A PRAYER REQUEST

Elijah's football coach is having back surgery for the 2nd time in a year today at 1:00 at Parkwest. Please keep his speedy recovery in your prayers. He has struggled with his back for years and he had to lay on the field last night to get some relief during football practice, so I am hoping he will get some relief and improvement after this surgery. Thanks!

FLU UPDATE

Elijah had a football game this evening with the Halls #2 team at John Tarleton. His stepmom called to tell me that it had been rescheduled because 12 players on the opposing team had the flu. A friend of mine told me she had 15 people absent from her homeroom because of confirmed flu cases. The news says the absenteeism rate is 6%. I have a feeling it is going up very quickly. Make sure you wash your hands and watch your kids when they come home from school. The flu season this year is starting out early and strong regardless of the "don't panic" mantality they are portraying on the news. They begin flu mist vaccines next week at Elijahs school and it could not come fast enough. That doesn't always guarantee they won't get it but it make deter some cases of it hopefully.

Open House

Brian and I went to Elijahs open house on Mon. evening. We got to meet all 6 of his teachers and go to all his classrooms. Cedar Bluff is a small, quaint school with about 565 kids. It reminds me a lot of Sterchi, his first elementary school. It is a nice school. He is taking an honors Science class, and his 2 related arts classes are PE and Orchestra. He will be playing the Cello for his instrument. He is enjoying it a lot so far and I have a good feeling about his teachers. There is no line at pick up or drop off so that is incredibly wonderful. I hate sitting in line at school waiting to get your child. It is boring. There is a little boy across the hall from Elijahs homeroom who has the same name as his brother, Zane Atkins, spelled the same and everything. Elijah thought that was funny. I don't think his first name is Ezra though.
He had his first football game last night against Catholic. He did great, but he got hit on the elbow by a helmet and has a monstrous bruise. He will be okay, but I am relieved it isn't broken.

Biskit Atkins Oct. 1, 2003-Aug. 17, 2009

We have lost our sweet baby dog this week. Biskit passed on Monday. Elijah started middle school and he died. It was a very emotional day for everyone. He went everywhere with us and he was loved as much as one of my children. He slept with me every night. He apparently had a mass or tumor of some sort in his stomach/chest area and it had grown to where he could no longer breathe and he had a heart attack and died on our way to the vet. I have lost many friends in my life but this is the hardest death I have ever had to deal with. I cry every night because I feel him following me , I forget not to fill his water bowl and I can't put his toys or blankets away. Elijah can't even discuss it without out crying and neither can I. It is much easier to write it. We got him around Christmas when Elijah was 6. I had wanted one and we happened to pass a sign on the way to my moms house that said "Boston Terriers for sale". We stopped and Biskit ran right up to Brian. Needless to say we took him home. We have enjoyed every minute of joy he has brought and he was taken much too soon. He has been through much happiness and all of the hard times we have endured. I have told God already that he may pee on his couch if he doesn't watch him, but he is lucky to have him now. I am sure this won't be the last Boston for our house but we are not yet accustomed to daily life without him. We are having him cremated and placed in an urn so we can take him with us wherever we go. I couldn't bare the thought of burying him and then moving someday and leaving him behind. Dogs see only the good in people and ask nothing of us but to be loved and taken care of. They make life happier and are always there to lick your face when things aren't going so well. Thanks to everyone who has played with, bought toys for, and petted our Biskit. We are beside ourself with grief so keep us in your prayers for speedy healing.
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This was taken 2 days before he passed.

He went into the baby pool and got this ball but you can see how out of breath he got when popping it. He had been on steroids and antibiotics for weeks for what we thought was pneumonia. The mass was not visible to the eye, it was internal.
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First Day of Middle School!

He was so tired and a little relieved from breaking the ice that he came home and took a hour and a half nap! Elijah hasn't napped, unless he is sick, since first grade. He had a pretty good day. The good thing about 6th grade is everyone is new so they are coming from different schools and are all making new friends so no one is different or stands out. I think he will do great once he is settled!
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Pool time with Zane

It was so hot that we blew up his little pool and he and Biskit got in it. Yes, even the dog got in it! Only to retrieve the inflatable beach ball so he could pop it, which he did! (photo to follow)
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Army Wives!

For those of you who have never seen Army Wives, it is the best piece of dramatic, funny, family oriented, make you laugh and cry at the same time television on! It comes on Sunday nights at 10, which is about the time I can begin to watch tv without hearing my name 300 times. It comes on Lifetime (17) so you must watch it when you can! You will not be sorry!

Biskits friend!

This very young bird fell out of its nest and it had not yet learned how to fly so it was sitting in our yard. It was not afraid of people because I got really close to it and it didn't flinch. It's mommy, however, was following Biskit and pecking him on the back to make sure he stayed away because he really wanted to get her/him. I told Biskit to leave it alone and he did, but Mommy bird followed him all through the yard to make sure. The bird finally flew up into a tree after about an hour of being on the ground. We have a lot of birds in our yard and one made a nest in our porch light.
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30 Thoughts for Positive Living

Brian and I watch Joel Osteen on TV every week because we enjoy his teaching and is delivery. I attended his fathers church when I was a pre-teen. Our youth group went to Guatamala via Texas and we stayed there for a few days and had the pleasure of attending Lakeview Church. His father has since passed and now Joel has taken over and we wish he was closer so we could attend each week. These are things that I took out of his sermon last week that helped Brian and I both tremendously. I hope they do you as well. There were many more scriptures with each one but I put the main one.

1. Think the Way God Thinks!-1 Cor.2:9-God wants to bless you and give you
wisdom to make better decisions.

2. Develop a Vision of Victory-Isaiah 43:19-Live each day filled with expectancy
for victory and good things, even in the face of adversity.

3. Make a Plan- Proverbs 16:3-Wake up each day knowing where you are headed
and stick with it!

4. Speak What You Seek!-Isaiah 45:21-What you say in the midst of your difficulties
will have a direct impact on the outcome.

5. Stand Strong During Adversity-Eph 6:13-Make up your mind to serve God and be
strong no matter what or who comes against you.

6. Be Joyful Always-Nehemiah 8:10-Not very easy, but the joy of the Lord is your
strength! Positive attitudes pave the way for God to do good things in your life.

7. You are approved!-Jeremiah 1:5- You are created in his image and you are the
apple of his eye, his most precious creation.

8. Pursue your victory-Phil.3:13,14-Be aggresive and energetic when letting go of
the past and pressing forward to the abundant life God has in store for you.

9. Have an attitude of gratitude-Eph 4:29-Your words can pollute or purify, if you
constantly complain, you release poison into your life. Complaining is not based
on circumstance it is based on the attitude of your heart!

10. Overcome Opposition-I Cor. 16:9- Any time you step forward the enemy will
try to bring opposition against you. Keep your heart right and speak words of
hope and victory into your life. Stay focused and full of joy.

11. Declare Blessing-Num. 6:23-26- Speak a blessing over yourself and others. Declare
that everything you put in your hand will prosper and succeed. Declare any
curse or negative word is broken over you.

12. Develop a Restoration Mentality-Joel 2:25,26- Expect things to change in your
favor. Be strong will and determined to take back what has been taken from you
and your family.

13. Focus on the Future-Heb.10:35- See yourself successful! Before your dreams come
to pass, you must look through your eyes of faith and see them coming to pass!

14. Feed your Faith-I John 5:4- The Bible says faith comes by hearing, as you hear the
word of God your faith grows stronger!

15. Live to Give-Luke 6:38-God promises to multiply back to you what you give. Share
his love with others by giving your time, talents, and resources.

16. Live by the Spirit-Gal.5:16- When you choose to obey God's leading , that "inner
prompting" you will always make the right choice.

17. Release the Past- Phil 3:13-14, Let go of the past! Don't let regrets of yesterday
destroy the hope of tomorrow.

18. Filter your Thoughts-Ps.101:3- Think on things that are pure, wholesome, and of
good report. Filter what you watch, read, and listen to. Fill your thoughts with
promises of peace, joy and freedom, safety, deliverance, and prosperity.

19. Stand Firm-Ex 14:13, Take a stand, stay on the course that God has set for you
and God will raise a shield up to protect and defend you.

20. Live a Balanced Life-Song of Sol 1:6- If your always on the go, constantly working
and never take time for yourself, you will end up stressed out and overwhelmed.
You won't be able to enjoy life the way God wants you to.

21. Expect Favor- Ps.84:11- You walk in favor each day, not because of who you are,
but because of WHOSE you are. Knowing God's favor will bring you peace, and hope.
He wants us to thrive and excel in life.

22. Forgive Past Hurts-Eph. 4:31- Unforgiveness, bitterness, and resentment block
the flow of God's blessing in your life. Holding onto hurts of the past can
poison your present and limit your future. You are not defined by your past!

23. Raise your self image-Pro. 23:7- If you see yourself as poor and defeated then
you will live your life that way. Change your focus. You must believe God has good
things for you.

24. Avoid Strife-James 3:16- When we hold onto strife, it brings confusion. Strife
creeps in like a cancer and steals your peace. Make a decision to walk in peace and
love no matter how hard it is. Focus on loving people and not proving your point!

25. Rest and Wait-Habakkus 2:3- Don't be worried and frustrated about things in your
life. When you have the promises of God deep in your heart, the Bible says you
will "enter into the rest of God",a place of total trust that God will see you through.

26. Expect God's Best!-Isaiah 40:31-Faith is the substance of things hoped for, or another
definition is "confidant expectancy". Your expectations set limits for your life. If
you never expect anything good you will never get anything good.

27. Be Who You Are-Eph.2:10- You are God's handiwork! God knew who you were
before you were formed. You have unique talents and abilities.

28. Let God Defend You-Heb.10:30- Are you dealing with an "unresolved case" from
your past? God says in his word that he is your vindicator and defender. He will
settle your case and repay what has been stolen. But you must forgive the person
first.

29. Guard Your Heart-Pro. 4:23- If you harbor bitterness, jealousy, pride in your
heart, those seeds God wants to plant of victory won't be able to take root and grow.

30. Thank God for Your Victory-Ps. 44:7,8-Start praising and thanking God for things
to change in your favor and speak words of encouragement. Psalms if full of praises
that you can say in your prayer time to God.

We found this very uplifting and eye opening and we hope you do too! I told you some of it was difficult to do but not everything in life you need to do is easy. I hope this blesses you as much and it has us.

Chillin in my Wiggles shoes, Pa's hat and a pull up

Zane found his Wiggles shoes, which are one and a half sizes too small, and he decided to put them on. He has a shoe fetish, like mommy, in fact all of my boys do! They have more shoes than I do. He wore them all day with his Pa's hat and no pants. He is a mess. Later in the day he put his plastic guitar around his neck and pretended to play it. It has buttons on it that make music so he thinks its real.
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Sleeping babies!!

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Zane's new shoes!

Zane got a new pair of shoes and he likes them so much he tries to sleep with them on. I had to take them off after he drifted off to sleep!
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Happy July 4th! (a few days late)

We have had company staying with us for the last week so I am sorry for the delay in posting. I am surprised I still have my wits about me after cleaning up after 8 people for over a week! We had a good 4th anyway! We took the boys up to Aunt Mollys to swim and celebrate Hannahs b-day and then shot off fireworks at home with Zanes Uncle Shane and my brother and his family. The boys were worn out the next day but they had a good time. Brian took Elijah to see Transformers 2 at the IMAX Theater at Turkey Creek. They loved it!!
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