Rite of Passage

My newest grocery shoppin' buddy :)

Ready for Church!

Memorial Day in Minden

We got up early Monday and headed to the Minden Nida's house. We stopped by the splash park on our way. It was a BIG HIT with the kids as you can see...

Grace got stuck in the middle of this sprayer and was scared to death.


Eventually she regained her confidence and continued playing...















Water gun fun with the cousins...








And a surprise birthday party... Which was... Well... A little scary for the almost 3 year old.



Eventually she warmed up to the idea, and she kept that green balloon on her wrist till it was bed time :)


(there are no pictures of jack because he was SO fussy the whole time! If you know Jack you know it takes a LOT for him to be fussy. He is usually smiling and totally go with the flow. I think my kids are ready to be home... I think I am in agreement. We are all pretty worn out around here.)

Great Dinner

Saw's BBQ, Homewood, Alabama. Really. Great. Dinner.

A Day in the Life of the Nida Kids

Here are a few pictures from the past couple of days... When we haven't been driving!

Grace's drawing...

Grace has been calling this box her "new home". I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry about this comment.



I'm loving how these two can play more now! There is an old picture of my sister and me that looks a lot like this.



I made huevos rancheros for dinner. It's one of our favorites and I just never think to make it... Not sure why, but it was good last night!



We played "hot scotch".


This kiddo can j.u.m.p.!






Jack watched ;-)


Grace drew a picture of me...


And she worked on writing the letter A...



Grace learned how to make wash cloth bubbles. This is a big deal. I remember my dad teaching me how to do this and it provided thousands of hours of bathtime entertainment! Grace was SO proud and excited that she learned how to do this!



Jack loves baths! Now Grace will be able to make wash cloth bubbles for him!



Such a cutie pie big boy with his shoes on. Oh my, he is so sweet!



Playing together...





I just love getting to spend all day every day with these two great kiddos!

Little Women

Every time we leave for a trip I always lay out clean pajamas for the kids etc because I just know that one day we will come home very late and be too tired to unpack the car. Tonight was the night that my preparations payed off! We drove ALL DAY. The weather was terrible from Nashville to Chattanooga, and the kids (and the parents) were SOtired by the end of things. We were all totally exhausted when we got home, and it was wonderful to be able to give the kids a quick bath and get them to bed quickly. The bags are still in the car! We will take care of all that tomorrow.

What was even more wonderful was finding that we still had good bread and milk. I took a hot shower, made a peanut butter sandwich and flipped through the channels and stumbled across this...

I haven't seen this movie in years! I hate to think how many years it has been... I would definitely be showing my age. ;) My sister and I used to watch it while mom set up her classroom before school started in the fall. MA and I each own a copy of the new version and watch that at most holiday gatherings, but there's nothing like the original, you know. It is so good to be home. If I weren't so completely exhausted I think I would stay up and watch the whole thing for old times sake.

Graduation Day!

We did it! We graduated! Well, Jonathan got his Masters of Divinity, but I say we because it was a we thing. Seriously though, I am so proud of my husband today and proud of our family for enduring to the end! Praise to the Lord for allowing us to complete this endeavor!!! What a blessing it has been! How much we have grown in the faith! I can not even begin to imagine my life without this experience.

Jonathan graduated with 101 credit hours. That's a lot of school... With some of the best professors in the world! And we aren't talking easy classes here. Southern seminary is considered by most Christian academia to be the most academically challenging seminary as well.

The Lord truly does take care of his people and provide for them. In high school and college if you had asked me what I saw for my future I would have said I didn't know, but the one thing I did know was that I wanted nothing to do with being married to clergy or seminary or vocational ministry! Ha! How the Lord has softened my heart and grown me in a way completely opposed to my fleshly desires... Making his desires mine. Sanctification, Sanctification, Sanctification. Would you believe I had never heard the word before we came to seminary! I can not even begin to speak of all the lessons I have learned!

Oh my, what a blessing He has given our family. Do you know how nice it is to be able to ask your husband a question about the scripture and receive a prompt, educated answer? Amazing.

Well, enough of my rambling... Here are a few pictures!

Jonathan got to sit next to Josh. Josh and Gretchen were in our first small group our first year at Clifton. Four couples and zero children. I think we are now all graduated and represent 11 children (if you count the Elston twins who are not yet born;)).



It was a beautiful day, and the kids were great! It is always so refreshing to be on campus where everyone has well behaved children.


Nana the extraordinary Nana!


Dr. Schreiner prayed :)


Jack and the Paw Paw!


I think there were nearly 260 graduates. I'll check that stat later.


Loved loved loved this man who sat in front of us! He nodded and was visibly happy and proud of each graduate. He was someones parent. There was also a couple (also parents) behind us who were in tears from the very beginning when the procession started. You have no idea how much some people sacrifice to get this degree. It is almost impossible to think about without being moved to tears. True sacrifice and dedication from entire families, not just the students... If you only knew how many mothers have been living in teeny tiny apartments with no dishwashers, living on next to nothing, husbands working and going to school... Oh, my. These ladies deserve an honorary degree as well!


The shady spot where the kids and Milfords ended up. It was really a nice day, just a little warm in the sun... Could have been 1000 times worse.


There he is! The graduate!


We did it!


Nida family pic.


Milford family pic


Daddy and his kiddos!


We started this endeavor as two and five years later ended as four!


What a weekend of emotions! Joy, celebration, thankfulness, sadness, exhaustion, uncertainty, family! I think I could just sit down and cry my eyes out! But who has time for that! Ha! Praise the Lord for His good gifts and faithfulness!