I can't believe that the last time I posted we were getting ready to leave San Antonio, and now here I am sitting on my couch, looking out the window on this rainy Kentucky day! Our time in Texas is just a memory now, but I want to continually reminisce on the sweet moments God provided for us while we were there. Leaving was so difficult, somewhat heartbreaking, but it couldn't have been more of an answer to prayer. It meant that we had treasured our time and relationships there and that God's power in our lives had prevailed so mightily. Thank You Lord!
Leaving was emotional, our road trip was once again miraculous. We made amazing time and our kids did well. Many thanks to several books, Elmo and Beauty & the Beast dvds, leftover Halloween candy and other appeasing snacks. The Lord was really gracious to us. We even made it in less time than anticipated. We had 9 hours of driving each day and only stopped twice each day. I call that a successful road trip.
Upon arriving at our house...we found: a bouquet of flowers, a loaf of pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, a pasta meal to make, a crockpot dinner, and a pantry and refrigerator full of the essentials! We knew we had great friends here, but we were stunned by the love that was poured out on us in a such a practical way. Wow. Really, it was another amazing testimony of God's love and faithfulness. Thank you friends, you know who you are!!!
Since then, we have enjoyed/experienced: unpacking, runny noses, organizing, birthday parties, bowling, family in town, runny noses, thanksgiving, more family in town, shopping for furniture, Christmas decorating, and more runny noses. I think we have entered the land of perpetual runny noses!!! Besides for that, everything has been going well.
We are really thankful this Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
"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!" 1John 3:1
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
What I'm going to miss
Holy cow, we are moving in 3 days.
I have to blog about the things I'm going to miss so I can remember it down the road. Otherwise I might forget the name of that amazing bbq restaurant or why I still have a few pounds to lose...(by the way don't judge me that almost all of what I'm going to miss is based around food and shopping, k?)
In no certain order, here goes:
-I'll just get this one over with - SeaWorld. That's an obvious one.
-La Cantera. The nicest outdoor shopping experience a girl can ask for.
-Cooper's, Rudy's. Excellent bbq restaurants. I have never been a huge bbq fan before living here. I mean I ate it, and I liked it, but it wasn't something I craved. That all changed with Texas bbq -- soooo darn delicious. Mmm my mouth is watering even now just thinking about it. They say in college you gain the freshman fifteen, here it's the Texas twenty. So just know it's the bbq (and the next point).
-Mexican food galore! To name a few - pappasito's, mi tierra, tink-a-tako, las palapas. What I love is that there is mexcian food everywhere, and it's pretty darn authentic. For example, homemade flour tortillas that are beyond anything you could ever find in a grocery store. Unless that grocery store is HEB, where they have sweet little ladies making and bagging tortillas right in front of you. It kind of reminds me of Santa's workshop, but instead of toys you get tortillas. Anyway, you can buy warm fresh tortillas that never make it home without first being ripped open in the car and munched on, by parent and children alike. But back to the restaurants, yes they are good. And when you order a chicken or beef taco at one of these places, don't expect anything else. A chicken taco is a taco with chicken in it. This I have learned. Personally I enjoy a few extra toppings so I have to remember to ask for them!
-Target here, Target there. They are everywhere! Seriously you can find a Target at every exit around here. My favorite has been shopping at the Super Target nearby. There is no shortage of shopping here. There are 14 targets and 20 walmarts around san antonio!
-Same goes for Starbucks. Where ever there is a Target, that means there is a Starbucks inside of the store. Every single Target I have been inside of here, there is always a Starbucks. And at every shopping plaza that has a Target (with a Starbucks in it) there is a Starbucks stand alone drive through store as well...just incase you've finished the latte you got in the store and need another while you're driving away. Happens all the time. There are a gazillion Starbucks', but the down side of that is that there are only starbucks. No caribou, no biggby's (which will always be beaners to this MSU girl).
-In all seriousness, San Antonio has been great. It has had a lot of perks, but I will miss the people the most. We have been so blessed to make sweet friends here, and have been loved by a welcoming and caring church body. The love of Christ has manifested itself to us through these people, they have been the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ to us, living it out so well. Sniff sniff. I'm so thankful that we don't have to move to a new place, having to start all over. Although it will be sad to leave, I'm glad we are going to back to something great too. That makes it easier!!
I have to blog about the things I'm going to miss so I can remember it down the road. Otherwise I might forget the name of that amazing bbq restaurant or why I still have a few pounds to lose...(by the way don't judge me that almost all of what I'm going to miss is based around food and shopping, k?)
In no certain order, here goes:
-I'll just get this one over with - SeaWorld. That's an obvious one.
-La Cantera. The nicest outdoor shopping experience a girl can ask for.
-Cooper's, Rudy's. Excellent bbq restaurants. I have never been a huge bbq fan before living here. I mean I ate it, and I liked it, but it wasn't something I craved. That all changed with Texas bbq -- soooo darn delicious. Mmm my mouth is watering even now just thinking about it. They say in college you gain the freshman fifteen, here it's the Texas twenty. So just know it's the bbq (and the next point).
-Mexican food galore! To name a few - pappasito's, mi tierra, tink-a-tako, las palapas. What I love is that there is mexcian food everywhere, and it's pretty darn authentic. For example, homemade flour tortillas that are beyond anything you could ever find in a grocery store. Unless that grocery store is HEB, where they have sweet little ladies making and bagging tortillas right in front of you. It kind of reminds me of Santa's workshop, but instead of toys you get tortillas. Anyway, you can buy warm fresh tortillas that never make it home without first being ripped open in the car and munched on, by parent and children alike. But back to the restaurants, yes they are good. And when you order a chicken or beef taco at one of these places, don't expect anything else. A chicken taco is a taco with chicken in it. This I have learned. Personally I enjoy a few extra toppings so I have to remember to ask for them!
-Target here, Target there. They are everywhere! Seriously you can find a Target at every exit around here. My favorite has been shopping at the Super Target nearby. There is no shortage of shopping here. There are 14 targets and 20 walmarts around san antonio!
-Same goes for Starbucks. Where ever there is a Target, that means there is a Starbucks inside of the store. Every single Target I have been inside of here, there is always a Starbucks. And at every shopping plaza that has a Target (with a Starbucks in it) there is a Starbucks stand alone drive through store as well...just incase you've finished the latte you got in the store and need another while you're driving away. Happens all the time. There are a gazillion Starbucks', but the down side of that is that there are only starbucks. No caribou, no biggby's (which will always be beaners to this MSU girl).
-In all seriousness, San Antonio has been great. It has had a lot of perks, but I will miss the people the most. We have been so blessed to make sweet friends here, and have been loved by a welcoming and caring church body. The love of Christ has manifested itself to us through these people, they have been the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ to us, living it out so well. Sniff sniff. I'm so thankful that we don't have to move to a new place, having to start all over. Although it will be sad to leave, I'm glad we are going to back to something great too. That makes it easier!!
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Halloween
Halloween has become so enjoyable since having kids. I really look forward to it, and to our mini tradition that goes with it. It's not a very special tradition, just making apple pie and ordering pizza, but a tradition nonetheless. And who doesn't look forward to homemade apple pie right? (and not having to cook dinner for that matter).
This year we did the whole dinner/dessert/trick or treating thing with our friends, Tom and Janelle, and their little boy Liam. Sophie and Claire adore him. Sophie calls him her little prince. And when I mention going to Liam's house Claire always gets excited! So needless to say, we all had a wonderful time.
The girls were Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Poor Sophie didn't get a say in her costume this year since she already had one hanging up in her closet from dress up play. And Claire's, I got for a $1 at a thrift store. Can't go wrong with that. Liam was a dragon, but a very kind dragon who said thank you after every piece of candy he received! Sophie loved trick or treating as expected. Afterwards she kept saying "i love halloween." She did get tired pretty fast though and once it got dark she was done. I think Claire could have kept going all night, she had a riot. She knew what to do (minus the talking part), though at one point we were at a house and I was holding her little bag, and she demanded her "beh" (bag) so she could move forward with getting candy.
Great time, and now it's over. Time to look forward to moving, Thanksgiving, Christmas, oh my.
This year we did the whole dinner/dessert/trick or treating thing with our friends, Tom and Janelle, and their little boy Liam. Sophie and Claire adore him. Sophie calls him her little prince. And when I mention going to Liam's house Claire always gets excited! So needless to say, we all had a wonderful time.
The girls were Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Poor Sophie didn't get a say in her costume this year since she already had one hanging up in her closet from dress up play. And Claire's, I got for a $1 at a thrift store. Can't go wrong with that. Liam was a dragon, but a very kind dragon who said thank you after every piece of candy he received! Sophie loved trick or treating as expected. Afterwards she kept saying "i love halloween." She did get tired pretty fast though and once it got dark she was done. I think Claire could have kept going all night, she had a riot. She knew what to do (minus the talking part), though at one point we were at a house and I was holding her little bag, and she demanded her "beh" (bag) so she could move forward with getting candy.
Great time, and now it's over. Time to look forward to moving, Thanksgiving, Christmas, oh my.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Disneyworld
Sophie has been asking if we can go to Disneyworld at least once a day lately. I don't even think she fully knows what disneyworld is but she sure wants to go there. Today our conversation went like this:
S: Can we go to disneyworld? I really want to go to disneyworld right now.
Me: Well, we can't go right now because we have to take an airplane to get there.
S: Oh. Can we take an airplane tonight?
Me: No, we can't. Going to disneyworld takes time and planning. It takes money. We have to save up for something like that.
S: Oh...then maybe tomorrow we can go.
Obviously the words time, planning, and money don't register in the mind of a 3 year old very well.
S: Can we go to disneyworld? I really want to go to disneyworld right now.
Me: Well, we can't go right now because we have to take an airplane to get there.
S: Oh. Can we take an airplane tonight?
Me: No, we can't. Going to disneyworld takes time and planning. It takes money. We have to save up for something like that.
S: Oh...then maybe tomorrow we can go.
Obviously the words time, planning, and money don't register in the mind of a 3 year old very well.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Respectable Sins
Those of you who read my blog might remember that I set out to read 6, that's right, a whopping 6 books this year. :) I just finished #4. (I do really want to get all 6 in and realize time is running low but I hope I can still pull it off). Anyway, back to book #4. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. It is awesome. Not awesome in a nail biting, can't put it down kind of way. Rather, awesome in a heart examining, dead on, life changing kind of way.
This book takes our daily, more acceptable, subtle sins that we experience and puts them under the microscope. It is in no way condemning or harsh. It is merely written to help expose these in our own lives and make us think about how we accept them, justify them, or overlook them.
I have always hated the saying "Do as I say, not as I do." It completely turns me off and immediately I think hypocrite. I think as Christians, we can tend to do that without realizing it. We are fervently opposed to such things as abortion, murder, stealing, adultery, etc., but when it comes to our own hearts we are filthy and don't think twice about it. I think that really taints our witnessing opportunities. Because what is so different about us, besides the fact that we go to church on sundays and maybe a small group or bible study during the week, when the rest of the time, we look the same as everyone else. We watch the same shows, we spend our money the same way, on and on.
So I love this book because it breaks down the more common acceptable/respectable sins we commit. Things like impatience, irritability, anger and weeds of anger, anxiety, worldliness, judgmentalism, envy and jealousy (he even differentiates between the 2), and sins of the tongue among others.
I certainly don't love the fact that I find my heart and attitude in many of these categories of sin, but I do love that God has pierced my little bubble and allowed me to recognize the depth to which I live out some of these, how truly accepted and common they have been in my life. I'm thankful to have read this book. It has made me more aware of my sin, and allowed me to see myself more accurately, according to God's standard, not this world. I am even MORE thankful that God gives his Holy Spirit, His word, and the power of Christ to transform us! So thankful that we don't have to remain in sin, but that we can overcome it. That is freedom in Christ. He gives grace to recognize, repent, and live as a new creations.
Obviously, I am no book critic but I do get excited about great books like this one and can't help but share. So...because I love it so much I would love to get a copy in your hands! Consider this my first ever blog giveaway!! You'll just need to leave a comment to this post and a scripture that God is currently teaching you about/using in your life. I'll pick a winner by Saturday (Oct. 23rd).
This book takes our daily, more acceptable, subtle sins that we experience and puts them under the microscope. It is in no way condemning or harsh. It is merely written to help expose these in our own lives and make us think about how we accept them, justify them, or overlook them.
I have always hated the saying "Do as I say, not as I do." It completely turns me off and immediately I think hypocrite. I think as Christians, we can tend to do that without realizing it. We are fervently opposed to such things as abortion, murder, stealing, adultery, etc., but when it comes to our own hearts we are filthy and don't think twice about it. I think that really taints our witnessing opportunities. Because what is so different about us, besides the fact that we go to church on sundays and maybe a small group or bible study during the week, when the rest of the time, we look the same as everyone else. We watch the same shows, we spend our money the same way, on and on.
So I love this book because it breaks down the more common acceptable/respectable sins we commit. Things like impatience, irritability, anger and weeds of anger, anxiety, worldliness, judgmentalism, envy and jealousy (he even differentiates between the 2), and sins of the tongue among others.
I certainly don't love the fact that I find my heart and attitude in many of these categories of sin, but I do love that God has pierced my little bubble and allowed me to recognize the depth to which I live out some of these, how truly accepted and common they have been in my life. I'm thankful to have read this book. It has made me more aware of my sin, and allowed me to see myself more accurately, according to God's standard, not this world. I am even MORE thankful that God gives his Holy Spirit, His word, and the power of Christ to transform us! So thankful that we don't have to remain in sin, but that we can overcome it. That is freedom in Christ. He gives grace to recognize, repent, and live as a new creations.
Obviously, I am no book critic but I do get excited about great books like this one and can't help but share. So...because I love it so much I would love to get a copy in your hands! Consider this my first ever blog giveaway!! You'll just need to leave a comment to this post and a scripture that God is currently teaching you about/using in your life. I'll pick a winner by Saturday (Oct. 23rd).
Friday, October 15, 2010
Everyday fun
First, there is Sophie rocking out to Chris Tomlin:
Then, there is Claire and her shoe obsession. She also loves her own shoes, but the obsession comes with BIG shoes. She must like the challenge. By the way, this girl from the age of like 10 months has loved purses and shoes, and already has moments of drama that pale in comparison to what her sister did at that age. Are we in for it or what?
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Infraction
Yep, my first ever. This morning, on my way to bible study no less, I got pulled over. It stings a little.
For disregarding a stop sign, though in my defense I didn't disregard it, I saw it! I did more of a rolling-stop...a more natural approach to stopping in my opinion. I guess according to the law that is considered slowing down. Apparently you are supposed to cease all movement of the vehicle?? Who knew! Ok, I am being a little sarcastic here.
But really, $265???? That is the same fine that one would pay for going 26-30 miles over the speed limit! I know what I did was wrong, but to put my offense in the same category as going 26-30 miles over the speed limit is a little absurd. Clearly, I am trying to justify here, and gain some sympathy. Any is welcome by the way :) Did I mention this was my first time ever being pulled over, first time getting a ticket???
For disregarding a stop sign, though in my defense I didn't disregard it, I saw it! I did more of a rolling-stop...a more natural approach to stopping in my opinion. I guess according to the law that is considered slowing down. Apparently you are supposed to cease all movement of the vehicle?? Who knew! Ok, I am being a little sarcastic here.
But really, $265???? That is the same fine that one would pay for going 26-30 miles over the speed limit! I know what I did was wrong, but to put my offense in the same category as going 26-30 miles over the speed limit is a little absurd. Clearly, I am trying to justify here, and gain some sympathy. Any is welcome by the way :) Did I mention this was my first time ever being pulled over, first time getting a ticket???
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