Happy Birthday, Teague!

Our little is now 5 and not so little anymore! He has been celebrating all month long!!

On Friday, we ate at Logan's Roadhouse and the staff came to sing to him with his dessert. He stood in the chair, but he sure didn't want to!!

Then we went to the indoor jumping place in town. We only had about an hour and a half before they closed, and that was not enough time. The boys could have stayed there all day!! 

This morning he jumped out of bed and was so excited that today was finally his day!  After he opened his gifts, we took donuts to school for his class.

This last year he has grown so much! He no longer has those baby features, but is growing into a handsome young man.

My newborn

1 year old

2 years old

 3 years old

4 years old

5 years old

Teague, you are so special to our family! As you are growing up, I am seeing that you are a true giver. You always make sure everyone around you has what you have or that you get enough of something to give some to everyone. I just love your heart and know God will continue to grow this gift in you. I love you, Teague-sters!

Only He could do this!

I love my church! We are truly striving to be Christ right here in our community. We planted our church right in the middle of the "bad" part of town and chosen to throw ourselves into the "projects" to show His love, all the while taking care of our own body. Once a month, we take up a love offering. The elders pray over it and seek God on who in our church needs it. It has grown so much that it is now split into two love offerings that we bless two families with once a month. We have also purchased cars for several families in need. But this week, God blew me away. 

Last Sunday, our pastor gave the history and vision of our church. He mentioned one specific lady (Samantha) that encompassed what our church feels God wants us to do. Samantha had grown up in the projects with a family that were addicts or in jail or just not around. She had two daughters while she was still a teenager and was raising her sister as well. Those three little girls came to a children's outreach we had provided in their neighborhood and went home begging to go to church. So Samantha took them and fell in love with Jesus. As she got plugged in, she slowly saw that life could be different; living in poverty didn't have to be her way of life. She got a job, started saving money and got a car. She began leading a Life group at church and living out who God created her to be! Our pastor said that those in the community we are in don't even know to have a hope for something better, which saddens me. This is all they know. 

Samantha has recently been house hunting and for the first time, she and her daughters and sister she is raising will get to live in a house. God did amazing things to open up an opportunity for her to purchase a nice house a bit out of her price range, but with God all things are possible and Samantha is in the final processes of purchasing this house!!  Our pastor wanted us to bless her in this endeavor so before we ended services on Sunday he gave us the address and time and told is to come out and pray over the house Tuesday evening. (Samantha was not at church on Sunday, so this was a surprise to her) He also said he wanted us to bless her financially if possible, so he wanted us to listen to God and whatever God told you to give, just be obedient in that. 

I knew God would multiply whatever we gave, but never did I think to this magnitude!!  He does far more than we can ever think of Him doing and He never ceases to amaze me! 

Here is the video of us blessing Samantha.

http://youtu.be/B99jGDh_ZmU

Spring Break

We decided to get away for an action packed 24 hour spring break vacation! We started with a tour of The Ballpark in Arlington.

It was neat to see all the different areas and hear some of the history of the ballpark. That was the first time we had been back since the wedding and all those wonderful memories flooded my mind.  The Ballpark will never just be about baseball for me anymore. 

In the press box, Richard was pretending to be the sports commentator! 

 

Here the kids are at the desk where the players get interviewed.

And here we are in the batting cages.  

After we finished we checked into the hotel and let the kids swim.  They swam for almost two hours and we had to drag them out to go eat dinner and as soon as we got back they went swimming again. It amazes me how a hole in the ground with some water can provide so much entertainment!! 

For dinner we went to Trail Dust! I hadn't been there since I was a kid and couldn't believe they were still open. The kids loved it!! 

I remembered how they would cut off people's ties and that they had a dance floor, but I completely forgot about the huge slide! They couldn't get enough! 

Troy

Kelby

Teague

Baylee even did it in her dress!

None of my pictures of Koby turned out, he was going too fast so they all were a blur. 

With the kids being entertained by the slide we actually had time to enjoy a dessert!!

It was a great night!!

The next morning we were headed to Six  

Flags!!

We had a blast!! We started on the smaller rides.  Teague's very first ride was El Sombrero. 

Then we did the small coaster in Looney Tunes Land. 

Then it was on to the Judge Roy Scream. I was shocked Teague could do it, height wise, and that he was willing, but he was, so we all went!! The reviews were mixed, Troy and Teague and Koby didn't care for it, but Baylee and Kelby liked it. 

Then it was off to the Roaring Rapids.

The three little ones seemed to really enjoy the Yosemite Sam ride. Teague always had to make sure we were all together! 

Troy drove us around on the antique cars. 

Log ride!!

Towards the end of the night, we split and Kelby, Baylee and Richard rode the Pandemonium, which was a bigger coaster, and the rest of us rode the flying Batman planes and the Mine Train again. 

I remembered getting Pink Things at Six  Flags when I was little, but never saw where to buy them.  I mentioned it to Richard earlier in the day that I wanted one and as we were rushing towards the gate at 10pm I looked up and he wasn't with us anymore. In a second or so I saw him jogging over with a Pink Thing!! 

I was so happy! It was the perfect ending to a perfect get away with my crazy, wonderful family!!

An early celebration

Teague's birthday is not until the end of March, but since we were in town, we went ahead and celebrated. Mom's theme was the Avengers and Teague loved it!

 

Since Amber is still in California, we Skyped her in so she could be a part of the party, too.  You can kind of see her face on Sonja's phone.

She made taco salad, which is his favorite, and then we had cake and ice cream.  When Alicia got to the party, she handed Teague the gift she brought for him and told him to go put it with all the other gifts. Teague told her he didn't have any other gifts. Alicia looked at us a little surprised and mom, Sonja and GG explained that they had their gifts hidden because they know Teague is a little snoop! So when it was finally time to open gifts, he opened Alicia's first and said that she was the only one to be nice to him!

 

He is having a hard time understanding he's not quite 5 yet, but in a few short weeks it will be here and my littlest really will be 5!! :( 

Women's Retreat

Tanna's church had a Women's Retreat this weekend and asked if Laura and I would come and share our testimonies.  I was so excited to get out of school Friday and head north!! There was a ton  of traffic, but I finally made it and was ready to relax and worship.  When Laura and I got to our room we found a sweet message on our mirror.

After the Friday night sessions, we went up to the movie room and loaded up on candy. We didn't think we could stay awake for a movie so we took our candy back to the room. Tanna came in for a bit and it was like an old school slumber party!!

This morning, I got up and went for a run. It was so peaceful and a perfect way to start the day. We had a quick worship session and then broke out into small groups based on topic.  I had planned to be speaking to a group of 15-20, but there were only a handful women who signed up for my session. At first I was a little sad, but Laura was great to point out that a smaller group will be more intimate. So I gave my testimony and the words I felt like God had laid on my heart, and then just opened it up for them to talk and connect and share their struggles. It was a really neat and far better then I could have planned.

In preparation, I just assumed I would be talking to strangers, but God surprised both of us!!  In both of our sessions, there were ladies that went to high school with us. They were several years younger and we ran in different circles, but it was crazy to me that He placed women we both knew in our sessions that were going through similar struggles. I'm thankful that He orchestrated all of it so perfectly! The whole experience was so wonderful and refreshing!! 

Go, Fight, Win!!

Never in a million years could I have imagined me sitting outside the gym waiting to hear if my daughter made it for cheerleader. It feels like it was just yesterday that it was me trying out!! But there I was, with all the other moms, mingling, watching the girls practice and taking pictures. 

Baylee worked very hard all week to learn the chant, cheer and dance. She mentioned several times she didn't think she was going to be able to learn it all, but tonight proved all her hard work was worth it. 

Let me introduce you to the newest Longhorn cheerleader!!

After all the girls tried out, they called them into the gym and handed out envelopes with the lists in them.  All the girls came running out to open their envelopes.  Baylee jumped in the car, opened her envelope and screamed "I made it!"

We are a very proud family tonight!! Congrats, Baylee!!

Preparation

Back in January, Tanna asked if I would be interested in speaking at her church's women's retreat. Without hesitation I said yes! As I started writing out what I felt God was leading me to say, I couldn't help but to think back to the last time I spoke. Everything was still somewhat fresh and my words somewhat shaky.  But now, I feel like I am in such a different place; a place of confidence and thankfulness.  This summer will mark 5 years since my world was shaken. It truly feels like a lifetime ago and like it just happened yesterday all at the same time, if that makes sense. 

The fast ended on Saturday and the very next day I received this in the mail. 

A postcard prayer preparation as we move towards the retreat this weekend. I feel like it was perfect timing and that God knew that the fast would come to an end and He would have me feeling completely prepared. Revelation 12:11 says we defeat the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and I am so honored to be able to share what He has done in my life when I thought my situation was impossible. 

Trapped

Have you ever been trapped? Over the last several months those words have run across my mind. It is the worst feeling in the world for me!! Richard and I have been under one roof for about 7 months now. I am so thankful to be married to him and to be able to lie down next to him every night, but we are 7 people in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house and it is TIGHT!! There are many days that I feel trapped in that house. I can't go anywhere for a little peace; the living room is my boys' room, so they watch TV and play in there. Richard and I's bathroom has turned into the bathroom anyone goes to if the other one is occupied. The kitchen is constantly full of little people eating because they are hungry or eating because they are bored. Richard laughs at me because I try to do my Bible time with God in our closet, but they find me!! And how can anyone resist Teague saying "mommy, mommy"?!? I feel trapped.

Richard and I have also had our house up for sale for that same amount of time with no buyers. We have our finances in order, have a great house or two we might attempt to purchase, but ours won't sell. Trapped!

And then this morning, we had a delayed start due to the ice. I left an hour and a half early thinking that would be plenty of time, but I came up on a wreck. I was pretty far back and couldn't see anything, but I could see no one was moving. I sat there for about 10 minutes and then panicked. I had to be at work in 50 minutes and we still weren't moving! I was TRAPPED!!

I sat there with streams of tears rolling down my face as I had to surrender to the fact that I am not in control. I am sure the people around me were thinking I was nuts. It was a simple traffic jam, but for me it was a mountain of feelings all revolving around being unable to move. I prayed and gained some composure and then called my school, who was so nice and more worried about me and my safety then me being late. Eventually, other cars started turning around and driving on the shoulder of the road the opposite direction, so I followed suit and finally got to work an hour and a half later, only 15 minutes late!

I know this season is here for a specific purpose and I pray that I will trade in my feelings of boundedness for those of freedom and thankfulness, because God does soooo much for me on a daily basis!

Food!!

Day 7 has brought an end to the fast. The last study was on sins of self-rule and self-reliance; how we can easily get caught up in thinking we can do it, when in actuality, we can't. We must have His power.  This power is freely given to His followers, but He is clear we must die to self. We can't demand our way and expect God to bless it. Rather, we need to genuinely pray and seek Him and see what areas of our lives are hindering His power and let Him have those areas, die to self.  That's not always the most fun or comfortable thing to do, but necessary if we want His complete power running through us.  

As Richard and I prayed to break our fast, I was reminded of the Israelites as they wandered in the desert. They were given manna straight down from Heaven daily, in portions exactly right to what they needed that day.  As I look back over this week, I see many resemblances. I got to physically eat manna that satisfied in ways I never thought possible and God provided all the strength I needed to do everything I needed to do, and wanted to do! I thought there was no way I would be able to run this week, but I felt great so I got to run several times and was so happy about that because that's how I de-stress and that's where I hear God most clearly.  I hope there is one difference in me and the Israelites though...they complained while they were in the desert and therefore that generation never saw the Promise Land. I hope that this week was honoring to God and that any discomfort I felt was given back to Him because I truly want to enter into the Promise Land He has for me. Richard prayed these words, but I know I will remind myself of them daily, 'even as we eat normal food, let us still remember and choose to focus our hearts and minds only on you.'  

Bon Appetit!