Happy Thanksgiving from the Noe Family!

Doesn't that sound awesome? The Noe family.....Matthew, Ashlee, Kari and Malachi. All 4 of us together for the holidays.

Honestly, I know all of you that read this aren't Pentecostal Holiness and won't understand this statement but it makes me wanna shout!!!

We're so thankful for what God has done for us this year. God has been so amazing to our family and me and Matthew sit and marvel that we're back together and happier than we've ever been. Ephesians 3:20 has never meant so much to us.

The laughter that's in our home, the Bible reading and praying that we do together everyday, the long talks and Scrabble games me and Matthew have each night after the kids go to bed...how blessed can we be? I know that doesn't sound very exciting to everyone but the love, the peace, the contentment, the joy...no words can describe how it makes me feel. God has truly done exceedingly and abundantly above anything I could have prayed for.

Lord, thank you that my family is back together. Thank you for the mercy and love that you freely pour out to us. Thank you for our family and friends that mean so much to us. Thank you for just being God....the one true God that is mighty to save.

:)

The Last Days of TN

Well, I can't believe we go home tomorrow! But I'll be honest and say that I'm ready. I'm ready to go home and put all my stuff away and rest and relax the remainder of the weekend.


One more piece of good exciting news is that I'm putting my Christmas tree up next weekend!! The past two holiday seasons have been really tough and I'm starting early to be sure we all enjoy it to the fullest! 7 weeks until Christmas for those of you that haven't been keeping count.





Matthew has to leave around 6:00 in the morning for his job so the kids and I will probably leave out pretty early too. We may have to make a pit stop at Memaw and Sissy's to surprise them. (unless they read this tonight and then it won't be a surprise)

You all know how it works when I try to make promises to update my blog so I'm not making anymore of those. To be honest, I'm going to focus on my family for a while and I'll update here and there when I can. Obviously that's what I've been doing is just updating here and there. But you know what I mean.

Love y'all and please keep our family in your prayers!!!
:)

More Pictures (Day 4)

I have one question: Why is it that we must go to Cade's Cove EVERY time we visit TN? I mean, seriously. If you've seen one deer, you've definitely seen them all. I'll admit that the last time I was at Cade's Cove we saw 3 bears but that's so rare that it's just not worth it to me.




So, THREE HOURS found us at Cade's Cove. It rained. It sleeted. But still, we trucked on to see the 10 deer that were out in the rain. We also saw about 10 turkeys which made me anxious for Thanksgiving.


And I just have to add this in here: why do people set up tripods and have all these fancy cameras to take pictures of a deer? I'm thinking: I have these things scampering across my yard and one of them destroyed my headlight and scarred my child for life. Why do you want so many pictures of the same animal? Oh, well. I guess I'm just different.

I also have to add this: in answer to some of the comments, no I didn't ride the helicopter or the sky lift. I don't pay $30 for 1 minute of being in the air and I don't relish the thoughts of being in the air anyway. The sky lift is something I have NEVER ridden (rode?) without Matthew and it was either somebody keep the kids and me and Matthew ride or him take each of the kids on a ride. I sacrificially gave up my ride for my babies. I know....I'm such a good mother. LOL. Actually, I'm just not very brave.

Daddy and Kari also rode the go-carts together and Kari commented when I asked her if it was fun "Well, it was sun (fun) but I pwayed (prayed)." HAHAHAHAHA!!! I thought that was hilarious. Bless her heart...she has a lot of her mommy in her. She makes herself be brave.

Thank y'all for all the sweet comments you left on my post from this morning. Matthew and I both read them and it just made the day all the more sweet because we know we have people praying for us and rooting us on!!!

Love y'all!
:)

THE BIG NEWS!!!

Okay....the post you all have been waiting for. The big news. I'm not sure if this will be lengthy or not but here goes.

October 6, 2010 my husband got saved. I don't want to dip into the past and say things that I shouldn't but Matthew has been away from the Lord for two years and we've been separated for almost two. The Lord has gloriously saved Matthew and He's working miracles in our home, our marriage and in Matthew's life.



(Matthew asked me not to post these pictures because he hadn't had a haircut or shaved and he had a straw behind his ear but I wanted to post ASAP)

Matthew surprised me on Tuesday night by coming to Tennessee and knocking on the door. It was the best surprise.

But I'll have to say that the best surprise of all is God's mercy and grace. His forgiveness and his love towards us. And his willingness to answer our prayers when we least expect it.

I ask that you all please keep us in your prayers as God continues to move for our family. We all know that when God is doing something wonderful in our lives that the devil will fight with everything in him to destroy the child of God. Especially when God's doing something in the home. The devil hates a home being put back together. Please keep us in your prayers and pray for Matthew as God moves for him.
I'll try to post more pictures later today!

:)

Days I & II Tennessee Vacation!!!

Well, I guess y'all think I'm the biggest liar EVER. It certainly appears that way, I know. I won't make any excuses except to say that our entire lives have been flip flopped this past month. I know I promised two big pieces of news but I would like to support the news with pictures so it will have to wait a few more days.

So, anyway. We're in Tennessee this week with Pappy, Gammy, Chris and Lacey. The kids are loving it! They've been on the helicopter:




The skylift:



We've walked through Gatlinburg:




But we're pretty much just taking it easy and relaxing. I heard a rumor of snow flurries at the end of the week!! Wow!!
Am I making you jealous yet? Before you get too jealous, just think of me in the Old Mill Restaurant with both kids. It was truly a disaster. There were some other people that met us for supper and when Kari started going backwards out of her chair, just about everybody at the table screamed. Yes, the entire restaurant turned to stare. That, among other disasters at supper, should keep you from being too jealous.

:)

Small Update

Hi, everyone! I have missed y'all sooo much! I feel like I have a mouthful of stuff to update you on and to tell you about and about 3 dozen pictures to upload but there's no time right now.

So....I'm going to sign off today with a PROMISE (I'll keep it this time) to update either at the end of the week or this weekend. I have some news and a prayer request and then another piece of news.

Love y'all,

Ash :)

Confessions and Other Things

Okay....let me first get the Confessions of a Mom Monday (on Tuesday) out of the way first because I have a goodun.

1. I did not let my kids sit outside on the grass while the baby kittens were eating scrambled eggs that I fixed them. The kids did not eat the eggs along with the baby kittens.
Oh, yes I did and oh, yes they did. Can you top that one for UGH??
The baby kittens were so hungry and I was out of cat food. I thought that the kids would enjoy watching the kittens eat. Wrong.

So, anyway. Moving on.
Sunday evening when I got home from church I was going to switch the laundry around and put another load on. When I opened the washer lid it was full of water and it was deader than 4:00. I immediately started praying that God would help me to figure out what was going on with it and that if it was something major that He would just heal my washer. Don't laugh at me. It works. I called my mom and told her to pray because we all know that a single parent living on a single income can't afford to go out and just buy a new washing machine. While we were STILL ON THE PHONE, the washing machine just started up and has worked fine ever since. How's that for answered prayer??? Thank ya, Jesus!
Bad news is that my laptop is messed up and I have to send it back to HP for them to fix the "motherboard." What in the devil?

Now that my laptop is gone for several weeks, who knows how it will go for me to update? It looks like I'll be able to update here at work sometimes so maybe that will work!!

Have a blessed day and we'll see you Friday for What I'm Loving! MameyJane, do you know how to do the linky thing? Cuz I like that idea but I have no idea how to do it!

:)

What I'm Loving Friday!!

Happy Friday, everybody!!!
I think everyone should be proud of me that this is three days in a row that I've posted on my blog!! Yay for me!!

1. I'm loving that the weather is beautiful today! Perfect temperature although I'll admit that I wanted to wear my Farmers National Bank sweatshirt today and it was too hot. In March I'll be saying "I'm not wearing the stupid sweatshirt again!" but for now, I'm excited about fall/winter clothes!

2. Speaking of clothes...this is my current fashion that I'm loving to laugh at! I mean, really.

3. I'm loving this coat and this coat and this coat. Aren't they terrific?

4. I'm loving that tomorrow me and MIL are having a yard sale. Oh, I'm actually exaggerating because I despise having yard sales. Seriously. But we need vacation money so we're getting desperate.

5. I'm loving brown and pink giraffe print for Kari's room. Only one small problem...I can't find anything for little girls' bedrooms in brown and pink giraffe print. I'm so aggravated!! Any ideas?

6. I'm loving that in 5 weeks we're leaving for TN! I know some people think that TN is boring and that if you've been once you've seen it all but I beg to differ. It's all in personal preference. The beach really isn't my scene. Especially considering our last beach vacation adventure. Kari is so excited because her and Pappy are riding the helicopter. She even told Pappy this morning that it was 5 weeks until we leave for TN so we are all counting down. We are very excited about this trip and it is much needed, let me tell ya!

7. I'm loving that next week is Bond campmeeting. I'm praying for awesome services and getting to see some much loved friends that I only see once a year. Like Davy, Kelly and Odie!!! I just pray that Kelly leaves her "critters" in the BoggsMobile.

8. I love the Lord and my babies and my family and my home and my new car (which I've yet to post a picture of) and my job and everything that the Lord has blessed me with. I even thank Him for the tests and trials because I know that it's through the tests and trials that we're made perfect in Him. There's an awesome song by Mercy Me called Bring The Rain. One part of the song says:

And I know they'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain


Well, I think that's enough stuff that I'm loving. I really could go on and on because I love so many things. It is with a grateful heart that I sign off today. Not because I have 100's of dollars in the bank or live in the nicest house or neighborhood or drive a brand new car (although I'm THRILLED with my "new" car)or because everything in my life is so wonderful and neat and orderly. It's because I know that God is faithful to me. He's been faithful to bring me this far and He'll continue to be faithful. How can I say this with such assurance? Because the Bible say Jesus is the the same yesterday, today and forever.

That, my friends, is something we can surely count on in this life when the world around us is shifting sand!!! (How did I switch to preaching so fast? LOL)

Revised

Here's the pics along with the post from yesterday! I think it's hilarious that I didn't even say what Kari's surprise was!! Haha! I would say that you could look below and see what it was but since my SIL hasn't emailed me the pictures from the park I don't have any to post on here. It was a bike with training wheels!! We will have loads of fun with that and probably loads of bruises too. Also, the little place under Malachi's nose isn't a booger, it's a big scratch where he cleaned the sidewalk with his nose, upper lip and chin.

First of all, I apologize for the lack of blogging this past week. It has been a whirlwind of activity as always but I promise I’ll try to do better. I know I’ve said that for three weeks now but I’m seriously going to try to get some kind of routine this week so that I’ll be better at juggling things. I was reprimanded by several people over the weekend for not doing the What I’m Loving Friday post and I think it’s so funny that people look forward to that. Makes me feel so loved.

I would like to update on all of last week but I think I’ll just start with the weekend so that we can have a clean slate with pictures and everything. Friday night was the first time I’d had my camera out in a while. So get ready to read a very long post with lots of pictures. I’m way overdue and I’m in the mood to talk and you all know that’s rare that I’m in that kind of mood. (I don’t want ONE comment about that sentence)

Steven, Ivy, Trinity, Chris and Lacey came over Friday night for some root beer floats, sugar cookies, Doritos, Nutter Butters, Oreos…..and pretty much whatever else we could find to make ourselves sick with. LOL!





While they were at our house Lacey happened to mention Hercules. I was shocked to realize that I hadn’t fed or watered the icky thing in probably 5 days. YIKES!!! But, drat the luck. He was still alive and well.

Although I will say that he was out of his shell longer than I’ve ever seen him because he was drinking so much from his sponge. I guess that meant that he didn’t appreciate my attempt to starve/thirst him to death. Drat Lacey too. If only she hadn’t reminded me he might have been gone after a few more days.

Saturday we went to the park with Lacey and Uncle Chris and had a picnic. It was so much fun! Pappy and Gammy met us there and brought Kari a surprise. She was so excited but a little scared at the same time. She did fine as long as it was doing what she wanted it to but when it started rolling a little too fast, she jumped off quick!

After the park, we went to Gammy and Pappy’s for grilled burgers and hot dogs and Kari and Malachi decided that they wanted to spend the night with Pappy and Gammy. Now, I’ll admit that at times I think that if I had one night of uninterrupted sleep and if I could sleep as late as I wanted to I would feel like a brand new person. But then when my kids are actually about to leave, I have mixed feelings. I feel guilty for wanting time to myself, I feel nervous that they’ll be away from me, I feel excited that I might get to actually sleep…..it’s so rare that the kids are away from me that I don’t remember from one time to the next how I’m supposed to act.

So, anyway, I quickly decided that I could find something to do that I enjoyed and normally couldn’t do with the kids with me. I went to the park and walked/jogged and then decided to grab a Mickey D’s ice cream cone (I know that it almost defeated the purpose of the walk/jog butohwell). When I went home I seriously think I sat on my bed for like 15 minutes thinking about how quiet it was in the house and how
I missed snuggling with my sleeping babies. And then reality set in that I could sleep and sleep and sleep and I snuggled down in the covers and slept like a big fat log until almost 8:00 the next morning!!! You have no idea how nice it felt. Well, actually if you’re a mommy you know how nice it felt. It made me appreciate my kids more and made me enjoy the rest of the weekend so much more too.

Sunday was our Fall Festival at church and everyone was supposed to dress old fashioned. Kari and Malachi’s bonnet/hat and Kari’s apron came from the Amish. I thought they were too cute. Malachi, Uncle Chris and Pappy all dressed alike and they were so funny in their bibs.



















We had a BLAST!!! I ate so much food and dessert that I was ALMOST sick. But not sick enough to rule out going back for seconds after games and stuff.

With the old fashioned dresses and the old fashioned games we played it made my mind wonder what it must have been like all those years ago. Where the days were filled with simple things…..they didn’t have cell phones to interrupt them all the time. They didn’t worry about things like checking email and updating blogs and going here and there all the time. They enjoyed their days with family and friends and thanked God for what they had and didn’t complain about what they didn’t have.
But while I was wondering about all of that I decided that I love my cell phone and texting, my computer and emailing and blogging and going places and the old fashioned lifestyle only works for me for a few hours.