Cowgirl Katie

Katie got to ride her first horse...well okay sit on one. She had a blast and just loved it when the cows would come right up to the pick up!

Mushy

Okay Rody will die when he reads this. But if you are married you will understand. Do you ever have those moments that you look at your spouse and it takes you back to when you were falling in love with them? Well for those that know Rody and I, when we dated in college, all I ever saw him in was Wranglers, boots and a hat. Last week as I saw him doing what he loves and then his gentleness in teaching our kids to do it as well...I had one of those "awwww" moments! Isn't he handsome. :-) God has blessed me.

Amazing

Okay so it doesn't take much to amaze me. But it is February 20th and my kids are outside playing in shorts and flip flops and Katie is in a onsie. It is supposed to get to 75 degrees here today. I love this weather. I know come July I'll be crying, but I'm loving it now.

Amazing Morning

Do you ever have those mornings when you just awake with praise in your heart? (All my non-morning friends are going..nope!) :-) Well I did this morning! I just woke up estatic about Jesus...just with praise for Him on my tongue. Then I turned on the radio to Chris Tomlin's "Indescribable" I love that song! And then I began to think how thankful I am that God chose me. In all my sinfulness and rebellion, He pulled me out of the miry pit and set my feet upon a rock! He chose me! I am just so thankful for a God who is so much bigger than anything I face, yet in His son, he can empathize with all my sorrows and temptations.

Then as if to say "Okay this is not in your head" my maker knows how much I love sunrises and sunsets. Look what a beautiful scene He painted on the canvas of skies of Texas this morning! It was if I felt Him saying "I truly love you. You are not there yet, but IN Christ you are complete! And I love you!!" To think someone so great loves me, desires a relationship with me and paid the ultimate price to purchase me....is just beyond my comprehension. But Lord, I am so humble and thankful for what you have done!!

Looking Good

Here is our crew all dressed up for church. I just can't believe how they're growing. When I look at Kyra it seems like just yesterday she was Katie's size. (Who is sitting at my lap trying to type on the keyboard and fussing at me for not letting her). And David...oh this mommy is so not ready for her little boy to grow up. He is a snuggler and I don't want that to change...but I know it will..

Tents

My kids absolutely love it when their daddy builds them tents out of blankets and always have. In Grady, we could cover the entire living room using every piece of furniture.

Cloudy, Cold, Rainy Day

We are enjoying a cold, cloudy, rainy day by hanging out in our jammies and playing games. Katie was busy talking on the phone! :-) Note to self...don't let your pride be hurt when Kyra beats you at 3 games of Memory.

Progressive Dinner

The young couples classes enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship last night as we went to four different houses during a progressive dinner. We ate, ate and well ate somewhere. It was a great time of getting to know one another better and enjoying REALLY yummy food!

Opening Gifts

Katie had such a fun time on her birthday and was so tired from opening all the Valentine's goodies that we didn't open birthday gifts. So she, David and Kyra had a good time doing that yesterday morning.

Happy 1st Birthday

We celebrated Katie's 1st birthday yesterday! Wow! I can't believe a year has flown by! She went from this teeny tiny helpless bundle with dark hair, to this mobile, independent blondie! She is such a blessing from the Lord and we have thanked Him for her everyday. She was a lot of work to get here but we are so glad she's here. She truly completes our family as she is the little comedian and gives Kyra a run for her money on being boss. Poor David. All day it was her day! She'd point and holler to go outside and swing...so we'd go. Her sister kept saying "But she's the birthday girl."

We had just our family and had her favorite..spaghetti. Then our next door neighbors Johnna and Sutton came over for cake! We'll have her "official" birthday with all the family next week.

Learning Opportunities

You know it is amazing how God gives us learning opportunities every day. As a homeschool mom that is one thing I pray. That God would open my eyes to every 'teachable moment' with my kids. Yesterday we had 2 great opportunities. 1. The firemen showed up to test the hydrant in our front yard. The kids were so excited to see the truck and the water gushing everywhere. 2. Then Kyra ran in the house with a flower and said "I'm going to study pollen" so she grabbed a jar, a notebook and a magnifying glass and headed outside with little brother in tow. God graciously provided a bee (which scared them at first) but allowed me to show them how the bee would go from one flower to the next and distribute the pollen. Thank you Lord for your wonderful creation and for cool firetrucks. I really want them to come check that in the summer so the kids can play in the water.

We LOVE Suckers

I know what kind of mom lets her baby have suckers...the kind that would rather her eat the sucker than the paper and besides that...it washes off. :-D Now that Ms. Katie is mobile, it took her about oh 2 seconds to find the candy drawer.

Happy Valen-times Game

That is what David has been calling it! :-) I'm in a chatty mood so there will be lots of posts today. You've heard the saying "familiarity breeds contempt." Well that can be true. But can I tell you how precious my husband is. I came into the kitchen this morning and I had a 6 pack of Dr. Pepper, a Reese's and a card saying he did notice and appreciate all I do. You know diamonds would not have been better than that. What you say?? I love that he didn't let some marketing firm (hmm..that is what I do) tell him what he should get me. He knows me better than anyone. What I like, what I dislike and he knew the PERFECT gift for me. Kind of counteracts the working out...but hey it is Valentine's Day! I hope you have a great one and remember NO ONE loves you as much as Christ who laid down his life for you!

Remembering

As we get ready for Katie's 1st birthday this is a emotional time of year for me. Even though I celebrate what God did in preserving her little, precious life (and mine), I also remember and am sad for the loss of our brother in Christ Marcus Grau. Marcus went to the arms of our Savior on Feb 10th of 2007. He was buried a year ago today on his family's ranch and they had services on Valentine's Day. His family is so precious to us and it has been a tough year as we have all missed him dearly! It seems not a week goes by that I don't think of he and his wife, boys and parents b/c of a song I hear or in God's word a passage that reminds me of him. Marcus battled cancer for several years but was an incredible witness and testimony to all of us as he continually, day after day, placed his hope and faith in Christ. His family also shone with the radiance of Christ as they dealt with the cancer and then his passing. I am so glad I got to know Marcus and am so thankful for the friendship I have in his family! Lord I pray you will be with them today. Comfort them! Heal their broken hearts. Be the bridegroom for Mandi and the father to his three boys!

Rody's Messages

Okay sorry for the 100 posts this am. We took a short break from school (PE time) and I wanted to chat for a second. Hey if you listen to Rody's messages. Check out Sunday night's. He really preached a great challenging message. I told him he preached the house down. Check it out.

Blessings Upon Blessings

Wow! Our family had our socks blessed off this week. My precious ladies Sunday School class surprised us with a box of goodies!! The kids were THRILLED and squealed when they got the little Valentine's from all their buddies in Grady. We had a great time thinking of and remembering their little friends there. They were so pumped at the goodies that were sent to them! Thank you all! And then they blessed me with a gift card to Hobby Lobby (just in time before our Sunday School progressive dinner here) and a journal. Andee sent Rody (okay sorry we overtook it) two jars of Leal's hot sauce. Okay I'm wanting to cry right now...what I wouldn't give for lunch at Leal's (a combo Laura's Special) their hot sauce and conversation with all my girlfriends. Thank you so much ladies! You truly blessed us! And the outfit for Katie...too cute!!! You know God continually shows me what kind of friend I need to be to others by the friends He puts in my life!

The Word

For those of you who got to read my soap box the other day, I have to tell you what my quiet time passages were.
Psalm 18:30 "...the word of the Lord is flawless."
Psalm 19:7 "The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant giving light to the eyes."

I love that...His law, His word is perfect, trustworthy, right, and radiant. The benefits are revival, wisdom, joy and light.

Baking

The kids and I worked on our baking skills on Saturday. First we had to bake something for the dessert auction. The children's ministry uses this to help raise funds for our children's camp in the summer. Praise the Lord we raised over $1200. The cake Kyra made went for $100. I wanted to laugh and cry as the gentleman who bought it .. his wife is the best cook and I thought OH NO!! He is going to be sorely disappointed for $100. :-) So I'm making Ruth's famous dessert and taking to the family Wed night at church!

Here are the kids and I making cookies. The Women's Ministry at our church delivers cookies to shut-ins. Rody, the kids and I went yesterday and delivered a couple of bags. You know it breaks my heart to see people that their body and mind often gives out before their spirit! If you know someone who is confined to their home or a rest home, I encourage you to call or send them a note.

Cookies

The kids and I worked Saturday night to

Soap Box

Okay are you all ready? Sorry I'm going to get on my soap box for a moment! So bear with me. The other day I was letting D do this bible story sticker book. I began to read the story to him and he was to put the stickers in the appropriate area. The story mentioned Moses and then told how his brother went on to lead the people to Jericho. WHAT???? Who is Moses brother? Aaron. Who led the Israelites to conquer Jericho...Joshua. Joshua was a disciple of Moses. Parents, please DO NOT ever trust something just because it based on the bible. I have had to correct several of the children's story books or bibles that were incorrect scripturally. In the day and time we live it is IMPERATIVE that we teach our children that God's word is inspired, inerrent and infallible. B/c like Bill Clinton told Ed Young Sr. when he was in the White House "he believed the bible was true but that none of us were able to understand/interpret it." Hmm you're right Bill. Without the author, the Holy Spirit, living in us..we cannot! Oh we live in a time and a generation that need to believe God's word, revere it, learn it and teach it!

Moon Sand

While we were gone, the kids had a blast with Nana. One of the many activities (which I believe included ice cream for breakfast, pizza parties at night while watching movies and who knows what else) :-) Just kidding mom...I know they ate jelly toast and are hooked now. One of the many activities was moon sand and they could not do it until we left...so they kept asking "When are you leaving?' And David (he's so cute) he was just CONVINCED that we had to do it at night b/c it was moon sand. So I lied to him and told him they called it moon sand b/c they found it on the moon. Then I repented, told him I had lied and got a sermon illustration of why God does not want us to lie! :-) Becuase if we lie, then our kids will lie.

Enjoying Swing Set

Katie has a new word in her vocabulary. Okay more like a new demand. From the time she gets up until the sun goes down. She stands at the door and screams to go outside. Gradyites...you would not believe how this sweet little one can command an audience. :-) Just like big sis. She absolutely LOVES to swing on the new swing set. Her are she and brother..she's yelling at Kimmy in this pic.

Saved to Save Others

We had an incredible time at the Evangelism Conference. As believers we all need a time to refocus and be reminded to keep first things first. Then when we got home I was reading in a great discipleship book a dear friend encouraged me to read called the "Lost of Art of Disciplemaking" and the author mentioned the phrase..."we were saved to save others". Amen and Amen! How easily we forget that is the purpose. Want to know your purpose? If you have placed your trust in Christ as your Savior then you are on this earth today and all the tomorrows He gives you to win others to Christ. To share your testimony ... to point others to saving faith in Christ Jesus. Claude Cone, whom we know from New Mexico, did an incredible job of reminding us that hell is not just a four letter word. If we ponder the reality of hell, then an urgency should be on fire with us to save as many from the burning fires of hell as possible.
Then a gentleman with cerebal palsey spoke and one of his opening comments was "I have cerebal palsey what is your excuse?" He went on to share the importance of taking the time...

Ms. Albie

Rody and I are enjoying a couple of days in Dallas at the SBTC Evangelism Conference the preaching and singing have been WONDERFUL!! We love this time of getting to sit under the teaching of God fearing men and enjoy time to just us.
The theme of the conference is "When Time is No More" and they have been preaching on the return of Christ, what happens when we die, the urgency of telling those who are lost of Christ. Anyway, in the middle of the service last night we get a call that Ms. Albie, a little lady who works in our nursery, has passed into glory. What a joy to have known her for the few short months we did. But I got very emotional as we were singing last night about "I want to see Jesus" and other songs of Heaven and our Lord Jesus Christ. And I thought...SHE IS THERE!! Ms. Albie stepped from this world into the presence of our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She is seeing Him face to face...that face we long to see. The hands we long to hold! She's there!! What a joy! And then I was trying to remember the last time I saw her at church before she went into the hospital. I'm sure it was a Sunday night in the nursery as she just talked and loved on Katie.
I just saw our pic on our blog profile that is us in the hospital when Katie was born and I just think...WOW! Another year has flown by, my kids are getting so big! Time is precious! I just pray that today you would remember that our time on this earth is very short and after that eternity...be sure, very sure of where you stand. If you do not know for sure if you were to die today if you'd go to Heaven...email me. We'll talk! But what a glorious day for those who have put their trust in Christ! To see the face of the one who gave it all for a me, a sinner saved by grace!

Time for Play

Work in Progress

Work Day

The kids and Rody had a busy day yesterday as they put together a swing set that Nana and Paw Paw surprised them with...it was so fun to see them so excited. David is ALL boy and LOVES tools and loved being able to distribute them all over the yard. Okay so there was some laying down on the job.