oh how i love the summer!

have i mentioned yet that i LOVE the summer? i have to say that my mindset completely changes when the days get longer and the weather gets warmer. i'm not sure if its because summertime is so laid back or that chris is home more often or because we get to go on trips to the beach and the lake or maybe even because we get to eat freash veggies and make homemade blackberry jam. maybe its because of all of these reasons combined! who really knows. all i know is i adore summer.

chris makes fun of me when fall rolls around because i get so depressed that winter is almost here. i HATE being cold. hate, hate, hate it.

on friday will be chris's last day of school with students. i can't wait to see him more often. i know, i know, honey, you have summer baseball games, football workouts, and are taking 3 classes, but at least you don't have to go to school at 7 am! (can you tell i've been warned over and over that my hubby isn't going to be able to just hang out all summer?)

welcome summer! you can hang around as long as you like.

one confused kid...

Football season is just around the corner and I have a feeling Eli is going to grow up one confused kid! His dad cheers for Alabama and I, his mom, cheer for Georgia. I do have to admit that Alabama is probably the only other team in the SEC that I respect and care for. I don't know if its because we rarely play them (Chris thanks God for this) or because their colors aren't orange and blue. I think it might be fate that he cheers for Bama since they won the National Championship while he was a baby but we'll see. He might choose Georgia just because they only have one mascot and Uga is just so darn cute. As long as he doesn't cheer for Florida, TN, Auburn, LSU, or SC, I think we'll keep him. :)

Eli watching his first football game with Boo. He was looking for Daddy on the field.

Roll Tide

Go Dawgs! Doesn't he look so cute in red and black? :)

growing up too fast

The past two weeks have been quite monumental in the Akridge house. I feel like Eli has decided that he is ready to grow up. Everyday he has conquered a new trick and many times it has surprised those of us watching. I caught a couple of these moments on camera. It is funny to watch him discover how to do something new. The other day Mom and I were watching him scoot around on his belly and then he flipped up to a sitting position. He immediately looked at us and smiled. He is becoming less and less frustrated, the more mobile he gets. Now I have to keep my eyes open and watch him a whole lot more closely. He loves rolling under beds and climbing onto shelves to pull things down. His favorite "toys" are water bottles, clothes hangers, shoes, and tags...to name a few.

I sat up all by myself.

Crawling to get a shoe. I have to admit that Chris worked extremely hard with Eli to get him to crawl. I think he made Eli practice everyday in order to accomplish this task. I'm just glad Chris will be home starting next week to help me keep up with the little guy.

I laid him down for a nap and he got real quiet. I walked to his door to see if he had conked out and caught him doing this! Needless to say, the crib went down to its lowest level that night.

I always give him a sippy cup to play with while I'm getting his food ready. I usually just chews on it. On this day, he figured out how it works and enjoyed getting the water out. At the same sitting, I gave him some little puffs, which he usually just throws on the floor and spits out if I put them in his mouth, but on this occasion he picked them up one by one and ate them!

six years later!

Congrats Mere! We love you and are so proud of you. We can't wait to see what God's plan is for your future. Come sing to Eli soon.

its official...

Habersham County has a Community Bible Study class!!! This is a huge answer to prayer and I'm so excited to finally be in a bible study under my mom's leadership. We are having a "Taste and See" event on May 24th at 7 pm for ANY lady in the community to come check out what CBS is all about and learn more about the class that starts in the fall. The event will be located at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. I hope to see you there.

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.

I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

psalm 119: 9-11

check out this blog for a testimonial from CBS.

happy mother's day

I want to thank Chris for the great mother's day gift I received today. I got an awesome flower pot with a Lowe's gift card to go buy some flowers or herbs. But the best gift was the letter I received from Eli. It is so sweet that I have to share it with you. I'm not sure, but I think he got a little help from his dad...

Mom,
Seven months ago today, I remember that I was just hanging out, wishing that I had some more fluid to swim in when all the sudden all of these people started getting in my personal space. I remember you stated making these funny sounds and I felt like I was being forced out of the only home I had ever known. Then, all of the sudden, some guy named Francis (Dr. Lake) grabbed my head and held me up for everyone to see. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous about finally being out in the real world, but you have really helped me adjust. I just want you to know that you are a great mom. Thanks for always feeding me when I am hungry, comforting me in the middle of the night, and making sure I have cool things to play with like plastic bottles and cell phones. You and I have had some good times over the last seven months! Remember when I pooped all over you and your bed? That was hilarious! Or what about when I pooped in the bathtub while you were in it? That was pretty funny too! I don't know what the future will hold for us, but I do know that I'm glad you'll be there with me. Don't get me wrong, I like Dad too, but he gets kind of grumpy sometimes and I haven't really figured him out yet. I honestly don't know what you were thinking when you married him, but I'm glad you did. Thanks for being patient with him and forgiving him when he does and says stupid stuff (don't tell him I said that). Anyway, I just want you to know that you're doing a great job of raising me and I could not ask for a better mom. I love you very much and I wish you a Happy Mother's Day!
Love, Eli
p.s. Tell Dad i can't wait to run the bases at the field.

I can't think of a better gift than that! I truly have the best husband.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms I know, old and young...but to the mom's out there whose children aren't here to celebrate and those waiting patiently for their turn, a special prayer is going out today, and everyday, in your name. I will continue to pray wholeheartedly that one day the Lord will give you the desires of your heart.

a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised!

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

verses from prov. 31

It wasn't until later in life, college maybe, that I realized not all girls are as blessed as I have been with their mother. My mother has truly been the perfect model of a mother. Of course, there were many times growing up when I didn't understand why my mother always shared God's hard truths with us or why she wanted us to follow the Lord's will for our lives. After I became a believer, I realized even more how fortunate I was to have a mother that feared the Lord and desired to follow Him. Mom, thank you...

-for making me quote a bible verse after quoting a movie line at the dinner table

-for always reminding me "as a dog returns to his vomit, so does a fool to his folly"

-for having a son-in-law list and disapproving of a lot of the guys I dated

-for teaching me how to dress modestly, so not to cause others to stumble

-for teaching me how to cook like Big Mommy --Chris thanks you for this as well :)

-for showing me how important it is to study God's Word

-for instilling in me that the things of the world don't satisfy

-for modeling how to be a godly wife

-for always loving me where I am but pushing us to be a better person

I have to say I have learned a lot from my mom and I still learn from her daily. She has a way of sharing God's truths with me that give me peace. I'll never forget the day I found out I was pregnant with Eli and called her crying, not from joy but because I was scared of another miscarriage. Her words comforted me in a way that no one else could have because she shared God's words with me. Here's to you Mom! Thanks for all you have been for your three daughters. We will know how to mother our children because of your example.