SWTA...Camp...and life!

CRAZINESS. INSANITY. EXHAUSTION.

That's my life right now.

I just got back from church camp Friday. It was an ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE week. I miss my small group and my kids at site sooooo much! But I am very glad to be back in my bed and eating non processed non cafeteria food. God moved in so many ways that week, he is such a great God. I learned and was reminded of so much and I'm so thankful for that week and everything he did for me and my youth group.

Summer With the Arts started today! Yippee! I  am the group leader for the 2nd and 3rd graders this week, (though tiring) they are so cute and I already love them so much! It was a really great day and I can't wait to see what the Lord does this week!

 
LUNCH TIME- SWTA 2012


Opening song time(I guess you could call it that haha)!


My brother and his biggest fan Allie :)

Anyway- just a glimpse of the day! Have a great week! But it probably won't be as great as mine :):)

~Bailey

Summer fun...and insanity!

It's been a crazy last couple of days...INSANE(which explains my extreme lack of posting). 

My cousins were in from Texas, and they stayed at my grandparents so we drove there several times last week. And Saturday we went to the lake! IT. WAS. SO. MUCH. FUN! My aunt could not move the next day- literally, could not move. 

 The house some church members were loving enough to have us over at!

The fantastic tube and all the cousins, (from L to R) Jman, Hannah, Hope, Sarah, Bailey, Sonia, and William.

A super cute picture of Sonia!

Dad, Hannah and I!

Sarah and Sonia jumping in the lake!

A little tubing action!

Hannah and I riding on the back of the pontoon!

Sonia and her new best friend Alex :)

Overall, it was a very fun day! I think I was one of the only ones who came out not sunburned, and not sore! And even though I am very tired from such a long and insane week- it was lots of fun and we made some Pinterest crafts! This weekend is going to be kind of crazy- but lots of fun! Anyway- have a great rest of your week! 

~Bailey

Tutus and Hairbows....

Source: lemontreecreations.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Hairbows...

Source: weheartit.com via Bailey on Pinterest

Tutus...

Source: via Bailey on Pinterest

And baby girl goodies...

Because baby Land is a........GIRL!!!!! A very tiny, but very healthy baby girl :):):):)

This little girl is going to be so spoiled...my little niece...that's so fun to say :)

I could not be more excited!

Have a great Saturday!

~Bailey

It's Summer!!!

Even though it's technically been summer for quite some time, it's just now feeling like it.

And sadly the business of summer has hit, and though it is wonderful- it is sometimes a bit crazy.

We've had VBS this week, and I've been with three year olds, and wow. I am so tired. They are CRAZY. But I love them and I constantly have a cloud of little children surrounding me and about four children asking to hold my hands. Apparently they don't understand that when I have one kid on each hand it means I don't have any more hands to go around...so they just grab my arm instead. But I'm totally okay with it...mostly because I just love them :)

This weekend is going to be packed and I'm so excited about it!

I have a 16th birthday party for one of my best friends at the lake on Friday, Amanda and Nick find out that same day if lil' Land is a boy or girl(what do you think??? Tell me please!). I think that the baby (who is already moving inside it's mama!) is a boy! I plan to go scrapbook shopping Saturday for more scrapbook stuff for this lil' peanut...We of course have church on Sunday and who knows what else it will bring!

Oh, but yesterday- I finished Little Women. It was tragic. But yet amazing. Very bittersweet. And that's all I can say. I just LOVE that book.

Oh and it's almost been a year since the Taylor Swift concert :) Such WONDERFULLY AMAZING memories :):):)

We've been swimming a whole lot this week- in fact we are going swimming today with some friends!

I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has to hold- and I can barely wait until Summer With the Arts!

What have you all been up to this summer so far?

Have a great rest of the week!!!

~Bailey

What a legacy

Today I went to a funeral. (no, not for Little Women)

And it was beautiful. I've only been to a few funerals, but this one was beautiful.

The gentleman that passed away loved God with all of his heart. And his son was my dad's youth pastor. And one of his other sons goes to our church(as did he, and his wife still does) and he has led my dad in many of the decisions he has made in church. Without both of these men- my father would not be who he is today. I owe so much to these men.

My dad did the funeral, and was able to tell stories of this family. Stories of how he loved Christ, stories of how he led his family to love Christ. Stories of his perseverance, his passion for life- his love to watch things grow.

And his wife of 67 years cried, as did the five rows of family in our sanctuary where he once sat.

What this man did, he loved his family but more importantly loved Christ so much that it carried down through many generations- he left a legacy. A legacy of what a man and woman who love Christ can do, how they can raise a family, how they can change so many lives. Because in those five rows of people sat in our sanctuary, he gave them each a gift- he taught his children to love Christ and they taught their children to love Christ and they taught their children to love Christ.

What a legacy. What a beautiful legacy.

Don't you want to leave behind a legacy like that? Don't you want to leave behind a huge family who all love Christ with everything they have, because of YOU?

I know I sure do.

I want to work hard, with perseverance, to leave behind a legacy like that. To love Christ like that.

And I know that not only did Mr. Avis Tobin leave behind an incredible legacy, but today as you read this, he sits at the throne of God praising HIS father today- because he's home.

~Bailey

I guess everything ends...

Have you ever read a book, and it was so good you wanted to finish it, but didn't want it to end?

I have, twice now.

Oh, Little Women. I feel like part of me is dying.

I have way less than 100 pages left, such a small portion of the book. Ya'll, I've read 100 pages since MONDAY. I just love it, I feel like we(the book and I) are emotionally attached.

I know, it's sad, but not for me. Books, reading, writing- they are my passion(and Jesus, and my friends, and my family, and card making but that's besides the point.)...I love them so.

And my dream is not only to have a book published, but to be as good as a writer as Louisa May Alcott. I cherish her writing, I get consumed with her characters and the life they live. And(spoiler alert) when Laurie proposes to Jo and she refuses him, it KILLS me every.single.time. And yesterday as I read that chapter, I almost cried and you know I never cry. They are supposed to be together...anyway...

I feel like I know the deepest feelings of Jo, Beth, Amy, Meg, Laurie and all the other fantastic characters. In fact, if Laurie proposed to me right now, I'd say yes.

I just love it. And I want to read it over and over and over again. I don't care what other people say, I feel like these characters are living right around me.

I've read this book twice now, and I would start it again as soon as I finish it(but I'm not going to, don't worry).

I feel like part of me is dying...and I'm so sad to finish the book, but every good, great and wonderful thing has to come to an end at some point. So it might as well be now.

As I have learned so much about faith, love, family and writing from my favorite author of all time....grieve with me, as I read the last pages of my beloved Little Women.....

Have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend!

Oh, if you haven't read this book- you MUST read it!

~Bailey

Dad

To my daddy on Father's Day 2012,

I love you more than you can imagine.
Thank you for the example of Christ you are to me and to so many others.

Thank you for everything you do for us. Thank you for loving Amanda like your daughter, because without that I wouldn't have my big sister.

Thank you for buying me special treats and taking me to get a milkshake after a horrible day of school.
Thank you for buying me and my best friend tickets to Taylor Swift.

You're the best, seriously.
And sadly you have raised my standards so high(which is a great thing) I don't think I'll ever find a husband- and then I can blame it on you!
Even though your little girl is growing up quite quickly right before your eyes, please know I will always love you with an unending love and will always, always be your little girl.

You will be the best "papa" to lil' Land- I'm sure of it.

I love you.

~Bailey Elizabeth

Happy Father's day everyone.