you anything new by saying that she is proud of her boy. 

My aunt and uncle not only got to enjoy a good church service, but they also got to enjoy holding our sweet Sissy G. 

We showed dad our appreciation by having all three of us kids stand up and say a few words for dad.  My brother from Kansas was able to videotape himself so we could show his words to dad that way.  My mom also had a plaque made for my dad which was presented to him at the end of his sermon.  When it was all done we took our family outside and had a group photo in front of the church.  We are missing some family so its not perfect, but it is still a pretty neat picture.