Dream Girl

Several years ago I read this book...

It was fun, practical, and most of all inspiring.  I still keep it by my bed for a refresher now and then!  I am blessed to have won the heart of the man of my dreams and while I know that I have also won his heart I always want to make sure I am doing all that I can to grow our marriage.

One of the topics the author talks about is Creating Commonalities.  She says that your hubby wants to "laugh with you, play with you, and enjoy your company."  While us girls think it is important for our hubbys to do things with us that we enjoy, studies show it is even higher on the male wish list.

Nathan is so good to me...he has watched at least 1,000 chic flicks (he totally loves them), gone to tons of "foody" restaurants with me, and spent countless hours out shopping by my side.

A few weeks it go it was my turn to join him in something that he loves!

After 11 years of marriage I finally donned some camo and hit the hunting lease with my man!  While I will admit that waking up at 5 am to sit in a tent and look for Turkeys in the freezing cold is not my typical idea of fun...it was a great chance to sit by man and watch him take in something he loves so much!  We had some of the best conversations on the way to and from the lease and I actually have to admit that I enjoyed the evening hunts...this girl is NOT a morning person!  We laughed and joked and even if it is not the newest hobby to top my list I loved knowing that I was getting to be a part of what he loves.

Next time I want my own camo!!  Although wearing Nathan's camo kept me pretty warm!

Kaden was able to come with us and had the best time hunting with some seasoned hunters from Malakoff.

It was a great weekend full of fun memories! I am so thankful for my mom who was willing to keep my other kiddos!  I can honestly say...I am looking forward to deer season...this girl may just get her a buck! :)

Fun in the sun!

Texas weather...yesterday it was sunny and 85 degrees, this morning we woke up to temperatures in the 40's!! With weather like this you have to take advantage of warm and beautiful days when you can...before everyday becomes an oven!

So yesterday we did just that! We took our first trip to our neighborhood spray park! All of the kiddos loved it. And really is there anything more precious than Kenzi in her tutu swimming suit? :)

The day ended with grilled steaks and a family walk to the park. I am pretty sure today was my favorite day since we have moved here! I am so thankful for my sweet family and love our everyday moments together!

Spring has sprung!

It is finally warming up this Spring and we are loving some time in the sun!!

Jumping back in...

 Honestly I have a few "type A" traits and the fact that I have missed capturing so many moments and keeping up with this blog had convinced me to give up on it completely.  But I miss having a space to record our life, a place to go back and see how God has grown us over time, a place to spill my heart, and to capture the every day moments that I know I don't want to forget.  So I am jumping back in...

Over Spring Break the kiddos and I headed to San Antonio for a fun filled week...

First stop, Wreck it Ralph in 3D!  WE got there an hour early so we spent time taking silly pictures!

A trip to the park...

A visit to Fiesta Texas...

Cupcake time!!!

There was even a quick dip in the FREEZING pool!  It was so quick I only got a picture of this cutie!

Yes!! That is a microphone in my little singing girl's hand!!  She is too cute!

We ended our time at Nonnie and Papaw's with a backyard camp out!  It was the COLDEST sleeping experience of my life but SO worth the memories!  I am thankful that next time we camp out it will be Summer!

 

We finished up Spring break with a visit from our cousins!  These 5 little boys adore each other!  Hearing them laugh and play is one of my very favorite things!!  All 5 of them have huge imaginations and you never know what they are going to come up with!

And seriously...could a little girl get any more adorable!!  Kenzi loves being outside and really just life in general.  She is rarely without her bright smile!

 

Spring break was so much fun!!  I am looking forward to all the fun we will have this Summer!!



Finding our way...

Slowly but surely we are finding our way here in the big city!

These two big guys are loving 2nd grade and Pre-school...

And these little sweeties are becoming fast friends!

We are finding more time for art projects and time with new friends at the park.
I believe God had so much to teach us on this new adventure! I pray that we will bring Him honor as we seek to follow Him!

The New Girl

It has been 5 years since I have been "the new girl".  5 years is long enough to get really comfy with life and friends and routines.  Not only that, I have also been "the preacher's wife" for more that 8 years.  For so long I have had this role...this place where I automatically belonged.  When you are the preacher's wife everyone knows you and you know everyone.  Everyone knows your kiddos and many of them spoil those kiddos rotten! :)  There is an automatic place of ministry for you right next to your husband.

 I was still "the new girl" when we moved to Malakoff over 5 years ago but I was also the preacher's wife which somehow made it not so scary.

But this time...I am just the new girl.  I have no role to hide behind and no automatic place where I fit.

Suddenly visiting church feels like I am 13 again and it is my first day at a new jr. high.

What should I wear?

Will they like me?

What do I say?

The difference between my 13 year old self and my 31 year old self...that 13 year old didn't have a choice.  I had to go to school.  I had to face being the new girl.  At 31 I have a choice.  I don't have to go.

This morning I almost made the choice not to go.


The church we have been visiting has a weekly mom's group that meets for bible study.  I had been so excited about going and meeting some other moms.  I was excited right up until the moment it was time to get ready to go and those 13 year old fears crept back in.  Because well, let's just be honest, mom's can sometimes be the most judgemental people on the planet...which is so sad because we are all on the same team...trying desperately to raise kiddos who love the Lord without some how destroying them in the process (but that is a whole other post).

I remembered my post from yesterday.  I remembered God's reminder that He redeemed me for more than just sitting on the sidelines.  And against everything in my flesh I got up, faced my fears, and went to moms group.

Would you believe that I got there and the topic of discussion for the day was adoption?  He really is the God who sees.  He is so faithful to remind me that He is here and walking this new road with me. Not to mention the fact that the other moms were precious and not the least bit judgemental!

I know that my struggles as the new girl are so minor in the big scheme of things but struggle is struggle and a victory is a victory no matter how big or small.  So I am celebrating my victory over my 13 year old fears.  And rejoicing  that I won't be "the new girl" forever.  

Different

I knew it would come.

We came home to the busiest time of year.  Our house became a revolving door to precious friends and family.  There was traveling to do...people to share our newest miracle with.  The celebration of our Savior's birth.  The ringing in of a New Year.  It was a month and a half full of fun, celebrating, and complete craziness...the good kind.

But that is over now and I am here with all this newness...this differentness.

New house, new job, new city, new baby, new church, new schools and the list goes on.

Newness is good.

 I am so thankful for newness.

 I am thankful for mercies that are new every morning and the promise that He is continually making me new.  I am thankful that He gives me a new start each day, each week, each month.

But if I am honest there are parts of me that miss familiar.  And sometimes that missing takes over and I just want to crawl in the bed and pull the covers over my head.  Because finding a new normal is hard and some days I don't even want a new normal.  Because becoming a new creature takes work and involves growing pains.

It would be easy to stay in this place.  Bound in my struggles and my fear of the new.  It would be easy to get wrapped up in my own little life and to just survive each day as it comes.  I could live this new life always comparing it to my old familiar life, always looking for ways that this new life doesn't measure up.  In all honesty I have lived several days like this...it really isn't any fun.

But God...

those are precious words!!

But God in his  sovereignty  used Big Daddy Weave's song "I Am Redeemed" to remind me that I am in fact redeemed.  I AM a new creation and I have been set free.  It is time to shake off these heavy chains.  I am not who I used to be because thankfully He is not finished with me yet.

I may not be able to see exactly what my purpose is here just yet, and I may not have this whole 4 kids thing down to an exact science yet but He has a plan and I want to be a part of it not just from the sidelines.

So today, I am pulling back the covers (even though my flesh would really just rather stay in that warm, comfortable place).  I choose to live in His freedom and to find the wonders in this different newness that is my new life.