Please Pray

Margaret, Jay and Carrie

Please pray... my other "brother and sister" are in Uganda spreading the word of the God, and things are not good. Today during the final game of the World Cup a group of adults/students from my church were watching the game at a restaurant in the capital city Kampala. During the middle of the game a bomb was detonated across from their table. They were able to leave the restaurant with minor scrapes and bruises, and they all have hearing loss in one ear at the moment, but they walked out, alive. Praise be to God they were not at their "normal" table, the one they usually occupied while at the restaurant or they would not be alive. We are overjoyed that the Lord spared their lives, however, two more bombs in the same area have gone off and there are lots of people who have lost their lives.

Please join me in praying for Uganda, and those who lost their lives today. Please pray that we can get Jay and Carrie and their team out safely tomorrow. Jay and Allen (the long termers) are supposed to be there until December and Carrie and the others were to return next week. Due to safety concerns and the hearing situations that are requiring medical attention, they will hopefully be heading home this week. They do leave behind lots of sweet babies at the Sozo International Orphanage that was started there by our mission team. The boys (Jay and Allen) may wait until later to come home, to help with the babies, so things are a little unsure.

God is so good. Just yesterday, the third Clark child, Margaret, arrived home with a small group that had gone over to visit. The Jackson's are very glad our other siblings are safe and are praying for their safe return this week. Please join us in praying for their return and those in Uganda! Here is an article about the devastation.

Meet Henry and Grantland

Please meet Henry Thomas Uzzell...

and Henry Grantland Rice V...

They were both welcomed into the world on June 18, 2010. Henry came early morning and Grantland came around noon. Praise the Lord for precious, healthy baby BOYS!

Bachelorettes

I always think when I make a post... Okay this will start it off, I will be better, but sadly, I am not. I guess my very few readers (Shout out to Lacey and Mom!) will have to deal with my month to month posts.

I have been blessed to celebrate not 1 but 2 precious brides the past two weekends! I am so excited about their upcoming weddings and am so honored to be included in both of their BIG days!

Over Memorial Day weekend, we went to Seacrest Beach to celebrate Emily! It was The. Best.

Weekend. Ever. That sounded sooo dramatic :) We ate lots of yummy food, acted like we were in college and averaged about 4 hours of sleep a night. I am still recovering! It was really fun to meet new friends and spend time with some of my best friends... Yea for Em and Walt, can't wait for August 14th!

This weekend we headed up to Nashville for Sarah's Bachelorette Party! It was also so much fun! (I apparently have a limited vocab!) We, as most girls do when they get together, ate, played, talked and enjoyed lots of sweet company! We ate "family style" at City House and went to the Stage to hear a very interesting country band. The lead singer had more energy than anyone I have ever seen. I don't know how he was still standing at the end of the night! Our bachelorette was pretty cute... she was deemed the most "well behaved" and "beautiful" bachelorette of the night! We were very proud to be in her party! She and Justin are so close! 3 weeks... can't wait!

Change

I don't deal with change well. It usually involves crying and leaving something behind and forging into the unknown ahead. I guess it's the still living in a college town that makes my life seem transitional all the time; with each semester brings something new. The end of this year and this semester brings a lot of change...

"The boys," as I affectionately call my brothers, are so much fun to be around. They look so mischievous in this picture :) Blake joined Trey and I in Auburn this year as a freshman. Our many sibling dates, and random Tuesday run-ins at Big Blue have become a staple in my life. Trey will graduate next week and move into his next phase of life leaving Blake and me behind. I really am mourning this change. I had no idea I would enjoy having us all here together so much. I am thrilled to see what the Lord has in store for Trey as he steps into the "real world."

This past year I have also had the privilege of living with this hot chick! I can't even put into words how much fun we have add, how many tears we have shed (at the same time), and how many delicious meals we have cooked and enjoyed together. The Lord orchestrated our time together so perfectly and I am so sad to see her go. I am thrilled she is moving into another stage of life, I just wish sometimes I could go with her. Liz you are one lucky girl! I told a friend one time, I think you can do anything in life as long as you have a reliable buddy. Courtney is as good as they get... C... come back soon, please don't stay away too long!

More change is just around the corner... I teared up Friday watching a girl move out of Mollie Holli. My student workers are graduating, people who are some of my closest confidants and trusted helpers. Moving out of 526 Samford, but so excited about moving in with Kadie. Closing another bible study with senior girls, and watching them continue the race the Lord has allowed me to join in this past year.

Katherine is so good to remind me, we are not made for change. We are made for an eternity with our heavenly Father who is unchanging. Change is quickly approaching but the Lord is sovereign and has provided thus far all of the blessings above and more. I have no doubt he will continue to provide.

"Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts 14:17

"The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands." Psalm 138:8

SURPRISE... NYC

Well, I seem to only blog about really fun events in my life... which lends to very little blogging. I have several very thought provoking ones (none about health care, you can thank me later) that I will post very soon... until then...

Nannie, Emma, and I (per my amazing father) took my Mom to NYC on a SURPRISE vacation for a few days! This year has apparently been named the "Year of Janet" due to her 50th birthday in May and she and my dad's 30th wedding anniversary in August! Some of the highlights... FAB food, really great plays, and lots of walking in absolutely beautiful weather!

We also saw a few famous people. Usually I am not starstruck, but seeing Ashley Olson was pretty cool... We went to Bar Centrale.... and dined with the stars, and I mean within five feet of our table. BC is located in the Theatre District and unmarked from the street. A local hot spot for celebs so they won't be bothered. Too bad we were told no pictures, but this who we saw...

These two were seated in booths next to each other the next night at Joe Allen... a restaurant to the right of unmarked Bar Centrale... if you are ever looking to go! If you are in NYC, you must! A friend of ours saw them and said they were very kind to each other...

If you are planning a trip anytime soon... you HAVE to eat at one of these places... 1. Pylos, best Greek food I have ever eaten! 2. Bread, quaint little spot in SoHo. 3. Supper, George and B took me there first and my return trip was even better!

Just a few... thanks George and Kate for all the yummy suggestions!

Happy V-day from...

Mardi Gras.... Seafood, fun friends, the farm and the river, pretty hats and floats... just to name a few of my favorite things from Mobile this weekend! Love to you and yours!

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

A look back at 2009...

January... John Harris was born! This precious baby was such an answer to prayer. He has been such a joy to love on and watch grow this past year. I can't wait to see what this year holds for JH!

February... KK and Rob get engaged! I think that was one of the most difficult secrets I have ever kept. We talk sometimes multiple times a day... every time she called for a week, I thought it might be the day!

March... skiing in Vail with the fam... we LOVE to ski! It was such a great time with family and friends! We went with the McKnights and their son Drew, is Blake's best friend. He left in June for the Airforce Academy. It was a sweet time for Blake and Drew!

April... We concluded one of the most amazing covenantal groups I have ever been a part of. AM and I met with these precious grad girls for a year and I learned more from them than they ever learned from us. God used our group to minister to me in amazing ways... and Lupton came to town. It was a really fun month!

May... I had not 1, 2, or 3 birthday parties... I had 4! I felt so loved... and Max and Corey wanted to kill me. They attended most of them. I am so blessed with loving and caring friends!

June... so maybe not a highlight, but a memorable few weeks... I rocked this lovely bootie! I would receive an injury from the dance floor. On a positive note... Mom and Flowerbuds moved into their new location!

July... Court and I spent a wonderful 4th at Camp Mac. We rode in the Model T, went to Party Night, went down the Wet Willie and ate and ate and ate. I also went to Chicago with SB and Em to see Mary and LaLa. It was so much fun! We lived like kids for four days and laughed more than I have all year. It was good for the soul!

August... KK and Rob's wedding and AM and Chris' going away all in one weekend! It was emotional and truly blessed. The wedding was a beautiful picture of the Lord's faithfulness. The

going away party was bitter-sweet. It is so exciting to see Chris and AM serve the Lord and trust Him in big ways.

September... The first football game and the beginning of Gameday Breakfasts. There was always a core group and plenty of additional out-of-towners. It was a great time of fellowship and really good food!

October... I don't think I have ever appreciated a vacation this much! Mom and I left on Wednesday for Seagrove, FL and Dad, Trey, Nannie and Terry joined us for the weekend. It was a truly wonderful weekend and the weather was gorgeous!

November... My sweet and precious friend Christian was named Auburn University's Miss Homecoming! She started out as my student worker and has quickly become one of my closest friends. She is as beautiful on the inside as she is the outside! She is stunning!

December... Every Christmas the girls I grew-up with get together at Kristen's house. Most all of them live in Birmingham and see each other pretty regularly. I am the MIA friend. I really

enjoy this time to catch up and see sweet friends. Here is our pic from the first Christmas... I missed this year's pic.

What wonderful memories from 2009, but looking forward to 2010.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new, obedient heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command." (NLT)

This year my hope is in Him the one and only who provides for my every need. This verse will be my mantra. I am reading Keller's book called Counterfeit Gods... it speaks on the idols that rule our lives. I want more of the one whose grace is sufficient and less of the things that offer false hope and imitation satisfaction. Looking forward to the up and downs, the good and bad... 2010.