Alyson Dawn Turns 9 Months This Wednesday... UNBELIEVABLE!

As hard as it is for us to believe... Aly will be 9 months old tomorrow!!! She's growing so very fast and it's quite fun to see all the changes in her as the time goes by! She's made many changes in the past 2 weeks or so... she's 'getting around' a room now (though not by crawling or walking, but by 'rolling', 'scooching' and 'lunging'!), she's actually been sitting up on her own for a while, she waves at everyone and I do mean everyone (whether she knows them or not! LOL), she points at things, she can now pull herself up in bed and her vocabulary includes "Mama", "Dadda" and "Bye Bye"! Who knows but what she'll just skip the crawling and go right for the running! LOL
Being as 3 next months will pass by like lightening... we've already begun to think about a small family '1st' Birthday Party for her. Themes, cakes, etc. will be such joy to plan, even if a bit sad at the time, that the year has slipped by so quickly!
Whitley is here for the week... she and Aly are having a ball 'bonding'!!! They love to play 'tag' around the couch, 'peek-a-boo' around the corners, 'basketball under the basket' (Aly rolls the ball out of her lap and onto the ground then, Whit dribbles it before making a basket and 'sending' it back to Aly for her 'turn'!), she also likes to 'bottom-bounce' on Whitley's bed, etc.
Well, Greg and I are certainly looking forward to our little 'belated' Anniversary Trip in a couple of weeks... (*sigh*) It'll be SO great to get away, if only for a couple of days and relax after an extremely busy Summer! We'll do our best to post pix for ya'll toward the end of the month.
Here's to another wonderful week for all of our Blogging friends and to a great end of a fabulous Summer!

My 3 Musketeer's...

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

(As all of my blogging friends are aware, we're in the middle of V.B.S. this week... and many of you will also understand THAT enough to know just how busy we are right now!!! LOL Needless to say, I've not any 'extra' time to write a very lengthy blog. However, there is ONE very important and most happy Event coming up... on July 24th and I refuse to ignore it!!!)

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BABY!!!

It's hard to believe... time has simply FLOWN by, hasn't it, Greg? God has been so good to us, we are the best of friends and the best part is that we're more in love today than we were then! WOW!
Well, being as we're both quite busy this week at Church, I thought I'd post a few lyrics to OUR wedding song. (These bring back such wonderful memories!)
When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.
Greg, I want to say, "THANK YOU for being the best husband I could have ever dreamed of... I'll love you 'till the blue bells forget to bloom. I'll love you 'till the clover has lost its perfume. I'll love you 'till the poets run out of rhyme. Baby, I'll tell you true... Until the twelfth of never I'll still be loving you."
Due to a 'nasty' computer with quite an attitude and lots of problems, I've posted a LINK below to our most recent Album, just a few photos that were taken at our Faith, Family and Freedom Rally (at Church), a couple of Wedding (Engagement) Memories, etc. I'll also continue to add other pix of our July happenings to this album over the next couple of weeks, as well.

(Just 'copy and paste' the LINK below to enjoy a look into our lives!!!)

http://picasaweb.google.com/thepennfamily2007/AVeryPatrioticJuly2008FilledWMemories

A Wee Break Before V.B.S. and More Company...

Greg, Aly and I enjoyed another of his 3-day weekends together! Friday evening, we were invited to 'Cuz' Cassie's "Fancy Nancy" Birthday Party and boy did Aly ever have fun... with all that girly stuff to look at and play with! So much pink and purple, lots of balloons, delicious food, a darling cake with decorative purses and rhinestone encrusted eyeglasses on it, etc. On Saturday, we 'hung out' at home for most of the day before hitting Wal-Mart for groceries. Sunday Morning and Evening were both spent at Church - with an 'Ice Cream Social' following the Evening service. YUM! We slept in a little on Monday morning, stopped in at "Charlie Brown's" for a late breakfast and then 'hit' the town for a little shopping. All in all, it was one great and relaxing weekend... perfect for just a wee break before V.B.S. week and upcoming company that will be visiting us over the next few weeks. While working at the church this week, I stumbled along the lyrics to a song by "The Steele's" and even though July 4th is over... our Country is in 'Patriotic Limbo', so I wanted to share these with you!

Something is wrong with America.
She once held the Bible as her conscience and guide.
But we’ve allowed those who hold nothing to be sacred,
Like Sodom of old, to push morals aside.
Where are the men who once stood for right?
And the women who championed their cause?
We must return to the values we lost,
Before this country we love is totally lost.

(Recitation:)I love America. But I do not love what she has become.Our children are asked to attend public schools that in many cases resemble war zones,without even the most basic right of any soldier…the right to pray to the God of heaven.Many times a wild-eyed, drug-addicted, gun-carrying teenager is allowed to stay in school,while our Supreme Court decided to expel God from the classroom over thirty years ago.Something is wrong. Television daily bombards the senses of our nation with the idea that wrong is right,that the abnormal is normal, that the abhorrent is acceptable, and that what God calls an abomination is nothing more than an alternate life-style...and it’s had an effect. Thirty years ago, the number one television program in America was “The Andy Griffith Show.” Look what we have today. Something is wrong.When our government can pass out contraceptives to children is school with out parental consent,and yet the Gideons can no longer pass out the Bible on campus…something is wrong.When our leaders can tell your children and mine that premarital sex is alright as long as it’s safe…yes…something is wrong.
And I for one am ready for a change. I will say to my government, “I’m not raising dogs at my house; I’m raising children…created in the image and likeness of almighty God.And I’m going to teach them the Bible. If the Bible says it’s right…it’s right.And if the Bible says it’s wrong…it’s wrong.”The only hope that America has is that Godly men and women will stand together as one might army and declare to the immoral, the impure, the obscene and the foul,“Your days of unlimited access the minds of America are over.The army of God, that has been silent for too long, is taking America back!”

We want America back.
We want America back,
From those who have no self-control,
We want America back.
This nation is like a runaway train,
Headed down the wrong track,
It’s time for the army of God to arise,
And say we want America back.
It’s time for the army of God to arise,
And say we want America back!!

MAY GOD HELP US AND BRING AMERICA "BACK"... We are having a special service THIS Sunday Morning at our Church called, "God and Country" with Andrew Phipps, You're all invited for more information, please refer to the Southside Kidz Link below.


Being as this was our weekend to do pretty much 'nothin', we'll look forward to posting a much more 'news-worthy' blog next time around... this should be a fabulous week coming up (even if we're in the middle of V.B.S. on our Wedding Anniversary Day)!!! Trust all is well with you and yours, bye for now.

NOTE: We didn't once have our camera with us over the weekend, thus the picture I've posted at the top of this blog, was taken just after I gave birth to our little Alyson Dawn. However, it's one I'm rather certain I've never posted on a previous blog... we WILL post current photos again, next week!

May the Summer Fun Continue!

July 4th weekend was a very exciting time around our part of the fair city...
Greg's parents arrived on Thursday evening (the 3rd), just in time to head to "Chicago's", for a little of their tasty pizza!
We spent the morning of the 4th relaxing with the 'in-laws', Wes and (friend) Devin. This, after a week in our wild, wooly, wonderful "Boys Dorm" and what fun that has been!!! It's always great to have the chance to spend time with Greg's family!
Around 1:30 p.m., on the 4th, we drove to (our Church's) "The Hope Shelter" to meet the rest of the family for an afternoon Picnic... everyone pitched in on the menu and it was to DIE FOR!!! Pork Chops on the grill, Corn on the Cob, Italian Bread, Ceasar Salad, 5-Cheese (homemade) Macaroni Casserole, Multi-Bean-Baked-Beans, Homemade Cheeseball-n-Crackers, Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Strawberry Cake, Texas Sheet Cake, and SOOOO much more!!! There were even Hot Dogs on the grill, Chips-n-Dip, P.B. Brownies and other snacks... just for THE KIDS!!!
Speaking of kids, here is a photo of our Alyson with her Mamaw "Who" (S.) taken at our 4th Family Picnic. The two of them always have a great time together! We've been too busy with company to try and keep up with picture taking... (guess we need to take a lesson from dear Ronda and Danny, huh?) Maybe it'll get better when we're out of the 'baby stages' and there's not so much to remember every time we walk out the door? (Like 'Did we bring the camera?!?!? LOL)
Due to little rain and clouds, we had our meal in "The Dwelling" (the Church Youth Center) and when the sun came out a bit, we headed out to the Shelter for even more fun!
That evening, we drove downtown for the blast of Indy's famous Fireworks, they were great BUT the Finale' was AWESOME! Once again, (much like our day at the Zoo), Aly wasn't all that interested in the fireworks, but she enjoyed looking at all the people! LOL
Our guests went to Church with us on Sunday morning, then for the evening service, "The Perry's" were in Concert (also at our Church) and God came in a very special way.
As you can tell, we had a wonderful weekend, trust ya'll did as well and we just want to say how thankful we are for the family God has granted us! "Thank You, Jesus... You've been better to us than we ever deserved!!!"
We'd also request special prayer for our Nation, not only during this Patriotic season but for the upcoming Election season, as well?!?! Without the much needed prayer of Christians around the Country, there is NO hope!!! Our plea is that God will continue to BLESS America!!!