Family Happenings

We have had so much going on over the past month - So i thought i would do a few pictures to catch you all up on our lives.

So, first you must meet the newest member of our family... Glory Reese Kelly. Little did we know how special it would be to have another female in the house. When we were at the pet store, this hamster kept running up to BK and climbing into his hand. She won Bryan's heart and he brought her home to our boys. She was a hit with Bryce and Ethan and then one day...

...She gave birth to 10 squirmy baby hamsters! Yes, I did say 10. As Bryan would say, Glory knew she was pregnant when she left the pet store and wanted out of the "hamster ghetto". He thinks she knew it was no place to raise a family. It really has been such a fun experience for the boys, but now I must figure out what to do with these babies!!

As for me, I had a fun girls night out last night to celebrate the birthday of one our new friends from across the street. We laughed all night and I really enjoyed just getting time with her and her family and friends. Nicole and I have been praying hard for opportunities to love on women around us, and the Lord continues to bless our efforts.

Ethan just finished his preschool year and did a great job during the program - He LOVES to sing and doesn't even get really shy in front of people. He also learned to ride his bike with no training wheels. He is such a big boy. Today when Bryan left for the "day camp" they are doing this summer, he told Ethan that he could go with them. Ethan came up to me and said: "Well, mom, I am so sorry that you won't have a big boy to snuggle with today, but at least Levi wil be here with you. Bye!"
Bryce graduated from Kindergarden and I couldn't be more proud. He is really reading well and he just seems so OLD!
Levi turned 10 months old this week - time is just flying by with him! He is such a joyful baby and as you can see, still doesn't even have one tooth. I love his chunky belly and great big blue eyes. His hair is finally coming in and he is completely blonde - SO PRECIOUS! He seems to be taking after his Grandma Tressie and Aunt Amber!.

This weekend we are off to a family wedding (Bryan is officiating!) and to see my grandma who has been really sick. I'm sure I will have plenty of stories to tell again soon.

Quotes from our hood this week

Please know that while these quotes ARE funny, they are also very serious! Please take some time to pray for people who don't know Jesus,the poor and also for racial reconcilation and what the Lord wants YOU to do about these serious areas of our lives!

After coming back from Wal-Mart, a little girl ran in the kitchen and said:

"oooh! yall musta got yo food stamps today!!"

On the front porch, "K" looked at Levi and said:

"Levi must have his contacts in today - his eyes so blue!"

A little boy ran up to BK very concerned:

"One of those boys playing basketball said that you were White!"

"Do you think I'm white?"

"No - you Brown!

Then he ran off

As I was walking back to my house from across the street, a car slowly pulled up, rolled down his window and the guy said:

"Yall runnin a daycare here?"

There were at least 10 kids in and out of my front door that day - and it really did look like one!

Finally, this conversation took place with a 6 year old little girl, again on my front porch:

K: “You are light-skinned, right? I mean you aren’t white, right?”

Delta: “Actually, we are white.”
K: “You are? I thought you’d be offended because people keep telling me you are white, but I was telling them you are light-skinned.”
Delta: “Well, I am not offended! Cause we are white! (K crinkles her nose) What does “white” mean to you?”
K: “All white people hate black people. White people are rich. White people get whatever they want. Is your dad (talking about BK) rich?”
Delta: (trying not to laugh at the fact that she thinks BK is my dad!) “First of all, ALL white people don’t hate black people. We are white and we don’t hate black people. Do you know who made you?”
K: “God?”
Delta: “That’s right! And because God made ALL of us in His image, we are ALL equally special and wonderful. We all, no matter what our skin color, are a reflection of God!”
“And second of all, my HUSBAND is not ‘rich’!” ( But we are very blessed, and if I had to be honest, we get almost everything we want.)

Summer Scheduling

I thought I would quickly share an idea for summer scheduling since, as of this next week, I will have all 3 of my boys here with me all day.

I had a friend suggest a solution to reduce the sibling rivalry between my two oldest (I doubt any of you have this problem!)

Her suggestion is to direct them to seperate activities for a specific amount of time - a Timer comes in really handy for this. I tested this out this afternoon, and it worked wonderfully! Basically they each do an activity for 30 min and then they switch. (And what do you know, an hour has gone by and NO FIGHTING!!)

Here are the activities they do and then switch:

Art (coloring, playdough, etc.)/Favorite TV show

Computer/Special Toys (toys reserved for this time that are not available other times like Leggos)

Playroom free play/ Workbook pages

Audio Books/ Learing Video


I would love suggestions on other activities to use - esp for rainy days!

A life of Worship and Mercy

I have decided to memorize Romans 12 this month and I was so encouraged by a sermon by John Piper on this passage. I have been reminded that all acts of service, without love for God or the other people, are just in vain. Here is a clip from the sermon.

"Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship." Romans 12:1

"We must never let the Christian life drift into a mere social agenda. I use the word “mere” carefully, because if God is left out, our mercy will be mere social agenda. We do no one good in the end if we are not worshipping and leading them to worship in the acts of mercy that we do. If our good deeds are not expressing the worth of God, then our deeds are not worship, and in the end will not be merciful. Making people comfortable or helping them feel good on the way to everlasting punishment, without the hope and the design that they see Christ in your good deeds, is not mercy. Mercy must aim to make much of Christ. For no one is saved who doesn't meet and make much of Christ. And not to care about saving is not merciful." - John Piper

(see www.desiringgod.org for the rest of the sermon)

*the above picture was taken on Sunday afternoon - we walked outside to go to our church picnic, and these were most of the kids that were on our porch or in our front yard. Thank you, Lord for this special time and place that you have called me and my family!