Dawson Wade

This is my sweet, great nephew, 

Dawson Wade Higginbotham.

 I met him last week

when we went to 

Dauphin Island

for our vacation.

 His mom and big brother
came to see us at the beach
and I was able to babysit
while they played.

I was overjoyed to get to
capture these sweet images
while he slept.
 Isn't he an angel?

He favors my dad
in this photo. He also
favors my brother,
Barry, who would
have been thrilled
to know his grand
children if he had
lived.  Dawson
and his brother
Devin would have
loved their PawPaw
Barry, too!

I will forever love
babies...



sleeping,
awake, crying,
laughing. They
are the hope
that tomorrow
will come...and hopefully will be better than today.

Christmas Greetings from our house to yours!

This is our

Christmas card

this year.

Actually,

this is the

card I put 

online.

Here are a 

few more

favorites

from that

day.

My beautiful

children

and our

sweet puppies!

Dave

and

me.

Not too

bad 

for

two

old

people!

Dave,

the children,

Chloe

and

Charlie!

 Such a beautiful fall this year!
Hope you enjoyed it! We did!

We also hope

your Christmas season

is filled with 

rejoicing in our

Savior and 

His birth!

Our Newest Addition

This is the newest addition to

our family...

our extended family, 

that is.

She was born

Friday,

June 15, 2012

at 10:21 am.

She weighed

7 pounds

and measured 

18 inches long.

It has been quite some time

since we have had a

little one 

at our house.

Sweet Little Feet

Sweet Little Fingers

              This sweet girl has a big brother
                  you may have seen earlier
                           in my blog.
                     T was very excited
                   to see his little sister, E,
                   and we were and are
             very happy she arrived safely.

                 

        E is the eighth little

        girl in our family

        and the fourteenth

        grandchild.

        We now have a

        great grandchild

        and another one

        on the way.

        Our family is

        growing

        by leaps

        and bounds.

 I know it
will be awhile
(I pray it will be)
until mine
and Dave's family
grows more.

Grandchildren
will be
welcomed
but not hurried.

We are excited for all God has in store 

for each of four children.

We pray it includes 

four sweet mates,

grandchildren,

and four happy homes.

Someday maybe I will be 

posting pictures

of our own grandchildren here

...but not too soon.

My brother, Barry Wayne Strange

I have just finished a feat I have been trying to accomplish for the last five years - since my brother died. I wanted to make a book of his life and give it to his children so they and their children can remember him. It was truly one of the hardest things I have ever done. I could barely get through one page without tears. I wonder if it will ever get easier - will I ever not cry - as I am doing now just thinking about him and how his life was shortened way too soon?

He was 40 years old when he died on March 6, 2006. I had not always been close to him but near the end, I tried to reconnect and let him know how much I loved him and how much he was loved by the Lord. I believe he knew this. I believe this is part of the reason he had cancer - so he would recount his life and know God's faithfulness. I also believe this is why he was free from cancer when he died. God wanted to show him over and over that he is and was very precious to His heavenly Father.

I will miss him until I see him in heaven - I have to believe that even with all his bad decisions in life his one decision to follow Christ changed his destiny forever. I have to believe that he is waiting for us with Jesus. I have to believe that he is not in pain anymore and worshipping the Lord - something I long to do with him someday. I believe. I believe God is strong enough to hold him even through his bad decisions here on earth - even through his turning away to other things. My heavenly Father is faithful and AWESOME. He is mighty to save - forever.

"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country; yea, I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it." Isaiah 46:9-11