Friday Thoughts

I am about to head out for a little shopping this morning. I am not really a great shopper. I like to shop...sometimes. I'm just not very gifted in shopping, I think. Rob says I'm a buyer. I go in knowing what it is that I want or need, find it, buy it. Last Friday I found a dress I really, really liked. It fit very well, and I got positive comments from my family about it, but I was determined I would not buy it as it was the first dress I tried on, and I hadn't looked anywhere else. I have thought about that dress all week, and know that I should get it! See, the buyer in me comes out! (The dress is for Nathan and Chelsea's wedding: "my mother-of-the-groom dress.") Thursday, I actually bought another dress as a "back-up" in case this one is not there this morning!

Since I am a list maker, I have my list made out of all my stops this morning. I hope to cross off all of my errands in just a few hours to get back home and work around the house this afternoon.

Thanksgiving in the Payne household was wonderful, fun and amazing. We had my parents, my sister, and Nathan, Chelsea and Avery here. Lots of cooking and loving on baby went on. I have decided that I like Thanksgiving more than Christmas as far as a holiday celebration. Christmas has gotten so carried away with decorations, presents, and stress. I would love to just recognize it as a time to reflect on its true meaning.

God sent his son Jesus to this earth. He came as a helpless, newborn baby, and grew up just like all of us experiencing all of life. Yet through out his life he remained sinless. He spent his life completely in tune with God's will, never putting his will or desires above Father God's. How amazing is that! Then, Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice for us! Because He died in our place, for our sins, we can have fellowship with God! Right now, right here! By acknowledging that we are sinners, that nothing we do can ever put us right with God, and accepting Jesus as our Savior--the one who sacrificed and did the work for us, we are granted son-ship (daughter-ship?) in God's family. WE are co-heirs with Christ and inherit eternal life. Sometimes I hear this so much I don't stop and truly think it through. Yes, it takes faith to believe, but once you ask God to abide with you, he even increases your faith! I have witnessed God's touch and working in my life so much, even in tiny details, that I cannot deny HE IS and He IS my savior. My life hasn't been a bed of roses, nor do I ever expect it to be. I have Joy in my life because of what Christ has done for me, not through what I've accomplished or done for myself. God is not sitting around just granting my wishes. It is through my trust and faith in him that he can work through me.

I just wish Christmas were simple again and not filled with so much buy, buy, buy, get, get, get, go, go, go. Let's just enjoy family and faith, thanking God for what we have through Him (salvation, eternal life, fellowship) and thanking Him for what he has blessed us with here on earth (family, home, needs, friends). I'm praying that I can get over myself this holiday season and focus on why we celebrate it in the first place!

To all my friends and family that read this, I am so thankful for you in my life!

Love,
Karen

State Champs

Update on soccer: Will and his teammates won the AYSO state championship Sunday! The other Hartselle team took the number 2 spot, so we are so proud of all our Hartselle U-14 guys!

Random Thoughts

Hi! This post will be a random post of different things! We have been busy the past 3 weeks, including this week, with soccer tournments. Last week-end, Will's AYSO team won the regional tournament, and our other Hartselle team took 2nd. Both teams are in the state tournament this week-end. Will's team won their 2 games today and have one game tomorrow. Hoping for a 1, 2 sweep by Hartselle. Today was COLD! The temps were in the hi 40s but with the wind, brrrr! It felt more like 30s!

Will and his team 11/9/08. Regional tournament

Am I the last person to discover Facebook? I know it's for or was started for students, but now everyone seems to have access. I'm having fun discovering "old" friends from high school and pharmacy school! By old I mean I knew you several years ago, and am getting reacquainted. I am not insinuating any of my Facebook friends are old! While it's fun, I think the Facebook premise plays on our curiosity about other peoples' lives. Have you ever got caught up in looking through your friends profiles, checking out pictures of people you don't even know, and sending virtual gifts, stickers, pins, etc. to all your friends? I do like the fact that I feel more connected to some friends I don't talk to often enough.

I'm excited about Thanksgiving. Nathan, Chelsea and Avery are coming to our house! We can't wait! While Nathan and Chelsea have, of course, been here, it will be Avery's first trip to KayK's house!

Junior High soccer tryouts are this coming week! Good luck to all the boys going out for the team. While we are finishing AYSO and club soccer, school conditioning will start the week after Thanksgiving. Conditioning will continue the rest of this year. Formal practice using the soccer ball will start in January and games will be in February and March. To be considered a spring sport, it is during a cold and wintry season!

Artrageous!

Artrageous is the name of the salon I go to every 5 weeks to get my tresses trimmed and my gray covered! I've been going to LaShasta for over 13 years now! She knows how to cut my crazy, curly hair, and boy can she make it straight as a board too! I've even gotten better at straightening it myself because of her instruction! While I was there this morning, I thought this would be an interesting thing to blog. I know everyone out in blog land is dying to see where I get my hair done! (There is sarcasm in that last sentence in case you didn't catch it!) It is just a lot of fun in the salon. Friday mornings are busy and the weekly regulars accept me as if I were there every week too! Of course today I had grandbaby pictures to share with everyone. Everyone oohed and aahed over Avery because, of course she is the prettiest baby ever!

Well, enjoy some pics from this morning! I'm going to take Rob some lunch since he hasn't been able to get away from his office today!
LaShasta is styling Jamie's hair. Jamie only agreed to be photographed from behind until her hair was all styled! I was on my way out, so couldn't stay 'til she was done!

LaShasta and me

Tammy's hair from the back. She had on no make-up and wouldn't let me take a picture of her face, yet she is beautiful even without make-up!

No Name, KayK and Uncle Will

We are officially grandparents! Will is officially an uncle! We have been since last Monday, October 13 at 10:01 a.m. Rob, Will and I headed to Fairhope on Friday, Oct. 10. We were able to be down there for the big event. Actually, we got to get in lots of visiting before the blessed event. Friday night our family and Chelsea's family ate out together at Gambino's in Fairhope, then Nathan and Chelsea joined us and my parents and Rob's parents at Rousso's in Daphne for dinner Saturday night. Sunday, Oct. 12, Will, Rob and I headed toward Fairhope since Chelsea was having contractions 6-7 minutes apart. Since we were staying with Rob's parents in Lillian, we wanted to be closer then 35 minutes away if things started speeding up. The nurses at the hospital told Chelsea that she had begun true labor, but delivery was not imminent, so she should go walk and eat and see how things progressed. Since we were in Malbis at the Eastern Shore Center (great shopping there!), Nathan and Chelsea joined us. It is a very good place to walk. We tried to speed things up by eating Mexican food at Don Carlos' Mexican Restaurant, but Chelsea refused to eat the jalepenos! After eating we went to the new Bass Pro Shop at Spanish Fort. We were all worn out after touring around that place! During all this time, Nathan and Chelsea were timing the contractions and the time between them. (I have to say they were so cute doing this together--it was very sweet!)

They finally returned to the hospital at 11 p.m. Sunday night and got to stay. She labored all through the night, and we were able to be there the next morning before Avery put in her appearance.Look, she already knows War Eagle, Hey!

Needless to say, Avery McKenzie Payne is probably the most beautiful baby ever! My two were beautiful too, but they were boys! She let everyone know that she wasn't too happy with leaving the warm, comfortable womb. That girl can cry with the best of them, but she looks gorgeous doing so! I think she is adjusting to life on the outside though, and her parents are the sweetest and most attentive to her. Nathan is even changing diapers! (He is already wound tightly around those little pink fingers!)

The happy family

Well, I could go on and on. Everyone is doing great and I was blessed to stay down there an entire week to visit, to help, to just be around. Rob and Will had to come back to Hartselle on Tuesday, Oct 14 because of school and work obligations. They came back down on Friday, and Will had a soccer game in Fairhope on Saturday. More time to visit with Nathan, Chelsea and Avery.

Home from the hospital.

I have decided to go by KayK as my "grandmother" name. Rob hasn't totally come up with what he'd prefer to be called, so I am calling him No Name. Hopefully that name won't stick! If you have any "grandpa" suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments! Did you know you can actually find lists of "grandpa/grandma" names on the internet? Seems like there is just about anything you can imagine on this thing!!!

Rob (No Name) and Avery

Uncle Will and Avery

KayK and Avery

Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer

I love praise music. I really think I could listen, sing and praise all day. Actually, I suppose that is what we all need to be doing anyway. To me, music speaks to my soul, and I can sometimes process deep truths through incorporating music. I have lots of favorites, but must say Keith and Kristyn Getty have some amazing music, and I can't seem to stop listening to their "In Christ Alone" album. I do have to be careful when I'm on the treadmill or elliptical at the gym, or I might break out signing, and we've all heard people singing along with music no one else hears-it usually isn't very pretty! Here are the lyrics of my favorite song (of the day anyway): Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer (May This Journey) First Line: Jesus draw me ever nearer

"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer" Music by Keith Getty; Words by Margaret Becker Copyright © 2002 Thankyou Music Jesus draw me ever nearer As I labour through the storm. You have called me to this passage, and I'll follow, though I'm worn. May this journey bring a blessing, May I rise on wings of faith; And at the end of my heart's testing, With Your likeness let me wake. Jesus guide me through the tempest; Keep my spirit staid and sure. When the midnight meets the morning, Let me love You even more. Let the treasures of the trial Form within me as I go - And at the end of this long passage, Let me leave them at Your throne. You can see videos of them performing some of their music as well as an interview of them on Godtube. Check it out!

Two Centimeters!

Well, Chelsea is 2 centimeters dilated, so the process has started for Avery's arrival. Please keep Chelsea and Nathan and Avery in your prayers. Click on their blog (The Time of Our Lives) at the bottom of my page to see the amazing job she has done putting the nursery together.