Playing Catch Up

Wow! It has been along time since I last posted. We've had a lot going on the last few months...lots of new possibilities for our family and lots of waiting on the Lord's timing. So, in the last couple of weeks I've been trying to play catch up on the blog. I've given up on trying to feed the perfectionist monster in me, so I'm afraid things aren't quite in the right order. I'm sure you are devastated. So, the next few posts are my attempts to catch you up.

7 Years of Wedded Bliss

This May marks our 7th wedding anniversary. Wesley has always been so sweet to surprise me with a weekend trip somewhere. He works hard to plan out everything and often it is a surprise. He has always done a great job. The last year we've really been working hard on being better financial stewards of what God has provided us, so we agreed to scale down our anniversary

We thought about our options and Wesley asked me what I really would want to do. After a while I asked him to take me for a day trip to College Station where we could go and hang out at some of the places I loved going while I was a student at Texas A&M. I hadn't been back in a long time and thought it would be fun to go back. Surprisingly, my Baylor Bear agreed very easily, and at the end of the day, he enjoyed it a lot!

So here is are some pictures from our day in Aggieland.

This was my dorm.

Sibisa Dining Hall and Underground. This was the location I acquired my Freshman 10.

This is where I found my "footing" as a freshman. I met some of my closest friends in my "Fish Care Group." God used the people here to impact and grow my life in wonderful ways!

After our walk around campus, we ate some AMAZING hamburgers at Fitzwilly's.

We had to chase down the burgers with famous J.J.'s Snow Cones. My sweet friend Amy introduced me to these when we were juniors at A&M. I am forever in her debt.

Caribbean Splash....Yum!

Bonfire Memorial. I was a freshman when the stack collapsed. It was such a sad time in the life of the A&M family.

Research Park. Wesley and I spent a lot of time here when he would come visit me from Baylor.

This is behind the Former Student Association. It wasn't there when I was in school, but Wesley took my picture in it anyway. The Aggie Ring is a very important tradition at A&M.

This is where my sister and I lived along with our other roommates. We had some great times together here!

I "studied" here. Maybe that's why I didn't do as well as I would have liked to.

Of course, no trip to College Station is complete without a Freebird's burrito. Oh. My. Goodness. There are no words.

As we reached home that night we stopped by Cold Stone and picked up some Birthday Cake Remix ice cream. Simply delicious!

If you're still with me, you're a trooper. Thanks for hanging in there and "celebrating with us". I am so thankful for the days I was given to spend at Texas A&M, but even more I am thankful for the days since. As much fun as it is to reminisce, the reality of today is so much better than the days of the past because God has continually pushed us, challenged us, and grown us.

His plan is the best, and I praise Him that His plan included Wesley and I living for Him together. I love my man more today than ever and I have loved watching him grow into an incredible husband, father, leader, and man of God. I can't wait for the next 7 years!

Praise our God for He is good!!!!

Flower Girl AND a Ring Bearer

May, 2010

We are blessed to share that our very own "big kids" are getting married! Thankfully, we are only responsible for the wedding attire of the flower girl and ring bearer! This will be Josie's 3rd and Caleb's 1st! We are so blessed to have such amazing young people in our lives!

Chantel and Travis, our adopted college students, will be getting married in June of 2010! They are such a precious couple and we have loved, loved every minute of getting to know them! We first got to know them when they helped teach Josie's Sunday School class over two years ago. When they needed "parents" at church, Wesley and I jumped at the chance to have them as our very own kiddos. We told the college minister and made it official. We have loved having them be a part of our family and they have been on many adventures with us. Now they've graduated and become engaged.

They love to tackle Travis.





Here's the "proposal" but I ran out of time on the camera.

We can't wait!

Family Garden

April, 2010

This spring my side of the family decided to build a garden to share. The kids had a blast helping!

Aunt Penny, the driving force behind the garden, with Caleb.

St. Patrick's Day

March, 2010

Believe it or not St. Patrick's Day is not really about leprechauns and giant mugs of green beer. It actually a day to celebrate the life of the first man to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the polytheistic culture of Ireland. He also is famous for using the illustration of the shamrock as a way to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.

We were so glad to celebrate with our sweet friend Mary Margaret!







Isaiah 52:6-8

6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I."

7 How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
"Your God reigns!"

8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy.
When the LORD returns to Zion,
they will see it with their own eyes."

Any day the good news of Jesus' love is shared and received by the hearers is a day worthy of being celebrated. So let's celebrate our God who loves us and honor those who are willing to give up everything to tell others about His unending love!

Whitney and Eric's Wedding

April, 2010

Ahhhh, our little flower girl. The big day finally arrived. She was so beautiful, but she has such a way of making us nervous! Until 10 minutes before the wedding we were wondering if Josie would make it, but she did! We had prayed with Josie several times and told her over and over that God would give her courage to walk down a VERY LONG pathway to the steps where Whitney and Eric exchanged vows. When it was all over and she knew she had done well, the best part was hearing her say, "Mom, God made me brave!" Praise God!

The wedding was one of the most beautiful we had ever seen. We haven't been to many outdoor weddings, but you could have seriously thought that you had stepped right into a wedding magazine! The only thing that was more beautiful was the desire for the wedding to bring glory to God! The day was full of joy, laughter, prayer, and worship. We are so proud of Whitney and Eric and so thankful to be a part of their special day.

Josie and Whitney at the rehearsal dinner. A few moments later Whitney took Josie for a walk down to a little swing hanging from a tree about 200 yards away. I cried as I watched them together, dreaming that someday Josie would grow up to be as loving, generous and faithful a young woman that Whitney is. I am so thankful for the example that Whitney and my other college girls have been/will be for my daughter.

Hiding in the closet. This is when we were the most nervous.

Luckily, we lured her out with a snack, and with the promise that no one would tell her she was beautiful.

I'm so thankful for these sweet girls!

Focused.

Wesley was also a little sentimental this weekend. Josie and Whitney look very much alike, especially when Whitney was a little girl. When he saw pictures of Whitney as a child, he couldn't help but get teary eyed. (But shhhhhh! Don't tell him I told you!)

Whitney asked us to join her for her bridal portraits earlier in March. They were both so beautiful!

Feast of Purim

February, 2010

I've always loved studying about the ancient Jewish feasts and have come to see that God wants us to have a great time in life! The first 5 books of the Bible, sometimes referred to as "The Law", sets out very specific details for the ancient Israelites' to celebrate! I know as a Christian I am not held to the commands that I follow these feasts and celebrations, but I find it fascinating that God thought it was so important to gather with other believers and celebrate--to remember the amazing things He had done for His children, that He commanded it!

Wesley and I hope to occasionally utilize some of these celebrations in our own family and to create not only wonderful memories of having a blast as a family, but also to teach our children of what a mighty and faithful God we serve.

Last year I had the pleasure to do a Bible study on the book of Esther (written and taught by Beth Moore) with some friends from church. The study was such an encouragement to remind me that even though we can't see God, He is always at work around us. It also fueled my love for the Old Testament and the Jewish heritage that Christians can take part in.

Even though Purim isn't one of the original feasts found in the law, it is still a wonderful holiday that we can enjoy. Purim is a celebration of God's deliverance of the Jews against annihilation. Think Nazis in ancient Persia, but the holocaust was avoided because in His mercy He used a young woman, Esther, to save the Jews. If you're interested you can read her amazing story in the book of Esther in the Bible.

This year we were excited that we were babysitting our nieces on Purim in February. We had our own twist on the celebration, so we didn't celebrate it exactly according to tradition, but we still had a great time. We read the story, made cookies and cut them out in the shape of a star ("Esther" means "star"), the girls dressed up as princesses, they made crowns, and we acted out the story. Here are pictures of our fun day. I hope you enjoy!

Caleb played King Xerxes

Esther (Hannah, in white), and her ladies' in waiting

The cast of our little perfmormance (except for me). Wesley was the evil Haman. I played Cousin Mordecai.