Small victories and sweet babies

Baseball season is now in full swing. At least 3 days a week you will find us at the ball fieldS with games for both Devlan and Drew. Devlan's team is undefeated and he is having the opportunity to learn from some of his peers who are especially talented. Drew is enjoying the game more and more. His team is learning, slowly, but learning the rules of the game and how to make the most of an inning. At 1st Drew didn't want to really run the bases. He wanted to mosey along, kicking the dirt, and take his sweet time getting to the base sometime before Christmas. With a few candy bribes and lots of love, we managed to get him running really fast. He now comes in the dug out asking, "Mommy did you see me". It took me two time of this to figure out the "right" answer was NO. He wants to run so fast that no one can even see him. It is wonderful to see him succeeding at something. He's such a loving and precious boy and because he has the energy of 4 kids, he often gets more negative attention than positive. Baseball has really helped build his self-esteem.
Devlan is growing my leaps and bounds. He's becoming quite funny, coming up with the most random comments that are just hilarious. He's always been so serious and as he ages we are watching a little comedian blossom.
While baseball season is fun, it is also exhausting...so many games...so little time....I think I'll grab a nap :) Yeah right!

It was a mess...but God's hand was in it

So every year after the 15th we try to do something special for the kiddos since I've usually been MIA for a couple of months. Just like last year, we chose to go to the Great Wolfe Lodge in Concord. However, this year we decided to make it a family affair and so Scott, Kelly, Emma, Hunter, Mimi and G-daddy stayed in one suite and Grandma stayed with us in ours. I had felt a cold coming on by Wednesday night but just ignored it. Last year I had a cold while we were there and didn't want a repeat. By the time we got there Thursday around lunch time I was feverish and miserable. Of course, there wasn't a minute to spare, off to the water park we went. BJ, Devlan, and Drew and I had a chance to ride a couple of water slides before the other monkey's arrived. Everyone played and played. Devlan's favorite was the pool with a ton of basket ball goals and Drew liked the wave pool. It was fun hanging out with Emma and Hunter....they are precious kids. However, I wasn't sad to get in the car Friday to head home. I think I've learned my lesson and I won't try to do our special event immediately after the 15th, maybe by the end of April I'll be all rested up.
Saturday held another long strain of frustrations. Cross Culture had an awesome community event planned that I really wanted to go to, but both of the boys had baseball games right smack in the middle of the day. So, much to my dismay, I drug 2 exhausted little boys to baseball games in the heat of the day. Drew was 1st...he has done so good so far this season, but we had a few set backs on Saturday. He walked and kicked dirt like he was in "Singing in the Rain" while he was supposed to be running and picked grass while he was supposed to be playing outfield. I was so frustrated, I still didn't feel great and we still had one more game to go.
We make it to Devlans game right on time, but of course we were the last game of the day and so we had to wait and twiddle our thumbs for a while, which might seem like a nice rest, but with Drew it's a constant hawking and chasing him down. Devlan's team creamed the opposition and we headed home with 7 extras....The Brownie Mix!
I was so excited to have Rachel and the girls come visit and in the few moments I had to myself in the Food Lion picking up a few things for dinner...God reached down from his throne and gave me a swift kick in the bum. Here I was, oober excited, about 6 little girls who are near and dear to my heart, but I had refused to find hardly ANY joy on the 2 monkeys that God has entrusted to me during the grueling day. God wanted me to take a second and be thankful...in spite of my not feeling good, even though Drew was exhausted and being a hand full, even though we had ball games when I wanted to be with my friends at the church event....God was still King and I was still His child. None of those circumstances had changed one iota who God was or what He deserved. So this week i am being thankful, good, bad, or ugly....
God has blessed my life in a way I often take for granted, I have a husband that lives for Jesus with his whole heart and this means he loves me like Christ loves the church. I have 2 little boys who were never supposed to be and they are each fearfully and wonderfully made. Thank you Jesus for all your many blessings...please help me to see my life as you do, full of your beautiful creations and remind me that no matter what you are WORTHY of ALL my praise!

A new committment to my blog

I've decided that I'm going to do my best to blog once a week. I want to document what God is doing in my life and in the lives of those around me so that I can go back and be reminded of how very blessed I am. So....here goes....

This past weekend BJ and I went back to Clayton Crossings to help Chris with another ISO Discipleship Now weekend. BJ lead the band and I sang with him and lead a high school small group. There was one major difference between this year and last year when we went....we took 4 of our own students from Cross Culture. Let me just pause for a second to acknowledge the Mach 3 speed at which our lives are going. A year ago we had no idea that God was working out our dream to work with students full-time. Student ministry has been BJ and I's passion for many years and God managed to work it out, in his perfect timing for us to continue in music ministry, while also taking on the C2 students. This alone is HUGE and reason to Praise the Lord! I take this fact for granted wayyyy too much.

We had a interesting weekend, but as always, in spite of ourselves, God showed up to meet with us. And again, as usual, my heart was far more touched than that of any of the students sitting under my teaching. I was blown away over and over at the maturity and grace of OUR students. And yes, I say OUR because I am so very proud that I get to be an observer of these kids lives...it is an honor to say the least.

Here are the 3 things that totally blew me away:
*The lone boy we took with us is precious. He is the lone teenager that helps every Sunday set our church up from scratch. His service continued over the weekend as he helped BJ with anything BJ needed and after getting into bed after 1am on Sunday morning, he was up at 6am to again help set up C2. He did this all with a smile and humble heart. What more could we ask for, this teen is showing a self-less desire to serve and see people come to know Jesus...I can't say that for myself half the time.

*We all know that girls can be difficult and the group of teenage girls I had this weekend are no exception. Our 3 girls extended continuous grace and positive attitudes to the other girls, even when it was not deserved. I told them over and over how VERY proud I was, they made choices over and over to honor God rather than simply react or judge others.

*During the final Saturday night worship there were many tears. I knew that God was speaking to the hearts of my girls...so in the car on the way home I asked if they would like to share what God was doing in their lives. One of my girls, the quietest of them all, said the following: "I have never felt God speak so clearly to me and He said that I needed to get on my knees for the students of Clayton". I was blown away....while most of the people in the building were speaking to God about their own hearts and lives, Hannah was sensitive to the Holy Spirit and the darkness that is consuming many of the students in Clayton.

So I said all of that to say that I am more in love with Jesus and ministering in His name than ever before. For the 1st time in a long time, I am TRULY grateful of the ministry that God allows us to be a part of. As Pastor Clay often says..."We get to do this" and I couldn't be happier about it.

Next week I'll blog about other milestones....Devlan's 1st crush and Drewdie's 1st baseball games!

Better late than never..

So Jay-May has reminded me a bunch that I'm a total slacker when it comes to my blog, so here's my update.
Raleigh parents...lock up your teenagers because Nicole Brantley is now officially a Youth Pastor's wife!! God is BIG...He continues to blow my ever lovin mind. I'm learning to expect the unexpected in the best sort of way. God has been teaching BJ and our family (along with our closest friends as well) about how God blesses the smallest of sacrifices and how His plan is always best. One day, when I grow up, I'm going to always remember those truths, but for now, I will do the best I can and continue to discover that God's mercies are new every morning!

We are SOOO proud of our Drewdie. He was so precious at his Christmas pageant this past week. He sang every word and rang his bell perfectly. Me, Mimi, and Grandma couldn't hold back the tears. Drew is growing and maturing everyday and he is always reminding me of the simple pleasures of my life...like unprompted "I love yous" and sweet kisses all over my face. My heart is full that we are about to have almost 2 full weeks together, and you better believe, I don't plan on leaving any sugars for anyone else.

Devlan is also growing by leaps and bounds. He continues to be sensitive and nutty. He lost his second top front tooth, leaving a gap the size of a bus where his front two teeth were. Of course he doesn't want us to pick on him about him wanting his two front teeth for Christmas. He also continues to keep me grounded by bringing up something totally profound out of the blue.

I think that gets up caught up for now....Merry CHRISTmas!!! I'll make sure to post what God does on our big youth Ski trip over New Years.

Oh and don't worry if you hear rumors of me kissing Santa Claus...I have a thing for Santa:)

Too funny not to share

My dad, who is a hero, took Emma and Drewdie to the fair all by himself. All 3 had a ball. After they went back to Mimi and G-Daddy's to play.
Emma comes out and says, "Mimi, Drew is having a baby and can't get it out and I'm the doctor and don't know what to tell him". Mimi and G-Daddy advise Dr. Emma to tell Drew to "PUSH, PUSH".
A couple of minutes later Drew and Emma emerge from their room with 2 stuffed animals wrapped in a blanket and announced the birth of twins, Floppy and Teddy. Too funny!

Birthdays, Flu Shots, and Field Trips

I know it's been an incredibly long time since I've made a post, so here goes...

My sweet baby boy, Drewdie is turning 5! I catch myself wondering where in the world the last 5 years have gone and I'm constantly trying to figure out how to keep him a baby...I've just about given up. He is such a very special child and he cracks me up constantly with his Uncle Scott-like sense of humor. He's very quick witted and almost always on his toes.

BJ and I had a chance to play at a youth lock-in last weekend and a precious 17 year old boy played with us. The whole night I couldn't shake the thought that in 10 years that could be Devlan. This has rocked my world! In 2 years we will be half way through our time with this amazing boy. I know it is only by God's grace that I have the 2 most beautiful, smart, and sweet boys God ever made....

So our awesome pediatrician called on Monday to check up on Drewdie Poodie. We got into the conversation about flu shots....to vacinnate against H1N1 or not. Both boys now get the flu mist for the seasonal flu, but there have been many questions about the H1N1 thing. I trust our pediatrician, maybe even to a fault, but she's never steered us wrong before. I'm really more scared of the kids getting the H1N1 virus than any possible side affects from the shot. At some point I guess I think you have to trust the people you pay very good money to and ask the Lord to handle the rest.

I pride myself on being honest with my kids...like when Devlan pressed about where babies came out, we had a very detailed conversation about it. I want them to always feel like they can ask me anything and get a real answer, however, when it comes to shots I'm scared.
I don't like getting a surprise shot, so I really fee like I should let them know, but unfortunately Devlan Grey is mine through and through and by the time Saturday morning rolls around he will have an ulcer. Drew won't care so much, but I don't want him worried about a shot during his birthday party....these are the things I never imagined thinking about before children but as the boys grow older I find myself facing more and more of these delicate situations...now I'm seeing why my mom always said it gets harder as they get older! She also says that you're going to screw your kids up and even if you don't they're going to blame you anyway :)

Finally, I am going with Delvan on his school field trip to Old Salem. I've always wanted to go and never have, so I'm really excited (and yes this only confirms what a huge dork I am). The only issue I'm having is the bus ride. Everyone that knows me knows that I get horribly car sick. The fear of getting car sick only makes it worse giving me panic issues on top of it. I've decided that if anyone can get me through this fear, it's Devlan. I would do anything for him and even though I laughed at my mom when she went a spinning ride with Devlan (that she knew would make her sick) at the fair, she did it for him. I'm going to follow her example and take one for the team. I figure I'll take a Dramamine and pray alot! I hate being such a freak, but the Lord isn't done with yet!

Time to catch up...

It's almost the end of my super busy season....we're now counting down the days. 5 and counting!

Life is moving so fast it seems like millions of things have changed since my last post so here go the updates:

*BJ's dad (Papa with no hair) was diagnosed with tongue cancer and has had surgery to remove the tumor. The surgery turned out far better than anyone expected and Barry is well on his way to recovery.

*Devlan is now officially a 2nd grader. He is learning so many things and growing by leaps and bounds. He is very into helping me do all sorts of things to earn money. He's saving up to buy a Nintendo DS game so he's always looking for ways to earn. He came into work with me last Saturday and helped me make copies and earned a one whole dollar...I'm enjoying that while it lasts...before long he's going to start asking for more.

*Drewdie started therapy Duke for his sensory issues. As a family we are learning so much and had no clue simple things like having him drink a milkshake through a straw can be very calming. I'm not really sure who figured out these therapies but I'm betting someone discovered it by accident, either way, I'm grateful that we have these resources....God's provision is amazing.
Drew also started Grove Park Chapel preschool, another excellent example of God's perfect timing. We got the call he got in the morning of the orientation. He loves going (so far) and seems to be getting settled in. He is precious in so many ways and I am grateful that I get to be the parent of this amazingly resilient little boy. I'm convinced God has big plans for him and hope that we can simply point him in the right direction.

*Some friends of ours went camping and invited us over Labor Day. I make no bones about the fact that I don't camp. Call me whatever you like (priss pot, princess, etc), but it does not sound like fun to go in the heat with no running water or close by facilities. I decided I'd be a good sport and go for a little while and just not spend the night. Unfortunately I had to get some work done, but mostly just couldn't get past the dooky like mud. Everything in me was saying "Run the other way". I left for home and BJ and the boys stayed at the lake for the night just for Drew and BJ to be awakened in the middle of the night covered in ants. They ended up sleeping the rest of the night in the truck....see...nothing about that sounds fun to me.....nothing!

I think that catches everyone up to speed!