U R.

fun.
sweet.
loving.
kind.
cooky.
goofy.
bright.
joyful.
mischievous.
silly.
quiet.
loud.
cheerful.
steady.
smart.
giving.
good.
independent.
cute.
cool.
crazy.
confident.
courteous.
careful.
clever.
helpful.
eager.
witty.
loved.
mine.

love spending time with my boy.
love that he loves spending time with me.
i love you sweet boy.
thank you for spending a special day
in your bright boots
with
me.

happy thursday.
alicia

winner.

her name is sarah.
she is the one i chose to win a photo shoot with me.
but
this
story
is
not
over.

i read all the comments many many many times.
there are many reasons why this one stood out to me.
maybe because she is a mommy.
maybe because she is pregnant.
maybe it was because of things she didn't say.
it was very simple.
and sweet.

i began my email to becky higgins to let her know the winner's name.
i was just about to push send
and
i
thought
maybe i should pick a name out of a hat.
or
write numbers from 1-18 [there were actually 19 comments but one was a complaint that i'm guessing should have gone to becky]
and then pick them out of a hat.

i decided to write the numbers.
i prayed before picking....
"Lord, you know who I am picking, and I would love to know that you back me on this one."
swished the numbers around really good.
picked up my tiny little piece of crumpled up paper.
slowly opened it
and reading the number 3
truly
took
my
breath
away.
it was clear.
she is the winner.
and even more so
i
am
too.

thank you Lord for making things abundantly clear.

[needless to say i quickly pressed send on my email to becky]

happy monday.
alicia

big photo giveaway.

about a month ago becky higgins put a call out to any/all photographer's who would love to give a photo shoot away to a deserving family in their area.

read all about it here.

here is my blog that talks all about my part in this.

here is becky's post from today that mentions me.

i am ready to do this. can't wait to meet the winner in my area.

very exciting.

happy saturday.
alicia

sold.

for as long as i have known him [19 years] i have understood him to be very mindful of any/all decisions.
carefully weighing the choices.
how is this going to affect my family? my financial situation?
his decision to begin purchasing and fixing up homes was not his
but
definitely
Gods!
for the past year and a half i have watched the uphill/downhill roller coaster of the buying and the fixing up and the selling of a home.
this to me looks too complicated.
too chaotic.
too unpredictable.

but to him

it is heaven on earth.
his bent.
his niche.
his thing.

and i am so thankful to be on the roller coaster of life with this man.
completely unafraid of what life has in store for him.
completely resting in God's awesome provision.
relying on the work God has done in his soul.
in his heart.
he is humble.
he is thankful.
and he has just sold his very first house.
all the while giving glory to the one true God that placed him exactly where he needed to be
at
exactly
the right
time.

he paid a little for the house.
he put a little into the house.
he earned a little from the house.

priceless!









happy new path!
alicia

mother earth.

the girls and i: jack, would you like to help us bake cookies?
jack: i don't want to bake cookies, but i sure want to eat them!
[he did end up helping but at least we know he's honest]

these were very healthy cookies
prior to schlocking a bunch of artery hardening frosting on top.
but
i
figure
we need to celebrate earth day somehow, right?
[we did in fact, plant our garden this weekend]
but today we eat happy earth cookies.

happy earth day!
alicia

4.

right before bed April 9, 2010 megan said to jack, "these are you last few hours being 3 jack."
it made me cry.
to think he will never be 3 again.
i was really looking forward to tomorrow and
celebrating
the
sweet
four year old
that we are blessed with.
it was a 4th birthday to remember.
pumpkin chocolate chip flapjacks for breakfast.
trolley ride downtown.
lunch at chick fil a.
a much needed nap.
[a month ago he told jeff and i what he wanted to do for his birthday party...."i want to go behind Target and eat pizza with my buddies"]
we were able to do the pizza and the buddies but not behind Target.
we played.
we ate a lot of grilled pizza [we made 8].
and the cake [i made a thomas train cake with a real thomas train on it].
i think he had
a great
great
day.
i think he loved
every bit of it.
and he really enjoyed having everyone
come to his house
to
celebrate
his
special day.

[the picture above was taken at 9pm when he finally pried himself away from his new train to eat the "J" from his birthday cake].

happy sunday.
alicia

time with her.

a truly memorable weekend with her.
lots of talking.
listening.
praying.
playing.
skating.
eating.
and
giggling.

she is a beautiful young lady
inside and out
and
God
blessed
this family
with
HER!
i love you sweet girl!

happy monday.
alicia