Emily Rhyse is 7 Months today!!!!!

Bella & Emily Rhyse 3 days before she turned 7 months old
Little One, I love you so much and miss you!!!

Love, Bella

Photos from our Memorial Day Weekend . . . . that's all . . . . nothing else

Connie & Tom
Connie, Tom & Emily Rhyse
Morgan, Bella & Rachel standing on an F-18 jet (how cool is that)
Poppa & Bella at the top of the Hunting Island Lighthouse
The Family

Growing Up Too Fast ............

This is my baby girl, Morgan Ann, and her friend, Aaron, at the Prom. Can you believe it, my baby at the Prom? Woe is me!!!!! But, doesn't she look fabulous!!!!!

Love, Bella

Water, water and more water

This was what we woke up to on Monday morning. The water was so deep that I couldn't get my car out to go to work, I had to take the truck. I try not to complain about the rain, because when July and August hits, we are going to be wishing it would rain. And besides, I'm sure God knows how much rain we need.

Love, Bella

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

To ALL Mothers and Grandmothers, Happy Mother's Day!! I lost my Mom in 2001, and I sure do miss her. Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, I love you. My Mom was my best friend, we talked everyday, and I miss her cooking - no one can cook like Momma, her milk gravy, homemade biscuits, cinnamon roles, rice pudding, fried potatoes, and pinto beans.

Love, Bella

Today........

Today was a good day, we went to the movies and Morgan and I saw "Hannah Montana" and Poppa went to see "Wolverine." We really enjoyed watching the movie, just the girls. Now just sitting at home, finishing the laundry and watching "Twilight."

I'm trying to write more on this blog, but sometimes, like now, I just can't seem to come up with the words. I thought the more I try to write, just maybe, it would come easier.

Planning a trip to see Emily Rhyse over the Memorial Day weekend and I can't wait, and bringing Hope home with us. Just two days of fitting in months of missing, holding and kissing Emily Rhyse. See you on the 22nd Connie and Emily Rhyse.

Love, Bella

Wow!!

"A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

”Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Now, aren’t you glad you are a “cracked pot” too!

-Author Unknown"

I found this quote on this blog: http://jonesbones5.com/ and just had to share it. Absolutely awesome!!!!

Love, Bella

Morgan Ann

This is my baby daughter, Morgan Ann, and it seems like this year (all of 2009) we have spent an awful lot of time at the doctors' offices, either at her regular doctor or at the cardiologist's office. Morgan has been put on a beta blocker which seems to have "fixed" her racing heart problem. But now, she is having these pains in different areas of her body and they can't find out why. Please pray that the pains would stop completely and for her body to be healed.

Love, Bella

Clementina

I would like for everyone to meet Clementina. She is the little girl that we sponsor from Nicaragua. When I received this photo over the weekend and read the letter from her, I had to hold back the tears. She is so precious, and I feel so blessed to be able to be a small part in her life. I would ask that you all add Clementina to your daily prayers. And, if you are not already sponsoring a child through Compassion International, click on the link to the right and sponsor a child today, in Jesus' name.

Love, Bella

Armadillo Festival

Just relaxing, trying to recoup from the busy weekend. Morgan and I participated in the 5k run - 1 mile walk on Saturday (we did the 1 mile walk), and it liked to have kicked my tail. I am so out of shape. Morgan wants me and her to participate in the 5k run next year (oh my). Hmmmm, I guess we better start "training" now or I'll probably have a heart attack.

Ooh lala, we got to see an "Elvis Impersonator" and he was really good.

Can you believe there was actually a small team (3 people) there that are doing a documentary on armadillos, so be looking for it to come to your local PBS channel!!! It was too funny!!!

That's all for now.

Love, Bella