Random Acts of Kindness

This summer, as you might remember, we have been working on Random Acts of Kindness. We have left money on gumball machines, bought gift cards for cashiers at Wal-Mart, raked neighbors leaves, etc.... but this one... this one made me cry! You might have remember back at the beginning of the month I set out to run 5 miles and almost didn't make it! Remember me wanting, praying for someone to STOP and give me water. I told the kids that we should put water in our car and look for runners who might need it. Well, we never did that, but last week, as we were driving home we saw a runner in the dead heat of the day. We talked about how she could really use some water. As we drove in our driveway Parker RAN TO GET THE WATER! Now, he ran to get one of our reuseable water bottles and went to fill it at the sink! Quickly we told him to grab a bottle out of the fridge. OUT HE RAN. I actually thought he was going to miss her. She had in her ear buds and passed our house. He caught her though. We talked about our random acts of kindness!

Tonight I checked the mail.... and guess what we had? He had a note in our mailbox from the RUNNER!!!


OH he was thrilled!! THRILLED! But maybe not as much as I was. I cried. Did you read the words in her letter where she wished for water! I immediately thought about my 5 mile run and how I was PRAYING for water! I believe God used us to bless her! Just a quick bottle of water, see how it made her day! Just a simple act.

We are going to discuss as a family how to bless other runners especially since Stacey and I are both training for half marathons and realize how water far from home is a VERY nice treat! I will let you know what we come up with, but I am thinking a small cooler we can put behind our mailbox so that runners can grab water during their run. I tried to run with a water bottle the other day, and it was hard! I ended up stashing my bottle behind a friends mailbox to get on my way back. Stacey has bought a belt to carry water, but I haven't tried it yet. You never know how your act of kindness will completely bless someone else.

GO BLESS SOMEONE!!

Wakahachie!!

Since Parker was little, he always called Waxahachie, WAKAHACHIE! So cute. Before school started we went down for a few nights and Cousin Cole and Cousin Cassidie joined us.
Everyone knows that arts and crafts are better in pajamas! And with Mammy's supervision.


BOWDEN LOVES HIS COUSIN COLE!

This is what I woke up to on Friday morning. Parker loves playing an animal zoo game on his DS, so that is what the boys were doing.

Mammy made me a caramel pie, my favorite, and she made Stacey a peach cobbler because that is his favorite! We get spoiled every time we go down there.

We also went to Paris for a few days to stay with GayGay and for me to see cousin Clint to check out this throbbing pain I was having in my mouth. We were totally spoiled the entire week between Paris and Waxahachie! I don't have any pictures from Paris, well, GAY DOES! I heard she liked her suprise we left on HER camera!

Cousin Isaiah comes over to play!

Aunt La La came over to give all of us back to school hair cuts so we also got hang out this this cute blonde curly haired cutie!



He and Bowden had a great time running their trains into the pans and pots making some great noise!!

I love you little guy!!

Parker's First day of First Grade

Well, the day hit and we all survived. My baby going into first grade. He has had his clothes picked out since the day we bought them, 3 weeks ago! He wasn't nervous at all! I wasn't either. It was a calm time around here. Like we were pros. I made his favorite dinner last night, homemade lasanga, and we did some swimming. Came home, bathed and prayed and I taught him how to work the alarm clock in his room. Next thing I know.... 6:01 and that little guy is awake, tapping on me with his brother telling me he is ready! The alarm, well, it was set for 6:30!!!
Here is Ms. Edwards. Parker knew that I wanted him to get her, so when we found out it was her, HE WAS THRILLED! So cute!
Notice the pennant on the wall? ACU alumni!! WOOHOO!
One last hug before I had to go...
And our girlie, Camille. She was already doing her work! What a good student.
These were taken before school started.
Brother giving us a belly laugh!
And Babe stands like this all the time. ALL THE TIME! He is ready for... on your mark...get set...go!
This photo represents his missing teeth!


You can read about last year kinder HERE. AND compare his photos! I cried!



Parker I love you so much and am so proud of you. Last night as we were praying I asked how you were going to be a light in your classroom and you said you were going to serve! WITHOUT having to think about it. I love your heart.
Your favorite thing to do right now is watch Billy the Exterminator, but are a bit sad because I only let you watch it when I can sit right beside you so that I can explain what is going on and talk about words we DON'T SAY! You also like to play your ZOO game on your DS. Although you have other games, this is the game that you enjoy the most, and I enjoy you explaining it to me. You are an amazing Zoo keeper and designer. You always ask for sweet tea, knowing we are probably not going to say yes. You love to be helpful, and to clean up, and to decorate the house for special occasions. I loved us shopping for you back to school clothes, just the 2 of us. You love your brother and sis. I love how you remember everything, and remember to pray for things I forget. I love you dude.

Happy Birthday Jenny!

If you follow the blog, you know that I have been running for Jenny! Well, her birthday was August 3rd and I let the word out that I would LOVE for everyone to run on that day! On our Facebook page, we current have almost 200 members, and we gained about 15 on Jenny's birthday. Together we ran 162 miles on AUGUST 3rd! And I know that many others ran or walked for Jenny that day, but did NOT post it for many reasons, and I appreciate each and every mile! I am thankful for those of you who told me you ran for her.
My goal: 5 miles. You know that I love you if I put the above photo out in the cyber world. A friend of mine offered to keep my kids so I could run. I started about 8:30am. It was already 90 degrees. I didn't really think about my route, should have. I planted my water bottle in my mailbox, and off I went. Like I said, didn't really plan my route, but had a big goal! I started my iPod and headed from my house to Tom Thumb, crossed over Trophy Lakes and down Village Trail. Things were going good. I went down Lakeshore, took a left on Durango, then took a right on a street I don't know the name of, but I do know someone who lives on this street, and at that moment I thought I would stop and ask for water...na. Took a left on Park View, where I know someone on that street, thought I should stop, but kept going. I am far from my mailbox at this moment and things are looking thirsty. I ran all the way to Byron Nelson High School. Now what? Took a right and headed towards Trophy Club Drive. At this moment, I am actually thinking I should knock on someone's door, a perfect stranger and ask for water. No, I can make it to the model homes, they aren't that far. Okay, they were far! I began really thinking I am in trouble. I am FAR from that mailbox and I am THIRSTY! I see a police car up ahead. My plan: to stop him and ask if he has water. Problem: he get's a call and speeds up and FLIES by me. No water there. So I keep running. I begin to think about those model homes. I get closer. Uh OH. No cars are there, they ARE NOT OPEN YET! I see water running down the street, and SERIOUSLY think about sitting in it! NOT KIDDING! So, I plan on running to the next set of model homes, they will surely be open. On the way to those model homes, I begin to pray, and I MEAN PRAY that God would send a car that would pull up and offer me WATER in the name of GOD! I was beginning to get desparate. I look at the new construction and see if I see any visible water jugs available, but it would add to my run... keep going Paige. You can do it... The model homes are visible, BUT NO CARS! They aren't open either. SO, I visit their beautiful WATER FEATURE in the front yard, put my hands on it, and begin to pat my face. Awwe. I can make it. NO I CAN'T! I have to walk. I kept telling myself that satan isn't winning. Walking isn't failure. It was 3.23 miles. I decide to walk to the church up ahead. I walk in, SCARING women and children at preschool, but they do decide to let me in and have a drink. I thank them, and head out. Walking isn't bad, satan isn't winning I kept telling myself. I put my headphones back in and look ahead of me. SPRINKLERS are on across the street. I begin to run. Okay, at this point my legs are telling me this is NOT a good idea, and they are not proud of me for running any more. They liked the walking speed. I run anyway. OH, they feel good! I ran through them like I was 5 years old. One car even slowed down and watched me be crazy. I ran to my house grabbed the water bottle and started walking. I walked past 3 houses when I spotted a woman out watering her flowerbeds. I walked up to her and asked her to spray me down! I told her I was trying to run 5 miles. SHE SPRAYED ME DOWN! It felt so good. She asked me how much longer I had.... I looked at my watch and it said 4.40. I started running and I finished strong! I was so proud of myself. I know Jenny is too! I TOLD that girl I was going to run! Next time, I will be safer, and plant more water and maybe not celebrate so loud scaring the man in the convertible as he passed me!

Oh the picture... after my run, I set up the tripod and took my picture. The picture with the paper 5 in it is now my Facebook profile, and the other photo, the one with me AFTER I ran the miles. Oh I look rough, but I did it! OH, Jenny would have been 32 so 3 +2=5!