Mommy are you a Christian?

This morning during breakfast, Braden my 7 year old looked up at me and asked me a question. Mommy are you a Christian? I could tell his mind and heart were working.

I exclaimed to him Yes! and told him the story of how I came to know Christ. I was 9 years old, in VBS, and all of a sudden my heart just felt like it was going to explode. I explained to him that that feeling was Jesus knocking at the door of my heart wanting me to let him into my life. I told him that it was then that I realized I was a sinner and that I had to have Christ in my life in order to go to heaven.

I then turned to Braden and asked him, is Jesus in your heart? He told me yes. I then asked him if he knew what sin was. His reply was no. I explained to him that we are all sinners and that Christ died for us so that we could be in heaven, and that sin is bad like lying, stealing, bad thoughts, talking ugly etc, but that only Jesus could forgive us.

Needless to say, my baby boy is growing up. No, he doesn't fully grasp the concept of becoming a Christian yet, but God is working on him. Please pray for Braden about his decision. And please pray for me that I be a Godly example and that God gives me the proper words to speak!

Our church is doing a workshop this Saturday from 9-12 called "Parent Expo", one of the breakout sessions is Leading your Child to Christ, I am planning to attend.

Fireproof-The Movie

Jason & I had a movie date this afternoon. We went to see "Fireproof". The creators of this movie are the same that made "Flywheel" and "Facing the Giants". God is AWESOME!! He has blessed this church in Albany, Georgia with tremendous ability to spread the gospel. The movie is primarily over saving a marriage. However, I can see where it applies to relationships in general. I seem to be constantly reminded this week, that I can't do it, only God can, and this was once again made clear in this movie. The more people that see this movie, the longer it will show in the Tulsa market and the opportunity for God and his saving grace to reach more people. I encourage anyone who reads this blog, to go see the movie! I'll even volunteer to babysit! Here is the link for more on the movie: www.fireproofthemovie.com

Rascal Flatts & Taylor Swift

In my previous blog, I mentioned Jason's birthday, of course I wrote it before he had opened our presents to him, and I am trying to get better at keeping gifts secret, anyone that knows me knows its hard for me to do that.........Anyway the kids and I got him, a dress shirt, a beanie baby, and a Dallas Cowboy Flag for outside. I had also gotten him Rascal Flatts/Taylor Swift tickets.

The concert was last night. It was the 4th event held in the new BOK Center. The outside of the BOK Center is beautiful. The inside is laid out nice, but it is just your standard arena. I was asked to fill out a survey online early this morning and here is what I told them. The U.S. Flag was not big enough, the upper level seats are too close, have not leg room, and the steps to get there are way too steep. There were pregnant ladies and handicap people climbing at angles unbelievable. Also, our seats were located at the side of the stage in the nosebleed section, but there were worse seats. We also paid $16 for concessions. $4 each for a coke and slice of Mazzio's Combo pizza.....Come on people!

Taylor Swift........she is soooo cute! For an 18 year old she has an awesome career ahead of her. She is so humble. She just kept thanking us, just like she did on TV. She writes most of her music and has a maturity well beyond her years. I called my niece Jadyn during her opening song "Our Song", Jadyn is 9 and lives 3 hrs away and loves Taylor. I put it on speaker phone to let her hear. My sister told me that it was hard to understand for all the crowd noise, but that Jadyn did sing along.

Rascal Flatts..........Oh my.....they are unbelievable! What can I say. The effects, their performance, their commentation, their personalities. Those guys rock! I recorded a video for Braden to listen too. He was trying to figure out a way to sneak into the concert and not go to his football game, which he did lose unfortunately.

All in all, the performers made up for the misery of the BOK Center. But, it will have to be an awesome concert with better seats to drag the Crow Family back for more!

Happy Birthday Honey!

To my One and Only from your One and Only........Happy 38th Birthday! Words are hard to express the way I feel about you. You came into my life at a time when God decided was right for both of us. You are the Love of my Life, my best friend, and the best Daddy! I love you!

What I like about Sundays.........

Church, Family, Naps and Football..........

At our church, we are in a series called "Sex Matters", funny title, but what an awesome subject matter. No, it is not about the physical act, but about genders. How men are so different than women, or how women are so different than men........Yesterday was about Men, one thing Pastor Alex talked about in an illustration was the remote control, how it is a man's domain. Well, I have to be honest, Jason does offer me the remote, but I hate it! (it is designed with a man in mind, all those functions and settings, I only know how to turn it on, use the channel button, and the volume button) Alex, spoke of how men are controlling of the remote, how they never throw one away. Well, we had one like that once in our bedroom, the power button came off and after 3 months I decided it was time to fix it. I used Elmer's glue.........needless to say, it shorted out the remote!

After church we went to my mother in law's to celebrate Jason's B-day. She is the best cook! Jason got 3 tickets to the Arkansas/TU game on Novemer 1st and a beautiful card.

After lunch, we came home and took a two hour nap and then played in the living room. Kaybrie likes for us to all get into the floor, no one can sit on the recliners or couch.

Football. Now the Crow Family follows a few teams. Namely, the Broken Arrow Tigers, Arkansas Razorbacks and the Dallas Cowboys. Yay Tigers, leading the season 3-0! As for the Razorbacks, like Pastor Alex said in the sermon, they are in a tough conference, but we still love them and someone has too (but our prediction is that the Golden Hurricane will probably beat the Razorbacks (I think I'll design a shirt, 1/2 Hog, 1/2 'Cane).......and how 'bout them Cowboy's. They are also now 3-0. Kaybrie and I are in love with Tony Romo......he has got the cutest smile. And what about Tulsa's own, former Razorback Felix Jones, he is rockin'!

.........and that is what I like about Sunday's!

Barnyard Party

Tonight was Carlee's B-Day party. It was so fun. Her Grandparents have a feed store and have decided to make a party barn. We got to see horses, chickens, rabbits and goats. We played games and got the cutest party favors. We sat on hay bales to eat our awesome hotdogs!

Carlee opened some really awesome presents, she was so cute in her cowboy hat and bandana. This "Party Barn" idea is great, all ages were able to participate!

Braden's 1st Game: Steelers vs. Bulldogs

Season Opener, 67 degrees outside, can you feel it? It is football weather! Braden did not get a TD this game, he was about 3 yards from one when he got poked in the eye and then he stopped. I told him after the game that next time "don't stop, get the touchdown, and then we would worry about his eye or other injury"! Am I really becoming a competitive Mom? Aaaaah.... The Steelers walked away w/ a victory, and Braden gets to keep his eye, it seemed like the boys were really hungry after the game........

Today is MaMaw Crow's 92nd B-Day!

Happy Birthday MaMaw! MaMaw is Jason's Grandmother. He was her first grandchild with brown eyes, and now Kaybrie has brown eyes. My mother in law claims that MaMaw is the reason she is such a wonderful mother in law. MaMaw lives in Arkansas. We only get to see her a few times a year, which is sad. Here are a few pictures w/ MaMaw and our family!

Getting rid of the looking glass, and seeing what God Sees!

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out: you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration-what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Psalms 139:13-15

I started a Bible study last week at our Church. I'll have to be honest, I have put off until the last minute to read my two chapters. The title of my study is: "The Mom I Want to Be, Rising Above Your Past To Give Your Kids a Great Future".

The above verse really spoke to me at the end of my study today. We all have "looking glass self", the image we have created based upon the words and actions of others. But God, knows who we are better than anyone, we should allow God to mold us and shape us daily into the person he wants us to be! Our past is a small ingredient of our life. The ingredients that make me who I am are: Christian, Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Niece, Cousin, and Friend. May God Bless the reader of this post, and please look for further postings as I journey through this study!

Dress Rehearsal, Banana Stickers & a new Hobby

Braden had football practice last night at 6PM. The coach had them come in full "game" attire. Not quite sure what he had in mind, for them to get into a game mind or to see if the parents actually followed all orders on getting the uniform. So this year, we have a mouthgard, "real" mid-hi football cleats & Under Armour football socks, to go w/ the Jersey and pants. I have to admit, my son looks quite dapper in his uniform! I am also really diggin' the colors this year, Black & Gold-my high school colors (okay, they are also BA colors)!

Now for the Banana stickers......well, WalMart started it! Kaybrie gets a sticker whenever she goes to WalMart. They give the little smiley face sticker, great attempt at getting a child distracted from the matter at hand (shopping), but big problem when they lose it! Anyway, Kaybrie found two "Dole" stickers this afternoon on the bananas. She peeled them off and stuck them on her shirt! Too Cute!

Hobby.......I am trying to be more creative now that I am staying home. I have tried scrapbooking, but that takes up too much space. Hair Bows, not bad, but you lose motivation when your daughter refuses to keep them in her beautiful curly hair. And now, I made my little friend Carlee a birthday present! I also made one for her sister Cydnee. It is a HairBow holder....Do I have a future in sales? I think not. Tomorrow I am going to try wrapping ribbon around a headband and attaching hair bows to it. Kaybrie will at least wear headbands!

Rainy Saturday

Well, Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Coast this morning as a category 2. From the pictures I've seen the damage is terrible. Now Ike is making its way into Oklahoma with lots of rain and wind. My cousin Shawn, recently moved to Houston. She took teaching job there. This is the second time she has had to evacuate.

Jason had planned a big "game" day for us. Arkansas was supposed to play Texas @ Texas today, but due to the Hurricane the game was postponed. Braden was very dissappointed, but settled for his Daddy to hook up the Playstation in his room. It is funny, we all deck out in our Arkansas gear and fly our flag on game day. Now we will be watching OU play Washington.

Kaybrie is in rare form today. She just keeps taking her diaper off. Thank goodness there have been no messes. She took her nap this afternoon and then came and laid down w/ me, a total of about 4 hours. She has now taken possession of Braden's "Good Will" doll. This doll says the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" Prayer. Kaybrie is calling it her "Amen" doll, she pronounces it "ahmen"! Very Cute!

Tonight we must go and pick up the leftovers from the JBF sale. Jason is not happy w/me. He just wants me to give all the extra stuff away. Maybe he is right, but there really are some cute things of Kaybrie's that I don't want to just give away.........I can always give it away to someone else, like family.

PlayDate w/ Friends

Today we had a playdate with the Carrie's and their kids. Now, about the Carrie's these are my BFF's that I met in stroller workout class. It is funny, because both names are spelled the same and their birthday's are both on May 1. Carrie T. has Justin (1) and Jamie (11). Carrie O'. has Carlee (almost 4) and Cydnee (2). Carrie O' is also my hair stylist.........she rocks! Anyway, we met at Bounce U at 10:00 a.m. This is a inflatable place that had preschool bounce from 10:10-11:25! Although, our kids were ready to go by 11:00. Braden was out of school today and invited his friend Nick to go w/ us! The boys had a blast and of course they could have stayed all day. After we left Bounce U we went to CiCi's pizza. The kids played video games and ate very little. It was Kaybrie and Justin's 1st time on inflatables. Their favorite part was when their mommies climbed up the big slide and slid down w/ them! I have this all on video and camera, so hopefully I can figure out how to transfer it for all to see! It is awesome to have such great friends!

Today is Tristan's 11th B-Day

Happy B-Day to my nephew Tristan. Tristan is 11 years old today. Tristan has been in my life now for 9 years. I remember his 2nd birthday(that was his 1st w/our family). I got him a Fisher Price fishing set. His mom Liz married my brother December 10, 1999. Tristan is such a blessing. Just last month, my brother was finally able to make it official and adopt Tristan. Tristan's name is now Tristan Clark Williams. Praise God!

A Day to Remember-9/11/2001

September 11, 2001. I can't believe it has been 7 years. Our nation came under attack that day. I personally knew no one in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or the flight that was crashed into a field. Braden was 1 day away from being 9 months old. I was living w/ Moma & Daddy. My Moma called me that morning and said turn on the TV. I just sat there holding Braden tight, tears streaming, asking God "who, what, why" is this being done. What kind of world is Braden going to grow up in? How can terrorist hate us so much that they are willing to commit suicide in order to kill innocent people? That was the first time I saw gasoline prices soar, the pumps said $1.85-$2.00. It was considered price gouging. Of course today a gallon of gas costs $3.43. Crazy huh! Today, I am saying a prayer for those who have lost loved ones in these attacks, I am praying for our country to continue to rise up and prepare for the prevention of further attacks, I am praying for our nations leaders and future leaders that they place God into their lives and make wise decisons. God Bless America!

My First Blog

Well.......now its set up, where do I go from here.