Sparty and Tigers and Aggies, Oh My!

This house was sad to find out the Aggies had their first game postponed but our prayers are with the people needing the time off to recoup from Isaac. 

Gig' Em Aggies

Click the hype videos in BLUE for fun and exciting clips to get you pumped for the beginning of our College Football Season.

image source: ESPN

Texas A&M SEC Hype...awesome video! Highlights their up and coming players and major plays last season! -Sick plays, Aggies! 

A New Era Begins, There's a spirit can ne'er be told... At 2:30 it goes to Football, baby!

Saturday Night, LSU Plays North Texas. I can't wait to see my guys take the field. 

image source: Facebook

I got this video from a friend. To this video he said, "get the heck outta here"

The Mean Green Hype Video

You're gunna lol

LSU Players Spell "Jerqwinick"

Brilliant

Les Miles on Daytime. Mind Blowing.

Death Valley,

Where Opposing Team's Dreams Come to Die

Tonight Sparty plays Boise State. I want a W for State! 

Michigan State Hype 2012

Go Sparty -At least watch the whole 7th minute, amazing. and then in the 8th, there is a real Spartan rap. "Go Spartans, Go Green, Go White...Fly route to my receivah!" 

I Am But Clay In The Potter's Hands

I was reading a poem by Mo Isom (see below) and it reminded me of how to be happy. Through all the trials and tribulations "the everyday" throws at you, relish the good times. Be thankful and recognize a kind smile, a joke from a friend, support from others... then get back to work. Get back to the fight and be happy. I'm not always a ray of sunshine but this poem reminds me of how I could be better.

How can I be better? I have no excuse not to be.

Excerpt from Mo's Blog- link to her blog at the bottom

Isaiah 45:9-12

“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’
10 How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,
‘Why was I born?’
or if it said to its mother,
‘Why did you make me this way?’”
11 This is what the Lord says—
the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:
“Do you question what I do for my children?
Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?
12 I am the one who made the earth
and created people to live on it.
With my hands I stretched out the heavens.
All the stars are at my command.

The original poem below was inspired by the Biblical passage above:

Clay In the Potter’s Hands: a poem of trust

POSTED ON AUGUST 9, 2012

7

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
a mass amongst many in the workshop of life.
Formless and shapeless, no use or demands,
simple and naive, unfamiliar to strife.

To my left rest many, resembling me,
but they’re hardened and drying, crumbling in state.
Though the potter offers moisture, graciously free,
they progressively resist, hardened by hate.

To my right I see others, flexible and cool,
eager to be molded by the potter’s hands.
They are gentle in texture, a pliable tool,
for them the potter possesses great plans.

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
of all those around, he scoops ME up.
He knows I am ready for all the demands
required to shape me into a great cup.

As he begins kneading my grooves and my dimples,
I feel the great warmth of the potter’s touch.
But soon he starts stretching me into more than what’s simple
and I’m suddenly sure he is asking too much.

I resist and I struggle, as my moisture dries,
where I once was pliable, I soon start to tear.
In distress I realize I need the grace of the potter,
for alone I am helpless, it’s too tough to bear.

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
when he sees I am struggling he meets all my needs.
Calmly he adds moisture to my drying sands,
I am instantly refreshed, I need not to plead.

And with that he continues to mold me and shape me,
he smooths out my edges and builds me up.
Before long I can tell that his plans are much grander
than simply to mold me into a small cup.

I find myself wondering what it is he is planning
as he massages my ridges and bends my dough.
I grow anxious and ask him of what he is manning,
but he smiles and says that’s not for me to know.

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
does clay say to the potter, what is it you make?
Worry and fear are not from which I stand,
therefore I must trust the potter’s will is at stake.

As he finishes sculpting, I know I am changed,
I can feel my new ridges and sturdy base.
But just as I find ease in what was once strange,
I see there is more ahead I must face.

Life is not easy, not even for clay,
for heat is what makes us strong.
The kiln has been burning, awaiting my day
and the licks of the flames are long.

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
my fate is not mine to choose.
I must trust that he knows his perfect plan,
and that I have nothing to lose.

As I’m led to the fire, the potter is gentle,
he knows I can only handle so much.
He assures me the end results will be plentiful
if I trust in him and remain tough.

So I face the adversity, the heat and the pain,
knowing the flame cannot bring my end.
Though I ache and I hurt and I want to place blame,
I cling to the hope that the potter sends.

I can feel myself toughening, my sides growing stiff
as the heat of life sturdies my flanks.
And though not long before I was struggling and burning
I now find myself giving thanks.

I am but clay in the potter’s hands,
as he draws me out of the fiery baker.
He was right, I’m not broken or weakened or cracked
I’m a strong tool in the hands of my Maker.

–Mo Isom, August 2012

(anybody else get goosebumps? comment below)

Mo's Blog: God's Odds - Living A Life Defined By An Undefinable King

Random Acts of Kindness

Read this Blog Post (click the blue link "Birthday Project")...soooo cool...looks exhausting....but coool... For her birthday a women did 38 random acts of kindness with her family. I have seen family and friends do things like this before. Here are some new ideas for us all! 

Birthday Project

image credit: mixminlgeglow.com

Mo Isom

If you have time to read this, I highly recommend it. This girl is outrageous; a wonderful Christian. I could have never imagined her back story would be what it is. But that can be said for anyone, can't it?

"Be kinder than necessary for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

Former LSU Soccer Goalie: Let It Fly

Image Credit: grantland.com

Don't Sing the Birthday Song

My Sorority Little Sis had a beach weekend to celebrate her "quarter of a century" birthday. She had all of us meet her at a beach house on Crystal beach. We danced on the beach, in the house, on the deck. We took over the beach all Saturday and survived a quick and violent storm in our bathing suits. We laughed, we cried, we reminisced. New friends and old brought together by this wonderful women and birthday girl. And as good friends on her birthday we gave her what she wanted...all of us had to dance to our new favorite viral music video instead of singing the "happy birthday song". I believe it was Christian and Shelly that first brought us the dance during the weekend and we all wanted a piece of it. 

Happy Birthday, Jenna-honey boo boo! Thank you for a great weekend!!!

This is the actual Youtube that inspired us...

Tag Team Weekend

Big post today. Dan and I had a weekend to remember. We got to babysit our niece and nephew while their parents were on a much deserved beach vacation. Dan and I had been looking forward to this for months. We don't live in the same city as the rest of our family so we worry about getting enough face time with the kids. This about filled us up lol It was amazing and trying and difficult and fulfilling. 

Brenner is getting very good at his fine motor skills

"Look, D, corn on the cob!!!"

Tow truck had to help with the cup stacking

"Hmm..I love knocking over cups. I'm gunna get you, tower"-probable Audrey thought.

We went outside for some bubble time and sidewalk chalk art. Brenner asked me to make "medium sized hearts and write 'Brenner's Daddy'" in all of them. We wrote on about a third of their patio. 

"D!!! I'm hungry for bubbles!!!"

"hungry...yum yum yum!!"

After sweating outside for what felt like an hour we went back in. 

"Hey, you could give me that phone?!" -probable Audrey thought

We made a rope out of bandannas and like a good aunt and uncle we tied up our nephew. 

Hippity-Hoppity

Then we stretched out the rope and Brenner asked Danny to rope him like a bull.

Flip phone can take "pictures" too

While Audrey took a nap, Brenner decided he wanted one too. He laid in bed for about thirty minutes then he got up to hang with Dan and I to have a photo shoot, (See way below). We had him race to put away some clothes and the poor guy got hurt on his way back. Serious cry action occurred. Baby Audrey woke up and joined the cry party. She had and hour and a half nap. Not long enough but what happened happened so the four of us got back to the photo shoot (again, see way below).

Behind this precious angel you see the hopscotch Brenner and I made. Brenner is very good at pulling tape and helping Aunt D. I was impressed at the length he was getting and for the most part not tangling the tape.

One bow was not cutting it today so we called in a backup double bow situation. 

She was extra happy when she had all three sleepy sacks with her. 

So after learning she liked to destroy cup towers, Dan got to entertaining her. Below is the sequence of events to destruction. 

Oh...Look at that..

*Swipe*

*Bam*

Ahm nom hom

Yay!!

After dinner with Grandma and Papa we all went to Orange Leaf. And thank goodness for that because Uncle Dan and I had run out of ideas. the G-Parents hooked us up with insider kid info that kept us alive till bedtime. 

"oh, I found a TV!"

"TV is funnnnyyyy!"

I learned Brenner has a serious sweet tooth.

Photo shoot from the Nap Time on Saturday plus a few other times when Brenner wanted to take more pics throughout the weekend.


"I'm and Elephant...I'm a giraffe!" you can see him stretching his neck in the last picture, lol

I love how quickly her mood changes. These pictures take about 10 seconds or less to shoot the four shots in each strip.

Even her sad/cry faces are sooo cute!

"D! I'm a dinosaur...I'm a lion!!!

I made him show me his foot, his hand, his eye, and his tongue.

The last shot shows Brenner's face after Uncle Dan tooted. His face looks like he is not sure how he feels about what just happened. 

 Day two. Dan set Audrey up to have a sleep-sac-super-cape. She loved it. She looks like a sneaky lady in this picture.

"I love ALL the sleepy sacks!!" 

We set Brenner up with some Mighty Machine movies because we needed the TV babysitter to step in for a bit lol. The puppy he is holding was sick so he got to watch too. Day two was a bit tougher than Day one. We were low on energy and high on cranky attacks, all parties included. Uncle Dan was so good at soothing Brenner to make him feel better when he was homesick for Mom and Dad. 

Dan and I were relieved by Erika early Sunday afternoon. We were very thankful for her taking over and very thankful for our time with the kiddos. It was a great weekend!