Whitney

I am sad that Whitney Houston died.

My sister used to blast her music through our little house while she worked out. Every single day I listened to "I'm every woman" and watched my sister sweat. ha. I was a country girl, I was listening to the Judds and Reba...but Whitney found her way in. And then she sang Dolly's song.

I will always love you.

She made Dolly proud, and probably made her some money too ;) ha.

Anyhow...I'm watching her funeral today. I've cried quite a few times.

The last funeral I went to was my dad's funeral.

Yes, death has lost its sting and heaven will be sweeter, but loss is loss. And loss has emotion connected to it. Deep emotion. Sometimes only a tear can communicate it.

Have you ever noticed that at funerals when people speak, they go back and forth between past and present tense? I love, I loved, I know, I remember, we talk about, we talked about...and on and on...it's sad. And it's a reminder of how fresh the losses are when the funeral rolls along mere days after someone is gone from this earth.

Music has a way of touching hearts in a way nothing else can...I believe God uses music to move us, and to heal us. I know Whitney's music did that for many people..God used her. And one thing I know about God is that he uses those willing to be used. He doesn't use people who have it all together because well, there is no one who qualifies for that. We all need Him. I know I do.

There is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is. ~William P. Merrill

I truly hope to hear Whitney in heaven. I hope she's singing for my dad right now, he loved music.

I remember being a child, singing "I believe the children are our future..." and feeling like she was singing to me. And now I think of my own children when I hear those words...

Do you have a memory of her music in your life?

you make my heart sing

Wylde thing...you make my heart sing...

You make everything...groovy

Did you know that Lucas means "the light"?

Doesn't that smile light you right up?

He is living up to his name.

My little Wylde thing. oooh....I think I love you.

smaller is the new bigger

so I was thinking tonight...

my world has never been so small.

I go days at a time where my entire world consists of a kitchen, a living room, my room, Judah's room and the bathroom. That's not even my entire house.

On a good day, when Lance is home, I go to fancy places like Kohl's or Home Goods (love).

Once upon a time I went on cruises, I had work parties, I met "the girls" for lunch, I had movie nights at an actual movie theatre. I orchestrated events where hundreds of kids showed up and walked away happy.

but now my world consists of two kids, my two kids.

and my world has never been so big.

the joy of watching Lucas light up with a smile at the sight of me.

knowing Judah is happy and learning new things all the time.

snuggling up with Lucas while he nurses and grows bigger every day.

seeing how proud Judah gets when he masters a new skill, like potty training (finally!).

listening to sweet baby giggles.

hearing my boy say "you're my sweetheart mommy" and giving me smooches.

more than my world is bigger now...my heart actually is. yup. just like the grinch, only I wasn't all grinchy before.

I know someday I will again do things like go on cruises and meet "the girls" for lunch and other great things that will get me outside the walls of my house, but for now I am more than happy to grow my world in a different way.

In a lot of ways my world has gotten smaller, but in the important ways it has only gotten bigger. And I am grateful.

Love Day

You might be asking yourself why I would start a post titled "Love Day" out with a

picture from the dentist chair. Well, my valentines day went a little

different than I planned. Starting with a root canal the day before.

Surprise! Lucky me.

(but isn't the view lovely from the dentist office?)

They shipped me over to another office for the actual root canal where I spent

some time with Ty. He kindly distracted me from the joy I was experiencing.

Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous when they handed me goggles to put on.

really? goggles? yup.

well I survived the root canal and even went shopping for jeans afterwards.

I think my husband thought the jean shopping was worse than a root canal. ha.

the things we do for love.

needless to say valentines day itself was spent on painkillers and soft foods.

Lance saved the day though and brought some really fun valentine gifts for the boys and me.

what a man!

Judah calls this balloon his "happy balloon!"

Instead of a fancy dinner and a babysitter, we headed to Ryan's Steakhouse for the buffet.

I found lots of yummy soft foods to fill up on and the boys were happy too.

Afterwards we went to Essex and window shopped. I love a deal.

Of course all I bought was diapers, but they were the nice swaddlers for only .20 cents a diaper.

(that's what we call a stockopportunity people)

I do love my boys. They fill my heart with all sorts of love, even on the root canal days.

Jesus was in a small group...

I'm not sure I have written on my blog about this, but for a year and a half Lance and I have been a part of a really really great life group at our church. We met weekly at a friend's house here in East Nashville and our lives became richer. Besides the great conversations and discussions we had weekly, the people in our group have really become a huge part of our every day lives as well. It has been one of the most positive things we have done in our time here in Nashville.

We took a huge leap of faith and decided that it was time for us to lead another group in our neighborhood. Our group was busting at the seams and it just seemed like really great timing after having had Lucas and not knowing what his little baby schedule would be like, to do something in our own home.

So tonight we kicked it off! It was great. We had a wonderful turn out of people...some we know, some we'd met previously and some were brand new. It is going to be fun! Lance and I are excited. I think because we have seen how great of an impact our group had on us, we want that for others.

Are you a part of a small group at your church?