Lyrics! =)

(My sweet, crazy little girl rockin' out!)

"Now I know it's true, yeah,
My every road leads to you
And in the hour of darkness, darlin'
Your light gets me through.
Wanna swim in your river - be warmed by your sun
Bathe in your waters - cos you are the one.
I can't stand the distance - I can't dream alone
I can't wait to see you - Ya I'm on my way home.

~Oh, it's to you, I will always, always return!"

I Will Always Return- Bryan Adams

(There is always something beautiful around us no matter how hard and dark our lives are looking. God is good.)

"Don’t be afraid to fall
I’m right here to catch you
I won't let you down.
It won't get you down
You're gonna make it
Yeah, I know you can make it.
Cause I will stand by you,
I will help you through,
When you’ve done all you can do
And you can’t cope.
And I will dry your eyes,
I will fight your fight,
I will hold you tight,
And I won't let go."

I Won't Let Go- Rascal Flatts

(My cuties having a great afternoon outside at Burr Oaks!))

"And if your plane fell out of the skies,
Who would you call with your last goodbye?
Should be so careful who we live out our lives,
When we long for absolution
There'll no one on the line...
Yeah... we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start pickin it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying!"

Live Like We're Dying- Kris Allen

(One of the best nights of my life spent with incredible friends in Marshall. It's fun to be able to be goofy, just to be yourself, and be totally loved and accepted. Christian friends are such a blessing!)

"Your best friends, your little hometown

Are waiting up wherever you go now.

You know you can always turn around

Cause this world is big and it's crazy,

(My new "dress" from Grandma. A lovely sunny "winter" day in our backyard.)

And this girl is thinking that maybe

This life is what some people dream about!

Cause when I'm feeling down and I am all alone,

I've always got a place where I can go!"

You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home- Hannah Montana

(The BEST girls' class EVER!!!!! Such an encouragement!!)

"This world keeps spinning faster,
Into a new disaster, so I run to you.
I run to you baby.
And when it all starts coming undone,
Baby you're the only one I run to.
I run to you."

I Run to You- Lady A

(Having my Rachel over for a couple days-- wonderfulness! It went by too quickly, but it was fantastic! We also got to go see Star Wars in 3D! Wooot!)

"Everytime you smile, I smile. And everytime you shine, I'll shine for you!"

Jump then Fall- Taylor Swift

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." :D hee hee

Valentine's Happiness! *LOVE*

 Anyone who knows me knows that I LOOOOOVE *LOVE* thingys! Soooooo. I really like Valentine's Day! :) Here we see what the house looks like when we spend hours making Valentines and listening to Pandora "Love Station." =D

The beauty that was Valentine's Day! It is a blessing to be LOVED by our LORD. He not only made a world that was perfect for every need of a human, but He also made it BEAUUUUTIFUL!!!!

Lys, my MM, Bean, Aunt Tammy, Cancan, and Colby~ My Valentine's Day night party girls!! :) Ohhh, we had a blast! During the day my babies and I had super fun having Drew over, playing in the snow, playing with all our stuffed animals, talking, and just being very, very happy. Life is so full of blessings in our Christian friends!!

On Wednesday nights for several weeks we've been getting together at Aunt Tammy's or our house for supper together before Bible class. It has been a very fun time of fellowship and encouragement. Life has many high points and many low points right now. Being together is a high point... and sin is SUCH a low point, everyday. All the time.

Bean, Lys, my babies, and I really had fun making our LOVE DAY banner. We made each letter into something fun-- and I realllllly love this one~ Made by Bean and Lys! =) Those girls are sunshine, happiness, and wonderful cousins and blessings in my life!!

Our new foosball table is a hit with all! :) Such fun!!

 

Beautiful red rose from my incredible Big Brother, Josh. Who is also the horrid Facebook- hacker related to fruit. hee hee hee

Keep life interest, do things "just because." Tell your family that you love them every day, more than once a day. Show those around you that you are a Christian every minute of your life. Take the chance, to "live like you were dying."

Birthdays!!! =) =)

 Who could ever be bored with these sweet, crazy, cuties around?!?! =D

 Birthday presents time!!! Candice and Darren's Family Fun Night Birthday Thursday! Woooot!

Present-opening is always more fun with lots of little hands to help out! It is so fun to think of special gifts for the special people in our lives who make our world so full of joy and happiness!

McKenna sporting a "Kara's new shirt and Dusty's pants" look! =D

hee hee hee SUPERMAN and SUPERGIRL!!!

 

 Checkin' in with Facebook for all the fun birthday wishes. I really do love FB birthdays! SO many people write on your wall!

Darren is a fantastic leader, a wonderful daddy. He works so hard to take care of us, to be responsible, to do a good job at his job. We love going to see him there. He always has a smile on his face. We love when Daddy gets home from work. It's tine to play a lot, to cuddle, to laugh, to tell about our day and to hear about his. He makes everything we do that much more fun. My sweethearts adore their daddy. And he loves them with all his heart. It is such a special bond. I am thankful for his giving spirit, for his readiness to help out anyone who needs it, for how he takes time to talk to everyone and makes them feel more important than anyone else at that moment because he is talking to them. He is a Christian, teaching his children about God, and working towards Heaven every day. I am blessed so much to be able to know him and be a part of watching this incredible story unfold. 

Happy Birthday, Darren! 

Candice is the sweetest young lady ever. She is my sister forever. She has the most loving, helpful, talented spirit. She makes me laugh all the time. She is so loved by all, and gives such cute attention to little ones. She is beautiful inside and out. She wants to do what is right in God's sight, she loves to make people happy and do special things to make them happy. She is a wonderful cook and baker. We all benefit from that wonderful trait about her! =) I love any time that we are able to share together. We walk together, read together, study together. We and talk, and talk, and talk... and I never leave a conversation with her without being encouraged. She is goodness and kindness and a blessing to everyone who knows her. 

Happy Birthday, Cancan!

I love my family!! <3 <3

February Fun!!

 This winter has been very unusual. I'd really been hoping for a bunch of snow, I'd been planning to buckle down to more school during our cold, snowy days... well... we have had the most incredible weather and have had lots of playdates, passing out flyer days, and "just living," as Pollyanna would say. While it's not what I would have thought or planned out, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love every day.

 The day we had Brooke and the twins over to play, when they dressed up and played sooo very well together. When we had sunshine and no coats on in the beginning of the month. When we went to the library together. It was a priceless day!

 The day when McKenna wrote ALL OF THIS in school. Showing how she loves her friends, showing how much she's learning. I was so pleased. That is one smart cookie and I am blessing beyond measure to be able to spend my whole days with her. I couldn't imagine sending my little sweetness away for hours... Sigh...

 The day we got our Foosball table and we laughed SOOO hard playing as a family. Wow. It was incredible! I love any "Daddy time" that we get! These kids are so precious and LOOOOVE their Daddy more than anyone else. He is so good to us all. He works very hard and always plays hard with us. It's perfect! 

 The days when I'm able to Skype with my Shonie, my best friend in Australia. My sister. My amazing example and encouragement!! I look forward to and love our talks together!! Looking forward to whenever we're able to be in person again, but soooo thankful for technology!!

 I

 The funny, incredible moments with my babies. They make me laugh so hard. Their giggles, their belly-shaking laughs are THE BEST sounds in the whole world! I can't describe the happiness I feel when they come running into the room I'm in just to hug me and say, "Kawa, I love you." =)

 My Sunday afternoons at my 2nd home here, my Leonards'. And especially that day when I wore my new (and one of my favorites) shirt: THINK HAPPY! Where I can just live, where I can be myself. Where I am busy, happy, and loved.

 And... THEN! There were the couple days of SNOW! I loved it! We played, played, and played!!

 It was one of my favorite days ever. I love that it can all be so special, even though there are just a few of us together, even the ones who spend all their time together. It doesn't "get old" to be together. <3 <3

 SNOW ANGELSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!

This was our adorable little snowman-- AKA-- McKenna's best friend. (What I found so funny was her telling Carter the following day after he said that a lego dinosaur was his best friend, "Carter, THAT cannot be your best friend. It is NOT alive." =)

So everyday. No matter what you're doing. No matter where you go. There is goodness, there is happiness, if you will let there be. There is joy in all the things when your heart is full of SONlight! I love you all!

My 21st Birthday!!!

Every day with my sweethearts is a good one, and getting to share my birthday with them was no different...

They bring so much sunshine and joy into every day. I am blessed over and over and over to have their love touch and change my life. I would do anything for these sweethearts, and look forward to loving them for the "rest of my life," as McKenna tells me. =) Not only was I able to share my birthday with my babies, I was able to share it with...

MY MOMMY!!
I'd tried to call her a couple times that day, but she didn't answer. Darren got home early, without having told me before that he was gonna do that. The Hecks were out running errands when I got home... I didn't think anything was going on a at. I just started scrapbooking and then Alyssa called me. She and Christina talked to me for a while, then Daddy, too. Moma never came by the phone and said hi, but, I just figured she was busy. My Hecks got home, all came into my room, and THERE WAS MY MOMA! I was so surprised that I screamed, and then cried, cried, and cried... and then HUGGGGGED her!! What an awesome surprise!!

Aren't they just beautiful!? I got them from my best friend. It was such a fun night together getting to catch up and talk and talk and talk. I'm so blessed to have so many dear friends in my life who help me be the best that I can be and to focus all that I am on living for GOD!

My birthday dawned dark and cloudy, but turned out being lovely! We got to sleep in, go for a walk as a family, then I went to pick up my babies and head towards Higgisnville for several hours. I love that place; so many friends in one spot! I'm lucky to share my special day with my "grandparents'" anniversary. We had lunch together and enjoyed visiting. I love seeing my babies love them and call them "Grandma and Grandpa." The bond that we all have is lovely and perfect-- and it's all because of the CHURCH. 

My Abs!! I've been able to spend 3 birthdays with her and hope to spend many more, and FINALLY got to spend MY day with HER! It made me soooo happpy!!!! She gave me a super cute ~21~ ballooon, which I love. But what she gives me every day as one of my very best friends, as someone who makes me try harder every day to do what is right, and as someone who can always make me laugh, is priceless!!

McKenna really wanted to be in this pic, can you tell? ;-)

Seeing my Moma and my Stacy in the same place= Happpppiness!! These are two of my very favorite ladies, ones who help, encourage, and guide me in all their ways. I am extremely thankful for their beautiful examples in my life. And aren't they both just gorgeous?!

After our fun afternoon with my Higginsville families, we came home to Skype with my GA family-- with my Moma on THIS side of the computer! Woot! We had fun laughing, sharing presents, and talking together. I can't wait to have them all out here sometime. I love it when they're able to come see "my life" and understand why I love it so very much. I also really miss life there and just love to "eat it up" while seeing my house again over Skype and getting to say all the old funny things and tease in a way we only can understand. I love family!!

My beautiful, talented, happy, sweet, awesome Missouri Sisters. I am soooo blessed to have so many incredible sisters and brothers!!! :)

I love bein' a Country Missouri Girl!

I was very excited to get Tangled!! =)
And opening sweet presents from my wonderful family is made so much more fun and special by all the lil helpers who are super adorable!

I love my cousins, my sweethearts, my nieces!!! They all spent the night for my b-day, and it couldn't have been more fun!!! =D

This was the birthday of flowers for me. I looooooved it! I got these from my wonderful aunt and uncle and girlie girl cousins!

"I thank my God every time I think of you."
My Missouri Family.
I. LOVE. YOU. ALL!

God is so good.
God is so good.
God is so good.
He's so good to me!