Oh Ayden!!

Ayden climbed on the couch with me today and brought me an arm full of books. To my surprise she then began to "read" them to me!!!! It was soooo cute! At times it was more like a musical because she'd break out into songs! Very random songs! And sing them with all her might and then go back to the story at hand! LOL

You could tell which ones were her favorites because she actually remembered some of the words of those books. She is the only child I've had that wants me to read the same books over and over and over again!

She read Forest Friends ($1 Target book LOL), Kitty, Kitty (another $1 Target book :), Neeghborhood Animals (Baby Einstein), Muppet Babies I Want to Do That...,
Goodnight Baby by Cheryl Hudson, and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

Making this list, I saw that few of these are the books i would normally choose to read. They are board books. Many of them we've had since Alaiyah was a baby. She loves them, though and it was so cute to have her "read" them.

Her favorite book is Hey Wake Up!! by Sandra Boynton. It is soooo cute to hear her say (or yell would be a better discription), "Goodmorning sun!! Happy Morning Everyone!!!" We read this book EVERYDAY!!!! I don't know were it is right now and that's the only reason she didn't read it today!!!

After awhile she grew tired of reading and asked me to read. Slowly, one by one, my other children ended up on the couch listening to board books!!

I love to read!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so glad my children love it too!!!!

************************************************************************

Ayden only wants to wear skirts or dresses!!!

She actually cried the other day when I put her on shorts! She is my girly girl!! She puts on her church shoes and wears them around the house all day!!

For her birthday we got her a gift for everyday of her birthday week. Well, I think she likes the idea. She's already making requests for her next birthday. Today she brought me Alaiyah's cute little pink Mary Jane shoes and said I want some of these for my birthday...some little ones!!!

As I type this she is looking @ me with that serious face of hers asking if I will buy her a bike!!!

We were in Wal-Mart the other day and she said, "Mommy I don't have a bike!" (as if that was news to me) "I can ride that one! I can!" I let her try because i was sure her little legs wouldn't reach the peddles!!!

Boo hoo hoo!!!

They did. and she rode the bike up and down the isle as if she'd been doing it forever!!





Waaahhhhhhhhh!!

Where is the time going? She's really grown!!!





Thank you Lord for my sweet babies!!!

Thank You

Ok, so I read a few blogs today and am feeling inspired!!! :)

But, what do I talk about?

(I'm actually sitting with my hands folded thinking, so hold on a sec. :)

Nicole (i would link to her blog but I dont' know how :)sent a text the other day that said (among other great things) "Grateful people are easily contented." That has really stuck with me and helped me FIGHT for joy in a way that I've never really done before!

The reality of that statement struck me first of all! Is that really true? Is the source of my discontent really as simple as a lack of thankfulness?

Well I've often joked that truth in my heart is sometimes like the parable of the sower in the Bible. It springs up really quickly but the cares of the world soon snatch it up. The good thing about this, though, is that I immediately apply what I've heard and learned! That was the case with this truth, but I've been praying that the Lord would cause it to grow deep roots and much fruit in my life.

Because... IT WORKS!!!!!

Whenever I've been overwhelmed or tempted to be discouraged, I will look to the Lord in thanksgiving!! Generally trying to thank Him for something related to my frustration @ the moment and sometimes thanking Him for something that takes my mind off of that frustration.

When I've been exhausted from the mental and emotional challenge of school, I've thanked the Lord that I get to be home with my sweet babies (where I really want to be) and that I have a husband who is fully supportive in this task and that, though funds are limited, I could afford to purchase a curriculum that is currently causing my blood pressure to rise and my head to spin!!!!!!! :)

It has helped me to chill out!!! Instead of stressing about every little thing in my life, I can shift the focus and give thanks!!!

This truth I can't let leave so quickly it's giving me my sanity and so much joy!!!

I took the little two to Publix the other day and instead of barely making it out without screaming! I actually had fun with the little critters and could see how cute they were and how sweet!!!

You know Publix gives cookies to the little ones for free!! I don't take them to the store with me often, but they've finally caught on! They asked for cookies for the first time. When the guy gave us two cookies my sweet Zo said, "But we need another one!" He was thinking of his sister that wasn't there (and that Shhh!! would not have been thinking about him...we're working on that LOL)! As I was explaining to him she would get one another time the bakery guy was so sweet to give us another one that we saved for her.

Later they asked for some gold fish. I said no, but since I was being a nice mommy that day I decided, "O go ahead live a little" :) Well he promptly gathered 3, not 2, little boxes of goldfish in his arms and brought them to the basket!!! So Sweet!!! He is becoming a regular little gentleman!

and I probably would not have noticed it before CHOOSING GRATITUDE!!!

Now on to Fred Hammond who always manages to help me remeber to thank the Lord!!!! That boy has skills!!! :)

2009 Facebook Status Updates LOL

It's so fun to see them all listed like this!!

I'm inspired to update more this year! It's kind of like a year in review! :)


is amazed at my sweet time with a friend on facebook chat! Wow Lord!!

+ X is refreshed from a happy homeschooling day! Now it's nap time and I'm going to watch my 1st Netflix movie! Yes!!

+ X The kids are finally in the bed. Ahhh!!!

+ X I had such a great great day at the skating rink with my kiddoes!! It was so wonderful. Adult conversation, fun for kids. Yippee!!!

+ X My glasses were peed on twice today as they fell off my face while I was trying to help my my child pee.

+ X He said, "Alaiyah, Alaiyah, Mommy's glasses fell off AGAIN!" Wow!

+ X Such a busy day, but O so refreshing! Thank you Lord!!

+ X Those who know your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you! Psalm 91:10

+ X is sitting with my little one that has a slight fever. She looks so pitiful! Aw!

+ X is listening to Ayden who decided she wanted to start talking, YESTERDAY!! Her fav's "I don won tat" "aw man" "I wan see"

+ X Ayden just PP's in the potty!!! Yeah!!!!

+ X Ayden just PP'd in the potty!!! Yeah!!!!

+ X is praying for the safety of Obama tomorrow! Join me.

+ X is trying to keep kids quiet so that I can hear. lol

+ X Jooooooooe Biden! I always like ol' Joe!

+ X Hey Harmony!! Everyone said heeeeeeeeey!

+ X Congrats!! President Obama! and those precious little brown girls in the white house!!

+ X Everytime Alonzo sees Michelle he says "Carissa". He says you two look alike.

+ X Tuskegee Airmen baby!!

+ X less than 60 years ago...dang!

+ X interesting!

+ X oops! need to + that to my homeschool lesson...the national anthem

+ X look at Jill with the knee boots on!

+ X stop playing with my emotions!!

+ X RU really coming?

+ X is still watching CNN. lol

+ X is still watching CNN and waving! lol

+ X O my! I think I just figured out how to update from my phone. I hope this is not charging me. LOL

+ X Rejoices in the RESULTS of my trials and the love of my God!

+ X is waiting for my DVR so that I can watch something I actually want to watch when I'm able to watch T.V.

+ X Laughing at my husbands status and even harder at his friends comments. Lol.

Your February statuses are below the ad

February
+ X is glad to be able to spend the super bowl with my friend!

+ X is in tears that my baby is at his first karate lesson and doing so well!!

+ X is now in tears because Ayden just hit me in the head with a wooden brush. Ouch! Cometology is probably not in her future.

+ X Amazed that The Little House on the Prairie actually has some drama in it. Lol

+ X is just sitting here.

+ X would post 25 random things , but I can't figure out how to tag anyone. That better Nikki. lol

+ X Playing outside with kids.

+ X is updating my blog!!

+ X on my way home for a nap. I don`t feel the greatest.

+ X is watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the kids! It's really cute!

+ X Ok cute might not be the best way to describe it. Let's just say we're enjoying it! It's actually a little wierd!

+ X is trusting HIM!

March
+ X is so excited about the snow!!!

+ X is headed to primed today...again!!!

+ X is grateful for doctor friends! I was able to skip primed and still get my meds!

+ X sitting here talking to Harmony and Nicole and lovin' it!!!

+ X is so excited about my weekend on Westcott! I think I could get used to that!

+ X Pray for my Alaiyah. She has a stomach bug, fever and all!!

+ X Rejoicing in the grace and miracle of God with my sister Zinnada!! Praise Him!! Congratulations Girl!!

+ X is 2 old to b hanging out with college students until 1 AM, but it sure was fun!! lol

+ X is sitting on the couch with my 2 sick girls!

+ X I...have...no other choice but to trust you! That's all I can do! I...Have...no other choice but to Believe! I Believe!!!! Thanks Eu!!

+ X I...Have...no other choice, but to trust YOU! That's all I can do! I...Have...no other choice, but to Believe! I Believe! I Believe! I Believe! I Believe! thanksEu!

April
+ X U know U are facebook parents when your child says, "Mommy I took a good profile pic of Zo." I said, "What's a profile pic." She said (smiling), "A good pic!" Atleast she doesn't actually know what a profile pic is! LOL.

May
+ X I'm really moving! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! There are filled boxes in my house! Wow! Life changes sooooo fast!

+ X There are MORE boxes in my house!!!! I'm really moving yall! Right now I'm about to go on a date with my hubby! Gotta love it!!

+ X If you haven't guessed already...we're moving SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!! Yes!!!!!!!!

+ X Ok so I'm truly learning how to take thoughts captive as I try not to be overwhelmed by all that "seems" to be left to be done! I'm praying for wisdom and the Lord is faithful to give it and peace along with it! Praise Him!!

+ X I'm leaving my house for my new temporary home! Thank you Lord for all You've done and all You will do! :-) antoinette

+ X The kids are running around the Missions House like it's huge. O the eyes of a child!

+ X We are on our way to our last Campus Outreach function! ... tear. Thank you Lord for a GREAT ten years.

August
+ X In MD with the inlaws!! I told the kids we may go to Pres. Obama's house. Zo asked if he was going to put up the dog because he's scared of dogs! LOL

+ X Alaiyah was in her room today pretending to be Michael Jackson's wife. The tell tell sign...her one pink glove! HAAAAAA!!! Hey it was the only color she had!!!

+ X MY IPOD CAME TODAY!!!!!!! Yes!!!! and I had my first 5 hour enery! It works so well it's scary! Somebody tell me this is good for me...EVERYDAY!!!

September
+ X Check out video of my Daddy and Alaiyah singing!!

October
+ X just hopped up out her beeed and turned her swag oooonnnnn!!! took a looked da mirror said wassup!!!!... I love my husband Alonzo Brown JR so much!!!!!!! He is the bestest!!!

+ X "Lord in everything we do. Don't wanna ever take our eyes off you. Need your Spirit like we need to breath. Just wanna serve you only!!" Joann Rosario

November
+ X Wow!! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!! I loved it!! Even though I"m just now getting them, it makes the celebration just keep going and going!!! :)

+ X The Last Supper!!! Waaahhhhhh!! This was Ayden's last meal, before the Salvation Army pick up, in the high chair that ALL of my babies have used!!! O, will I ever have another little one! (tear)

+ X O the difference, JOY, of cooking with a 10 year old (my niece Amorri) and a 6 year old!!!!! There is hope for the future!! :)

+ X Why did my 2 year old just tell me, "I no wan to wear dat." AAAAAAA! I can already see who I'm going to have the wardrobe battles with! LOL!

+ X The Blind side was WONDERFUL!!!! We can truly make a HUGE difference in other's lives by simply caring and taking the risk to get involved!! Loved it!!! :)

December
+ X It's the new me!!!! YEAH!!!!!

+ X Sitting next to my Christmas tree in a quiet house with the lights low! I love it!!!

+ X "God doesn't love some future version of you...He loves you right now!!!!" Matt Chandler O Thank you Lord!!!!

+ X Ok, so... I think I'm getting sick from wetting my hair everyday? Is this just a coincidence?

+ X Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl! She's 7 years old today!!!

+ X Ahhh, Celebrating the birth of my Savior!!! I love this season!! Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Alaiyah Speaks

I'm teaching Alaiyah to read street names because I am so terrible at it. I never know what the street names are, so it's always hard for me to give directions!!! I don't want that to be a generational thing. LOL.

She's doing a great job and reading not only the street we are on,but EVERY one we pass. We passed Union street and she said, "there is Onion Street!!" I giggle just thinking about it. It was so cute.

The next day we turned on Whitman and she said (singing), "We're on Whiteman St. We're on Whiteman St. " I was rolling!!! It was hilarious!!! You just never know how things seem to those little ones who take everything literally. LOL.

She's really been on a roll this week! We were listening to "O Christmas Tree." She said, "OOOOOU they are loving the world." I said, "why do you say that." She said, "because they are praising the Christmas tree!!"

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! I was on the floor!!! It was so funny! but encouraging @ the same time. She's obviously listening!!!

The Building

(I figured I'd better keep rolling while I have a minute! LOL )

We have a ministy building! I love being there!!! Everyday they have tutoring from 3:30-5:30 p.m. There are about 90 kids that come everyday!! It is alive a popping everyday!

They have bible study with ALL of the kids on Wednesdays after tutoring! The kids and I went this week and it's so great just to be there! I still can't believe that God has called us to this ministry. I can't believe He has a plan for us here...and we still have no idea what that will actually look like.

But being at the building, around the kids makes me excited.

Wednesday was Alonzo's birthday. Thurday I bought some cakes from Sam's to surprise him at tutoring! It was really sweet! The kids were so excited to sing Happy Birthday to Zo and also very excited about the cake :)

That was also REPORT CARD DAY!!! It's been a long time since I've had a report card day. :) I was so excited to celebrate with kids (some of them I didn't know) who had good grades! I loved being able to congratulate them on their hard work and to encourage them to keep up the good work! I was really proud of them.

One of the girls that I have a relationship with didn't get a great grade in reading. I was able to sit down and talk to her about the importance of doing well in reading and loving to read. We talked about ways to work on bringing up her reading grade and I told her to I would look up some things on the computer to bring her.

This...tutoring...is right up my alley!!!!! I was trying to figure out today how I could participate on a regular basis! As I was trying to make a schedule to see how that would work, I seemed to be able to find time for it! I was thinking, "Lord is this something you want me to do. YOu seem to be making it so easy,"

I have a hard time trying to figure out how to plan my days normally! How in the world could I find time to add 2 hours of tutoring! We'll see. I'm excited about trying it out.

The kids love being at the building...(surely we are going to come up with a name for this place. We can't keep calling it "the building" :). They just love running around with all of the kids! Much of the time I don't know where they are (sometimes I'm not exactly comfortable with that, but we'll work it out).

Alaiyah went to the little girls Bible study Wednesday and Nicole teaches. She loved it and she is serious about the scripture memory verses that Nicole gave them. I heard her telling Zo today, "Don't tear up my papers. I HAVE to learn my verses. TT said! and I'll get a treat if I do." She is such a student...I wonder where she gets that from! LOL

Everyone has fun at the building, except Ayden that is! She screams whenever anyone comes close to her. All of the kids want to hold her and pick her up and she just screams. In a building full of 100 kids all I hear is Ayden, SCREAMING!!! She has started to warm up a little. She still doesn't want anyone to pick her up, but sometimes when they come close she'll just run away! That's a little bit better than screaming! LOL

I'm not sure how the Lord is going to use our family here, but I see Him sowing the seeds of excitement in my heart just being at the building and around the kids! I feel like I'm on a journey to a place that I don't know! I am so grateful that my sovereign Lord, who loves me so, is leading the way. As long as I follow Him, I know that everything will be a-ok!!

An Attempt @ Consistency! :)

Ok so I figure I should be able to write at least 1 blog a week. I'm going to stop shy of making an actual commitment...let's just say I'll try! LOL

I really want to take a moment to record all of the things that are happening in our lives...I just don't seem to have the time! I would much rather read something from someone else than write something of my own. Someday I'll regret that, so I have to do better!!!!

This is Alonzo's birthday weekend. His birthday was the 14th and we spent the day together. We went to eat at IHOP (our yearly tradition) and to buy Daddy clothes (also a yearly tradition). It was a lot of fun. A sweet old lady in IHOP told me that I had well behaved kids, she wouldn't have known there were three over there.

Praise the Lord!!! It's amazing what other people see while I juggle Ayden getting up and down out of her seat, Zo talking at the only volume he knows...LOUD, and Alaiyah asking a question about something on the ceiling that she must know all of the details about! LOL!! I enjoyed them that day!!!

I've been reading a book called Everyday Talk (thanks Tay) and it has really helped me with my parenting and the gospel perspective!!!! It talks about pleasantness of speech (Prov 16) and how it increases the likelihood that our children will listen to what we say.

Sweetness of speech...not exactly my strong suit! :)

It encouraged me to be much more controlled in how I talk to my children. It also gave me motivation b/c of the reason. James 1:19-20 talks about the anger of men NOT producing the righteousness of God. What more do I want in my children's life than God's righteousness?

Nothing!!!! Absolutely Nothing!!!

My frustration and anger will not prepare there hearts for the Lord. The book also encouraged me to remember that my children cannot obey without the Lord. My discipline is not to make them obey. It is really to help them see that God must be obeyed but that we CANNOT do it on our own. It's a continual opportunity to teach them (and myself) to go to Jesus for help in obeying God's commands and everything else! I'm really very excited about this. What a great habit to have! I'm still trying to learn to do this!!!

(RAndom: Ayden just said, "We gone watch a mooby" LOL! Sweet 2 year old!)

(This is live...as I type! LOL! The kids are watching Prince of Egypt and Alaiyah is explaining to Zo that if there is no blood on the door they will die! Zo said, "We're gonna die because there is no blood on our door! LOL!! Alaiyah said it's ok. Zo said it again! He was not convinced. She explained that if we were in the Bible we would die!! Zo is quietly watching with intent interest!! Hilarious!)

I know that only Christ's work in their hearts will save them, but I'm encouraged that I can see in the scriptures ways that God has given for me to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord! I've prayed a looong time for some conviction and clarity in this area! Praise the Lord! He really does answer when we continue to call on him!!!

Thank you Lord!!!

Books Galore

I went to the library today and as I was leaving I saw the sale of a lifetime!!

Books 3/25cents! That's right people, 3 children's books for only 25 cents. So, ofcourse, I wanted to just roll the entire cart out to my car and give them that ten dollars :)

Alas, I didn't have my checkbook so I scrownged (is that a word) around for every penny I could find. I looked for every book with a brown person on it and anything that looked remotely interesting. I walked away with 27 books for $2.50.

These were great books that my children will love for years. They are going to grow up thinking that the African-American culture is the norm. I love it!

When I walked in the door. I said (in the most excited voice that I could muster) Guess What I Found!!!!! Everybody, ofcourse, said WHAT!!! I pointed to all of the books on the table and said that I'd gotten ALLLL of these books for only $2.50...even YOU could afford these, I said!!

They were so excited. We looked through every book. I pulled out all of the little ones with little brown boys on them and gave them to Zo (it was about 8 Wow!) and all of the little brown girls and gave them to Alaiyah and 3 little brown baby books for Ayden.

(In case you're wondering! Their is a limited supply of books with little brown children on them at the library. We love all cultures and want to expose our children to them. I want them to grow up reading and learning about all different kinds of people. To be able to purchase so many books with people of color on them was a rare treat!!!)

I was surprised at how much everyone loved having their OWN books. I'd never really given anyone their own books. I just bought books. Ayden kept saying, That's my book! Read MY book! It was precious.

I thought of Beth Moore's "Feather's from My Nest" and how she said when you love God you don't have to work Him into every conversation. Your love for Him will just spill out.

My love for books and reading gives me a perfect example of how that looks. I don't have to work up a love and excitement for books. I LOVE THEM!!! and my babies are naturally catching that same love.

Lord help me to love you in a way that's obvious to all! Let my love for you just ooze out of me, so that I can't help but share with others my love and excitement for you!!