Nearing the end

We've got until Saturday morning and then we begin the trek home. Here are some more pictures. When we get home, I'll share more "details".

The cottage is greatness. We would for sure come here again. The only drawback is you don't have an oceanview. I would love to be able to sit out on a balcony after the kids go to bed and just stare at the sea. Other than that, we LOVE it! I would highly recommend this place to everybody! Visit http://www.vacationbythebeach.com/ to see the details. Prices are great, house is cute and it is really close to the beach. We've only eaten out once - it's so relaxing to make meals here and then head back out to the beach - all about laid back, right?

I love this pic of Avery. The way she wrote her name looks so cute!
Pure bliss, eh?
In the darling town of Seaside.

Greeting from the beach bums!!

Yes, we are here! And it's glorious. We left McKinney at 4:15 AM Sunday morning and arrived in gorgeous Seaside FL around 6 PM. It was a long day but went surprisingly well, praise God! Thanks, friends for praying for us. We rented a 3 bd 3 ba cottage that is so cute...and cheap. It's in a little community with a pool. You head out the door and across a road and you're at the beach. Simple as that. When we got in yesterday, we headed over to the beach b/c Avery has been crazy excited to get out there. The sun was starting to set the sky on fire and it was gorgeous. A nice breeze and the sound of waves and I was ready to throw a sleeping bag down right there, sand be darned. Fast forward to a super cool occurence: We are on the beach this morning, playing, hunting for shells and loving it. Shawn is in the water with Asher and he starts calling to me and pointing. I look up and .... A DOLPHIN is like 50 yards away, jumping and doing flips and simply SHOWING OFF for all 10 of us out there. I cannot tell you how cool that was. That guy flipped and flopped for a few minutes and then swam off. Show off!

Here are some initial pics:

Through the lens

This evening Avery tried her hand at picture-taking. Enjoy.

I wasn't feeding Asher fast enough so he took matters into his own hands. Have you tried the Back to Nature Bugs mac & cheese? We downed it - yum!

The highchair in repose at sunset. I sold our dining table and chairs on craigslist and so it's a flimsy table for us right now. I'm hoping we score this weekend at Trade Days. Random, yes.
Catching a few minutes to read the new Time magazine.
Moms, we just don't get to change enough diapers each day, eh?
Avery arranged this shot. These guys go with her everywhere. Larry sans superhero costume is reclining over the head of Bob. Kinda hard to make out that blob.
I think I hear thunder. Could it be?

Good night!

The great C.H. Spurgeon

We've begun a home group with 3 other families in our neighborhood. We've met a couple of times and it's good. Shawn is taking us through a book titled Twelve Sermons on Prayer by Spurgeon. Last night we tackled the first sermon.

I wanted to encourage you today with some of it:

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

"Some of the most learned works in the world smell of the midnight oil; but the most spiritual, and most comforting books and sayings of men usually have a savour about them of prison-damp.
"...God's people have always in their worst condition found out the best of their God."

"call to me" - prayer commanded. We are not asked or recommended to pray, but commanded for the health of our soul. A hospital stands with the understanding that those who need it will enter. There is no command to go and be healed. So why do we need a command from God to pray? Because we are very subject to fits of worldliness: we don't forget to eat, we don't forget to pay bills (well, maybe sometimes), we don't forget to go to bed. We are very dilligent in matters of money but spend few moments wrestling with God.

God says "call to me" because He knows we will forget to "call to Him".

When we are burdened, have sinned too much and Satan has us believing we cannot possibly enter into His presence, God's command insists that at all times under all conditions, we drag ourselves if necessary to the throne of grace and "though my words fail me and my heart itself will wander, yet I will still stammer out the wishes of my hungering soul and say, 'O God, at least teach me to pray and help me to prevail with Thee.'

Unbelief also dampens our desire to pray. But still it is commanded! Call to me in every circumstance with every thought be it simple, complicated, worldly, or just too big. God's command is for a Christian at all times for all things, to pray.

So because He commands us many times in Scripture, we know it is sure and lasting. Let us buffet these ol' bodies to answer His command and bow before the One who loves us and will see to the perfecting of our souls through much time spent in our closet communing with Him.

I paraphrased and added much to this but I believe you will see the great truth Spurgeon is teaching. There are two more points: "I will answer you" - an answer promised; and "and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." -encouragement to faith. I will hopefully share his insight into those as well on another day.

sim

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET FRIEND!!

Happy Birthday, LeRay!

I am blessed to call you friend.

My family is honored to have yours in our life.

You inspire and encourage me in momhood.

Rightly so do your kids "praise you" and does your husband say "There are many good women, but you are the best!"

We love you and your family so much!

We love that you are in our world, making us laugh

and showing all what a family that loves each other looks like!

Thank you, my friend!

Happy Birthday to Joshua too.

The day that led to...

the day.

Seven years ago on this date, in the presence of his family, in the holy city of Jerusalem, Shawn got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon thirteen days into our trip overseas. We had spent the morning going through the 12 Stations of the Cross, reflecting on the life and ministry of Jesus. When we arrived at the place believed to be where Christ was crucified, Shawn proposed. It was significant, he told me, because this is where the ultimate act of love occured - Christ dying for us. He wanted to learn from that example, lay his life down and learn to love me with that sacrificial love. He didn't have a ring, only words of love and willingness to commit himself to me. He asked the same from me.

As we know, my answer was yes and always will be yes.

After a visit to the Tower of David, we spent the afternoon roaming the streets of Jerusalem looking for a ring. We found my ring at the King David Hotel. I knew it right when I saw it. I was only sad that I had to wait a day (a whole day!) to have it sized and ready before we boarded a plane for Turkey. After passing through customs, I put that ring on and that's where it sits today.

Three months later we married.

And so we continue to walk through life together. Peaks and valleys, times of complacency and boredom, times of intimacy and bonding. All, times of growing.

We will probably never visit that place again. Pictures will have to do. But I will always have the memory of Shawn confessing his love for me in the place that Christ first demonstrated the ultimate act of love for all of us, there on the cross, dying so that we might live.

And love.

And be loved.

I love you, Shawn.

Grand Lux Luv

A little Girl's Night Out fun last night. Great dinner, GREAT conversation, a time that really filled me up AND allowed me to unwind. Thanks Lauren, Kristyn, Natalie, Amanda and Angie for a truly enjoyable evening. You are some hottie mommas with beautiful hearts, cute clothes and a good understanding of your "people group". Need there be anything more? I think not.
Let's hear it for big plates o'food and warm beignets with that amazing sauce. I really wanted to eat that last one...

I had to post!

Just so I wouldn't have to see that darn picture anymore. It was a moment of weakness that I posted it anyway. Glad to have given all you thrill-seeking blog gals a laugh! Or maybe a groan...

This little "random facts" tag sure has spread. I've been visiting all my fav blogs and some others I don't know and everybody is exposing their deep dark weirdness. Ok, maybe not, but there are some funny factoids.

See, moms are still exciting beings!

I awoke this morning at 5:45 am to get food in the crockpot for lunch today (we have friends coming over). I'm gonna share the recipe b/c this is easy, yummy and well, like I said, easy. I make jasmine rice and a green veggie or salad to round out the meal.

Creamy Italian Chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup water
1 - 80z cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 4 oz can mushroom pieces
Rice or fettucine noodles

Place chicken in crockpot. Combine salad dressing mix and water and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
In small bowl, beat cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken. Cook 1 hour longer. Serve over rice or noodles.

That's it! Easy breezy! Let me know if any of you try it and what you think.

After prepping the lunch, I was awake so I made coffee, grabbed my Bible and journal and had me some good quiet time. I'm a morning person, no doubt about it. I love the stillness of the house, the sun beginning to peek over the horizon, no talking at all! I need to get my lazy bootie out of bed early every morning - days go much better, but I have a night owl hubby and more often than not, we're watching a movie until late.

It's 7:40 AM. I've got lots to do before 10:30 AM.

Bye, ya'll!

I've been busted.

by my bro-in-law. i found this on his blog.

My first one of these...

I was tagged by Nat for this fun little venture.

The Rules:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules. (**if you’re a non-blogger, you can email them!)
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

8 Random facts about yours truly:

1. I listen to talk radio ALL DAY LONG. Mark, Rush, Sean and Mark L. are the men I share my days with. More often than not, they wear me out. I dunno, I'm a sucker. It is how I keep up with current events and all things political.

2. I too, choke when its time to conjure up lists and favorites. I'm doing it right now. Eight things to think of? UGGGGHHHH! My heart is beating just a little bit faster.

3. I enjoy reading Popular Mechanics magazine. I cannot tell you how funny the response is when people learn this. No bull, I learn a lot from those gearheads.

4. I am in an Aerosmith video. Nah, not the vixen, although I'm flattered you would think that. A well-meaning concert-goer many, many years ago. You can see me, if you can figure out the song and look fast. I think I get like a second of screen time. Nonetheless, it's a resume-builder, n'est pas?

5. My name is from the Old Testament and means "song of the Lord" or "Jehovah watches".

6. I am a crazy and very detailed daydreamer. Always have been, I guess always will be.

7. I was born in Dallas, Texas and have lived in Virginia, California and Massachusetts. All before the age of 14. I've been back in Texas for 20 years. Gawd, how old does that sound!

8. I firmly believe that I missed my calling as a Broadway star somewhere along the way.

Good day to you all and I'd like to hear from Sunni, Creth, Amanda M, Alexis, Courtney, Jen, Vanessa and Mitzi.