The Bird's Nest

A New Adventure

2012-02-16T10:26:00.000-08:00

Well, it feels like we've been sprinting - emotionally and physically - these last few weeks. I mentioned in previous posts that T and I were contemplating a major life change. After literally months of prayer and research, our decision is made. After May, we will officially become a homeschooling family.

I know, I know. People have very differing and strong opinions on public vs. private vs. homeschool. Our decision is not at all based on dissatisfaction with the private school they currently attend. We love their school, their teachers, the administration. We don't love the two hours it takes us to get to and from school, or the lack of family time we have now that the girls have more homework and extracurriculars. The bottom line for us - homeschooling is a calling God places on your heart. I would have laughed hysterically if you told me a year ago that we'd be getting ready to embark on this adventure 12 months later. Yet, here we are. ;)

We are given our children for such a short amount of time, and I could go on forever re: ultimately why this decision is best for our family. A lot of that is excitement we feel for the new homeschooling adventure that is about to begin, and you can be sure we'll keep you posted on our journey along the way. So I'll leave it at this - our decision is made. We are so thankful for our family and friends who have prayed for us during this process and will continue to lend prayers for guidance.

The biggest blessing God ever gave me is a partner who believes God should come first in all things. Our faith walk is a daily re-commitment, but I'm okay that we're not perfect. Life is a journey with lots of interesting twists and turns. Some days are more difficult than others, but I'm always glad T is with me. I absolutely adore him, and he never fails to make me smile. Love, love, love that he's mine.

The love of my grandmother's life passed away two weeks ago today. My grandfather was an amazing man, and seeing my grandmother without him reminds me how precious every day with your love really is. It's not always easy to remember that when you're frustrated "someone" forgot to start the dishwasher - again...or when any of life's daily annoyances threaten the view from those rose colored glasses. It's important to try, though, and that's the lesson I'm taking away from the last couple of weeks.

Late Bloomer

2012-01-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

Growing up, how many of us were so sure what our ultimate profession would be? For me, it was a ballerina or a marine biologist. I knew without a doubt that all those hours of practice in the dance studio would pay off when I was a famous ballerina or choreographer. I'm not sure why I had such an avid interest in marine biology, but that aspiration ran a close second to being a dancer...until my dad took our family to Sea World. Once "behind the scenes," I realized very quickly I was not built to dive with sharks.

My sweet A will tell you she is sure to be an artist, a scientist or a teacher...or maybe all three. Our one-of-a-kind EK is positive she will be a rock star. If that doesn't work out, then she'll fall back on race car driving. And if THAT doesn't happen, she says she'll be a veterinarian. ;) These are all lovely aspirations, and who's to say my girls won't do one or all of the things they set their minds to accomplish?

God has a plan for all of us, but what happens when you don't know what that plan is? The second part of that equation is what if you aren't READY to HEAR? I don't know that I was ready to hear God's plan for me until after I was "all grown up." I guess you could say that I was a late bloomer.

(artwork by Shira Sela - www.shirasela.com)

Oh, sure. I kept dancing after high school and into college, but no longer was I sure that was the direction I was "supposed" to go. I entered college and took the "expected" course load, because it was just that - expected. I graduated, got married, began a career in PR - because it "made sense."

My sweet husband and I have journeyed nearly 14 years together, over 12 years as a married couple. In our journey, two life altering decisions stand out (besides the obvious getting married and having a family). The first was the decision to quit my job after EK was born. On paper, we knew it shouldn't work. We didn't make enough for me to stay home, but I would have been working to put two kiddos into daycare. We prayed and prayed and ultimately chose the decision that didn't "make sense." And EVERY month, money arrived in some form or fashion to cover our monthly expenses. Our insurance company mails a check around Christmas each year based on the company's dividends. The year EK was born, that check was TO THE PENNY what we needed to pay our electric bill.

Ultimately the decision for me to stay home resulted in a fruitful consulting practice (and flourished for nearly seven years). This made our second life-altering decision all the more difficult. Last March, my husband and I prayerfully decided to close my consulting practice so that I could pursue my calling to write full-time. Again, financially, this made absolutely no sense for us, but the decision has blessed our family and provided new opportunities to serve God.

When we choose faith and a decision that doesn't "make sense," God can do AMAZING things. Is it scary? Absolutely. But I've learned to trust, and I'm thankful to have a soul mate who reinforces this fact when I'm feeling unsure. The other lesson I'm still learning is that we are all growing and "blooming" according to God's timeline, and it's comforting to know that God doesn't think I'm a late bloomer. To Him, my calling and my ministry are blossoming right on schedule. And so are yours. Pretty cool, right?

T and I are on the brink of yet another life altering decision, and one that will dramatically impact our kiddos. Either choice is a good one, but we want to make the right decision -- not necessarily the one that "makes sense." Sorry, sweet friends. I'm not ready to share details beyond that just yet, but I promise to fill you in on the details soon. Please pray that God will provide us with discernment and we continue to seek His will.

One last thought - the decisions I mentioned above were life altering to us because of where T and I were in our journey with God. Satan tends to get to us through finances, because T & I were most vulnerable in that area of our lives when these decisions were made. Your "life altering" decisions can impact ANY aspect of your life.

Satan's only goal is to keep you from having a relationship with God. When he hits us were we are vulnerable - our hearts, our minds, our pocketbook - he is aiming to distract us from the work God has called us to do. Remember to strap on the armor of God and trust in your Lord to bless you.

Ephesians 6:10-17

1o Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Preparing for Goodbye

2012-01-21T07:41:00.002-08:00

My girls couldn't be more different. A, our first born, is your typical eldest child. If you've ever read Kevin Leman's book on birth order, you know what I mean. If you haven't, parents, this is a must read! He has some other great books, as well.

A is a people-pleaser, loves school, makes her bed EVERY morning before she leaves the house. This is the child who voluntarily surrenders her iTouch after I've forgotten we were supposed to confiscate it. She's goes to bed on time (mostly) and is the type of kiddo who likes to know the rules, understand the rules, talk about the rules and think about the rules before taking ANY kind of action or risk.

(One of my all time favorite pics of A with my dad)

Then there's EK...ah, the baby. I think she started sleeping through the night when she was three, and even then it wasn't consistently. This sweet girl embraces life at mach speed and rarely looks to see where she's jumping. Where her sister has a smaller group of friends, EK is usually the life of the party. She loves to laugh, loves to play and loves to experience all life has to offer. I get it, since she's like...me. ;) EK is the reality of what my mother always referred to as "the mother's curse."

(EK - always smiling...just like her Granddaddy)

You all remember what that is, right? Whatever you do to your parents will come back to you tenfold through your own children. My oldest brother might have more to worry about... JUST KIDDING, C! Sort of...anyway, I digress. EK is my mother's curse, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There isn't a mean bone in this little girl's body. She is truly one of the happiest, easy-going kiddos I've ever known. She'll cause her fair share of gray hairs, I'm sure, but I love everything about her.

The bottom line is I wouldn't trade ANYTHING for my girls and my family. There is such great joy (and frankly, FUN) in being a parent. I love that my girls are complete opposites. So are T and I...and he's the great love of my life.

My parents used to say to me, "When you're a parent, you'll understand." They were right. As we grow and mature, the experiences we had as children shape and mold us. Traditions that were important morph as we start our own families, developing new threads into old patterns. Getting older (and hopefully a little wiser) isn't without heartache. Growing up, I heard about the joys of becoming your own person, meeting that special someone, starting your own life, etc.

What I wasn't prepared to experience was the people I love getting older. My parents and grandparents, specifically. How blessed we've been to have ALL of my grandparents until I was married...even until A was born. My Papa lost his battle with leukemia shortly after her second birthday. My Tootsie passed away unexpectedly after a massive stroke three years ago. My Mama Terri passed away in October due to complications of illness, which we didn't know she'd had.

(This is me with my Papa when I was about EK's age.)

(And here he is with A when she was a baby.)

(Aunt KK, Papa, Mom & Mama T)

(Tootsie with A when she was just a few days old.)

And now...my Papa Jack is gravely ill. He's been in and out of the hospital for the last few months. My family contacted hospice earlier this week. We're preparing to say goodbye. But how do you do that? This is the part of getting older that of course is inevitable, but it also really stinks. These are vibrant people who have had a great impact on countess lives, including my own.

(Mama Gal & Papa Jack)

I don't WANT to say goodbye. I feel like EK when she's being asked to do something she really doesn't want to do. She crosses her arms across her chest, stomps her foot and simply says, "NO." My heart is sad and weary. Hearing my little girls' giggles and feeling the warm hugs of my sweet hubby are a nice balm to my aching heart, but it doesn't stop the hurt.

I can remember being around my great-grandmother, Mamaw W. My mom would tell me stories about how amazing she was when my mom was my age, and she spent many a summers with Mamaw and Papaw W. I can remember looking at my great-grandmother and really WANTING to see the person my mom remembered, but she was nearly 90...and I was six or seven. My mom seemed sad, and I wanted to understand how special she was to my mom.

Now, once again, through the rite of passage as a parent, I understand how she felt. My girls hug on me as my tears refuse to stop, and they ask questions as they remember Papa Jack and Mama Gal...and I'm SO thankful they do. My girls DO know them, and what a blessing that is. But my heart is heavy, and I don't want to say goodbye to someone I love so dearly. I've been looking back through photos a lot lately and trying to share fun memories with my girls about when I was their age. They seem riveted, and I know they're trying to understand just as I once did with my mom. My Mama Gal is to me what Mamaw W was to her.

(Mama Gal in her early 20's)

(The "Girls" - Mama Gal, A, me, Aunt KK, EK and Mom)

I don't feel great insight as I type and as I've prayed. I feel a quiet and persistent sadness that the childhood memories I hold so dear are just that...distant memories. New memories, new experiences and healing await...I know. But for now, I think it's okay to mourn.

Christmas Reflections

2011-12-28T12:47:00.000-08:00

It happens every year. August turns into December in the blink of an eye. Then we find ourselves looking toward a new year with expectant hearts and renewed personal goals. Last year, I didn't make New Year resolutions. Rather I had New Year revelations about community with my family, friends - and most importantly with God. I'm pleased to say that those revelations stuck with me as I strive to seek God first through all things and rejoice daily in the blessings of family and friends.

Soooo as the New Year approaches, I'm sitting in the quiet reflecting on the past 12 months. This has been a tough year in a lot of ways. I let go of a successful consulting practice to pursue another calling. It hasn't been an easy process to relinquish control, but I remain steadfast in my conviction to follow where God has asked me to go. My sweet husband and I have never been more evenly yoked, and I am so thankful for the amazing man of God he is.

My grandmother passed away a couple of months ago, and another set of grandparents have been gravely ill. My mom has made countless trips back and forth since October trying to make arrangements as she and her siblings care for my grandparents. My grandfather was readmitted to the hospital yesterday, and doctors are helping our family "prepare for the end."

A family friend who is my age and has an adoring wife and three young children is losing his battle with brain cancer. His family spent Christmas Day in the hospital praying he would make it through the day. My heart is heavy.

Yet in spite of the year's heartaches, I'm daily reminded that God is with all of us every second of every day. A sweet friend told me we have good years and bad years, but God's blessings are abundantly constant. I loved that, and it's so true. I see Him in my babies' smiles and laughter, in the strength of my husband's hands, in the face of community members who help other neighbors in need...He is ever present.

We've spent the last week or so enjoying family and celebrating the birth of Christ. God's blessings ARE abundantly constant. Here are a few of God's blessings we feel so thankful to have...

A fun night of hunting for the most beautiful Christmas lights...

Saba reading the girls "A Cajun Night Before Christmas"...something he did every Christmas when I was a little girl.

Baking "Melted Snowman" cookies with Nani...

Along with a little impromptu dancing...how fun, right?

One last note to Santa...

A special cocktail for Santa's elves once kiddos were in bed...mmmm.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Disney Memories!

2011-12-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

I meant to blog about our trip earlier, but alas the flu was visiting...a most unwelcome house guest for sure! Then, Christmas...you understand. ;)

Preparations for this trip began more than a year ago when my sweet big bro and his family decided to make the trek with us to Disney World. Add two sets of grandparents, and we had one spectacular Grand Gathering! It's safe to say an unforgettable time was had by all. "My tummy hurts," became our battle cry as the two wee ones, EK and Cousin H, often muttered these words before a roller coaster ride. After the first couple of days, we couldn't get on a ride without shouting our new mantra at the top of our lungs. We laughed and laughed and laughed...and it was a MAGICAL experience!!

My parents and T's parents made the trip ALL the more fun! Princesses, Cinderella's Royal Table, Tony's Grand Gathering, Kilimanjari's Safari, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party...the list goes on and on. A and Cousin H both had birthdays while we were at Disney World, and I have to give it to Disney. They know how to make a kiddo feel special.

A's birthday was the night of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. During the parade, Cinderella leaned out of her carriage and pointed to A saying, "Happy birthday!" As if that wasn't cool enough...then came Santa. His sleigh was the parade finale. His jolly laugh and "Ho, ho, ho" could be heard all the way down Main Street. When he got even with our group, he pointed to A and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! HO, HO, HO!" I thought she was going to pass out. It was awesome.

We definitely burned the candle at both ends while we were on our trip, but there's really no other way to do Disney. On our fourth night there, we got back to the Wilderness Lodge at a decent hour. We showered and got ready for bed, apparently just in time for the fireworks at Cinderella's Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Our resort was directly across the bay, and our room faced the water and MK. We sat outside on our balcony and watched the fireworks display as a family. Magical is truly the only word I have to describe how it felt.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some of my favorites from the trip.

And THAT as they say is history!! ;)

Paleo - Day 7

2011-11-07T16:25:00.000-08:00

Going strong! We are on day seven of our Paleo challenge, so one week down and three to go! Three weeks from today, we'll be enjoying dinner at Cinderella's Castle in Disney World. I can't think of a better way to end the challenge than enjoying a week at Disney!

The point of this challenge was to show our kiddos they could indeed survive one month without Oreo cookies and potato chips. They are eating vegetables and proteins we never dreamed they would try. Tonight's dinner was lemon chicken with artichoke hearts.

T winked at me as he asked A if she liked how I cooked the cabbage. She took a tentative bite, then said, "I DO like it!" This sweet girl had to turn down a cupcake at school today as her class celebrated a special event, and she did it with a smile. How many nine-year-olds show so much self control? I think the light at the end of the tunnel is celebrating her birthday with Mickey and friends. ;)

I was tucking EK into bed the other night, and she asked me, "Mommy, what are those white balls you make on Christmas morning"? I looked at her quizzically and answered, "Beignets"? (These are a Christmas morning tradition in our house.) She got a big smile on her face, closed her eyes and said, "Oh, YES! Beignets! I can't wait to eat those, again." I guess Paleo does have its drawbacks!

Anyway, all is well. Onward with our Paleo challenge!

Paleo - Day 5 & 6

2011-11-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

A brief update...the Paleo Challenge is going great. We did lament briefly today about how yummy a Dairy Queen blizzard would taste, but then we ate our zucchini and celebrated the total net loss of 20 pounds so far!! Out of our entire family, EK is probably the least happy with Paleo. The most difficult meal has been breakfast - hands down. She's a waffle, pop-tart and fruit eater, so shifting to lean proteins hasn't been the easiest. She's being a trooper, though.

I'm so proud of my family for their commitment to the 30-day challenge. It'll be interesting to see how we feel in three more weeks. Stay tuned!!

Paleo - Day 3 & 4

2011-11-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Our Paleo challenge is still going well on Day 4. Last night's dinner was Paleothin Chili with avocado. Everyone thought is was DE-licious! The girls had no idea they were also eating organic tomatoes, onions and mushrooms. ;) This is kind of like being a sneaky chef.

I wanted to write a very quick post to share how great our cuisine challenge is going. The girls are really getting into it, and YES. Of course, they'd love an oreo, but they're committed. Sweet A came home from school yesterday and said she politely declined a donut that another classmate brought to celebrate their birthday. She said, "Mommy, it really wasn't that hard to say no." Sweet girl! T and I were so proud of her. I'm not confident EK would have shown as much restraint.

Anyway, happy Friday!

Paleo - Day 2

2011-11-02T17:51:00.001-07:00

This isn't bad at all! Breakfast was interesting today, but otherwise the Paleo diet is manageable. If I'd had my wits about me this morning, I would have snapped a picture of the girls' lunches. EK never eats her sandwich bread anyway, so sending grilled chicken was no biggy. A was surprisingly okay with her lunch, too. The only grumble either mentioned was about missing Oreo cookies. ;) EK reminded us at dinner that she's only giving them up for 30 days. We'll see about that...

These girls are a mess, too. They're policing one another and anxious to report any Paleo infraction. T and I can't help but smile, and I love that they're committed.

Dinner was REALLY yummy. I slow cooked a pork tenderloin all day and served with sautéed cabbage and grapes. The girls really loved the pork, and A actually made a dent in her cabbage. I've been impressed with my kiddos. I know it's only Day 2, but both girls are making an effort to try everything we make...and I think they're surprised at some of the vegetables they like that they would have politely declined to try before yesterday.

So here's what dinner looked like tonight:

T and I read extensively about the Paleo diet before embarking on this 30 day challenge, and I'm so glad we decided to do this as a family. Thankfully, EK is on the mend and was able to take part in our Paleo cuisine today. It's been one stressful week around these parts. Our kiddos continue to provide comic relief just when we need it most.

Feeling blessed in spite of life stress and praying for God's continued strength and discernment. Okay, friends. Stay tuned for more Paleo adventure!!

Paleo - Day 1

2011-11-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, friends. I'm going to try my best to blog daily for the next 30 days. Well, almost 30 days...we leave for Disney in 28 - woot! It's been one of those weeks, but that hasn't deterred my sweet family from embarking on a month-long Paleo adventure.

I don't know if any of you have read about the results of Paleo eating, but we have friends who LOVE their lifestyle change and continue to reap positive health benefits by factoring out certain foods. My sweet hubby and I want to instill more than family values in our kiddos. We want to teach them healthy habits, too. As a product of the Kool-Aid generation, giving up certain "comfort" foods makes us want to say, "Whatcha talkin' about, Willis". That's partly why we decided to do this as a family...and it's already promising to be QUITE the adventure.

EK has been struggling with a tummy bug since last week, so that little chickadee didn't partake in today's cuisine. Oh, but she will! Thanks to blogs like everydaypaleo.com, there are lots of recipes to try. Here's a sample of tonight's dinner...

I have great respect for my friends with dietary restrictions 'cause planning meals takes serious preparation when you are getting acquainted with the "rules". When I asked A how she felt after dinner, her only reply was, "Skinnier". ;) Smarty. Stay tuned for updates about our Paleo experience!

This has been a week from you know where. Sick child, broken transmission and a relentless family schedule that leaves no room for snafus. When "life" happens and threatens to take you down, it's easy to retreat to the war room and plan a "fix it" strategy. In our haste to prepare a good defense, T and I forgot the most important strategy - trusting God. We reached a point this week where we looked at one another and just had to breathe. God has it all under control, and He gently reminded us of this very comforting fact today.

In spite of a challenging week, blessings are plentiful. Thanks to very, very dear loved ones, we were able to take our girls to their very first Aggie game. Never mind that we lost in overtime to an unranked team...A and EK had a BLAST. Let it be said that T and I are doing our part to cultivate the next generation of Aggies!

Gig' em!

Growing Where You Are Planted

2011-10-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

How many of us say as children, "When I grow up, I want to be..."? What was your dream? Was it to be an astronaut, a doctor, a magician? Whatever the aspiration, as children we knew anything was possible if we believed hard enough and prayed long enough.

What about now? I still find myself saying, "Lord, more than anything, I want...". Like me, do you hold onto a dream with childlike intensity fervently asking God to make it so? I still believe all things are possible through the God who created me. What has changed is now I lay more than just my dreams at God's feet.

As a parent myself, I want my little girls to tell me their hearts' desires. I want to laugh, giggle and find the same joy in what delights them. And if it's in my power and in their best interest, I want to help them reach those dreams. If we are created in God's image, doesn't He want the same for us? I believe He absolutely does. Who doesn't find joy in the wide-eyed excitement of a little one?

Sometimes, though, our dreams our "personally driven" and not "purposefully driven" (thank you, Sheri Rose Shephard, for sharing these words). My little girl may really, really want a pet chipmunk, but I know that's a short-term desire and probably not in her best interest.

As I little girl, I LOVED to dance and did so well into college. My dream was to be a famous choreographer and eventually own my own studio, but that wasn't God's dream for me. The passion He placed in my spirit to write was the gift I was meant to cultivate and grow. I laid my dreams at God's feet and asked for His will. He led me down the path of a writer, and He gave me JOY for this calling.

God wants us to lay our dreams at His feet, but He also wants us to lay down our will. We've talked about this. I'm a planner and generally someone who likes to know what's happening next. My world turns upside down when I can't put my fingers on my Mom Agenda calendar, but I'm learning to grow where God has planted me.

What happens when we plant a flower in an environment where it isn't intended to grow? It doesn't prosper. God not only wants us to grow, He wants us to THRIVE. So hold onto that childlike intensity as you lay your dreams before the Creator, and bend to His will as a child to their parent. Are you learning to grow where God has planted you?

Receiving Sustenance

2011-10-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

Def. of sustenance (n.) - sustaining health or life.

When Jen asked me to write a guest blog post for Soli Deo Gloria (findingheaventoday.blogspot.com) , I was happy to oblige. Honestly, my super organized sis-in-law asked me over a month ago. When she approached me, I had no idea what the Lord would ask me to share. As a planning gal myself, normally I would have written "my assignment" and turned it in with plenty of time to spare. But this time, the Lord said, "Wait".

The Lord and I have been going back and forth about that word for a while now. Wait. Wait. Wait. Ugh...waiting. Not my forte. I'm the last born of three children. My parents and siblings would tell you I love adventure and have a zest for life. I love to laugh, love my family, love to make other people smile. I love being on the go. I definitely do not like to wait. Yet, God continues to give me opportunities for practice.

Two years ago, God gave me a dream - literally. I woke that morning, ran to my computer and typed every detail I could remember. The calling He had placed in my heart was so strong and undeniable that I was eager to tackle it immediately. But God said, "Wait". There were existing commitments and responsibilities that I needed to fulfill before I could let go. Yet, in the midst of those commitments, I still tried to pursue this new endeavor. I kept saying, "God, I've got this!" The result was exhaustion, disenchantment and tears.

What I couldn't see or appreciate then was the process God wanted me to experience. The planner in me had it all figured out, and I'd taken the reigns from the Master Architect. Again, God was asking me to wait. Wait. What a frustrating four-letter word! Begrudgingly, I did. When people would ask me how my "special project" was going, I had a pat answer. "I'm trusting God's timing." I WANTED to believe what I was saying, but I also felt so frustrated that God would place something so important in front of me without letting me take it into my hands.

Six months ago, I finally felt released. I began letting go of client work and projects while politely declining new ones. At the end of August, I officially closed a successful consulting practice that I'd spent the last six years building. And you know what? All I felt was relief. When I finally stopped moving, I realized how utterly exhausted I was in body, mind and spirit. So I thought, "Now what?" God said, "Just wait".

I spent the next month going to hot yoga (my favorite!), meditating on God's word and receiving sustenance for my body, mind and spirit. I've read more books in the last three months than I've probably read in the last two years. I go for morning walks with our lovable Aussie - enjoying the trails almost as much as my furry pal. I've met friends for lunch and spent many a day at home in the quiet. Waiting. Being Fed. Waiting. Receiving sustenance.

God provided a last-minute opportunity for me to attend a Women of Joy conference a couple of weeks ago. There in the midst of all these amazing women was a call to action. God said, "Now. It's time to begin". I finally realized that God has been providing the sustenance needed for my journey - the great adventure that He has asked me make. He's so smart.

My greatest desire is to trust and follow God in all things, but sometimes I get tripped up by my own excitement and looking for "the perfect outfit". When God asks us to wait, He's not telling us, "No". He's saying, "Not yet". If God is asking you to wait, then wait. Find the patience to be still and receive His sustenance. You'll be better prepared for the work He has in store for you.

The Lord has given me the tongue of disciples,

That I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.

He awakens me morning by morning,

He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple.

~Isaiah 50:4

Exhaling

2011-09-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love most about yoga is the ability to push everything from your mind and just breathe. That big exhale at the end of a breath is cleansing and centering. It's easy to get caught up in the chaos of day-to-day life that often leaves little time for breathing. I don't know about any of you, but I'm thankful today is Friday. My first word of the week is "Exhaling."

This week has been more than a little exhausting, which began with car problems...on a Monday, no doubt. Ack...nothing brings you to your to knees faster than a car with mechanical issues. Anyway, it's been a busy couple of weeks trying to get into our school routines. I think we're all feeling the weariness of re-adjusting to early mornings, homework, meetings, etc. The holiday weekend has arrived just in time!

When life moves so quickly, there is some activity we all do to calm our spirits and relax our minds. For me, it's hot yoga. I love the deep breathing, following by the sweat that pours off my body, twisting my frame into yummy stretches until my mind can't focus on anything but syncing my breath with my body's movement. I.Love.It. I.Need.It. Yet, I often let the day-to-day craziness of life impact my ability to fit a workout into my schedule.

SO while we're adjusting to new school routines and extra curricular activities, I've made a commitment to myself to keep two things high on my priority list - Bible study and hot yoga. Really, I think I'm a nicer person when I'm able to consistently do both. My sweet husband would probably agree.

I've laid down so many commitments to take up the work I feel God has called me to do. However, I can see how "life" can easily take over and take you down. The second word that's been at the forefront of my mind this week is "Discipline." Not to be mistaken for rigid, I love this word. Summer is the antithesis of discipline, and we enjoyed EVERY second. However, I'm learning very quickly that discipline provides opportunity to exhale. YES. I get it, Lord.

One last thought...just so you know, "discipline" doesn't mean without fun. T and I are disciplined about evening and morning snuggles with our girls. We're disciplined about saying no to activities that carve into our family time. We're disciplined about eating dinner at the table every night so we can share and laugh about one another's day. Discipline. Exhale. Yes, I get it. Do you?

A Lamp Unto My Feet

2011-08-22T17:59:00.001-07:00

Well, friends - we're a walkin' in faith! And I'm here to tell you it's exciting and scary all at once. How many of you have planners or live by the calendars on your phone? I'll admit that while I DO carry a smart phone, I have resisted the urge to let go of my paper calendar. Seriously, I'm on my fifth Mom Agenda planner, and my anticipation as I wait for the new designs to come out each year undoubtedly rivals my kiddos' excitement as they anticipate what Santa has left under the tree on Christmas morning.

If you are the kind of person who skips and hums down the office supply aisle at Target, then you know what I mean. I'm a PLANNER. I love to know the plan so I can be prepared. What will the weather be like? How much money will be needed? Are permission slips required? The lists (and they are lists) go on and on and on. There's comfort in planning that you'll be prepared no matter what.

Well, a wise friend very recently shared with me that God doesn't want us to experience just comfort, because there's no growth when we're comfortable. Moving beyond our little space until the unknown enables us to stretch and grow. Well, I'm stretchin', Lord!

The summer was spent letting go, rejuvenating my spirit and preparing my heart for what God has in store for me. I had NO idea that meant letting go of some of the "Planner" in me. Walking in faith means just that -- trusting God when you have absolutely no clue what's going to happen next.

I first learned the words from Psalm 119:105 in an Amy Grant song when I was younger, but the meaning has long since been pressed into my heart. "Thy Word is lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

It doesn't say a spotlight or massive illumination. If you've ever camped with a lamp or lantern, then you know that it only casts light a few steps ahead of you...not 50 yards. But that's all we need to see in the dark, right? We only need to see a few steps in front of us. Did that sound convincing? What can I say? It's a process!

Well, as I've shared, embarking on the journey God has called me required letting go of my consulting practice. There IS freedom in obedience and learning to trust God to draft the master plan. After all, HE is the greatest planner of all. There's also a inkling of fear and a little voice inside me that whispers, "Can I really do what He's called me to do?"

As I type, my eye keeps catching sight of a bright red band around my wrist that says, “God Is Big Enough.” Our church had 10,000 of these bands made at the beginning of the summer with the intention of passing them on through ministries, friendships and to anyone who needed reassurance that our God is big enough to do anything. As of two weeks ago, our pastor announced we are almost completely out of bands...in just 10 weeks. These bands have already been seen across the country – Oklahoma, California, Washington...and even Niagara Falls!

The point is that these wrist bands carry a very important message that needs to reach as many people as possible. I feel like this is what God is calling me to do with my writing...share an important message in a very plausible story that will draw more people to know Him. I have spent the last six months wrapping up client work in order to pursue my calling to write full-time. My sweet husband and I trust God completely with "the master plan" and have faith He will provide the financial and spiritual resources we need to do the work He has called us to do.

Sweet friends, please pray that God will continue to refine my spirit so I'm not tempted to pat my foot and ask impatiently, "What's the plan, Lord?" I want to follow the Lord's lamp as a light unto my path. I'll be praying this week for all of you, as well.

Anticipating Change

2011-08-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

It's tough to believe that I haven't blogged all summer. I haven't been bogged down with client work, and the girls' schedules haven't been crazy with school and extracurriculars...so what gives? Well, what gives is that we've spent the last two months BREATHING. The girls and I have been regularly seen in swimsuits and pool attire. I'm pretty sure my blow dryer thinks we've broken up, and the most stressful aspect of scheduling has been figuring out what time we want to get wet.

Thank.You.Lord. Seriously.

I could be Amazon or Barnes & Noble's newest VIP customer with all the books I've been reading, none of which are related to market trends, research or work. A few things I've learned this summer:

You're never too old to color. Ever. And a six-year-old has great appreciation for what she considers "mommy's advanced coloring skills."
Building LEGOS can actually be a competitive sport, especially when up you're up against an uber-skilled nine-year-old who has NO sympathy that "mommy is rusty because she hasn't played in a while."
There's nothing like the sound of a giggle when a munchkin has been hiding out waiting for the perfect opportunity to scare mommy - and succeeded. I blame myself for teaching my kiddos' crazy-good scare skills. ;)
There is a difference between vacation and sabbatical, and I'm thankful God gifted me with the opportunity for much-needed rest and reflection.

Now, it's time to get to work. Our head pastor at church just returned yesterday from a two month sabbatical himself, and his sermon was mind blowing. He talked about Jesus' 40 days in the desert and the temptations he encountered. He also talked about the difference between a vacation and a sabbatical and the purposes they serve. Vacations are meant as an escape - an opportunity to "vacate" a stressful environment for a short period of time. Sabbaticals are longer periods not meant for short-term relief. These are opportunities for rest and reflection while also encountering temptation.

I had to think about that, but he's right. The devil is evil, but he's also smart. He knows how to uniquely tempt each and every one of us. Our pastor used the example of being tempted by world news and his desire to read the depressing daily news, but that he resisted because it was counterproductive to the reason he took sabbatical. It distracted him from reflecting and PREPARING for his next leg of God's work.

My temptation this summer has come unexpectedly from others who haven't supported my "retreat" from everyday life. My family and I have cocooned ourselves from the stresses of the everyday struggles in our normal routines. On occasion, though, I've allowed myself to worry, feel guilty and be distracted by these phone calls or emails...until I realized it was okay for me to say, "This is where God wants me to be." In EVERY instance, God resolved the conflict and put my spirit at peace once more. Get thee Satan behind me!

Taking time you need to rest, reflect and recharge doesn't always make sense when you look at what's on your plate. How will I get everything done? What will so-and-so think? I can't let this group down; they're depending on me. Sometimes, saying NO to all of the "stuff" in your life means saying YES to God. It's freeing. It's fulfilling. Prayerfully discern and OBEY when God calls you to your sabbatical.

So here we are...seven days of summer are left. Not only do I feel recharged, but I'm EAGER to tackle the calling God has laid on my heart. I'm anticipating the change from summer sabbatical to the front lines of faith. It's time to get to walkin'!

In the meantime...what would a blog post be without fun pictures to share? So here's a little snippet from our summer adventures...and yes, that's DOLLY!

Thank you, friends, for your prayers and encouragement through this segment of my faith walk. You are all incredible warriors of God, and your friendships are sweet blessings.

Following the Current

2011-06-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

As I take a deep breath and realize that I am emerging on the other side of our "busy" end-of-school schedules, peace fills my spirit. We ended school and immediately prepared for a wonderful family trip with T's family to the Bahamas. Yes, it was an amazing trip. In addition to the wonderful family time we had, I read books from my "list" that I've wanted to tackle for months. Imagine crystal clear water, indescribable landscapes and interactive marine exhibits...and strawberry daiquiris by the pool. It.Was.Blissful.

I camped in a chaise by the pool for a bit and took the opportunity to just BREATHE. I laid in the sun and contemplated the life changes that are upon me and realized that there truly is a freedom in giving control to God.

It's not always easy to follow the changing currents of life, though. Part of me has been stressed about letting go of projects and consultant work to pursue God's calling for me. BUT now that it's practically here, the angst is gone. I'm wrapping up my last bit of consultant work through the summer, and our schedule still allows for plenty of time to recharge my batteries - also badly needed.

Sooo I don't have anything particularly profound to share today...just giving thanks for the peace in my spirit and the opportunity to rest before tackling the new project God has laid before me. In the meantime, I must share some fun pictures from our trip.

T's parents graciously and generously pampered our entire family for a week in Atlantis. Part of our pampering included a fun experience with a little dolphin named, "Machiah." How adorable is he?

I'm pretty sure we ate our way through Atlantis, but that's what you do on vacation...right? And what goes well with Bahamian cuisine? Tropical beverages, of course!

The girls also experienced their very first trip to the beach, and we weren't disappointed by their reactions. They frolicked and giggled in the sand and surf as I happily snapped away with my camera.

And the marine life...oh, my gosh! UNPARALLELED aquariums. There were so many exhibits, pools and aquariums, and they all contained breathtaking sights. We were all mesmerized by our underwater adventures. Tunnels that led to underground aquariums...I have to admit it was really neat.

I didn't get pictures of the slides - which I didn't realize until I was home, but they were a hit with A and all the boys. The waterslides...you haven't BEEN on a waterslide until you've done the ones at Atlantis. Holy.Cow. Fun or frightening...depends on who you ask!

Blessings all around....

A New Chapter

2011-05-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

And so begins a new chapter of life...which is exciting and terrifying all at the same time. The prospect of spending a summer dedicated to playing with my girls and being home is a delightful one. We have a "bucket list" of activities that we've wanted to do up 'til now, but just haven't had the time. I can't wait!

The flip side of free time is saying goodbye to steady income that was generated through my consulting practice. I keep reminding myself that it's okay. Faith is believing in what you can't see, and we are committed to treading on the path God has laid before us. I believe with all my heart God provides what we need when we it. Even though I admit a little anxiety about the unknown, I'm also excited about what God has called me to do.

Sooo summer has officially begun! Below are pictures from our INSANELY busy last few weeks of school and extracurricular activities. We are stopping momentarily to catch our breath before we leave for a fun Bahamian excursion with T's family. Excitement!

One of A's last projects at school was dressing as a historical character and sharing an oral presentation of what she learned while researching. A picked Annie Oakley and made the CUTEST cowgirl ever! Her grandpa handcrafted a rifle prop for A to use during her presentation, and I dare say it was a hit with her fellow students and friends.

EK also had a big presentation, but hers was for dance! Our sweet ballerina performed a dance demonstration with her classmates last weekend. Like her mama, EK absolutely loves to dance. She's such a joy to watch, too! In the group photo, she's on the far right.

The following day, we met classmates from EK's RLS kindergarten class for a graduation celebration. It was a sweet and intimate affair that everyone enjoyed. EK's kinder teacher is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, so we were especially grateful that she braved the heat to celebrate with us. We've had an amazing year, and she has been such a blessing.

After closing chapel, it's become tradition to visit the SA zoo each year. T had to work last Friday, so we ventured south with a couple of school friends. It was hotter than you-know-what, but everyone had a blast! Hot, sweaty and tired...we made our way home with exhausted but happy kiddos. I had to laugh when we took the butterfly pictures below. EK posed with a sweet expression, while A struck a more dramatic pose. I love it!

Then, last night...(I KNOW! BUSY!)...we hosted this month's theme night. "Under the Sea - Mexican Style!" We always enjoy our theme nights, and last night was no exception....as you can see below.

So stay tuned for more news as we embark on a new chapter in life! Exciting stuff is ahead!

Day 4: The Perfect Day

2011-05-09T07:40:00.001-07:00

Okay, sooooo it appears that blogging daily requires a little more time than I currently have to give. Despite that, I'm still trying to write as frequently as possible. Holy guacamole - what a busy month!

How many of us heard our mothers say when we were children that, "One day when you're a mommy, you'll understand." If you were anything like me, you probably rolled your eyes and thought, "Yeh, right." Well, mom....you've waited a really long time to hear these words. You.Were.Right.

Now that I'm a mom, I understand that:

There is truly no better job than being a mom...payment comes in the forms of kisses and hugs --- and I wouldn't trade them for anything;
Homemade gifts from your children are priceless works of art;
Hearing your child say, "Mommy, I want to be just like you when I grow up" is both flattering and terrifying; and
When my family is together, everything is right and well in my world.

T and the girls did their best to spoil me yesterday. I opened my bedroom door after getting out of bed only to be ushered right back into it. T and the girls made homemade chocolate chip pancakes and whipped cream. YUMMY! The girls both made the most precious Mother's Day gifts at school. Seriously, these are the "things" I treasure most. It was an all-around lovely day.

Being a mom isn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but my mom hit the nail on the head when she said it's the most rewarding job you'll ever have. Thanks to all of the mothers, including my own, who are living examples of God's love and kindness. The world is a better place because of you.

Day 3: Special People

2011-05-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

My sweet in-laws are celebrating their 40th anniversary in November. These truly are two people who have Godly spirits and generous hearts. In honor of their approaching anniversary, they are taking their entire family (sons and families) to Atlantis in June. Months of preparation have included researching places to stay, reservations, flights, applying for passports, etc. Needless to say, we're all getting really excited as our fun trip draws closer. I must also share that much of this planning has been done by T's sweet mom, Mrs. L.

Now, a little word about Mrs. L...no one, and I mean NO ONE, creates confections like she does. She is a master of chocolate and peanut butter...chocolate and coconut (and I don't even care for coconut)...really anything with chocolate. That's not her only talent, though. She's seamstress extraordinaire, handy-gal and finds great delight in spoiling those she loves...and even those she doesn't. She's one special lady.

Sorry, Mr. S! Couldn't resist....and yes, for those of you scoring at home, that adorable little boy is my handsome hubby.

You know? I'm so glad my SIL, J, issued a 30-day (or was it 31) blogger challenge. I've been thinking about what God would place on my heart to write, and I am so pleasantly surprised that He is filling my heart with the unexpected. It's good practice when I sit down to write daily starting in July! ;)

Anyway, T's dad compliments Mrs. L in so many neat ways. I couldn't help but think of him yesterday as our oldest, A, is researching a biography project she is doing for school. Out of all the female role models in history, our doodlebug chose Annie Oakley. Excitement! I immediately thought of how much fun we'd have researching and dressing her for the big presentation. A has THROWN herself into this project, seriously. Yesterday, after reading quietly for about an hour and taking notes, she looked up and said, "You know what, mommy? I'd like to learn to shoot like Annie Oakley. Do you think Daddy and Grandpa could teach me?"

In that moment, I thought, "Oooooh....if T and his daddy could hear her...buttons busting with pride." She asked T when he got home from work, and he turned to me with a surprised look on his face. ;) Love it! With two grandfathers and a daddy who love target practice, she'll have the best teachers!

I'm all over the place today...so much for a congruent thought. My point for bringing up Atlantis, Mrs. L and preparations was to share a circuit workout someone recommended to me. I tried it, and guess what...holy you-know-what. If you don't shred in 30 days, call Jillian...something's wrong.

Hot yoga is one of my most favorite things to do, and I never leave class disappointed (or dry). Circuit training is a WHOLE different type of endurance. So we'll see how "prepared" I am after combining the two for the next 30 days. Whew...

So to Mrs. L and Mr. S, thank you for spoiling us in so many ways. In case we don't tell you often enough, we love you and are so thankful for the blessing of YOU.

Day 2: Under Construction

2011-05-02T07:05:00.000-07:00

We are working on several home improvement projects. Some of them are simply general maintenance that comes with normal wear and tear of living in a house. Then there are a few projects that are requiring a bit more elbow grease...with the finished product looking nothing like what was originally there. "The Money Pit" has come to mind more than once since we've started...

Our first bathroom is one of the more time intensive projects we've undertaken. T has spent many an hour tearing out walls, flooring and old cabinets so our tile contractor could begin work over the weekend. I stood in the bathroom one night last week and thought how GOOD it felt not to have all the old broken cabinetry and flooring. Of course, I could also see studs staring back at me where T had taken down the tile and backer board in the shower. But I didn't see an empty desolate space. What I saw was potential! I felt excitement as I envisioned fresh tile and paint.

I wonder if this is sometimes how God sees us. After all, we're all works in progress...striving to be the people God has built us to be. Occasionally, our spirits need maintenance and sometimes major renovations...perhaps depending on where we are in our walk with Christ. Without normal maintenance, our spirits wear down and can't function as God has intended.

So I stood in the bathroom again this morning and surveyed the progress. I can't explain it, but I felt peace in my spirit...almost as if God was saying to me, "I'm pleased with your progress, too." I've scaled some pretty intense hurdles over the last few weeks. Setting boundaries and answering God's call to change vocations...even when I don't completely understand it...has been huge. Hmmm...crazy end-of-the-year schedules, major life changes and home renovations...you kind of have to laugh. ;) I guess you could say that I'm under construction, too. Seriously, though, aren't we all?

Day 1: Easter Blessings

2011-05-01T10:53:00.001-07:00

I'm following my SIL's challenge to blog once a day for the next 31 days. With the craziness of spring schedules and the end of school approaching so quickly, I haven't had much time to catch up with family and friends. SO since many of you have been asking about our Easter, I wanted to share some fun pictures of our weekend with my parents.

No, it's not terribly insightful other than T and I continue to be amazed and thankful for the blessings God gives to us.

Sweet EK...melts my heart every time she smiles.

Beautiful A striking a pose before she hunts for eggs...

This was too precious not to post...my handsome hubby with our lovable dog, Gatsby.

When at Nani's, one must bake!!

AND one must also receive lots of snuggles and kisses!

How beautiful is she?

I told you...a melt-your-heart smile...she rode with me to return a movie tonight. When we got home, I said, "Thank you, EK, for riding with me." She smiled and quickly replied, "You're welcome! It's what I do. I keep people company." ;)

Sisters...

Daddy's little girl...

Oh, to be loved so...

Hope everyone else had a blessed holiday weekend, as well!

"A Whispered Prayer"

2011-04-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

I recently cleaned out my office and rearranged, which my husband would say is something I do when I feel restless. Maybe he's right, but then again...maybe I just like to be organized. Clutter is distracting.

Anyway, I found one of my journals from college while I was cleaning. Inside was a poem I wrote on January 1, 1998. I can remember feeling wayward in my faith while also feeling the tug to strengthen my relationship with Christ. Isn't this a struggle we continue to encounter throughout our lives? The circumstances may change, but the basic elements of our struggle to follow Christ as we should doesn't really change much at all. Life simply gets in the way.

EK participated in an "Egg Drop" at school a week ago.

Each child packed their egg with such care so that it could survive a two-story drop without breaking. I was struck that this is so reminiscent of my spiritual life. How many times do I take a leap of faith hoping beyond hope that my heart and spirit are intact once I've taken the plunge?

Each child watched anxiously as their egg took a fall and then rushed to unpack their egg and inspect any damage.

Sweet EK was ecstatic to learn her egg survived unharmed. No sooner had we snapped photographic proof did this precious girl drop her egg...and splat. I digress...

Just as these kiddos trusted that the care and preparation they took in packing their eggs would sustain them through a great fall, we entrust our spirits to an awesome and mighty God that his loving care will sustain us in the same way. It was a gentle reminder that acting in faith may be scary, but God equips us with what we need - ALWAYS.

I'm thankful for uncovering my old journal, and I feel led to share a poem that marked a turning point in my spiritual walk more than 10 years ago. And please! I am no self-professed poet. This was a heartfelt cry to God and quite honestly not something I ever intended to share. I entitled it "A Whispered Prayer," because at the time I wrote it, I felt so broken...all I could do was kneel and softly ask God to help.

"A Whispered Prayer"

Giving my heart to you,

This is something I frequently do;

Yet, time and time again,

I forget my promise and throw caution to the wind.

Why is it so easy to forget,

To throw my hands up and feel urged to quit?

How wayward I have often been;

Lord, doesn't your patience ever wear thin?

Yet, no matter how many times I have strayed,

I could always count on you to stay

Beside me, behind me and even inside me,

Guiding me to be the person you know I can be.

I'm praying to you for the words to write;

I'm praying for forgiveness with all of my might.

Through my words, Lord, I give praise to you,

And I make a solemn vow to you I will be true.

You believe me, Lord, I know you do,

But the doubt inside myself makes me blue.

You gave your precious life so that I may live;

Through your blessings in my life, you continue to give.

How unworthy I feel right now;

I want to fall on my knees and cry aloud.

For your forgiveness, your guidance, but most importantly your strength;

For without it, Lord, I'm afraid I may sink.

I need you, Father God,

And I'm crying aloud;

Lord, I needn't tell you where I've been.

I'll only whisper a prayer to be led to your path once again.

And, Father, as I grow older,

The sweet words of your Book grow bolder.

As a child, I did not understand

Why they nailed a tree to your feet and your hands.

Oh, yes, Lord, it was explained to me,

You gave your life so your children could be free.

Free to live and free to love, and free to choose,

But, Lord, above any other choice, I choose you.

I find comfort when I imagine myself taking your hand,

Knowing you would never give me more than I can stand.

You must see an enormous strength in me;

Again, I pray for your strength to be this person you have built me to be.

Lord, I realize I ask for so much;

Maybe deep inside I know all I need is your touch.

Breathe on me, Lord, and wash me clean;

Wash me so clean that I gleam!

This vow I have made to you,

Is a promise I intend to make true.

A difficult road lies ahead,

But no more difficult than the one you tread.

Even though I am uncertain as where to go,

I will trust in you, Lord, because you DO know.

And if I happen to stray and catch myself in a jam,

Please herd me back to the flock and love your lost lamb.

I'll bruise my feet on the rocks in the road;

And I'll cut my fingers on the thorns of a rose.

Oh, yes, Lord, all of this I will most certainly do,

Because I know this road inevitably leads to you.

However, Lord, I know the road you've laid for me

Isn't a road I must travel through heartache and treachery.

Because the sacrifices I make for you are small compared to the one you made for me;

For you sacrificed your life so that I may delight in your everlasting glory.

Father, I love you with all that is in me;

I long to be the person you know I can be.

When I began this poem, how alone I felt;

Trying to make sense of the hand I've been dealt.

Thank you, God, for showing me your light;

For helping me see that I'm doing alright.

You've placed me here to help others see

The power of your Word and wonder of your glory.

How I honored I know I am,

That you keep such a watchful eye over this little lamb;

And I am humbled before you on this cold January night;

Please, Lord, let me remember this warm insight.

Use me, Lord, to you I pray;

How easy it is to fall astray.

Help me to remember the paid you suffered,

And unselfishly gave for so many others.

I haven't figured out what college is about;

Only certain it is full of temptation and doubt.

Even though I have been known to stumble and even to fall,

Thank you, God, for standing beside me through it all.

Growing into an adult hasn't been an easy road,

But it IS a path I nonetheless must go.

I admit my apprehension and even a bit of fear;

Regardless of the bumps in the road, I will persevere.

I find strength through you, Lord,

Strength and love you so willingly share;

Maybe if I had paid a little closer mind,

I would have realized it's always been there.

Thank you again, Lord, for the love you give;

My blues that plagued me you've managed to rid.

A small feat no doubt for you;

Oh, Father, I find wonder in all you do.

Fanciness!

2011-04-17T19:32:00.000-07:00

Theme night strikes, again! This month's theme? "Fancy Nancy." If you've ready the books, you know "Fancy Nancy" is about a little girl who LOVES anything and everything about being fancy. The books have been a big hit with my girls and my nieces. We haven't had theme night in several months, so it was so much fun to get together, act silly and just "be."

"It's been a crazy week around these parts" seems to be a standard phrase lately. In spite of the busy schedules we keep, T and I are feeling so blessed. The last few weeks have been intense and hectic, but partly because we've made some big decisions to follow God's plan even though it may not necessarily make sense to us. Obedience doesn't always mean understanding...right?

You know what, though? There's such freedom in letting my Father take control. As adults, we talk about how children don't know how great they have it. Letting go and letting God kind of feels like giving the reins to your parent and being okay with it. I know I'm being vague, and I'm sorry. You're probably noticing my blog's makeover. And yes...it has everything to do with the direction I feel God is calling me. I'll share more as I transition into this new chapter (pun intended) of my life.

Until then, sometimes a picture is worth more than a thousand words...who doesn't love a fancy evening with pizza and ice cream sundaes??

Paying Attention to Road Signs

2011-04-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

We're still staying busy, and I regret the lack of time to blog as much as I'd like. I have been thinking of you sweet blogger friends. Alas, life has been passing by us at full speed!

Let's see...since spring break, we've been thrust back into our normal routine. I tell myself every year that August - October are crazy months because they're always jam packed with back-to-school activities, volunteer commitments and an insanely crazy amount of client deadlines. It's just that way, and I try to plan accordingly. I have also convinced myself for the last three years that April and May were NOT as busy as August-October, but it just felt that way because we were new to the whole "school-age-kid" thing. Hmmm...well, now I realize that April and May are just plain BUSY. Don't judge! It takes some of us a few times of practical application to learn a lesson!

I digress. Two years ago, I felt a strong call from God to work on a very special project. He planted a seed for me in a dream, and I've spent the last two years trying to "get ready" so the climate for working on this project would be perfect.

I was trying to fit God's special project into my schedule and my desire for timing. The calling got a lot stronger in January - to the point I had to stop and take a breath. That was about the time I posted about having revelations vs. new year resolutions. It took another couple of months for me to discern...and quite frankly, muster the courage...to take the step of faith God has been calling me to take for too long.

With God's help and my husband's unwavering support, I've done it. And you know what? It's so freeing. I'll admit...I feel 96% free and 4% scared to death, but the decision has been made. I've already let go of every project, save one. I've turned down five client offers in the last month alone, and I love that saying "no" doesn't riddle me with the guilt it has in the past. Saying "no" is okay, because when we say "no" to distractions, we can say "yes" to God.

Our pastor was talking this morning about missing road signs in our lives. "Are you lost in the wilderness," he asked. "Do you find yourself on a journey where you don't know the why, who, or how you came to be there?"

He went on to say that many Christians do NOT feel lost, because we can answer those questions. Our lives feel full of blessings - sometimes to point of bursting. He showed us a clip from "Bruce Almighty" where Jim Carey is asking God for a sign. Almost instantly, he passed a blinking road sign that says, "Caution ahead!" Jim Carey passes it without a second glance and begins asking more fervently, "Please, God! Give me a sign!!" A big work truck turns in front of him filled to the brim with caution signs (literally). Jim Carey's character gets frustrated and swerves around the truck only to wreck his car a few minutes later. He calls out, "God! Why didn't you help me?!" But the signs were all there...he just wasn't paying attention.

I don't want to miss God's calling for my life. Yes, my life is incredibly blessed. My family is God's greatest gift to me, but God is asking me to give back. We don't usually grow in faith by staying comfortably in our warm cocoon of blessings. Stepping out of our comfort zone into the unknown is scary, and it requires an act of faith. But when we act on faith, God helps us grow...and I believe with all my heart that God doesn't waste experiences. I'm not so vain that I think God's calling for my life is only for me. He's calling me to a ministry that I hope will lead others to seek him, as well. Deep breath...

The seeds have been sown. My prayer is that God will bless the soil around this seed, so that the seedling will flourish, grow and eventually bloom. What the seed looks like for me may look very differently for someone else. God calls each of us to a unique ministry, a special calling that only we are asked to fulfill.

So here's to each of us...the paths of our journeys lead in different directions. Sure, they may cross and intersect, but every path is different. The cool thing, though, is that EVERY destination for all Christians is the same. I believe God intends for our journeys to draw us closer to Him, but I also believe He fills each of our journeys with blessings (recognized or not). Blessings like this...

Savor each day, but be diligent and watchful for the road signs God places before you. God speed, friends.

Building Memories

2011-03-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Spring Break 2011 - INDEED! T and I set off with our sweet girls for one amazing adventure to West Texas, and it's safe to say this was one unforgettable family trip. Let's see if I can hit the highlights for you:

We stayed three nights at the Indian Lodge in Fort Davis - SO neat. As far as hiking goes, this locale was home to our favorite trails (with the exception of one little mishap between EK and a cactus). No worries! She's totally fine.
The Star Party at the McDonald Observatory was really cool. We walked from telescope to telescope and saw craters on the moon, Jupiter, Mars, the moons of Jupiter and a few constellations of stars. So neat.
Trails, historic Fort Davis, Balmorea swimming hole...and more!
After hiking for a few days and eating picnic lunches and dinners, Dairy Queen was truly a luxury...and we drove 30 minutes out of our way to get there. Seriously, I don't think we talked at dinner because the food was THAT amazing...and then the Blizzard...there are just no words.
Then, we headed to Big Bend. T and I learned that perhaps checking a map BEFORE you hit the road is sometimes the best course of action. In our zeal to explore and take it easy, we ended up going through the ONE town we wanted to avoid and a wee bit too close to the Mexico border. No matter, though. We made it safely, and the adventure resumed!
Big Bend is simply indescribable - in a good way. We took one of the "easier" trails, and it was easy until the last quarter mile when the trail made a steep ascension into the hills. For someone who isn't crazy about heights, I was given a lovely and unexpected opportunity to set an example for my children on how to face your fears with calm and grace... ;) Mostly.
After hearing amazing things about the historical Gage Hotel in Marathon, we decided to stay TWO nights. What I probably should've researched is what else there is to do in Marathon. With a population of 400 peeps...we learned very quickly that one night was probably more than enough.
So what did we do? We opted to cut our visit at the Gage short and head to Fredericksburg for our last night where we stayed at an AMAZING B&B. The girls laughed as they watched their mommy's eyes sparkle with delight as we literally skipped down Main Street. It.Was.Awesome.
I saw a sign as we bee-bopped from shop to shop that said, "Taking your husband shopping is like hunting with the game warden." And ain't it the truth? ;) T actually laughed when he read it, then promptly morphed into a straight face as he said, "You're dang right."
Peach ice cream, wildflowers, shopping, yummy German cuisine, live music...it was ALL amazing. I was delighted to see how many kiddos are in Fredericksburg during spring break, as it honestly never occurred to me that the girls would love it there. But they did!

Here are a few of our MANY fun pictures!

(The view from our room at Indian Lodge)

(The girls at Indian Lodge)

(Headed off on one of our hikes)

(EK at Historic Fort Davis)

(T and A at Historic Fort Davis)

(The girls at Fort Davis Mountains)

(The girls and me at Historic Fort Davis)

(T and EK on one of the trails at the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center -- definitely a family favorite!)

(The Window View at Big Bend)

(One of the few pictures of all four of us!)

(EK and T at Big Bend)

(Being silly with the girls at Big Bend)

(T and the girls at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg)

(The girls having tub fun at our amazing B&B)

Sigh...it's been an amazing (and much-needed) family vacation. We spent an entire week together - laughing, exploring and building memories. We're all thrilled to be home, and our Gatsby dog was one happy pooch when we opened the front door today.

We're all looking forward to sleeping in our own beds and eating a little healthier than we the last few days. If you haven't ventured to West Texas by way of Fort Davis and Big Bend, it's a MUST. We highly recommend the Indian Lodge, as well. AWESOME!

Rock Stars and Butterflies

2011-03-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Seriously, who wouldn't love that combination? We celebrated EK's 6th birthday this past Saturday with family and close friends. Her birthday isn't technically until Wednesday, but we're bumping up against spring break and wanted to celebrate this sweet girl's special day while family and friends were still in town. As you can tell from the pictures below, a good time was had by all!

When I asked her what she wanted on her birthday cake, she initially said SheRa (as in He-Man's sister -- a cartoon from the 80's). It's a long story as to how she knows about the cartoon, but yes. My handsome hubby is at the start of it! Anyway, I gently explained to her that a bikini-clad cartoon holding a sword probably wasn't the best choice for a six-year-old's birthday party...so what was her second choice? Rock stars and butterflies! Of course...

Those of you who know EK also know she aspires to be a rock star. Even as a baby, our sweet girl was a wiggle worm and loved ANY kind of music. She still loves to sing and dance. T and I often laugh at how different our two girls really are. At night when we check on the girls before bed, A is in her bed with her perfectly arranged sheets sleeping soundly to classical music. EK, on the other hand, is usually sideways or completely turned around in her bed as she snores softly to Justin Bieber, Pink (only a few songs that she's allowed to hear) or Joan Jett and the Black Hearts. And you know what? I wouldn't change a thing about either one.

Anyway, I digress. Rock stars and butterflies. So anyway, EK does understand that it's possible she may not be a rock star. And if that turns out to be the case, she has very logically decided to fall back on race car driving. ;)

The party was a hit, and it's rare that BOTH sets of grandparents are able to come. What a blessed day we had.

It's hard to believe my baby girl will be SIX on Wednesday. This time six years ago, I was on hospital bed rest craving Thundercloud Subs. We are so thankful she arrived safely - even though she was early and slightly under-baked. EK has definitely since made up for her tough start on life.

One of the few bright spots for us this time six years ago was a plant in our front yard that broke into literally hundreds of beautiful yellow blooms just days before EK was born. It only blooms once a year and at a time when all of our other flowers are still "sleeping." Now we fondly refer to this Confederate Jasmine as EK's birthday plant. She knows as it begins to perk up and grow blooms that her birthday is drawing near, and I am ridiculously attached to the plant. Here is the almost birthday girl in front of "her" flowers.

Love my sugar bear!!

What's My Calling?

2011-02-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

God has blessed my family, and my heart overflows with the goodness of His bounty. I can't help feeling, though, that I'm falling short of the mark when it comes to answering His call for my life. In my heart of hearts, I know without a doubt that God has called me to a special ministry. He has equipped me with the tools to complete my task. What I'm struggling with is finding the time to fulfill this journey.

I don't know about everyone else, but our casa was hit hard by illness earlier this month. That meant doubling schedules and playing catch up across the board. Again, I must reiterate that our life is SO blessed, but I'm beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by life's "fullness."

How do you set aside what seems like a gift from God to pursue what you know without a doubt is something God requests of you. I'm not sure that makes sense, so let me speak more plainly. Does the enemy ever disguise himself through distractions that FEEL like blessings? How do you discern those from truth?

That's where I am in my journey. Discernment. I'm still faithfully living into most of my "revelations" of the new year, but time is the one element of this equation that I haven't fully mastered. Maybe that's part of God's journey for me --- for all of us. Blogger friends, what are your thoughts? When your life is so full of blessings, God's faithfulness shines through in every possible way. How do you discern which blessings to let go so that God may use you for His greater purpose?

I suppose if I had the answer to that question, there would be no point to the journey. ;)

Soooo prayers of discernment and steadfastness are top of my list for now. Until God reveals His truth, I'll tell myself to be patient and enjoy this amazing bounty He has laid before me. Speaking of blessings, I have to share...

Last week, it was the kindergarteners turn to host chapel. They were SO cute. Their chapel theme was based on a passage from Daniel where he asks to be tested for 10 days...refusing the king's food...requesting only vegetables to eat and water to drink. These precious kiddos played the role of Daniel and his friends and the king's attendants (their kinder teachers) tried to tempt them with pizza and happy meals. They would turn down the food, then the chapel filled with "Eye of the Tiger" as the kiddos began to exercise. Of course, at the end, these were MUCH stronger than those who had partaken of the king's offerings.

Here are a few pictures of EK from chapel...

Two of God's greatest blessings to me...

Lastly, A's class is completing a unit on poetry. The kids from class have learned about all kinds of poetry and have even tried writing a few poems themselves. T and I were astounded at the depth of feeling in some of A's poem. Although, we shouldn't be surprised. We often joke that she's a 40-year-old trapped in a nine-year-old girl's body. ;) She's an old soul for sure.

Anyway, I opened an email from my eldest child last night and found this...a poem she wrote for me. It melted my heart. And yes, I've already printed and put a copy in my Bible.

Alright, friends...until next time. Prayers for discernment and patience for God's timing.

Snow Day!

2011-02-04T08:17:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, pictures just say it all...we've had a blast on our snow day!

Monday Madness

2011-01-31T06:52:00.000-08:00

And so another week of crazy schedules begins! I am reaffirming my commitment this week to take time for myself in three ways:

Daily meditations (thanks to Mrs. S for her thoughtful words of wisdom and custom study guide);
Daily workouts (hot yoga or treadmill climbing); and
Finding joy through writing (journal, blog...whatever, but in a way that fulfills me).

Think about how disciplined we are to maintain busy schedules of work, school, church, volunteer commitments (and not necessarily in that order). Disciplined...hmmmm. The definition of "disciplined" is to be shaped or conditioned by training. SO it's a matter of training ourselves to prioritize and RE-prioritize so that God comes first. Trust me, this is a daily process for me.

I admire my friends and family who can get up at 5 am to sit with God's word. That particular method isn't for me, but it doesn't mean I can't be disciplined to find meaningful fellowship with the Creator in a way that does make sense for me. I'm curious, so blogger friends, please share your thoughts. What does regular, meaningful fellowship with God look like to you? How do you find time between car pools, house work, paid word, and the unending list of commitments to sit at God's feet? Like this sweet faithful friend who loves to sit at my feet...we don't have to talk (although sometimes we do). He just seems to be comforted by being near me.

A funny story, a few pictures...then to work. EK loves her bedtime stories, and she often wants me to make up a story rather than just read from a book. One evening, I ran out of ideas and told her about an amazingly mischievous girl named "Pippi Longstocking." I told EK what she looked like and had her giggling uncontrollably as I told her of Pippi's curious nature. So now at bedtime, she always asks me to tell her a story "about that red-haired girl named Pippi."

When we were at the bookstore this weekend, I came across to Pippi Longstocking books. Of course, I bought them. EK and I read the first chapter in one of the books yesterday, and she was so tickled. She asked if she could call my dad. Why not? So she called my dad last night, and when he answered, EK announced, "Hi, Saba...It's Pippi!" There was a pause on the other end...then his deep voice asking, "Pippi Longstocking?" She giggled and said, "Yeeees!"

It was really cute. Speaking of cute....

Texas Winter

2011-01-30T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hmmm - I think it's about 77 degrees outside right now, and the sun is shining bright. Who's complaining? Not I, said the little pig! This is what I love about winter in Texas. Brisk evenings and mornings, but perfectly warm afternoons...perfect weather if you ask me.

We have been sprinting through the last couple of weeks with busy schedules, deadlines, birthday parties and more. On Friday afternoon, this family heaved a collective sigh of relief as we curled on the couch for late afternoon snuggles. Sometimes, I really wish I could live as a lady of leisure - enjoying unhurried days and a life free of stressful schedules. But then I wouldn't appreciate the quiet moments between hurdles.

T had an all-day retreat yesterday, so the girls and I zoomed from one commitment to another. Art class, grocery store, birthday party...you know the routine. Once we arrived at our last destination, again we breathed a little easier. The girls had a blast at the outdoor, carnival-themed party for one of the girls' friends.

There's comfort in our regular routine, even though I sometimes long for a little smoother schedule. As I type, the back doors are open. My Maggies' Blend candles are burning. The sun is streaming through the windows, and the girls are giggling as they swing and tease their dog. Lady Leisure doesn't have anything on me. I'm trying to live by the advice someone very wise once shared with me. Embrace God in the moments between the chaos of everyday life. Give thanks through the laughter and smiles of your kiddos. So that's what we're doing today...giving thanks for being able to live in the moment and the blessing of family.

Tea for Two or Three?

2011-01-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

God is so amazing - truly. As a young mother of two beautiful little girls, I so craved time to myself. I was so hungry for 30 minutes or an hour where I could sit daily at God's feet and just bask in fellowship with him. For those of you who know me, you also know our little rock star, EK. This sweet, precious child of God made her debut nearly six weeks early. You wouldn't know it now, but she had a rough little start at the beginning of her life. God was all over it, though.

We brought her home, and THREE years later...she slept entirely through the night for the first time. Soooo needless to say, I was a little sleep deprived with a baby and a toddler...one who slept at night and one who apparently didn't need much sleep at all. It's no wonder my best friend came over to find me wearing my pants inside out and backwards...not once, but TWICE...in EK's first year of life.

I digress...my point is that I didn't have 30 minutes or an hour at one time where I could sit with God's word. A very dear and wise friend who had long since raised her children shared this advice to me. "Find God in the precious moments when your baby laughs, when your daughter hugs you, when your child is sleeping peacefully. Don't look for God in huge chunks of time, but rather embrace Him in those special fleeting moments. He's there in your children's faces."

It was life-changing for me. Now, did I still wear my pants backwards from time to time? Yes. But more importantly, my hunger for fellowship with my Creator was satiated when I realized that He was with me every moment. I didn't have to sit still to find Him, talk to Him or feel His presence.

So fast forward five years. EK is approaching her sixth birthday (HOW is that possible), and I still yearn for time with God. Sleepless nights have been replaced by busy, busy days and after school activities. My sister-in-law (Finding Heaven blog) and I tried to start a weekly Bible study some time back. I'd been following the story of a young mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer three days after she learned she was pregnant. She gave birth to her baby a month before her due date and passed away a week later from her illness. The husband continues to blog (an incredible journey to follow), and he shared a phrase that stuck with me. Solio Deo Gloria - which means Glory to God Alone.

I told my SIL that this is what we should name our group, and she loved it. Busy schedules overtook us, and our weekly group was unable to continue. BUT those three little words had power and planted a seed for her blog ministry. See? God's perfect plan.

This led me to another blog called "Comin' Home." Reading her most recent Tuesday morning post gave me goosebumps. She talks about how it feels to watch your children hurt. Although her children are grown, a mother's heart remains the same. It made me think about A and EK inviting me to tea in their playhouse when they were a little smaller. Then, when A started school...it was just EK and me. And we'd have tea parties. I can hear her little voice asking, "Tea for two?"

When you think about it, having tea doesn't take long. It's a nice little break from a busy routine to sit and breathe. Having tea with a child means you have LOTS of special friends, and the conversation is always entertaining. Life passes so quickly, that we sometimes miss the opportunity to embrace these special moments with our children...and with God. He was there...when EK and I would sit down tea. God was there...probably smiling at the nature of our conversation. But He was there...and who knows a mother's heart better than the God who created it?

We've had a rough week around these parts, and don't you know that God's heart must hurt for us. But He's here. In the fleeting moments that often slip from our memories. My SIL called last night after a very, very long day asking me if I wanted to "link up" to her Monday night stream. I had absolutely NO idea what that really meant, but she was patient and kind as she walked me through the process.

It took a moment, and I was connected with other Godly women who hunger for God, who embrace the joys and heartaches of motherhood and who are admirably vulnerable as they share their journeys of faith through their blogs. It really is like taking time for tea....except it's not just the two of us...God is here. So really it's tea for three.

What a comfort...thank you, dear blogger friends, and you know who you are.

Hit List

2011-01-23T12:02:00.001-08:00

What a week we've had, my friends. My spirit is calm once, again, thanks to lovely friends and some much-needed fellowship. What started as a pretty spectacular week turned into a pretty you-know-what week...missed an important deadline, had FOUR banks cards compromised from three separate accounts and still had to prepare for an important meeting that I was facilitating....by Friday, I was toast.

My last post was about having revelations vs. making resolutions. T and I agreed we must be doing something right to have made it to the enemy's hit list...and you know what? That's okay. I'd rather be in God's perfect will than to fly under the enemy's radar. It means the ministry that God is calling us to do is important.

I have to admit that I felt pretty battered by Friday afternoon. T was sick, and we had to postpone an evening of fun with my big bro and his sweet family that we had really anticipated all week. It turned out to be the best thing for us. We were able to spend yesterday organizing and cleaning...which is actually helpful when you're trying to process a crazy life. Something about putting your house in good order and making it cozy...just changes my frame of mind. AND side note, I recently read somewhere that 9 out of 10 women say sharing housework makes them feel closer to their spouse. ;) The same article said having a husband adds seven hours of housework, so seems only fair. T whole-heartily disagrees with this statistic - for the record.

Anyway - I digress...last night, T and I sat together and reflected on the week from you-know-where. And you know what? It's okay. There's a solution to every nuisance we encountered, because that's all they were...nuisances. Distractions. That's the enemy's specialty.

At church this morning, it felt as though the lyrics to the songs we sang and message was meant for T and me. As if that weren't enough, we enjoyed a lovely after church lunch with two of our most favorite families in the world. There's nothing like Godly fellowship and making the journey of life with people who after time, become more like family than friends. We are family.

Soooo like I said...my spirit is once, again, calm. I'm listening to giggles as I type. T is playing Wii with the girls, and you bet your bippy I slipped into the living room earlier to snag a picture of the game in action. Here is T playing against A (who then was ELATED when she beat her Wii Pro Daddy).

And adorable EK doing what she does best...melt my heart.

The enemy is alive and well, but so is my faith. I'm even more determined to answer God's call to action and fulfill the work He has called me to do. So to fellow hit list members, let's continue our prayers for protection, discernment, perseverance and peace. God's perfect plan is worth it.

Resolutions

2011-01-17T15:15:00.000-08:00

We all make them, whether we admit it or not. Whether we write something "official" down on paper or not...the mindset is there. "This year..." "Now's the time..."

But what happens? Some resolutions DO stick, but most of us fall very easily back into busy routines. Life happens. Kids get sick. We feel obligated to take on that ONE more thing. Before we know it, summer is here. (By the way, mom. I get it now, and...you were right. Now that I'm a parent, I understand why you so looked forward to summer each year only to be SOOOO ready for school to start once again in September.)

Then...it's Fall. Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us before we know it, and then it's time to make new resolutions. Same cycle, different year.

Well, something was different for me this year. I don't know what it is, but I DO know that God is the reason. He's calling me to a different path, a slower road where I can focus on the work that He has prepared me to do. How many of us ask God for an unmistakable sign that will tell us what path to take? I know I have...NUMEROUS times.

It dawned on me this year that the "signs" aren't different, the path God is leading me to hasn't changed...I have changed. My heart has changed. It feels as though suddenly I can say, "No." Letting go of projects and commitments that I thought couldn't possibly survive without me IS possible. Not only is it possible, it's freeing.

So this year, I didn't make resolutions. I had revelations. My eyes and ears are open as I eagerly anticipate what God will do with me next. My spirit is giddy. God has given me my heart's greatest desire, and it's been passing so quickly before me. My family - a loving and faithful husband, two precious children, friends (and you know who you are) who have become like family...revelations.

I know, and I can't stand not to include pictures...so here they are.

My prince charming on a recent date night with wonderful friends...

Ice skating with my bro and his sweet family...

Not resolutions. Revelations!

Road Trip!

2010-12-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

Time flies when you're having fun (and wishing you weren't sick). It's hard to believe that tomorrow is New Year's Eve! The girls have enjoyed two weeks off from school, and I think we're all just about ready to get back into a normal routine.

We spent a few days with my parents to celebrate Christmas, and I think it's safe to say that a good time was had by all. EK couldn't get enough of her Nani's cooking lessons, and Saba spoiled us with his AMAZING hamburgers. The best part of the trip, though, was simply getting to visit with my mom and dad.

Gatsby even made this trip to H-town -- heaven help us. Maggie, my parents' cute pooch, was a lovely hostess.

Gatsby, however, was a royal pain. What I learned about him is that he's anxious when he isn't in his own space. And extremely obnoxious. What I learned about myself is that I have little patience for a 50-pound dog that insists on sitting in your lap because he doesn't have a bed of his own. Anyway, lesson learned.

My parents are so precious, and I didn't realize how much I missed being with them until I was there. We made some sweet memories, and the girls had a ball. Now, we're home (trying to get well) and in cleaning mode. I've cleaned out two closets and rearranged EK's room. A's room is next, but that's going to require a little more elbow grease. We're repainting, building new shelves in her closet and setting up her big girl bed. A huge thank you to Grandpa and Grandma for gifting her big girl dresser - a Canton gem. I can't wait to get my hands on it to paint!!! Stay tuned for before and after pictures.

We'll take a short break this afternoon to go ice skating with cousins, which should result in some painfully cute pictures. Stay tuned!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T20:26:00.000-08:00

In the midst of great joy and blessings, let's take time to remember and honor the greatest Christmas gift of all...

"The Birth of Jesus"

Luke 1: 1-20

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Joy and laughter fill our house in abundance. The girls were so excited to prepare for Santa (as you can see).

A scampered down the hall this morning - anxious to see if the big guy had indeed come to our house. The excited scamper as she returned to our bedroom was so entertaining....especially when she asked if she could wake up her baby sis. When we said yes, A replied, "Oh, good! I already tried once and she wouldn't get out of bed. I'll go tell her SANTA CAME!"

Our Christmas morning tradition...homemade beignets and hot cocoa! Mmmm...

Seasonal greetings with close family and friends followed by an evening with our favorite McD folks. It's tradition for us to spend Christmas Day evening together, picking a different country to celebrate their cuisine and Christmas customs. Since the Aggies have had such a great season, we decided to celebrate their upcoming bowl game. ;) Homemade chicken tenders and Tijuana fries! YUMMY!

Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hugs and love from our home to yours.

Christmas Fun

2010-12-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

Wow. It's Christmas Eve. Already. How did it get here so quickly? The girls and I are nursing colds, but we're determined not to let that ruin our Christmas spirit. We've already been busy little bees -- making cookies, wrapping the last gifts and cooking my much-anticipated potato soup. Seriously, I only make it once a year (on Christmas Eve), which we share with my big bro and his sweet family. I think there about 1,000 calories per cup, and it is YUMMY. Alas, it's why I only it make it once per year - and we eagerly await to devour a bowl!

This week has been busy, but full of blessings. T's family was here through the weekend and into Monday. His baby bro and his sweet wife are visiting from CA, so we were able to spend some much-needed QT with them. T's parents are generous, big-hearted people, and we always look forward to visiting with them, as well.

They went with us to the SA zoo's Holiday Express train ride last Sunday. Well, I can say this...we really enjoyed the time with T's parents. The Holiday Express - definitely geared toward smaller children. AND after you've been on the Safari Ride in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the SA train just doesn't quite compare. ;)

The company, though, was wonderful. You can tell the girls had an amazing time. I think Grandma and Grandpa did, too.

All these years going to the zoo and I FINALLY caught a good one of the hippo - one of my favorite animals!!

Santa and an armadillo named "Rita."

Our self portrait... ;) Love my awesome hubby...

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sweet Friends

2010-12-20T13:54:00.000-08:00

As a child, we all have them...that special "friend" that comes in the form of a stuffed animal or blanket. As different as our children are, it should come as no surprise that they chose very different "friends." A's friend is a blanket that she simply calls, "Blankie," and she has kept him faithfully by her side since she was a baby.

Well, EK's special friend has always been a purple lovey that she calls, "Purple Lovey." ;) He goes EVERYWHERE she goes. Just last week, she took him to school and proudly proclaimed that Purple Lovey lost a tooth.

Anyway, while A has never found another friend that could rival her love and affection for Blankie, EK has added to her lovey family in the last few years. She's never formally introduced us to all of them until yesterday, though....and we couldn't stop laughing.

May we introduce....(from L to R)

Purple Lovey, Pink Lovey, Kaylee and BUBBA. LOL!

We've had a very fun few days with T's family, and we'll post pictures and stories in the next day or so. Until then, we have one more EK story to share.

On the way home from SA yesterday, we'd been riding in silence for awhile when EK asked T, "Daddy, have you ever been in a rocket ship?" Random. He smiled and shook his head, answering, "No, Baby. I haven't."

Then she said, "Well, do you ever want to ride in one?" He replied that it would be neat and asked if she would like to ride in a rocket. Her answer left us both speechless.

EK said, "I want to ride in a rocket ship so I can see heaven. We could land on a cloud and look around and meet Jesus." Wow. Sweet, sweet girl. We are so blessed.

A Trip to Bethlehem

2010-12-13T13:02:00.001-08:00

Last night marked our second visit to the live nativity in a neighboring town. The church that sponsors this event has built a separate city across the street from the main building. It is truly a sight to behold. Once you enter the main gates of this reincarnated Bethlehem, time rewinds and you can see what the city must have been like when Jesus was born.

An animal trader, basket weaver, blacksmith, inn keeper, Roman soldiers...these are just a few of the people and places you can visit within the city walls. Our first trip was a couple of years ago with my big bro and his sweet family. Of course, they joined us for this trip as well. BUT so did the McD's. So. Much. Fun. Can't you tell?

Merry Christmas!

Birthdays, Santa and Dance - Oh, My!

2010-12-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

We ALL do it. We anticipate the Christmas season EVERY year, because we love the cooler weather, holiday baking and seasonal decor. However, the advent weeks fly past us every year amidst school activities, work, Christmas parties and more. I am determined not to let this season whiz by me before I can enjoy our many blessings. So there...

On Friday, we celebrated A's 9th birthday with a party at the local movie theater. It was a lot of fun to be sure! Pizza, the cutest cake ever and a showing of the movie "Tangled" had all of the party goers aflutter. While I don't recommend regularly trying to contain 25 kiddos in a teensy party room and dosing them with juice and butter cream icing, A felt special and a good time was had by all.

This is also the first year we were able to attend the tree lighting in downtown CP. Friday wasn't quite long enough with work, school and a birthday party, so we joined Uncle C, Aunt J and cousins for a little more family fun. ;)

AND who should we see while we were there? Santa!! The line was long, though, so we entertained ourselves while taking turns waiting in line.

T & I especially loved our little stop at City Hall!

In all seriousness, I do love that we are able to build memories through each Christmas season with the ones we love. Yesterday, we watched EK perform in the SMSD Christmas Show...and yes, she was JUST about the cutest thing ever. Of course, we had to snag her right after she performed so we could make it to Cousin H's birthday party on time. That was a great party, too! I can hardly believe these girls are growing so quickly.

The upcoming week promises to be JUST as busy as the last, but we anticipate more fun activities (with a trip to the Live Nativity, J McD and HFlo's birthdays, Santa's train ride...and more!! I'll leave you all with the verse that touched my heart in this morning's service.

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

"Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote, "For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name." Romans 15:5-9

Happy Birthday, Doodlebug!

2010-11-30T06:18:00.001-08:00

NINE! She's NINE today. Well, she won't actually turn nine until 4:32 this afternoon. Our little doodlebug continues to bless our lives in ways we could never have imagined. She loves to hear the story about the day she was born .

It was a a crazy time at work (when I was still working for a PR firm), and her Aunt T was taking much-needed vacation. I remember Trish saying, "If you want to have this baby while I'm on vacation, that'd be great." Well, I went to my doctor for my 8th-month check-up. T met me there, because he wanted to get the all clear to leave town for a friend's wedding that he was supposed to be in. I still remember the nurse's face as she took my blood pressure...then took it, again. She exhaled slowly and said something like, "This is bad."

About 30 minutes later, Dr. T said it was time to have a baby. I remember saying to her, "No, no...the nursery isn't quite finished. My husband is in a wedding this weekend...I have hot cocoa on my desk and a meeting this afternoon that I can't miss." I also remember her smiling at me as she replied, "I'm going to let you go home and get your bag. I'll see you at the hospital in one hour." When I called Trish, I remember her saying something like, "C! I was kidding when I said to have this baby while I was on vacation!!"

Inducing didn't work, and my blood pressure spiked to 190/110...it was time for a c-section. So on Friday, November 30 around 4:30 pm, CAB came into this world. T and I were in love at first sight.

Her personality is fun and quirky. She's incredibly bright and funny. The world needs tender little spirits like A, who says things like, "Look at the beautiful sunrise God made today." NINE years old today...sigh. It's going by too quickly. I have taken my friend's advice to heart...and I mourn the passing of each childhood phase and celebrate the beginning of another. There is wonder to be found in each day with our children, and I take great delight in mine.

Happy birthday, Doodlebug! We love you more than we have words to express. You are one of two miracles God gave us, and we are so glad you're ours.

'Tis the Season for Giving Thanks

2010-11-27T13:53:00.000-08:00

If I had to sum up our lives into two words, I'd have to choose "busy" and "blessed." I've been working on special Christmas gifts for loved ones and was reading back through old blog posts. The consistent themes I seem to capture are "busy" and blessed." Hmmm, perhaps we have busy blessings...that's EK for sure...a busy blessing!

Anyway, besides loving my family and being a mom, my heart's greatest desire is to write. Our lives have fallen into a comfortable (and quite often) busy routine. We now keep time by the school calendar, planning trips and activities around school breaks and summer vacation. It seems like we're always so eager for May to arrive only to be even more excited when the girls back to school in the fall. Mom, you were right. As a parent, now I understand why you smiled so much when school started each year.

The fall semester is busy with new routines, homework, client work, field trips, volunteer work, church activities...and the list goes on and on. Busy, busy, busy - but all good things. Except, I have no time to write. With the close of another busy and blessed year, I feel God is calling me to lay down the busy so I can enjoy the blessed. So I am prayerfully trying to discern what to let go, so that God may use my gift of writing for His greater plan. When you think about it, this is the perfect time to re-evaluate our lives and our relationships.

We have much for which we are thankful, and T and I are careful not to take God's abundant blessings for granted. But we know He's calling us to a new ministry, and we ask that you lend your prayers for discernment and faithfulness. Thanks to each of you for your continued support. We are so blessed to have each and every one of you in our lives.

NOW...onto what I know you'd really like to read...our busy blessings! November is always an insanely crazy month with pumpkin patch field trips, intensive client deadlines, T's travel schedule and A Christmas Affair! AGH! Oh, right...then there's Thanksgiving (always an adventure) followed by Cousin H and A's birthdays.

So let's get started...A is in the third grade, and the third grade classes at her school always take part in a Thanksgiving Feast. Students may dress as pilgrims or Indians, and I bet you can guess which A wanted to be. Here she is with her best gal pal, E.

It's a neat tradition - one of many we have come to love at our girls' school.

We took time for a family trip to SA where we met up with Nani & Saba one Sunday a few weeks ago. After we enjoyed some family fun at our favorite zoo (see below), we met Nani & Saba (and friends) for the biggest pizza ever. I'm not kidding. It was a 42" round pizza (as TALL as EK)! And yes, it was mighty tasty, too!

Since then, we've had fun making gingerbread houses, putting up Christmas decorations and visiting family over the Thanksgiving holidays. AND I forgot the best part...THE AGGIES BEAT TEXAS!!! Okay, so it's not the best part...but it IS pretty fabulous.

On the way home from LA, we stopped to visit all of my grandparents. The time was precious, as always. What excited me most this trip, though, was being there with my parents. We were able to capture pictures with my parents, grandparents and kiddos. These photo opportunities are rare and priceless. Of course, I'd love to share them with you.

Here we are from L to R: Granddaddy (Saba's Daddy), A, me, EK and Saba.

A with Granddaddy...

From L to R: Mama Gal (Nani's mom), A, me, Aunt KK (Nani's older sister), EK and Nani.

'Tis the season to be thankful for God's abundant blessings. Let's all try to slow down so we can savor each and every one.

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know there's tons to share from a really busy week...but I was sick for most of it, which means I've been playing catch up since last Friday. Soooo you'll have to make do with some unbelievably adorable pictures with little commentary. Funny stories and anecdotes to resume soon - promise!

Both of the girls' classes took field trips to the pumpkin patch last week, but we were only able to attend EK's. To add insult to injury for A, BOTH parents made it to the pumpkin patch with baby sis. Don't worry...I made it up to A with a gigantic snickerdoodle when I surprised her at lunch on Friday. Yeees, I took a cookie for EK, too...but SSSHHHH.

You can tell by the pictures that EK had a blast!

We all know what an amazing papa T is to the girls. Well, I had to work a bit this weekend (playing catch up, remember)...so T and the girls carved our pumpkins! The girls and I had creative control, but the real labor was provided by my sweet hubby. The results were well worth his hard work!

Then, it was time to trick or treat with cousins and friends! Pretty adorable, aren't they?

AND one last update for you...since I loved skating so much with my girls a couple of weeks ago, T bought me my own pair of roller skates. I LOVE THEM. Can't wait to break them in with the girls!!! The pictures are sure to be interesting, so stay tuned!

Annual Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

It's what we look forward to all year, right? Aunt J will have to help me on my math, but I'm pretty sure this is our fifth year to take pumpkin patch pictures together. It's officially tradition to meet at the pumpkin patch between our houses every year, take pictures and carefully select pumpkins to carve. The girls always have fun, and we love chasing them around the pumpkins trying to capture the best pictures possible.

I meant to put these up a little earlier, but busy weekend...then, to the doctor this morning. STILL praying for healing. Upper respiratory infection was the diagnosis along with the advice, "You need to rest." Riiiiiiight. I'll just pencil that into my schedule. We're too busy for me to be sick, so please, please pray for healing SOON.

Until then, enjoy these adorable pictures of our little pumpkins.

Going Strong

2010-10-24T17:03:00.001-07:00

Sickness can't keep us down! The last few weeks have been insanely (INSANELY) busy with school, work and life in general. This is also the time of year when we tend to pass a few bugs around the house. So lots of disinfecting, pediatrician's visits and antibiotics...oh, my! The good news? T is home from a fun hunting trip, and yes. He had an amazing time with his dad and brother. The trip WAS a success in that elk meat will had by all, but the sad news is T wasn't able to shoot one himself. Maybe next time, honey.

The girls are almost 100 percent well, and HOPEFULLY, I've turned a corner and will be back in the saddle soon. Seriously. Who has time to be sick?

I always look forward to the Fall, because it's my favorite season - hands down. What I don't love, however, is how stinkin' busy we seem to be every September - November. It seems we blink, and poof! It's Christmas-time. There's a lesson in there for me...and I'm trying to learn it as painlessly as possible. Saying "yes" to less...what can I say? It's a work in progress.

Anyway, T and I also feel it's important to embrace life's every day, ordinary blessings. This weekend was a perfect opportunity for us to do just that. We spent yesterday evening celebrating a dear friend's 40th birthday. She had NO idea, and kudos to her sweet husband for planning her surprise party a month-and-a-half before the actual date! Spazmatics, dancing and LOTS of laughter - amazing celebration for one incredible lady.

Even though I've been sick as a dog since last Thursday, I refuse to stop! We've been wanting to meet our Reeder friends at the local skating rink for a few weeks. Well, we made that happen today. The girls had a blast!! I'm pleased to report that the fabulous Mrs. R and I still have mad skating skills! It was a little iffy at first (I'll admit), but then those 80's reflexes kicked right into gear. It was awesome! We're definitely going to make that a regular activity. AND we burned a TON of calories - bonus!

Anyway, girls are showered and getting ready for bed. It's been a fabulous weekend of family fun. We're praying for full healing (tonight if possible, Lord). ;) Busy, busy week ahead! Blessings to all of our sweet family and friends.

Harvest Time

2010-10-10T17:45:00.000-07:00

What started as a pretty scary weekend turned into a wonderful family excursion. A woke up on Friday morning complaining of pain in her lower right abdomen. That was followed by several hours of wondering whether or not we were going to Children's Hospital with an appendicitis. We are crediting the prayers of friends and family with the fact that A went to sleep exhausted on Friday evening (and she wasn't the only one). She bounced out of bed late Saturday morning and proclaimed that the pain was all gone. Hallelujah!

So we popped by Harvest Fest at the girls' school before heading to SA for some much-need family fun. The zoo crowd was thinning by the time we arrived, so we enjoyed a gorgeous day with the animals! I highly recommend going to the zoo during cooler weather if you can, because the animals are a lot more active than when we've seen them in 110 degree heat. Go figure...

You can tell we all had a blast!

It just so happens that our best buds were also in SA (at Sea World) on Saturday, so we met for an impromptu dinner at a "magical" place. My second mamasita and papa were also there - another bonus! Mama C treated us to a yummy and fun-filled dinner. There was even singing (for my birthday) by the Joker, Woody (from Toy Story) and T! There's footage to prove that my hubby CAN be romantic and spontaneous, but we've promised to keep that gold mine of entertainment on the D-L. ;)

As if that wasn't an amazing day, we stopped by the after-party at our friend, the R's on the way home from SA. The element of F-U-N that we had can not be stressed enough. It's been a long week for both of our families, and the laughter that ensued was just what we all needed. God is so faithful, and we are so blessed by the incredible people He continues to bring into our lives.

Everyone was zonked by the time we rolled into our driveway last night. It was the perfect ending to a pretty amazing day.

Perspective

2010-09-23T11:01:00.001-07:00

It's been a pretty rough week around these parts. I don't know how many of you remember (or have even seen) Goldie Hawn's movie, "Overboard." At the end of the movie, one of the best lines is when a character says, "It's been a helluva day at sea, sir!" Well, yes...YES, it has.

Sick kids, ailing family members, work stress, third grade homework (which really isn't as bad as we thought it would be), crazy schedules, volunteer commitments, and the list goes on and on. No wonder I'm running on vapors. Even though it's been a long week, yesterday took the cake. I was really enjoying my pity party until a friend emailed with a prayer request last night to pray for a friend's son who was struck by a speeding truck outside of his home. The accident occurred yesterday evening, and the little boy is critical condition. Cracked skull, broken neck, broken pelvis...and he's only 11 years old.

Perspective.

I came home from a meeting last night and just watched each of my girls sleep for a bit. How blessed are we? Loving family, amazing hubby, Godly friends, cozy roof over our heads, food in our bellies, jobs, great school...and the list goes on and on. When I tucked EK into bed again before I went to bed (as I always do), she smiled with her eyes closed, turned her head for a kiss and whispered, "I love you, mommy."

Perspective.

Feeling thankful today for the blessings I sometimes forget I have. Praying for a sweet young man who has a long, scary recovery ahead of him...and for his family who will make that journey with him. Special thanks to those special friends who always lend an ear (and a Sonic diet coke) just when I need it most. You know who you are. My cup runneth over with blessings from our friendships.

Perspective.

Thank you, God, for the reminder. I needed it.

A Milestone Birthday!

2010-09-15T17:36:00.001-07:00

Really...when we get to be our age, aren't they all? Happy birthday, T! You've been king for a day, and we hope you enjoyed a little pampering. ;) Lemon bars, lemon cake and Freebirds - oh, my! I have to admit it was a little worrisome when I added ALL of those candles to your cake...wasn't sure if there would be room!

For those of you who think I'm kidding, take a peek for yourselves...yeeees, all that haze is SMOKE from the candles.

I AM kidding. We are so glad that today has been so wonderful. You are such a blessing to us, and your life is absolutely something to celebrate. We love you more than we have words to express. May God pour out His blessings on you in every possible way. Mmm-whah.

Eventful Weekend!

2010-08-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

We're not slowing down yet! The girls' first week of school went well. New teachers (whom we LOVE), friends and new routines all contributed to a some pretty happy kiddos (and parents). We were all pretty pooped on Friday evening, but not too tired to enjoy a low-key dinner with our McD friends. It was just what we all needed.

Yesterday, T and I attended Wonders & Worries' Que Maravilla event. You may remember that T took the girls to Wonders & Worries' WonderBall last Spring (their daddy-daughter ball). Last night's event caters to a more grown-up crowd, but it was just as neat and just as successful. Check out the animals we saw on the exotic game ranch...

We enjoyed a lovely evening with colleagues and friends. The giraffes were housed near the pavilion where the event was held, and they were super friendly! Guests were literally feeding these sweet creatures by hand (nothing but grass, of course) on our way to our cars. Such a neat, neat event!

T and I would not have been able to attend last night's event without the generous gift of babysitting from our friends, Mr. B and Mrs. P. It was a treat for everyone, I think! When I went to check on the girls, EK very sleepily tried to ask where they were and if they would be there when she woke up. ;) That's a sign of a good evening! Thank you, Mr. B and Mrs. P! We love you!!

Then, this morning -- church, of course.

It's becoming tradition to eat lunch afterward with some dear friends, The R's. So another full weekend behind us, and more blessings for which we are thankful. Whew! Okay, so bring on Monday!

11 Years and Counting!

2010-08-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

T and I are celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary today, and it's difficult to believe it's already been 11 years!

My grandparents were married for 50 years, and I remember them often saying how quickly time passed. Some years feel longer than others, but time often seems like it's passing before you can blink an eye. Since our baby girl started kindergarten last week and I can hardly believe she's old enough, I'm inclined to agree with my grandparents' school of thought.

God has blessed us with two beautiful and loving daughters who never fail to make us laugh. Marriage is more than companionship and the joining of two spirits. It's also about leaving a legacy, and here is ours...

Some years have been tough, and others felt rich with blessings. Not to be corny, but I think I read in a fortune cookie once that it's not the destination, but rather it's the journey that matters most. I don't know that I completely agree - as I think my destination is ultimately to walk into my Father's arms one day and hopefully hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." BUT I think the journey is also important...the people who touch us and the lives we touch.

So to my sweet husband on our 11th anniversary, I'm so thankful for you. You are an amazing husband, father and friend. My heart would be empty without you. I'm looking forward to a long, long journey with you.

Empty Nest!

2010-08-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, so not really...but it feels WAY empty since both of my sweet girls are in school now. EK has been my pal and my shadow for the last five years, so today was a lot tougher on me than it was on her. She was SO excited!

AND of course, both girls had a wonderful first day. I can't believe this day is already here. It seems like yesterday that I was saying to myself, "I have at least five more years of a little one at home." Sigh...it's bittersweet for sure. This is the close of an amazing chapter of parenthood and the start of another. Exciting and a little sad at the same time.

Well, here they are! Precious girls on their first day of school...

A with her best gal pal, E. It's become a tradition to take this photo!

Milestones

2010-08-17T17:59:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to blog for the last week or so, and of course...no time!! Still sprinting, BUT wonderful things are happening.

Let's see:

Nani & Saba's anniversary was on the 9th.
Our BFF's, the McD's, celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary 12th Man style on Sunday.
Today is the LAST official day of summer, and we have thoroughly enjoyed our vacation from school (see below).
Tomorrow is EK's FIRST day of kindergarten and A's first day of third grade!
Today is Saba's 49th birthday!!!
Last Saturday, we celebrated Grandma's 39th birthday with a surprise party. ;)
THIS Saturday, hubby and I will celebrate 11 years of wedded bliss.
Next Wednesday is Nani and Grandma Helen's birthdays.

Our schedules have been in overdrive as we try to wrap up summer activities and prepare for the ones that begin with school. Once school starts, we'll get into a comfortable routine...and things will settle down (or at least that's what I keep telling myself).

So many fun milestones are happening, and we are trying our best to live in the moment - savoring each one. Last Saturday, we threw a surprise party for T's mom. We had her until she pulled into the parking lot and started recognizing cars. However, we GOT her! She is a neat lady and always doing for others. It was fun to shower her with a little extra love and affection. We had to keep the girls from talking with her too much these last few weeks - afraid one of them would spill the beans!

Here's the surprise birthday lady!

A with Aunt C and Uncle T - who she was SO excited to see.

It's here. Summer is drawing to a close, and we will soon be immersed in my most favorite season of all - FALL! Mmmm...

Until then, here a few pictures of the girls enjoying the last little bit of summer vacation - including a recent family challenge of Chubby Bunny. You remember Chubby Bunny!! Every one who's ever gone camping has likely played this ridiculously fun game. Who can stick the most marshmallows in their mouth and still say, "Chubby Bunny?" Who do YOU think won our game?

So what do you do when it's raining the last week of summer, and you can't get into the pool? WELL, we took an adventure! I gave my girls a cardboard box, which they turned into an amazing sea vessel. They took turns playing captain, but of course, they BOTH needed fun skipper hats. ;)

Alas, the sun returned and we were able to resume goofing off in the backyard...

Happy days! Look for pictures from our first day of school tomorrow!

Tooth Treasures

2010-07-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

What started as a painfully rough day has ended up on a pretty great note. Poor A has already experienced trouble with her teeth - first having her gums cut so her new front teeth could break through, and then having two teeth pulled at the same time because they were preventing permanents from growing correctly. Today's extractions have been scheduled for a little over a month, and A is quite accustomed to going back in forth from her dentist to her orthodontist (and she's only EIGHT)!

Anyway, she came through the procedure beautifully. A was a more than a little silly on the laughing gas, repeatedly asking, "Is this real?" And NO, I still don't think David after the dentist is funny.

She laughed, then cried, then just wanted to sleep. Poor thing. It was rough until her pedi-dentist shared that there are actually THREE different kinds of tooth fairies. If you didn't know, please don't be alarmed. This was left out of our parenting manual, too. YES, there are THREE different kinds:

One kind leaves money (which T loves to refer to as the pre-inflation tooth fairy);
One kind leaves books; and
One kind leaves presents.

A immediately looked at me and said, "I want books! How do we get the kind with books? Wait, would it hurt our tooth fairy's feelings if we asked for the kind that brings books? Would I get two books since I lost two teeth?" ;)

So we did what any other parent would probably do...we called Tooth Fairy Headquarters. It's the darnedest thing, but in our parenting guide, the number to reach Santa, the Easter Bunny AND Tooth Fairy Headquarters is the same exact number to Nani & Saba's. We were informed it was no problem and that Tooth Fairy Headquarters actually correspond directly with dentists, and A's dentist had already forwarded a note with her preference. No switching would be necessary, and her normal tooth fairy would be delighted to bring books in lieu of coins. Talk about customer service! The nice operator reminded A to get to bed on time, because the tooth fairy keeps a super tight schedule.

After the phone call, A said, "Mommy, this is turning into the best day ever." Awwww....

Now, parents...be careful what your children may remember. A lost a tooth back in February, and the tooth fairy was delayed by TWO days due to weather (when that ice storm hit). I don't recommend delayed visits, because they require a note of explanation...which apparently are kept FOREVER. This is the one A shared with my mom and Aunt D when they were here on Saturday...

And she decided to put it under her pillow with THIS note to let the tooth fairy know she loved getting a note from her. ;)

So she's all tucked into bed and trying to fall fast asleep...with two notes and her tooth chest nestled carefully into bed with her.

Aunt K and L were SO kind to keep EK while I took A to the dentist this afternoon. T was in H-town all day and managed to make it back for the procedure (meeting us at the dentist). A was so glad to see her daddy, and then later - EK, too. He's such a good daddy. Even though I know how tired he is, T took time after dinner to play "airplanes." It was too funny, so of course, I had to snag my camera.

Okay, off to put a post-it on my bathroom mirror to remind T and I that the tooth fairy is coming tonight before we go to bed!!!!!

A Special Celebration

2010-07-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

We've mentioned before how special my Aunt D is to us. Well, her birthday is tomorrow. We've been planning for over a month to lure her to town and surprise her with a birthday celebration. Thanks so all who helped plan, because we pulled it off! Aunt D arrived under a ruse on Friday evening and looked completely startled when everyone shouted, "Surprise!"

This special lady has been an important part of our lives for many years. She and mom are sisters by heart, and I've always known her as "Aunt D." She has always been there for my brothers and me. She's approved (and sometimes disapproved) of our choices...then has always celebrated or grieved the results with us. Aunt D is one spectacularly amazing lady. We are SUPER excited that we were able to shower her with the love and affection she so deserves.

Mom picked the party's theme. Can you tell what it was?

For as long as I can remember, my mom and Aunt D would hit happy hour at Sonic EVERY SINGLE DAY. For those of you who know me well, this is where I learned that Sonic is one of the happiest places on earth. ;) AND yes, I tip my Sonic peeps nicely.

My mom still has great rapport with her local Sonics, who generously donated the paper goods (all Sonic, of course) for the birthday festivities. I think Aunt D loved every bit of it! Anyway, here are a few pictures from the party on Friday night.

Happy Birthday, Aunt D! We love you more than we can say. Mmmm-whah!

Precious Moments

2010-07-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

How is it already creeping toward the end of July? Didn't we just get out of school for the summer? It's going by WAY too quickly (mostly). ;) The girls have been troopers the last couple of weeks as we've juggled a hectic schedule of summer activities with my work obligations.

Yesterday was rough, and I think we were all glad to crawl into our beds last night. But Scarlet was right; tomorrow is another day. And boy, wasn't it a day! I pray often that God will grant me the wisdom to prioritize as I should and the endurance to achieve all He has called me to do. Today was one of those days where everything fell into place.

After lunch, I took the girls for an unexpected surprise field trip to a pool we've never visited that isn't far from our house. We had SO much fun, and they loved every second. We were only gone a few hours, but it was perfect.

It sounds cliche, but I love that God called me to be a mom. Rather, I love that he gifted me with the opportunity to be a mommy. Our kiddos are truly amazing, and I cherish these precious moments when everything feels in perfect balance. Really...how often does that happen with young children?

My "to do" list is still never ending, but that's okay. My heart is fulfilled with God's abundant blessings.

High Seas Expedition!

2010-07-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

VBS at our church is in full swing, and the girls and I are having a blast. It's only day two, and we've no doubt that we're going to be POOPED by Friday (or at least I have no doubt). I've been juggling work commitments in order to participate with the girls this week. It's absolutely exhausting, but it's also absolutely worth every second.

The looks on these kiddos' faces as they are singing and praising is so inspiring. I've been blessed to serve with the wonderful ladies of Sing and Play, and WOW. What an amazing (and talented) group of ladies - which of course includes the amazing Mrs. M. ;) You know who you are, friend! VBS is a neat ministry. We're talking about God sightings and have encouraged everyone to be on the look out throughout their day for new God sightings to share. Well, my God sighting today was a kiddo who sought me out this morning to give me a big hug. She was in my VBS crew last year and wanted me to know that she still thinks about how much fun we had together. Again, so inspiring.

Hope to have more pictures to share throughout our High Seas Expedition, but until then...

Hoping calm seas are headed your way!

Family Walk

2010-07-10T18:47:00.000-07:00

Family walks in the evening are a pretty common occurrence around these parts, and it dawned on me earlier that the pictures we capture from our everyday moments are often the ones that mean the most. So I snagged my camera on our way out the door for a walk tonight and snapped a few pictures to share. We always have a fun adventure on our family walks.

We usually pop outside to spritz bug spray and peruse the flower beds before we start meandering down the street. However, as SOON as our G-dog hears the sound of the leash, it's like the dog in the movie "Up" when he hears the word "squirrel." CRAZINESS!

The girls love to pick up treasures on the way - which are really anything from pretty rocks to stray blossoms that have fallen to the ground. We don't let the girls pick flowers from our neighbors' yards. Those are "for looking only." The flowers in our yard, however, do not always fare so well!

Anyway, there's usually a game of tag - with T as the instigator, of course. The girls love every second.

EK usually asks about two dozen or so times if she can hold the leash until T finally gives into her requests. That goes well for a few minutes until Gatsby either slips out of her grasp or she trips over the leash. Tonight, it was the latter - which meant the quick way home to doctor a skinned knee. ;)

BUT these are the moments we cherish. Everyday, normal, routine...laughter, togetherness and love. Feeling blessed.

Pooped!

2010-07-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

The girls finished a three-day tumbling clinic this week, and they were POOPED! A was so excited that she can almost do a backhand-spring without a spot. She's shown an aptitude for tumbling and really loves it. At this point, she has no desire to compete or to incorporate anything beyond tumbling (which is why she didn't love gymnastics). So for now, T and I are going to keep her in the tumbling classes where she attended camp (so thanks to our Breeden friends for the great recommendation).

EK also loved camp. However, when we asked what her favorite part was, she quickly answered, "Eating popsicles and ice cream sandwiches." Soooo I think it's safe to say we're going to keep this little one in dance, which is where she shows the most passion. Speaking of dance, I'm not sure I included recital pictures from her super cute performance in June. I wasn't able to snap any of the girls from camp (but no worries - they go back in August).

So until then, here are some pictures from EK's recital.

I promise to share pictures of A tumbling from the next clinic. She's amazing, and we're so proud of her! She's also back to running between two and three miles with her mamasita. EK's little legs aren't quite ready for that trek yet, but it's not for lack of wanting. The week ahead will be full of VBS at church, so I'm sure we'll be even more pooped by next Friday. All good things happening, though. Stay tuned for an update from our "High Seas Expedition!"

Happy 4th AND Theme Night Returns!

2010-07-04T21:09:00.000-07:00

What a busy weekend!! We celebrated with our best pals as their youngest little guy turned TWO on Friday. It's hard to believe this handsome little man is already two (even more unbelievable for his mommy, I'm sure). ;) KMcD did an amazing job on what turned out to be a super cute party.

Then...the gals snuck away to watch "Eclipse." I have to say that it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. This is where T would roll his eyes and say, "Shocker." Of course, the best entertainment was the audience of fourteen-year-olds who went crazy when "Jacob" kissed "Bella." Anyway...the much-needed time with my gal pals was worth it. Definitely long overdue, and we shouldn't wait so long until our next night out!

So fast forward to today, which was spent cleaning and getting ready for our night with my big bro and his family. Not only were we planning to celebrate the 4th of July, but we decided to make it a theme night. ALSO long overdue!

It was somewhat patriotic...definitely had some red, white and blue. We celebrated Marvel Comics theme night! And yes, we most definitely had a good time.

Cast of characters:

Thor - T

The Black Widow - me

Invisible Girl - A

Kitty Pryde - EK

Superman - Uncle C

Wonder Woman (my FAV!) - Aunt J

Spidergirl - Cousin A

Supergirl - Cousin H

Here are the cutie super heroes...Thor and Superman.

Now you see the Invisible Girl...

And now you don't!

Kitty Pryde and Supergirl...

Superman and Wonder Woman...Yes, we know. Wonder Woman is DC Comics, but it was still a great costume!

The Black Widow and Thor...

AND what's a theme night without a yummy dessert for the kiddos?

AND yummy cocktails for the adults?

After dinner and some fun fellowship, we headed down to the park to watch the fireworks. It's been an all-around blessed weekend. While we waited, Cousin A, my A, EK and T played Littlest Pet Shop's "Go Fish" and Uno. These girls are something else and pretty cut throat when it comes to winning! ;) They were ruthless!!

The girls are happy and exhausted! T and I are feeling it, too. Whew! Next theme night will be hosted by Aunt J and Uncle C in August, so STAY TUNED!! Happy 4th of July!

Long time, no blog!

2010-06-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

We've been a bit busy with summer around here - so much, in fact, that I haven't found time to blog in almost a month. Summer is in full swing, and we have enjoyed every minute! Let me see if I can bring you up to speed...

The girls already attended one VBS (Vacation Bible School), which they LOVED. If you ask EK her favorite part, she'll tell you it was spending the week with her best gal pal, Maddie. They're going to different schools in the fall, but these girls are still utterly devoted to one another. It's pretty stinkin' cute. A will tell you that she loved hanging out with her friends, too. She has taken every opportunity to ensure EK is well prepared to start school with her big sis in the fall - FINALLY at the same school!! My car and I both are super thankful.

We've enjoyed several play and dinner dates with friends and can't seem to keep away from the pool. EK is ever the daredevil and rarely shrinks from an adventure. A works to keep her sister from mischief, but her plans to keep a routine aren't always readily accepted by her baby sis. ;) Such is life, right?

The past week was spent on our family vacation at Great Wolf Lodge, which was SO fun! T and I agreed it's like Disney World in that they make it as easy as possible to spend your money. I have to admit it's a pretty amazing place. The girls loved every second and were wiped out each night. AND they weren't the only ones. We slipped away from the lodge a day or two to enjoy the sights of DFW that we don't get to see very often. The FW zoo was really cool - the best part of which was EK and A on the rock wall. We were so proud of them for trying!

These parrots were awesome, too. The one in the back kept hanging upside down and opening his wings while his compadre took a bow in front. It was hysterical!

Lots of funny moments and memories made. We brainstormed which names we'll use next time we're at Mighty Fine Burgers (because our Mercer friends informed us you should NEVER use your real name). We thought of different themes, like Gilligan's Island, superheroes, and we even brainstormed names from the Bible. I said I'd be Naomi, T said Job, and A said Mary. EK looked at us with the straightest face, then looked back down at her dinner and said, "That's fine, but I'm going to be God." ;) LOL! We couldn't stop laughing. She is something else.

Here are the girls in the Kids Camp bunk beds at GWL. AND thank goodness for that Magic Quest game. I think it's brilliant whoever came up with the idea that kiddos have a virtual game to play when they're not playing in the water park. You can't use the elevator (apparently it erases the memory in the wands), so kiddos are running in the staircases from floor to floor trying to fulfill whatever quest they've accepted. BRILLIANT. Our little magis were toast after playing each night.

Another funny...EK hugged our waitress one night at dinner and told her that everyone needs a little love. What resulted was probably some of the best service we've ever had. Maybe she's onto something, so lend a little love or hug to your wait staff they next time you're out to eat! You'll either get amazing service or a restraining order.

We also happened upon a little winery one afternoon. I'm not sure what the protocol is for taking your young children into a winery, but apparently there isn't any law against it (which to be quite honest was my concern). A looked quietly about the alcoves while EK instantly chatted up the gal behind the counter. She asked her where her husband was...awkward pause...the lady started laughing and responded, "Sweetie, I've often wondered that myself!" She wasn't married. Nice...

EK, not to let anyone feel awful, replied with, "Well, that's okay. Your house is beautiful." LOL! Who wouldn't fall in love with that? We left with a bottle of my new favorite wine and a promise from EK to visit her new friend, again. As we walked to the car, there was a man playing in the grass with a puppy. EK paused and then said, "Oooooh, THERE is her husband!" T and I thought how sweet her mind is that she automatically connects a mommy and daddy - husband and wife.

Anyway, it was a wonderful trip. Everyone is pooped (as you can see above) and heading to bed early tonight. Gatsby was a guest at our vet's office while we were gone, and we think he's even happier than we are to be home. He hasn't moved much from his bed since T and A brought him home. ;) SO with that, I'm signing off for tonight. Promise not to wait as long to blog next time. Feeling so thankful for God's blessings...hoping the same for you and yours.

Summer is HERE!

2010-05-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

We celebrated A's last official day of school on Friday (which only consisted of closing chapel) by heading to the SA zoo with some very dear friends...bet you can't guess who! ;) The McD's (and A's best gal pal), of course!

Since our good pal, J, had to work, we looked like a family of big love as we strolled through the zoo. Seriously, T was pushing little L while K McD and I steered the other kiddos through the exhibits. When we sat down for lunch, T sat at the head of the table with kiddos staggered and K McD and I at the end. It was hysterical...or at least to us.

Anyway, I digress. It was H-O-T, but we had a lot of fun. Here are a few pics from our fun summer kick-off field trip...

I think this guy wanted to go home with us...

EK aka "Tiger" Bird!

EK and with her Aunt K...who saved the day with this amazing piggyback ride.

By mid afternoon, the kiddos wilted and were ready to call it a day.

EK's face was pitiful, but don't worry. A Sonic run on the way home and a ride with our favorite McD friends made it ALL better. We made it home just in time to shower, change and head to another friend's house for dinner. Can you say, "TIRED?" Yes, we were! When we got home, T and I helped the girls get into their pj's and brush their teeth. We asked them to hop in their beds, and we'd be in to tuck them in as soon as we shut down the rest of the house. Less than five minutes later, both girls were completely conked out in their beds with their lights still shining bright. ;)

I told T it was pretty much a perfect day. Chapel together, fun family field trip, dinner with good friends...doesn't get much better than that. Happy Memorial Day weekend! Lots of other fun things planned, so need to get to them!

Another Milestone

2010-05-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm having mixed emotions about EK's graduation from preschool. She is SUPER excited, though. This has been one amazing year for our little sugar bear, and we couldn't have asked for a better teacher. Ms. C has been a huge blessing to the kiddos in her class.

When I picked EK up from school, they had the graduation signs for their graduates in the courtyard. Each graduating preschooler was stoked to run through the pickets in search of their own name. It's a neat rite of passage, and I'm thankful our kiddos are treated as the special children of God they are. It's why we picked this school, right? Right.

So anyway, EK was eager to get home and put her sign in the front garden. Of course, this was a golden photo opportunity. When do I ever miss one of those? ;) So I snagged my camera and snapped happily as the girls made me laugh. The sign held their attention momentarily until they decided to have a tumbling contest in the grass. We couldn't stop laughing; it was hysterical.

Thank goodness I had a few day off, because the next two weeks are going to B-U-S-Y. May 28th, we can't wait until you're here!!

Nola!

2010-05-16T15:54:00.000-07:00

The past four days have been so much fun, but I'm glad to be home. I escaped with my friend, T, to the Big Easy for a few days of some much-needed girl time. Cafe du Monde, Dickie Brennan's Palace Cafe, mint juleps, gumbo and more...SO. MUCH. FUN.

I'd forgotten how much I love New Orleans. It definitely has a different feel to it since Katrina hit, but the jubilant ambiance that endears the city to so many is still there. Now that I'm older and wiser (wink-wink), I appreciate different elements of the city that I never noticed before. It's truly an amazing place. The B&B where we stayed was also beyond adorable, and the owner had a lot to do with that. Located just across the street from City Park, it ROCKED! I highly recommend the Oakview B&B if you're headed to the Crescent City anytime soon.

T and the girls picked me up from the airport this afternoon, and the girls couldn't wait to see what goodies I brought back for them! ;) As soon as we walked through the front door, they eagerly ushered me into the living room and asked if I wanted to open my suitcase. I'm pleased to say they loved their surprises.

I brought T some pralines (pronounced "PRAWL-eens"), which were made fresh at one of the plantations we visited. Somehow I didn't think he'd appreciate a glittery mask as much as the girls.

Great friend, fun city, YUMMY food = one amazing trip! Thanks to my sweet hubby for encouraging me to go. What a way to recharge this mommy's batteries.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T14:49:00.000-07:00

What a lovely day we've had. T and the girls woke me early this morning with flowers, cards and breakfast in bed. It was so sweet, and their cards were too precious for words. After church, we decided to lay low for the day and enjoy being together as a family. T is actually getting ready to grill burgers and the fixin's as I type.

So the best Mother's Day gift? ACTUALLY, our sweet neighbor, C, gave me the best Mother's Day gift ever. After months and months of a frustrated eight-year-old trying to learn to ride her bike, she'd decided it just wasn't something she wanted to do. Well, we were visiting in the front yard with our neighbors and some friends on Friday evening when the subject was brought up. Our neighbor told A to grab her bike that she could help.

Doubtful, A grabbed her bike. Thirty minutes later, A was riding solo! It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. So we practiced yesterday and today, too. She's gaining confidence and now can't wait to ride her bike. Guess this is one of those times when it's helpful for your child to take direction from an unbiased third party. Here she is!!

Like I said, it's the best Mother's Day gift. EK decided a while back that if her sister didn't want to ride bikes, she might not want to ride hers either. SOOOO you can imagine the change in tune we've had since Friday. T and I are thrilled for A (and EK)!

On this special day, T and I want to take a moment to pay tribute to our moms. Ironically, the earliest memory I have of you, mom, is being held on the way to the hospital after I was burned when I was three-years-old. I don't remember feelings or sound, but I distinctly remember being wrapped in a sheet and rocked in your arms as daddy drove. Other than that, my earliest memory of you is the day you showed up to my second grade class with balloons and a clown to surprise me for my birthday. Do you remember that? You'd told me you had a meeting or something and couldn't make it to school, but that you'd send cupcakes. I remember being SO surprised and excited to see you. The picture taken of us that day is still one of my absolute favorites.

Mrs. L, I asked T to share one of his favorite memories of you and here's what he had to say...

My mom was Ace of Cakes and MacGuyver all mixed into one. I remember a cake she made for me when we lived in Saudi. It was the coolest He-Man cake ever made. She spent a long time on that cake; it was awesome. It had two separate pieces that she had to finagle together to look like his body and a shield. That's the first time I remember really appreciating the work and love she put into the things she did for me.

When I asked him for a picture, he looked through several and wanted to include this one...saying it's one of his favorites of all of us. Mrs. L, we don't have one of the two of you from when he was little. Sorry! We love you both. Happy Mother's Day!

Why I Love Being a Mom

2010-05-07T16:50:00.001-07:00

There is an unlimited supply of hugs and kisses from the sweetest little people on earth.
My children provide daily glimpses of the world through their eyes, and I am continuously amazed and awed by their perception.
Hearing a prayer from your child's lips is a precious experience, especially when the words uttered are, "THANK you, God, for making Purple Lovey. THANK you, THANK you, THANK you...and for my mommy."
There are countless "a-ha" moments when the words of my mom and dad sift back to me from my childhood..."When you're a parent, you'll understand." And they were right.
My life is no longer defined by the amount of money I can earn or the success I can attain through my vocational aspirations. Seeing Legos on my floor and small flip flops next to mine is more fulfilling than I have words to explain.
When I see my girls play dress up in my shoes and clothes, I'm struck by the thought that they are soaking up everything I say and do...and it inspires me to be the best me I can be.
My children are now the greatest legacies I have, and I have learned to live in the moment with them.

WHICH is why I love days like today. I spent the first part of the morning with EK at her school for Mother's Day Tea. The graduates' moms were treated with big fancy hats and the sweetest keepsake books - truly a labor of love from our kiddos and their teachers. I loved every second.

EK with her teachers (Ms. J on the left and Ms. C on the right).

After finishing my tea, I jetted to A's school where T was already there cheering her on for Field Day. We were so proud of her. 24 sit-ups in 30 seconds? I know plenty of adults who can't accomplish that, much less a second grader. She can also run like the wind. Eating lunch with A and her friends was hysterical, and I'm so grateful to see my child surrounded by such loving and supportive people (small and tall).

With her past pal, E.

When I close my eyes at night, my husband and children are in the last thoughts that run through my mind. I think my life until now has been a sort of training to prepare me for being a mom. That said, I'm not always prepared for what happens as a parent, but I'm ALWAYS glad that God gifted me with the opportunity.

Strawberry Farm - Part Deux!

2010-05-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

What a fun trip to the strawberry farm we had today! EK and I went last year with some friends from preschool, and we had so much fun that we decided to plan another trip. SUCH a good time!

Last year, the fruits of our labor were used to start the great pie wars with our Mazar friends...which I think we decided ended in a draw. Our waistlines couldn't take the continue pie competition. ;)

Anyway, the weather was absolutely perfect. Other than some rusty listening ears, we had a wonderful time. The kiddos were super excited about picking strawberries until they realized there were animals to pet. They were probably most excited about the baby donkey - just barely a month old!! I have to admit he WAS pretty stinkin' adorable. Mr. Ed was a close second.

After that, we had a tough time convincing them to return to their picking. Since we had plenty of strawberries, we weren't too worried. A picnic lunch and running around in the sun topped off our all around great day.

Today made us even more ready for summer! Can't wait to put my girls in their swimsuits and get back into our pool/gym routine. Play dates, pools and fun - oh, my!!

You can tell from the pictures that this is one field trip that we may have to repeat every May!

Weekend of Firsts

2010-05-02T13:50:00.000-07:00

This has definitely been a weekend of firsts. We picked EK up from school and promptly headed to the store to pick our her FIRST big girl booster. She's finally tall enough! ;)

Then, the girls went to sweet family friend's birthday party, their FIRST pj party. Needless to say, A and EK had an amazing time. I think T also really enjoyed the time he had to himself at home while we were at the party. He deserved a little R&R, so the girls and I were happy to leave him in the peace and quiet.

Cousin A's birthday is in a couple of weeks, and she's been asking to get her ears pierced with her cousin. So we consented and said EK could go through this milestone with her. Well, that was today!! Both girls were so brave, although Cousin A recovered a little quicker than EK. Poor thing...

All is well, though. We stopped at Sonic (of course!) on our way home and treated EK to a cherry slush and tater tots. There's just something magical about the ice drinks from Sonic, and they almost always bring a big smile to our face! ;)

Beauty AND Brains!

2010-04-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

EK still loves her glasses (the ones she occasionally insists she needs to see). Now that she's feeling better, EK is back to her old cheery, playful self. She and her daddy had a special lunch at the park today while mommy had another lunch date, and to hear EK tell it, they had an AMAZING time. ;)

When we got home, she donned the glasses and asked me to snap a few pictures. Always happy to oblige! So hear she is...Miss Beauty AND Brains!!

It's been an all-around great day, because EK's best bud came over to play as well. We're sad that his little brother isn't feeling his best, but we're glad J is here to play! What makes J and EK even cuter is the fact that he calls her "Peaches," and she calls him "Mario." You can tell how much all three kiddos love being together!

Notice EK's SUPER clean dollhouse in the background. We're working on "organizing" as we clean. ;) We'll get there...

Spring is in the Air

2010-04-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

Isn't it, though?! I can hear T blowing off the back patio and sidewalks as I type, and the smell of our garden is wafting through the window. Love it!

Our lives continue to run full speed, but it's been such a fun week around our casa. The second grade classes at A's school presented their last chapel of the year on Wednesday. Apparently, you can volunteer for "speaking parts," but our sweet A never does. She loves to sing, but prefers to do it with her entire class. ;) They did a fabulous job, and it's hard to believe that A is almost a third grader. EEK! That means EK is almost a kindergartner. WHERE does the time go??

In spite of some really, really late nights this week with work and insanely crazy schedules, I was looking forward to a special concert on Friday night. Some dear friends of ours joined us to see the Bellamy Brothers - WHOOP! They are, hands down, my most favorite band - EVER. My friends and T were laughing at me, because I couldn't stop smiling while we were there. My sweet husband even danced with me (which those of you who know him also know it's quite rare to find him anywhere near a dance floor...much less on it). It was such a fun evening, and the BEST part was hugging the David and Howard themselves after the concert.

I don't think I could be smiling any bigger! And then here are our best buds, the McD's...

T and me...

While T and I were on our special date, our girls spent the night with Uncle C, Aunt J and girls - which is always a good time. They were wiped out when we picked them up from C&J's on Saturday afternoon. Oh my gosh, what an amazing weekend with my family. T and I feel so blessed. There is much we would like to accomplish and trials that make life tough from day-t0-day, but I wouldn't trade my journey for anything with anyone. I would, however, absolutely take a lighter schedule for summer! A looked at my calendar today and said, "Wow, mommy. You're really busy." No doubt, sister!

Giving thanks for healthy kiddos, an amazing husband and a happy home...

Vision of Heaven

2010-04-18T14:27:00.000-07:00

We've had a really full weekend, starting with friends over for dinner on Friday night. Then, my sweet nieces spent the night with us on Saturday. It was so fun! It's a comfortable routine to have our girls together for a couple of days. T was a rock star this weekend, playing Princess Monopoly and Zooreka with the girls. I heard a rumor that he still holds an undefeated title for Pretty, Pretty Princess....but I think the pictures of proof have long since been destroyed. LOL!

T also took the girls to the park yesterday afternoon since the rain held off, and I encouraged him to take the dog, too. I BLISSFULLY enjoyed the house for 45 very quiet minutes until I noticed it was pouring down rain. ;) Just a few minutes later, I could hear the girls laughing as they ran up the front walk with T singing, "If you like pina coladas and gettin' caught in the rain..." It was hysterical! I opened the door and found T, the girls and Gatsby completed drenched! The girls wanted to change into their pj's and continue the rain party in the backyard, but we said, "Uh-uh."

Anyway, they enjoyed their showers, pizza and some chocolate chip cookies before snuggling into bed with a movie. When we first started swapping with C&J (taking turns with one couple keeping all four kiddos while the other couple got a night off), it used to overwhelm me to think about dressing four little girls for church. No longer! We're a fearless bunch now, aren't we? My favorite comment of the weekend was Cousin H telling me about her OTHER sister by another mother. ;) T & I couldn't stop laughing when I told my brother about it, and he just shook his head. It turns out she was talking about a friend, but it's all in the delivery!

It's been a really nice weekend, and I loved the rain. Our yard is starting to look so green, and seeds have started to sprout in our garden. Love it!! Speaking of landscapes, A is the budding artist in our family and brought home a few drawings that she made at school last week. I love to hear my girls explain the visions behind their art creations. It's a nice reminder that God wants us to think less like adults sometimes and more like children.

Anyway, A said she was asked to draw a landscape picture for class. I asked, "Is the little girl in the picture you?" She replied, "Yes, or it could be you because we both have dark hair. AND look, mommy. See the rain puddles by the tree? My picture is of our yard right after it rained, and everything is really green." I just love it...and I'm thankful our house isn't painted so colorfully in real life. ;)

Isn't her picture beautiful?

In the next picture, they were asked to draw a picture of how they see heaven. So A drew a gate on top of clouds. In case you can't read it, the gates says, "Press the heart...walk through the gate!" Then, there is the angel to the right of the gate. I said, "And you have the angel, Gabriel." T cleared his throat and chimed in, "I think you mean, St. Peter, mommy."

I said, "How do you know Gabriel doesn't hang out at the front gates of heaven sometimes?" T said, "Because it's St. Peter's job, MOMMY." Mr. Know-It-All. I digress...here is A's vision of heaven.

It did get me thinking, though. What is my vision of heaven? Interesting thought to ponder, and I think I'd like to subscribe to my daddy's theory. He says there MUST be Harley's and chocolate in heaven. When you ask him why, he'll tell you it's because it wouldn't be heaven without Harley Davidson and chocolate!

What is your vision of heaven?

Twinkle Toes and Twirls

2010-04-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sooooo it was parent observation day at EK's dance school today, which is always a treat. EK is like her mommy in that she LOVES to dance! Her teacher now fondly refers to EK as her "little speed-racer" because she does everything at mach speed. Shocking, I know.

T was able to meet us at the studio, and our little sugar bear was thrilled to see her daddy. He doesn't always get to make the informal performances like these, so today was extra special. I dare say after how EK performed, T thought it was well worth the trip. ;)

Here are a few pictures from her class...

With her teacher, Ms. J, who we LOVE! She's been such a blessing to our little one.

And EK's class, who giggled with delight when Ms. J and Ms. L dropped the mats in front of them, blowing air in their faces. EK is on the far left. It's the little things, right?

Circle time was another highlight of class. They were all smiles - as you can see! (EK, second to left)

Here is EK with one of her gal pals from class (and a dear family friend). So this is what it looks like when you put the tallest girl in class next to the shortest one!

They were serious momentarily...then...

It was a sweet and fun and class to watch. We can't wait for EK's first recital in just a couple of months!!! We've seen pictures of their costumes (ADORABLE), and they're dancing to "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." I know...it's going to be painfully cute!

Until then...happy twirling from our living room to yours!

Wonderful Memories

2010-04-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

As we suspected, T and the girls had an amazing time last night. The WonderBall was hugely successfully, so thanks so all who lent their support to this amazing event. A ran into a friend from school, which turned out to be one of her favorite things about the evening. The dined on tea sandwiches (pb&j's, turkey and ham), chips, fruit and Amy's Ice Cream. YUMMY! There were four Disney princesses in attendance, one of which was EK's absolute favorite - Princess Ariel!

Balloon lagoons, fairy dust, face painting, dancing and more! It was definitely a night to remember. When T asked A what her favorite part of the evening was, she yawned and said, "Dancing with you, daddy." AWWWW! You should have seen his face. EK loved every thing about the evening, but probably will most remember running into the Austin Roller Derby gals outside of the bathroom.

I failed to mention to T that the Austin Roller Derby was ALSO happening at the same event center last night. ;) He said it was a sight to behold. Sweaty roller derby chicks kneeling down outside the bathroom to hug and take pictures with little girls dressed as princesses complete with tiaras and wands. Until last night, EK had NO idea there was such a thing as roller derby. I guess now we can add that to her list of adventures that she'd like to try. Sigh...

Anyway, here are a couple of pictures from last night. Hopefully, I can order a few more from the photographer once they're available. Stay tuned!

Off to the Ball!

2010-04-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well, the girls are officially off to the ball with their daddy! One of the organizations I help helps children when a parent or adult family member has been diagnosed with a life-threatening or terminal illness. It's a wonderful place where certified child life specialist help many families in our community - absolutely free of charge. AND one way they are able to do this is by raising general operating support their their annual WonderBall event.

It's a daddy-daughter formal that is a fun-filled evening of princesses, dancing, fairy godmothers, face painting, balloon lagoons...and more! I have my friend Lisa K. to thank for telling me what an amazing time her hubby and sweet girl had last year. Six months later, this organization is now a client of mine...and I am so taken with their staff and the services they provide. It's truly an amazing place of healing and hope.

SO T and I lent our support by purchasing a ticket for he and the girls to attend this year's ball! The girls have been super excited. It was a little stressful getting them all dressed (T included) and out the door, but they were all smiles as they headed down the front walk. EK turned around, offered a curtsy to me saying, "Good night, fair mommy!" LOL! It was too cute. Then, I heard T say, "I'm holding a carriage door open...where are the princesses?"

I'm sure they'll have wonderful stories (and memories) to share of their adventure this evening, so I'll post an update soon. Until then, here are a few pictures I snapped before they left. Enjoy!

Hallelujah! He is risen!

2010-04-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Fall has always been my most favorite time of year, and I do love everything that the beautiful season of autumn brings. However, I'm really starting to anticipate the arrival of each spring. I LOVE working in our yard as a family and figuring out which plants are coming back and which plants didn't quite make it. The birds are singing; the sun is shining (mostly); and it feels incredible to be outside and soak in God's wonderful creation. Spring has sprung!

I've said it before (and often enough), but being a parent is the coolest job ever. Parenting is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but T and I love being with our girls. They are so fun, and it's been quite entertaining to watch them develop into the little people they are. Yesterday, we celebrated Easter at our home church for the first time since we've had kiddos. We've always spent Easter with my parents, but this year we felt it was time to start our own traditions and encourage our kiddos to get more involved in our home church. It was SO neat.

Hallelujah! Christ has risen!! In the Methodist church, we don't say, "Hallelujah" at the end of each service like we do in the Episcopal church (which is where I was raised). During lent, Episcopalians don't close the service with the traditional "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!" -- as we reflect on the 40 days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. BUT on Easter morning, we rejoice that Christ has risen, and it gives me goosebumps to remember the joyous proclamation when we're able to shout again, "Go forth in the name of Jesus. HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!" Yesterday, I was just itching to shout it out at the end of the service. I can hear my dad saying now, "Well, why didn't you?"

Maybe this is why Spring has new meaning in my heart now and I have begun to so eagerly anticipate its arrival. The rebirth of our flowers isn't unlike the rebirth of our spirits. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day distractions that we lose focus on what our spirits need and cry out for most - fellowship with Jesus. I'm proud that my girls understand the true meaning of Easter and why it's important to show reverence as we remember that God gave his one and only son so that we might live with him forever.

A had me in tears at the end of our Easter service. The Easter bunny left quarters in some of the eggs that he tucked in the girls' baskets. A had already gone through and categorized what she was given, and brought her Easter money to church with her. When she caught sight of the offering plate, she quickly grabbed her purse and pulled out some of her Easter money. She leaned over after she'd dropped her money in the plate and said, "We give to God because he gives to us." Wow.

My children are such a blessing, and T and I are continually amazed at the things they say and do. My dad often said there's no manual for parenting...you just have to pray and act on faith. And isn't that the truth?

Anyway, we met our best buds (the McD's and Mama and Papa C) for an amazing Easter lunch after church. Then, we rounded out our Easter celebration with an egg hunt at our casa. Our McD pals have journeyed with us for many years now, and I can't stress enough what a blessing their friendship has been to us. When we crossed paths at A&M all those years ago (can't believe it's been so long), we never imagined what wonderful plans God had in store for our families. It's a nice reminder that God's plan IS better than ours. Enjoy the pictures!!

March Madness!

2010-03-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been a busy few weeks for sure! When you add two trips for work, spring break, the tummy bug from you-know-where, and a new client....the result is one REALLY busy month. A and I caught a nasty bug at the tail-end of her spring break vacation, which was such a bummer. She was still recovering well into last week. Thankfully, everyone is healthy and glad to be back in our normal routine.

I've been working like a mad woman and trying to keep up T and the girls' schedules, as well. SO sorry, folks! This tired mommy just hasn't had the time to blog.

We spent the weekend in our yard, and it was such fun to see plants starting to reappear from last year's planting. We met my bro and his sweet family at our local farmer's nursery to pick out some new plants. Taking the girls to the nursery is always an adventure! Anyway, stay tuned because we're trying our hand with veggies this year. ;) Tomatoes, zucchini and herbs - oh, my!

T and I also had a parent-teacher conference at A's school on Friday. It's our semester check-in, and it was so neat to hear from her teacher how much A loves school. She got another round of straight A's, so we treated her and baby sis to a movie yesterday. Uncle C, Aunt J and girls also met us at the movie, "How to Train Your Dragon." It was a cute flick, so we highly recommend it.

Anyway, lots to do before I hit the hay tonight, so here's a photo to hold you over until I can snap a few photos of the girls. This was taken on EK's birthday earlier this month when her Aunt K and boys brought her a very special birthday surprise. They gave her a collector's item Nascar Barbie (that Aunt K has had for YEARS), and EK's has LOVED playing with it!!

J and EK are sweet friends, and this is just one of many photos that I love of them. Okay, enjoy! I'll try not to go so long between blog posts next time. ;)

Happy Birthday, Sugar Bear!!

2010-03-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

Oh, wow. I can't believe my sugar bear is FIVE YEARS OLD today! T and I joked that we are enjoying the birthday celebrations much more than we enjoyed the days leading up to her first arrival. She arrived almost six weeks early, and spent 11 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. I remember thinking she looked just a hair under-baked, but she was perfect. I think her days in the NICU were the stillest and quietest she's ever been!

This little girl is a bright ray of sunshine! She loves to smile and laugh and very seldom gets her feelings hurt. EK is a go-with-the-flow kiddo, and she embraces life with joy and zest. T and I are so blessed to have her.

She's still asleep as I type, but I'm waiting to hear the pitter patter of her feet and the shake of Purple Lovey (his official name) announcing that she is awake. Her birthday breakfast cake is ready and waiting! Around these parts, the birthday boy or girl may have cake with every meal if they like...but that's not ALL their supposed to eat! For one day, we celebrate the gift of their life and the blessing they are to us.

So HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY, sugar bear!! Mommy and Daddy (and sister) love you very, very, very much!