catching up...

THIS CHALLENGE HAS BEEN FAILED (must read in your most robot like voice)....I can only imagine why I've failed. A sick 16month old with the flu and a dbl ear infection along with a 33 wk pregnant flu stricken momma= who care's about the blog. Of course this all started on a weekend when John had no choice but to be at work for a huge event on Saturday & then had his normal Sunday responsibilities. I don't know if you've noticed, but this picture is pretty accurate...

The world definitely keeps revolving when momma is sick. So, I've had no time to keep up with the picture thing. My ability to balance it all has definitely flown out the window.

But right now Channing is running around the upstairs between his room, his brothers room & the playroom while momma lays on the playroom guestbed and seeks some relaxation through blogging & pinterest. 

so....

Day 9: Front Door

 

I've really wanted to make one of those cutesy wreaths off pinterest for Valentines day, but you know it's one of those wants vs. needs & really I don't need it. So, it's just some something I've had for a while & CONFESSION...I put it up the day I knew I had to take my front door picture. My front door has been naked since Christmas stuff came down. I realized during my front door "setup" that I need to find a winter wreath or I need to make one OR the door can just stay naked. Who really cares?

DAY 10: Self portrait.....

I'm not really one of those self portrait kinda gals. You won't find my facebook loaded up with pics that I've taken of myself by holding my phone an arms length away. Yeah, it's just not me. PLUS, I would be EMBARRASSED for anyone to see the condition this momma has been in for the last week during all this sickness. My pj's & a hair tie have been about it. But here is a picture of the growing part of me at 33 weeks. (WHOA..is all I can say to that!)

Day 11: makes me happy...

 The other night we couldn't go to small group so we hung out in the livingroom as a family in our FORT! SO.MUCH. FUN. Gosh, I love having these boys!

 

Day 12: (deviating from the original list) Ya'll don't want to see my side of the closet. 

Day 13: BLUE  dinosaur pjs on my boy & his daddy's boots from when he was little.

DAY 14: LOVE.

This was a display of LOVE for my man...a homemade skillet apple pie!

God's been teaching me alot about LOVE too! I got was blessed to serve some of my sweet friends who have husbands deployed, widows in our church & single mommas with a little gift of love.

 

It really is a blessing to bless others & when you're being obedient, I've always found that blessing follows. After a week of unexpected dr/prescription bills being figured into our budget, I almost didn't do this little act of love but decided to make the sacrifices to make it happen. Can I just brag on God????? He put it on someone's heart to hand me not just what I paid for the project but DOUBLE what I paid. She had no idea. BLEW MY MIND YA'LL. BLEW MY MIND.

Day 8: SUN

The SUN is such an incredible reminder that HIS MERCIES ARE NEW EVERY SINGLE MORNING (Lam 3:23).

Lately I've been running around to doctors appointments, church meetings, cooking 3 meals a day, washing the dishes for those meals, TRYING to keep up with washing clothes for 3(how do they pile up so quickly?), TRYING to serve my neighbors, TRYING to be intentional about my time in the word, TRYING to take care of myself (i'm the last one that I tend to remember to take care of), TRYING to keep a house clean, TRYING to maintain a marriage, TRYING to maintain a tight budget, TRYING to be a good pastor's wife, TRYING to be all that I feel like I'm called/expected/wanted to be.....TRYING, TRYING, TRYING.

I'm so grateful for the WORD. I tend to appreciate it more & more each day. With each sunrise I realize my need for more & more of God's WORD.

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? 

Come to me. Get away with me & you'll recover your life. 

I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me-watch how I do it. 

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Day 7: Dinner

We LOVE dinner time. We make it a point every night except Wednesday, due to church, to eat dinner together. Channing has come to expect it & will rarely eat unless we are sitting & eating too. I actually love that!

So here's tonight's dinner pic. It was scrumpdidlyumptious!  (even if I do say so myself)

Day 6: SHOCKER

Those of you reading this & following the February picture challenge may have a puzzled look on your face. No, day 6 on the list wasn't listed as shocker. However, I messed up and that's the SHOCKER (sarcasm, just in case you missed it)! I myself am not the least bit surprised at my lack of 'put togetherness' that I feel in my life that has now boiled over onto my blog, so why hide it. Yesterday I totally thought all day that it was button day. I had thought it through, brainstormed some creative ideas & was totally on the wrong day.

SO.... here's DAY 6: cute as a "BUTTON" (guess, tonight will be dinner for this Berry Amazing Journey)

Yesterday I got to babysit a friends sweet little 14 month old daughter, Sadie. My sweet little Chanchan was overwhelmed with glee all day long! Sometimes I just giggle at how God created him to love others. Another testament in my mind that he's not created to be an only child which thrills my heart to death because it continues to affirm for me that no matter what doctors say, God is in CONTROL! It also makes me very excited for when his baby brother gets to the place where he can play & I get to see that joy everyday!

So here's a few shots of my cute little darlings from yesterday.

Day 5: 10 AM

Day 4:Stranger

I only got out once today & I just couldn't bring myself to take a picture of a random stranger. It's just tough & you never know how they are going to act, BUT....

"There's a stranger in my house"... (maybe you know the song, maybe you don't)

Ever since about November a new person has entered my home. His appearance has continued to change over the months to this burly mountain man before your eyes! He started this because his buddy Ben, currently deployed to Afghanistan, had to grow out his beard & he has continued it in honor of him.

Luckily he's only strange on the outside. Glad I know the inside hasn't changed!

Day 3: HANDS

These hands are:

adventurous

musical

loving

growing

curious

strong

helpful

capable

playful

Day 2: WORDS

Seriously, this has me surviving right now. Surviving. Not this particular scripture, but scripture in general. Seems no matter how hard I try to be obedient to God's word the stinkin' sin & flesh that I have wins at times. UGH...hate that. BUT I'm grateful for God's word and that it does encourage me to keep working towards becoming more like Christ daily.

Tonight at a meeting a friend shared how God has really been speaking to her through 1 Corinthians 13. I know we've all heard it but have you thought of it in regard to your fellow man, not just the one you love or a wedding? If God's second greatest command was to love my neighbor as myself, than I might want to review this. DAILY. HOURLY.

What if we really did love like this? REALLY? Wouldn't it make everything easier. Pretty sure this will be my next pinterest project (well, not this one but something with the scripture on it). There's a a few of those on that list that I just. don't. do. So, i don't love. That's so hard to chew when you really get right down to it.

Accepting the Challenge

My sister issued a challenge...you can read about it here. I'm going to face the challenge. I'm not sure that I'll be successful, but I will try!

DAY 1

This is my sweetness reading a book. Not only is he reading a book, but he's reading it to his baby brothers dog, Scruffy. He goes into the nursery and will ask for the dog. After his nap he took the dog, climbed into his rocker & began to read. Sweet moments.

TAGGED...

I was tagged, so I thought I would play along.

 {The Rules}
1. You must post the rules.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you've tagged.
4. Tag eleven people and link them on your post
5. Let them know you've tagged them!


11 Fun Facts about me...

1. My real name is Pepper. REALLY? YES, really. Often times in college I would have to show my license because people didn't believe me.
2. I have a scar under my chin from a bicycle wreck when I was little.
3. I've never broken a bone. The first time I ever stayed in a hospital was when I had my first son.
4. I love to be creative. Making something and seeing the finished project really makes me excited.
5. I enjoy giving gifts. I used to be so much better at this when I worked full time & our family budget consisted of  TWO incomes. Not so good at it anymore. MUST IMPROVE AT THIS.
6. I enjoy receiving gifts & I get completely GIDDY when I get a gift. I think I'm a pretty good gift receiver with jumping up & down, squealing....the whole nine yards. P.S. It doesn't have to be new stuff either. A box of hand-me-down clothes from my buddies whose boys have outgrown them rocks my face off now that I have two boys of my own!
7. I really enjoy a sappy chic flick. You know, the ones that are so predictable.
8. In high school I was a princess; Carolina Carousel Princess. I really was chosen by default, I think, but it's interesting a that a special man in my life was in another place praying for a wife that had A) a different name & B) was a princess. SO COOL!
9.  I LOVE teaching. Originally I thought that I loved teaching kids and while that is enjoyable, the demands of the state within a classroom are wacked out so I"m totally done with that & have found my true passion is teaching God's word to kids, to ladies, to my son....whoever will listen. I don't know that I'm gifted in it, but I do love it! Anytime I have an opportunity to speak I go for it & I totally miss the ladies bible study that I did this past fall.
10. I used to spend alot ridiculous amount of money on stuff; clothes, shoes, household items, but I've really learned that NONE of that is necessary & I've been giving stuff away left & right. That "stuff" really isn't fulfilling anyway.
11. I LOVE eating out. Not having to plan the meal, buy the groceries, or clean up afterward just makes me so stinkin' happy.


Your 11 Questions:

1. What is your favorite book? and why? I really love Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. The story of Gomer & Hosea written and aligned with the love that Christ has for me is so incredible. I might need to get it out and read it again!

2. What is your favorite holiday? I love Christmas, especially now with my own family and the traditions that we are creating. One of my favorite parts of Christmas are doing stockings and buying/making our yearly ornament!

3. Where would be your dream vacation? I love waterfalls. I just think they are so beautiful. I would love to take a trip around the world and see the biggest & most beautiful waterfalls known to man.

4. What do you like most about your spouse? He loves me. That's really selfish isn't it, but I have no doubt, even on the hardest days. My man loves me with an unfailing love. I do love his stinkin' loud laugh too (even when he is laughing at his own corny jokes)

5. What was the last movie you watched? We Bought a Zoo. SO CUTE!

6. What would you say is your best quality? um, can I skip this question..please??? Let's see....I"m honest. Not all people would say that is a good quality. Guess it depends on what end of the honesty they have been on. I mean, why beat around the bush or fake how you really feel?

7. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Some kind of lighting speed ability. Can you imagine how quickly I could complete laundry or housework?

8. What is your favorite time of day? I love mornings. I'm a morning person; one of those weird ones that my feet hit the floor BEFORE the alarm goes off. Strange, right?

9. What is your favorite smell? (weird i know) I love the smell after rain. My sweet man pointed this smell out to me years ago & now I never miss it!

10. Favorite hot drink? Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea made skinny, no milk. whipped cream & caramel, please! Thanks sister for introducing me to this!

11. If you could speak another language fluently what would you pick? Spanish. I know a little, but I'm not fluent.


People:
Nicole

Jacqui
Leah

Your 11 ?'s
1. Where's your favorite place to shop?
2. What's your favorite scripture?
3. What's the hardest lesson you've ever had to learn?
4. Morning person or night owl?
5. Favorite indulgence?
6.What's your favorite meal to prepare?
7.If you could spend the day with anyone, who would it be & why?

8. What do you wish you had known when you were younger that you know now?
9. Who has influenced your life the most?
10. What's one of the best item you use (makeup, cleaner, etc) that you think EVERYONE should know about?

our growing fella

He's so interested in being a big boy. Who am I to argue?

INCREDIBLE DADDY

Daddy's are so important. I've always known this, but the more I see John with Channing, the more I am amazed at the difference that he makes in the life of his son. Last night we watched Courageous & the opening scene depicts a man running after his stolen truck & fighting the thief until he crashes. You're mind leaves you thinking it's for his vehicle, but you learn that his youngest son is in the back of the car. In the next scene a couple of fathers are discussing if they would have risked their lives to do that. REALLY? I have no doubt what John would have done & I sat there for a minute just grateful for a man that would willingly give up his life for his family.

As the movie went on I was overwhelmed by so many different things. The feeling of loss that I have experienced because I didn't have a daddy in my life for the majority of my years. But what this world meant for bad, God has used for good. There is still a void there & I miss my daddy, but God has given me so much. AND that's what I began to focus on.

MY BOYS ARE SO BLESSED! They have an INCREDIBLE daddy & I have an INCREDIBLE husband! I am so thankful for that. John does so much for our family & is such a wonderful leader. He is loving, caring, & compassionate beyond what I can believe sometimes. After long working days he comes home & steps right into working in the home with me. He'll do dishes, laundry, floors....gosh, he'll do it all if I need him to & the biggest thing is I NEVER have to ask him. He knows he's a busy man so he's made scheduled nights to work in the house & "nest" with me. Love that! He'll just stare at Channing and speak life and blessing into his little heart. Channing just sits there taking it all in. He will correct him when he's disrespectful to me. He works hard, sometimes even on his days off to provide all that we need. Not only does he do all this, but he does it for God's glory and not his own. WHAT A BLESSING my man is!

The other day he came home for lunch & I was blown away at how he could just read me & my body language and my need for his help with Channing. It had been a "trying" day. Y'all know what I mean? The days when you are TRYING to walk in the spirit in your responses to your children, but they are SERIOUSLY just pushing, pushing, pushing. (don't judge, just being honest) Anyway, I look around because it got real quiet & they were both gone. John had taken him up (without me asking .... gosh that does so much for my heart) & was putting him down for his nap! I was so thankful! After putting the baby to bed and heading out to the office he reminded me, " You don't have to parent alone, babe." HALLELUJAH! I'm so thankful for this man! I told him too! So many women have husbands in their homes & they STILL parent alone, but PRAISE JESUS that I am not one!

JB, you are an incredible husband & daddy & we love you very, very, very much!

Pepper, Channing & Xander (this sweet thing has no idea how blessed he is!)

Christmas

Nothing can explain how you feel as a parent when you see the joy in your child's eyes like this:

He enjoyed it...don't you think?? 

sick day

Chan Man has been sick & momma found something for him to do that thrilled his soul!

Spontaneity

I think every mother of small children would say they have lost their drive to be spontaneous, if it was ever part of who they were. Hillary & I would agree! BUT, last week we decided to run with a crazy plan. We loaded the boys up in the afternoon despite the fact that they had not had naps and drive to the zoo and take advantage of a warm December day and our season passes! We giggled the whole way about our excitement over being willing to do something so out of character for both of us. Hillary had been gone for 6 weeks visiting family, friends & enjoying Jake's R & R, so we had lots to catch up on & it was so much fun! She is one of my closest friends & I am so very grateful for her and the blessing she has been in my life!

Recent fun around our home.

Channing saw me at the table the this week making a list. He wanted to sit and write as well. He sat in that spot for 45 minutes drawing!

His first masterpiece....

We went out to a Christmas parade the other night with friends. He was enthralled with the lights and sounds.

An Encounter....

We won't be telling Channing that Santa is real, but he took notice of the fella at the mall the other day. So cute!

Time of Thanks

EPHESIANS 5:20

Always giving thanks to God the Father for Everything... 

We've had a wonderful November celebrating and remembering all that we are thankful for. I want to create something that will be a constant reminder of daily thanksgiving. I'm going to hunt that down. I'm sure PINTEREST would have something!

We had a great time celebrating with our family in Charlotte & in East Bend. Here's some pics. Lots of cousins, family time & growing families at that! Sweet niece number 3, Caroline, will be here soon! Can't wait to meet her & love her like I do Ella & Allie. And our sweet Berry #2 is growing, growing, growing!

 I love these boys! I'm so grateful for John Berry. There isn't enough time for me to list all the blessings that he brings to my life! He's an incredible husband & daddy!

My sister Coley Berry! LOVE HER!

 

Nissi & her grandbabies.

 Our growing bellies! Sweet cousins will be 3months apart.

 B Berry & Papa John

 Pappy, J Berry & Chan Chan

Pics from East Bend visit

Nana...his great grandmother.

 

 Mimi & PopPop

 

CaMpInG...???

It's finally fall around here:

A youth pastor's family always has opportunities for crazy outings ADVENTURES. That being said, one must learn that the youth pastor's wife doesn't always have to say YES!!! This is something that I seem to be learning the hard way. That stubbornness that I see in my toddler...guess he does get it from me! I guess I struggle between wanting time with my husband and attempting to be that adventurous mom of boys that I'm going to have no choice but to be. I've already decided, now that I know I will be outnumbered, that I'm not going to FIGHT them, I'm going to JOIN them! Of course my boys will have times that they will go out & about and do things that Mom can stay home from & enjoy bubble baths and a quiet house, BUT when the opportunity comes I will be ready for some adventure with my fellas. I'm thinking however, that I don't have to be so eager to get started. The time will come on it's own. Channing loved it on the first day when it was warm enough for him to play & run around. That night however, I did something I didn't think I would ever do...slept in my car. Not only that but slept in my car at 20 WEEKS PREGNANT!!!! Nuts, I tell you. I'm absolutely nuts! But, we made it through  and came home the next morning. I MIGHT do it again when it's warmer, but it will take some serious thought before I agree.

Third BOY to steal my heart...

My heart has been captured....

 HE wants to say hi...

his sweet little profile...

 and crossed little feet....

but finally HE revealed himself.

Not only that, but he's coming sooner than we thought. Looks like he'll be an Easter baby due the early part of April. If he's like his brother & comes early it might even be the end of March! My heart is overflowing with joy.