SLUMBER PARTY

bright and shiny plastic bracelets- $1.50
sequins purse- $2
plastic tool box filled with screwdrivers and wrenches- $5
being 'the best aunt' EVER- priceless

***let me just set the mood for this blog- I have three crazy and wild children climbing on and off my bed, around my head, in and out of attention on a movie... so if I am a little scattered, bare with me***

God is really dealing with me about forgiveness... and finally today, it all became clear, that i've been given so many chances of grace, how dare I not give that same grace and mercy to another person. There has been so much that has happened with the common denominator of one person, and it hurt so much to look at him with sorrow, because if I did then my revenge/ justice had not been served! But after tonight, I feel like i need to release him not for him, but for me... ya know what, actually for him too, because I know he is living with a daily life of guilt, which will never allow him to break the chains off his own life.

So, today was a great day... started off with coffee on the back porch with my parents, overlooking our beautiful property. There were horrible spots where pigs had uprooted a portion of our field, and my Dad was eager to get out there and fix it, while a deer came up to drink out of the edge of the pond. We got done and got everything together in order to go out on our boat.

My sister Omny came over for lunch, we picked up burgers from Lone Oak grocery, and it made me so grateful that I have broken away from this small hometown and found something bigger, not better or worse, but bigger than me, bigger than my comfort zone, bigger than the place where everyone knows my name, bigger than what is easy.

After lunch, we headed out to the lake for a hilarious time of tubing and water fun!! Hannah came and brought Z and Hazel, who both love the water, and we ate off brand teddy grahams and apple juice, while riding around the lake...which fyi for my Florida people, TX lakes are not ponds like Lakeland lakes.. there is actually room! after tubing all day, we headed back home for dinner with the family- salmon, chicken fajitas, rice, and corn! Hannah and the kids stayed, and Al came with Emory. Omny and Scotty came with Trev and Luke. It was good to hang out with everyone and laugh sooooo much with my sisters!

The kids all wanted to stay, and of course I couldn't say no.. so we are all in pjs, watched The Little Rascal's and now Stuart Little, piled on my bed, and one of them with potential ADHD symptoms!! They are all getting anxious and squirmy so I need to get them in lay-down mode so I can get some sleep in order to wake up with these three in the morning!! we have a morning of playing "fashion" planned... can't wait!!!!

hope all is peaceful in your worlds.
goodnight.

Aunt Hope.