Hatching Day...

We have had the pleasure of watching some birds make a nest in the wreath on our front door and lay four eggs. These eggs are as tiny as they can be! Today when I went to check on the eggs, we had not only eggs but also BABY BIRDS!! They are sort of creepy looking but they are also such a little miracle. Today they have survived people coming up to our front door, me walking in and out of the door without knowing that the eggs had hatched, a torential storm and constant interruption by my camera and the kids checking on the newest residents of Sugar Creek.

Chicken Dance

So a few nights ago, the girls and I were hanging out finishing our dinner and recovering from a crazy busy day. While I was working in the kitchen, Abbie was wandering around looking for something to do. I suddenly heard hysterical laughter coming from Brie. I look over at Abbie, grab my camera and the video here is what I saw...Enjoy Abbie's Chicken Dance.

Secret Sisters...

Tracie and Abbie
Tracie and Brie

First let me say that the pictures with this post really have nothing to do with it except that I'm smiling in them and that's what I have been doing a lot of lately thanks to some secret sisters. Yes, someone or several someones, I don't know which, have been leaving the most delightful surprises on my car and on my front porch in such beautiful bags and envelopes. I don't know what to say except "THANK YOU!!!" And that's just not enough...I have loved all the gifts from my annoymous secret sister(s). Each one has brought squeals of delight from me and from my girls. Abbie and I just keep looking at each other exclaiming "Who is doing this!!!!" quickly followed by something like "Open the bag Mommy and see what you got!!" I told my husband that's it's been better than a lot of my birthdays! The gifts are so thoughtful and are exactly the stuff that I love! I know, I keep using exclamation points but seriously, even as I sit her writing this, I'm equally flabbergasted by this sweet, secret, generous outpouring of love and selfishly loving every minute of it...I'm such a girl!! So, thank you so much. I just can't say it enough. I am so blessed by the people in my life and so grateful to the Lord for placing you in my life. More than anything, I am blessed by the friends that He has brought around me to keep me smiling while Phillip is away. Thanks to you and thanks to Him for you! Love and Hugs~ Tracie

Our Blessings

While Phillip has been in Kuwait, we have experienced the most incredible blessings. I know that the source of these blessings is the Lord Jesus. We are literally overwhelmed by His outpouring of love by His people. In the last month, our computer has broken, our washing machine broke and my vacuum cleaner broke. Small things, yes and no. Our computer crashed the night before Phillip left and it was the only means of communication we would have with him in Kuwait so it was important to us that we get it up and running. Nick Ferguson, the son of one of my parents missionary friends came over and fixed my computer and swept it of all the viruses that were making it slow. Then my washing machine literally broke in the middle of the spin cycle while there was a full load inside. My mom finished the load at her house but I was still in desperate need of a washer. Enter Action Jackson (aka: Gary Jackson our "furniture guy"). We called him, he had a washer without a dryer that he would sell to us at a great price. We drive out there and when we get there, to my astonishment, he wants to GIVE us this washer and will deliver it and set it up and take my old one away. Why? Because he wants to repay my parents for their kindness to him over the years and because he wants to help out a solider's family. This was a HUGE blessing. It's a fabulous machine...works great, has a large capacity basket and most importantly: cleans like crazy!! Then the vacuum cleaner literally caught on fire while I was using it. Sparked, shot out what can only be described as a small electrical flame and then poured out smoke. It was dead, no coming back from that kind of destruction but God had a plan! I had a older Hoover (like more than 10 years old) that worked great but I had stopped using it when I got this new one...I thought I had killed the old when I sucked up a belt thingie under Abbie's bed. Turns out, it was repairable for a super low price ($26.00) and I was able to shell out another little bit for an extra machine so that I can keep one upstairs and one down. The man that helped me, Rick at Rick's Vacuum World on Kiehl Ave in Sherwood, was wonderful and as it turns out, his son is a fire fighter at Station 2 in LR. Small world. There have been so many blessings that I can't really even contain them all in this posting. From annonymous gift certificates, notes of encouragement, invitations to be involved with other families, playdates, job opportunites, PRAYERS and so much more we have been so abundantly blessed. I thank God for the way that He has moved His people to care for my little family. In the scheme of things, that He loves me and mine enough to do that when He is busy keeping the world on its Axis is phenomenal.
Praise to Him who is Holy and thanks from this daughter of Christ Jesus who deserves all the Praise. Thank you Lord for loving me so much and for providing in every need and blessing us even with things we didn't know we needed and weren't expecting. We love you.

More Graduation Pictures

Abbie Grace and Mrs. Marabeth

Abbie Grace and Ian Walker
Abbie Grace and Her Candy Diploma
Future Crestwood Cougars: Hope and Abbie

Abbie getting her certificate with

Mrs. Marabeth and Mrs. Jamie

Cubbie's Awards Night

Mr. Eric Day and the Crew:

Kaden, Eric, Abbie and Elaina

McKenna, Brie and Abbie Grace

Ms. Jean, PawPaw and Abbie

Ms. Jean, PawPaw, Aubrie and Abbie

Elaina and Abbie

Abbie with her certificate

The ceremony

So due to a technical glitch, we were 20 minutes late to Award's Night but we squeaked in just in time for Abbie to be annouced with her class and receive her outstanding attendance award and certificate of completion. A cubbie no more, my little darling is now a sparky!!! She was excited and can't wait to move from a blue vest to a red one. We had surprise visitors tonight. Paw Paw and our dear Ms. Jeannie showed up to cheer and congratulate Abbie Grace. She was so excited to show off her awards. Brie was ecstatic to see more faces that she knew. It was a super fun night.

Abigail Grace Durham, 5 Years Old, Preschool Graduation: Sherwood First Baptist Church, Mother's Day Out, May 2009

My baby is growing up. Last week she graduated from her MDO program. It was such a sweet little ceremony. They all processed into the cafeteria and had assigned seats they had to find which went better than I imagined. They all sang their "good morning song" and they said the Pledge of Allegiance while one of Abbie's friends held the flag. They reviewed the alphabet in sign language and then they all told their favorite sign. Abbie's favorite sign was for "love." Mrs. Marabeth and Mrs. Jamie had them all play one of their favorite games. Abbie says that the game is called Mouse Count. In this game (based on the book, Mouse Count) the kids are all mice and crawl around on the ground. One child is selected to be the snake who is looking for dinner. He finds the mice and counts each and every one and puts them in a jar. The mice trick the snake and all the mice escape at the last second. It was so cute!! Abbie was mouse number 3. Then the kids all recieved their certificate of completion for the year. Abbie was so excited. You can see on the video that they skipped her and then came back to her. She was so proud as she walked across the stage. I have to say that I was so proud of her that I wanted to pop! After the ceremony was over, we all had lunch and a delicious cake from Littlest Cake Co in Cabot. All the Mom's had brought food for a buffet and decorated the tables. Abbie of course only ate fruit and cake. No veggies and dip... We will miss Mrs. Marabeth and Mrs. Jamie but in a couple of years, Aubrie will be in their classroom so it's not the end yet. Abbie had a wonderful year and was so blessed by her teachers. They were amazing and I highly recommend the program to anyone. It is the only MDO program that is certified by the State of Arkansas. Quite an accomplishment.

One chapter of school is finished for Abbie and soon another will begin. Kindergarten, here she comes!!!!