Zeke, Adalynn, and Lily Faith: June 2017

Memorial Day

June passed very quickly and I missed posting! We celebrated my birthday, our anniversary, and Father's Day. We also spent a week up at Wynna and Granddaddy's house so Zeke and Adalynn could attend camp. I'll talk more about that below. The highlight of our month, though, was Zeke's decision to commit his life to the Lord! I can't forget to mention that Lily Faith started walking too!

Welcome Home Daddy!

Gregg was away for work for 18 days. We missed him so much and celebrated when he came home. Joshua took him and picked him up from the airport, so we were ready when they arrived at our house. It was a special time!

I can't remember the exact date, but she started walking at the beginning of June right after we returned from celebrating her birthday in Johns Creek!

Learning how to do the Rubik's Cube with Joshua

Birthday and Anniversary

We were blessed to have Gregg home with us for the week of my birthday and our anniversary. It was a wonderful week spent together celebrating and enjoying one another.

Outtake from our photographer, Zeke!

We had a late birthday/graduation celebration for Lily Faith (and me) and Nikita with the Cherians. We had lunch at The Station in downtown Americus. It was a wonderful time together!

The whole group!

Cherian and Lily Faith taking a selfie!

Beautiful Nikita!

Nikita opening her Scripture pillow from us

The handmade candle holder that was part of my gift from the Cherians. Sheeba made it and I am so honored.

Part of the card Sheeba and Nikita made for me with my name and Revelation 21:27

Trying to get one of the 3 of them before lunch!

Sweet matching sisters

We spent the day together for a "day date" for our anniversary. It was wonderful!

9 years of blessings

Johns Creek

Zeke attended Camp All-American and Adalynn attended God's Little Princess ballet camp at Perimeter Church. It was a wonderful, blessed, busy week and my parents' house!

Headed to church the day after we got there

Lunch after church

sweet cousins

love these little buddies

cousin time

First day of camp

ready for another day of camp

Adalynn enjoyed camp and swimming with Harper

We found my old ballet costume! (Megan ~ age 5, Adalynn ~ age 4)

Performance day

beautiful ballerina

Adalynn with Katie's daughter, Ellie

They got to go see Cars 3 with Wynna and Granddaddy

Heading to the theatre!

Dinner and a movie at Studio Movie Grill...fun!!!

Father's Day

Gregg had to work on Father's day, but we spent the afternoon together when he got home. We also got some cute pictures at our church in the photo booth! We thank God for Gregg and the amazing, loving daddy that he is! We had the plaque made below with Psalm 127:4-5 because of Gregg's love for archery and his children!

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them." Psalm 127:4-5a

Photo booth

Gregg is a super dad!!

This one makes me laugh because it's so typical...Adalynn pulling Zeke and Lily faith oblivious!

Tennis Camp

Adalynn got to join Zeke for tennis camp this year. The weather didn't cooperate very well, but they still had a blast. We still have one more day to make up because of inclement weather.

Fun with Dany and Samuel before tennis camp one day!

Zeke's Baptism

I had one of the greatest privileges of my life on May 30, 2017. Zeke came to me and asked if he could pray to ask Jesus to be his Lord and Savior. We looked up some Scripture and talked about what it means. Of course, we've been talking about it his whole life, but I wanted to be certain he understood. It was clear he did!

We read several verses, but three that stick out in my memory are 2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 10:9-10, and Ezekiel 36:26. We talked about how Jesus was perfect, yet He took on our sins. We talked about the importance of asking God for forgiveness and trusting Him to cleanse us and make us new. Then, we must surrender and follow Him, making Him Lord of our life. It is through the Holy Spirit in us and the work of Christ, not anything we can do with our own effort.

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Romans 10:9-10

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

I prayed using some of those verses, then Zeke prayed. It's a moment I'll never forget. It was from his heart and was just perfect. He asked for forgiveness of his sins and asked Jesus to become Lord of his life. Hallelujah!

As soon as he was saved, he wanted to be baptized! We talked to his Sunday school teachers and looked at Gregg's schedule. June 25, 2017 worked out to be the date of his baptism. His friend, Zachary, was also baptized that day. Zachary is the son of Zeke's Sunday school teachers. The boys have become good friends and it was special to have Zachary's dad, Matt Almeida, baptize them both that day. We followed the church service with a surprise lunch celebration for the boys. It was a wonderful day of celebrating God's goodness!

Reading before we headed to the church

Walking into church

Taking a look at the baptismal pool

With Zachary

With my boy

Right before he was baptized

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

Daddy helping him afterward

The two "Z's!"

Surprise lunch

Gregg explaining that it was a surprise lunch to honor him and Zachary

The group

Celebrating!

Until next time

That was a lot, but thanks for reading. I'll close with a few random photos and I'll post again next month to include 4th of July pictures. I pray you are all having a blessed summer!