The One That Means the Most

McKayla's last day of 4th grade was yesterday, Friday, May 25th.  She has had a wonderful year!  We have had some ups and downs, but it has been a great year, with lots of learning experiences.  McKayla had her awards ceremony at school!

McKayla with her daddy before the awards

Sweet Cousin Mason at his first awards ceremony - he didn't make a PEEP!

McKayla had the highest fundraising amount for Hoops for Heart 

(20% of what the whole school raised!)

McKayla and two of her classmates - she was 2nd in the Spelling Bee

McKayla and her classmates that had A/B honor roll for the entire year

McKayla and Mason :)

Michael, McKayla, and me

McKayla and Grandma Jo

McKayla and Grandpa

McKayla and Aunt Lauren

McKayla and Grammy

McKayla, Aunt Leslie, and Mason

McKayla with her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Tower

All of these awards were wonderful!  We knew about most of them and we are so proud of McKayla's academic accomplishments.  However, there was one award that McKayla received that we were not aware of - in fact, she hadn't told us what she had done at all.

Apparently last week, McKayla's class was playing Bingo in the library.  McKayla won several times and gotten a few prizes.  She looked around the class and noticed that one of her fellow classmates had not won at all.  McKayla voluntarily gave this boy one of her prizes because she didn't want him to feel left out. 

McKayla received a Christian Living Award for this act.  To me, is it the one that means the most.  Being a top speller is great, raising money for a cause is fantastic, and getting honor roll is wonderful.  But being a sweet, loving, kind, and compassionate child... sacrificing something you have won without being asked, not to be recognized, but just because you are being yourself?  THAT, my friends, is amazing.

McKayla with the other students who received Christian Living Awards throughout the school year.

I am so, so thankful for this child.  She is a blessing, a gift from God, and an absolutely amazing young lady.  I am so proud of her and all of her accomplishments.  But most of all, I am proud of the person she is and who she is becoming.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Proverbs 22:6

On the Run Again...

Happy Monday!  (I'm not a Monday person, so I'm trying to be positive!) :)

So last week, I decided it was time to get out the 'ol running shoes again.  After my half marathon last November, I got out of the groove of running.  I started back in January, but stopped shortly after.  I just didn't feel like it.  My heart wasn't there.  So I stopped.

The hardest thing is trying to figure out my schedule.  I have added in morning Bible readings/devotions that last about 45 minutes to an hour and our family devotion time in the evenings has increased from about 15 minutes to 40 minutes a night. I don't want to drop either one of these things, because I think they're the most important things that I do every day.

I also don't want to miss out on too much time with my family.  I also try to keep the house pretty clean.  Oh, and work 40 hours a week like most of y'all do.

So time has been an issue.  I've decided to run 3-4 days a week, as time allows.  I don't think I'll run anymore races, although I'm really glad that I did them last year.  I worked hard to accomplish something, then I did it.  Training is much too time consuming when I have found other things that are more important to me and my family.  I want to run - I want to run to feel better, be healthier, and try to stay (or get back in) shape.

I've run three times in the last week and every step was tough.  But that's okay - no one said it's easy!

Also, I didn't realize how much McKayla wanted me to run.  When I told her I was going for a run, she jumped up, squealed, and ran to get my running shoes, exclaiming, "It's time to pull you out again!!"  If she's that proud of me, I certainly have to keep it up!


Finally, I have 20 Bibles that came in the other day.  If you want one, just shoot me an e-mail!  I don't want anyone to want a Bible and not have one!  Hope everyone has a great week!  xo

McKayla's First Trip to Longwood

Thursday afternoon, I had to do a bit of business in Farmville.  McKayla was out of school half a day, so I took the opportunity to take her to Longwood University for a quick tour!

The Rotunda at Longwood University

Farmville, Virginia

I graduated from Longwood in 2005 and loved it there.  I made some of the best friends and had some great memories.  I worked hard (at school and at multiple jobs) and graduated in three years. 

McKayla standing in front of Wheeler Dorm, where I lived my first year

McK in front of the Rotunda - I have a picture of me leaning against the same tree

McK said this Joan of Arc statue was one of her favorite things

I LOVE this building - so beautiful!

McK in front of the Chi fountain

My beautiful, sweet girl!  I will always remember this special day together!

These are some of my new favorite pictures :)

My mama bought me a brick on the walkway the year I graduated.  Here is McK pointing to it :)

I think the best part of this trip was McKayla's excitement.  She LOVED Longwood!  She kept saying how beautiful the campus is and she just loved the buildings.  It made my heart happy to see her enjoying something that I enjoyed so much!