NEW BLOG; MORE LIFE!

WHEW! Finally...
Since last November, the world as I know it has changed changed changed, and I think I am finally...officially....BACK. Although, the next few days and weeks will be the judge of that. :) So, gone is Changed by His Love and I can now be found at MOM IN THE FISHBOWL!
Mom in the Fishbowl has all the same content that Changed By His Love is known for...funny stories, pictures galore, and life in the ministry! Please changed your URL's and bookmark Mom in the Fishbowl at http://www.mominthefishbowl.com/!!

Thanks!
Karen

Road Trip

I have been dying to see my friend Amy since her and Jason had their baby boy, so last Friday I packed the boys up and drove to Hartwell, GA. I have never been to Hartwell and didn't actually realize that I would practically be in South Carolina! :) The boys did so good in the car and Boo, well, he just couldn't wait to see little Max and more importantly - Jason and the farm...no offense Amy. :)

We arrived, we loved on little Max, took pictures of the boys, had lunch and then headed to the dairy farm...cows, think lots and lots of cows. Boo "purchased" one and wants updates on it...ha ha. :)

Here are the pictures...

Here's Max!!! Ain't he full of cutness? I think so...him and Peanut are 7 weeks apart.

Peanut and Max together

All 3 of the boys...

Up close and personal....

One of several cool things...according to Boo. This is the feed machine. They mix the feed up for the cows and then place it on this machine which drops it into all of the troughs for the cows to eat it...pretty neat, huh? He totally had to figure out how it all worked.

Boo driving the tractor with Jason...the second highlight of his day most likely

Last but not least...the mommies...

May the Lord bless you today!

--Karen

Election Day

Kids are out of school, so my 2 good friends and our 8 kids met at the Children's Museum for an outing! This was a big deal for Boo since I didn't get to take him this summer before Peanut was born and I had been wanting to...the joy on his face when we got to downtown...it just reminded me how we don't venture down there as much as we used to. I wasn't sure if he was more excited about the museum or the buildings and stuff.

It was really cool...they were having an "election" of sorts for the game to be played at Noon. So, when the kids got there, they had to go and "vote" in the booth and then at Noon they announced what game won...it was Musical Chairs and Boo was so happy since that was what he voted for...at least one of us got what we voted for. :)

The day was filled with much laughter and giggling, which made my heart swell. My two friends and I did forget though that at a place like this we don't get much catching up and talking done, since we are busy chasing little ones around. OH, and you will never believe who showed up...Bob the Builder! That was worth the price of admission for my son...he's been playing with those toys ever since!

Here are a few pics of the day...

Boo and C working on the crane to collect and dump balls into the bin

Boo and J playing near Bob the Builder stuff...

It's Dizzy!!

Boo and R on the slide...so adorable!

It's BOB!!!

Enjoy! More to come...

Happy Halloween!

This was actually our first year trick or treating...once Boo went to one house, he figured out exactly what he was supposed to do...and praise God, he's so thankful...always saying thank you for his candy.

Here are some pics...Pumpkin and Superman getting ready!

Outside...it was cold out!

Boo at our front porch...like our dog???
Me and Pumpkin warming up together after trick or treating...
Boo and Daddy counting the stash...

We had a great time and our neighborhood is absolutely exceptional when it comes to stuff like this...there were hundreds of people out!

First Cereals...

Peanut is just shy of 4 months and I went ahead and started him on some rice cereal...Boo thought this was hilarious and wanted to get some shots of this momentous occasion. These are from two different days of feeding him.

Really soupy rice cereal...


Mmmm...yummy!! He likes holding on to the bowl!


Good stuff!!!

Family Visit...

My sis-in-law came from Arkansas with her kids, one being our new niece, and we met them at Chuckie Cheese on a very rainy Atlanta day. Boo had a great time with his cousins and these are just a few shots to show you how sweet they are.

No, not twins, but my Boo with Peanut and Lydia (I think they are 2 weeks apart).Caleb, Joshua and Boo

Doesn't Jeremy look good holding a little girl??

Nana and Papa with just a handful of grandkids...

Enjoy!

Karen

Distance

I must apologize for my lack of writing lately...juggling a newborn and busy 4 year old, well, it's enough to wipe ya right out! I have written and thought about so many things in my head while resting or washing bottles or feeding, and with some time this morning, I figured I would finally get my words out.
I was thinking about distance and the old addage that the distance between two points is a straight line, and although on paper that might be true, it isn't always the case in real life. I often imagine the image of a path God is leading us on and the twists and turns it takes to get to the destination...I must admit I don't always like the twists and turns, but if I keep pressing on, moving forward, the destination is coming. I think I know what the destination is going to look like, but it sometimes turns out to be something completely different. Am I okay with that? Depends...depends where my eyesight is. Am I focused on the destination or the Deliverer who go us to the destination? Am I only focused on getting there or the road that leads up to getting there??? Come on, admit it, no one likes the twists, the turns, the bumps, but isn't that part of getting to the destination? What if we changed our focus and learned to ride through the obstacles? Whether together or by yourself, you have to come to a point at some time where you choose to kick and scream and pout at the obstacles or embrace it. I am not saying your shouldn't sometimes question the obstacles...for instance, I received an email this morning from a friend of mine who is stuck in a destination that she doesn't want to be at, physically. She would prefer to be closer to home, to family, but God moved them some years ago and has proceeded not to move them back just yet. I, personally, think she has done her time and have pleaded to God to grant their hearts desires to return closer to home. With that being said, God may not be finished with them in that place yet...she knows that, she is wise beyond her years, but it's still hard to swallow.
So, in light of all that, I have been pondering my own response while on this journey to the bumps, bruises, twists and turns of life...I need to be better about it, my husband needs to be better at it, we, as a couple, need to be better about it. It's a long journey, and the ultimate destination with the Lord is better than any small destination of church or city or anything else.

Latest Video...

I so enjoy making videos of the boys...this latest one shows Peanut's personality so much!!!!

Peanut's many faces...

Peanut's personality has shot out of him lately...laughing more and crying less, which is always nice. He has mastered the art of putting his paci back in his mouth if it falls on his chest...it's the funniest thing ever and my mom and her friend enjoyed watching him do it this past weekend....so FUNNY! I will try to catch it on video if possible...Aint's he full of cuteness??

This outfit was Boo's and it has little baseballs on it and it says play ball...it's so cute...well, Peanut was having none of it at that moment. He eventually got over it and smiled, but I couldn't help catching his "not so smily" moment. :) He's still cuteness.

We are adjusting to life as a family of 4...it's different and difficult at times, and at other times it seems so easy. I don't take those easy times for granted at all. I said in the beginning that I don't know how people ever have a third...but I could see how that happens...by accident or by divine intervention. :) ha!

Enjoy!

Love,

Karen

Tummy Time

I don't know too many kids fond of tummy time, but none the less, you gotta do it...

Close-up cutie