Imagination Library

I want to introduce you to Imagination Library. If you are a parent of a child from the ages 0-4, or if you know someone who is, this program is for you!

Imagination Library is a program of the Dollywood Foundation and was designed to improve the educational opportunities for children in communities all around the United States. This program allows pre-school age children (0-4 years) to receive a brand new book every month until they turn 5 years old. The book comes in the name of the child, which leaves the child excited and full of anticipation for the next book to arrive. Each book is hardback and age appropriate. The best thing about the program is that it is no charge for the registered children!

The purpose in Imagination Library is to generate a love for reading before the child even begins school.

Dolly Parton began this program when she saw to it that the pre-school children in Sevier County, TN received a book every month that came in their name in the mail. She then extended the program to Myrtle Beach, SC as well as Branson, MO, where she has businesses.

Thankfully, she has now opened the program up to all communities. Imagination Library is now a part of over 600 communities in the U.S. and in over 1,000 including the United Kingdom and Canada.

I felt as though this was something that I wanted to look into and learn more about. I have been in contact with a few communities that provide this program that are closer to Macon County as well as been in contact with the Regional Director for Imagination Library. She is sending me an Information Packet so that I can have more direction in getting this program started in Macon County!

My next step is to meet with local businesses, organizations, and individuals to share about Imagination Library and the importance it can have to improve the educational opportunities in Macon County - for the children of Macon County. This is the part that makes me the most nervous. Although this program is provided for preschool children and it does not require any form of payment from those that are registered, funding of some kind is necessary. My hope is that the places I go and the people I visit in Macon County will see the need to generate a love of reading before children begin school and will sponsor the Imagination Library so that children will have the opportunity to dream like never before.

I will keep you posted as Imagination Library moves forward, hopefully towards a home in Macon County.

Good Advice

Sandy sent this to me today in an email. Lately I have been trying to educate myself on public education. Yes, I have just spent two years at Western earning my Elementary Education degree, however, I am on a new journey trying to learn more about American Education and the system it has created for all children across the nation.

Anyhow, I thought this advice from Bill Gates is right on the money with his advice to high school graduates. Enjoy!

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Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the REAL world.

1. Life is not fair – get used to it.

2. The world doesn’t care about your self esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

3. You will NOT make $60,000.00 a year right out of high school. You won’t be a vice president with a car phone until you earn both.

4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

5. Flipping hamburgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping called OPPORTUNITY.

6. If you mess up, it’s not your parents’ fault, so don’t whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

7. Before you were born, your parents weren’t as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent’s generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they’ll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn’t bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING IN REAL LIFE.

9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

10. Television is NOT real life…. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

11. Be nice to nerds, Chances are you’ll end up working for one

Meet Julie

Julie & her daughter McKinleigh

Jamie & McKinleigh

Julie has been my best friend since high school. We met our freshman year. In the 12 years we have been friends, our lives have taken different routes.

Lots of "life happenings" have occurred within the lifespan of our friendship: driver license, proms, stupid boyfriends, broken hearts, high school graduation, "real" boyfriends as in the-one-I'm-going-to-marry-boyfriends, engagements, weddings, deaths in the families, and for Julie there has been one other major life happening, motherhood.

Julie and her husband, Jamie wanted to start a family. After a series of dr. visits, questions, and answers, they turned to a Fertility Specialist. It worked! In 2006, McKinleigh Paige was born.

Since Mckinleigh's birth, Jamie and Julie have loved every minute of being parents. The giggles, the loves, the mischievious-ness, the celebrations, the bedtime stories, the bedtime prayers, the stories, the smiles, every aspect of parenting McKinleigh has led the heart of this family to long for another baby.

Once again, they have turned to the Specialist. Julie will find out in a couple weeks if it worked and if she is pregnant! Although this is exciting, the process is frustrating, there is a lot of waiting that is involved.

For weeks now, Julie has been on my heart as I do my very best to walk this journey with her. I asked her if I could share all of this with you so that the readers of this blog will lift Julie and her family in your prayers. Here are few specific ways we can pray for her:

> That God will remind Jamie & Julie that He hears the cries of their hearts.

> That they will be able to take each day as it comes and they will continue to Worship while they wait.

> Julie will be able to overcome the mountain of frustration & defeat that come along with infertility, but will find freedom in resting in Who King Jesus promises He is.

I will keep you updated so that in the end, we can all celebrate and return praise to King Jesus.

New Hobby-ish

A few weeks ago, I got a sudden interest in painting canvases to make my plate rack a little more "fall-ish". So, I got four small square canvases and the paints I needed. For the first time around, I think they turned out pretty well.

I have also been working on something else lately. A friend of mine got a popcorn bowl last year for Christmas for their family. I loved the idea and it was so cute, I wanted to try it. So, I made one for myself & Brandon first, to see how it turned out. Well, I really liked it & now I am making more of them for Christmas.

Lucas' 5th Birthday Party

We had Lucas' birthday party on the Saturday before his actual birthday, which was Wednesday, Sept. 22nd.
I am just now getting the chance to post the pictures. We had a great time! Lucas is excited about being "this many" with all five fingers showing on one hand.

As I mentioned before, we had a "fall festival" kind of party for him. We were out in the field with hay bales, blankets, a fire, marshmallows, etc. The weather was great for the party and the fire actually felt kind of nice.

Deidre made Lucas his own cake with who else but Spiderman.

Blowing out the candles.
Opening presents.
Baseball, Bat, and Atlanta Braves hat from Brandon & I.

Still digging...

The Toy Story Book

On Lucas' actual birthday, we had a party at Daddy & Moma's house for both Lucas and me. There was one more present for Lucas that he had not gotten yet. He had to sit in Papa's lap and close his eyes......

Then Mamaw came through the house riding Lucas' birthday present.
McKenzie came and was so excited to give Lucas his gift.

Everyone had a great time. We celebrated, ate cake and ice cream, and laughed a lot. Before I can close out this post, I wanted to share a picture of Brandon & McKenzie. They are both such hams.

Bridal Party

Since I posted about our wedding, I wanted to share about each of the people in our wedding. Each person that stood beside us on our Special Day are all people that in one way or another are continuing to live our lives with us. I just wanted to share who each one of our special friends are.

From Left to Right:

Rachel (Atlanta, Ga)- met on World Changer Staff. We were on the same team two years in a row.

Julie (Franklin, NC)- met in High School. Our families went on mission trips together. Best Friend.

Brooke (Franklin, NC) - Brandon's youth pastor's wife and I want to be just like her "when I grow up" :)

Natasha & McKenzie (Franklin, NC) - is my sister-in-law & neice. 2 strong girls and thankful they are both a part of our lives. McK, I met 4 years ago, when she was born and that sweet girl changed all of us.

Chloe (Flower Girl) - Our neice. Brandon's brother, Nathaniel's little girl

Alisha (Franklin, NC)- my little sister

- two girls that have shaped my life in lots of ways

Deidre (Franklin, NC)- my big sister

Me

Jeff (Franklin, NC) - Brandon's youth pastor as he grew up. Then, Jeff became a mentor and friend to the two of us in a lot of ways. We are thankful for his investment in our lives.

Brandon

Terry (Franklin, NC) - Brandon wouldn't have anyone else stand beside him, but his dad.

Matthew (Franklin, NC) - Brandon's brother

- two boys that have shaped Brandon's life in lots of ways. :)

Nathaniel (Franklin, NC) - Brandon's brother

Doc (Gafney, SC) - Brandon's roommate from college

Tracy (Jug Factory Rd. somewhere in SC, Brandon was adamant that he lives on Jug Factory Rd....?) - Brandon's Campus Minister and SO SO SO SO much more.

Jim (Griffin, GA) - Brandon met Jim in Mexico on International World Changers. I love getting to hear "Me & Jim stories" from Brandon.

Lucas (Ring Bearer) - who slept through the entire ceremony.... well.... we met 5 years ago, when he was born and my life hasn't been the same

So there you have it, the whole crew, the people that mean the world to us and helped make Sept. 29 an amazing day to celebrate!

3rd Anniversary 9.29.10

Yesterday, September 29th, Brandon & I celebrated our 3rd anniversary! It is hard to believe that we have been married for three years already. The earlier part of the day's weather yesterday reminded me of our wedding day, the deep blue sky and the crisp morning air. Oh, it was a special day indeed.
It was a day of promise & of celebration as we vowed our hearts and lives to one another, a day I will never forget.
Since that day, we have loved, laughed, cried, and celebrated with one another as each day has passed by allowing our hearts to be one, just as we promised they would be. My heart celebrates the love that we have found & rests in the dreams that have evolved since then.
Our constant prayer is to be God-Honoring in all that we do: in the way we live our lives, in the dreams we dream, we long to be more like Him.

Our parents.

JP & Jessie Pruett

JP singing "Lost in This Moment With You"

The Whole Gang!