Seattle babes

My favorite pic of these two...the quiet, curious Elias and the snuggler Glorianna.


















Then we have the Benjamin Boy...always smiling, giggling
and ready for some interaction.









A few of Jessi's friends, dropped in for a playdate...

Elias: multi-dimensional: Ready for action or Playful

Then there's Glory: the Dancing Queen or Waffle stuffer
Three favorite poses...that I have on freeze-frame in my mind and heart.

Thanks, Lord, for digital photography

I know there are many, many things we should thank God for every day but here's my latest: digital photography. Believing that He who created babies in the womb also inspires those who create technology, there are so many spin-off Thanks and this is mine today.

Having part of our family across the continent, I am already grateful for internet, webcams and unlimited cellphone service. But today, I am especially thankful to Candace and Daniel Lanning who are friends of Daughter Jessi and visited them recently in Seattle. While there, Candace took these amazing photos and now I can view them immediately - and from 3,000 miles away see various expessions and poses of my precious family.

If you are looking for a photographer for an upcoming event, check our their website at:
http://thebeautifulmess.com/blog/

Thanks, Candace and Daniel, for making this Nonny's day. And oh yeah, once again, Thanks Abba for the gift of digital.

Happy 14th sweet Caroline Grace

Today is sweet Caroline's 14th birthday and the official end of birthday blitz at the Hopper house. Yes, we have quite a little run from 8/17 until now with all 3 of The daughters having their special day in this 42 day period.

There are so many things about Caroline that I love, but I especially love how she looks forward to birthdays. This girl has been on birthday countdown for months now: planning her party, dreaming of different scenarios and listing who to invite. Knowing that I am not-so-creative when it comes to party planning, Cara took things into her own hands a few weeks ago and made her own party invitations. What I love about this character trait is that she is not selfishly thinking about gifts or honor for herself. Her joy comes in the idea of a party, the crafting of it and being able to share that with her friends.

Probably my second favorite trait of Caroline is also the one I pray over the most for her. She is kind to a fault and a real people-pleaser. Her sensitive nature causes her to look beneath the surface, ask "How was your day?" at least 3 times in five minutes, and care for those less fortunate. I know that God will continue to develop this gift of mercy in her and my prayer is that He will show her how to use it to help 'the least' while learning how to state her own needs when necessary.

There are many things about Caroline that remind me of myself at 14: love for the beach and water, intuitiveness around adults, ability to organize and do logistics, photography and her love of family. Then, there are just as many things that let me know she is at least 1/2 Gibson: love of outdoors, camping & exploring, interest in bugs, crabs or anything non-human that breathes, understanding how to check the charge on a battery, and the ability to put mechanical things together.

My prayers for this fifteenth year include:

• A continued growth in her faith-walk with the Lord, seeing evidence of His pursuit of her and His deep, deep love.


• Finding her niche at Wando High School. Plugging in where her gifts can be used and great friendships secured.


• Developing her gift of mercy and turning that into a passion for helping the least and the lost.


• More special times with her as she learns the "must know" things of life before leaving the nest in 4 years. I remember having a wake-up call during Katie's senior year when I realized, "I haven't taught her how to iron!" and would like to start checking off the list with Cara much sooner. Not that it has hampered Katie one bit...she and Jessi both married men who are great iron-ers.


• Lastly, heightened prayers for her courtship years ahead. Enough good guy friends to start to understand a little bit about them, but a contentedness with waiting until dating has a purpose.

So, sweet Caroline, Happy Happy Birthday. You are a blessing and a special gift to your father and I and we look forward to the year and what God will bring!

Happy Birthday Katherine Elizabeth

Amazing Woman of God...28 years today and I remember the labor/delivery like it was yesterday! After thirty hours of labor, two epidurals and some mind-numbing pain-killer, this beautiful baby girl was born with a head full of her granddaddy's brown hair and his height to match. PaPa Powell was so proud of this first grandchild that looked like him, he won the "obnoxious grandfather award" at the next family reunion. But that is the way it has always seemed to be with our Katie. People love her, love to be near her and love to claim her.
Beautiful Kate, as you've grown from that precocious Toddler to elementary President to troublesome Teen...your adult years still reflect that same early Joy and Zest for life, but God has matured you into the Amazing Woman of God that you are today. Who would have guessed that in so few years you would fall in love and marry a Mighty Man of God like Josh Walters, earn a Master's degree in Counseling, birth and raise 3 amazing children of your own and continue to delight the Lord in the way you seek Him and serve Him.

One of the most surprising aspects of having adult children is when the tides turn and God begins to use them to teach us. You are teaching me about Obedience. You model Submission beautifully and knowing the strong-willed spirit that lies beneath, the model is even stronger. Watching you with your children continually reminds me about the importance of being in every moment. Hearing your heart for the Lord as you dig deep into His Word challenges me to know Him better.

Katie, my prayer for you in this new birth-year is that you would know how pleased the Father is with you. He dances over you with Joy in the same way you dance for Him in play or on purpose. He delights in how you serve Him by loving the least and He loves the way you are perserving in faithfulness by walking out the hard everyday things of life.

May your day and your year be "more than you can ask or imagine, by His power that is working within you." Eph 3:20

Love you, momma

5 Things i love

Taking the challenge from blogger-supremo Daughter, decided to break up my introspective heavy writing with this light-hearted stab at my 5 Favs:
1. Webcams with the Connolly kids...well let's just say with Glory. While I love seeing all 3 of them, Elias usually decides he is much too busy to give me a personal chat. Glorianna, on the other hand, kisses the computer screen, dances for me with her arms in the air, talks nonstop and just makes me act silly in return.

2. Google. I mean seriously, what did we do without this savvy search engine? I can remember the first time my techie-friend R. Judd told me to change my search engine to Google (circa 1999) and I still stand amazed every time I need to pull up a recipe quickly, research an illness or get repair tips on appliances.
3. Seeing 3 of The Grands walk into church and be able to hang with them in between worship and work. Of course having all 6 here would just be nirvana...but for now I'm still pinching myself when Abigail peeks her head around the office wall or AnnaJaye sits next to me at 1st Wednesday dinner or Abel cranes his neck to see me...ok, so he only cranes his neck to see Aunt Cara...but he is starting to mumble some "na" syllables.
4. Priscilla Shirer. Daughter of Tony Evans, this 30-something woman has been on the travel circuit for awhile but I've just recently sat under her teachings and am blown away. She teaches the Bible in a fresh, powerful way that will cause you to stop look and listen.
5. Gaucho pants with built-in spanx. I only have 1 pair right now, but getting ready to add 2-3 more to my wardrobe as a necessity. Jessi tried to sell me on the rewards of Spanx a couple of years ago but having these built-in are actually almost better than coffee. (notice I said almost) Hides a multitude of flaws and can be dressed up or down. Mine are by Choices from Belks, so not crazy unreasonable.
So these are my Fab Five...what are yours?

in the Waiting room: Be careful what you ask for!

We've heard this phrase, smiled at it and even used it as a jab towards those we love! But usually in terms of asking for Patience, Strength of Character or Greater Responsibility.

What about when we are asking the Lord to direct our paths in the little moments, the quick decisions and the down-and-dirty-of-life-stuff? Do we really want His way? Are we really prepared to do as He tells us?

The spiritual side says 'YES!' while the reality side says, "Yes, but..."

On one day during my recent Waiting Room experience, I had become overly anxious and tired of waiting. Doing nothing. Waiting on others. Sitting idly when I felt they needed more information. For those who know my Type A, Action-oriented, Results-driven personality, you know this was painful. Again, this was a minor decision. Something as small as: Should I send an email?

Thankfully, I was with a good friend - an incredible woman of God - on this particular day. She said, "I think you should ask God if you are to send the email." My response was: "How can I trust that I'll hear Him right when my default mode is Act, Do, Send?" She repeated, "I think you should ask God what you are to do."

We prayed and went about our business. We were sitting at computer stations in the same room, checking emails, when I opened my daily online devotion. It read:

When a person's self-worth or success hinges on the achievement of a goal which can be blocked or which is uncertain or impossible, how will he respond to those who frustrate his goals? Often he will attempt to control or manipulate the people or circumstances who stand between him and his success...But people who are secure in their identity in Christ don't need to control others. Proverbs 3:5 says "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding"

Ok, then. I looked up from my computer just as my friend repeated, "I think you should ask God whether or not to send the email." All I could say was: "Read this devotion I just received. I am not sending anything."

Resting in the Lord, Trusting in Him to do all that was needed on my behalf was one of the hardest things I have ever done. But I felt peace immediately and the peace lasted until the wait was over.

the Waiting room

I've been in the Waiting room for a couple of months now. Actually for a couple of decades on and off but that's another story.
In this current and most urgent Waiting room it has been difficult for me to write anything worth sharing. Most of my writing has been pleading with the Lord, crying out to the Lord, questioning the Lord and finally learning from the Lord. Not really blog-worthy, but very spirit-worthy.

So, I apologize for the lack of blog writing, emailing and even abbreviated phone calls that might have seemed disconnected to those of you who have pursued me.

The most important question is: What are we learning from the Lord in the Waiting rooms of life? Because during that wait, we do one of three things:

1. Sit idly with no purposeful thinking, growing more and more anxious with every minute.

2. Compare yourself to others in the room, usually thinking that they are better off than you.

3. Learn, read, pray and seek the Lord about everything you can during this time.

Truthfully, I have done a little of all three during this current wait. Thankfully, God has personally brought me back to Him through the encouragement of others, His Word and His grace. I will write about some of those lessons in future blogs, but this is not the time. This is to encourage you, if you are also in a Waiting room. Our God still speaks! He is personal and wants to show you great and mighty things! Pursue Him. Question Him. Cry out to Him....and then listen very carefully for how He will speak to you precious one. Write it down. For we are created for the testimony of His praise and in the midst of waiting, we must be diligent in two things: Serving and Worshipping.

And as with most Waiting rooms, there comes a time when your name is called. You step through the door and then your world is changed in an instant. Turning points. Pivotal times. Spiritual markers. My name has been called and I am stepping through the door. More on that later, but for now...I must share what He has taught me during the wait.