Pardon the Interruption

Excuse me for a few moments while I brag on my amazing, loving, caring and godly husband. I know some of you just threw up a little bit in your mouth, sorry.

13.5 years ago I married Braxton Dale Brady. We were young, in love, stupid, clueless and naive. We had love and about $50 bucks and that was it. 6 months into our marriage we found out it would no longer just be the two of us but we would have a baby in 9 months. We celebrated our 1 year anniversary and I was 7 months pregnant. Nice, that always makes for a fun anniversary. We still had love but now we had more like $25 dollars plus a lot of bills. Awesome.

We made mistakes, a lot of them, we struggled through the next 3-5 years before we finally started seeing light. I would like to call it grace, redemption, the divine plan of God and lots of mercy but somehow we pulled it together or God pulled it together for us and we started making fewer mistakes.

Year 6 of our marriage Braxton started teaching at PDS. For the past 7 years it has been an amazing environment and God has been so faithful to teach him so much about parenting, teaching, and life there.

This past year he and Lee Burns, headmaster of the school, wrote a book together. Flight Plan is a great resource and tool for dads raising sons. It is written specifically geared toward boys ages 13-18 but really it can take them through life. www.theflightplanbook.com It gives a clear picture of how dads can help usher their sons from being a boy into manhood.

I am proud. I can't help it. Braxton works hard, studies hard and truly seeks the Lord in guidance for our marriage, raising our children and living life.

Sometimes when we look at our wedding picture hanging in our bedroom we laugh. We don't recognize those people. They were young, immature in a lot of ways and unclear of what a gospel centered life truly looks like. They had fewer wrinkles and more defined waist lines as well, just a side note.

We still make mistakes but we are so different and so grateful that God in his mercy has guided our steps. I think most importantly we are learning more everyday what it looks like to die to what we think is best and live for what God says is best.

If you know someone who has a young son or if you have a young son I would encourage you today to pick up your copy of Flight Plan. It would make a great Christmas gift! You can get it from Amazon, Davis Kidd, Borders or by going to the website.

Don't be passive in the raising of your sons or daughters but be challenged to give them a godly worldview and guide them into becoming Men and Women that live with purpose!

Y'all got any snacks around here?

We come from a long line of healthy appetites. Or big people. I think healthy appetites sounds more PC. Nonetheless my great grandmother's name was Big Mama so you get the picture.

This past weekend Emma Sanders had a tonsillectomy. After many episodes of tonsillitis and strep throat we knew the tonsils were no good and had to go. So Saturday morning we headed to the hospital. I was a little anxious about it but also knew she was in good hands. On the way to the hospital she asked her daddy, "Are you taking me to bretest?" (this is how she says breakfast) Then when we pulled up at the hospital she said, "Is this a hotel, do they have bretest here?" Well, kind of sweetie, we are going to spend the night here :).

We checked in and when the admissions clerk said, she is here for a tonsillectomy Emma said, "No, my tonsils are not sick anymore." Oh boy. The surgery nurse was amazing and spent a long time with her talking to her and making her feel secure. So when it was time to go back to surgery she went right with her, not even a tear. I think she thought she had food on her.

She came through surgery great and the first thing she asked for when she woke up was Chik fil A. She said, "Daddy I need some chik fil a sweet tea." She also asked for chicken minis and french fries. You see where I am going with the healthy appetites.

About 2 hours after surgery she was asking for pancakes then at lunch she ate mac and cheese and for supper mashed potatoes and jello. The SAME DAY she had surgery. Big Mama would be proud.

The next morning when the nurse walked in she said, "y'all got any snacks around here?" I thought the nurse was going to hit the floor. Seriously, you just had a tonsillectomy.

Bless her now she just keeps asking if things are soft or not. Mom, are oreos soft? are crackers soft? are frosted flakes soft?

Needless to say I think we have had the best case scenario for a tonsil removal. The hardest part has been keeping her still and from falling. She is not even on pain medication anymore although I have considered taking it just to help my nerves. If she is supposed to take 3/4tsp how much do you think an adult would take. Kidding. But really, would the whole bottle be too much?

Meet Eugene

At the beginning of this school year I decided to sign up to do something I have been wanting to do for the past 3 or 4 years, tutor at Lester Elementary School. Lester is located in our neighborhood and is a K-8 school. Thanks to my friend Joanie who has been tutoring for a long time at Lester it was easy to jump right in and get started.

I have been going for about 5 weeks now and I can honestly say it is one of my favorite things I do each week. I go each Friday to Mrs. Allen's room and pick up Eugene and we go to the tutoring room for about 30-45 minutes. He is all smiles when I pick him up. He is in Sr K and we work on his letters, numbers, writing his name but most importantly we just hang and get to know each other. I know he likes motorcycles, fruit punch, and playing outside. A few weeks ago when my boys were out of school I took them to meet Eugene. They read to him and played a game. Mrs. Allen says Eugene still talks about them.

The past two weeks I have taken snack to the class. One week I took raisins and pretzels and fruit punch. Today Mrs. Allen told me that the next Monday after I had brought snack that there was an extra box of raisins left and she let Eugene take them to lunch with him. She went on to say that he came back to the class room with the empty box. "Eugene, you can throw that box away now, " Mrs. Allen said. Eugene looked up at her and grinned and said, "No ma'am, my special friend brought it and I want to take it home and show my brothers and sisters." He carried that box around for a week.

A box of raisins, Kroger generic brand at that, nothing special but it made Eugene feel valued and cared about. When I first started tutoring Joanie said, this is a little bit about the tutoring and a whole lot about the relationship. I don't know what Eugene will grow up to be, he lives in one of the worst apartment complexes in our neighborhood. I don't know if Eugene will remember his letters or numbers the next time I meet with him, I don't know if he will even make it through school, sadly a lot of kids in our neighborhood drop out. But what I do know is that Eugene is created by God, loved by Him and each week that I spend with him I am going to show him his value in my eyes and more importantly in the eyes of God, even if it is just through a box of raisins.

"He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror and vast wilderness: he led him about, and taught him, and he kept him as the apple of his eye." Deuteronomy 32:10

Mud Luvn' 2010

An amazing godly couple from our church started a ministry called www.habitatforhope.org
Their ministry is for the purpose of supporting, serving and caring for families facing the serious illness of a child. I first learned about this ministry after meeting Mark in church one Sunday and I was blown away by what they are doing. I continue to stand amazed at all the people they are bringing hope to during such a difficult situation. If you don't know about it read about it. What a blessing to our city and so many families that come here for treatment of their child.

This past Sunday they held their first annual fund raiser 5K race at Shelby Farms called Luv Mud. It was AWESOME! You could sign up individually, teams of two or teams of four. My boys including Braxton and a friend that Braxton mentors signed up. Part of the fun of this race is participating in costume. The team name for the boys was the PDS Mudsaders and they dressed in PDS football uniforms.

It was not your typical 5K, there were obstacles along the way plus at the end right before the finish line you jumped, as a team, into a huge pit of mud. Boy heaven! My boys could not wait for the race and ever since the race that is all they can talk about. They are already planning costumes and strategy for next year.

Today I washed my bathtubs and cleaned out my washing machine. If you could have seen the post ring from 3 very muddy males and the damage their clothes left...disgusting. But oh so worth it. I think next year I may even join them!

Great job Habitat for Hope, can't wait for next year!