This week's challenge on I Heart Faces is Texture! YAY! :) Now, sadly, I still don't have photoshop or anything that will allow me to add different textures, but I LOVE this picture of my new nephew, Joshua! This is one of the pics I took on my First newborn photo shoot! I love the texture on the blanket and the lines on his tiny fingers!  Don't you just want to kiss his nose??? To see more amazing pictures, click on the I Heart Button above!

Yay! Another I Heart Faces Challenge!


 This week we are supposed to share a picture that captures families of all shapes and sizes, ages and uniqueness! So my pick is this one: We had fun taking this picture the Day after Christmas. It was SO NICE having all the Wards together! Seriously, they are the best family ever! Even Grandma and Grandpa are being goofy! Notice that my husband is apparantly preggo and you can't even see Uncle Greg's head because he is behind Evan's legs! LOLBeing a Ward is FABulous! :) 

2. Your hair? Blackish...



3. Your mother? Hmmmmmm....



4. Your father? Unknown



5. Your favorite food? SUSHI!!!!



6. Your dream last night? "LOST" ish



7. Your favorite drink? Chai!



8. Your dream/goal? Peace



9. What room are you in? Living



10. Your hobby? Pictures



11. Your fear? Everything... (sad I know!)



12. Where do you want to be in six years? WhereverGodwants! (Sorry! That one I couldn't help!)


13. Where were you last night? Home!



14. Something that you aren't? tall



15. Muffins? Blueberry



16. Wish list item? Ipod, DSLR, (sorry! 2 again!)



17. Where did you grow up? Everywhere



18. Last thing you did? Planned



19. What are you wearing? Clothes



20. Your TV? Big



21. Your pets? Shedding! lol



22. Friends? AMAZING!



23. Your life? Sitcom-worthy (stealing this one!)



24. Your mood? Happy!



25. Missing someone? Yes.



26. Vehicle? Mousehome...



27. Something you're not wearing? Shoes



28. Your favorite store? Target



29. Your favorite color? Green!



30. When was the last time you laughed? Today



31. Last time you cried? ?  (I tear up pretty frequently.)



32. Your best friend?(s) Jen



33. One place that I could go over and over? anywhere



34. One person who emails you regularly? Uppercase Living! :)



35. Favorite place to eat? The Chalet (for sushi!)





Now for my nominations ......
1. Kristen at http://www.bringingupbenjamin.com/ Great new look, Kristen!!! I LOVE it!
2. Lynette at  http://lynnettekraft.com/ FAB new look by the way! ;)
3. Ana at http://knockoffwood.blogspot.com/ sadly I have spent almost ALL day looking at all these cool projects!
4. Kristy at http://homemakerscottage.blogspot.com/
5. The gals at http://shanty2chic.blogspot.com/
6. Amy at http://www.raisingarrows.net/

Dear Husband,



In case you missed it:

I LOVE you.
I ADORE you.
I believe you are the biggest, greatest man I have ever known.
You are AMAZING.
I couldn't ask for a better husband for me. I thank God every day for bringing us together.
You are my very very best friend. And I know that about everyone says that about their spouse, but I love that no one knows as much about us as each other and that we love each other more for it.
I am so unbelievably proud, thankful, and even giddy (: to be Mrs. Chase Ward.
No one has ever loved me as much as you do, and even after five years of being married, it just gets better.



Thank you:
For being an amazing provider and for taking such good care of us.
For marrying me in the first place.
For giving me such a wonderful life.
For encouraging me in my hobbies, efforts and goals.
For being such a hard worker. Your work ethic is astounding. I love that you love what you do.
For being such an amazing, fun, loving dad. I hope you know how much your kids just worship the ground you walk on. (For lack of a better phrase. :)
For knowing what you believe.
For wanting more with your relationship with God and with me and the kids, and then for working on it.
For being such a great husband. You are always so ready and happy to do anything around the house or help with the kids. Thank you, Love. :)
For making me the happiest I have ever been in my life. :)
For making me laugh-a lot!
For being so patient with me. No one has ever been through so much with me, loved me through the process and prayed for me so much.
For making such adorable kids! :)

Truly Chase, you bless me and encourage me. I hope you know what you have done for me and continue to do for me. God answered my prayers above and beyond anything I ever asked when He brought you into my life.

Music speaks to me like few other things do. It calms me, it wakes me up, it makes me sad, it makes me happy, it excites me, it encourages me,...well you get the picture.

I wanted to mention a couple of songs that have been recently meaningful to me.
If you read my earlier post about my birthday and the car accident, you know that I am a big fat scaredy cat. Yep, I am pretty much terrified of everything. Not something I am proud of, the Lord is definitely working on me! But after the car accident it got worse...after years of driving and reletively nothing to worry about, I was almost broadsided, and then taken out by someone with a severe case of road rage...all in a couple of weeks! I kinda felt like I was in Final Destination and Death was out to get me. It was scary. Both times I had my children with me and both times I was driving normally in my normal small town. Both times I was reduced to a shaking, crying basket case. I say all this to tell you that I was terrified to drive back down to Phoenix to get my new car a week or so later. I did not want to return to the windy, side of the mountain, drive where we had our previous accident. But there was no getting around it. Chase drove our borrowed van down to Phoenix, where we picked up my Suburban (!!!) met with some friends for dinner and drove home.
As we were approaching the drive up the mountain I was getting more and more anxious. Now I was driving the van, Chase was driving the suburban...and there was a HUGE lightening storm that was lighting up the mountains so beautifully that it was breathtaking...and for me a little terrifying. I begged asked Chase if we could maybe stay in the Valley for the night and go home the next day but he assured me we had nothing to worry about. So we continued on.
I got more and more anxious as we drove through the clouds and rain and lightening but was really glad to find a Christian radio station that I wasn't losing on our windy drive. The music was encouraging and helped to keep my mind off of things a little. But I was really stressed, and tense, and too scared to even pray. I know....I am a little psycho. Like I said, He is working on me! ;)
THEN, I started listening to a song that had been playing on the radio...I recognized the voice to be Steven Curtis Chapman's. And I realized this was a song he had written after the death of one of his daughters...
And I listened to the chorus:


Chorus


And it's all Yours God, Yours God
Everything is Yours
From the stars in the sky to
The depths of the ocean floor
And it's all Yours God, Yours God
Everything is Yours
You're the maker and keeper
Father and ruler of everything
It's all Yours


And I went on to hear the last verse...


New Verse 4

I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you

Needless to say, I cried. And the phrase "We are Yours, Lord" became my mantra for the rest of the drive...and still when I get anxious and fearful. The cd it is on hadn't been released yet...and was on the radio again on my next drive to Phoenix! :) Isn't God good?

I love songs the remind me of God's truth and promises! Here are the rest of the words to that song, and you should look it up and listen to it. :)

Verse 1

I walk the streets of London
And notice in the faces passing by
Something that makes me stop and listen
My heart grows heavy with the cry
Where is the hope for London
You whisper and my heart begins to soar
As I'm reminded every street in London is Yours




Verse 2
I walk the dirt roads of Uganda
I see the scars that war has left behind
Hope like the sun is fading
And they're waiting for a cure no one can find
And I hear children's voices singing
Of a God who heals and rescues and restores
And I'm reminded that
Every child in Africa is Yours






Verse 3
And I walk the sidewalks of Nashville
Like Singapore Manila and Shanghai
I'm brushed by the beggar's hand
And the wealthy man
And everywhere I look I realize
That just like the streets of London
For every man and woman boy and girl
All of creation this is our Father's world


The other song that has been especially meaningful lately has been "Sing Me a Love Song" by BarlowGirl. I listen to it every chance I get.

The tension is thick in the air

Making it hard to see
I fear what is to come
And what will become of me.
I say a prayer help me not run away
Will You please hold me?






And sing me a love song again
Say the words that heal my heart
sing me a love song and then
Let Your words remind me who I am






You've never failed me before
Why do I feel betrayed
If I close my heart to You now
The darkness would have its way
I crave Your voice help me not fall away
Will You please hold me




And sing me a love song again

Say the words that heal my heart
sing me a love song and then
Let Your words remind me who I am




'Cause You are all I need
And all that I want is You with me
You are all I need
And all that I want is You with me




So sing me a love song again

Say the words that heal my heart
sing me a love song and then
Let Your words remind me who I am.

Love it! Go take a listen!!!