Life Is Good

A Sweet Moment-RV summer trip cont

2010-11-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in CA during one of our stops, my man and I got some couch time. Of course we were surrounded by our 5 amazing kids...but we were there together and it was sweet. Hannah took some pics and I am so glad she did. I will always remember it! :)

Song of Solomon 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine

A Beautiful Surprise Stop-RV summer trip cont

2010-11-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

Even though our detour through Santa Barbara was not planned, it ended up being such a beautiful surprise. We stayed at a great RV park called Ocean Mesa right across from El Capitan Beach. It was my 3 little muffins first time to see the ocean so it was quite exciting. There was a huge grove of trees that we walked through to get to the beach and we kept commenting on how gorgeous they were. On our very last day, John figured out it was an avocado grove! I desperately tried to shake, throw sticks and even attempted to climb up a tree to get one...but it was a major fail! We cooked out, went to the beach, swam in a heated pool and cooked s'mores. It was so much fun we stayed an extra night. I love how God works out all the little details in our life...even in the detours!

Proverbs 16:9 We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

The avocado grove

Our first view of the Pacific Ocean

John was not to crazy about the cold water that hurt his boo boos

Getting firewood for breakfast and some hot chocolate with Dad

Who ever said I can't camp?? Of course the RV helped quite a bit..hehe :)

A Detour and a Bridesmaid-RV summer trip cont

2010-11-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

After our delicious stop at the fruit farm, we made a small detour to the Santa Barbara area. One of my very dear friends of all times was heading to a graduation celebration at the Gainey Winery in Santa Ynez. It was not in our plans to go this way but my man made it happen. He knows how special Toni is to me so we re-routed and headed west. I have known Toni since high school and we have been through a lot together. High school, heartaches, college craziness and both coming to know the power and grace of our redeemer. She was one of my bridesmaids and to me, she is the picture of a sweet and gentle spirit. And have I mentioned that she is drop dead gorgeous? Well she is...both inside and out! We had a short visit, caught up a bit, shared lots of hugs and laughs. She got to meet my 2 littlest ones for the first time and made a special little bond with Rebekah. I wish it could've been longer but oh how sweet it was to see my Toni in person after 7 years!

I am the Vine

2010-09-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

After the Grand Canyon, we headed to California and ended up staying in an RV park in Bakersfield. On the way out my incredible husband saw a sign that caught his attention: Murray Family Farms. This is a huge farm that sits on 360 acres and is filled with every kind of fruit you can imagine. I had never been in an orchard so I was so totally excited to actually get to pick fruit off of a tree. And let me tell you....there is nothing that compares! Amazing!!

Only a few days before we had read John 15:5 and memorized the verse. What a great way to make the Word come alive!

John 15:5 '"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;

apart from me you can do nothing...."

As we were walking in a group of soldiers were leaving. I love this picture! So thankful for the men and women who faithfully serve our country.

The tractor would drive us around to all of the different areas where the fruit was ready...peaches, nectarines, plums. blueberries, strawberries, blackberries...YUM!

A mouth full of warm strawberries

John hit the jackpot...blackberries!!

One huge blackberry!

My mom and her friend decided this depicts the fall: Eve tempting Adam. Check out my little man's face

Proverbs 6:6-8 "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest."

This was the proverb we read that morning and it became a memory verse for the rest of the trip! Another great teachable moment that He totally set up.

Saying goodbye to the farm. Our time here was one of my favorite memories of the trip!

And.....enjoying the fruit of our labor!

Birthday Boys and Canyons

2010-07-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

We finally made it home this past Sunday after driving over 6,000 miles on the great American interstates, highways, and tiny winding roads for 5 full weeks. As beautiful as all the sights were it has been so sweet to be back in Texas.... in our home, the place where God has called our family for this season. Texas, I completely heart you!!

Our trip was such an incredible journey for our family. We had an amazing time and made so many fun memories along the way. After our first stop in the Palo Duro Canyon, where we celebrated Joseph's 10th birthday, we headed to the big daddy...The Grand Canyon. We got to celebrate John's 4th birthday there. Two birthday boys, two different canyons! :)

These two godly young men are such a strength and blessing to our family. They make our life hilariously fun and certainly more adventurous. It was really special to be able to celebrate their birthdays on our trip!

The Grand Canyon was so incredible that I actually got a little teary eyed when I first saw it. It is overwhelming and is such a "small" picture of the glory and greatness of God. I took so many pictures of it but was really never able to capture its grandeur...much like trying to find the words to describe the attributes of God. He is just too much!!!!

Here is my feeble attempt to show off His work:

Our life would be so dull without this guy! He is the one who talked me into hiking down a bit into the canyon despite my many reasons on why we should not take 5 kids down onto the narrow, winding trail....

Notice the drop off not too far behind them :)

The big kids got to hike down even further on a REALLY narrow path.

I wish I could've captured the depth of the canyon, right beyond the rock they were sitting on!

My sleepy birthday boy after a big day

God's Word overlooking His creation

Psalm 104:24 (The Message)

What a wildly wonderful world, God!
You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.

Job 5:9 He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,

miracles that cannot be counted.

Exodus 15:11 Who among the gods is like you, O LORD ?

Who is like you—
majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
working wonders?

My Guest Writer: Hannah Nicole

2010-06-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

Hello! This is Hannah... my mom wanted me to do an entry for an update on our life :) So where she left of was Rebekah's b-day...... in JANUARY :) Since that I had my b-day and Joseph and John A. had theirs. A little before my b-day we went to see my GIGI and Grandpa. They live in SA and I miss seeing them. They gave me a little b-day party and me and the kids swam like there was no tomorrow:) On my actual b-day(May 20th), I opened presents and we went to Pei-Wei for dinner with my family and my Enna(anna) and Noel. Then we enjoyed Jamba Juice for desert :)

My Birthday in San Antonio

All these are at Jamba Juice :)

Then the memories begin.....of the RV trip :) We rented a 42 foot RV and the person that had it before us had accidentally backed up on one of the bottom doors to hold storage. So that delayed the trip about 2 days. So we finally got it on Tuesday morning (we were supposed to get it Sunday) and packed it. The packing took us ALL NGHT and thank God we had Noel to help us or else it would have taken a LOT longer. So we left Wednesday, May 26th about noon and got really far......we went 3 Miles from our house! My dad noticed something was wrong with the engine. So we called the guy that we rented the RV from and he sent an mechanic out to see what was wrong the mechanic thought he fixed it so we went around the block for a test drive and...well.... the engine died on Keller Parkway. Luckily we died right in front of Keystone Church and a young man and his wife stopped to see if we were ok. If it wouldn't have been for him we would have not gotten the RV home that night. He so happened to know a diesel mechanic and called him and took me, my mom, and all the kids home. The next morning another mechanic came out and worked on the RV for 4 hours and figured out that it was the fuel pump( whatever that is) and told us it had to be towed to the repair shop. Me and my mom were out doing errands and were praying that we would not have to unload it. Well...obviously we did not pray hard enough and we came home seeing my dad UNLOADING the RV:( We wanted to lay on the couch and cry. So we unloaded the WHOLE THING without Noel:( Then they towed it away and worked on it for a week. Meanwhile we were at home thinking the RV was for sure cancelled. But God had a different plan... we left sure enough in the same RV 10 days later. It was 10x smoother and running great. We packed it AGAIN and left Sunday. We went to Palo Duro Canyon for our first stop(2nd largest canyon in the USA). It was so beautiful. My mom and I HATE bugs of any kind except for maybe lady bugs and butterflies. We went to see a show at an outside amphitheater and it was really cool and they had some manly cowboys.....that did ballet :) Me and my parents were LOL. The dinner was HORRIBLE.... as my mom would say, "A big overcooked glob of FAT." Me and my mom were scared half to death when we had to go on a trail in pitch black with horrible flashlights that did not shine very well. My mom nearly passed out when she asked one of the lady that worked there about going on the trails or not. The lady said, "Oh, I wouldn't go on the trails if i were you because thats when the rattlesnakes come out."

The next morning we set out for another hike through the canyon... YIKES.... me and my mom were quoting scripture the whole way "The Lord did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind." Little john had scraped his knee AND got bull-needle stuck in his hand but he was a trooper and kept on going. We were relived when we were done and we saw a little sign that said "worlds best hamburgers." We were all surprised when we took the first bite and loved the hamburgers. They were the best hamburgers I have had in TX besides my dad's. After that we headed out and went to Albuquerque, NM for a quick nights stay. Our next destinations: GRAND CANYON!!! I will continue to post as soon as i can :)

PICTURES:

This is the show "Texas" that we went and saw. Notice the MANLY cowboy :)

Our 42' Rv in the Palo Duro Canyon

Rebekah....you make my heart smile!

2010-05-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Rebekah Elise turned 5 on Jan 10th (yes, I am behind as usual). We had to cancel her little party because everyone had a 48 hour bug and ended up celebrating with just the fam, Erin, Anna and Noel (her 20 something year old friends!).

Rebekah is our family member who is always happy. I mean full of joy, always smiling and saying the funniest things. A couple months ago we bought her a pair of flip flops and she was so thankful. She told John, "Dad, I love flip flops. They feel good between your toes and they just make the right sound." She also asked me the other day why women had "cracks right here?" as she pointed to her chest (cleavage). Then says, " I want a crack!" Yes, that's my girl! I am so thankful for her and her comic relief on almost a daily basis.

Here is an example of her fun, creative little self. She came down stairs all dressed up one day-notice the tie hanging off of her belt:

Birthday table:

Her first big girl bike

Erin

Noel

Anna..these are her big girl friends... although she thinks she is the same age as them!

Her favorite buddy, John (they are 17 mo. apart)

I love my girl!

The first time she blew out her candles I totally missed it SO... we had a re do! She made sure she did it niccee anndd sloooww for Mom the second time :)

I love you dearly Rebekah! Thank you so much for making our family brighter and making any old occasion a party! The Bible says in Proverbs, "A joyful heart is good medicine." You are definitely a great dose of joy! I love your heart for Jesus and how you love to worship Him, I love how nurturing you are to your siblings, I love your adorable giggle and that one little dimple that shows when you laugh, I love how you can be serious and ask deep, profound questions about God, I love you..... and everything about you! Happy Birthday sweet muffiin :)

Pressing It In

2010-01-30T16:32:00.000-08:00

It was so sweet of God to let me stumble upon the LPM blog a few years back. I had done some Beth Moore studies, listened to several of her teachings and of course just loved the woman! So, when I discovered her blog I was elated. There are so many great things about this blog.

A. You get more of Beth, her wisdom, encouragement and a ton of laughs

B. You get to hear from her two girls, Amanda and Melissa, who like their Mom are the REAL deal..genuine, full of wisdom, insight and they have that hilarious "Moore" humor

C. There is such a COOL sisterhood between all of the women who visit LPM...the "Siestas" :).

In December 2008, Beth invited us to join her in memorizing scriptures for the 2009 year. We memorized 2 scriptures a month (you were free to choose) and then held each other accountable by sharing them on the LPM blog on the 1st and 15th. Let me tell you...it rocked my world! I have memorized Scripture before but NEVER this much and NEVER this consistent. There were times in prayer (for myself or others) that the Scriptures I was memorizing poured out like rivers of living water! Beth reminded us to look over our spirals and remember where we have been with Him. I love that! It really is a picture of my ups and downs, struggles, victories and longings of my heart from 2009. My little spiral is now one of my dearest treasures. And you can imagine how my heart leapt when I saw my 11 year old whip out her spiral this morning and started going through her own scriptures without me asking her to do it. :)

Well, January 22nd/23rd was a weekend I have been looking forward to for over a year! Over 500 women met at Beth's church, Houston First Baptist, to celebrate a year of hiding His Word in our hearts. I started the night by getting to meet one of my favorite bloggers, BIG MAMA! Melanie was super sweet as I went on and on about how she keeps me (and sometimes even my man) laughing on a regular basis. (Just to clarify...he does not read blogs nor does he understand why I do, but he humors me every once in a while and will listen to me read one out loud). I do have to say it just felt so wrong calling her "Big Mama" to her face when she is indeed a very small mama!

The 3 Moore girls came out and the party began! Beth was over the top hilarious and full of energy....and I mean full all weekend! Her teaching was out of Psalm 119 and was of course amazing. She started off by saying we were going to memorize all 176 verses of the Psalm that weekend! Of course she was kidding but seriously how cool would that be??

*(Ok, side note: I had to laugh at this because my husband literally has given a challenge to our family: anyone who memorizes Psalm 119 gets $500. I tell him all the time the reason I love Beth so much is because she reminds me of him...he is totally crazy about God's Word and when he teaches or talks about it,it is always with a ton of enthusiasm and passion!!! )

Anyways, we finished the night with Beth's fabulous Texas Sheet Cake and then I got to meet Amanda, a few Siestas like Nicole from Canada and some girls from Oregon. I have to admit I left feeling a bit sad to be there alone. My BFF was supposed to be with me but she had a baby the week before and I wasn't staying at the hotel where most Siestas were. For the record, everyone was super sweet..it was totally a me thing missing my friend!

The next morning I arrived bright and early and God was so sweet to have me sit next to some really fun Siestas. Dana, Paula, Kelli Jo and Yvonne became my new friends and were so great and totally pulled me right in. I was definitely feeling the Siesta Love! Worship with Travis was awesome and Beth finished her teaching with this phrase:

"I'm a resident alien..seeking direction... in deep want of wonder... in peril and need... troubled by humanity... especially my own... knowing that to follow is the only free road... to a straying sheep longing to be found."

At one point she talked about "pressing it in," making sure the Word that is taught/heard gets pressed in to your heart. Making sure it is on good soil, taken in, chewed on and then letting it transform. I can still picture her holding both hands over her heart as she said this and related it to the seed from the parable of the sower. Her teaching was so rich that I am still pressing it in. I looked over my notes today and was astounded at how God spoke to me in so many ways and in so many areas of my life. I will say this, to hear Beth say, " I LIVE to hear Him," stirs my heart. Stirs my heart to continue to pursue His voice and pursue Him through His Word. One of my scriptures I memorized was: "Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are they who keep His testimonies, and who seek, inquire for and of Him and crave Him with the whole heart" (Psalm 119:2 ). Lord, help me crave you over anything or anyone and live to Hear your voice.

We then broke up into small groups and said our memory verses together and then I snuck off to take some pictures of the Siestas spread ALL over the church campus. Such a cool sight watching and listening to 100's of women sharing their scriptures with one another! When everyone came back in we finished off the weekended with some question and answer time, an awsome commissioning and then worship. I loved getting to end the weekend worshipping our King with a bunch of His daughters. He is so good and so faithful! I am so thankful for His grace to stay consistent this year and helping me memorize all 24 scriptures! Thank you LPM staff (you were amazing!), Beth, Amanda and Melissa. Thank you for loving us and for giving such an incredibly memorable weekend and transforming year!

Psalm 33:4 "For the Word of the Lord is right and ALL His work is done in faithfulness."

Beth and her spiral..because God did create spirals on the 8th day :)

Love this one of her and Melissa

She was running to give someone a hug....she was so excited about everything all weekend! And I totally loved it

The next morning with my new friends:

Paula, Me, Yvonne and Dana

Beth with Amanda

Doing her thing...teaching His Word like nobody's business!

It is finished...

Now, let the Scriptures begin....

Kellie Jo listening to me

I love this shot. It was NOT posed. I was walking around and caught this as they were finishing! Celebration!

Beth and her beloved Starbucks

Siesta Memory Commissioning

"My dear Siesta, you have honored your God by treasuring His word. You have been through a rough year but here you are, the delight of your Father’s heart and a thorn in the devil’s side. As we go our separate ways, hold fast to God’s precepts. Let him use his decrees to put iron in your soul. Let no sin have dominion over you and when you stray (and you probably will) and you feel like you can’t find God, cry out to Him with all your might and he will come find you. Because never forget that the son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. Now girlfriend, go out there and do that thing!"

-Beth

That Is SOOO 2009....

2010-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe it is! However I wanted to blog about many things last year and never got a chance to do it. So these are my 2009 highlights (in no particular order):

1. Wow...this is even 2008! I am such a slacker!! I cant believe I didn't blog about our Christmas in Colorado 2008!!! We had a blast as a family and then the Holloways joined us for some more fun. We ended the trip by spending the first of 2009 with our dear friends the Davidsons in Lubbock. Love that both these friends are the kind that even though you don's see each other often, you can pick right back up where you left off!

This was the way we got little John up the hill! GO Joseph!

Paul and Leighann Holloway

My great friend Jenifer Davidson..we got some shopping in :)

Having fun while the men went hunting

Ok, so John would NEVER brag about himself. But I totally will. :) He received an award in law school that he doesn't talk about it. As a matter of fact he didn't even tell me until a few years after we were married. Anyway, the Order of Barristers (according to Wikipedia) is a national honor society that provides national recognition for individuals who have excelled in advocacy at their respective schools. Basically an award that is given to only a few of the best orators in certain law schools around the nation. Only a couple were chosen in John's class. On our way out of Lubbock we stopped to see Tech and saw this plaque with his name on it in the Law School. We were so proud!

2. After 11 years of working at least 2-3 jobs at the same time, my vert intense and hard working husband began working from home!! Yea! Woo Hoo...LOVE IT!!

3. Birthdays! I blogged about some but not all. Rebekah turned 4 in January (of course she just turned 5 in 2010) and Hannah turned 11. My hubby....just got more distinguished!

Rebekah- January 10

Our amazing Nana gives her grand-daughters American Girl dolls on their 5th birthday. This is Nana and Ruthie!

Hannah-May 20

We went to Six Flags to celebrate Hannah!

Anna, Katie and Jed also joined us. We actually celebrated Katie too bc she and Hannah share bdays. We love these two girls so much! They lived with us for almost 2 years and were sad to see them leave in August. We all knew it was God's timing and that made it a little easier but we still miss them. You know, these kids grow up and leave home :)

John- November 16

Dad in one of his birthday presents!

4. Summer Vacation- We spent several weeks in San Antonio visiting my family. We had a blast seeing my grandparents, my awesome brother and my amazing aunt whom I love and miss dearly.

This is my coolio brother, Rob, with us. I miss him so much. He is an amazing dude...really!

We stayed at a hotel and they gave us a golf cart to get around. It was one of the highlights of our trip. :)

Girl cousins! Mimi got them matching shirts.

My lovely Bamba

This is my grandma and my Aunt Deniece. Love both these women a ton.

My grandfather with John. This man is such an inspiration. He fought in WWII and retired a Lt. Col. in the air force. He is a hard worker and extremely disciplined. I love this picture of him really laughing!

We also went to Sea World...fun but really HOT!! I love these two pics of Rebekah and John with their red cheeks!

Feeding the dolphins. I love John's expression here :)

After a VERY long day...we actually closed the park down!

5. Our 12th anniversary. We spent the actual date, July 5, at the 4 Seasons. John surprised me with a weekend stay there with lots of spa treatments. We had so much fun. I Loved it!!

Oh, how I love my man!!

We forgot it was July 4th and started hearing all the fireworks. From our balcony we saw 6-7 firework shows going on around the city all at the same time.

6. Anniversary Cruise to Alaska. A few weeks later we headed off alone (only our second big vacation since we've been married) to Seattle. We had a blast there and totally was not expecting that! Then we boarded our ship and ventured up to Alaska. It was a wonderful trip and the scenery was breathtaking!

Oh, Seattle...how we heart you!

At the original flagship Starbucks

THE most amazing fish I have ever had...and I don't really even like fish.

A fun morning jog in downtown Seattle then off to Starbucks :)

Me with Tammy & Gerald Vince...this was a total divine appointment and worth all the sea sickness I experienced. They are definitely heart friends and I am so thankful to Jesus for the amazing hook up!!!

Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC

7. Pink Purpose and Young Women's Retreat- I had the privilege of helping with Pink Purpose that was held after our annual women's conference, Pink. This after party was for young women (18-30) and was a total blast for me. I love, love, love these young women. God's word for them was, "Cherish." I also attended a retreat in November that was held specifically for this same age group. It was amazing. God is so faithful to love on and set his daughters free!

My man even helped decorate...only a REAL man would do this for his woman :)

We gave these mugs as favors to remind everyone to have some fun dates with Jesus.

Here is one of my dearest friends ever. Jen came and helped me and offered moral support and of course hilarious laughs :)

After Pastor and Elder David Smith shared God's Father heart for these girls he prayed over us and the Lord's presence was so sweet.

8. Houston- I had not been "home" in almost 2 years so the kids and I packed up the Suburban and headed south. We had so much fun visiting Mimi, Jon and Alicia, Grandpa Vince and Bertha and Poppo. I also got to visit my most favorite fabulous hairdresser, William Chow! Oh how I heart him! He fixed my hair from the dreaded Dallas bubble!

Me and my Daddy! I sure love this guy. He is a wonderful father and I love that he always makes me laugh.

My Dad gave the boys swords and they loved them.

My wonderful grandparents treated us to dinner and then we had a fun time with them in their home. I am blessed to have them. He is a POW MIA from WWII and has an amazing story and she is a funny, feisty little grandma with lots of strength and wisdom. I love them so!

My brother, Jonathan, took all the kids on a ride and they had a blast!

Sleeping at Mimi's!

9. Princess- We added a family member in August. My kids have been praying for a girl Golden Retriever for about 2 years. On a walk one morning she followed me home and has become our own little Princess. We did take her to the shelter where they held her and tried to find her owners but no one claimed the little orphan. SO we have adopted her! She is a fabulous dog and we all love her...Mom is still a little germ-o-phobed about the hair but who am I to reject a gift that my kids have prayed for for years!!

The cone of shame after her surgery...look at those eyes!

Our first weekend with Princess was spent at our lake house.

10. Longview- We got to visit family and friends and had a wonderful time celebrating Sherri's "20th" (wink,wink) birthday. We also got to see our long lost sister, Staci, from Germany whom we miss terribly.

All the girls

Alllll the grandkids! Talk about being fruitful :)

John and his little sis, Sherri.

John and his sister Staci with Nana.

11.Thanksgiving- Another fun trip to San Antonio. I got to watch my grandma stuff her last bird..she said she is done fixing turkeys!! I also had some great alone time with my wonderful aunt, Deniece. She is so special to me and I loved being together. I only wish we were closer. :(

My sweet Bamba after stuffing the turkey! I love this picture of her...it makes me smile.

Deniece with her little muffin, John, and my Uncle Arthur

Oh, I love this little lady!

Hannah and her Cousin Ali making cookies

We went downtown to see a display on the history of San Antonio. My great grandfather is in one of the pictures. He is the one in the white cowboy hat on a horse.

Sarah with my brother, Rob.

My cute grandparents. Don't they look amazing??

Since we were downtown we headed to the Alamo. Interesting tidbit: My 4th great grandfather was the youngest known survivor from the Alamo. He was released with his mom after the war was over. I think he was around one. This is the room where they kept the women and children. I was totally NOT supposed to take pics but I did. Just think, if he had died....

15- The Bus- We had 13 people from Teen Mania that needed a place to stay last minute. SO, a few hours later the bus pulls up and here they came. A bunch of cool, young worshippers who are passionate about Jesus stayed with our fam and we had a blast! Also, about the same time our new amazing Nanny joined the fam! She is the one on the floor next to Rebekah :)

12. Passport to Purity- Hannah and I took a special weekend away to celebrate being a girl! We had a blast! We laughed, cried, got nails, toes and hair done, shopped a little, and ended with a fancy dinner at Tuscany. Here I got to present her with a purity ring to remind her her heart is the Lord's. I am HONORED to be this young lady's mom. She rocks!

This picture is too much! She is such a beautiful young lady..not my little chubby baby anymore. Where did these years go??

This is her purity ring. The gold heart represents hers, the large one around represents God's protection and heart for her, and the two little silver "balls" on each side represent her daddy and me helping her guard her heart and uphold her in prayer.

13. Fun Dates- I try to have a date with each kid at least a few times a year. Here are some fun pics of our times together. I have the coolest, most fun kids ever! Also, my hubs is still adamant about a once a week date and I am so thankful :)

14. Fall Fest- Gateway puts on a great fall festival. Here I had to young jedi's ready to fight for their candy! :)

I thought this was hilarious. Hannah with a cut out of Pastor Robert :)

16. Christmas- We stayed home this Christmas and had a wonderful time as a family. It actually snowed on Christmas Eve day...ALL DAY so we woke up to a white Christmas! I will have to do a full post on our Christmas. Too many fun pics :)

This is just the tip of the iceberg of all the happenings of our 2009. God has been so faithful to our family. While it was not without some trials, the word that comes to my mind for this year was God's abundance. Abundant in His love, provision, and sweet grace. Lord, thank you. I am undone by your mercy in my life

"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1Tim 1:14

New York and Two Texas Ladies

2009-12-13T07:50:00.001-08:00

One of my biggest wishes these last several years was to have a fun girl get-a-way with my dear friend, Melissa. However, between the two of us being pregnant, nursing and caring for our little muffins that wish got put on the back burner. My hope was maybe in 2011 after Miss Elyana was weaned we could go somewhere, anywhere!! Much to my surprise Melissa and John had something cooking this August and for my 36^th birthday Melissa gave me a trip to New York City!! Seriously I was in shock! So on September 4th we packed our bags and left our little children in the hands of our very strong and capable men. After getting turned around in the DFW airport right away (we hadn’t traveled without our men in forever) and then a rather wild taxi ride, we made it safely to her cousin’s apartment. Duke has an amazing apartment that overlooks Central Park and he graciously let us invade his space for 4 amazing days!

This is the view from his apartment...Central Park on one side and Columbus circle on the other. Gorgeous!

Our first night in NY..we rode the subway and ate dinner at a great Italian restaurant with Duke.

Our first shopping excursion before the blister began! I had to buy a pair of $12 socks to get me through the day.

Our first Broadway show that Duke so kindly treated us to.

Had some much needed Jesus time here at this church. SO neat to see Him working it in NYC!

Checking in with the men while in Central Park.

The three hour tour.....in a taxi, looking at some real estate for my man! THREE hours! Our taxi driver was so nice ( we prayed hard for the right one) and we got to share Jesus with him.

Thanks Melissa for my birthday present! Although New York was fabulous and full of fun memories, my time with you was what I really treasured. So thankful for the gift of your friendship!

James 1:17

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Celebrating Two Girls

2009-11-12T17:05:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago a few of us got to celebrate our dear friend Melissa and her coming little muffin, Elyana! We girls had so much fun decorating, planning and preparing for the big partay! Melissa, you are an amazing friend, a gorgeous Mommy to be, and an incredibly inspiring woman of God. Love you to pieces!

Sarah Katherine

2009-10-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Sarah! You are such a precious little girl to your daddy and me. I praise God for creating you on this day 6 years ago. I know He has such big plans for you! I can only imagine what He will have you do with the huge amount of wisdom He has given you. One of my most recent favorite memories is when I came into your room one night to tuck you in and I found you reading your Bible ( you do this a lot all on your own). You said, "Mom, this is sooo good!" You then proceeded to read all of Psalm 1 to me. As I turned off the lights and laid down with your sister you said, "Mom, I feel like the Word is in my throat." You have a deep well within you my girl!

Here is the letter I sent with you to school on your special day! I hope you know how crazy we all are about you!

Happy Birthday Sarah!!

I am so thankful to God for creating you! He made you so perfectly for our family. I love how He made your heart desire and love His Word. I love how he gave you big, beautiful brown eyes and brown hair. I love you nose and your fun laugh. I love that your mind is full of so much wisdom for a little girl. I love that you are brave and sweet all at the same time. I love to hear your voice when you are singing praises to Jesus…nice and loud! J I love that God made you a graceful dancer and a fast runner. I love that you are such a great sister to your brothers and sisters. I love you…just for being you!

First Day of School 2009

2009-08-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

We started school last Tuesday at Coram Deo Academy. This is our 2nd year to attend this school and while the academics are rigorous, the spirit and heart of the school is so wonderful! It was so fun to see whole families in the hallways snapping pictures and baby brothers hugging big brothers goodbye for the day.

This year is Sarah's first year to attend school. She started 1st grade and so far absolutely loves it although she says it is really easy. Sarah is my 5 year old who reads like a woman! So even though sounding out "no" and "on" are not really fun for her she loves being there. Joseph is in 4th grade this year and Hannah is in 6th. So far both have seemed to adjust well and are having fun seeing friends from last year.

I can't believe how fast time goes. It seems like just yesterday I was homeschooling my little 4 and 2 year old. It makes me feel all happy and sad at the same time! Watching them grow into awesome young women and men is amazing and yet I still want them to be little enough that I can rock them and snuggle their cute chubbiness. Oh, Lord I pray that you would help me to remember special moments with each one of them. Etch them in my memory forever.....

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

2009-08-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

Last night as Hannah prepared for her first day of school, John was helping her with a History vocabulary assignment. They were discussing all the different disciplines relating to History including Archaeology and Anthropology with 20 other similar words. Most of these words she was not very familiar with but she lit up when we got to Anthropology because she knew that word.

Hannah: "Well I KNOW that is a clothing store. That must have something to do with studying people's clothing?"

To which Daddy responded, "You really are Nicole's daughter."

That's my girl! :)

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

2009-08-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

Me: "John, did you eat chocolate?"

Joseph and John's Birthday

2009-08-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

I am so blessed to have two amazing sons! Even though they are 6 years apart, they get along so well and really do love each other a ton. I believe it is because Joseph prayed so long for a little brother. Three years to be exact! Then two days after his own birthday in 2006, John was born. He is so kind and takes such good care of his little brother. He even lets him scratch the back of his arm at night to go to sleep! J

This year, Joseph turned 9 on June 7^th and John Alexander turned 3 on June 9^th. It is fun having them this close because we celebrate them together. Joseph got to share the morning with Grandpa Jesse whose birthday is on the 5^th. We then had a party and opened a ton of presents. The next day John took Joseph and his two buds to Jump Zone and they all had so much fun. We are praising God for sending some good friends that have great families! Then on the 9^th, we had a birthday breakfast for John and a small family party that evening with presents and gifts. He was totally excited opening each gift! Please don’t judge me on his cake…there is only so much I could do with a gluten/dairy free cake! It looked pitiful!

Joseph, I see such a depth and maturity in you. You long to hear God’s voice and ask all the time what His plan is for you. You are wise with your money (you have over $400 in your bank) and very frugal. I am sure you will be a great businessman! Your heart is so tender and you never want to hurt someone or disappoint. You still love animals and like playing with them and learning all sorts of interesting facts about them. I am so glad you love me and still hug me!! I love to watch you dance (wow…you are really good!) and have fun with your family. You are one cool kid!

John Alexander, you are definitely a happy little boy! You love to hug and also scratch the back of anyone’s arm that will let you…it’s how you go to sleep. I love when you walk up to me and say, “You’re pwetty Momma” or “I love you Mom. You are a special Mom.” It just melts my ever-living heart to hear you say that!! You are a rough and tumble kid and like to wrestle and jump off anything. You also love to sing. Your favorites right now is “You are My Sunshine” and “Come Rain or Shine” by Danny Gokey and “Jesus Take the Wheel.” You like to play animals with your siblings and your color really well.

I love you my two mighty warriors of God! He has huge plans for your life! You boys are called to great things and I look forward to Him unfolding His plan for you!

Recital 2009- Rise Up

2009-07-29T21:53:00.001-07:00

This year’s dance recital was really fun. We had John’s parents and my mom come in for the big event (we missed you Dad!)…or shall I say unbelievably LONG event. Grandpa Jesse and the two grandmothers were such good sports! That was a whole lot of little girls, bows and tutu’s to take in. Thank goodness Hannah was in 4 dances and Sarah and Rebekah were in 2. All 3 girls danced so beautifully and had a ton of fun. Rebekah did really good this year (no accidental solo part!) and after months of fussing about going to class she said, “ I want to do recital again!” Sarah was graceful and again the one the other’s watched when they forgot a step. Hannah was amazing as usual! We especially loved this year’s ballet dance to "I Will Be Free." At the end, she was lifted up by her teachers and held the ending position in the air. She looked like a little angel up there!! J Here are some pictures from that night:

Hannah's Birthday

2009-07-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time on vacation but my blog extravaganza never happened as you can tell! There was no wireless and it was $16 a day to hook up to the internet. So now it is time for catch up...again!

We celebrated Hannah’s 11^th birthday on May 20. Hannah is such an amazing young lady and the older she gets the more I see such godly character beginning to show. She is a very caring sister to her siblings and she showed extreme maturity when we asked her to lay down dance for the coming year. God, how I wish my heart was as trusting and obedient as hers. Although, she was sad she trusted us and God. What an amazing young lady she is!

This year she did a great job balancing diligence in her school work as well as in her dance company. Hannah practiced 3 times a week for 7 hours and carried a considerable work load at Coram Deo. She finished the year with a medal for Magna Cum Laude(“A” cumulative average) and her dance company got a few top awards at two different competitions.

We celebrated our sweet Hannah this year by having a small family party and a day at Six Flags! It was a blast!

Hannah, God has amazing plans for your life! You are such a joy to be around and I thank God for your heart towards God and us. You are one special young lady! I love you dearly!

Vacation Time!

2009-06-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Gravey Train loaded up in the Suburban

Our family is in San Antonio on our family vacation. Woo Hoo!!! It has been such a nice break from school, dance, and the norm! We have spent the first few days here with my sweet grandparents. There is just nothing like waking up at their house...I love the smell of their home and the sound of my sassy little grandma shuffling in her little house shoes! She is 79 and my Grandpa is 82 and they are in terrific health. I am so blessed! They are the most fun and active grandparents ever. I have really treasured my time with them. The crew has pretty much swam the whole time. They are all rosey pink even with a TON of sun-SCREAM as Rebekah (4) calls it!!

Tomorrow,we head to my hubby's spiritual dad's (Tom and Nona Mosely)house! We are really excited to get to spend some time with them and go see the Natural Bridge Caverns and some wild safari thing. It is always a refreshing time to hang out with these two...especially when we all get to go furniture shopping!! :) After that, we will head to the La Cantera Westin where my MacBook will have wireless and I get to play catch up on the blog!! Unfortunately, my mobile uploads on Facebook are the only pics I can get my hands on at this time! But, we have had Hannah's birthday, Joseph and John's birthday and the pictures of our time here. It's going to be a blog extravaganza and I cant wait!

One extremely important bit of information, Sarah (5) lost her first tooth!!! She has four loose right now and this one popped out in Target! She was so excited!

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T21:48:00.000-07:00

I was completely blessed this Mother's Day with pampering at a spa, gifts, beautiful home made cards, and delicious breakfasts. My husband and kids went above and beyond and actually turned Mother's Day into a Mother's Weekend!! I loved the gifts and time at the spa but my favorite moment of the weekend happened at church. Pastor Robert had all the Moms stand up so he could pray over us. As I bowed my head, I look down to see my husband's strong, faithful hand rest on me and then 5 pairs of little hands that followed. This was the gift of all gifts. I pray it will be etched in my memory forever. It was the most precious "picture" of God's love for me and the grace He has poured out upon my life. I was so overwhelmed with thankfulness. I am the least deserving of all He has blessed me with. Yet even when I was unfaithful to Him, He was faithful and had a plan for my life. A plan so precious and full. So unbelievably rich and fulfilling. When I think of the mercy that He has shown me, I am truly overwhelmed. I am a sinner saved by His amazing grace. Thank you Lord for a wonderful family and for an unforgettable Mother's Day.

1 Cor 2:9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"

My gift table: a plastic squirrel, a frog, a frame, a silver bracelet with an anchor charm, a candle some nail files and ribbon, a gift certificate and a beautiful soap dish and memo thingy!

Opening my adorable cards

Bubble extravaganza...who knew this would entertain 5 kids ages 11 to 2 for hours...literally!

I Love My Job!

2009-04-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

This last week has been such a sweet reminder of how much I love being a stay at home mom. By the grace of God, all the laundry is done and put away, my house is clean, and my kids are at peace. We have stayed on top of school and have even worked ahead. I enjoyed a little girl date with Sarah and Rebekah and then all 6 of us(dad had to work) had a mid week trip to the park with snow cones.

My only wish is that every week would be like this! :) There are certainly times when there are mounds of laundry, toys everywhere, and stress because it is 9 and we are still writing a research paper!

But not this week. I am overwhelmed with thankfulness for my calling...to be a wife and a mom. I desire nothing else. Big salary checks, traveling the world, awards & recognition is nothing compared to holding chubby little hands or hearing my kids say they love me. These busy times of potty training, home schooling, hearing "Will you please come wipe me?" at least 7 times a day, and never ending "quick pick ups" will be over all too soon. I pray that I would not wish all the "work" away but that I would cherish every moment...even when it is hard.

Lord, my heart is literally bursting with gratefulness. Thank you for blessing me with my precious family. You are so patient with me and I love that You "gently lead those who are with young." Isaiah 40:11

Our date after ballet: Quiznos, Carvel Ice Cream, playing by the fountains

Fun at the Park:

Snow Cones and the Gum Fiasco:

Ladybug Craft:

John and Joseph were on a boy date and I woke up to this! I could not move....but I loved it! :)

He Is Risen Indeed!

2009-04-14T13:34:00.000-07:00

Our family had a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating Jesus. For the first time ever we attended a Friday service-our church has 9 services that weekend to accommodate everyone plus visitors. It was a little different getting all dressed on a Friday evening but getting to celebrate my Savior's resurrection was just as powerful. Our pastor talked about Jesus as the lamb of God. He was the perfect offering because we can NEVER be perfect on this side of heaven. In the OT when men brought their lambs as their offering, the priests did not examine that person but the lamb. He inspected the lamb for a spot, wrinkle, or blemish... not the man. Why is it that in our own human mind we think we will make it one day on our own...if we just__________. Fill in the blank! Read our Bible more, be more of a servant, pray more, give more, etc, etc.... For the record, I do believe we are to do all of these things but we do it out of our love for Him and not for His acceptance. He has already accepted us through the blood of the Lamb because we will never be holy enough without it. We continue to try to provide our own redemption when God has provided it-The Perfect Lamb for us! I am so thankful that He is perfect. I am so thankful for His sacrifice. I am so thankful for His Grace. I am so thankful I am His.

John 1:29 " Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

We enjoyed the rest of our weekend with some much needed rest, dyeing eggs and doing an egg hunt. Here are my favorite pics:

We took our family pictures this year at Gateway:

We met Anthony at Pine Cove several years ago and love to catch up when we see him. He sang a special Easter song this year and was AMAZING as usual!!

Dyeing Eggs and the Hunting Eggstravaganza!! :)

Today is the Day!!

2009-04-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been a long time since I have blogged So much has gone on that I would love to document. Christmas in Colorado, Rebekah's 4th birthday, Valentines Day, Spring Break, Pink Impact... Also, the last 3 months have been some of the busiest and hardest we have experienced as a family. I truly believe God is shaking some things up to make sure we are involved in only what He has for us. He is making sure our foundations as a family are set.

I have also come to realize that I have this perfection thing when it comes to blogging. I am documenting our life and special times so that one day my kids will have something to look back on. I have been terrible about baby books and writing memorable stuff down. So when I get behind on the blog, I feel like a failure!! Sounds so silly when typing it out but it is the truth. So today I am typing, not really checking for grammar and complete sentences but just getting my heart on "paper!" ;)

So....today is the day I have decided to come out! Foundations are still being shaken and honestly I barely have anytime to do this. My two oldest are sitting on either side of me, one is studying for Texas History and the other is writing a book report. The three little ones are playing Lone Ranger in the playroom and I am sitting her trying desperately to write using complete thoughts!!

Yet in all of this God is so amazing me right now. In times of trial, we cry out to Him out of desperation. That is where I have been. I am desperate. I need Him to order my day, to help me be a good wife, a better mom, to plan healthy meals,to help me keep my mind on things of the Spirit, etc. I want to get where I see my desperation for Him at all times, even when things are going smooth. God would you help me.

Last night I had the privilege of getting to see Beth Moore at Life Outreach. James and Betty Robison talked with her about her new teaching called The Beautiful Mind. It is all about renewing our mind so that we can walk in a sound mind according to 2Timothy. I was so ministered to by all 3 of them! I thought I was just getting to go see my Bethie but that Jesus loves to give us more that we ever dare to imagine. The 3 of them ministered to us in between shooting the show and prayed for us. I was blown away. The tenderness for Jesus in their hearts was so precious. One of my nuggets was about strongholds. Beth shared that sometimes a thought will go across our mind and it is so out there that it is not even a temptation. BUT...when a thought comes and then is replayed one, two, three times, you are in danger for it to take up residence in your mind. This is when we have to take that thought captive (2 cor 10:5) and first call out the name of Jesus. Then pick up your sword (scripture) and begin to speak it out loud. I could go on and on but I will end with this. God, I desire a beautiful and sound mind. Grant me a greater hunger for you. Lord help me to love you more than I love anyone in this world and help me to desire you all the days of my life. Lord, I am desperate for you....

My 3 Lone Rangers??

Jennifer and I after shedding many tears during the teaching!!

Me and my 3 Peeps! :)

Can you tell I just love this woman??

My precious daughter, Hannah, who made my night being there with me...even though it was a long one for her! Beth asked her name and told her she had a beautiful smile and then told me she was darling. She totally is!

Dancing for Jesus

2008-12-17T10:02:00.000-08:00

* This is an older post that I never put up! It happened back in the summer but better late than never!

Ever since Hannah was a little tot she has loved to dance! I know all babies like to bounce around to music, but she was different. Even at a young age, she was not just bouncing around but really dancing and doing it very well! Her little expressions and dance style would change with the type of music. When at the age of 2 she could barely walk because of some joint issues, we held onto a word that John recievied. The word was Hannah would dance before the Lord.

As the joint issues mostly cleared up, we enrolled her in ballet classes at the age of 4. She was so adorable and I can't tell you how many times people would comment on not just her ability but on how they were literally moved by watching her. Her love for Jesus and dance beamed through as she performed. John and I love to watch her just freestyle worship whenever we are at home. If music is on...she is dancing!

This past year at her recital, a pastor's wife of a local church asked if Hannah would do a solo for their Kids Worship week. We were so honored and thankful that her first solo ever was done in a church for Jesus. As usual, she was beautiful!

"Let them praise His name with dancing" Psalm 149:3

Terry Visits!

2008-12-10T19:58:00.001-08:00

I am so excited that I have gotten to see seriously some of my favorite people in the world twice in the last few months. In October ( yes.... I am way behind on several significant happenings!) we drove down to Normangee to visit the Terry Fam for the weekend. First of all, I was shocked to see that Normangee is really in the middle of the country and also shocked at how beautiful it was down there! The kids had a blast swimming (oh how I LOVE Texas!), chasing down donkeys, watching horses train, and I had a very special walk through grasshopper infested country roads with Melissa. The talk was great....the grasshoppers were actually terrifying for me. I hate those creatures! Anyways, most of all we just loved hanging out and spending time with Joe, Mel and little Isaac. They are all just too precious for words.

Cowgirl Sarah and Hannah with "Buckpasser Ballet"

Praying this horse doesnt bite me! Yes I am a chicken...you know horses, grasshoppers, mice, roaches, fat frogs....

Rebekah checking out Billy! She is totally not scared like her Mom!

Joseph with a very fat frog that Madi kept trying to taste! I was of course freaking out!

John was not too fond of the donkeys! They came right up to the car. I felt like I was on one of those safari type tours! Well not safari but you know....

Hannah and Isaac...isn't he precious??!!

We got up early to watch the horses train on the race track....it was really amazing!

Then this last week, Mel and Isaac came to visit us for a few days. It was a glorious occasion in the Graves household!! Again, just getting to talk, try on clothes for Mel (she is my fashion consultant :) ), play with Isaac and hang out like old times was wonderful. Mel and I even got to go to a hot yoga class which we both throughly enjoyed and got absolutely drenched! The only downer was that we missed Joe Dan!

This is the only picture we took while they were here! I was so excited I obviously wasn't thinking!

Mel, you and your family are so dear to me! Thank you for making the drive with a baby, by yourself!!! to come visit. It was really great! Sending much love to Normangee!

Happy Birthday Sarah Katherine

2008-10-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

On Monday we celebrated Sarah's fifth birthday! She woke up so excited because let me tell you...we have been counting the days! We had a birthday breakfast and then opened up presents with the family. It was extra special because my grandparents and mom were in town so they got to celebrate with us! Sarah got many cool gifts but the one thing she has been asking for is a gold princess dress with a tiara. She loved it! This gift was significant because this last year we have had lots of talks of how great it is to be a girl! Sarah really looks up to her older brother and for a bit kept talking about how cool boys are because they are strong and have "cooler" toys. So after a few girl dates and lots of talks about how girls have to be strong ( I mean we give birth!!) and we are definitely cool....she has come around. She still loves to wrestle, sword fight and show off her karate skills that she has learned from her big brother. However, she was stunning in her dress! And she was loving every minute of getting to feel like a princess.

Dad came home, dropped his briefcase, bowed and began to dance with his princess. She was glowing and he made my heart melt! He is the best dad ever!

Sarah, you are so precious to me! I am honored and blessed to have you as my daughter. I love that you care for others and that you have a deep desire to learn and read. You amaze me with your passion to worship and to memorize scripture. I love that you call me pretty, precious, beautiful and most of all I love you just because you are you! You are one cool kid!

Sarah ignoring her breakfast to read her new book from Dad! She LOVES to read and has since she was a baby. This is why we call her "Books-a-Million!"

Hannah's Birthday Wish-last year!

2008-09-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

* This is a year old and for some reason I never posted it!!

For Hannah's 10th birthday this year, she asked to get her ears pierced. John, Joseph, Hannah and I all went to Sweet and Sassy to get the job done! She was brave and barely squinched up her nose when they shot the little guns. Here is my little lady with her new earrings:

Living Proof Live and The Siesta Fiesta

2008-08-28T21:28:00.000-07:00

Last month, my mom and I went to see Beth Moore in San Antonio and had such an absolute blast! First of all, I LOVED getting to spend time with my Mom. We are very close and it was so much fun getting to have her all to myself for an extended period of time. We got to talk on the way there, spend the night in a nice hotel, and visit family too. The coolest part was getting to stand next to her as we worshipped Jesus! We also learned a ton and got into God's Word together. My Mom is amazing and a so much fun to be with. She is seriously one of my best friends! I am so thankful she went with me. It will be a memory I will forever cherish!

Second, Jesus, Beth and Travis Cottrell rocked my socks off! The worship was amazing. There is just nothing like worshipping Him with 10,000 other women! My Mom said it was like being in Heaven! Amazing! Beth taught on our inheritance as believers.

Psalm 16:5-6" Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!"

One of my nuggets from the weekend is not only is God and His presence part of my inheritance, but I am His. Wow!! God Himself sees me as His inheritance. Eph 1:18 "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." Also, that I am an heir of God and I can be secure. If I truly understand that I am an heiress, I don't need affirmation or acceptance from others. She told us that Satan uses insecurity to make us fools! SPEAK IT PLAIN SISTER! I just love Bethy! She is my all time favorite Bible teacher. She is so genuine and funny and just loves Him so passionately! I want to be her BFF! :)

Finally, I got to meet up with some of the blogging girls or SIESTAS at the first Siest Fiesta. We had a little gathering after the event with The Moore Girls and it was such a blast. They are all 3 so precious and hillarious. I also had the privledge of meeting some of the other Siestas in person! It was like a little blogging family reunion!

Here are a few pics from our weekend:

Tiffany and I

Patty, Kim and I-these girls were amazing! They volunteered their time and hard work to help make the Siesta Fiesta happen.

First Day of School

2008-08-19T10:32:00.000-07:00

Today I woke my little muffins (well I guess not so little anymore- they are 10 and8!) bright and early for their first day of school. Up until today I have homeschooled exclusively so 6:15 was REALLY early for them! I had eggs, bacon and toast waiting for them as they stumbled into the kitchen squinting their eyes and scratching their head. Wasn't it just yesterday that they were toddling around and waking ME up in the wee hours of the morning? When older moms told me how fast the time goes by I just couldn't fathom it. Now I am experiencing it! It really does.

We are very excited about our new school partner, Coram Deo! The kids will go two days a week and then school at home the other 3 days. It is truly a collaborative effort between the school and the family. The name of the school means "In the presence of God." We have loved the family atmosphere they promote as well as the excellent education they provide.

It is a 31 minute drive there, so on our way we had a blast praying, singing and laughing! It was fun to send them off with a smile, some pictures (that embarrassed Hannah a little) and a hug!

Here are a few pictures from this morning:

Here is a picture of Joseph holding his 110 lb backpack! Not really but the sucker is heavy!

Hannah and Joseph, I love you dearly and am so proud God picked me to be your Mom!

A little more about the school-
This is from the headmaster, Rodney Marshall:
"At Coram Deo Academy professional educators and parents collaborate to educate Christian youth to live all of life before God and to prepare for roles as ethical leaders and wise thinkers that will shape culture for the glory of God. We accomplish this by educating youth in an historic Christian worldview through a rigorous classical curriculum. Since we agree with Augustine, that all truth comes from God, our learning programs teach students to discover truth in the book of God's Word and in the book of God's works (creation and providence). We engage each other in discussion and debate over historical, political, religious and literary issues; we delve into scientific theories and experimentation; we enjoy theatre, music and fine art; and we revel in athletic competition -- all to help each student prepare for his or her God-given purpose in all of life. Parents and students that share this passion to serve God may apply for admission. We would consider it a privilege to co-labor with you and the Holy Spirit in this pursuit."

PINE COVE

2008-08-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

For the last 4 years we have gone to family camp at Pine Cove for our vacation. Some friends of ours told us about it and what convinced us to go was how excited their 17 year old son was about going back. So we tried it out in the summer of 2004 when Sarah was a baby wondering if it could compare to Hawaii and Florida. It far surpassed both! Though the scenery and weather was not quite the same :), it was the first vacation where we felt refreshed when we came home and not utterly exhausted! There are several reasons for this. First of all, the focus of the week is on God and His Word. We have awesome teachings interspersed through out our time there. The adults have a speaker and our kids memorize scripture and go through a devotional with their counselor. Second, it is the perfect balance of time together and time on our own. There is adult teachings, a banquet and a time set apart for you and your spouse. However, there is also family time, a family devotional each day, theme nights and a ton of fun activites to do with your kids. Crafts, horse back riding, and water sports are just a few. Finally, you are totally served by their awesome staff! They welcome you with cheering, unload your car, help with your kids, serve you your meals and won't even let you pour your own drink while you are there! We love getting to know the college-aged counselors that are such amazing men and women of God. Each year, God knits our hearts together with a few of them ! It is so fun to see some of the same counselors the following summer and hear all God has done in their lives. Our family loves this place and we have already pre-paid for next summer. We truly feel like it is an investment in our familiy's spiritual life! Pine Cove's motto is: "Pine Cove exists to be used by God to transform the lives of people for His purposes and His glory." Each time we come home, we see the fruit of this in ourselves and our kids! It is an awesome vacation! Here are a few pics from this summer:

Sundays

2008-07-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Our new church home, Gateway, gives us 10 different service times to choose from and two locations. We have really enjoyed trying out most of the services but have settled on Saturday at 5:45. In doing this we attend church, have dinner and then end our night with a Shabbat- the"Graves" version of the Jewish Sabbath/communion celebration. We enter Sunday as a full day of rest including time with family and time with the Lord. This has worked wonderfully for our family because we truly feel like we get to rest. In the past our Sundays were fast and furious with our 5 small children. We are not legalistic about it, but now we do try to cease from our "regular work" and remember and observe His faithfulness. "This is what the LORD commanded: 'Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. Exo 16:23

Here are a few pictures from the last 2 Sundays:

Family worship with the new Gateway DVD! We had a blast..from dancing and praising to some deep worship! It was awesome!

Last Sunday evening the weather was just beautiful so Hannah grabbed her Bible, devo and a towel. We all shortly followed her... she is such a great example! I thank God that my kids love to read their Bible-even little John!

"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. " Deut. 6:4-9

FYI-Umm...yea...not too sure why my two little girls have their shirts off in both sets of these pics. It is not common practice around here for the ladies!! ;) They just say that sometimes the shirts make them sweaty! I guess this was one of those days!!

One Amazing Husband

2008-07-08T18:15:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday my wonderful husband and I celebrated our 11th anniversary! I can't even believe it has been that long...it has seriously flown by! John told me when we first got married that my life would never be boring and I can tell you the man doesn't lie. It has been one faith-filled adventure after another and I wouldn't want it any other way! From helping start and lead a college ministry a few months after we had been married to running for US Congress twice to having 5 kids in 9 years...it has been a blast! Here are a few more things that I love about him:

I am so honored to share my life with this man. When I say I think he is seriously the most amazing man on this planet, I REALLY mean it. He is just perfect for me in every way and has been since we first met! He is the most self-less man I know always putting me and the kids above himself and his desires. I truly contribute a huge success of our marriage to this quality in John. He does lay down his life for others and especially for us.

He is the most gracious and forgiving man that I have ever met. Before our engagement, I felt like I should share all of my past with him (I didn't get saved until college) so I poured out my heart to him on January 1, 1997. After I cried many tears, he looked at me and said. "I forgive you and God has forgiven you and I know you wouldn't have done those things if you would have known what God had for you." Oh how true that is! He has never once brought up my past and has loved me so unconditionally. John has given me such a precious glimpse of the Father's love and forgiveness not just back then but time and time again.

John is one of the most generous men I have ever met and I adore this about him. He loves to bless people! Whether it is secretly paying the bill of a single mom in a restaurant or picking the softest and nicest sheets and towels (despite their cost) for our guest room, he truly enjoys blessing others and helping those in need.

I also love that John is extremely wise and discerning. Hannah (10) one day told him he was like Solomon! He is wise about the things of God, about finances, marriage, parenting, business, etc... People love to come over and get advice or just hang around because of his wisdom! I am serious too and have pictures to prove it!

John is just as amazing in his role as a father. He loves the kids and makes them a priority. He trains and disciplines in love and always knows how to have fun with them. Our kids adore him and I love to watch him with them!

My hubby is an extravagant in his love toward me. He blesses me in so many ways and with so many gifts-and I am not just talking about material gifts. For example last year on our tenth anniversary, he scannned all of our old pictures and negatives, made a digital scrapbook (or 2) for every year we had been married, and had someone make coinciding videos for each year as well! Two months ago when he left the country on a business trip for 2 weeks, he surprised me with a day of pampering to "ease" the pain. Have you ever heard of such a man??! I haven't and I still can't believe God chose this man for me. I am blessed and still amazed.

John, this "list" only scratches the surface of who you are. I love so many things about you-too many to blog about! Thank you for an incredible 11 years! I thank God for bringing us together and still stand in complete awe that I was chosen to be yours. I am so in love with you...even more than I was on July 5, 1997!

Here is a snapshot of us on our wedding day and then on our date this past Saturday.

God Is A Special Man

2008-06-17T11:08:00.003-07:00

The other morning a sweet voice drifted downstairs as we were enjoying our Saturday together as a family. John and I both stopped what we were doing to figure out who it was. We smirked as we heard Rebekah (3) singing over and over "God is a special man, God is a special man, God is a special man." It was not being sung to any particular tune but she was singing her heart out. She walked down the stairs with a huge smile as she continued with her song. It blessed me so much and I know blessed my God! Even with the off notes and unreconizable tune, her love for Him poured out and affected all of us that morning.

God I pray that my heart and love for you would overflow and affect the world around me. I am so amazed by You, my God and my Redeemer. Thank you for loving me, for radically changing me and for giving me a husband and children who can't get enough of you. Thank you for being my Father. You are a "special man!"

Your Grateful Daughter,

Nicole

1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

Changes- March pt. 2

2008-06-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

If you are just checking in, I am doing a re-cap since we have moved to Dallas. So... I am going back to catch up! The second part of March was so special. My Mom (a.k.a Mimi) came to visit us in our new home. We had not seen her since Thanksgiving so we were so ready! We celebrated Christmas with her and thats about where the fun ended!! Unfortunately, all 5 kids got a stomach flu! For most of her trip, we cleaned up puke and held sick babies!! God did give us a fun surprise though! Hannah and I took Mom to lunch at The Cheesecake Factory- it was literally the only time we left the house the whole time she was here! While we were eating, huge snow flakes began to fall! We came home to Dad already making "snow ice cream" and went out to play! That night we decided we had to build some snow men before it all melted! We had a blast playing in the snow, enjoying a fire outside, and drinking hot chocolate. My mom seriously had the most fun! It blessed me so much to see her playing with my kids in the snow and working to roll snowmen! We even made snow angels! Here are some pictures:

Can you believe this? I have never seen this in Texas!

Dad making snow ice cream and the "kids" enjoying it!

Having fun with my 2 oldest!

Rebekah (3) not having fun!! She doesnt like being cold like her Mom! Check out that face!

Mom and I about make our angels...so fun! I am stylin' in my husband's clothes, shoes, hat! Cute, huh?

My beautiful mother! She is amazing!

John and I with our snow couple!

The Mr. and Mrs....man that was some hard work!

We finished off the month with a last minute trip to our old lake house- which has still not sold! We camped out on sleeping bags ...it was roughin it for me let me tell ya!! For real, I am so not the camp out kinda girl so this was pushing it! :) While in Longview we got to visit with our Nana, had a visit from Grandpa Jesse, and got to hang out with the lovely Pelaia family and meet their newest addition! A few Teen Mania guys also came to have a little lake time and our dear friends, The Holloways, visited as well. We had a little cook out and played with confetti eggs! There was lots of catching up to do and so we went late into the night. Our families sat by the fire and roasted marshmallows. It was great getting to spend time with some our very best friends. Such a blessing to be with them again!

So the one kicker (besides the fact of the whole camping out thing for me) was that 4 of our kiddos got another 24 hour stomach bug! Throw up again!!! So we had a quick trip to the laundry mat. As we arrived my 4 yr old informed me of an accident in her pants. Yep, the big D! Oh the joys!

John coming after me with the confetti egg.....

Dad attacking and finally his defeat!

Hannah with Rachel and Allyson. Joseph and Ethan.

Joseph holding Bryson Pelaia!! Hannah with Bethany and Brittany!

We headed back to Dallas for our Easter service at church and then had a lunch in our home with some friends. Katie, Hannah and I had so much fun in the kitchen!!

Oh and all the Teen Mania guys...yea they all got the bug! Poor single guys...just not used to kid's germs!! :)

"Hannah Nicole" -God's Grace and Victorious Heart

2008-05-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Hannah,

Happy 10th Birthday! I cannot believe you are in the double digits! It seems like just yesterday your Dad and I left for the hospital to have you. I remember standing in the kitchen, turning around to look back at the house and thinking this would be the last time here with just the 2 of us. I wondered how it would all change when you came along. Little did I know that a tiny baby would change my life as much as you changed mine! I am so thankful that He sent you to be my first. I remember how as a newborn you would snuggle up with me and I thought my heart would burst with the most unbeliveable love for you! You captured my heart 10 years ago! I have loved watching you grow from a cute little baby into such a beautiful and graceful young lady. Here are some things that I love about you:

You are such a lover of Jesus and you have been for a long time. I can still see you just worshipping as a little, cute toddler with your chubby arms raised to the heavens. His light and life truly shine through you!! You have always been my little helper and friend. You are such a caring and sweet sister to all your siblings. You have the greatest, most contagious laugh that always makes me laugh. You have always amazed me when you worship Jesus through dance...what a gift He has given you. You are an amazing example for our firstborn child. You have a great sense of style and have always surprised me at the outfits you can put together. I remember once telling you when you were like 4-5 how something didn't match and you said, "Matching is boring!" You were ahead of your time!! :) You are very thoughtful and always write Dad and I such encouraging notes. You love to learn and are very teachable. You are so wise for your age.

Hannah, I could go on and on. There are so many special things about you. You truly are a gift and a princess. My prayer is that you know how incredible He has made you and that you clearly see what a treasure you are to Him and to all of us! I love you dearly!

Changes-March Pt. 1

2008-04-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

March was a very exciting month in our home, so I will split it up into a few parts!
First of all we celebrated one of our dearest friends 70th birthday. Although his birthday was in December, we were not able to get his present here and actually celebrate until Feb 22. (I know this should technically be in last month's but I downloaded the pictures in March so it threw me off).
Tom is my husband's spiritual dad and is just downright amazing! He and his precious wife are so dear to us and we are honored to be a part of their lives! They came in to visit so we did birthday dinner at Saltgrass and then John had a giant cookie made. We all enjoyed it- especially the blue icing! Even with blue teeth, these two are still adorable and classy!

Then on March 1st, we welcomed Isaac Thomas Terry into the world!! John and I got to be there for almost the whole time and it was so special. Melissa is seriously a rockstar and did such a fantastic job. I watched as Joe took such great care of her and was reminded me of how much I love this guy! He is just perfect for Melissa!! He has proved to be such a strong, wise and caring husband these last 2 years to our spiritual daughter! I know he will be an amazing dad as well! Here is little "I"as my 2 yr old calls him! He is precious! I felt so blessed to be there as he entered the world and I loved getting to see Melissa love on him the moment he arrived. She is already a phenomenal mom!

Our good friends, The Davidsons, came in for a birthday party. Brad and John were roomates before we got married. Jenifer and I went to rival high schools in Houston and met at church years later in Longview. They got married 2 months after us and we loved hanging out as newly married couples (they lived on our street)! It was such fun times. They now have 4 kiddos and have moved away. We love getting together and this time was extra special. We went to church together, went on a date (just the adults) and then me and Jen got away for a little shopping!! The next day we went to their oldest daughter's bday party at the American Girl Bistro and the girls had a blast. This is the ONLY pic I got while they were here!! All 9 eating breakfast!!

This is Sarah (4)and I going on a girl date!! Sarah so looks up to her big brother that she sometimes wants to be just like him! I took her out to remind her how fabulous it is being a girl!! We went shopping and compared the drab boy clothes to the oh-so-lovely girl stuff. We then had lunch and a cookie and sat by the fountains to talk! She really got into it and bought some sparkly, gold flip-flops! It was sooo much fun! She is a sweetie and I loved getting some alone time with her.

Hannah getting her sisters dressed in the morning-part of her morning duty. She does a great job, doesn't she?

The kids playing in the mud and little John being silly!

Rebekah giving herself a make over and the 5 fabuloso kids! They are too much!

Changes- February

2008-04-24T21:34:00.001-07:00

The month in pictures:

We gave our dear Miss-i-la ( Rebekah's version of Melissa) a baby shower!! Many of our dear friends from Longview came in which made it even more special!

Two silly girls : Hannah pretending to be Katie wearing her clothes, dancing shoes, purse and phone!! Rebekah all bundled up to go outside.

John- when you are number 5, sometimes you have to fend for yourself!! We often find him in the pantry.

The men of the house praying...that makes a woman's heart melt!

Kids inschool-such great readers!

Valentine's Day... It has become tradition to the kids waking up to cut out construction hearts all around their bed and leading to the "fun" table!!

Joseph and his animals...the boy STILL loves them! If that is all we ever gave him, he would be happy!

Sending a thank you to Mimi for their box full of presents and a Valentine's dinner for Dad.

Changes- January

2008-04-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

Now for the month of January! Let's see....unpacking boxes, some boxes and more boxes! We all settled in quite quickly and smoothly. I believe the 2 years of prayer really laid a foundation and totally prepared the kids. There was a very nice transition for all of us here. John had it the hardest as he really began the traveling back and forth to Tyler.

We celebrated Rebekah's 3 rd birthday and as always she had a blast! Her birthday is a little difficult to get people together because it so closely follows Christmas. She never gets a really big party...it is usually just the fam! But to Rebekah, everyday is a party!! She is my fun-loves-life-kind-of-girl. SO on a day where we sing to her (even if it is just the 6 of us) and give her presents and cake...she is giddy! This year is was just our family including Katie and Anna! If you look at the twinkle in Rebekah's eyes you see the pure joy in her! Her nickname is "Happy Heart!"

All three girls also started taking dance classes. Melissa told us of a Christian dance studio called Studio One. Mrs. Jennifer is the owner and teacher and she is amazing! She loves Jesus with all her heart and is so great with our girls. We are blessed to be a part of what God is doing through her and the studio! She is teaching quality dance instruction, godly character and modest (BUT COOL) dance and dress! Taking the arts back for Jesus is what I say! :)

Getting ballet shoes and leos for the girls!

First day of classes at Studio One

One of my very dear friends, Jen, and her crew came to visit in January! With 9 kids under the age of 9, it was a definite party! Jen and I go WAY back to before Jesus days. We met at UT Tyler and even though we desperately needed Jesus to step in, we always had a blast! It is so amazing to get to walk through the different stages of life together...and NOW we are doing it with Him! Radical transformation, marriage, kids (VERY shortly after we got married for both of us), and now raising and educating them! Our old friends would fall out laughing if they heard we were sold out for Jesus, homeschool moms! :) Jen is so dear to my heart and I am blessed to have her as a friend! Here are some pictures of the "preschool class!"

I love the way we are looking at each other..."Who's kids are these anyway??"
Elijah and John enjoying spaghetti!

Our month ended rather sadly- the whole family got the flu except Dad! I have never felt so horrible in my life! Then to watch all the little ones get it was just so sad. Sarah had a trip to the ER for breathing issues and Joseph to the doc for a sinus infection. It felt like the NEVER ending flu season for us because we had a few relapses after the initial onset. We were thanking Jesus when everyone was finally well!

We also had a fun trip to the zoo and the new park right around the corner. Here are some more pictures :

Trying to take down Dad!

Daddy w/ his happy stick in the back pocket for any rowdy zoo animals!

Sarah and her nifty binoculars checking out the animals!

I dont know what we are laughing about, but this pic cracks me up!

Park time!

All 5 tumbling down the slide.

Saying goodbye to the faithful baby mattress all 5 kids slept on.

Changes

2008-04-16T21:48:00.000-07:00

So much has changed since my last entry! Here is the beginning of a quick overview of the last 5 months of our life! Don't worry...I will only do a month at a time! :)

In December we moved from our home of 10 years to a new home in the DFW area. We felt like God began to plant seeds about Dallas in our hearts several years ago. This was unusual because since we had first gotten married, we loved our home and had NO desire for the big city. We lived on a lake with an amazing view and a gorgeous yard. Our home was great and also very sentimental to us! So much happened there - John proposed to me in our prayer room (our room over the water), we spent our honeymoon night there (yes…we wanted to!), we brought all 5 kids home from the hospital and John even baptized a ton of people there-my two little brothers included. Our memories there are precious! I say all of this to make the point- we were NOT looking to move! Yet God continued to speak about Dallas. The first thing we asked Him was to show us our church. We knew this decision was vital to the health of our family. He faithfully showed us both that Gateway would be our new church home - He even did it in a really special way for me but that is a whole other entry in itself!!

We then began looking at houses. We found one that seemed just perfect but it sold after a few months….and I was heartbroken. This was the house I wanted!! We were VERY ready to start our new season in Dallas and get involved in church. But His timing is perfect and so are His ways. He gave us a home that was less expensive, bigger and on more land. It by far surpassed the first house WE had wanted and it was one that I would have never dared to even ask for. He even made it to where our backyard looks onto open land with trees and horses!! YES…right here in Dallas! I know He did that especially for John!

*First night in, doing a jig the night in our new home the night we got in and our backyard!

At last... we moved!

*Sun breaking through as I turn on I-20, our awesome moving crew, John ready to go!

The next morning we attended Gateway for our first-we-are-finally-here-for-real-service! Our whole family literally cheered when we drove into the parking lot! Before we moved and while we waited on His timing (which seemed like forever!!), we watched Gateway live for several months (http://www.gatewaypeople.tv/) and then would drive up when we could. We joined the church in August and were ecstatic to finally be with our new church family 4 months later. It is an amazing church and I am so thankful to be a part! On the 31st, we were able to dedicate John Alexander in our new church home!

*John with his new Bible, dedicating our little man, the fam with Pastor Ed and his wife!

Our Christmas was extra special because we had specifically prayed that we would be in our new home for Christmas. While the tree and lights got up, ornaments did not!! But no one seemed to care. We were all just thankful to be in our new home and to finally be where He had called us!

Here are some more pictures from December…..

*Christmas PJ's, John on his rocking horse, Nutcracker with girls, me and my muffins on Christmas Eve.

Sarah- My Beautiful...Deer Hunter?

2007-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

“Sarah, what do you want for Christmas?”

“You don’t know what I want? I’ll give you a hint. How you gonna see a deer far away on a deer hunt?”

“Binoculars??”

A sweet smile and nod were my answer.

Yes, this is my Sarah Katherine(4)! Her full name means Princess and pure. My “pure princess” wants binoculars for deer hunting. Go figure…

Back Again

2007-11-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

Where oh where have I been this last …goodness…almost a month? Well, it is a long story but I will give the highlights. First of all, I have been single parenting it quite a bit. John has continued to work out of town a lot so that leaves me and the kiddos to do life without our great dad! As I said before, when he is gone he is greatly missed!

Next, we had a case of the stomach bug whip through the entire family. I had just finished reading a Living Proof Ministries blog about Amanda’s family (Beth Moore’s daughter) getting a stomach bug and I thought to myself, “Thank God we have never had THAT!” On Thursday it began!! WHAMO…just like that. Then to make it really fun, John and Joseph had signed up for a father/son retreat back in July. They got to throw up there while we were going at it back at home. Thankfully it was pretty much a 24 hour thing but man it was NOT fun.

Then we have made a few trips to Dallas- one for a check up on Hannah at Scottish Rite (uh, wasn’t I just there for Sarah’s pinky?) and also to visit Gateway church. WOW…the service about knocked my socks off. It was amazing- intimate worship(of which I pretty much cried through the whole thing) and then a powerful teaching! We really needed that and felt so refreshed afterwards!
Finally, throw in out of town guests, a fun lunch with some dear friends that I haven't seen in years, more doctor appointments, some birthday shopping and planning, voting, tae kwon do, ballet and did I even mention SCHOOL?

So…waa, waa! I know we all lead such busy lives and when mine gets busy I have to let something go. Blogging was my something! Yet in all of this busyness, God is so faithful to give me the grace needed for the moment. He is so sweet to me and I just don’t know what I would do without Him!

This last Thursday, we celebrated John’s birthday. We had a special dinner for him and lots of fun presents! His favorite was our recording of Proverbs. He loves the Word and has been asking me to record us reading it. Last Christmas we read a couple of New Testament books, for our anniversary I read Song of Songs and for this birthday we read Proverbs. I really wanted to do it in Amplified because he already has the other translations. WOW…that was fun having my 7 yr and 9 yr old read that! But hey…they learned some new vocabulary words and so did I!! I then whisked him away for an overnight stay at a hotel for some much needed alone time. It was so fun! I am so blessed to get to do life with this man! Here are a few pictures from his birthday:

A birthday sunset for John delivered by our

Creator!

A quick and frantic attempt to get a few family pics

Dad opening our recording of Proverbs and them listening to it at the hotel!

Perks of Being a Mommy

2007-10-21T06:56:00.000-07:00

This morning as I groggily wiped a little hiney, I remembered why I love being a mom. :) Rebekah (2.5) was leaning over, with here chubby little arms wrapped around my legs and said,

" I like you mom. I love you too."

I told her that I loved her too. My heart felt warm. It is times like this and the little whispers, the thank you's, the tight hugs that make this VERY demanding job so worth it. Jesus, thank your for my children and for showing me your love through them.

Sarah is 4!!

2007-10-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Sarah's 4th birthday last Saturday! It is so amazing to me that she is already 4. She is so funny...me and John often look at each other and just laugh! Right now she runs around doing Tae Kwon Do like her big brother and gives a "HYAHHH" to anyone who upsets her. She loves Jesus, loves to read and calls me "pretty, precious, beautiful" and her daddy is " handsome, cool, awesome!" For her party she wanted a Chronicles of Narnia theme. Of course we found nothing! We then settled on cowboys after debating that Darth Vader is really not what we want for a little girl's birthday party. It was a small family party (with 5 kids it works out great) but we all had fun blessing Sarah! Here are a few pictures:

The Good, The Great and the Cuties

Happy to be rid of the tricycle!

Sarah wiped out right after the party!

We love you Sarah Katherine.. you are God's Pure Princess!

Husbands and Prayers

2007-10-10T23:06:00.000-07:00

John truly is an incredible husband, but I do know that Jesus is the only perfect husband a girl can have!! I believe Jesus wants to reiterate the very fact that He is my husband FIRST and that He is my very present help in times of trouble. I always think that I have this down until….John leaves!!

My "earthly"husband is an amazing guy. Not only is he a wonderful, totally-takes-care-of-me, romantic husband but he is also one of the best daddy’s that I have ever seen. He always puts us first and when he is here, he is all the way here. Not a checked-out-watching-TV kind of dad but totally involved in ALL aspects of our kids lives. He changes poop diapers, bathes kids, plays with them, trains them and does WHOLE nighttime process for me!! I mean it when I say, “What would I do without him??” He even keeps my gas tank full all the time!! I don’t even know when he does it!!

SO….when he is gone, I feel it in a big way!! Things always seem to go amiss.
For example, the only two times I have ever been in the ER (Sarah's first two asthma attacks) was when John was out of town. I know that is the extreme example, but it seems like we are always a little off when daddy’s gone.
This week was no different. He was sent unexpectedly to Wyoming on Tuesday through Friday. Well, a few weeks ago Sarah (almost 4) hurt her pinky while she was climbing on our wood pile. We had an ER nurse friend look at it and she said to tape it and watch it. We did and yesterday we found out that it healed…BROKEN! I am taking Sarah to Scottish Rite hospital in downtown Dallas for an appt and possible surgery. First, I HATE driving in downtown Dallas! Second, hello….I hate doing this kind of stuff without my man!

So I am asking for prayers! Please pray that:
I have a sound mind and am safe as I drive downtown-and through construction to top it off
The docs have wisdom for what is best for Sarah’s pinky
IF we have surgery please pray for safety, peace over little Sarah, and proper healing for her finger.
Pray over the anesthesia- I am trying to be ok with them putting her under.
John makes it home safely...he is planning on arriving at midnight Thursday.

I know Jesus is my ultimate help-that HE has this all under control. I am forever thankful for Him and love Him so much!! I just hate that it takes things like this to remind me sometimes.
Lord, help me to live in such an intimate place with you that I don’t feel alone and needy when my earthly husband is gone.

Isaiah 54:5 For your Maker is your Husband — the Lord of hosts is His name — and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth He is called.

PS This was the icing on the cake this morning. I will just leave a picture and say after much scrubbing it came out!!

School Days

2007-10-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I last posted so here goes a little update!! We are busy, busy, busy with school right now. Hannah is in the 4th grade and Joseph is in the 2nd. They are at such a great age and we are learning some really fun things this year...American History happens to be my personal favorite!! Sarah (4 on Saturday) has been begging me to teach her to read for the past year and so we have started. She is so very excited and when she reads a word she claps and smiles so big! I love watching her little face light up and I love getting to be the one that is right there with her as she learns. Rebekah (2 1/2)does some coloring, reading and most of the time tries to do everything the older ones are doing. John (16 mo) eats crayons, climbs on everything and begs to go outside. This semester we have Katie living with us as our total God-send-nanny!! She is wonderful and helps me so much!! When the little ones get too busy, she takes them outside or plays with them so I can have great one on one time with the big kids. Not only is she wonderful with the kids but....she LOVES to cook!! I am so thankful to John for allowing me to have her and for Katie for being a great friend and helper!
I so enjoy getting to be with the kids all during the day and can't imagine not having all 5 at home. Don't get me wrong....there are times when -WOW- I really need a break and take great pleasure in a trip alone to Wal Mart!! However, I do feel honored and extremely blessed to get to stay at home and be a mommy, teacher and friend! Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks:

Guess What I Found...

2007-09-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

The other night while Hannah and I were doing dishes, John walks in with a silly grin.
Our conversation went something like this:

John: “If you can guess what I found in John Alexander’s diaper I will give you twenty bucks. I have NEVER seen this before in 9 years of changing diapers.”

Nicole: “A penny?”

Hannah: “A grape?”

Nicole: “A bean,…a quarter?”

Hannah “A crayon!”

John just sat there shaking his head at every random answer we threw his way! He finally smiled and showed us this:

A SOCK?! Now soaked and a little discolored. Apparently when I asked one of the kids to change the baby’s diaper…this wound up inside! Oh the adventures of parenting!

A Missionary In My Own Home

2007-09-14T08:20:00.000-07:00

God is so faithful to speak when we are willing to listen. Last Tuesday was an incredibly hard day…everything seemed to go wrong! I literally sat on the couch at the end of the night and felt like I could not move or speak! My husband asked me if I needed some counseling! Yes...it was that bad. Although he was joking with me, I really did need someone to talk to!! I lay in bed that night and cried. I felt like such a loser mom! I had been so fleshy…so easily frustrated, not walking in peace, not being gentle in my tone of voice, etc. The next morning I woke up early (totally God because I am NOT a morning person) and pulled out my Bible. I told God I had to hear from Him, that I could not make it without some direction from Him.

First I read some Psalms and then turned to 1Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were as gentle among your as a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too.

Ouch!! God showed me that as a mother I could be demanding but I should be gentle and caring. I should not only share His Word with them but also my LIFE. How many times had I been demanding and not gentle with them? How many times was I frustrated if they interrupted what I wanted to do...or in other words MY life? God has called me to lay down my life for my children. Surely if Paul did this for people that weren’t his flesh and blood, how much more should this be true for my own children that God blessed me with? I then remembered reading a few verses before when Paul said:

1 Thessalonians 1:5-6 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance* that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth in our message.

Sometimes we Christians can get so caught up in “our ministry” or in “saving the lost” and yet we don’t live in a way that is proof of God’s goodness & love in our own home. I am guilty! If I am grumpy, frustrated, or tired-- if things aren’t easy and going my way it seems that I give myself the right to be fleshy. What kind of gospel am I showing to my own children? It is not attractive I know that. I would never let my flesh rear its ugly head if I was trying to witness to someone that was lost. I surely would never talk to my friends like that! Yet with the most important people in my life, I can sometimes live in a way that does not draw them to the Good News.

Now please let me clarify!! I am not saying ministry and reaching out to the lost is wrong. I believe in both. I am also not saying to be fake and put on a front for our children. I desire to be genuine but I also desire to give them my best.

God was so kind to give me this correction. I desperately want to present my Savior as one who is loving, merciful, powerful, and gentle. I definitely don’t want my children (or anyone for that matter) to be turned off by the “way I live.” Later I shared with my kids what God had shown me and asked their forgiveness. They were all shocked and reassured me that I was a great mom. God is so kind to cover our mistakes! But I still want them to know that I mess up and God can not only forgive me but also change me. I want them to know that His word is powerful and alive and can speak to us today. They all laid their sweet little hands on me and prayed the most amazing things. God ministered to me through their heartfelt prayers.

I thank you Lord that you do lead and guide us. Thank you that I know I am your child when you discipline me. Lord God, help me to be gentle and lay my life down for my children’s sake. Help me to live in a way so that my children can taste and see that you are good…because you are that and so much more!

Onde e a Barbearia?

2007-09-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

This means, "Where is the barber shop?" in Portugese. You see, this blog is dedicated to my dear friend Michawn at Michawn's Meanderings - a missionary in Brazil! She has been a part of the "family" for almost 9 years now. She and I were in an accountability group together and then she lived with us for a while. Now she is all married and grown up with a little family of her own! Michawn and Joel recently moved to Brazil to be missionaries. They have 3 little ones under 4 and... a bun in the oven! She is THE woman. When she was single working as a nurse, she sold EVERYTHING because she wanted to go on the mission field. God wanted her to marry a wonderful man of God FIRST, have 3 kids and wait several years before He brought her desire to pass!! :)

We have had some really great memories (it scares me that so many revolve around food...bowls of brownie mix, lemon pepper chicken, SWEEEEt tea). But there are many other awesome ones as well like praying for the fullness of God in my kitchen, talking about her future man, watching God bring them together, her wedding.....the list goes on! As I was driving home last night I saw something that brought another memory to mind! Before they left for Brazil, we got to hang out a bit...that is go eat!!! On our way home we passed this barber shop:

We got hysterical! Only in East Texas!! Can't you just hear the barber saying, "Who next?" Maybe you had to be there : ) Michawn and I definitely bring out a certain chemistry in each other when we are together! But for you, Michawn...a little bit of East Texas and hopefully a good laugh! Know that I cherish your friendship and love and MISSSS you dearly! Ate mais tarde...

My Mother-In-Love

2007-08-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Our Nana is seriously wonderful! I am very blessed to have such a kind and loving mother-in-love...yes not mother-in-law because she is much more than that! She is so thoughtful and giving and is always there for our family. Her creativity always makes our holidays so special. I am thankful she raised such an awesome man and always encouraged him that he could do anything. I am thankful and honored to be a part of the family!

Each year before school starts, all of her school aged granddaughters are privileged to have a special tea with their Nana. They get to dress up, bring their American Girl doll (her birthday gift to each one when they turn 4) and have loads of fun.

This year they met at Nana's house to eat dainty sandwiches, chocolate covered strawberries and then watch the Sound Of Music. Nana even made them chocolate Eiffel Towers on a stick in honor of her recent trip to Europe!

This has become such a special tradition that Hannah always looks forward to. I know it will provide her with many fond memories of her Nana.

Thank you Connie for being such an amazing mother and Nana! We love you dearly!

Ballet and Tae Kwan Do

2007-08-22T20:06:00.001-07:00

Last week we started up Ballet classes for Hannah. I love watching Hannah dance. She has danced since she was a little bitty thing! God has really gifted her...she amazes me when I turn on worship music and she begins to make it up as she goes. She loves Jesus and it shows! It is cool to see her use her gift for Him. This is her sixth year to take from the most amazing teacher ever. Ms. Tena is a beautiful dancer and person....and she loves Jesus too!! Here is a shot of Hannah and her friends on the first day:

Joseph started Tae Kwan Do for the first time. He liked the first class but then on the second day he did not want to go back because he said, " I don't want to yell." He looked so sad...I almost gave in. Then Dad called. He explained how men need to press through things even if they don't like it or don't want to do it. I told Joseph we paid for a month and it wasn't an option to quit. He ended up having so much fun during class and he did great. I am so thankful God gave a mommy and a daddy!

Master Phrumjumtun (I love saying his name :) ) at one point asked Joseph why he smiled so much. He got embarrassed and looked up shyly. Master P then instructed Joseph to say, "Because I am happy sir!" This is so great for him and he is doing really well. He is picking up things quickly and even earned his first stripe yesterday.

I am again thankful for a quality, Christian intructor. He is a sixth degree black belt, very disciplined but loving and fun too! We are blessed to live here in the Bible belt!!

Wow...my kids are growing up fast! I can't believe these are my first two little muffins!! It seems like yesterday that they were just barely toddling around! I loved that stage...but I love this stage as well. Watching God's gifts unfold in them is really amazing. I look forward to walking with them as they discover what all He has for them. Like I tell them, "God has big plans for your life!" I cant wait to see what they are!

A Lesson Learned

2007-08-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

When I first began this whole blog thing, my husband wasn't too sure about it. He did not understand me wanting to read about other people's lives. He also wasn't too sure about putting our private life out there in cyber space. I tried to explain it in terms he would understand. You see my husband is a big believer in having mentors and accountability. I have had a few and loved it. However, for me it is REALLY hard to get a babysitter and actually get out of the house on time. I explained that in reading these blogs I receive encouragement, ideas, and many times a much needed laugh in the middle of a crazy day. Most importantly, I am reminded that I am not alone in this journey. That is one of the great benefits of the blogging world.

A down side is this: If not done at the proper time, crazy things can happen! I know many of you are saying "DUH" right about now, but I guess I am slow! The other day I got up early, had time with Jesus and my oldest daughter and then sat down to check emails and a few of my favorite blogs. I was really only going to be a minute! While I was reading Raising Five, my 3 year old comes in and says, "Mom, Rebekah (2) is on the calendar and spilt the Grape Nuts." I immediately knew that "calendar" was her way of saying "counter" and ran to the kitchen to find this!

Now mind you, this is NOT the first time she has done this. She frequently will try to get on the counter. Today, Rebekah decided she wanted her breakfast. She never asked anyone, she just took charge. First, I did the most important thing and grabbed my camera ( I had to capture the moment). I then sat her down and we had a very serious talk. She was not very happy, as you can see!

But a bowl of Grape Nuts with a little bit of honey can make any one of my kids smile. Rebekah was happy and I learned a great lesson. Blogs are great encouragement and all, but make sure your kids are eating breakfast before you slip off for some blog time. :)

So my question for all of you other moms out there is this:
"When do you find is the best time to blog?" I would love some wisdom!!

Purple Hull Peas...

2007-08-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, first of all let me get this straight. I was raised in Houston and am pretty much a city girl. I had never heard of purple hull peas until I was introduced to them by my dear husband. They look like black eyed peas to me, but those were always from a can and were only eaten on New Year's Day. I surely never grew them, picked them or shelled 'em! That all changed last week!

It has been a little crazy around here lately. We painted and re-carpeted two rooms in our house. So...everything is in my dining room. The house is therefore a mess and this makes me "feeeel" very out of control at times. It is hard enough keeping the house clean on a normal day with 5 kids, but this is just over the top! Well, after cleaning all day as best as we could, in walks my sweet husband. He explains that he is so excited because he wants to introduce them to something from his childhood. He then goes to the car and walks in with a VERY large trash bad of these peas! A bushel of purple hull peas!! My first thought is, "Oh greeeaat, more mess for me to clean!" Yes, I know..totally selfish.

Not so with my very wise and spiritual husband who NEVER shrinks back from a big project! He begins to explain what they are and how he planted them when he was a kid and actually made a great profit off of them. He explains the conveniences of our time and how back in the old days people had to work for their food. They all got a bowl and were told when one bowl was full, they would be given dessert. So, the shelling began! Little peas were flying through the air, shells were getting dropped, and bowls were spilt several times.

This went on for at least an hour. Dear husband then begins to explain about working together and sacrificing for a common good. They all worked feverishly trying to fill up "their" bowl when the light bulb finally went off. My two oldest combined theirs and then began to compete with the little two - who received support from Grandpa and Dad. It took them another hour and tired fingers to wise up to the full lesson. When they saw bedtime was approaching and they were about 1/2 way there(with their combined bowl),they began to lobby their 3 year old sister! She was quite proud of her growing bowl of peas and had no intentions of sharing nor any concern for the bigger picture.

She finally gave in after some very persuasive arguments given by her two older siblings. At last, the bowl was filled and dessert was enjoyed with little, purple stained fingers!

They worked hard the next day and on the third day, desperate to get the peas and all of the extra mess out of my house, I finally joined in on the fun and we finished. We enjoyed peas and cornbread for dinner...the fruit of our labor!

I love seeing the kids learn a powerful lesson. I love that my husband is so cool and wise. I love that in ministering to our kids, he still ministers to me.

Lessons of the cow pea patch:
1. Work Hard: All hard work leads to profit. Pr 12:14 & 14:23 & 13:4
2. Work Diligent: Blessed are the hands of the diligent. Pr 10:4 & 12:24 & 21:5
3. Work Smart: Sharpen your ax and it makes for easier work. Ecc 10:10

"Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty." Pr 21:5 NLT

"The appetite of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the appetite of the diligent is abundantly supplied." Pr 13:4 AMP

Jesus and Roses

2007-08-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

In the midst of my rainy days, my sweet husband came home with these!! Awww...that man and Jesus! They sure do make me smile!

Rainy Days

2007-07-31T08:37:00.000-07:00

" 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." Psalm 121:1

So..who was it that said life is good?? Was that me?? Blah, blah, blah....
Seriously, the last several days have been well, you know...."one of THOSE days." Not just one...but about three! I have had major sinus headaches that start each morning about 10 am. They are those dull, nagging headaches that just make you want to lay down and close your eyes in hope that the pain will subside. Baby has had the runs and severe diaper rash because of it. He literally pooped 8 times yesterday. I tried watching his diet, baking soda baths, hair dryer on the bottom, olive oil, Desitin, Boudreaux's Butt Paste and as you can see in the picture...letting him run around "free!" The latter only resulted in 3 pee pee accidents (one right at the crescendo of a praise song I was singing so that I could REJOICE in all things) and a poop accident in the tub!! Fun stuff. I literally kept thinking, "I can make it til 6." Then found out my husband had to work late. The rain and humidity just added to the whole atmosphere inside the house! SO..are you getting the picture?? Yes..life is good, but some days life is messy.

I KNOW I am blessed. I am a sinner saved by grace, I have a wonderful husband and five healthy children. I KNOW what I should do: think on things that are true, honorable, etc., pray without ceasing, pray scripture over my situations. Yet, on days like this I feel like I am barely hanging on.

So far this morning I do have a headache but Baby has only pooped 3 times this morning!! I can be thankful for that. I love my children and my husband. I have a nice, dry home to watch the rain from. We have food in the fridge and a friend bringing us dinner tonight. I thank God for His refining in me and His grace. I love Him dearly and couldn't imagine my life without Him. Especially on rainy days...

The Beginning

2007-07-25T09:00:00.001-07:00

So...after watching many of my friends enter the blogging world and being a blog stalker for well over a year now, I am giving in! My current vision for this page is to keep friends and fam updated on the FUN "happenings" around the house, a place to post pictures (because I am a nut about taking LOTS) and to share the ups and downs of my journey with God and my family. Some days seem so crazy with the demands of raising five kids and home educating them as well. Other days... I cherish each moment as I watch them grow..learning about our Savior and discovering the simple joys in life. I know I was created for this- to be a wife and a mom. So I rest in that. Life is good.....