new changes

thank you sarah for posting bout shaggy blog!!!! i love the new look i was able to get!!!

so, i know it has been a long time since i last posted...we have had a lot going on in our lives!!! we had 4H fair and that was awesome...the kids did great and it was such a fun time this year...now we are rolling into some very interesting things personally!!! we have found a house to buy and the man comes to see us today about the farm loan!!! also some physical things: be praying for aron.... he is down and wore out from his job!!!(among other things that are weighing on his mind!!) then yesterday ben had a fainting episode that scared us silly...this was something new and we are concerned.... we will be going to the dr next week!!! all in all we have had a busy and good summer...i can't wait for school to start back...i get tired of the fighting between the kids!!!lol i don't remember ever fighting that much with my siblings!!! it is hard to believe that ben is 15 now and beth will be turning 13 in november!! but in all honesty i have to say that even in the bumps God has been good to us these past few months!! just wanted to check in and let everyone know we are still alive!!!

fantatsitc giveaway for skin products!!

go sign up for this great giveaway..lots of good skin products. go here to sign up!! also check out all of sarah's other giveaways!!

necklace giveaway

sarah at 8 muddy boots is giving away the most beautiful necklace!! go here to sign up to win this prize!! would also make a great gift if you wanted to give it away but i think you will want it yourself!!!

chocolate giveaway

go here for a giveaway for healthy chocolate!!! i can't believe it !!

hip-t giveaway

go here for a great giveaway !!! you will want this product....great for young and old alike....a must to help with modesty

we have a baby!!! Clara Mae Handshoe. 7 lbs. 8 oz. 21 in. long.she is swollen from being wedged against the birth canal but, she is beautiful. mom and baby are doing great. i will post pics on facebook as soon as i can. Clara has some strawberry blonde hair and she is a doll. we are so thankful God is good. thank you for all your prayers. 

It is 11:55 and they are taking jenny into surgery for her c-section. the baby was still face down and her heart rate was dropping when she tried to engage in the birth canal.we all know this is the best thing but it is still scary. we have prayed and have peace. jamey and jenny are making a smart decision and ultimately God is in control.so hopefully i will be back in and hour with info about our girl such as her name(finally), weight, length. keep praying thanks we love you guys all

so hey all!! we have been at the hospital with jamey and jenny since around 4 this morning. still no baby. things are not progressing as well as expected. please be praying the baby is face down and her heart rate has slowed once already. it looks as if they may have to do a c-section. jenny is nervous as is expected but she has a good dr. and God is ultimately in control of it all. 

i am hoping to be able to post soon that we have a baby and everything is fine!! again please pray!! thanks !

love, the browns, the handshoes, the mantles, and the bales families

well mom and i are leaving for indy!! jamey called and jenny's water broke. please pray for safe travel and easy delivery for jenny!! she has a history of seizures so pray ti goes smooth. i will do my best to keep everyone updated. yay a baby

the past 6 months (but especially the last 3 weeks) have been extremely hard at our house. and these past 3 weeks have just killed me. i have felt so broken. i can't even come before the Lord and pray for my meal without just breaking down. i do struggle some with depression and this time of year is hard for me. i love fall and i know winter is necessary but i want to go straight from fall to spring. i long all winter for new life and growth. i desire warmth and sunshine. i know that doesn't sound strange. many people feel that way but, i get so bogged down in it and it feels like i am sinking and may never surface again. it is a sad, lonely, and horrible feeling. there are things that get me through this and i am thankful every day that God has given them to me. my family, the Word, and music. (for those who don't know me well there is always music playing somewhere in our home. i have even turned my kids into music bugs!)

i have been involved in a bible study at church and i am so far behind on the homework.i never seem to have the time for it. the past 2 weeks of the videos have just cut me to the quick. i cant even watch them without crying. they have been so true and on time. i have thought that i was really relying on God these past few months and i know i have always trusted that he will be there but, i have to ask myself have i really?have i studied like i know i should? have i prayed and had enough quiet time like i should? no, i know i haven't. maybe God is bringing me to this place of brokenness these past few weeks to say "HEY YOU!!! OVER HERE ITS ME!!! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS TALK TO ME!!!"

i am thankful God loves us enough to reach out to us even when we get bogged down in our own sludge and junk. i am thankful that He always wants to hear from us no matter what. it amazes me that he wants whatever we have, be it broken or dirty or old, he is not picky. i am thankful for that. what i have to offer is not always worthy in me but everything in me is worthy because of Him.

" My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."
Psalm 51:17

so here's the deal; it is beautiful out today and i love that but it has just been one of those days and i feel so down. actually feeling very anti-social. ever have a day like that? just dont want to exsist in anyone's world but your own? thank God he is with us always and we dont have to be anti-social with him( we can choose to be) but i am gladthat even when i feel like this i don't feel that way toward him.

potpourri giveaway!!! go here dailyessentialsandeals.blogspot.com this is awesome potpourri. and a good deal to win that much for free.

So I had some bananas that needed to be used and we are kinda sick of banana bread and muffins. you need a little variety every once in awhile. I found a recipe for frosted banana bars and they are so good. i still have more bananas left so I think i am gonna use a recipe i found for banana cookies. i hope they taste good. if anyone would like the recipes let me know.

i hope everyone has a good valentines day!! we are taking the kids and running away to a secret destination for the day. we do this once a year and just hide from it all but us. it is so awesome! the kids love it! enjoy you your day!!

well y'all i did it !!! I am now officially a college student. it is kinda scary. i will be starting my classes on monday. it is also exciting. pray for me it has been a long time since i have been in school.

Yesterday we drove down to my Aunt Jenny ana Uncle Jamey's house. Then we watched the altra sound of my new cousion.Then we had pizzia.Then we watched American Idol.Then we went to sleep. And today we woke up and had scrambled eggs and cinniman rolls.Now we are going to skip church  for a baby shower.    love, elizabeth