Happy Birthday Samuel!

Today is a special day... December 7th is the day I became a mother. December 7th is the day Samuel Ross Dunn entered this world. In seven short years, that very special little man made a great impact on the world around him. In seven short years he taought me so much. My life was forever changed the day he arrived. It was also forever changed the day he left this world. The seven years and one day in between were filled with tears, laughter, lessons, and joy. The four years that he has been gone have been long and hard. I know though, that one day I will again see my beautiful blue-eyed little boy. One day he will take me on a grand tour of Heaven, and tell me all about the things he has seen and experienced there. For now I can only do what I can to keep his memory alive and honor his life.

December 1

December is here with all of the hustle and bustle that goes with the Christmas season. It can leave you so stressed out and, if you are not careful, drained of any of the joy that is suppose to be part of the season. This year we have committed to focus more on the real reason for the season. I want to make sure that my children realize God's gift of Jesus is the whole reason - not just for the the season, but the reason for everything. I also hope we can teach them that the "other" things we associate with Christmas -love, peace, joy, kindness, generosity - are not just about Christmas, but rather Christ-likeness. They are the things we should strive to show everyday, not just for a season...

Knocking at My heart

Knocking at My heart
Hammering me on the head

I love the way my Father can drive a point home, over and over and over. Of course, I admit that if I would listen and learn my lessons a bit more quickly, maybe He would not have to be so repetitive… but that is another topic for another day. Today I just want to look back at a lesson He has taught me over the last several weeks and be thankful for the fact that my Father loves me enough to care and take such an active role in my life.

Hannah’s Prayer
Then Hannah prayed and said: “My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance.
“There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food, but those who were hungry hunger no more. She who was barren has borne seven children, but she who has had many sons pines away.
“The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor.
“For the foundations of the earth are the LORD'S; upon them he has set the world.
He will guard the feet of his saints, but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
“It is not by strength that one prevails;
those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder against them from heaven; the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
“He will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
I Samuel 2:1-10


Isn’t that just the most beautiful prayer?
I was awestruck at the depth and sincerity Hannah displayed. I claim to love the LORD, but do I express such adoration – ever?

Over the last several weeks, my Father has really been dealing with me about my heart condition. I must admit that my heart has been grieved, angry, selfish, and just plain mean at times. I have been convicted for this and am not proud of the thoughts and feelings I have harbored. I am blessed to have a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to show me how I have acted, yet still forgive me and tell me He wants better than that for me. He also has shown me that the first step is to desire Him above all else, to want to engulf myself in worship and praise of this amazing God who loves me in spite of myself. I NEED a heart like Hannah’s.

A new direction

I apologize for how long it has been since my last post. I have been missing my blog, but life has a way of happening and filling up my time. I know many, if not all of you can relate. There is so much that has happened in the last several months, it will take more than one post to catch up. I hope to post a series of posts over the next several days so that I can fill everyone in on the happenings in our lives. Trust, though, that everyone is well and God is good and we are enjoying the adventure.

tonight I wanted to share something that my Father has laid on my heart recently. Actually it would be more accurate to say He has been hammering at the door of my heart with this lesson...Which direction in life am I and my family headed?
It all started when a Friend posted a comment online regarding an ad she had seen that made her stop and think... The jest of it was this," The opposite of poverty is not wealth. The opposite of poverty is enough." Well, let me tell you, that thought hit me right smack in the face!! I have not been able to get it out of my mind since reading it. I have been so willing to indulge in self-pity-parties and roll around in the "woe is me" muck, that I had began to see myself as poor and deprived. How ashamed I am to admit that! It is disrespectful and dishonoring to my Father. You see, i am rich beyond measure and I have an inheritance awaiting me that is beyond compare. I am a child of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!! My wealth will be weighed upon Heavenly scales, not according to earthly standards. I am not only talking about the riches that I will one day have in my eternal home. I am also talking about the riches my Father has bestowed upon me here in this life time. I am not poor by any stretch of the imagination. I have more than enough...

For the rest of the month, I want to share the many things I am thankful for...

Tonight I will begin my list of gratitude.

I am so very thankful for a Heavenly Father who loves beyond measure and provides generously for both my needs and my wants. He loved me enough...

I am also thankful for a wonderful, Godly husband who loves me and honors me everyday. I am so blessed to have a husband who loves my Father more than anything and who models a loyal and abiding faith for me and our children. Roscoe is my best friend and my soul mate. I have no doubt that my Father created him specifically for me.
Ok, it is time for me to head to bed. It has been a long day, adn tomorrow is already full of plans and adventure. There is so much more I want to share with you, so please join me tomorrow for part II.

We had a busy and fun 4th. We went to Crowell, TX for Roscoe's uncle's 75th Birthday. It was really nice to spend time with quite a bit of his family. The kids got to shoot fire works and had an absolute blast!!! (Pun fully intended!!)

Rachel: (The one with the sparklers is my current favorite of her...)



Noah learning to set off fire works. Don't worry there was an adult close by at all times!!



Well, I have to run. I have to get everybody cleaned up and ready. We are having family pictures made this evening....

reynolds family reunion

For those of you who are not related.... sorry!!

I AM a REAL princess, you know!!

R: I am a real princess, you know...
Me: Really? Why is that?
R: Because I like to wear dresses - ALOT!!

Rachel's goal for the day was to perfect the "Princess Twirl". I think she has it down, don't you?






Here are a few more from our impromptu shoot in the front yard:




One more. This is my favorite from the session:


She is growing up so quickly. I just nearly can't stand it...

FRAUD!!!!!

OK... 7 weeks ago we thought we were getting two sweet PUPPIES - we were wrong. We are the proud owners of two sweet, lovable miniature horses!!! When we took Thunder and Storm in for their first checkup and shots they weighted 11 and 14 pounds,respectively. Last week (4 weeks later) at check up #2 they now weigh 25 & 28 lbs.!!! That is 14 pound each!! They are eating about 50 pounds of dry food every 2-3 weeks. Oh my!!



We have been busy as ever around the Dunn Hive. Noah is out of school for the summer. He ended the year on a super high note! He scored 100% on both the Reading and math portions of the TAKS. He had the highest number fo AR points in his class, and managed to pull off all A's in both grades and conduct. He also managed to have perfect attendance for the whole year. We are very proud of him!! Here are some pictures from the last day:



I am taking a summer class during the first summer session. It is a micro-computer applications class. It is going to be fast and furious!! If you are so inclined, you might pray that I make it through without losing my mind and maybe even pull out a decent grade!! :0)

We are heading to OK next weekend for a Reynolds family reunion. The kids are looking forward to getting to camp out at the farm and play with some extended family. It is going to be a lot fun. Hopefully I will return with some fun pics.

Well dinner is about ready adn we still have gracoery shopping to do. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Life...and then some!!

It has been way too long since I have updated this blog!! So much has happened sinice I last posted. Let's see if I can recap our busy and crazy life!!

We suffered some sad losses. Frankie Jo, the sweet chocolate lab we were blessed with was hit by a car after she got out of the yard. We were sad and still miss her. She was a sweet and good dog.

On March 15th, Ellen, Roscoe's mom, went home to be with the Lord. She was a tough little woman and she ran a good race and fought a hard fight. We miss her greatly, but are comforted by the knowledge that she is out of pain and is in the presence of her Lord and Savior. We would ask that you continue to remember our family as we are still working to get her estate settled.

As most of you know, I have returned to work full time. I enjoy my job, and it has been good for all of us. We are still adjusting to the "new normal. The kids are doing well. I think that we are leaqrning to appreciate the time we have together a bit more now days. Soon, our routine will take another direction as the kids get out of school for the summer and I start taking some classes. I am tqaking a mcro-computer class during the first summer session. I am a bit nervous after being out of school for so long. i just pray my mind is still capable of absorbing and learning... We'll see!!

The kids are doing great! Rachel is outgrowing everything!! She is getting taller each day and turning into quite the "big girl". She just recently celebrated her birthday, turning 5 years old!! Where has my baby girl gone?
Noah is doing well in school. He made a 100% on the TAKS reading test. He was very excited and we were very proud of him. Today was the Math portion. I am sure he did very well. He, too, is growing by leaps and bounds. It is hard to believe he is 9 years old, and will be in 4th grade next year!

We have two new additions tp our family! Thunder and Storm are two of the cutest little Malamute-Lab mix puppies!! We are enjoying them and eager to watch them grow. We took them for their first puppy check-up yesterday. At 7-8 weeks old they are already good sized dogs! Thunder weighs 11 lbs. 1oz. Storm wieghs in at 13lbs. 15oz. Here are acouple of pictures of our new babies. I hope you enjoy them!!

Life as we know it...

has definitely changed for the Dunn household! It has been a big adjustment in our home! Some of our new "craziness" is permanent, some not so much so.
My job is going well. I am catching on and should have a pretty good grasp on it, I think before our other teller takes off a couple of days following Spring Break. April will be hectic, though, as we have a new cashiering system coming on and then summer early registration starts. I am really enjoying the work so far. This week I took care of a lot of the "housekeeping" (paperwork) and the benefits package is going to help us SOOO much. I am still thanking God every single day for opening the doors for this opportunity!

Please continue to remember Roscoe's family in the days ahead. Ellen is still in the Hospice Center and continues to decline each day. I am sure that the Lord is close to calling her home. It will be sad for us, but she is ready. We talked just last month about how good it will be for her to "go home". She will not hurt anymore, and she will be with so many that she loves - her mom and dad, Ernie, Sam... As I said though, it will be sad for us and we will miss her. Pray for Roscoe. There will be a lot of responsibility placed on him to take care of settling most of Ellen's affairs.

Today will be spent taking care of quite a few chores. Rachel and I are about to go grocery shopping and much of the rest of the day will be spent doing laundry, dishes, etc.

By the way, does anyone have any advice on how to keep an 85 lb. lab inside the fence?!?! Frankie Jo has decided that she does not belong in our backyard. She climbs the fence and spends most of her time on the front porch. Last night she tried to follow me when we left to run to McDs. My biggest fear is that she is going to get in the road and get hit. That would absolutely devestate the kids. Any suggestions?

OK- gotta run and get things done! Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

This picture represents my blessing for today. I am blessed enough to live in the greatest country on earth. Not only that, but I am privileged to live near a base that is home to many of the heroes who protect that country every single day!! When we first moved out here, the sounds of the planes was a major annoyance. Now, we have gotten used to it and the days they aren't flying seem overly quiet. It may be crazy but I have come to find a certain comfort and security in the noise of those planes flying overhead. I also feel fortunate to count among my friends many who either have served or are currently serving in our military forces. I would like to take a moment to express my personal thanks and gratitude for all that you sacrifice to protect my freedom. As i have often heard, "Freedom isn't free." I know that our lives would be so different if it weren't for you. You are my heroes!!


This picture is also representative of a common sight around our home. As summer begins to approach sunflowers will pop up all over the place. They are one of my favorite flowers. Somehow they always seem to remind me of God's wonderful creativity when He made this earth and all that is in it. Isn't our God good?

Today we are moving pretty slow around here. Last night was a late, long night. My mother-in-law, Ellen, has taken a decline. She is not eating or drinking right now. Hospice is doing all that they can to keep her comfortable. Roscoe was over there until very late (or rather very early this morning) trying to do what he could for both his mother and his sister. His sister has taken very good care of their mother, but is having a hard time accepting that she just is not really going to get better. If you would, please remember our family in prayer throughout the coming days/weeks.

I will spend much of the day getting ready to go back to work. I start my new job tomorrow. I am looking forward to it!! After our "trial run" in January I can be confident that the world will not come to an end because I am working again. Actually, I think it proved to be good for us in many ways. Today, however, it means there is a small mountain of laundry that must have some attention. Also, a few errands to run and some phone calls to make. I suppose that all means I must get up and get busy! I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed day!

HI Ho Hi Ho... It's back to work I go...

Today it is official!! I am now the new Teller II at MSU. I am so excited!! This job is truly a blessing and an answered prayer. There are so many things that are good about this. I have to thank the Lord. I mean in a time where so many are struggling to find work, this job has all but fallen in my lap. God is good.
I start on Thursday morning. If you happen to think about it, you may send up a few prayers that all goes smooth for us. My working means we have to find a routine schedule. Otherwise life becomes mass chaos!!

Introducing Frankie Jo

We would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our family.... Frankie Jo!
She is a three year old chocolate lab. She is just as sweet as you could want. We are all totally in love with her!!!

Sad news

We have some sad news today. Max, our beloved and loyal Heeler/Husky Mix, passed away last night. We are not sure exactly why or how. When we returned home from church last night we were not greeted by his familiar bark and Roscoe knew something was wrong. He went to check and found him. We are sad to lose such a sweet family companion. Max was a beautiful creature with an equally beautiful personality. We could not have asked for a better dog for the kids. He never bit or tried to hurt any of us. He never realized he "grew up" and left puppyhood. He had an abundant amount of energy and affection for everyone. Max was special to us for many many reasons. He leaves us with a heart full of memories.

We have had a fun week!! Friday night/Saturday we cooked another pig. My Grandpa thoroughly enjoyed himself!! The kids had a great time playing together and the adults all seemed to enjoy visiting with one another. At the end of the day we were all tired, but it was a good tired!!

Last night was our church's SweetHeart Dinner. The food was good, and the company was even better! I have to just say again how blessed we are to have such a wonderfully loving and supportive church family!! The kiddos had a good time as well! Noah got to spend "quality time with his best bud -J.R. Rachel had a good dose of "Blond time" with Abby, so she thought it was all good!! At the end of the evening they gave out door prizes and Roscoe and I each won a box of chocolate covered cherries....Yummmmmm!!!
Speaking of the church, now I have to finish getting Valentine's ready for our children's party on Saturday. We will be delivering valentines to one of the local nursing homes. Then we will return to the church to have a pizza lunch. Since the boys won the food drive challenge, the girls will be serving them their lunch. Needless to say, Noah and J.R. are excited about that!

Here is a picture of my sweet mother-in-law:

Doesn't she look good? She is at home with Hospice Support Care. So far, she seems to be doing pretty good. We would definitely like to say thank you to everyone for all the prayers you have all offered on her behalf. God has definitely made her more comfortable and is making the time we have left with her much better. Thank you to all of the prayer warriors we have in our camp!!!
The cell phone drama is our story for the week. I have the same phone I received when we opened our cell phone account waaaayyy back in September of '05!! Well, there isn't really anything wrong with it, but I just want a new one... So, I call and the company says you were eligible a long time ago for an upgrade. I go in and get a new phone. They didn't explain and I didn't realize that it would extend our contract for 2 more years. Since I don't pay the bill, that isn't my call to make - besides, we are thinking about going with a different company when our contract is up in a few months. So, I take the new phone back and they "un-renew" the contract. In the meantime, Princess Rachel has taken possession of the "old" phone. She decided it needed to be cleaned up a bit and drops it into a sink full of water. Fortunately, we carry the insurance on it, so we filed a claim yesterday afternoon. The replacement phone will be here today... note to self: NEVER let Princess R "take care" of things such the computer, cameras, phones, etc.. They may end up cleaner, but.....

Fortunately, I had already emailed some pictures that I did not want to lose to myself. Here are a couple of old, but treasured pics:
My sweet Sam...


Sam, Rachel, and Noah outside Chili's - October 2005

January is already gone?

It seems like I was just starting to count my blessings at the beginning of the month and now the month is gone!! Life has been as crazy and hectic as ever - maybe even more so - but it is good!! January brought several changes for us. I went back to work - at least temporarily. i was offered a temp job in the business office at the college. I am really enjoying it and am praying it will turn into a permanent position. It has really been a good thing for all of us. The kids have adjusted very well to the the change. Rachel loves her babysitter. Noah really enjoys her as well. She was a true God send. She has two boys that go to Noah's school, so I am able to just meet her there in the mornings and drop both kids at one time. She stays at the school with Rachel on Tues and Thurs for speech. Like I said, the kids both like her and I can feel good that they are content and well cared for while I am working.
Working 40+ hours a week has made us change our routine a bit, but it has helped us implement a stricter schedule and routine which is good for us all.

One thing I would ask everyone to pray for is Ellen, Roscoe's mom. She had an episode a couple of weeks ago with seizures. The ER visit revealed another recurrence of cancer, this time in her hipbone. She was transferred to the Hospice Center. There, they were able to get her pain under control. She is doing some better and will be going home tomorrow. She will still be under hospice care, but she is happy to be returning to her house. She is still very ill and very much in need of prayer. Also, pray for Roscoe as he tries to help care for his mom and family during this time..

One of the fun changes that came in January was a new hair cut! I went a couple of weeks ago to get a hair cut and told the girl to do "whatever" - I just wanted something different and updated. This is what I got:

I love it!!

Well, I have ot go!! Tomorrow is Monday and the beginning of another work week!! I hope everyone had a great week!!!

Today's bleesing:
God's generous provision
I am so blessed to know that God always provides what I need and what my family needs. Although I may whine and complain about hamburger instead of Rib eye steak, I still have more than enough satisfy my hunger and nourish my body. I have a warm bed, a roof over my head and clothes to wear. God is good!!

Today's blessing:

Today's blessing is my church home. We have been so blessed through Emmanuel Baptist Church in so many ways. We have found a loving church family that has taken us in, loved us, and given us a safe place to grow and heal. I am amazed at how God has blessed this church in so many ways! We are a growing congregation and it is so fun to be a part of a growing church!! The congregation is one of the most diverse groups of people that I have ever encountered! We have retired ministers, missionaries, retired military, bikers (Christian Motorcyle Association), and our pastor is even a retired police officer!! There is always someone interesting to talk to and something new to learn about a brother or sister in Christ!! Oh, and speaking of our pastor, Bro. Bill is simply the best. He has only been preaching for a little over three years, but God has truly blessed him and is blessing his ministry. He preaches God's word with confidence and strength. He has a true pastor's heart and his love for his congregation is so apparent, and his love for the Lord is even more visible. He has been a real blessing and encouragement to us. Then there is Bro. Billy, our worship minister. He is one of the most talented men I have ever met. He can play anything - and I mean anything- on the piano. I love to hear him sing, and he is always sensitive to the spirit of God in leading our worship. He also teaches iur adult Sunday school class and does a terrific job!!
Well, I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea... We love our church home!!

Today's blessing

Today's blessing:
My family!! Both my immediate and extended family.I have the best husband in the world, not to mention some really terrific kiddos!! I love them with all my heart. I also have a family that is unique in every respect. They certainly make life interesting!!!!

Happy 2009!!

Well, it is a say late, but Happy New Year to everybody!! I hope all is well and blessings abound in the new year.
We celebrated rather quietly. We stayed home, ate cheese dip, and watched a movie. (I picked up the movie, Dunston Checks In from the $5 bin at Wally World - it is REALLY cute!!). After the movie, Rachel crashed, but every one else toasted in the new year with a glass of Sparkling Grape Juice. Then we all headed to bed...
Yesterday Grandpa and Del and Joanne and Samantha joined us for a dinner of Black-eyed peas, fried cabbage, and ham. It was good food and even better company. It was a great way to start the new year.
Today Roscoe had to work. Rachel and I are going to go eat lunch with him. Then i just plan on working on getting the house back in order and working on laundry. The weekend is the end of Noah's Christmas break, so we need to get back into the swing of things. We have a birthday party to go to tomorrow, and then we will try to just hang out and have a bit of family time. Sunday will be busy with the usual church activities.

Something I REALLY want to concentrate on in 2009 is recognizing my blessings rather than whining about my percieved problems. So, for as long as I can, I am going to try to post at least one blessing a day.
Today's blessing:
My savior- without God's love and the saving grace of our Lord, my life would be totally hopeless and pointless. But because of the gift Jesus has made available to me, I have hope, purpose, adn peace in my life. I pray that all those I love will have/find that same peace in the new year!!