A few Christmas pix!

Ho Ho Ho!!! Merry Christmas!!! Happy Birthday Jesus!! Christmas 2011 is a wrap! All things were happy and grand for the ole Thomas family and momma Claus is pooped out. :) Here are a few snippets inside the fun. Enjoy!

This picture is actually my favorite. This is at my inlaws house and each of the grandchildren went around the circle and said a favorite bible verse and/or part of the Christmas story. Huddling is in the Christmas story, right?! It was so sweet though. These 5 kiddos really do love one another.

This is the gift to my parents. It was the picture we used in our Christmas card and the fabulous Erin Condren turned it into this!

This is my 70+ year old momma listening to some "beats!" She has no idea who or what she is listening to. Cute, huh?!

This guy got the Tim Tebow book.....kids version. I'll be reading this.

These are the infamous beats. Its the hot cool thing. Expensive cool thing I might add.

Here is stud with his new bat for the year! Watch out!

And then here we are Christmas morning by the tree. I'm still in pj's and therefore hiding in the back. ;)

It was really a great few days as a family. The kids are getting older so the Christmas fun and dynamics are seriously changing and after 15 years I'm truly ok with it. I'm now spending some time really really really thinking about this new year and what needs to be done.

I pray you use these days to thank God for where you have been and really seek Him this next year like no other time in your life. Its a comforting feeling and a crazy, hold on tight feeling all at the same time!

Happy 2012!! Hope your Christmas was oh-so merry!

My little turkeys...

Oh happy day before Thanksgiving my friends!!! What am I doing to get ready for the big day? Not one thing! It's still true...I'm the person whose mom and mom-in-law still do all the cooking and I bring cokes or something!!!

Amen and hallelujah and thank you Jesus!!

And, I'm Thanksgiving lame at age 41.

But...we do have a great time and eat tons of food with a huge family that I still have to ask my husband, "who is that person or who are those people?"

And, I'm Thanksgiving lame. ;)

Here are a few pix of my growing like weed turkeys that I am MOST thankful for. Thank you God for pursuing each one of us. We are indeed grateful that you love us messed up people.









Eat tons of food and don't stress about carbs or count one single calorie mkay? It's not worth it....enjoy your peeps and thank God for all that you DO have and not about what you wish you had! We are blessed. And, I'm truly grateful.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Philippians 4:6 NLT

Gobble, gobble!

The garbage man ruined Christmas....kind of.

Goodness...apparently I have a full plate. Poor blog. I'm going to come back to you. I swear. How is everybody? Me? I'm SO stinkin' excited to tell y'all about the absolute coolest story EVER. Seriously. I mean this.

Do you remember way back when over Christmas I told you about the garbage men taking something out of my garage? No? Let me tell you what happened....

I was trying to think of something so very cool and different to give my boys for Christmas that wasn't just "a thing" that they would have and maybe down the road of life they would get all mushy gushy toward their momma and say "Oh, yeah, I remember when she gave me that." I follow a fabulous artist on twitter and facebook named Lisa Gardiner and thought I would have her whip something up for the boys' rooms that they would like as much as teenagers can that is artsy and not too little boyish.

We exchanged some emails and had something figured out as to what she would paint and decided the best way to make this sneaky exchange take place would be to meet up on the side of I-40 just outside Nashville on our way to the Garth Brooks concert. Surely the kids wouldn't think that was strange. *Ahem* And they asked 100 times...who is this lady and what are we doing and what is underneath those trash bags?? Oh good grief kids its for work...quit with all the questions. And..yes, this was the 1st time I ever met the fabulous artist Lisa. This isn't weird at all is it? *Ahem* Meeting strangers with trash bags on I-40 is normal.

So, we went to the concert, had a fabulous time, and drove home the next day with the "thing for work" in the back of the van. Well...here is where the story gets good....

I had to take the "thing for work" out of the car because someone might be interested in what I had for work. I highly doubt that teen boys would give a flying flip about this trash bag, but you just never know with them so I took "the thing for work" and put it beside my garbage cans that are inside the garage. I guess they could have easily looked inside the van as opposed to outside the van as to what was inside the trash bag. At the time it made sense.

The next day was trash day and I was running late and didn't have time to take the trash to the curb. Oh well....they will be back in 3 days I will be fine. I was at home and heard the big garbage truck coming down the street, but let it go. They had one less house on the street to mess with.

I was ready to leave the house and went outside to notice that the garbage men had come inside the garage to "help" me out with my trash. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Yes. They got my trash out of the cans and grabbed my fancy "thing for work" right along with the trash.

Yes.They.Did.

I cried. I said ugly words. I called the company and probably chewed someone out. I can't remember exactly what I said, but I know I explained these were one of a kind Christmas gifts and can't be replaced and IT'S FOR THE KIDS MISTER TRASH COMPANY PERSON! IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!!

My heart sank.

I was devastated. My favorite gift for my boys was gone. The gift was in the trash. Money down the drain. Talent and time down the drain. Excitement down the drain.

Bleh.

Well...that was the end of that. It was extremely close to Christmas, I was out of spending money, and the gift was not going to happen. I somehow calmed down and got over it.

Lisa, the fabulous artist, caught wind of what had happened and was just as sad for me. We exchanged a few "I'm so sorry's" and we moved on.

Well....guess what?

You won't believe it.

In late June I drove home from a ballgame I'm sure and there was a package at the front door with my name on it. And look what happen to be inside?

Be still my heart.

I screamed and screamed and screamed and screamed!!! I knew through facebook that Lisa was on a mission trip and I couldn't call her, but I found me a good old fashioned thank you notes and scribbled something that said "thank you for the most amazing gift ever and I love you so very much" and mailed it to her.

I sat and thanked God for this beautiful lady and her enormous generosity and selfless heart.

Seriously? Who does this anymore?

Goodness gracious. I'm inspired by Lisa to do something EXTRAordinary for someone. Go out of your way this week and bless the socks off someone. When we show love and kindness in this kind of way it will mean something to them months and maybe even years down the road. Lets be different y'all.

Blessings~

Seriously....it's time to fire her back up. Bye bye summer.

Ok...let me have my moment. I'm hanging my head low. The realization has sunk in. The world as I know it is over. It's the "S" word....she is here. I thought I liked her. I'm thinking I don't.

Her name is school and schedules and serious lifestyle.

Boo hiss. She stinks. (first time I have ever said that...I used to love sending those babies off to school)

So...since I shut the ole blog down, way back when, to enjoy that fabulous other "s" word called summer...let me just share some of her joy with you in pictures. I've forgotten how to write thoughts anyway so bear with me as we turn the handle and crank this thing back up.

Here they are 3 years ago. 3 YEARS AGO. Time flies.

3 summers ago at the infamous Big Kahuna's (don't look at my hair)

Aaaaaahhhhhh.....they look so tiny.

Summer 2011.....Here is rascal #3 at age 10. Seriously. He's 10.

My beloved middle rascal at age 13. Seriously. 13.

Of course boy #2 played some baseball this summer.

Rascal #3 played ball too.

And this first born turned 15 y'all. Seriously. HE TURNED 15!!!!!!!!!!

And apparently you can get a permit at 15 AND DRIVE A REAL LIVE CAR!!!!!!!

How cute is this? Little guy really wanted to learn how.

Vince Young left the Titans. Hello fathead...you are dead to us now.

And I do not have a bump it in my hair....I just like to throw a clip up when its been 150 degrees all summer long.

This is pretty much our summer in a nutshell without making you look through hundreds of baseball and beach pictures and the 15 YEAR OLD CAN DRIVE PICTURES!!!! ;)

*I do have one extremely amazing story to tell you that involved the garbage men and the Christmas artwork that disappeared. You will not believe it. It will be told soon.*

God is good.

Welcome back to the blog. Welcome back to school.

Hugs and blessings.....

"Come to Jesus Meeting" Summer Edition

Every summer I have a "come to Jesus meeting" with my kids over how we are going to make this summer gig work. It's such a hit with the kids. *Ahem*

So, here ya go...I tell it like it is.

1. I will continue to buy the same amount of food and drink that I do during the school year...if you choose to eat every last snack and drink every last coke in 24 hours....too bad. Suffer. Go for the water hose. Woe is you.

2. I will let you have fun this summer. I promise. I'm not that mean. However, I do have adult things that will need to continue throughout the summer. Ya know..things like my lunch or dinners with friends and coffee at Starbucks and shopping. ;) But, seriously....I don't want to hear any whining such as "but you get to have all the fun."

3. Never ever ever are you allowed to say you're bored. Don't wanna hear it. You have every gadget under the sun and anything you could possibly need so get out there and be your own social chairman or party person or whatever it takes, but you have plenty of people and things in your life to have fun!

And, really....that is it. Easy. Short. Simple. Can be done.

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!

Lay the law down early and have yourself a summer full of sanity and fun!!!

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity." Amen!! Proverbs 133:1

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Amen!! Ephesians 6:1

Girls trip to the beach!!

What in the sam heck have I been doing for nearly 2 months since I've posted???? OHMYWORD.....it's been a season for sure!!!

But, I'm not going to share the difficult, hard stuff I've learned these last few months because there isn't any fun in that whatsoever right now. ;) However....I will share with you a few pix from my recent beach pictures with THE GIRLS!!!!!!!!

Let me say....y'all know this is a new church, new people, new everything for us so it's fun to be included in a trip right outta the shoot. Love these people. They don't know just how much, but man have they been sweet to this ole heart.

Ok...here we go....Gulf Shores, Alabama!

This is me and Christy! She is my roomie on the trip and made me laugh harder than anyone! Mercy...this girl is a RIOT!!!



Hello....do we have something in our teeth?? I just knew I had some shrimp in my grill.



Let's get serious...



Sweet sweet Robyn and Christy...they have been so precious to me during this transition.



This was the crew in our car on the way down. Best peeps ever. I miss 'em. Let's go back! ;)



You can't help but smile when you see this. :)

I'm so thankful for these girls...for the new friendships....for the fact that they wanted me to be their friend. It's hard being the new girl, but these girls make it so easy and so much fun!

Y'all know my heart is tendered toward anyone going through a "new thing." I'm always mindful of those of you out there and praying God bring you to that place of peace and "home" again.

Baptism Day!

Mercy.

What a journey we have been on as a family! We left our church after 10 years in August of 2009 and began months and months of trying to find us a new home. We all know or can imagine the emotions that are experienced when you go through something like this. It was especially hard for me because I was our Children's Ministry Director as well. I was experiencing a death almost when we left. However, God called us to leave and we left.

In January of 2010, we began visiting Englewood Baptist Church and visited for 9 months until we joined. However, when you go from Methodist to Baptist there is a small bump in the road that you must be willing to step over for you to be a full blown member into the church. This is NOT where we need to get into "but you were baptized as a baby or went through confirmation and why are you being baptized again" kind of thing. Ok? Thanks.

This is what I do know about the Baptist church and this whole "becoming a member thing." (And I stole this right from the EBC bulletin so I wouldn't say something wrong)

HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER?

1. Present yourself for membership during any worship service when
the invitation is given.

2. Express your desire for membership through one of the following means:

Profession of faith: If you have never received Jesus as Savior
and Lord and/or never publicly confessed Him, you will be given
the opportunity to do so.

Transfer of membership from another Southern Baptist Church

By statement of faith: If you have previously made a public decision,
acknowledging that you have received Christ as your Savior and
Lord, we will be happy to receive you. It will be necessary for you to
be baptized at Englewood if you have never been baptized
Scripturally (as a believer, by immersion, in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit, and as a symbol of your salvation).

3. Attend the Discover Englewood Class See inside for more info.

Soooooo....long story short, we were never baptized by immersion and so that was the small bump we had to overcome. Four of us have received Christ and baptized as babies, one of us, had not received Christ but was baptized as a baby.

Gosh...are you confused yet???

We discussed all this a lot and realized that we were simply saying before EBC that we publically confess Christ as our Savior and we will be baptized as Jesus was and we have the privilege of experiencing this as a family.....minus little man at 10 years old.

Well, as God would see fit, little guy started asking me questions and talking about how you become a Christian. He is in every church service at EBC and has heard the "Baptist language" which is different than the Methodist language that we had been exposed to for 10 years and he is also in a Christian school. He has been hearing about salvation for quite some time on a very regular basis. So, we get to this week and he is ready to take the plunge!!!! Being a momma who has never had this privilege before (because the older two had been in the Methodist church) of leading her youngest to Christ was the highlight of my life. :) Dad, momma, and little guy prayed and talked and talked and he asked the Lord into his heart on March 11, 2011!

Celebrate good times come on!!!! (KC and the Sunshine Band insert)

So...not wanting to go outside the logistics of what to do when a child is saved and the family is being baptized on Sunday....you hunt down your precious pastor on a Saturday at the zoo FOR CRYING OUT LOUD PEOPLE!!!! (felt so horrible about this, but what a wired woman to do?)

We talked on the phone and Pastor Ben was so kind and saw the unique situation and just asked us to send Dylan to their "Stepping Stones" class after he was baptized and allow the knowledge and further instruction about becoming a christian after the fact instead of on the front end.

"I PROMISE I PROMISE I PROMISE BEN!!!!" And, then I screamed a bunch of "thank you's" into the phone.

Bless.

So.....we had the opportunity for us ALL to be baptized on Sunday morning, March 13, 2011.

Praise Jesus what a day.

However, momma was a nervous wreck and running off of some kind of holy adrenaline that day. I was a mess. I felt sure I would be the first to die of a heart attack in the baptistry.

Mercy.

So, here we go....the precious little guy went first. I totally teared up. I watched the entire family be baptized as I was "in line" to go last. It was sight for this momma to take it all in. WOW!!! I saw all of their sweet faces go under the water and I saw the "new" come up with big ole fat grins attached. The Spirit was at work yesterday. Oh, yes He was.



























So, there ya have it!!! It was indeed a special day for us. I cannot wait to see the video that the church will provide because I have NO MEMORY WHATSOEVER of what sweet Ben said over each of us. ;)

I'm going out on a limb here, but not really, and I shall say this.....

Regardless of denomination I pray you are in a bible teaching church and hearing the truth Sunday after Sunday and people are coming to know Christ. The end. Hell is real. Jesus is real. I choose Him.

Love y'all to pieces!
Fran and family