Family Life

The BIG performance

2010-05-16T19:39:00.004-06:00

Being "Monkeys"

Singing in the finale

E and S have been taking an Intro Musical Theatre Class the past 6 weeks and last night was the performance. They did great! S is a natural. Actually people told me throughout the six weeks how I needed to "get the girl in TV." Wow, what a compliment and in my head I am thinking NO WAY! E totally blossomed during this experience; she was shy at first but as time went on got more and more secure. She did amazing! We watched last night with such joy and pride. It was amazing to see what God can do with them; when nurtured them and give them a safe place to grow and boy did they! The played out an improv narrative of the Hat Seller, sang a beautiful song "I love you, Mommy." (Which S screamed the whole song. One older woman after the song said, "she really loves her mommy!" Too cute.) Then they sang in the finale with all the kids. It was a great blessing and wonderful Christmas present from Pat and Les. Thank you!

Too long since I have blogged!

2010-04-26T07:26:00.005-06:00

Happy 4th Birthday~

Oh friends and family please do forgive. It has been so long since I have blogged about Family Life in NM! It has just been crazy busy and while I have wanted to do this~ it was just too much for me....but as they say on Mario Brothers Wii game, "I'm a back!"

From Christmas to the end of May is always a world wind. We have so many things to celebrate....Christmas, New Years, Valentine's, Easter lots of birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's Day, basketball, and anniversary of death of my mom's and much, much more....

So in a nut shell this is what Family Life in NM has been up to:

wrap up of basketball season~ with a surprise that they did not make the state tourney
a family Wii
celebrated many birthdays: Grammi/Pat (Landon's mom), Aunt Bethie (sis-in-law) Pop/Beajen (my dad), Uncle Jeff (my brother), Shervin (my Dad's wife) and S's 4th birthday
celebrated wedding anniversary: Pat & Les and Dad & Shervin....Jeff and Jenn's is coming up.
celebrated 5th anniversary of mom's death
E's soccer
S preschool Spring Program
E & S Intro Musical Theatre Class
The Rock & Worship Road Show Christian Concert
and ministry work

Valentine's Day

2010-02-11T21:15:00.003-07:00

I used to love valentine's day because of romance, etc. However, as my faith deepens and understand more and more each day I understand that GOD IS LOVE.

Valentine's Day is a wonderful day; and even greater day to show what LOVE is. Love is the foundation of Christianity. The two greatest commandments 1) LOVE God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength and 2)LOVE your neighbor as yourself. Then in marriage a husband must LOVE his wife and wife must RESPECT her husband Eph 5:33. Whoever LOVES God must also LOVE his brother.

I love the book of 1 John! It does an incredible job of describing God's love and how we are to love and how we CAN love. 1 John 3:18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

1 John 4:7-21

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. ¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. ¹⁷This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us. ²⁰ If we say we love God yet hate a brother or sister, we are liars. For if we do not love a fellow believer, whom we have seen, we cannot love God, whom we have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love one another.

Enjoying showing God's love to others this Valentine's Day!

It has been way too long...

2010-01-28T16:36:00.003-07:00

Please forgive me...it has been so long since I have blogged. Life is busy these days! I am working now~ well I am cleaning houses to earn some money for the family and trying to juggle working, school, ministry, fellowship, family time...it has been a trial. I am enjoying cleaning houses for people. It is good money, but most of all it allows me to still be the mommy to S when she is not in preschool and it is not only a gift for me. I get to leave someone's home and know that they are going to be blessed by my work. I get to serve them with my hard work and crazy toothbrush, toothpick cleaning ways! It is a win, win. Someone asked me how I felt about cleaning toilets once...my response was, "I do not have that much pride that I above someone else...Jesus washed His disciples feet."

Hubby is in basketball season and we still have another month or so. This has been a long season for him. He has traveled long distances more than ever before and he just feels pulled. My heart aches for him as I can see the internal struggle of how much more am I going to miss out on my kids and family against the love of the game and he is very good at teaching it. I have been in constant prayer that God will give him peace. He truly has done a terrific job at setting boundaries and keeping family time important; all the while giving commitment to his team. He has honored us and I respect him so much for his growth. Way to go hubby, hang in there...we are behind you and support you! The season will be over before you know it! Then summer ball ;)

S is growing tall. She is almost as big as E. However, E has this radar that as soon as she thinks her "little" sister is going to pass her by...she shoots up an inch or two! TOO FUNNY! E and S have the best relationships, they play so well together and they love each other so much. It is so amazing to watch them play. Sometimes they go off for an hour or two and I debate do I go play with them? or do I give them their space? Their imaginations are unbelievable. S blows me away with her book skills- she can recognize all of her letters upper and lowercase and count to thirty. I am shocked and even test her to see if my eyes are deceiving themselves. I have to get E the credit...I think she has taught her everything! S is falling in love with God and it is beautiful to watch. Her prayers are getting deep and her heart is showing a love for Jesus. I must admit I was worried about this a year ago; she had no desire to love God, worship God and it was frightening as a parent. One reason, the other kid came out of the womb praising God and this one was so different; not bad, not wrong just different and as parents we needed to figure out how to reach her. As a parent I take this seriously, I know some of you think she is only 3.5 but God gave me a very important job and it is train a child up. My job isn't to wait until they are ready to hear the word of God or only teach them on Wed and Sundays....

My command is...

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

E is reading! It is amazing! She loves to read and we give her every chance. We are enjoying watching her grow academically as well as spiritually. She really has gotten it that she is supposed to read her bible everyday and pray first thing in the morning. Her personal walk with the Lord is precious and her own. They are both loving Awanas and it was a true gift and blessing we joined this year. Although, loves learning she is getting tired of having to "sit still and listen." She says, "It's hard work." Too cute. I can imagine that she is feeling restricted but loves her teacher and made friends.

Well, we continue to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all of our soul, all of our strength, and all of our mind! Much love to all who read this blog; sorry it has been a while since I updated you on our family life.

Bag of Fun!

2010-01-14T16:49:00.002-07:00

A friend sent home their Wii with hubby one day...just to share and let us enjoy! He walked in and lifted a bad and said, "I have a bag of fun!" It was so much fun...the entire family enjoyed it! We had to give it back today. We are so bummed that wasn't on our Christmas list! What were we thinking we keeping asking ourself???? The truth, it never crossed our mind! We're thinking of getting one for S's birthday! So fun! Oh, well our day will come and we will appreciate it then!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T17:21:00.002-07:00

I have been such a slacker on my blog entries the last couple of months, but that is ok. Sometimes in life we have to prioritize and this was one thing that needed to go on the back burner.

We had a wonderful and very busy Christmas. My brother and his wife and my Dad and his wife came for Christmas. Is was so great to see Uncle Jeff and Aunt Jenn; especially for the girls. The last time the girls saw them was May 2008 when they got married. We enjoyed relaxing, going to the movies, cooking, puzzling and taking them to church on Christmas Eve. It was a joy to have everyone! It took a week to recover!

The New Year has begun and as I reflect on the last year...it is was filled with so many wonderful things; new adventures, new experiences, testing of our faith, trials and BLESSINGS! I learned so much about my relationship with the Lord and all that He has for done me, through me and with me. I learned that what we, the world, consider "blessings" are NOT always the same kind of blessing from the Lord. His view of blessings are special and unique and filled with more than we could ever imagine. I truly have experienced that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE ME (Hebrews 13:5 & Deut 31:6) that HE IS THE EVERLASTING GOD! I look around at my family and what our foundation is grounded on...OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST and I am GRATEFUL.

I begin this New Year with much love, laughter, joy and hopes of great things to come. I challenge myself: to continue to die to self and LIVE for Christ; put off my character defects and put on: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control; and to teach my children to be Godly and train them in such a way.

I am so excited to see what God has for me, my hubby and my children and the others in our lives. This life is for His glory not ours and it is awesome when we allow God to use us to Glorify His Kingdom.

GOD I AM ALL YOURS! YOUR CHILD TO MOLD AND FORM INTO YOUR LIKENESS!

Christmas & Holiday Celebrations at E's school

2009-12-23T11:59:00.004-07:00

The blanket I made Mrs. Daniels

E had also had a very fun time in the month of December in Kindergarten. She learned about Santa, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. She had a Caroling Program and sang songs with hand motions from all different celebrations without incorporating God. (Not to worry we covered that home and Church.) We had a pizza party to celebrate the holiday break. The most special even though was the baby shower some of the parents through for Mrs. Daniels E's teacher. We played baby bingo and pin the bottle on the baby; ate treats and opened presents. It was such fun honoring her! One of our neighboring churches hosted a Day in Bethlehem and was able to attend. She learned hands on about the birth of Christ and what happened and how to make bread. It was so incredible. S was not old enough but will definitely go next year! It was fabulous!

Christmas Celebration at S's preschool

2009-12-23T11:37:00.002-07:00

S had an awesome month at preschool celebrating Christmas and the birth of Christ. We made a manager and a reindeer cookie. She had a little program, too. She sang two songs...Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Stable. It was so darling!

Happy Birthday Day Hubby!

2009-12-23T09:19:00.004-07:00

We had a wonderful celebration for hubby's birthday by making his favoirte pizza. Somehow we did not get a picture of him, but he had lots of fun!

Our Family Thanksgiving

2009-12-01T18:30:00.006-07:00

The girls thanking me for cooking them a great meal!

We had a GREAT Thanksgiving! It was so relaxing and enjoyable! We decided to stay home and celebrate just the 4 of us. It has been a very busy year already and with basketball in full swing we have been ships passing in the night. The girls helped me cooked all day. I was so surprised that S was so interested in cooking but she really enjoyed herself. She helped me make the homemade pie crusts. Even though it was just the 4 of us I made a huge dinner! I decided that I was going to show my girls what it is like to be a MOM. The menu: ham, black olives, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, candied yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, bread stuffing, rolls, pecan pie, pumpkin pie and it seems like I am missing something. I used the kids crafts from school for the centerpiece. We just hung out all day and enjoyed our sweet family. We spent the day being very thankful and appreciative to our Lord Jesus Christ for all the blessings He has given us.

Thanksgiving Lunch with E's Class

2009-12-01T18:06:00.006-07:00

We had a Thanksgiving potluck lunch with E in her classroom. It was very special! Dad even got a sub for one hour and was able to join us! S was in preschool so E had us all to ourselves! We brought the famous green bean casserole and it was a hit!

2009-11-23T22:43:00.001-07:00

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over
Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm
he will watch over your life;

the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Oh to feel your feelings....

2009-11-19T12:23:00.003-07:00

The holidays are different since mom passed away. The just are; and even though I try my best to have joy around this time of year...my heart is heavy this year with grief. That is the thing about grief it comes out of no where. Sometimes it is the holidays, sometimes it is a memory, sometimes it a birthday, sometimes it looking in the mirror and seeing my mom in me, my hands are looking more and more like hers, my mannerism are hers. When I discipline the way I hold my finger or tone of voice...is her. It just depends. Sometimes when you think you are going to grieve or have a rough time, you are fine. Then their are times when you just get hit with it! Then it never helps to hear my Dad cry and say, "I miss Mom so much." That is a delicate moment and is very sad to hear. I am grateful he can share and be vulnerable but I am also sad for him. I know he will be ok, that we will all be ok; but oh to feel your feelings. Honestly, sometimes I would rather not.

Question of the day?

2009-11-16T12:58:00.002-07:00

Why do the kids sleep late during the week? To the point where I have to go in and wake them to go ready for school? BUT....on the weekend they think 6:20 AM is a GOOD time to get up? What is that about?!?!

Random thoughts...

2009-11-12T20:03:00.002-07:00

So do you ever just enjoy the little things in life? I am teaching E my oldest how to tie shoes. I think it is funny that she wants to learn because all the shoes these days have Velcro! So, we practice on mine and I wish for the life of me I could remember the bunny song that goes with tying shoes. I'll google one day when I have time! ;) Anyway, it is fun to see her try over and over again. It is amazing to see how teaching her persistence with shoe tying has so much to do with teaching her to be persistence with her walk with God. "Don't give up" I whisper in her ear, "you can do it", I say, "you're almost there!" Isn't that what God tells us!

S the youngest; the girl is a ball of energy! Have I mentioned that she is dropping her nap??? God blessed me with this girl because she has been the best napper and sleeper since about 6 weeks old. Thank you Lord; good times! So here my life is changing again and I am reminded how my baby isn't a baby anymore and that I have no more babies coming at this time. I do have to admit I can see a light at the end of the tunnel in regards to not having to be home when it is nap time and having more flexibility with the schedule; but, oh how I like to have a little peace and quiet in the afternoon and just a few minutes to myself. Oh well ,I guess I can have that when the goes go to college ;0 I will enjoy them for now! Until then quiet time will just have to wait!

When E was three we decided not to put her in preschool, it was a very special time for me and her. After S would lay down for her nap it was our special time. I would get out a workbook and we would work on letters, numbers, patterns, etc. Basically, I home schooled her that entire year. We enjoyed this time so much and even though S went to preschool this year I have been praying about how to spend sometime with her; especially since we need to practice some speech techniques. So I bought her very own workbook and we have begun to spend just a little bit of one on one time together. She loves it! She tells me everyday how much she loves it and thanks me for this gift and spending time with her. I am so pleased that I am meeting her love languages and she feels loved. It is easy to feel over shadowed by another sibling. The other thing I have learned is how smart she is! I can't believe some of the things she knows...that must be from being the second child. Anyway, what a treat! Special memories I will cherish!

Basketball is in full gear and hubby is really enjoying being an assistant coach. It was quite an adjustment for me, actually. That was a little surprising. He was no longer in charge of his schedule and now we are under the authority of someone else. Very interesting. Truly there have been many positives and blessing. Games begin pretty soon and then the season will be over before we know it!

So I finished Shepherding a Child's Heart and that was an amazing book. I cannot recommend it enough. It was the most spiritually challenging parenting book I have picked up. I evaluated my parenting from every level and have made some incredible changes!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-02T21:57:00.002-07:00

The evening sky!
The girls with Cindy!

The girls with Avery and Payton

The girls with Caden and Tyler

The girls with Noelle

The kids has a blast on halloween and I think we have candy for two years! We enjoyed the Fall Carnival and Trunk or Treat at church! When we got home the kids wanted to trick or treat the neighborhood, so we did a few houses on our block; and if that wasn't enough...they wanted to pass out candy at our home! So we flipped the front porch light and passed out invite cards to Church along with candy the kids who came by! It was a fun night! A little spooky when we woke-up to no power!

Girl's Night Out!

2009-11-02T17:33:00.002-07:00

A girl's night out! What a blast! We went to Santa Fe to have dinner at a restaurant that performs Broadway Musicals while you eat! Great fun!

Soccer Season!

2009-11-02T17:14:00.003-07:00

Watching the game!

E's first soccer season is over! She had a great season...and so did MOM! It was a real treat to watch her play and learn the game of soccer! Having played competitively for 18 years...it wasn't as hard as I thought to just sit back and enjoy. I actually did much better than Dad...the professional coach who I thought at times was going to take over practice or games ;) S was a great little sister cheering her sister on, too! We look forward to March with the Spring season!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip with E's Class!

2009-11-02T17:02:00.003-07:00

I truly enjoyed chaperoning E's pumpkin patch field trip! It was such a blessing. We enjoyed having one of E's closer classmate in our group; EVA. We had to figure our way out of a corn maze, pick a pumpkin in the patch and pet a very friendly goat in the

petting zoo! The best part for E she got to ride the school bus- that is! S loved being with her sister! What a great time!

Pumpkin Winner!

2009-10-28T12:55:00.005-06:00

It was a surprise to hear that E won first place in the Character Pumpkin Contest out of the entire Kindergarten...that is 8 classes! We decorated her pumpkin to look like Sister Bear from the Berenstain Bears Books. What a treat! Congratulations, baby, we are so very proud of you!

Fall Carnival

2009-10-22T19:01:00.003-06:00

E's school had a little fall carnival! We had a trial run for Halloween and they looked precious! E is Dorothy and S is a Cowgirl! We had lots of fun as a family enjoying the different booths and just watching them! Life is so enjoyable! We are looking forward to more holiday events: Pumpkin Patch field trip with E's class, Fall Carnival and Trunk or Treat at Church.

Like Fall...the leaves of our life are changing...

2009-10-22T18:19:00.002-06:00

Wow, as life settles into routine and our schedule becomes more and more familiar... I can only stop and realize (as well as ACCEPT) our life is changing. I used to be a stay-at-home-mom of infants and preschoolers, then a toddler and a preschooler and now a kindergartner and a preschooler! Having a kiddo in school is exciting, challenging, difficult and wonderful all at the same time.
I have seen E change so much in the last two months...change in ways like her face looks older, her vocabulary is getting more mature, her spiritual walk is growing tremendously, she is also breaking out of her shyness and her comprehension and desire of learning blows me away. I am watching this premature baby grow into a beautiful, God-fearing little girl.
Not only have I seen E change but S has been changing too! It brings good tears to my eyes...as I watch her grow as a preschooler. This darling 3 year old is old and wiser in her ways. Sometimes when I look at her I have to remind myself that she is 3.5. I do forget...that she is 3. She is so bright and her memory is unbelievable. Her love for the Lord is growing and it is so awesome to see her submit to His ways.
So as the leaves begin changing during this fall season...so the leaves of our lives are changing during this season. The colors of our life are beautiful shades of the fall. God is so loving to us!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip with S!

2009-10-22T17:32:00.003-06:00

The Goldfish Class

S is loving preschool! It was such a debate back and forth....do we send her? Do we wait one more year...and on and on our prayers went as petitioned to God for His guidance and wisdom. She has such an amazing year and it is only October! The Lord has a big year for her. We are excited to see how He continues to teach and develop her.

We had so much fun on her field trip to the Pumpkin Patch! We enjoyed a story and learning all about how a pumpkin grows! We also learned that Pumpkins have cousins. It was a special day just me and her. What a treasure of a time!

Open House!

2009-10-22T17:21:00.003-06:00

Her friend Noel

(she invited her to church and they are coming regularly!)

It was such a treat to go to E's open house in her Kindergarten classroom! We enjoyed her showing us all of the "special things" about her class...where she sits, her pouch she has the back of her chair with all her supplies, self-selection area, computer, how to use the Smart Board, and much, much more. It was a joy to meet her special friends and their parents, too! I think our favorite moment was reading E's special journal. She is learning so much and loves her teacher! She loves everything about school! We are so thankful the Lord is blessing her year!

Mommy Date!

2009-10-14T08:59:00.003-06:00

Last Friday E and I had a mommy date! S was home sick with the Little Piggy Flu. E picked Fuddruckers for lunch and we sat in the golf cart! Then we went shopping! After that we went to the Balloon Fiesta with Cottrell Family! It was a great time just mommy and oldest daughter. We did miss Daddy and S!

Special Moments!

Sunday Worship!

2009-10-11T21:00:00.003-06:00

Oh, I love Sundays! Going to Church and worshiping God is the best day of week. I do enjoy worshiping God on other days, too; however, it is just awesome when you join together with other believers and sing praises to God. There is nothing like it! It was an awesome service today. Good songs, great singing and an incredible sermon. Why is there pain in this world? Why do we have to go through pain? Why doesn't God take away pain? He can in one word remove it but why doesn't He? The big question we all ask is "why, Lord, why?"
I loved our preachers approach....why ask why. According to the scriptures...He doesn't have to tell us and most of the time He won't tell us. He does what is pleasing to Him. Why look at the things we don't know; let just focus on the things we do know! We know...that God loves us, we know that God sent His son to die for us, and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
4 reasons God may allow pain:
1) Sometimes God brings pain into our life for no other reason than to cause us to draw close to Him.
2) Sometimes God brings pain into our life to discipline us.
3) Sometimes God brings pain into our life so that we can help someone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.
4) Sometimes the pain we go through makes no sense at all.
In the end, our prayers will be answered but maybe not in the way we expect it! What a great perspective! Then in our kids devotional tonight...the story and scripture were on the stars. How God named each star and calls them out at night one by one...then author asked the question...If He cares about the stars that much then how much does He care about you? WOW! Romans 8:28 We KNOW that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Think about that for a while! Do you know how much God loves you?

Snapfish...

2009-10-11T20:53:00.002-06:00

I love Snapfish! I have been sending pics out since E was an infant! That is 5 years! Well, my computer has been having some major problems and it is not communicating with Snapfish right now. For those anxiously waiting for my monthly pics...I don't know when there are going to be sent out. Basically, it might be when I can get a new computer and that will not be anytime soon. It is so sad; but nothing I can do at this point! I have even contacted Snapfish and it is my browser that is having trouble. Never fear I do not give up easily ;) It will be a great surprise when they do come!

Bummer...

2009-10-08T21:07:00.003-06:00

S is now sick with the little piggy flu, too! The good news is her symptoms are nothing like her sister's. We are praying for a mild case and quick healing. Oh, sick babies are so exhausting...this is when the famous saying comes in handy..."And this too shall pass!"

Being a Mom is tough!

2009-10-06T14:23:00.002-06:00

Last week was a rough one! On Monday I took S to the Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist. She had chronic ear infections and a year and a 1/2 ago we had tubes put in her ear. Well, they fell out..like they are naturally supposed to do; however, the holes where the tubes were did not heal. They are still open in both of ear drums. While, that was alarming news to receive back in June; I have had a couple of months waiting for this appointment to process this information. All I can think about is how in the world do you close holes in an ear drum...the medical answer surgery...my answer PRAYER! The ENT is going to give her 6 months to heal and if not surgery. Also, on Monday it was confirmed that she has slight hearing loss in both ears. It was very difficult as mom to sit in the audiologist room while she was tested. I could her the beeps and she couldn't. At one point I became very emotionally and tried to remind myself hold it together...be strong. Sometimes Mommy's need an outlet, too. Sometimes the burden becomes too big to carry. I am so grateful to know Jesus, and the He wants to carry my burdens. Oh, how uplifting and refreshing that is too know I do not have to do it alone. Needless, to say E getting sick with the little piggy flu was almost too much for me to handle :) Being a mom is tough sometimes...and it is at these moments I wish my mom was here.

So Gracious...

2009-10-05T17:27:00.003-06:00

The Lord is so gracious and we are so grateful that E is doing so well after contracting the H1N1 or as we like to call the "little piggy" flu. It was a terrifying moment last week after going home from the doctor with the diagnosis and then getting a phone call from our school district stating that a 5 year old girl had died from H1N1. It wasn't that we thought the worst, it was that the worst was possible...hanging on to the Lord rather than fear was the only way we got through it. Thank you for all your prayers, they truly are what got us through this time. It is in these moments you see what really matters...family. It is when all the other "STUFF" just doesn't mean anything and you thank God for giving you treasures...a darling husband and two precious kids. Psalm 18:2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Calling on Prayer Warriors

2009-10-01T19:39:00.002-06:00

We are humbly asking for your prayers. Last night E came down with a fever after having a cold for the last week. I took her to the doctor today and they confirmed it is Swine Flu. Please cover E in your prayers. We know that this flu is like any other flu but it is frightening. We are relying on Jesus to take away all our fears and give us peace. We believe God will heal her! Please pray with us and for us.

Church Carnival & Sleepover

2009-09-23T15:48:00.004-06:00

Our church had a celebration last Saturday and it was a blast for the kids! E had her first friend sleepover, too! We have had many kids sleepover because we were babysitting; but this time E invited her sweet friend Lis (from preschool) to spend the night and go to church with us. E has moved into a new Sunday school class for kindergartens and every week they talk about inviting your friends. Needless to say, she asks every week to bring a friend with her. We tried to explain that you are to invite a friend that doesn't know Jesus or who doesn't go to church. She is still processing that information :) So in the meantime she wanted to invite Lis and we thought that would be great introduction for stepping out for Jesus.

Mixed Emotions

2009-09-19T13:23:00.003-06:00

Well, for few weeks I have known I was pregnant; however, I also knew I was going to miscarry and just had to wait until the time. That time did come. It was a shock to find out the news and also be apart of another miracle from God. I have struggled with infertility for 6 years; however, God has used this trial of infertility in my life for many reasons. My faith has grown so much over the past 6 years and I have seen God's grace firsthand. I have experienced His plan for all those He created and when it was His time to have a child brought into this world. I have learned to have JOY in all circumstances; even during miscarriage. I have had several miscarriages but I have not been at this place in my walk with God with the others.
Hubby and I had so many emotions the last weeks. Excited, anxious good, anxious bad, concern, contentment, joy, awe, disappointment, shock, praise and so on and on. This pregnancy wasn't planned yet it was an answer to our prayers. Do we have more children? Is this family complete? I have never known the answer.
Today I am at peace with my two sweet girls and the size of our family. I believe that God has shown me that our family is complete at this time. Now maybe their is adoption or something in our future but for now that lingering question, "God is our family complete?" Has been answered. "Yes! Yes, honey you are right were I want you. This is what I have for you, enjoy them and don't want for nothing!"
So as I close it is with mixed emotions. I am full of God's delight with my sweet, sweet family...yet disappointed that the door has been closed for children at this time...grateful that God answered my question...trust that He has the best plan for us...full of Praise for Him...and...encouraged that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. With all of that said....I am truly content and peaceful. I have a smile on my face and will continue to fight the good fight. I take this job very seriously: to raise these children up in faith and teach them that Jesus is Lord. My heart will be focused on Him and the work He wants me to do. I know that He is Lord of Lords, King of Kings and that He does GOOD to all those who love Him-Romans 8:28...and boy do I love Him!

Windex Commerical

2009-09-17T16:28:00.002-06:00

Ok, so for the last two days I have had the same bird fly into my sliding glass door while it was shut! All of the sudden we hear this loud thud and see a beautiful green bird flying in circles as he gets his bearings. Do you remember the Windex commerical? Did I mention I cleaned them on Monday! Too funny! Poor little guy! Maybe he will learn :)

Fall is in the air...

2009-09-16T09:32:00.002-06:00

What a glorious day our Lord has made. Fall is definitely in the air. It was such a beautiful morning I decided to walk E to school. It is about a 25 min walk from our house to the school especially pushing three kids in the double stroller. You can figure out how I manage three kids in a two seater. Anyway...S's bible verse this week for Awana's is Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth. Part of her homework this week was to observe all the things God has created. It was really fun talking about God's creation all week. My heart was overwhelmed with God's glory and this day He has made so that we may rejoice and be glad in it!

It is now the middle of September and we are in full swing of Kindergarten days and preschool. E is loving her teacher Mrs. D. E found in the "meeting center" (that is what Mrs. D calls her carpet area) that Mrs. D is going to have a baby girl in Feb. It was so cute to see her share the news. We talked about making her blanket and planning her a baby shower. This week E started centers but Mrs. D calls it "book club" E loves Book Club! She did say yesterday that she doesn't like PE...talk about a knife into her dad's heart. I ask deeper question about why and the answer...she gets sweaty! Oh she is a girly girl!

S is loving preschool it has been an amazing blessing. She is growing in all areas of her sweet life. One of things she is learning about is cactus right now. That is appropriate since we live in the desert and they are everywhere...we saw some on our walk this morning and talked about how God created them too.

I love being a mom. What an amazing gift from God. I take this job very seriously. I try to enjoy all moments even the ones when I think my kids are in tough development moments. I am reading Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp...oh my goodness what a book! This is the most spiritually challenging book on parenting I have ever read. I recommend it! It talks about how we discipline the behavior of children but not get to the root of the heart issue- why they misbehaved. The child may temporarily change their behavior but not their heart. It is true in my children. There is a huge difference in their hearts. As a parent at times I feel overwhelmed with this task of parenting. It is not just about teaching them the moral basics of life; it is so much more...we are responsible for teaching them the Word of God and about Salvation. Their earthly lives are one thing but their eternal lives are so much more important. I am so glad I have a loving God who walks with me and talks with me and gives me wisdom and guidance to live and make decisions. I definitely need HIM when it comes to shepherding His children's heart!

Family Weekend!

2009-09-08T16:11:00.006-06:00

It seems as if we have been going non-stop since the first week of school and we were so grateful to have a holiday weekend to slow down and enjoy each other. We truly spent the weekend as a family and had a blast! We played games, read books, went to the zoo, wrestled, worshiped God, made cookies, went to the park, rode bikes and more. What a treat!

I'm a Goldfish!

2009-09-08T15:47:00.004-06:00

Today was S's first day of preschool! She is a Goldfish! It was so exciting that she has something special just for her. She has been looking forward to this moment for weeks! We are so excited about what this year has to offer her; opportunity to learn more about the Lord, work on her educational skills, help her adjust to life without her sister at home and most importantly work on her speech. What a blessing for the Lord! Please keep her in your prayers as the year goes on!

Watch out world here I come!

Super Star Student!

2009-09-04T15:45:00.003-06:00

Going with us in the car! He has to be safe, too!

E is really enjoying Kindergarten. Everyday we come home from school we open her folder to see if she received a smiley face stamp for her behavior that. If they get a smiley face all week then they get to chose a treasure from the treasure box. She really looks forward to sharing with us how well she behaved.

Her classroom has a special bear which the class named Charley; and the bear chooses a student to go home with for the weekend. The decision is based on the student who had the best behavior that week. Charley chose E to be the first Super Star Student of the year! Wow, what a honor.

So Charley enjoyed the weekend with us. He went to soccer practice, out to dinner, a friend's house, church and more. She completed a poster to share with her class. It was a poster all about her. Her favorites and special facts about her. It was darling! She told me what to write and I put exactly what she said. Oh, it was cute. Then she had a journal she wrote in about her adventures with Charley and a camera to take pictures. Super cute! What a special treat! Way to go E! You are an excellent example for other and the hands and feet of Christ! We are so proud of you!

Meet the teacher

2009-09-04T15:17:00.003-06:00

So exciting! S is going to preschool! We are so excited for her! We prayed so long and hard about sending her and the Lord has encouraged us the good this will be for her. We met S's preschool teacher last week and she is the Goldfish Classroom. She is super excited and can't wait for Tuesday! My battery died so I didn't get many pictures!

This was a Big Week...

2009-08-22T16:37:00.008-06:00

Our oldest daughter E had the most amazing week! Her first soccer practice & game, Kindergarten, Awana's Bible Club, her 5th Birthday & Cinderella birthday party! It was crazy busy but a great week! I will let the pictures speak for them self...if I don't I will not be able to stop crying. They are tears of joy, but nonetheless they are tears. A great week...a hard week! Praise God it is over! Now S starts preschool next week...oh my I get to do this all over again! Lord, help me! I need Your strength!

Sisters saying goodbye...I'm going to miss you!

Her cubbie!
Ready to go!

Precious moments!

Have a great day and my silent prayer "God take good care of her!"

Fun dress-up from Aunt Jenn and Uncle Jeff!

Mommy and the birthday girl!

Wow...I'm 5!

Birthday Dinner with family!

My American Doll; she name her Twinkles!

She got a matching dress for her and Twinkles!

Scoring her 1st Goal...she made 5 total!

It was so fun! We were so proud of her!

Look at that form...future Mia Hamm

Prince Charming and Cinderella (yes-she has brown hair)

The Cast of Cinderella with the Birthday Girl and friends!

Waiting for Cinderella to start!

Birthday Party at the Theatre!

A Blur....

2009-08-12T14:53:00.009-06:00

Oh my goodness this summer honestly was a blur. What went from being a low key summer to a tornado! I honestly don't know what happened from July 10- August 3! I am still recovering...it was that much fun! In a nut shell our summer consisted of: Hubby getting a new job, Girls riding horses, Swimming, Hubby and I weekend away to Colorado Springs, Road Trip to Texas, Beth Moore Conference, Spending time together as a family, Cousins Cheri & Bella came for a visit, Getting ready for Kindergarten and our devotion to God was mixed in all Summer long!

Crazy Sisters!

Sweet Sisters!

My Cousin Cheri came for a visit from California and it was a treasure of a time. She brought her 3 month old baby, Bella, who is just precious and totally reminded me of E when she was a little one! We decorated the loft, went shopping, took her to our church and enjoyed eating yummy food!

The girls with Cousin Cheri
The girls with Bella (cousin)
Oh, can I have one?

Sweet girls

Look dad we need a little sister or brother :)

These are our sweet friends from Austin kiddos! The precious and have one on the way...a boy!

S, Addie, E & Emma

We stayed with Pops & Shervin when went to San Antonio and saw a ton of family! My cousins that live in Austin drove down for a yummy Kabob dinner! We were able to tell stories about Mom and Grandma and their parents, too. It was great fun to watch our children play together and have so much fun.

Steve blowing out his birthday Pie

Maggie reading a book to the girls

Cousins
S, Mary Jewel, Zada & E swimming!

Getting spoiled by the chef!

The Lord blessed him with a wonderful new position at CHS and he is looking forward to teaching in the classroom and assisting basketball and golf. Honestly, the Lord is really stretching him and changing his career. Hubby has to wear a shirt and tie to teach in. Seems a little crazy- especially for the culture around here. His school is brand new and AMAZING! He thought AHA last year was cool..no way this compares. It is like a small college! The shower tile in the coaches shower even shows a lighting bolt when it gets wet. Very cool!

Hubby and I traveled to Colorado, Springs for a conference and a little get away! The girl's had a blast staying with the Pastor's family again! Karen is a gem and a huge blessing! She loves on them just like I do. It is always great to have someone like that watching your kids when you leave them. We enjoyed some site seeing and early celebration of our 11th Wedding Anniversary! We saw Harry Potter and ate at one of our favorite BBQ restaurants Famous Dave's! Totally disappointed in the movie compared to the book. The book was incredible! That's ok it was a movie after all. We enjoyed a tour at the Olympic Training Center and just missed Michael Phelps. We climbed and walked the trails at the Garden of the Gods! It was so fun, we were almost like kids trying to see who could get to the highest point. Of course, hubby won! I am deathly afraid of heights. I did challenge myself but only a little. Both hubby and I were making new memories; the last time I was there I was with my mom and the last time he was there was with his family. All he could say was I remember Buzz (his brother) saying, "I'm so embarrassed." Now we have a sweet memory of us! We also made it to the Air Force Academy. That was incredible. We enjoyed reading all about the training and what happens at school. Hubby is a big fan of their basketball program but we could not go in the gym. We did see the Chapel, which was beautiful. We purchased several books from Focus on the Family bookstore, too! We really packed a lot in to our 4 day weekend. We enjoyed our conference, too. That was the whole reason we went.

The Chapel at Air Force Academy

You can't tell but I am really high up there...it was fun but scary!

Garden of the Gods

Olympic Training Facility

I attended the Beth Moore Conference and that was truly uplifting. Now I am really looking forward to the Women of Faith Conference! Hope we can make it work! I am thinking girls weekend!!!

The girls attended VBS with all their buddies! It was awesome to see their faith grow. Especially, S! Her prayers changed and she has fallen in a little more in love with God. Jana Alyra, Children's Christian Artist, ended VBS with a concert and the girls loved it! God has really given her a gift and I know our family has benefited from it. The girls favorite songs are: Jesus is the Light, He is God and Treasure Quest. It is fun to worship God with them!

Our road trip to Texas was total spur of the moment! We decided if we wanted to go on a family vacation we better go quick because we were running out of town. We packed up and headed out to San Antonio, Tx. We had a great visit with family and enjoyed seeing extended family from Austin, too. My cousins Steve & Tonya, their kids Mary Jewel & Zada and Steve's brother, David. We also got to see some of our dear friends and their kids that we went to church with we lived their 9 years ago! It was great to catch up and hear about their life! We enjoyed swimming everyday in the pool...the very pool I grew up in. It was so awesome to watch the girls advance to the next level of swimming in the same pool I did. E swam the entire length of the pool and figured out how to float. S started jumping in the pool without holding your hands and going under water. She also started skimming the water. It was very cool! The other neat thing was my Dad opened up a deli. I grew up with him in the restaurant business. One day we went to eat at the deli and the girls were running through the kitchen and getting spoiled by the chef...that was ME when I was a little girl! It was awesome to see some of my same experiences being lived out through them. It was also weird!

What an awesome summer! Thank you GOD!!!!

It's all about self....

2009-07-21T12:27:00.003-06:00

Life goes along and sometimes we are caught up in the feelings, emotions of life and I lose focus. This weekend I was reminded that the key to life is self-accountability! (Now don't read into this that I don't think Jesus is the key...that is not what I am saying.) If we are self-accountable then we will be living the Word of God fully. Confessing our sins, asking for forgiveness and changing our behavior, dying to self, serving others and on and on. When we have negative thoughts it is our responsibility to take captive of that thought! Self-accountability requires self-discipline! I am so lacking in self-discipline these days. My wake-up time is not regular, I am eating whatever I want, not keeping consistent with my exercise routine, putting to death negative thoughts, etc. Oh how I need to tighten up on so many areas in my life. Oh Lord help me be self disciplined with my life so that I can serve others and feel complete by You, Lord!

Having Faith...

2009-07-10T11:18:00.003-06:00

Praise God...the oven only cost $258 to fix! It could have been so much worse, right? God is so good!

We met with a hurting couple last night and saw God's presence working on there hearts, tearing down walls and restoring their marriage. It was amazing to see God in full glory! I am still in awe. It is amazing to be a part of God's plan!

Tonight and tomorrow is the Beth Moore Conference. I am so excited and my heart is ready to hear what the Lord has in store for me. My heart is ready to hear what He has to say...the things to work on, the things to embrace, deepening my level of grace and receiving His love. It is going to be a great weekend!

Oven Drama...

2009-07-09T14:04:00.002-06:00

Bummer news! The oven is broken! The stove works, the broiler works but the oven does NOT warm up to temp! I have been on the phone all day with different services: the gas company, the builder, friends who are handy and many more. At first it was not going to be fixed until Tuesday and Sears called us back and is coming this afternoon! Thank you God! I am just praying that it will not cost arm and leg or better yet...a new range! I will have faith!

Just thankful!

2009-07-05T21:25:00.002-06:00

Ever been in that place in life when you are just thankful? Well, that is where I am. We just came upon our one year anniversary of our big move and I have spent the last year in state of thankfulness. Is everything perfect, no, of course not. This year has been full of challenges and tough decisions; however, I am thankful and see the Lord in everything. I see Him so vividly in our children and I see Him making a path for our life. This year has brought many character building moments and I have learned to see God's faithfulness each day. I am thankful for the hard times and the trials as I learn to persevere and trust God more and more. I have learned to see what really matters in life and who will walk along side of you. I am thankful for husband and children and enjoy their company so much. I am thankful for our life; even the hard days. Thank you Lord for blessing us over and over again.

Please keep the following in your prayers:
My sweet sister-in-law Jenn, her grandmother passed away
My dear friend Kam; her mom is having open heart surgery on Tuesday
My sweet daughter S, her ear infections have returned and we may need to put her tubes back in.
My husband's new job and opportunities
My dad is opening up a new deli soon, needs to pass inspection and for success
Our hearts as God continues to open the door for His will
My sweet daughter E as she prepares for Kindergarten; her teacher, her school, her class

Church was good today, especially the music...the message too. Good stuff! I am really thankful for our church it has been a blessing and we have grown tremendously this past year.

Peaches Anyone???

2009-07-04T09:12:00.003-06:00

In our backyard we have 5 fruit bearing trees. Very cool! The peach tree was the most producing this year and boy did we have peaches!!! It was so neat to watch the tree grow and teach the girls to be patient as we had to wait for them to ripen. The girls did a fantastic job and finally it was the big day...we got to pick the peaches! That was fun! Needless to say we have been sharing the peaches and eating lots of them, too.

Father's Day

2009-06-29T15:01:00.004-06:00

After the crazy busy week and then awesome weekend...Sunday was Father's Day! All our Daddy wanted to do was play miniature golf. So that is exactly what we did! We celebrated at Church, ate at Taco Cabana and then played miniature golf! The girls had a blast and believe it or not E is pretty good and scored par on most holes and even made a hole-in-one! S would jump up and down when the ball would go in the hole. Dad enjoyed watching them!

Happy Father's Day, Hubby! You are a terrific father! I love the way you interact with the girls and play with them. Thank you for all of your hard work!

A moment to remember...

2009-06-25T09:39:00.004-06:00

So to add to crazy, busy week last week the most amazing thing happened! We met a couple in Feb who's marriage was struggling, almost to the point of destruction and they were not followers of Christ. That has all changed! They have been restoring their marriage and digging into the Word of God and they accepted Jesus (whole hearted) as their personal Savior. This past weekend their entire family was baptized! It was amazing to see this transformation in their lives and to see their hearts change! But what it even more special, they asked Hubby to baptism them! It was so emotional watching them die to self and be raised anew. It was even more emotional to see my husband up there! I was so proud of him and for the spiritual growth he has made. God is so amazing! I think the Angles were sitting right next to me rejoicing! Oh, it was a cool moment! Thank you Lord for letting us be a part of it! The Glory is all Yours, Lord!!!!

Wow, what a week!

2009-06-23T08:22:00.004-06:00

We have had a whirl wind of a week...A FABULOUS WEEK! It started with a two night sleepover with three precious little girls: Avery, Paytie & Reese! We kept our friends girls while they celebrated their 8th anniversary. We spent three days at the pool this week! One day we enjoyed swimming with our buddies Caden and Tyler and the other two times with friends from church. We went to Galloping Grace this week and the girls were able to ride the horses for 30 mins. Daddy joined us for the first time and he loved it, too! He was so proud of his girls and what they accomplish on the horses, too. Friday we had friends over for a play date. Daddy had a softball game! Our church celebrated Father's Day with an Auto Show.

E had a huge week....I was overcome with such joy, happiness and proud of her accomplishments and growth. This week she showed incredible courage and willingness to go beyond herself and learn new things. It was amazing to watch her at Galloping Grace and see her control the horse by herself. In the beginning she was attached to the leader and she began her ride, then they slowly broke the connection between the guide and the horse and E became the leader. She had complete control of the horse with her reigns. She learned how to make the noise with her mouth to keep the horse moving and help it go in certain directions. The horse even tried several times to go back to the original leader and E held strong to the reins and had the horse follow her instructions. It was amazing to watch. This program is such a blessing in so many ways!

After we came home from Galloping Grace, she asked if she could take the training wheels off her bike. Hubby and I looked at each other and we were so excited. Not quite sure if she is ready but why not let her try. She realized it is hard work and going to take lots of practice.

On Thursday I took the girls to the pool. We enjoyed some awesome quality time and had a blast practicing back floating, jumping in, kicking and more. It was on this day I couldn't believe my eyes...E had finally put it all together. She figured it out! She would jump in the pool and swim underwater, come for air, take a breath, swim underwater and would keep repeating for about 15 to 20 feet. It was amazing! I was so happy for her! She also climbed a rock a wall with no fear!

Update on little Ms. S! She too had a big week in the water. Poor thing loved the water but the last year has been hard for her regarding her ears. This year we had special ear plugs made for her and they have been a huge help. She is more confident and actually will go underwater. She practiced floating on her back and actually did an awesome job of relaxing. She was also amazing on the horse and does a very good job with her balance. She was detached from the leaders reins but the guide used her voice to continue to lead the horse. Her heart is growing more and more for the Lord, too.

These children are the most precious gift and I love watching them grow. The Lord has blessed us with happy, healthy children and we give Him all the glory for their precious moments. One of the reasons I love summer is because we get to spend some awesome quality time as a family. We get to make some incredible memories, cherish our time and build each other up in the Lord. What a gift!

God is so good!

2009-06-17T19:54:00.004-06:00

Just to give you an update on the blazer...it was the fuel pump and although the refund check was nice it did not cover the cost. But God is good and we were grateful for what He did provide~just a bummer.

God is so amazing!

2009-06-13T20:37:00.002-06:00

We have had one trial after the next the last six years and it is safe to say that the Lord has confidence in us that we can handle it! He is strengthening our faith and stretching us...sometimes beyond our belief and while in the moment it hurts and we think we can not bare one more minute of pain...His LOVE, GRACE, HOLINESS and STRENGTH over comes us and brings this amazing amount of comfort and peace. For the last two years hubby and I have leaned on God more than we ever have and our faith and love for Him have grown so much. We have memorized James 1:2-8 and we often recite it to one another...it is an incredible passage of scripture. As we have have persevered from one trial to the next it has become easier and easier to have JOY during the face of trials. Not joy as in happiness but the kind of joy, contentment that in no matter the circumstance we will rejoice and praise Him! We have our moments that we have to keep looking to Him and reminding us that He is control and for that we grateful that He is in control and that He Reigns! Moving here has been right on track for the Lord's plan in our lives. We know without a doubt that this was His plan and we have seen Him at work in our lives in unbelievable ways. We have stepped out of comfort zones and we are ministering those who know Jesus, who don't know Jesus and those who want to know Jesus deeper. We are being shaped into the mold of Christ ourselves and we are surrendering to His plan. With that said we have really upset the enemy...seriously...the enemy has decided to target us and we keep holding onto scripture and our faith and keep shouting...GOD YOU ARE AWESOME, GOD YOU ARE AMAZING, WE LIVE FOR YOU- AN AUDIENCE OF ONE!
Today was just another attack from Satan. Hubby was on his way to bible study when his car died, wouldn't start and was making a horrible sound. (Finances are tight...the tightest they have ever been.) Anyway, he got picked up went to his bible study and we just thought great the car is done or this is going to cost a fortune! But when he came back to pick it up; it started and he was able to drive home!!! AWESOME NEWS! Unfortunately the problem began again, but praise God he made it here. Hubby called the mechanic and it sounds like the fuel pump. But the coolest part is that God is faithful and He always provides. When we got home tonight I checked the mail and we had a refund check! We weren't expecting this; just another way God shows His faithfulness and that He WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR NEVER FORSAKE US! It will be amazing to see if the refund check matches the estimate to fix the blazer! Powerful stuff...couldn't hold it in...I just had to share our heart and give God all the GLORY! Thank you Lord for everything! WE LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING ON THIS EARTH!

Masterpieces

2009-06-13T14:43:00.004-06:00

The kids had a blast painting today! It was fun to see their creative minds at work. Daddy helped them with the drawings and then they painted the colors. I think Pops and Grandpa are going to love their Grandfather's Day presents!

This Family loves the pool

2009-06-13T14:36:00.003-06:00

It was a beautiful day and just perfect for a day at the pool! We enjoyed a picnic lunch and played in the water for 3 hours. It was actually sad when we had to come home...they had to remind me there will be another day. Just Kidding! E loves going underwater and she is learning how to swim. She actually started going somewhere and not just staying in the same place. Very cool! S loves the water, too! She enjoyed practicing kicking and just being silly. It was great to be together as a family enjoying one another. Good times!

Home on the Ranch

2009-06-13T14:20:00.004-06:00

The Kids (and I) have fallen in love with the Horse Ranch! We are allowed to participate at the ranch twice a month. It has been a treasure for us and we are so grateful for this experience! The girls did their chores before riding the horses and then ended the afternoon with feeding the horses. I do think they might love the chore part even more than riding. They love it...as you can see on their faces! Looking forward to going back next week with Daddy!

Double O Daddy!

2009-06-13T14:16:00.004-06:00

What was two little girls innocently playing water guns turned into an ambush by their Daddy! Too fun! They loved it. Dad thinks he is...Bond Dad Bond! The little boy in him came out and it was precious. Also, good for them to see that!

God's Precious Children

2009-06-08T13:21:00.004-06:00

This morning I went to check on E to see if she was up yet...when I peaked in her room this is what I saw... her bed made and she was standing next to her made bed with eyes closed & hands folded saying a prayer. It was so precious! We have never taught her to do that....she just did that on her own. So I left came back a couple of minutes later and she was sitting on her floor "reading" her bible. WOW! Lord, I commit this little girl's spirit to you and ask that you continue to draw her near to you! In Jesus name, AMEN!

From 16 months to 2 years old S had chronic ear infections and was ill for almost an entire year. Literally on antibiotics from October to June that year. It was an awful year for her...needless to say we put tubes in her ears and had her adenoids removed. However, even with that the illness went from ear infections to sinus infections...so we eliminated cow's milk and wouldn't you know no more illness. It was the best blessing! So we have a wonderful year only being sick 3 times! It has been a huge blessing! Two weeks we checked on her tubes and one had fallen out but the left ear remained in. Last week we had to go to the doctor because she had an ear infection and when we checked the ear that tube had fallen out. This ear infection has been awful, one of the worst. Her poor little was swollen for days and you couldn't even touch her cheek. Finally after several days the antibiotic ear drops started to work and we can see it is clearing up. However, with that said now we are on the watch again...if she begins having chronic ear infections again we will have to have the tubes replaced. I really don't want to do that but of course want what is best for her. Lord, please keep her healthy and protect her hearing and speech at this time. Allow her ears to heal fully as the ear drums close and let it be Your will that she will not the tubes replaced. In Jesus name, AMEN.

Please pray for a women named Mama Terri she is going to have bypass surgery soon. Her family is worried about her and pray for their comfort, too. Lord, wrap this family in your comfort and heal Mama Terri. Lord, take their anxiety and worries from them and give them
peace and comfort as they trust you during this time. In Jesus name, AMEN.

Pray for my sweet husband. God is working on his heart in such a awesome way. Currently he is looking for a new career opportunity and we would really like for him to work with the Rio Rancho Public Schools. Lord, we are asking for Your guidance, Your direction, Your discernment as L looks for new opportunities. We want to follow Your will, and we know You have big plans for him and our family. We know this is the place You want us to be and that You have gone before us, that You have it all figured out. Lord we surrender to Your will and Your ways and we ask for You to show us the way. Please, speak specifically to L at this time as he seeks Your wisdom. He loves You so much Lord. We trust You Lord and we know that you are a God that can move the mountains! In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Pops and Shervin come for a visit!

2009-06-07T13:02:00.003-06:00

Dad and Shervin

Shervin, S, Pops and E

Pops and the girls

My Dad otherwise known as "Pops" called last week and said that he and Shervin (his wife) wanted to come for a short visit! Oh, the joy of living within driving driving distance!!! (It still is 10 hours without stopping, but so much different than 3 days or by plane.) So they came for a couple of days and we enjoyed a relaxing time! The girls loved eating Persian food and drinking lots of hot tea, too! For breakfast we ate the traditional Persian breakfast. My kids call it "bread and cheese!" Of course, no trip is final without his famous kabob! We all stuffed our faces...even the kids!!! The girls enjoyed playing hair dresser with Shervin and showing Pops how they can ride their bikes around the block. Thank you Dad and Shervin for coming for a visit even if it was only two days! We enjoyed it!

The Circus!

2009-05-28T21:55:00.004-06:00

Our first trip to the circus! The kids had a blast! We went some dear friends and it was so great to the children soak it in! We went early and the girls enjoyed watching the action and trying different things; jumping rope, costume, hula hoop and more. The show was very cool and exciting. E said her favorite thing was the dancers and S the miniature dachshunds. What a treat! It was super! I love watching them experience new things.

Fun Day at the Zoo...

2009-05-28T21:44:00.003-06:00

The weather has been very cool around here so we decided to go to zoo before it gets too hot. We met some friends for a picnic lunch and enjoyed an afternoon of fun! We saw some neat things...the polar bears looked like they were dancing, the elephants were having a check-up with some training and a baby giraffe only 6 days old! It was an enjoyable time! We really love the zoo and could go every week! Especially little S!

Babysitting fun!

2009-05-28T21:36:00.003-06:00

E and S love their babysitter! This last time was a true bonding experience. She asked ahead of time if she could bring her make-up bag and nail polish! (Actually I think E asked her too bring it!) Oh my goodness it was exciting for the girls. This was a real treat because "MOM" is quite strict with that kind of stuff! I know a real downer of a mom but I just don't want them to grow up so fast. Anyway, I allowed and they had a blast. It was great fun! I did have a flash forward...oh my! By the way E did her own hair that day and then we had to groc shopping, we kept her hair just like that. She was so proud and got lots of compliments. Too cut!

A wonderful week and it is only Wednesday!!!

2009-05-20T16:37:00.010-06:00

Balancing exercises
E walking the horse back

S walking the horse out

S waving while working on balance

Putting the saddle on

Brushing the winter coat off

Learning about the horse shoe :)

I am so cool, even at the dentist!

So excited! My first time!

Our beautiful backyard!

Thank you Ms. Kathy and Ms. Helen! I had a great year!

E's Redbird Class!

Popsicle with her friend Riley

Lis and Ms. Cathy after the water station

We brought our little buddy Camp with us, too!

Pizza Lunch!

Painting fun!

Apple Tree Toss

Yummy s'mores!

roasting marshmallows

This weekend we cleaned out the backyard, moved the trampoline and put out the fire pit Sarah gave me for Christmas. The yard looks awesome; don't look too closely at the grass we need to replace it! We have some plans but to add to the patio this summer. Should be exciting! We finished off the evening with smores. After the kids went to bed hubby and I sat by the fired and talked for two hours. Good times!

We started off Monday with E's last day of preschool. This was a fun day! Siblings were invited and the day is designed as a play day. We spent the day going from one station to another. I watched our little buddy, Camp, and he spent the day with us, too. All the children had a blast. S will be attending the preschool next year and is so ready! I am so excited for her new adventure with preschool and E's adventure going to Kindergarten. Big changes for us!

Tuesday we headed to the dentist! It was S's first time and E's third. Emmie was an angel like always. She is amazing and cooperative. S was incredible, too. Especially for her first time. She did a really great job and I was proud of them both!

Wednesday we had plans to go to a horse ranch! The girls have been so excited about this. We did a community service project in the fall at this ranch and it has been on mind since then. We put on our jeans and cowboy boots and headed out there with apples and carrots. First thing was first the girls learned all about horse safety. They had to memorize rules and repeat them. It was cute! The girls learned that you don't just get to play when you come to the ranch, there is actually quite a bit of work that needs to be done. Wish there was a better term for this but there isn't...our first job... scoop up the horse poop. So we did, with smiles! We all had a shovel and got to work, cleaned out an entire pen. Then the girls got to brush the horse, learn to saddle the horse and then each one of them got to ride the horse. It was so special and such a fun day! After they rode the horse we fed them apples and carrots we had brought from home. They had such a wonderful day and we will be going back!

What a week to kick off our summer!

Loved this picture!

2009-05-15T20:58:00.003-06:00

I love you, Mama!

Our Mama Date!

2009-05-15T08:51:00.004-06:00

S and I had our last Mommy date while E was in preschool. We had a wonderful day of her doing her favorites! First we went to Target to get her favorite snack: popcorn and a drink, then to the mall to ride the carousel, then a picnic in the park! We had a fabulous day. We have figured out that Quality Time is her number one love language and she has really enjoyed our time this year.

While we were eating she climbed up in my lap and said, "Mama, I love spending time you. I had so much fun today!" Oh just melted my heart. In this moment I knew I had listened to the Spirit of God as a parent and took His guidance on what to focus on this year while E was a preschool...little Ms S! I spent most Monday/Wednesdays connecting with her only. I turned down many playdates just to focus on building our relationship and getting to know her.

She is a different child when alone, without her big sister around. S has a strong-will, determined, and independent spirit; yet she is extremely sensitive, loving and giving! Not to mention passionate and extremely expressive. I have no idea where she gets it :)

I pray for discernment and firm yet gentle tongue when it comes to parenting her. I definitely understand the concept of having two very different children, who will need to be loved, disciplined and raised differently but from the same foundation. (Does that make sense?) Therefore, I have spent the last couple of weeks reading some incredible Godly books on parenting. How to Really Love Your Child by Ross Campbell and the Journey of a Strong Willed Child by Kendra Smiley! Both excellent and quick reads! Next on the list for parenting books: Boundaries for Kids, The Five Love Languages of Children, How to Really Love Your Angry Child and Shepherding a Child's Heart.

To my darling S, thank you for a wonderful year full of memories! I have treasured our time together and look forward to spending more and more quality time with you. You are a precious child of God and you were made perfectly. I pray that your Daddy and I give you all the love you need, raise you up with confidence but most importantly teach you about having a relationship with Jesus. I look forward to many more Mama dates!

Our Redbird learned how to fly!

2009-05-13T21:19:00.003-06:00

E graduated from her Preschool on Tuesday night. She was in the Redbird class! She has the most wonderful year and truly loved going to school. Her teachers Ms. Kathy and Ms. Helen were so wonderful and loved on her just the right way. I really can't believe the year is over, and there is only one day left...a play day! It is shocking to see how much she has grown, matured and learned this past year. What in the world is Kindergarten going to do to her!?! I am so glad that we found this preschool last year when we came to visit. God knew this is where she needed to be!

The evening festivities were fun! Dear friends joined us and E actually sat right in front of us! The evening started with a darling slide show, then each student walked down the isle one by one to the traditional graduation march in their cap and gown. Then each class sang a cute little song. The Redbird's sang the Butterfly Song. The sweetest part of the evening was when they called each student up to the stage, they stood there while the director told the audience about them. E said her favorite color was pink, favorite food is macaroni cheese, she learned how to write her name and numbers, she will learn "lots of stuff" in Kindergarten, her favorite toy is her make-up kit (don't worry it is plastic) and when she grows up she wants to be a cheerleader. Too cute! The last song the pre k program sang "Kindergarten here we come, here we come. Good-bye Preschool it's been lots of fun!" It was a special evening. Thank you Lord for a great year and a special thanks to Pat and Les for helping us send E to school this year. It was a blessing!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:56:00.003-06:00

First of all, I want to send a big Happy Mother's Day out all of my friends and family who are mothers. I am proud of you and the work you commit to raising up your children in Christ! I love seeing your lives and what is going on in them!

Second, to my sweet family who honored me so well. It was as enjoyable weekend with a day of shopping yesterday and lunch at our favorite family restaurant Rudy's B-B-Q, then Church to see our friends dedicate their kids to raising them up in the Lord and then out to dinner with several families. It was a bummer that we ended our evening with S bumping her forehead very hard on the sink and that wasn't the worst of it. She was running when she hit the sink and her legs went right out from under her. So after she hit the sink, she landed flat on her back; hitting the back of her head. Needless to say she had a concussion and we spent every hour waking her up to make sure she was ok. (It is was like having a newborn again.) Poor thing. She is fine and back to her normal self today! However, this morning she needed rest so I went to Church by myself- I did not have a replacement in the area I was serving. That worked out well for the girls and hubby to have a hot lunch waiting for me when I returned home. (For my birthday my mother-in-law sent me a night off dinner from Swan's- great gift idea! Thank you, Pat, it was delicious!) Hubby cooked the Lasagna, corn and rolls and we had a fabulous lunch. After lunch we washed the cars and the girl's loved it! Then we enjoyed our new summer pool! We enjoyed watching the girls play in the pool and I sat in the lounge chair reading a book. Oh, what a wonderful day! Did I mention May is my favorite time of the year...summertime, my birthday and Mother's Day all in one month! Good times!

Finally, to my sweet mother who is in heaven. I miss you dearly and wish you were here to share in my stories of your grandchildren and watch them grow-up. They are precious and E has a very artistic and creative side just like you; not to mention your Cook family nose. S has your delightful strong-willed spirit. I also wish you were here just to hang out, go to lunch or chat on the phone. Often I have needed your sweet, tender love and advice or just a hug to get through the day. I think of you often and speak of you often, too. You were a wonderful mother, who taught me how to serve others. I love you, Mom. Thank you God for the years I did have with her. God continue to give me the peace that passes all understanding!

Look I can ride my bike!!!!

2009-05-09T09:15:00.003-06:00

S got a bike for Christmas and had not quite figured out to pedal...but she has been practicing and she got it!!! Daddy spent time working with her and teaching her how to push her pedals. She was so proud of herself! We tried to go around the block; however, her little legs are just not ready to do that. We will work up to that! Special moments for the little sister!

Special Friends in town

2009-05-09T09:05:00.003-06:00

Rachel and Hunter, friends from high school were passing through town and we spent the afternoon with them catching up. It is was great to visit and enjoy seeing their kiddos. Hunter is a Pilot in the Air Force! He just returned from his 3rd deployment. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the park! Rachel and I enjoyed sharing stories and hearing about their life.

Mother's Day Tea at Preschool

2009-05-09T08:17:00.003-06:00

What a special time at E's preschool...a Mother's Day Tea. It was so sweet. They sang a little song, she made a sweet card and a little poem about me. Evidently she loves my cooking! That really touched me; not because I am a good cook but because I loved my mother's cooking, too. (And that is something I really miss today.) Anyway this was our special day and I enjoyed our special time.

Love this picture!

2009-05-05T09:17:00.002-06:00

I love you, Daddy!

33, Really???

2009-05-03T13:57:00.004-06:00

Wow, I must say this year just feels weird and older. Turning 33 has been interesting...I feel older. Don't get me wrong, I do realize I am spring chicken; however, I am older in the ways of life. What I mean is I have ten years of marriage behind me, two kids, one starting Kindergarten, each year it gets harder and harder to lose weight, and I am ready for bed at 8:00 these days. See it just sounds older! I really don't mind get older, it doesn't bother it is just weird sometimes. While I had a great day, I did miss the voice of my mom wishing me happy birthday. Four years since her death and some days are easy and some are hard. Thanks to everyone for facebook b-days wishes, phone calls, gifts, flowers and cards! My sweet girls went shopping with me and they told everyone they saw that it was my birthday, too cute. {The Bass store even sang me happy birthday because of them! S wanted to know where my cake was! Too cute.} A very fun and enjoyable and loving birthday! Wow, here I come 33!!!

A Bird's Nest

2009-05-01T09:18:00.003-06:00

Something spectacular happened right outside of our backdoor; a bird's nest in our light fixture. It was amazing to watch nature and God's creation at work. The girl's were fascinated with baby birds and we enjoyed watching the Mommy and Daddy look over them, protect them, feed them and teach them how to fly. The last baby bird flew away yesterday. It was truly special! I have a question...will a bird reuse another bird's nest? We have a bird's nest in another place from last spring. Guess I will google it and see what I find!

Dora B-day Party for our 3 year old!!!

2009-05-01T08:51:00.003-06:00

We had so much fun last Sunday celebrating S's 3rd birthday! She wanted a Dora B-day party and that is what she got! We planned a Dora Episode from start to finish and ended at S's Fiesta Birthday Celebration! Daddy drew a map- it was incredible! We went from the popcorn pit (the trampoline with balls) to a scavenger hunt through the backyard around to the front of the house to S's FIESTA birthday celebration! We had the kids came to the front of the house we sprayed silly string, threw confetti and put lei on them. We had a lovely Mexican feast and enjoyed great fellowship. It has was a wonderful celebration for kids and parents, too!

Pinkalicious The Musical

2009-04-26T14:18:00.003-06:00

Pinkalicious!!! Have you heard of it? It is a book and one of our favorites! It is a great read especially for girls! (I have read it to boys and the love it, too.) For those of you who don't know E's favorite color is PINK and S "wuvs" purple. We read this book often! Well, I was thrilled to see our Children's Theatre was putting on a performance Pinkalicious The Musical. For S's b-day we decided to go with some good friends and their two little girl's Avery and Paytie. So we got Pinkalicious ourselves and we enjoyed a wonderful children's play! The best part was they were interactive with the audience. When the performance was over the actors came out to meet the children, we enjoyed taking lots of pictures! It was oh- so-very fun! Now we just need to get the new book Purplicious! After the show we the went to Chick-fil-a; got some ice cream and let the kids play. What a special day! E says she wants be on stage and sing and act, too. That would be so fun!

Our Baby Girl is 3!!!

2009-04-23T21:19:00.003-06:00

Well, the baby days are behind us! My youngest is now 3! She is so big and so funny! This morning when I went into get her up, I was singing Happy Birthday and she jumped out bed started jumping up and down saying, "Today is my birthday, I am 3!" Too cute! After her nap this afternoon I asked her, "how old are you?" She said, "4" I explained, "No, you are still 3 and will be 3 for the whole year." She did NOT like that answer. It was a great day. Lots of fun, gifts and phone calls.

To my baby girl, you are a precious gift from God, given at a time in my life that I will never forget. Thank you for your sweetness, your expressiveness and your smile that lights up a room. I love you with all my heart.

Fun Day at Preschool and Kindergarten Registration

2009-04-23T15:52:00.004-06:00

E was the superstar at preschool Wed! S and I spent the entire day with her as she was the line leader, the flag holder, the weather girl, attend music class and more. We enjoyed going on a Safari with the class as they learned about Africa. It was such a wonderful day. S joined right in and was a red bird, too! She is so ready for preschool! It was so fun too see E with her peers and her teachers. She loved us being there, too. I loved watching her interact with everyone and soaking in her learning.
We went from a wonderful day at preschool to register for KINDERGARTEN! Oh my, that was emotional and great but emotional. My little baby is a big girl and headed off to school 5 days a week! WOW! She was just born yesterday it seems and today she is preparing for preschool graduation. We walked through the school, played on the playground, went into some classrooms but most importantly we PRAYED. I think that is the only way I am going to get through this time. Turning her over to the Lord, praying for her teacher, the school, the administration. I just can't believe it is time for Kindergarten. We still have some time but just the thought that she will be going and she is ready!
Next year I will have a kindergartner and a preschool 2 days a week. Really???? Time goes that fast!

Proud moments

2009-04-23T15:40:00.003-06:00

Ms. Helen
Ms. Cathy

Liz and E

E had her first music program at Preschool. She was a little lady, holding her dress as she walked and was just precious. It was so fun to watch her with her sing. She moves her little lips so cute!

New York City!!!

2009-04-21T15:07:00.004-06:00

Hubby and I were footloose and fancy in the big apple! We enjoyed a special trip to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and my brother, Jeff's, 30th birthday! My sister-in-law, Jenn, planned a wonderful surprise 30th birthday party in New York City! We left the kids with some new friends; the Campus Pastor and his family from our church. They have two girls 8 and 5; my girls had a wonderful time.

The night we arrived our plane was late and we almost missed our show. We had tickets to see WICKED! It was awesome and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. From there went to dinner at The Palm and celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.

Friday we walked up and down 5th Ave...this is where some of the good shopping is. We saw a three story Disney story, went into the 5 story Niketown (hubby was in heaven) but our focus was The American Doll store. E has been wanting one of these dolls and looks at the catalog often. We have been hesitant about purchasing her one these dolls and decided to get an overview on the concept. We decided on one for her 5th birthday in August. Too fun! We tried to take the ferry to Ellis Island and see the Statue of Liberty but it was sold out. So we took a bike ride through central park instead. It was a beautiful day.

Friday night was the big surprise! Jeff knew something was up, but had no idea that his family would be there! He was totally surprised. We ate at this place called Cafe Rhonda...delicious!

Saturday we met my Dad, Shervin (his wife), Jeff and Jenn for some easy site seeing. We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and then ate pizza in Brooklyn. It was a beautiful day and we saw amazing views of the city. Dad, Shervin, hubby and I went up to St John's Divine Cathedral. it was amazing.

Sunday we rested, went to Bloomingdale's and at a hole in the wall called Burger Join.Yummy!

Prayers for safe travel

2009-04-15T16:17:00.003-06:00

We are traveling this weekend (Thur-Sun) please pray for our safety!

Stuff

2009-04-15T08:32:00.003-06:00

Last night we had a discussion about Community vs Church at our life group. It was very interesting to hear people thoughts on what their definition is of those two things and how they go together. It really made me think, how well do I reach the lost within our community outside of the community of believers? Hmmm... One person said it is about relationships, I said it is about replicating God's love through service. What are you thoughts?

Our little sweet girl, S, seems to be fighting a bug today. Please pray for her healing and speedy recovery. Thanks!

Precious Children moments

2009-04-09T17:38:00.004-06:00

My little E has a deep understanding for the Lord. Her spirit is so sweet and tender and she makes up love songs to Jesus- especially in the car. It is precious to listen to her sing from her heart about how much she loves Him! In my Operation Motherhood bible study class our homework was to take home this picture of a lamb and add a cotton ball on it for each word that defines what makes a lamb gentle. (I.E. soft, nice, etc.) We were working on the Fruit of the Spirit - gentleness. This is assignment was also preparation for Easter to talk and share with the kids about how Jesus was our lamb to be sacrificed for our sins. This was an easier assignment for E than S (the younger one.) At the end, E and I were talking and I was telling her that Jesus is the lamb and she cut me off immediately and looked me square in the eyes and said, "No, MOM, Jesus is our Shepherd and we are the sheep." Amazing moment! Melt my heart! Very exciting. I just looked at her and cupped my hands on her face and said, "Yes, honey you are right. He is our Shepherd." Too sweet.
When you talk about Jesus being raised from the dead S says, "Jesus died on the cross to save us!" I wish you could hear the expression and excitement in her voice. She doesn't quite understand, but she is getting there!
These moments are precious. Watching their faith develop is precious!

Update on prayer request...

2009-04-09T17:31:00.002-06:00

God is so amazing! Tuesday night I was headed out of small group and overheard one of the ladies mention she needs a babysitter for her kids this summer. I said, "I need a job this summer." We got to talking and it seems like this would be the perfect fit! I am really looking for part-time and someone who will mold into our family. I really had a hard time being attached to my house FOR FOREVER! (ok it is not the bad!) God is so good and faithful! Even if neither of these opportunities pan out, I feel like He is providing the rescue rope...DO NOT TAKE THAT JOB. I so desire to do God's will for my life and my family's life. Thank you for praying to help me find discernment. I am still asking the Lord to show me what He wants...I will update more later.

Need your prayers

2009-04-07T15:19:00.002-06:00

A door has opened for me to get a job; well, I would take on a 2 year old little girl five days a week. It would be a huge financial blessing and a little playmate for my daughters. However, it would be more than the part-time, the mom would like me to stay home all day and well it's a big commitment. I have a meeting with her on Friday and in so many ways this could be the biggest blessing to our family. I am torn or maybe I do have concerns. I want to be able to enjoy life with my girls and take them to the park, pool, library, etc. I do no want to sacrifice family and time that with my girls that I will never get back...just for money. With that said I would like to feed my family. Please pray that I make the right decision for our family. The mother is a little unsure and may go the daycare route anyway. Whatever is decided: may it be God's will, not my will! I know that God will provide for us and we will be fine with or without this job! Lord, I am your servant! Thanks for praying!

I can't believe...

2009-03-31T08:08:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow is April!!! That is amazing! No, it's CRAZY! Wow, that came fast! Time has been flying by so fast and life has been moving right along with ups and downs. It really is quite amazing that hubby has 8 weeks of school left, end of the year preschool programs start this month, kindergarten registration is in 23 days, S is turning 3 in 24 days, my brother is turning 30 and EASTER! I can't believe my favorite time of year is around the corner. SUMMER! I love summertime!
We are going to have a lot of change this summer and new beginnings; I can't believe all that will be going on. God is good and He is faithful. He will take care of us as He open new doors and allows for new challenges (like KINDERGARTEN) and we will lean on Him for wisdom, comfort and strength.
I just can't believe what tomorrow will bring; however, with that said I will focus on today! Today I am staying home, loving on my kids, watching a sweet little boy, praising God with our Life Group and praying for to surrender to what God wants for us, His will not ours, His hand to guide our lives and decisions. What a great day!
I can believe....we serve a MIGHTY GOD! That God is good!

Yesterday a good day!

2009-03-26T11:13:00.005-06:00

You know the days that are just good days; well, that was yesterday a GOOD DAY!

We had a wonderful day at the zoo! We rode a camel! We saw every exhibit and enjoyed the nice weather. We had a picnic and later enjoyed ice cream...just in time before the cold front came through today.

The girls both sacked out in the car on the way home and then we headed to dear friends house for dinner. Life has been busy for the last couple of weeks and we had not been able to connect. It was nice to just relax, listen and share. The kids enjoyed playing, too.

To end the night, hubby and I were talking and it is so cool to hear him say things that he enjoyed about our quality time together. How he gets to see the kids and our family in a different light. He was saying it is hard to capture the family from 6-8 pm and two days on the weekend. That when he gets home he sees tired babies and me at the end of a long day. But the thing he has loved the most about family time is how awesome the children get a long when together, how they are learning to work things outs together and how much the love and serve each other.

Our talk was special because with out him realizing it he was also complimenting me. These are things I work on a daily basis with the girls and the fruit of my labor is working. That is so important as a stay-at-home mom to hear.

In other words I till the soil of our family and work hard to pull the weeds and remove the things that shouldn't be in our family garden. Together with God I plant love, joy, peace, patient, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Then hubby comes home and he waters the garden, feeds the garden and gives it that extra love so that it will bloom! So on the days I don't think my efforts are working or his efforts are making a difference...I have days like yesterday when God has been there watching over us the whole time and He has been the sunshine day in and day out that has made the difference. Thank you Hubby for enjoying our family and seeing the hard work I put in. That meant a lot to me.

It was a just a good day! Little Blessings from God that go a long way!

Preschool Playdates!

2009-03-25T10:33:00.003-06:00

Last week we invited one of E's little girlfriends home with us from preschool. It was a big day for Miss E! She had her very own girlie playdate! I put S down for a nap so that E could enjoy this time. E has really missed her best buddy Ashlynn since we moved so I have been trying to find new little girls for her to play and connect with. E and Liz had a wonderful afternoon of dress-up, movie and snack. It is an amazing feeling to see what a little 3 hour playdate did for her spirits!

We met a sweet family at the park this week from preschool this week, too. We enjoyed getting to know their family and learning more about them. E and her this little boy have been in class together all year and they have made a sweet friendship, too.

I have been thankful for preschool and all the blessings it has brought our family this year. It has not only been great for E getting ready for kindergarten, but everything else...bible intertwined, social skills, homework practice, leadership skills, talking in front of a group of people and meeting new people. God surely does know what He is doing!

Spring is here!

2009-03-19T07:31:00.004-06:00

I love SPRING because that means the warm weather is around the corner. Something I learned about myself over the last years is I really do not like the cold and I do not like to be cold! Now, I like winter but I want it to come and go. I want the seasons to change and I don't want it to be warm or hot year round.

This year has been awesome in many ways but especially when it has come to the weather. Spring is here and it is March not June! I am loving the chilly mornings and warm afternoons. It totally reminds me of San Antonio in the Spring. The only thing missing...Texas Wildflowers! I love the Indian Paint Brushes, Buttercups and Bluebonnets that cover the land and the hills in Texas. One day I want to take a picture of my girls in the fields and blow it up and hand it on the wall. But I have the trees, rose bushes and tulip bulbs all blooming in our yard! I will take that!

The girls and I enjoyed a special mommy date for a picnic lunch to the park. We had a such great time! We enjoyed our lunch and then I heard for an hour, "Mom, watch this! Mom, is that cool! Mom, I bet you can't do that! Mom, I am so big!" It was too fun! They are getting so big!

Daddy Date to the Park!

2009-03-18T08:11:00.003-06:00

Daddy took the girls to the park and he was quite impressed with all they could do! It is so fun when he says things like..."Did you know E can go down the fire pole by herself?" Daddy dates are a special part of our life and the girls have treasured these special moments! It will be fun to see them evolve from park play dates to fancy restaurants. Ok- I don't want them to grow up that fast! I'll keep the park, Mc Donald's and zoo dates for as long as we can!

Friends Surprise Us!

2009-03-14T16:27:00.005-06:00

We had a huge blessing today! Our dear friends Robb & Kamalyn and their children: London, Brishen and Keeley came for a very quick visit! We had a wonderful hour with them! Kam and I are both from Texas so when we met in Woodinville, WA in 2001 we were instant friends. Unfortunately, they moved away while we still lived in WA, but we were able to keep in close contact over the years. God loves friendships and this is a friendship I will have for a lifetime!

Happy Birthday!

2009-03-12T16:14:00.003-06:00

Today is my mom's birthday . She passed away April 24, 2005 at the age of 49. She had only been 49 for a little over a month; to me she was still 48. Today she would have been 53. Today is a special day, and I have tried not to let this day be a sad, hard or grieving day. I have tried to look at today as a celebration of her life, her birth and our family! Birthdays are fun and exicting and today is a day to ENJOY! My heart does go out to my family; my Dad (Beajen), and my brothers Jeff & Sam. I hope they have a good day as they remember our mother and how special she was.

Special Blessings

2009-03-10T17:09:00.005-06:00

Just when we needed it God sent us some financial resources! Out of no where someone called to ask me watch her little boy two days a week. He is a doll! His name is Camp and he is just precious. The girls love him and they play well together. E thinks she is his mommy and is very nurturing with him. S thinks he is trying to steal her mommy; no, really she enjoys playing with him, too. His mom is a precious Godly women, too. I have really enjoyed getting to know her and becoming friends. This was the best gift from God! I love it when He does things like this...totally surprise you to remind you that He is going to take care of you, love you and never forsake you!

God is so amazing!

2009-03-06T08:48:00.002-07:00

Ok, so last night we had our big talk, the presentation we had been preparing for all week. My voice was barely there and I did everything in power all day to take care of. Hot tea, honey, hot water, hot lemon juice, Motrin, aspirin, vitamin c; but most of all PRAYER! God is so amazing! We got up there to give our talk, our story and what God has done in our lives. Before we got started, hubby prayed for us and my voice because I felt like Satan was attacking us. We had this powerful message yet it wouldn't come across if you couldn't hear it! We I first began speaking it was hard to talk and it was very strained; however, somewhere in it my voice was restored and I was able to speak clearly. It was incredible a supernatural wonder of God! Even the committee we spoke too recognized how my voice was restored. Someone made a comment "if you didn't believe in the power of prayer- you would now!" It was amazing and to be a part of God's supernatural power! I will never forget last night. As soon as our talk was over my voice went back to the strained, scratchy voice I had 25 mins earlier. It is still gone today. God can move mountains; nothing is impossible for him! God be the glory!

So frustrating!

2009-03-05T13:24:00.004-07:00

I am so frustrated right now. Tonight Landon and I are giving a presentation and we are so excited and honored. We have been working on our speech for the last week. This talk will not glorify us but what God has done and how AWESOME He is! So tonight is the big night...and I have a very weak, strained voice. I can barely talk. I am doing my best not to talk and so far so good, but I have been looking forward tonight and know that it will be powerful. I'm sure it can be rescheduled but as I pray through this trial I ask... is this Satan interfering because we are going to share the powers of God or is this God saying, "Not tonight. Soon, but in my timing."
Please, pray with me as I discern what God wants. Lord, I surrender this night to you. It is about you and not about us! This night is to glorify You and not us. Please, restore my voice. If you want us to talk then we will; if not we will wait for your timing. We know that everything is in your timing and you have perfect timing. we know that you have plan and all things are done for your glory! Lord, I love reading your word, getting to know you and learning about your character. Please, protect us from Satan and bind him from our lives. In your Son's Name I pray! Amen! Thank you for walking with me today! Please continue to uplift me as the day goes on! So frustrating, yet God is good!

Family Get-a-way Taos, NM

2009-03-01T21:34:00.005-07:00

We traveled to Taos, NM about 2 hours away for a family get-a-way weekend. After basketball season we always take time together to reconnect and enjoy each other. We decided to go up to Taos and enjoy the snow! HA! The snow was gone- in fact there was no snow and it was quite warm! We did travel to a local place where you can sled and we spent the day on Saturday doing that! We enjoyed eating local Northern New Mexican Food and just spending time as a family. The girls had a blast! They even slept in the same bed! That was cute! We had family night on Saturday and played games and read books! Sunday we did a little sightseeing on our way home! It was so nice to be in the mountains and just love on each other! It really is quite amazing to think how truly special our family is and how much love you have for each other. What a blessing! Thank you Lord for a great weekend!

More on The Shack

2009-02-22T14:04:00.002-07:00

Ok, so there is a buzz going on about The Shack. I wanted to extend my post and my thoughts about this book. What I have learned is people either love it or they hate it! I was one of those people who loved it! Not because I thought it was it right on biblical or because I was ok with how the author portrayed God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There were things, doctrinal things that I did not believe were bible based; after all it was Christian Fiction and the only thing you can read and believe 100% truth in is the Bible. However, I loved how the Trinity was described, how Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit were so in tune and that they greeted each other with a Holy kiss, every time they came together they showed each other LOVE. Love is the foundation of Christianity. I loved that my thoughts, beliefs were challenged, that my faith was increased because I had to go back to the Word of God and see if the thought from the author would hold up, I loved how he talked about forgiveness and what it takes to forgive, I loved how the main character had communion with Jesus, I loved that God is with us at all times and that He never forsakes us. I thought the book was powerful and could transform people to a deeper faith not because you believed the author's writing but because the Holy Spirit would draw closer to a deeper relationship. I am still looking forward to my girl's night book club discussion next week. I'm sure I will have more thoughts later...

I went the other way....

2009-02-18T20:39:00.004-07:00

YIKES!!! I went the other way. I was doing so good working out, watching what I eat and losing a few pounds. Last week was extremely stressful and instead of keeping my routine of working out and watching what I ate...I ate yummy, yummy food and worked out once I think once! I ate out more last week than I have in months. This scripture is so true Romans 7:15...I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. AGGGHHH! Do you ever feel that way? This is exactly what the Holy Scripture brings to my mind right now. Why do I eat when I am stressed? I may not overeat but I chose unhealthy things like Fuddruckers, Rudy's, chocolate, etc. The other question I have is why when you are stressed it is almost like the food before you even eat it, goes straight to your body...just glancing at it causing growth in the rear end? Why is that? Oh, the continual battle of weight...it continues round 2 begins tomorrow! Ya know it probably wouldn't be such a big deal if I was taller than 5 foot 1 inch! Maybe not! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T18:50:00.010-07:00

Well, like Christmas this was the perfect opportunity to talk to our children about LOVE and where it came from. Obviously they are too young to even know that Valentine's Day is about romantic love, but like all things we as parents have the choice to teach them what we want about each holiday. Hubby and I decided we wanted to teach our children that Valentine's is more than candy and getting stuff...so...we focused on teaching them about God's love. We made cupcakes for our friends, decorated them along with cards and delivered them to our special family friends. The verse 1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us; really hit me this week.

We had a wonderful family day: we did crafts (the girl's favorite thing to do), we loved others, we played at the mall (and didn't buy a thing) and then we ate at our family favorite restaurant RUDY'S BBQ. It was a special day!

From our family to yours.... Happy Valentine's Day and may you enjoy the Lord's blessing of love.

Operation Motherhood Bible Study

2009-02-13T16:00:00.003-07:00

I am participating in a bible study at Church called Operation Motherhood. It is really neat, other Mom's who want to be equipped in teaching and building our children's faith. This semester we are talking about the Fruit of the Spirit Gal 5:22-23. I don't know if I have shared but that is one of my favorite verses and I have taught my children the song and memorized the verse each at the age of 2. I love this passage of scripture and I believe it drives our heart, desires and actions when it comes to life. I guess I use it as a litmus test. I use the Fruit of the Spirit when disciplining and praising my kiddos; so they can see how the we acting acting unloving or how they showed joy or whatever fruit that may or may not have at the time.
Yesterday we talked about JOY and how JOY is not happiness. Happiness is based on our circumstances, true JOY can only come from the Lord and having a relationship with the Lord. It really hit me in this class that the amount of JOY in our life is directly related to our relationship with Jesus. We are called to have JOY in all circumstances- not just the good days! Now, I don't think that means we shouldn't deal with feelings of sorrow and sadness. I think it means that in all circumstances we found JOY while living here on earth.
James 1:2-8 and John 15:9-14 are some of my favorite verses on Joy.
Enjoy feeling JOY in your life!

A Spiritual Soul...

2009-02-13T15:40:00.002-07:00

My oldest daughter has the most amazing understanding about God and Jesus at her age of 4 1/2. She has a tender heart for scripture and loves to sing praises to the Lord;not mention her very obedient heart. I am amazed at her love for the Lord and I marvel in her understanding of Him. We were talking the other day and she told me Jesus is her shepherd and she was His sheep. I thought for sure she was just repeating what she heard, I sing that song a lot...I am His sheep and The Lord is My Shepherd watching over my soul. As we talked further she explained how He calls my name and I hear His voice. Oh, I just wanted to cry, I thought it was precious and I am joyful that she is getting the meaning of having a relationship with Jesus. While driving in the car today I heard her tell her little sister, "God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit 3 people but 1." She looked at me and said, "it's hard to understand, Mom, but she'll get it." I laughed and melted inside all at the same time. I pray her love for the Lord continues to grow deep inside her soul and that she will share it with anyone she meets. Too precious!

How do you....

2009-02-09T09:39:00.002-07:00

Hey blogging friends, I need you help. How do you turn a word into a link in your post? Do you know hat I mean? For instance, if I wanted The Bible to be able to be clicked on and send you to another page. Thanks for your help...I know someone will have the right answer and know how to do it.

The Shack

2009-02-09T09:07:00.005-07:00

Have you read The Shack by W. M. Young? What did you think? I thought it was incredible! I am so grateful for this experience. If I say too much I will give it away, and the most awesome experience is to unveil the events of the book on your own. Therefore, I will not comment on the story. I will say that in some ways it is a spiritual awakening and this man's relationship with the Lord must be deep, very deep. To explain so brilliantly the Trinity and what God is truly asking of us was told so beautifully. The women in my life group are going to have a book club night to meet and talk about this book and I can't wait...it will be so rewarding. This book was simply....HEAVENLY! If you haven't picked it up; then please do. You will be blessed by it; no matter where you are in life- it will reach deep within your core and if you allow God to speak directly to your heart you will be transformed at the end...I know I was! Happy reading!

PS- I think I need to read it again!