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I am SO Excited!!

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I have the most wonderful husband in the world, y’all! He has put together a WONDERFUL surprise for me. I have known for awhile that he has been cooking up this surprise and recently he revealed that it’s a trip. However, he would never tell me when, where, with/out kids, etc. I knew nothing. So, I’ve been planning life as usual being that I was in the dark about the plans. Well, I got the big news revealed to me last night. Oh my good gracious, I am positively giddy! Guess what?! We are going to Nashville, TN! Guess what else?! We are going to the Dove Awards!!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! Can y’all believe it?! I can’t. This seems like a dream come true.I just love surprises, but it’s actually kind of hard to pull one over on me because I’m nosey 😉 and can pick up on hints pretty easily. But, Mickey covered all his bases and he blew my socks off with this plan.

We’ll leave tomorrow morning and drive up to Nashville. We’ll go to the Doves tomorrow night which, hello, is incredible! The tickets say “black tie optional”, so since we never go all out and fancy, we are going all out and fancy now. Mickey rented a tux and I’m wearing a formal dress!! (Again, I say…EEEEE!!) So many of our favorite singers and bands will be there and will be performing. I cannot even imagine how cool it’s going to be, but I know it’s going to bless and rock our socks right off!! We’ll stay on in Nashville Thursday night, of course, and then we’ll have Friday to shop, eat, explore, etc. Friday night we plan to go out in downtown Nashville which should be incredibly fun. Then Saturday we are going to head over to Lynchburg, TN to meet up with my mom who will have the  girls. We’ll spend the rest of the weekend in TN at a B&B as a family. Sounds blissful, doesn’t it?! I cannot wait. I am positively giddy.

I just had to share this news! There are no words to describe how grateful I am to have such an amazing, thoughtful, wonderful and loving husband. To think that he did all this for me and for us is just incredible. We haven’t been away, just the two of us, since our honeymoon. And, we both ecstatic to get this chance.

SOOOOOOO happy,
Kelly

Blah.

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I have a cold and I feel rotten. I woke up in the night with a runny nose and that has since escalated. My eyes are watery, my  nose is pouring buckets, my sinuses are like pressure chambers, my head aches, my body aches, I’m feverish and…just…UGH. This came out of nowhere too. I did yard work yesterday and I initially thought this might be “just” allergies as of this morning, but, no…it’s a mean ole nasty cold. And, I’m already tired of it. Blah.

Fun Run Morning

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Mickey and Macey have gone to her school’s Fun Run this morning. This is an annual event by Macey’s elementary school that raises money for the P.E. department. The children walk/run a mile and each child receives a ribbon. There are three races – 4th/5th grade, 2nd/3rd grade and K/1st grade. Macey, of course, is in the last race. Mickey’s planning on running the mile with her. However, she gets to cross the finish line by herself. I think it is really cool that Macey wanted to do this, first of all, and that her wonderful daddy is sharing this experience with her. I can’t wait to see them in their matching race t-shirts. 🙂

Book Review – Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh

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529294: Faking Grace Faking Grace

By Tamara Leigh / Multnomah

Struggling journalist Maizy Grace Stewart isn’t really a believer, but she manages to “fake it” in order to land a part-time job at a Christian publishing house. When the newspaper editor commissions her to write an undercover expose of her new employer, will her conversations with churchgoing colleagues lead to success—or second thoughts? 400 pages, softcover from Multnomah.

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I have decided to read through the books that are finalists for the 2009 Rita Award for “inspirational romance.” I have already read Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren and Love Stars with Elle by Rachel Hauck and The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher. I decided that Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh would be my next read for the RITA finalist list.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was a nice read. I found it a touch melodramatic in parts (the lead character reads The Dumb Blonde’s Guide to Christianity being one example), but I actually felt that gave  more charm to the novel overall. Through this novel, Maizey Grace Stewart comes to find out what it is to seek a real relationship with God and what is is to be on the receiving end of true grace. Initially she believes that she can fake her faith with “Jesus junk” such as bumper stickers, a crown of thorns air freshner in her car, etc. This book reveals Maizey’s journey through faking and into realization that there is more to Christianity than cultural items.

A nice read with a great message. Recommended reading.

Play Date In Full Effect

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Macey and her friends got off the schoolbus about 45 minutes ago. There has been non-stop chatter and excitement in the house since they got here. Bless Mariana, she’s napping right through it all. Not sure HOW, especially when the squeals and giggles escalate, but she’ s managing to snooze through it all. Play dates are so much fun. Hopefully this summer we can have even more. Definitely a FUN day!