let us rejoice

This is where I grew up.

I moved here the month after I turned 5 years old and lived here until the summer I graduated high school. Lots and lots of memories. I have not been back here since the day before my moms funeral. My mom was my very best friend...we sat on the front bench together and on the swing in the back. She used to spy on us from the front room...and we all totally knew it. It hurts to think of all she is missing out on these days. I have changed lots and lots over the past 3 years...and I wish she was here to be a part of it. We are just 5 days away from the 3 year anniversary of her passing. I want her back just as much today as I did the day she left. I want her to know Braxton and love Brody and be with her favorite buddy Bryce. I want to be able to cry on her shoulder about my sweet husband. I want her to help me take care of the boys while I take care of him. God has provided so many precious people to fill in lots of the gaps

...but I still just miss HER.

The reason I stalked my old house is because I was in town this weekend for some wedding showers and to see my dad ride in on the Salt Grass Trail Ride.

I am so honored to be a part of my friend Amanda's wedding! She was one of my first friends when I got to high school. She stood by my side at my wedding and I cannot wait to share her special day with her.

We got to see my dad ride in on Friday morning.

This guy is a for real deal famous cowboy around these parts...

A little sidenote: Brody like to play dress up.

Scrubs, bandana, construction vest, pink skirt, chaps...and a baby.

Have I ever mentioned that I have the best job ever?

This is me and Katie's class last week at the teddy bear picnic.

I have some sweet friends that have some fun stuff coming up. I am thrilled to be a part of a community that thrives on serving others. We are all walking different paths...and we are all here to be a part of each others story.

How can YOU be a part of it?

Check out these links...

One Less Race

Baker Family Adoption

Thank you for continuously lifting my family in prayer. I am taking a little break from medical updates...there is just nothing positive nor earth shattering to report. All I know for now is that God has given me an opportunity to shout our blessings from the rooftops. I am in.

In our weakest hours...I have seen His face so clearly.

D Now 2012

Disciple Now is my new most favorite thing in the world. Our house was bursting with laughing teenagers that love the Lord all weekend. They were AMAZING. Respectful, so well behaved, silly, incredibly good with the baby Macs and just flat out awesome. They blessed us big time.

We had 10 8th grade boys and 3 college leaders that came to stay with us. We filled their bellies with junk food and let them do their thing. They included Bryce (without being asked) in so many things. He felt so special. They made him feel like a rockstar and I am just so happy that he now has some really positive "big boys" to look up to. I went to all the sessions (and sat in the back with the other "old" people lol) and Justin came as often as he was up for. It was incredible to watch the youth just worship so freely together. I loved watching them take notes and soak up every word from the speakers. The Lord was so present in our community this weekend. There is a movement in the town of Boerne. It is undeniable.

This is our incredible group of guys. Bryce, Brody and Braxton thought they were the coolest.

And we thought they were pretty darn cool too :)

Bryce sat with them during the sessions.

He even ditched us this morning at church to go find "the guys"

There are 10 boys asleep under all of this...I am not really sure where they are.

Lots of big stinky shoes.

it was great

This is what my car looked like on the way home Friday night.

more stinky shoes. so awesome.

brax schooled these guys at connect four launchers.

how cool is it that they WANTED to play with the babies?

junk food city

there was not one paleo item in the house this weekend

my body is craving veggies big time

seriously. bryce was on cloud nine.

"the guys" did bryce's hair on saturday morning.

caught sweet eli in this precious moment of prayer

WHEN THE PERFECT IS BROKEN

Thank you SO much to those of you who gave pledges to Bryce for the Run for Refuge. He worked really really hard and earned FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS! He was not first...but he was second and we think that is pretty stinkin great!

He had NO idea he was going to win a prize!!

So we are exhausted..."the guys" can go to bed at 4am... wake up and down a 2 liter of coke and a few donuts and be good to go. us, well, not so much. naps happened today and we are VERY excited that the presidents are giving us a day off tomorrow.

Someone dear to us mentioned today that bringing these kids into our home brought some life back into our house. It gave us a glimpse of our future and we have a LOT to look forward to.

valentines

So the whirlwind of our lives have really hijacked our blog over the past 7 months. We have always had a "story"...but this past 7 months have been a whole new crazy. The Lord is speaking to us and using us and showing us lots and lots of good stuff.

I wanted to go a little retro today and share some love. Our sweet boys had a very fun Valentine's Day and they just deserve a little show off.

Braxton made me a card that said "Who loves you?"

and this was inside...

We made heart shaped mini pizzas for our v-day dinner.

Brody was in charge of the cheese....

Bryce decided he better be in charge of his own cheese...

I cannot even tell you how much sauce Braxton's pizza had on it. There were no rules in this pizza making party...that is why we did it outside :)

Brody made me this card that said "I mustache you a question...will you be my valentine?"

Have you EVER seen a cuter mustache? He sure gives Pop Pop a run for his money.

The boys made their teachers and their "special valentines" chocolate covered marshmallows and chocolate and peanut m&m covered pretzels.

Bryce got to make a mailbox for his valentines at school. We had a fun craft day with Ms. Joanie and came up with this fun idea! He had a great time putting it all together and couldnt want to show his class.

We were entered into a facebook contest by some of our super sweet friends. The contest was for a personal flight tour of the hill country provided by www.airtourtx.com.

WE WON!

We are so so thankful to the 251 people who voted for us! We cannot wait for our flight (scheduled for feb. 26). The man who offered this tour has a wife who WON the fight against cancer. When I spoke to him I found out that they are fellow crossfitters and have an incredible faith. We are blessed by their generosity and cannot wait to get to know them better!

We are extremely excited to be a host home for Disciple Now this coming weekend. We are anxious for a house full of teenage boys...because lets face it...that is totally our future! We are both honored to open our home and watch the Lord work in some great kids. The outreach project for this weekend is the Run for Refuge. The run will benefit a safe house for victims of human trafficking. Bryce is SO excited to get to be a part of this run and my precious boy raised $260!! I do not know who is more proud...us, him or our friend Pastor Danny :)

We are so blessed by our incredibly connected church family.

And I think that is enough for today :)

a heavy heart

A heavy heart is a huge burden to carry. It truly feels like a ton of bricks on your shoulders. Weighing all your thoughts down. Why don't you just drop that load off on the cross? Why don't you just let others stand in the gap and carry that load for you? Good questions. Really good questions. Why isnt it easier to to give our Father what He wants from us? He doesnt want us to carry anxiety, stress, heartache or sadness. Not one bit. He does not want that for his children. Why do we insist on keeping it all to ourselves when there is a great awesome man who WANTS it. He WANTS to carry it. Take it away. Wash it clean. And refresh us and fill us up with something better. Why is it so easy to take on others burdens or to worry when we said we won't? Worry about nothing and pray about everything. Except as we pray we worry. Why is it so darn hard?

The answer...

I.DON'T.KNOW.

Insightful right?

NOT.

A choice is made each morning to wake up and praise our father that we are awake. That we have one more day here to spread His good word and to love our loved ones. But there is a spiritual battle going on. Everyday. Everywhere.

It is hard to accept sometimes what a broken world we live in. It hurts. It's heavy.

Yucky dark post right?! Where is all that sunshine I usually spout out?? It is hidden behind a dumb dark cloud right now. One that will be lifted as soon as I get out of the way and let Jesus fill me up. Like He wants to.

I have really stepped back in some areas recently and it has allowed the Lord to really work in me. He has more ways to use me. I am not just a sick person's wife. I am His daughter. I am part of His beautiful plan. I have work to do while I am here. Justin has work to do while he is here. I pray that we are able to show our children how great it is to rely on the Lord. I hope they see us fall...and then get back up. I pray that they will see our hearts and challenge us. I pray that they will not put God in a box and just visit Him on Sundays. I pray that they will cherish the hard times and take full advantage of the opportunity to grab those moments by the horns and praise Him and press deeper into the word.

I pray that my boys will let their ears and hearts be opened for when the Lord has something to say. Because people...He is talking. We just are not very good listeners. How can we hear Him if we NEVER shut up. (Obviously I talk a lot...this is an issue for me...I am working on it OK)

Dark cloud...Please go away. I have no time for you. Worry and stress and anxiety...you should get a life. Seriously.

No major updates in medical town. Nothing is better. Some things are worse. The lack of communication between Justin's 13 doctors is taking a toll. There is a beautiful rainbow on the other side of this. A sparkly one. With glitter.

thanks for keeping up

xoxo