Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Easter bunny


i started painting a mural in the hallway of my church's preschool department. i have a friend helping me out so progress is quicker than normal. very thankful for that! hoping to finish in the next two weeks if all goes well. check my art website for additional pics and updates - http://lauracoxart.wordpress.com/


nana hid easter eggs in our backyard for will.


saturday, we were invited by one of my neighbors to an egg hunt at the gwinnett braves stadium. this was a great time. i was terrified of the easter bunny when i was young - i don't think will is afraid, do you?


he thought big fuzzy creatures were awesome!

we had a campfire in our backyard friday night. we still have enough sticks from the yard to have another one. better go buy some more marshmallows!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

love my baby

will is starting to say mama a lot more! i like this for now. it is sweet.

recently he has been fighting me a lot when i pick him up to put him to bed. (we've had a few rough days with several mini tantrums and defiance, but overall he is still a good boy and today he has been an angel). last night i asked him to hug mommy and he did - so sweet!

this morning, lee touched my cheek and gave me a kiss while i was holding will. will tried to say kiss and touched my cheek and gave me a kiss.

will can now say a few words clearly other than bye bye and daddy and mama. he says book, bed, hat, hot, head, bag. for "peek a boo", he says "book book".

yesterday lee was tickling him and he was laughing so hard he snorted - several times - i loved it!

this morning we were eating breakfast and the sun was shining on the wall - perfect for shadow puppets. we had some fun with that. i noticed will move his head (making the shadow of his head move) and say "boo".

adventures of will as of late


silly boy - smiley


he wanted to play in his crib this morning with his cars. he must have played in there for 30 minutes listening to the radio. i walked in one time and he had his cars parked against the side of the crib. had to take a pic of that!


will and lee at the fountain downtown.


will staring at the fountain. he thinks fountains are hilarious.


will and a friend from church. she is his little mommy.



Tuesday, March 23, 2010

a book a month

how is march almost over? dad and i are challenging each other to read a book a month - right, dad? this was a conversation over Christmas - memory isn't that great.

books i've read so far:

january - on becoming toddlerwise - ezzo
february - reunion - kingsbury
march - ______ (that's right, a big blank)

i am reading through "so long, insecurity" but i won't finish that until next month.
gotta get my read on.
oh, i heard francine rivers has a new one out!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

God speaks to me through parenthood

God speaks to me through his word, through music, through his creation, and through my role as a parent.

God is our heavenly Father - now that i am a parent, i understand this relationship more.

will is 20 months old and doesn't understand everything, but he understands a lot. he has a strong will. he doesn't always want to obey. he wants things his way. when he disobeys, he likely gets hurt or hurts something else. i tell him, you need to obey me. sometimes i remove him from the situation before he gets hurt - this may make him cry for a few minutes, but i know what is best and i am looking out for him. he does not like to be still. there are moments when he is still, and i love it! i know it's then that he's learning something new. sometimes i need him to be still (diaper change) and if he's not, things don't work out as good (he gets a diaper wedgy - haha - just thought of that one). even though he can frustrate me to no end, i still love him. he makes me laugh - brings me joy!

the same can be said about me.

i am 28 years old, and i don't understand everything, but i understand a lot. i have a strong will. i don't always want to obey. i want things my way. when i disobey, i likely get hurt or hurt something/someone else. God tells me, you need to obey me. sometimes he removes me from the situation before i get hurt - this may make me cry, but God knows what is best and he's looking out for me. i don't like to be still (like, in the quiet with no distractions) except when going to sleep. there are moments when i am still before the Lord and I can feel God smiling. that is when he is able to teach me the most and show me something new. sometimes, God needs me to be still, and if i'm not, things don't work out as good. i miss opportunities - i'm not able to give godly wisdom and encouragement - i'm not able to just be there for someone. even though i know i frustrate God to no end, i know he still loves me. i pray i bring him laughter and joy.

Spiritual notes

here's the link i talk about below with the quotes from beth moore and betty robison. please watch - it is so good.
http://lifetoday.tv/qt/2010/03/100311.htm


okay, so God has been speaking - i best write it down.

grace is God's gift. grace is also God's empowerment! just think about that. if you are in Christ, you have God's grace!

wake up, o Church.

"God doesn't like our leftovers." - Anne Graham Lotz

we are feeding our thoughts - whatever your thought life is like - you're feeding it.
as a western culture - we are so allergic to the disciplines of the Spirit that we are living in defeat.
get your mind preoccupied with the thoughts of God.
memorize and meditate on scripture. - beth moore paraphrased on lifetoday - can't get the link to work on my mom's computer but you can watch this online - so awesome!!! the whole thing.
the most blessed i am, is when it's just God and me....yes, we are encouraged at church and in the teaching of others, BUT there is nothing like the fellowship with God. - betty robison

May I know the hope to which you have called me, the riches of your glorious inheritance in the saints, and your incomparably great power for us who believe. that power is like the working of your mighty strength which you exerted in Christ when you raised him from the dead and seated him at your right hand in the heavenly realms. ephesians 1:18-20 (changed some of the pronouns to make more personal)

satisfy me Lord in the morning with your unfailing love that i may sing for joy and be glad all my days. psalm 90:14

i've been wasting a lot of time, filling up on chocolate and chips and facebook. praise God for his word - for fellow believers who speak truth and encourage.

you are all i want - you are all i need - everything my heart could hope for - we are longing for the glory of the Lord - cuz we know there's so much more - only you - fill my soul! kim walker, i have found

Insecurity robs us...

insecurity makes us settle. insecurity makes us distracted. insecurity robs our confidence in our rich inheritance from God. insecurity makes us put our gifts on a shelf to gather demonic dust. insecurity disturbs our sleep. insecurity derails our life.

He has enough security for both of us, and for those of us who call Christ Savior. He slipped His own secure Spirit within our simple jars of clay. It is in you to be secure, dear one.

beth moore - so long, insecurity

Saturday, March 06, 2010

I AM ...

a worship service i went to last night reminded me of these. considering doing some paintings.

Seven "I AM" Statements of Jesus

  1. I AM the bread of life.
    • John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
    • John 6:48: I am the bread of life.
  2. I AM the light of the world.
    • John 8:12: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
    • John 9:5: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
  3. I AM the door.
    • John 10:7: Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep."
  4. I AM the good shepherd.
    • John 10:11-14: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me...."
  5. I AM the resurrection and the life.
    • John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies."
  6. I AM the way, the truth and the life.
    • John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
  7. I AM the true vine.
    • John 15:1, 5: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

Friday, March 05, 2010

a perfect day in my book


today will and i caught most of toddlertime at the library. he actually paid attention to the book for maybe 2 minutes this time. an improvement. they did bubbles and he loved that of course. there were no tears and even a few smiles - this was awesome!

we then went to joanns. any trip to joanns makes the day happier.

then we went to the park. i love living here because there are about 5 or 6 parks that are less than 10 minutes or less from my house that have really cool playgrounds! tax dollars at work i guess.

the sun is shining and it's over 50 degrees! spring - bring it on!

then we came home and ate some lunch (leftovers - not sandwiches - i get so tired of sandwiches sometimes). and with no prompting from me, will does this...

the picture above - will carries the monkey to his booster seat and says "snack" (sounds like dack). (i think he was wanting me to get him one of his snacks - i get out his fake food though. i told him the monkey wanted a carrot and a banana so he fed him).

then a few minutes later, will says "diaper" (sounds like bop - don't ask, i have no idea. i repeat the word diaper to him over and over very clearly and he still wants to say bop). so apparently, the monkey now needs a diaper. will lays him on the couch. this is where will gets his diaper changed often.




he puts the monkey on the diaper and says "good boy" (sounds like bi bee). then he says "be still" (sounds like ee iwoh). can you tell he hears that when he gets his diaper changed. i just wish he knew what it meant!


then he wipes the monkey - HAHAHA. i did not tell him to do any of this.

happy birthday to me!


i turned 28 last week. i know it's still young, but seems like time is getting away from me.

we went to zapatas in downtown norcross for dinner on my birthday. this place is sooo good. the service is great too. it is authentic mexican. no chimichangas there as paul found out. my brother paul was able to join us and i share a birthday with my mother-in-law so lee's parents were there as well.


will reads my birthday card.

lee tries to take a pic of us blowing out our candles, but gets a picture of paul and jerry instead. this is me and his mom laughing afterwards.


me and pauly

lee got me my first sewing machine for my birthday. haven't done anything yet, but hoping to make a pillow or something soon. maybe with having my own i won't be so intimidated by it. i do love fabric!

Monday, March 01, 2010

The priestly blessing

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

" ' "The LORD bless you
and keep you;

the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace." '

numbers 6:22-26