Friday Family Funnies - North Pole Baptist Church

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We did. The kids had a great time. I have many pictures to catch you up on what has been going on in our lives from Birthday's to Christmas - hopefully I can do that next week.

We were on our way to church Sunday morning, Christmas Eve, and Hannah Grace ask us what we thought Santa Claus was doing that morning. We were telling her that he was resting getting ready to be up late to deliver their presents, Faith was adding her ideas and then Samuel, our little Deacon, said Hannah Grace, you know he's at North Pole Baptist Church.

Happy New Year!

The Christmas Story

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, they days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, good will toward men!"

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this things that has come to pass, which the Lord has made know to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Luke 2: 1 - 20

Happy 10th Anniversary

Happy 10th Anniversary to my wonderful husband!

I Love You!

Happy 4th Birthday Hannah Grace Barbara

"O Lord of host, if You will indeed look on the affliction of your maidservant and remember me , and not forget your maidservant, but will give your maidservant a female child, then I will give her to the Lord all the days of her life." I Samuel 1:11

That was my prayer for three years and then the Lord answered my prayers on December 19, 2002.

Happy Birthday to our sweet, young lady, Hannah Grace!

December 19, 2002

2003 - One Year Old

2004 - Two Years Old

2005 - Three Years Old

2005 - Four Years Old

Happy 3rd Birthday Faith Danielle

Today is our "baby" girl's 3rd Birthday. We woke up this morning and both said, we couldn't believe that our baby was three today.

Faith is such a joy to our life. She is always doing something or saying something to make us laugh. I was thinking this morning about the day I admitted to myself that, yes, I was pregnant again, only three months after the birth of Hannah Grace. I cried because I was pregnant and then I cried because I cried. I look back now and couldn't imagine our life without our little surprise blessing - our Faith!

Happy Birthday, Faith, we love you!

Love, Mommy, Daddy, Bubba and Hannah Grace

December 15, 2003 2004- One Year Old

2005- Two Year's Old

2006 - Three Years Old

Friday Family Funnies

I walked into the living room yesterday and found Seth sleeping standing up.

Check back in a little bit for a special Birthday post for Faith...

Friday Family Funnies - Lights for Baby Jesus

The kids are so excited about Christmas this year. Not just the present thing, but really excited about Christmas. Samuel is old enough to really understand why we have Christmas and the girls are learning fast. It has been so fun to watch them so far. Hannah Grace visited "Santa Shop" at her school this week and was so excited to be able to pick out presents for her family. It was wonderful to see her excited about giving a present instead of getting a present. Faith is the most excited out of the three. One night last week we were driving around looking at the Christmas lights. With every house that we passed she squealed in delight. About the fourth house we passed she squealed and said:

"Daddy, look at all the lights for Baby Jesus' Birthday!"

Have a great week-end!

Friday Family Funnies - It's a Secret"

Last Saturday when we got home from Kentucky we were all tired. Faith was asleep in her room, Samuel was in his room watching TV, I was on the couch (asleep), Travis was in his chair watching football and Hannah Grace was in our room watching TV. (Really, we all just needed time to ourselves for a while)

Anyway, after about an hour, Samuel came running into the living room - he said, "Where did all the hair in the kitchen come from?" I jumped up from my soft couch, knowing there was a little Sparks girlwith hair that had been cut, I was just not sure which one it was. Faith was my first guess, after all she did paint herself. She was still asleep. On to Hannah Grace. We found her on our bed, crying, with her face down. She wouldn't lift her head up. Her hair was still in a pony-tail, so I looked at it and it still looked to be the same length. We finally got her to look up at us and she had cut, to the scalp, the front of her hair - right in the middle.

Now this was a hard thing to talk to her about, because we didn't want her to think that we were upset by the way she looked, but we were upset that she had disobeyed us and cut something other than paper.

Well, we went to church and no one really said anything to her, they just ask us what had happened. We told her that when she went to school her teacher was going to ask her what happened. We said, "Hannah Grace, what are you going to tell your teacher?" She looked up at us and said, "I'm going to tell her it's a secret."

Have a great week-end!

Christmas Season

Whew! I just looked at my calendar and the Christmas Season is offically here - busy, busy, busy!
The Christmas Season also offically starts in our house when our Christmas decorations are up and when Travis and I put the kids to bed and we sit down and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and eat Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes and drink Coke.
Sounds fun doesn't it!!! All that has been done and we are ready to enjoy Christmas.

We had a great time in Kentucky for Thanksgiving. I have a few pictures I will share later in the week and a GREAT Friday Family Funny to share come Friday.

I captured these two great pictures at church on Sunday. I pray they remind me why we really celebrate Christmas each year.

Big Daddy was sharing the Children's Sermon at church and Samuel and Hannah Grace were the only kids, don't they look so sweet listening intently to their Big Daddy. He was sharing about Mike Houser, a missionary in West Africa. They have both prayed for his each night since Sunday.

We had "The Hanging of the Green" at church on Sunday evening. Samuel, Hannah Grace and I were asked to place the Nativity out. When Faith came into the santuary after the service the first place she went was to look at the Nativity and all she wanted to know was,

"Where is Baby Jesus?"

I am so thankful for my kids and the lessons they have taught me this past Sunday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I will be taking a little vacation from the computer this week for Thanksgiving, so there will not be a Friday Family Funny, but I'm sure I will have plenty to share after Thanksgiving.

In Everything Give Thanks I Thessalonians 5:18

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday Family Funny - "Let Me Try Them On"

Last night we began to put up our Christmas decorations. (I know some of you are gasping at how early we are putting them up, but because of our Thanksgiving plans, we like to put them up the week before Thanksgiving.) Well our little night owl, Faith, was up with us as Daddy was putting up the tree. I had finished all I could do for the evening and was trying to figure out where we are going to put to Christmas Stocking since we don't have a mantel. I told Travis, "all I need to do now is fine somewhere to put our stockings", Faith popped her little head up from the pillow and said, "I know, let me try them on!"

Operation Christmas Child

Most of the time we use this blog to just share pictures of what we are doing as a family. But, today I want to share with you something that our church family has done:

I can not tell you how excited I was for the girls and I to deliever 51 shoes boxes yesterday from Ben Avon Baptist Church.

Now, for some of you who are from larger churches this may not seem like a big number to you, but God did a great thing this year at Ben Avon.

Last year they collected 12 boxes. We set a goal this year to double that number- 25 boxes, and God doubled our goal and there are about five or so boxes coming on Sunday. Isn't it great to see God's people respond to His work.

Every year, I am overwhelmed and amazed at the fact that God already knows the indiviual child that will receive each one of the boxes. Not that a child will receive one of the boxes - He know the child's name who will receive Samuel's box. What a wonderful God we serve!!!

Friday Family Funnies - You might be a redneck if...

...You take a picture of your kids, with your camera phone, on the Merry-go-Round at Wal-mart.

A Dad's Dream

I remember my first Clemson game. It was the textile bowl vs. NC State and Clemson won easily and won the ACC title that day. I was about 10 years old and remember daddy getting a parking pass from someone and us parking his brown Pinto beside a Cadillac. Well last Saturday I got the fun of taking Samuel to his first Clemson game. The outcome was not as good as mine but it was still a great time with him. We saw Howard's Rock and got to see the most exciting 20 seconds in college football. This was one of those things that I wanted to do the day I found out I was having a son.

Happy Birthday, Memama!

We Love you, Memama!

Friday Family Funnies - Slow Down

Today's Friday Family Funny, isn't as much funny as it is sweet.

This is what you see when you turn into Upward's new building; it is a statue of Jesus washing the feet of a disciple. Every time we are coming or leaving Upward Hannah Grace says,

"Slow down Mommy, I want to see Jesus."

Big Daddy used this in his sermon Sunday morning. We all need to slow down and see Jesus. See Jesus for what he did for us on the cross.

As Thanksgiving and Christmas quickly approach, that is my prayer that I will slow down and see Jesus.

Have a great week-end and slow down.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BIG DADDY!

We Love You!

My Silly Kids

Friday Family Funnies - Snakes and Santa

For today's Friday Family Funny, head on over to Kristi's blog to read two funny stories.

Not much going on in this Sparks household this week (compared to last week). We are all finally feeling better and we have been getting ready for our Fall Festival and Trunk-n-Treat at church on Saturday night. I'm sure I will have lots of pictures to share next week!

If your in the area, please come by Ben Avon Baptist Church, Saturday night (October 28th) starting at 5:30pm with a free hot dog supper and ending with Trunk-n-Treat with lots of fun stuff in the middle. We would love to have you.

Mark your calendars!!
Another great event coming to Ben Avon on Friday, November 17th
A Premiere of Big Idea's newest Veggie Tales DVD - Gideon Tuba Warrior
The fun will start at 6:30pm
Please come and bring the entire family for a movie and popcorn, all for FREE.

Have a great week-end!

Friday Family Funnies - Uncle Dick with Hair

I have never known Uncle Dick with hair, but this is what he might look like -

Have a great week-end!

Busy Week!

Sorry, I haven't posted much this week. We have had a very busy week. School. Sickness. Revival. Everyday life. Four of the five of us have been sick this week. Hannah Grace had a sinus infection. I'm not sure what Samuel has, but he is coughing terrible. Faith had an severe case of croup during the night Monday night. We almost had to take her the ER. She is doing much better, just not sleeping well. I am not feeling too well myself. I ran a fever on Monday night - but thankfully God took that away so I could take care of my very sick Faith. Thankfully, Travis is feeling fine (so far).

I don't know what I would have done this week without Travis. He has helped me so much. He stayed home with the girls yesterday morning and when I got home he had changed all the sheets on the beds, vacuumed, and folded all the cloths (including matching the socks - which I HATE to do!) What a husband I have been blessed with!

We have had a great week at church, we have had revival. Rev. Johnny McDaniel has been preaching. Travis and I love him and his sweet wife (who also had a week with sick children, plus a flat tire) and his sweet girls. We were introduced to Johnny by Eric and then he went to Jamaica with us one year. He has a such a heart for the people of the church and for the lost. We were very blessed to have him and his family here this week. Eric came up on Sunday night with Steven to sing.

Steven joined us for Funnel Cakes.

So, things have settled down a little bit, for how.

Today was "Western Day" for Hannah Grace. She was so excited to were to red boots to school today.

Here is my sweet Faith, before she was so sick.

OK, Blogger is done uploading pictures. So I can't post one of Samuel. I'll again tomorrow. Have a great day!

Wonderful Times with My Wonderful Kids

Yesterday, I was able to take the day off from work and go to the Pumpkin Patch with Hannah Grace's class. Yesterday was a big day for Hannah Grace, not only was she going to the Pumpkin Patch, she was the line leader and on line leader day you get to bring snack. We had a great time.

Today was "Muffins With Mom" at Samuel's school. We had a great breakfast together and we were joined by a sweet little girl in K-5 who sat down with us in tears because her Mommy was not able to eat with her. Travis and his Dad went to the race track last night and got in late, so I let him and the girls sleep this morning. That meant that there was no one to take Samuel and I's picture. We sat the camera on the TV and posed...

...and was too slow the first time.

Second try...

...was a keeper!

My sweet boy even let his Mom hug and kiss him good-bye and made sure he told me he loved me before I left.

Now, Faith was not going to let herself be left out in all the Mommy-time.

And I have the sweetest picture of us and blogger won't upload it!!!!

Friday Family Funnies - That's Me

Sorry I haven't posted any this week. Not much blog-worthy news going on this week until yesterday and today. I will get to that in a minute, first of, our Friday Family Funny.

Travis' cousin Cindy and her husband Jeff have three boys and they have an adopted three-year-old daughter from China, Emma. The first day of school, their youngest son, Luke, was playing a game with his class to get to know his classmates. The game was called That's Me. The teacher would call out something, ...I have a brother etc and the student was to stand up and say, "...that's me ________". She first called out, "I have a brother..." and Luke stood up and said, "...that's me, I have two brothers". Then she called out, "I have a sister..." and Luke again stood up and said, "...that's me, I have a sister and and we went to China and bought her!"

Emma goes to the same preschool Hannah Grace goes to and yesterday was Pumpkin Patch day, here is a picture of Cindy, Emma, Hannah Grace and I.

Friday Family Funnies - Apples From A Tree

I can't remember if I told this story about Faith and the apple farm, but if I did - it is still funny.

After our visit to the apple farm, Faith was talking to Grammy about what she did. She told her about the pumpkins and the hayride and then proudly said, "I picked an apple - from a tree!!!" I had not thought about that she didn't think of an apple coming from a tree - I guess she thought they just came from the store.

Have a great week-end!!!

*A note of thanks to Travis for writing last weeks Friday Family Funny - I had a very busy day at work and couldn't get to it.

Big News!

The past couple of post, I have forgot to tell you the BIG news around our house - Faith is potty trained!!!

Now, I know some of you may not be as excited as we are but, it has been almost four years since we have not had to buy diapers. We feel like we have got a "raise". It just clicked with her Homecoming Sunday at church and she has been out of diapers and pull-ups ever since.

We are finally a diaper-free house!!!!!!!

Another Fun Week-end

We had another fun week-end, we traveled to Charleston to see Meredith and visit with her family. Here are a few pictures:

Samuel and Meredith

Three Little Mommies

Sweet Steven

Uncle Travis reading with Lydia

Here is a sweet picture I took of the kids on the way to church Sunday morning.

Have a great week!