Where did it go???

June came and went before I feel like I was even able to blink my eyes. In reality, we were so stinkin' busy that I'm not sure I had time to blink very much. We started out June at the beach with the Berry family & our sweet friends the Hardins. Those were the only pics I got posted during the month of June. One thing I didn't get to include was our ride on the ferry from Southport to Fort Fisher. It was such a fun little adventure for us & Channing loved being on the ferry.

 This was the beginning of crawling at the beach, which he would master before too long. My sweet little 8 month old is crawling like crazy now & can go anywhere & everywhere!

 Riding the ferry! He loved watching the water move & the birds fly.

We came home for two days and had our last FUEL with the student ministry before the summer started.

We had to say goodbye to sweet Kathy & Teresa, who have been such faithful volunteers in FUEL! They will definitely be MISSED!

Channing & Daddy enjoyed the water slide!

The next morning we headed back down to Carolina Beach with our SENIORS. We wanted to do something that they would remember. Usually John would buy the students a really nice study bible that can range from $80-100, but all these kids had been with us the entire time we have been here and we knew that they had a WORD that they use & really didn't need another one, so we loaded them up & took them on a trip to invest some time into them as they embark on a new adventure! It's been such a privilege to see these young people grow & mature in their faith! So glad some of them will be sticking around!

Such an amazing group of students who we know God is going to use. So thankful that at least three of these guys will be around next year to SERVE in FUEL!

After we returned with the Seniors we had a day to recoup & go to church to worship & then headed out with the 6th & 7th graders for their annual retreat to Boone, NC! We enjoyed a couple days of cool mountain air, hiking (some of them had NEVER done this before) & some great Bible study about loving God with all our heart, soul, mind & strength! Luke 10:27

They loved the big hike of 6 miles to Hunt Fish Falls!

Channing loved the hiking too!

Daddy's day was in there, too! We celebrated with John. What an awesome dad he is to Channing!

This is a picture of my sweet boys & VBS! Yes, we threw VBS into JUNE too!!!!  Last count was 184 kids & 80+ volunteers! It was an awesome week of learning that NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE with GOD!!!

 

Channing already follows in daddy's footsteps in his love for music. This little guitar is his absolute favorite toy! One day we were leaving for VBS & he was terribly upset. The only thing that made him stop was the guitar! It came along with us & he played it during the music....just like daddy! Kids really do mimic what they see!

Our FUEL band, led worship for VBS & gave us an amazing night of worship during June!I love these kids & that they use their gifts & talents for the Lord. Their commitment & dedication exceeds that of many adults. It's amazing to see how enthusiastic they are about worshiping their God & King!

 During June our sweet 22 pound little boy moved to his BIG BOY car seat!

So, as you can see, we had AN UNBELIEVABLE month of JUNE! We're so blessed to be apart of all God has us doing right now! It's amazing what all you can accomplish when you are walking with him! Though we stumble, fall & fail at times, his GRACE is definitely sufficient for all we need.

the first of many...

Our summer is CA-RA-ZY! Last week we started it off with another first...the BEACH!!! Chan Chan loved it! I'm so thankful that he adores the water. I haven't had time to edit the bazillion pics that I took & won't have time for a bit because we are headed back to the beach tomorrow the Seniors from the youth group. We'll be home a day to do laundry & worship at church & then will head to Boone, NC with the new 6th graders! Should be loads of fun! I'm so thankful for a precious, precious son that is so laid back and relaxed. I know I couldn't do this with just ANY kid! I seriously have counted my blessings so much! He did so well as we were hanging out at the beach with the family (more pics of that to come b/c I haven't had time to get them all loaded & edited) and then with friends! Such a great first memory of the beach!

 Our sweet friends, the Hardins!

 John has been dreaming of doing this just like his dad did with him when he was small.

 The best $ I've ever spent! Channing took 2+ hour naps on the beach while momma soaked up the sun!



new adventures...

Channing got to go swimming & camping recently. He LOVES the water and has already gone under quite a few times.  He doesn't fuss or anything. It was so important to John that Channing love the water, because he loves it and when summer comes around we are in it alot. He's been to the lake and in the pool we have in the back yard and doesn't mind either one at all. I do think he likes the lake the best, because he can motor around in his float as he wishes because his feet can touch. He's quite independent.  We are very excited to be taking him to the beach this week to add another first to the list. We are loving having all these new experiences with him. It's so much fun for us & him! We feel so blessed to be his parents. Enjoy the pics of our adventures.

Happy Birthday...

HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY to my precious JBERRY! Though I wasn't even born, I was so blessed 31 years ago and had no idea. John has been one of the biggest blessings of my life! He has taught me so much about life. There are so many things that I love about John, but here are a few.... 

He LOVES JESUS! This is a picture of him leading our students in worship. Can I just tell you that he has taught me so much about the Lord & how he loves. I have personally seen him grown in his own walk with the Lord. Not to many years ago John wouldn't have  gotten on a stage to lead others in worship before our King & now he loves it. His heart and passion is to encourage families to take up a responsibility for the spiritual growth of their children. John has a passion that isn't like everyone elses. He has an ability to follow the leadership of the holy spirit and doesn't feel the need to have the approval of people over the approval of Christ. Man, I adore that about him!

He LOVES life & never takes anything too seriously! I'm still taking lessons in that area. If I get too serious, I'm likely to see a silly face like the one up above. SCARY, huh?

 He LOVES me. He has shown me an unconditional love like I've never experienced in my life on this earth and it has really helped me have a better understand of just how much greater the love of the Lord is for me. I feel so blessed to have called him husband for almost 8 years. 

He LOVES this boy! Man, does he love being a daddy. I will never, ever, ever forget the joy on this mans face on the day that I was blessed to tell him that he was going to be a daddy. And then the look on his face when he helped our doctor deliver Channing. I seriously thought the man was going to turn cartwheels right in the delivery room. And then the last Saturday when Channing said "DADA", the look on his face was once again priceless. I'm so glad that he's Channing's daddy because he has so many amazing qualities, gifts & talents to share with him. I can't wait to share the joy of growing our family together throughout the years.

So, Happy Birthday my precious JBerry. I LOVE YOU so much. You are so much more wonderful than I could ever write on this blog or on a thousand blogs! I love each and every day with you.

Our 7 Month Old Fella

Mother's Day

It's by far been one of the most difficult things to encounter. Unless you have experienced the unfulfilled desire to have children you wouldn't understand, so do not even attempt to tell the 2.1 million women out there facing infertility that you do. To have a doctor look at you and say in so many words, " YOU DON'T STAND A CHANCE" is heart breaking. It leaves you with this emptiness that cannot be explained. It makes Mother's Day one of the hardest days to get out of bed, not shed tears & hold on to hope.


BUT,.... ( oh, thank you JESUS for the BUT),


. 


























Jesus'  word is true! His promises are relevant for our lives. I have my Ephesians 3:20 (Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!). My life has been blessed & it will never be the same. I remember the exact moment that picture above was taken. I had him in my arms for the first time. HE WAS MY BABY! The one I prayed for & dreamed of for many, many years. I am not so far removed from the pain and heartache of want, that I do not have compassion for ladies out there who are still in their season of WANT. But I hope to encourage you, that it is just that. A SEASON. And just as we see them change before our eyes on earth, they change in our lives as well. Oh, how grateful I am for a new season.


I am so blessed to be Channing's mommy. And I have hope that there will be more Berry babies. I'm excited to be celebrating this first Mother's day with my sweet son & my amazing husband. Don't think for a minute there won't still be tears. But tears of joy! What a testimony the Lord has given us & don't you think for one minute that I don't  share it with  whoever the Lord puts before me! I want to encourage those that the Lord places in my path that may be hurting, that the Lord is good! In his perfect timing, he brings everything together!


Happy Mother's Day to you & if you are still waiting to celebrate, then celebrate your "someday Mother's Day" as my sweet hubby used to call it. Someday, some way, the Lord will make good his promise! 

Things Channing is doing these days...

 

 feeding himself avocado...

 playing with his reflection in the windows...

 watching the helicopter's fly over our house...

 working on standing on his own, after being helped up..

bath's in the sink...

and asking for more!

work..

I've always heard that saying "anything worth having, is worth working for." I'm thinking it's true when it comes to our recent vacation project. I know that it seems like an oxymoron, right? Vacation project? Really? But, yes! In the Berry household it's amazing what gets done when JBerry is home on vacation. We did go away & seek some rest in Boone, but who really sleeps well away from home? And the Berry's, what can I say? We LOVE sleep! So we headed home Wednesday, spent most of Thursday chillaxin' while it rained & tornado watches loomed over us. But once the sun came out in the afternoon, we started on an unfinished project.

Last summer we had created this....

After one summer, we decided it still was enough room. You barely have room for a table & a space to hang out. It still just wasn't the space we wanted. So after much thought, we decided to uncover the cement slab & use the almost 80 stones to create a larger space to enjoy.

So for the past few weekends we had done different parts. Making a design, cleaning out the grass from the space, removing the sand we had brought in to build up the extra part of the patio & then leveling it all out with leveling sand to create the new groundwork for our new game plan.

After days of planning, work & use of our muscles, we now have this:

We are so excited! We have eaten all of our meals out here & even enjoyed a little movie on the laptop one night after Channing went to bed. We are constantly thanking God for our outdoor space. It's a sweet blessing. The greatest part is that we were blessed with every part & it really didn't cost us anything. We decided to spend a small portion of our tax check on the new large table that we found at a closeout store for a really good deal & will probably sell the small table in a community yardsale that's coming up! I just love the small things that bless our lives! After almost 8 years of marriage we have figured out the things that bring us both joy & rest and  are worth an investment.

Even if it means using our vacation time to get them done.