Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.Romans 12:1
We are so excited about our first house!!! I am just IN LOVE with it!!! The painter starts tomorrow and flooring should be done this month too!!! Maybe I will be able to show you some more progress after the weekend!!
Here are a few before we did anything pictures!!
LIVING ROOM
MY LITTLE OFFICE AREA
KITCHEN
DINING ROOM
HALLWAY
OUR ROOM
LAUNDRY ROOM
HALF BATH
BATHROOM
OUR FIRST LIVING ROOM SUIT
BACK PATIO
DRIVEWAY
SIDE VIEW
FRONT YARD
WE ARE JUST SO EXCITED AND IN LOVE WITH OUR NEW HOME!!
So I feel like some days are just my fairy tale coming true......Zack & I are experiencing so many happy, special and exciting moments!! I can't believe the wedding is so close!! I have officially excepted the fact that I will probably not make it through the ceremony without some tears so I just want to apologize to all of you who plan on attending in advance. Please pray for me because I am a complete emotional basket case........just full of happy and joyful emotions!!!
First of all I ordered Zack's wedding band a few weeks ago and it came in this week. "Love 12-18-10" is engraved on the inside. "Love" because that has become his name the past couple of years! It is so funny that all my friends refer to Zack as "Love" and some didn't know his real name for some time!! December 18 is of course the BIG DAY! One of the most happiest and exciting days of our lives!!
Zack came to Auburn tonight to visit and pick out paint for our house! More on the house in a minute......I showed him his band and he loved it! He tried it on and kept looking at his hand in the mirror....I CRIED!! It just made it so real and looked so WEIRD but GREAT on his hand!!! See I told you.....I am a emotional basket case and I need PRAYER!! I just LOVE my "Love" and can't wait to be his wife!!
CAITLIN AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOREVER! EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T SEE EACH OTHER AS OFTEN AS WE WOULD LIKE WE ALWAYS SEEM TO PICK UP RIGHT WHERE WE LEFT OFF! IT WAS AN HONOR TO BE APART OF HER SPECIAL DAY THIS SUMMER!! I LOVE YOU CAITLIN AND WISH YOU ALL OF GOD'S BLESSINGS AND MUCH LOVE!!!
Happy 24 Weeks Ava Blakely!!
I just got off the phone with your mom and she said you 24 week appointment this morning was perfect!! Dr.Golden says you are right on track and that your mommy is doing great!! I have spent the week in my pjs but on the road to recovery. I am feeling much better and excited about the Wadley/Woodland game tonight! I will cheer on your Uncle Trey for you!! Your mommy is coming to sit on the hill with me tonight. I have some make up work to do this weekend so I will be busy in the books!! I think your mommy and daddy are going to take you to the Auburn game tomorrow night though!
This has been an exciting week for ZB and Honey. Our furniture was delivered to our new house yesterday and we have picked out paint and flooring!! I can't wait for you to come and stay with us!!
Our friends, Adam and Elena, had their sweet baby girl Reese this week! I know you two will be friends and love to play together!! Well I really don't have any more news.... I have been out of the loop from being sick! I will catch you up on everyone next week though!!
Love always, Honey 1 Samuel 1:27
If we could find one of these contests your mommy would definitely be the QUEEN!! She would be the one in the two piece with heels but she would completely show up the girl in the cartoon!!! :)
Just if you are interested.....Copy and Paste the links below in your internet browser and check out some articles that have to do with my favorite quarterback ever!!!!!!
Hey Ava Blakely!!
Honey is sorry that I have been late with my letter this week! I have been very sick and in the hospital with a kidney infection. I am back at home now and feeling a little better. Your mom and dad and ZB have been so sweet looking after Honey. Your mommy came and stayed with me at the hospital all day yesterday. She washed and fixed Honey's hair for her because I was just too weak to do it. She is such a sweet and special friend. Nothing I ask of her is ever to big or to small. She really takes care of me! I am sorry this is such a short note. Honey is a little sleepy thanks to two nights in the hospital with minimal sleep and pain medications. I love you so much sweet girl!! I can't wait to meet you!! You and I are going to have so much fun!! I almost forgot......you have SEVERAL new outfits, swimsuits, and more!! Your mommy and I went shopping for you last week and we have SO MUCH fun!! You are just going to be TOO CUTE!! I LOVE YOU!
Love always, Honey 1 Samuel 1:27
I really wish I could find your mom one of the dresses in the cartoon!!
I feel like I have been out of the loop for a few days because I have been held back in the hospital with a severe kidney infection! I went to the ER early Sunday morning and I am actually going home today but still on pain meds and antibiotics. I hopefully will be back to myself next week! Thank you for all your prayers, phone calls, visits, flowers, and more. I am blessed to have such amazing friends and family! I couldn't have made it without all of you!
I LOVE being a nurse and throughout this hospital experience I learned how truly having a good nurse makes all the difference!! I was thankful that I had so many sweet people taking care of me. I must say a special thanks to my parents, Zack and Leigh who probably saw me at my worst! I am NOT a pleasant patient especially when needles are involved. Mom and Zack held my hands through all 8 sticks!!! YES 8!! I feel like a pin cushion!!
Being sick is not a fun thing and I am thankful to be healthy 99.9 percent of the time. I feel for so many people who are sick all the time. I also learned how just stopping by and saying hello to someone who is sick or hurting brings up their spirits!! I again want to thank all of you who stopped by or called me!! It really made a difference!!! I encourage all of us to "stop by" more and tell others we are thinking about them and praying for them.
Some of our best friends, Anna and Randy and Coy, hosted a Gift Card Shower for us this weekend at their beautiful new home! It was such a fun night full of good food, amazing friends, and of course football! This is such a special group of friends! Thank you all for loving me and Zack and making this night and time in our lives so fun and special! We love you all!!
Catching up...that's right, in other words this might be a long post! This has been a busy week and I must get caught up on my blogging! This is such therapy for me! I am so blessed to be able to share so many fun, special and happy times in my life. Thank you all for reading.
Today was a day full of the Holy Spirit. We had an amazing church service and I just started a women's Bible study on Sunday nights that is AMAZING!! We are doing the study "Discerning the Voice of God" by Priscilla Shirer. I am excited and so moved at how God is working!
In this bittersweet life there are moments of joy and then moments when we don't know if we can make it any further. I again am blessed to share many of my joyful moments on this blog but it truly doesn't tell the whole story of my life! There are days when I am just not okay and I couldn't make it without my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This Bible study has already taught me to pray and EXPECT the Lord to speak! Then WAIT patiently on Him and have FAITH in His answers and plan. Also a very important point that I struggle with DAILY is OBEDIENCE!
I struggle with thinking I have it all together or that I can "fix" problems and circumstances but I can't do anything without HIM and HE is in control and I MUST TRUST that promise and OBEY His Word!
Whether you are in a joyful moment or a really hard,sad,tough or if you don't know if you can handle anymore......GOD IS WITH YOU.....CALL OUT TO HIM! HE WILL GIVE YOU STRENGTH AND HE IS IN CONTROL! I pray for all of you who read and keep up with me and my little life! Please let me know if there is anything specific that I can pray for you! Will you please pray for me that I will pray to Him expecting to hear His Voice and that I will be obedient to His Will!!
We sang this in church this morning and I just love it!! Take some time now to listen to the words of this song and then have some quiet time with our LOVING & GRACIOUS SAVIOR!
AUBURN FOOTBALL & 100 DAYS AWAY!
Thursday night our family got together to watch the ballgame, eat great food and celebrate 100 days away from our special day! I am one blessed girl! We are so excited about December 18!
Big Danny is the best CHEF EVER!!
As I mentioned in a previous post....
"Baby Allen" does have a name!!
Her mommy and I went to Fun and Fancy last week and bought her
two beautiful bibs with her monogram!
They came in on Thursday just in time for me to run by and get them
gift-wrapped for Leigh and
AVA BLAKELY ALLEN!!!
BLAKELY, THIS WAS YOUR FIRST MONOGRAMMED GIFT!! ONE FROM YOUR MOMMY AND DADDY AND THE OTHER FROM ZB AND HONEY!! WE LOVE YOU!
FRIDAY WE CLOSED ON OUR NEW HOUSE SO
I GOT KEYS MADE FOR US
AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY!!
OUR FIRST KEYS TO OUR FIRST HOUSE TOGETHER!! SO EXCITING!!
WE MET THE PAINT GUY TODAY AND ZACK IS COMING TO
AUBURN WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOR US TO GO SHOPPING
FOR PAINT AND FLOORING!
I AM FEELING MUCH LIKE A BIG GIRL AND SO CLOSE
TO FEELING LIKE A WIFE!! HAHA
I PLAN ON TAKING MANY PICTURES OF OUR "HOME IN PROGRESS"!
I SHOULD POST MORE THIS WEEKEND!
HAPPY 21 WEEKS BLAKELY!!
HEY MY SWEET GIRL! HONEY HAS HAD A FUN BUT VERY NUSY WEEK SO I AM SORRY THAT MY NOTE IS A FEW DAYS LATER THAN USUAL! YOU CAN READ THE ABOVE AND SEE MOST OF THE EVENTS FROM THIS WEEK AND WEEKEND! ONE DETAIL I DIDN'T MENTION BEFORE THOUGH WAS FRIDAY NIGHT! ALL OF US WENT TO WATCH YOUR UNCLE TREY PLAY FOOTBALL! HE DID A GREAT JOB AND WE ALL LOVED BEING THERE TO SUPPORT HIM! I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS NIGHT WITH YOUR MOM THOUGH!! :) GROWING UP YOUR MOM WAS THE PICKIEST EATER EVER!!! I MENA EVER!!! SHE DIDN'T EAT ANYTHING AND WHATEVER SHE DID FIND THAT SHE LIKED SHE REALLY NEVER ATE MUCH OF IT. SO THIS WHOLE "EATING FOR BLAKELY" THING IS SO FUNNY TO HONEY BECAUSE I HAVE JUST NEVER SEEN YOUR MOMMY EAT LIKE SHE DOES NOW! IN THE PAST THERE WERE MANY MANY THINGS THAT YOUR MOM WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT MUCH LESS TRY....ONE OF THOSE MANY THINGS WERE HOTDOGS! SHE HATED THEM, EVEN THE SMELL OF THEM WHILE HONEY COULD EAT 2 OR 3 IN ONE SITTING! :) WELL FRIDAY NIGHT IT WAS ALMOST HALF TIME AND YOUR MOMMY SAID
"SAMANTHA, BLAKELY DOESN'T WANT A HAMBURGER TONIGHT"
HONEY: "WELL WE CAN GO OVER THERE AND SEE WHAT ELSE THEY HAVE"
MOM: "I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO SOUND CRAZY BUT A HOTDOG JUST SOUNDS REALLY GOOD"
HONEY: (not believing what I had just heard) "WELL I LOVE EM' AO YOU CAN ALWAYS JUST TRY IT AND SEE!"
SO WE HEADED TO THE CONCESSION STAND AND ORDERED SOME HOTDOGS! YOUR MOMMY WANTED TO KNOW HOW I FIXED MINE.....WELL HONEY PUTS EVERYTHING ON HER HOTDOG,SO YOUR MOM DID TOO. I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!! SHE ATE A WHOLE HOTDOG WITH KETCHUP, MUSTARD AND PICKLE RELISH PLUS NACHOS AND CHEESE!!! I KNOW THIS DOESN'T MEAN MUCH TO YOU BUT THIS WAS A MILE STONE FOR ME! AFTER BEING BEST FRIENDS FOR YEARS I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THE DAY THAT YOUR MOMMY ATE A HOTDOG AND THE WHOLE THING AT THAT!! I JUST LOVE IT!! YOU ARE GROWING AND WE CAN TELL!! SHE HAS A LITTLE "BUMP"! I AM GOING TO TAKE SOME PICTURES OF HER SOON AND POST! :)
I LOVE YOU BLAKELY AND CAN'T WAIT TO MEET YOU!!
LOVE ALWAYS, HONEY 1 SAMUEL 1:27
THIS CARTOON IS PERFECT FOR THIS WEEK!!
..100 DAYS AWAY AND COUNTING!!! I can't believe how fast the past 9 months have gone by and can't wait for December 18!! Time really does FLY when your having FUN!!
Hey baby girl!!
I can not believe we will see you in probably less than 20 weeks!! We are just so excited and can't wait to meet you!! Your mommy and I shopped together today! We bought you two beautiful bibs with your monogram on them!! Yes that's right!! You have a name.....I forgot to ask you mommy if I could tell though so I better wait until I get the go ahead! Honey doesn't need to be in trouble this weekend because she has big plans!! It is my favorite time of year.....FOOTBALL SEASON! Tomorrow night I am going to watch Uncle Trey play and then I will be on The Plains all day Satuday cheering on the tigers!! You are moving around alot now!! Honey felt your little foot this week!! Your mommy and I were talking about what we thought you might look like today at lunch! You are just going to be BEAUTIFUL and our little princess!! We are already so proud of you and praying for you daily!! ZB and Honey are going to spoil you rotten so just be prepared for lots of fun!! We love you sweet girl!!
Love always, Honey 1 Samuel 1:27
WE ARE ZB & HONEY TO 2 PRECIOUS GIRLS AND 2 HANDSOME BOYS!
Blakely, Emmy & Cooper
Ryker
Brotherly Love & Best Friends
SWEET SIBLINGS & BEST FRIENDS
Spanish Wells Brothers 2014
WE SAY "WAR EAGLE!!"
FIRST TIME IN THE TUNNEL WITH ALL 3!!
NEVER A DULL MOMENT....
ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE!
Psalm 36:7-9 (TLB)
How precious is your constant love, O God! All humanity takes refuge in the shadow of your wings. You feed them with blessings from your own table and let them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the Fountain of life; our light is from your light.
FROM THE 1990s-2014
MY LOVE FOR FOOTBALL BEGAN AS A WATER-GIRL IN WADLEY ON THE PEE-WEE SIDELINES TO CHEERING IN THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AL FOR MY FAV QB OF ALL TIME!
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
