Yippee!

God is so good! He is good all the time. This 2yr trial is over. Now the real excitement begins! For what? The adoption of Mercy. Tomorrow is MercyAnne's birthday, as well! What a great gift, no?
The severance was granted. I can't tell you guys what a relief this is!
All the prayers and encouragement, we are thankful for.
God's love never fails. Especially for her, knowing that now she will grow up really knowing the Lord and not doing who knows-what.
And to think that just about a year ago we were so fearful that she would be taken from us... Not so!
Yes yes yes yes yes!! I'm just a little happy.

May you all have a blessed week-end!

Mandie

Mommy on the bloggy :)

So, my mom asked me to help her set up a blogger account so she could write, and keep up with all her friends(not that facebook wasn't enough. ;) ....ok, so she hardly gets on therelol) Anyways, so she has a blog now and you should all go check it out, I think she has one post up, and if you wanted you could fallow her up, you might find her posts very, very encouraging! :)

http://raisingten.blogspot.com/

Anyways..
that is all.

God Bless,
Amanda (:

Seniorness, Recital, Family Time

Sooo its been awhile since I have actually written up an actual post. So, here is one. :)

To start, I got my senior pics done. Jenna did them..all I gotta say is WOW! She did such a fantastic job, and it was so much fun! Always more fun doing something with someone you enjoy! Ill post a few pics later. It was a little bit difficult doing them tho with so many other photographers there and what not, but we did it. I can't believe Ill be grad. in May.. My goals afterward, to become a piano teacher.(wife, and mother) I've already got one student, and hes great! He is 8 and his name is Joah, he has a passion for the piano too. Whoo! haha

Lets see, recital. I had a piano/voice recital this past weekend. PTL everyone did a wonderful job! I nailed my songs and whew! It was nerve racking. lol. I wish I could post the vids, but the sound isn't working... ? idk Ill have to figure that out. I was actually happy with my acc. this year, she fallowed me, not I to her. That way, if I fell behind(which, I didn't) and then caught myself up, she'd be right there behind me. She was wonderful!
Ha! So, I figured out why our video player wasn't working on our computer...soooo I was able to upload the video to Youtube(just my piano...) So..go down and watch the vid :)

A few weeks ago my our family went to the Sahuaro Ranch Park for a picnic and had a wonderful time. Aaand we took pics. Haven't done that in awhile as a whole family. If you haven't heard of it, maybe your familiar with it being the 'peacock park'..there used to be peacocks there, but there weren't any there this time, so I guess they fled.. ;) This park has a lot of old houses(some with 13bdrms!!) farms, a blacksmith...it was actual property once lived on. Its very cool.
So, here are the pics. :)
Senior pic 1.
I really like this one!
This is the one I used for my registration..
And last one..she actually took way more, but obv. I'm not gonna post them all! lol
Here is a kids pic we took, the family one isn't exactly the best so Ill post this, then one of mom and dad!
Mom and dad... ;)
One of Nate and MercyAnne
One of mom
One of me...
I didn't realize I posted so many! ahh! Anyways..I had actually stayed at this location of the park to take more pictures and I took A LOT! I just wanna post one more of the pic of the house with 13bdrms that I absolutely adored...

So, thats the house. Actually the house that me and mom were taking pics at, its just the front of it. Its a really beautiful home inside out! haha

My recital piece, Autumn Fairy Tale: by, Reason.



I haven't really been up to much. Keeping in touch with my prayer buddies, they're great. I love them! And God is so amazing!

Well, I better get a move on. I have some major baking to get done in the morning. erm.. I hope everyone is doing well!

Verse~ 1John 4:8 "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" So simple. I love it. And its absolutely true!

Random Fact~ When I was 4 I got knocked down by my great grandpas mini horse. That was while visiting him on OK. Looong ago, but I remember it! *shivers*
Maybe Ill come up with something better than that in the week.
Lata!

God Bless
Amanda

The Blessing In Blessing Others

To see the one without a home, laying on a curb with nothing but a newspaper as their blanket is pain in my heart just enough.

But thankfully we can change that.

Every once a month, my family, the keith family and a bunch of other families get together down town to bless the homeless. We don't get to attend every month, but we try our best!
Before we even set up the lines start to form. There is a breakfast table, a hygiene table and cars filled with clothing, blankets and other things.

It amazes me how much these people depend on us to be there, to serve them. And they are so grateful! I love seeing their faces light up when you tell them that "yes, we have underarm". Simple things like that, that we take for granted everyday, they get excited about!
To hear their stories, how they got in the place they are. Where they came from. Some of them you might say, well, you don't look like you don't have a home! Thats because maybe they just lost their job, or whatever the case may be. What hurts real bad is seeing a young person just like myself out on the street, without a home, without a family, its sad to see anyone in that situation but especially a teen because they have their whole life ahead of them, yet their without a home.

And when your done giving them all you have, the greatest feeling is leaving and seeing them sitting on the curb eating the very same pb&j that you made. Or maybe wearing the socks, sweater or even gloves that you gave them, its such a wonderful thing!
Its wonderful because you know your doing what God wants. If someone asks for your coat give also your shirt. We do that.
What I love is when they tell you that you look like your having way too much fun, or so I was informed!

Just like we depend on God to get us through the day, to wake us up in the morning, to provide for us what we need, they sort of really depend on us to be there every month.
What breaks my heart is hearing them say that "Jesus loves me so much" and yet, their on the street.

The blessing is knowing that you provided for them, and just getting to see their faces light up.
And even tho its not what its all about, but you definitely feel good about it afterwards, it makes you so happy! And it makes Jesus happy too.

God Bless
Mandie

Happy New Year?

Happy New Year, Everyone!
As I look back and reflect on the things of 2010 I see, the good, the bad, the regret, the happiness, the sadness, the pain etc. You can't hide it. If you asked me what the #1highlight of 2010 was, I would not be able to answer. Because it was really good overall, but hard at the same time.

I could elaborate for hours on the year(esp. Dec!;) but instead Ill just share some pictures of us bringing in the new year, at the Keith home. Enjoy. :)
Joah and Stephen on wii dance.

Just a taste of the firework show that Nate and Cameron put on...I think we must have had at least 200 all together if not more! lol
Joah and Stephen, best buds when they're together! ;)
I decided it would be best to wear a wig to bring in the new year. ;)
All of us girls. Freezing. :)
It was a happy moment. And if your wondering whom the young man in the pink wig, crown, tutu and lab coat is, that's Dominic, what a character! haha
And last one, josh. :)
It was definitely a good night.

I'm not one for new year resolutions but, this year I pray that God will bless it for you all and that there will be joy in your heart and no regret.
I plan on having more patience, love in my heart and to grow more and more in love with God everyday.

Random fact: I don't feel like it feels like a new year at all...

Verse : "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Mandie

Gale

So yesterday was my Uncle Gale's funeral.

We showed up right on time and were seated immediately. All the way there I was holding back the flooding tears. And when they started to play that wonderful song, "I can only Imagine" the flood gates were opened. Even tho I didn't know my uncle incredibly well, it was just so overwhelming. He's a loved one and thats all that matters.
My cousin, Kyle, preached a great message. A few more songs were played. Then we had a sharing time of memories of who he was and being with him. The last time I saw him was in April.

We were at my aunts house for a family reunion and all my family members and I were exchanging hugs and I didn't even notice him sitting in the corner when he rubbed my back and said, "well, do I get a hug" In turn I didn't even say anything but gave him the biggest hug I had in me.

After the ceremony we were escorted 45mins to the cemetery and when we got there my cousin preached a few more words, then, because my uncle served in the national guard, they shot off 3blank rounds, that by the way , scared the day lights out of me; and then we left and went to my aunts house and had a wonderful time. Saw a lot of family I haven't seen for years. Served my uncles favorite foods, including taco's and doughnuts. ;)

He was the most patient, loving, funniest person I knew.
And I was thinking, you know, he died right before Christmas, how sad, but then God said to me,
yes, I took him home early, but he got the greatest gift of all and he is now in paradise with me. No more sorrow, no more pain, trials or doctor visits. He's with the Lord now and thats the best place to be.

I had to share this because he was really special and I really loved him.

God Bless,
Mandie

May you all have a very blessed special Merry Christmas!

Glendale Glitters Christmas Recital

Last night was the Christmas recital at Glendale Glitters. Every year my teacher gets invited to bring all her singers to sing there. And its always so much fun!

We started rehearsing in September! Yes, that early. It paid off. This year was just a bit different tho, she did have one of her talented pianist come to play a piano piece. I felt his pain as he sat at the piano Thur. night trying so hard to play his song with all these distracting noisy girls! haha But he did very good. We must have ran the program 30times before calling it a night.

Yesterday was the big day! We had to be backstage at 5pm sharp. Then we had to wait for Lori to get there to hand out our passes so the Security guards could let us in(ok, they really were nice tho!). It went by sooo fast! I'm sad its already over.
It was very hard to keep all the girls quiet while the other singers were on stage. Some of those girls are very obnoxious and bratty! The only time they obeyed was when Marshal was in charge. Oh well!

Quite a few little girl groups went before it was out turn to go on stage. Here is the first song we sang(not all of my group, actually, 4 of these girls aren't even in my group hehe).
Me, Emily, Ally, Karlie, Erin and Julia. Then right after us Tiffany and Rachel sang Silver Bells. I LOVE their voices. So pretty.

The second song we sang was, yes, Santa Baby. I was so nervous about singing this song because we have never had a boy dresses as 'santa clause' gawk at us while singing! But we were fine. If you want to watch, here is the link, http://www.youtube.com/user/AmandaN93/u/7/--571VeQejI

Anyways, despite my nervousness and my horrible cold, I think I did pretty darn well! ;)
And here is the Peace, Peace, Peace song that the whole group got to sing. :)

It was a great success! Now, I will say that after us a group of elderly women came to do an act after us and kudos to them for getting up there and being active etc. But, the way they dressed so not right even if you are 80 and don't care(yes, they ranged anywhere from 65-80). So anyways, Emily and I were in the bathroom fixing up before going out and this lady comes in, in her skimpy outfit and her stick body and says " you guys did such a wonderful job, such lovely voices!, now, just think keep this up and one day you can look just like me!" No thanks, I'm good. It was gross.
Here are a few fun shots! Rachel and Madison

Stephen and Joah

Emily, Erin and Karlie being goof balls! haha
















Abby, Emilee and Rachel
And one last one, not my favorite, but its pretty much the only shot we got together, Em and I. :)
Sorry this is sooo long, but I had to get it all in. haha

Random fact: I'm wondering how long its gonna take to get this glitter spray outta my hair.

Verse:"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose". Philippians 2:13

Hope everyone has a great day!

Mandie