Happy New Year!!!

Some of our dear friends invited us to join them at Olive Garden for dinner. They had been blessed with a few gift cards and wanted to share their blessing with us. It was such a sweet time! We had all the kiddos with us so luckily we were seated in the very back corner of the restaurant. We chose NOT to take that personally!! :) Great company...Great food...Great conversation! What an awesome end to 2008!

What a Gentleman!

I don't know about you, but the 2 week Christmas break from school is something I always looked forward to as a kid. I wanted to do a few special things as a family to try to counteract all the chaos that surrounds this special season. I asked Trey what he would like to do on his break from school and he came up with a pretty good list! He wants to see LOTS of Christmas lights...check. He wants to play LOTS of video games with dad...check. Play with Shaefer...check. And last but not least: take me out on a date!

Yesterday was our date. He was SO cute! He asked Alf's permission to take me out the night before. Alf laid down the ground rules for taking out his wife...he even gave us a curfew! :) While I was getting dressed, so was Trey...all the way to his "boy smell" (that is what he calls Alf's cologne). Around 11:00am I was at the computer and he asked me if I was ready to go. I said absolutely, but you have to pick me up at the door. He went outside and rang the doorbell. Alf answered the door, reminded Trey of our curfew and off we went.

Our first stop was McDonald's for lunch. We ate in the play area and had some great conversation. Trey played a bit before it was time to go to the movies. We saw Madagascar 2: Escape to Africa. It was cute. Trey spent most of the movie with either his ears covered or his eyes closed. I love my sensitive boy! I know God is going to use that part of his personality in a huge way one day. Our last stop was a cookie store on Main Street. They make the most beautiful decorated cookies. We noticed they also serve Blue Bell Ice Cream! I opted for a warm cookie while Trey dove into his Birthday Cake flavored ice cream.

We had a great afternoon! I can't think if anything cuter than seeing my 6 year old open my door for me and hold my hand. I will cherish this time with him forever! I pray he does too!

Stolen Traditions

Hi. My name is Kelly. And I steal traditions from other families.

One of the MANY things I admire in my best friend Amanda is her ability to create memories with her kids. She has been able to begin traditions with her 3 little ones that they will remember for a life time and hopefully carry on with their own families one day. One very fun tradition I have stolen from her is CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS. I mean really...what kid does not look cute in pajamas. Then you add Christmas to it and you have memory magic!! :)

Here are a few of our 2008 Christmas Pajama pictures:

And for giggles...a few outtakes:

And for a few more smiles...one from last year:

The Half Marathon is OVER!!!

This past Sunday I participated in my first half marathon: The Dallas White Rock Marathon. I have much to say, but I am too sore to do anything right now! :) Hopefully in the next few days I can begin to verbalize this very emotional experience. Thank you for all of your support and prayers! I felt it!!

What do you think?

Each Tuesday I have the awesome privilege of meeting with a group of ladies for Bible Study. Beginning January 13th we will dive into a new study together: Desiring God by John Piper. I've never read this book, so I thought I better get a head start. I'm only in the Introduction and it's already blowing my mind! Here is a quote that I have been chewing on:

The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.

I will definitely be sharing more as I get further into the book. I want to hear from you on this quote. What do you think? How does it make you feel? What is your initial, gut reaction? Even if you don't agree...I still want to hear what you have to say! :)

My New Kitchen!!

Here it is friends...MY NEW & IMPROVED KITCHEN!!!

Kitchen Update - IN PROGRESS

I've heard many times that home improvement projects ALWAYS take longer than expected. Well, we definitely proved that theory right! My sister and I are what you would call "planners." When the project began, we got out our calendars and marked the weekends that we would work on the kitchen along with what we wanted to accomplish on those designated days. Our intentions were great, but reality set in quickly...a month long project turned into a two month project! Let's just say I have a few new best friends at Lowe's!! :)

We couldn't have done this without some dear friends: Mark, who had way too much fun knocking down my wall. Jamie, who had all the right tools and experience to make it all happen. Steve & Cathy, who were grouting fools as our birthday party deadline was looming. Lori, who lent her painting talents. Casi & Matt, who offered the budget and manpower. And Alf, my husband, who dealt with the process! :)

Enjoy the "in progress" pictures! Be sure to check out the "before" pictures too!

Kitchen Update - BEFORE

In September, my awesome sister surprised me in a HUGE way! She offered me a budget to update our kitchen. Of course I said YES! There were loud screams and lots of tears...I couldn't have done this without her giving heart.

Here are some "before" pictures so you have an idea of our starting point:

Happy Birthday, Lynsey!

I wanted to send a little bloggy love to my dear friend, Lynsey, on her birthday. Because I love her, I will refrain from revealing which birthday she is celebrating today. :)

I had the privilege of spending the morning with Lynsey catching up over an awesome breakfast neither one of us had to cook. (In my personal opinion, food always tastes better when you didn't have to cook it!) As I looked across the booth this morning, I began to think back when I first met Lynsey. You know me...I have to be real! The first time I met her, her physical beauty took me aback. The real beauty is that her heart and passion for Jesus Christ and for others far outshines her outward appearance. I have yet to meet a more natural servant. She is always the first to offer prayer and encouragement in any situation. We have had numerous conversations about our struggles and even more about what God is teaching us and what God is doing in us. I am truly honored to call her my sister in Christ and my friend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I LOVE YOU!

Meet Mr. Toast

For the past week Trey has been learning all about "occupations" at school. It has been a great experience for him as most kids his age still think that being a superhero is a viable option for employment. Along with reading books about occupations, a few parents came to class and made presentations explaining their job and how education plays a role in their success. One day last week a bread delivery man came to visit Trey's class. That was it! No more discussion! That is what his heart is set on when he "gets to be a daddy."

To celebrate all they are learning, the Kindergarten and 1st grade classes had a Community Helper Parade this morning all over the school campus. The kids came to school dressed up and ready to proudly proclaim their new found occupational epiphanies. It really was TOO cute!

I would like to introduce you to "Mr. Toast." Trey was VERY specific when we began planning his "uniform." Who knows what Trey will REALLY be when he grows up? I can't wait to watch his journey and cheer him on!

I knew there was a reason...

...why we don't have a nice yard!

Welcome to Wakeboard Church! This is what my yard looks like each and every Thursday night. I must point out that Summer is over and it is getting cooler...you wouldn't believe my yard during May - August!

Alf and I talk about one day having a nice, manicured lawn with a porch and a driveway. I must admit that those visions are glorious! But then I think...where will everyone park??

My First Race!!

I ran my very first race on Saturday! Go here to read all about it!

Mini Date Night

Lately it seems like Alf and I just keep missing each other. We absolutely HATE it so we sat down last week to find a solution. We are already pretty diligent about protecting our calendar...I even color code our appointments so we can make sure we aren't unbalanced in how we spend our time. Another issue we run into is childcare. Our budget is pretty tight, so when we do have money for a date, we might not have enough to pay a sitter or vice versa. This week, however, we found a solution!! On Tuesday night we did our evening routine as a family like normal. We got the kids into bed at around 7:00pm and had some great conversation without their sweet interruptions. At 9:00pm two of our wakeboard friends came over after work and hung out at the house. Once they got there Alf and I headed out. Since the kids were asleep, all the guys had to do was be there in case of an emergency and watch TV or do their homework. We definitely didn't want to eat dinner this late, so we headed to Baskin Robbins for some $1 scoop ice cream. It was a great little break and easy on the budget. Problem solved!!!

I got nuthin'...

Yup, that about sums it up...nuthin'!

Alf was gone all weekend at Lake Whitney for an All Chapter Wakeboard Church camping trip. I heard it was a blast! I was sad to miss it, but I wasn't ready to tent camp with Shaefer.

Trey and I had a pretty rough weekend as well. Apparently he doesn't want to be my son anymore...at least that is what he said at Walmart when I told him at least 10 times NOT to touch the conveyor belt at the self checkout line. All is well now. I knew the day would come when hurtful words like, "I hate you!", "I don't love you!", or "You are not a good mommy!" would be said. But it doesn't make it any easier when it does.

My sister, brother-in-law and I worked on the kitchen again this weekend. It is coming along nicely! Next weekend will be the countertop and backsplash! Another plus: NO CHARGING!! ALL CASH!!

Shaefer is asleep, so let's see what all I can get done... :)

We have more choices...

I must admit that I am not a very political person. Maybe it's better to say that I don't make politics a priority in my life. Having 2 little ones can do that to you! :) Does that make me lazy? Ignorant? I'm not sure, but lately I have been attempting to educate myself a bit more. This is not an easy task! It's downright overwhelming! The "political machine" would have us believe that we only have 2 choices for the upcoming election. I'm here to present a THIRD choice...as a write in candidate:



My dad has chosen to take on Washington! I ask that you take a few minutes to view this video and visit his website at Bob McNeil For President. Once on his website, you can learn more about him as a person and as a candidate. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!

A Quick Update

I've missed you guys! I wanted to give a quick update on what has been going on around here:

1.) Hurricane Ike - We have family in the Houston/Galveston area, so we had some visitors as they waited out the storm. Although I hated to watch all the devastation, I am glad we got to host and love on our family. As far as we know, they received little to no damage to their homes!

2.) Kitchen Remodeling - My sweet sister has struck again! She knows how much time I spend in my kitchen and she knows how much I would appreciate an updated kitchen. So, armed with a budget we headed to Lowe's and began to scheme! I've been taking pictures along the way, so I hope to post some of those soon. Who knew how much of a difference a coat of paint & some new fixtures could make?

3.) Half Marathon Training - Man, this training thing is HARD!! But, I am determined NOT to give up!! I've been running at the gym for the past few weeks trying to get my body into the groove. I have a funny story I will post later about how I almost flew off the treadmill last Monday. Yesterday I picked up my GARMIN, so this afternoon I will head outside for 3 miles.

4.) Wakeboard Church - WBC is going strong! God is still allowing Alf to do this thing full time! It is exciting and humbling to be a part of what God is doing. Last weekend Alf was able to spend the weekend with a family teaching them about their boat, wakeboarding and Jesus. It was such a sweet time! This weekend he will be leading an All Chapter WBC weekend on Lake Whitney. It will be an awesome time for all 4 WBC chapters to get together, ride together, worship together and have tons of fun. Since they will be camping, I have opted to stay home. I not quite ready to tent camp with an extremely curious 16 month old!

I guess that is about it for now!

Girly-Girl Tomboy

I love watching my sweet girl grow into her own person.

It is becoming quite evident that Shaefer LOVES shoes. Throughout the day she will bring me a pair of shoes that she would like for me to put on her. I must also note that they are a matching pair! She looks pretty cute walking around the house in her diaper and shoes. She also likes to help me pick out her outfit for the day. She definitely has her preferences!

Shaefer also LOVES to be outside...all the time...no matter the weather or daily schedule. From the time she could stand up, she would crawl over to the door, stand up and begin jabbering...her way of asking to go outside. Here are some pictures I took of her this weekend playing in the mud. I washed this outfit 3 TIMES and still couldn't get it clean. It found a new home in the trash. Oh well...it was totally worth it!

Peer Pressure...the GOOD kind

I've officially caved to peer pressure! Go here to read about my newest adventure! Good thing I'm not doing it alone! Anyone want to join in??

Trey's First Day of Kindergarten

Monday was Trey's first day of Kindergarten. He was SO excited! I think it was easier than I thought it would be on me because Trey was READY to go. He had his bag packed, his clothes laid out, teeth brushed...raring to go! (THANK YOU to all my sweet friends who called the night before and the day of to check on me! It meant SO much to me!!)

I prayed long and hard about where to send Trey to school. I instantly fell in love with Treetops the first time I visited. It is a public charter school that sits on about 20 acres and depends on parent involvement though coop hours to run efficiently. Each family is required to volunteer a minimum of 80 hours per school year. The only downside is the drive...I will spend about 1 - 2 hours a day commuting to and from school. If this proves to be the best educational situation for my son, then it will all be worth it.

I just got a call from Trey's teacher. I am now the official "Classroom Coordinator" I am SO excited! It will be hard work, but I want to be an active part of Trey's education.

Let the year begin...

Involuntary Solitude

God has blessed me with awesome friends. I always adore our time together, but I am also a person that enjoys being alone. Even as a teenager I remember hanging out in my room listening to music or reading a book...fully content with my "aloneness." Now as an adult I try to head out every once in a while by myself and drive, window shop, stop by Hobby Lobby, check out the bookstore, etc. During those times I really enjoy the silence. I enjoy not talking. I enjoy going where I want to go on a whim. But what happens when "aloneness" or solitude occurs in your life outside of your control?

Here is how the Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines solitude:

1 : the quality or state of being alone or remote from society : seclusion
2 : a lonely place (as a desert)

I also liked the synonyms listed:

synonyms solitude, isolation, seclusion mean the state of one who is alone. solitude may imply a condition of being apart from all human beings or of being cut off by wish or circumstances from one's usual associates. isolation stresses detachment from others often involuntarily . seclusion suggests a shutting away or keeping apart from others often connoting deliberate withdrawal from the world or retirement to a quiet life.

On Sunday, July 27th I woke up with a wonderful surprise: PINK EYE!! I was already going to stay home from church due to Shaefer having a fever the night before. She woke up absolutely fine. I woke up with eye cooties. Thus began my two weeks of involuntary solitude. In my personal opinion, time alone is totally different when it's of your own volition! :) I wish I could say that I was pity party free during those 2 weeks of being home bound. I wish I could say that I didn't lose my patience and say some really "mature" things like, "This is SO not fair!" I wish I could say that every minute of those 2 weeks were filled with meaningful conversations with God. But alas...I cannot. I did learn some things about myself that I will share with you a bit later.

I've written many times about our current church home and how God has used the people and the teaching to sharpen us like never before. I had never heard of solitude being taught as a spiritual discipline before coming to 121 Community Church. For those of us raised in some sort of church environment, we probably had the concept of having a daily "quiet time" with God preached week in and week out. The discipline of solitude is different than and in addition to our daily time with God. Solitude is intentionally carving out time to totally unplug ourselves from the noise of the world to spend time with our Creator. It may be just an hour. It may be 4 hours. It may be an entire afternoon. It may be for an entire day. It may be for an entire weekend. The point is this: no phones, no ipods, no T.V., no radio, no distractions. Just you, your Bible, maybe a journal, an open heart and your Father giddy as He awaits your arrival. Please don't get me wrong...daily time with God is vital! I honestly couldn't get through my day without spending time with my Father. Sometimes we just need to unplug and intentionally seek out some peace and quiet.

Are you ready for my list? Here is what I learned about myself:

1. I use shopping (even for bargains) and food to settle my emotions, to fill voids in my heart and to quiet my stress. I couldn't leave my house because I was contagious and I couldn't shop because of our new budget. So now I get to learn how to deal with this stuff the old fashioned way...through hard work.

2. I hug and kiss my family A LOT!! I never realized what a touchy-feely person I was until I couldn't touch them. It made me SO sad! Don't worry...I made up for it as soon as I was cootie free.

3. I place unspoken expectations on people around me and get upset when they don't meet those expectations. I am setting them up to fail. Very sad, but I am working on it!

4. My family & friends bring so much life to me! I missed them terribly when I was stuck in my house. I couldn't see their bright faces. Our kids couldn't play together. We couldn't attempt to have a conversation while our kids played together. (All you moms know what I'm talking about...it takes the entire 3 hour time slot to finish one simple conversation!) I never want to take them for granted. I WANT to spend time with them. I NEED to spend time with them. The other stuff can wait...relationships can't...and shouldn't.

5. God revealed some "bratiness" in my heart. It sucks. I am working on it.

I think I may try this whole solitude thing out again. Hopefully I can carve out the time myself and not have to wait for more cooties to attack my body.

Have you ever taken time out to unplug? What was it like? What did you learn?

No Backups

First, let me begin by saying this: When dealing with God NEVER say NEVER! :) When Alf and I left St. Louis in June of 2004, we swore off full time ministry for all time. We just couldn't imagine going back to that vocation...EVER! Don't get me wrong, the 6 years we spent there grew us in numerous ways. Our church home was awesome. The people rocked. And we loved our students will all of our hearts. We were just plain exhausted...and quite honestly, we felt we weren't cut out for it. Maybe we weren't "ministry lifers." Maybe ministry was just a season for us. Well, we were wrong and we are SO glad we were!!

Let's take a trip back to 2004 when we left St. Louis. We heard God speak to us numerous times that it was time to head back home to Texas. That fact we do not doubt one iota! We left believing we would start a youth and family camp. We had the passion. We had the land. We thought we had it all planned out. Almost immediately after moving back, God began slamming doors shut on the camp front. We ran the gamut of emotions during this process. Did we not hear Him at all? Did we hear Him incorrectly? Was this all in our heads? What would friends and family think when the camp didn't happen? God had an entirely different plan in mind...

I wrote here about Alf and I finding our current church home. God knew what we needed even before we did. First and foremost, He moved us to save our marriage. We were in a horrible place as a couple and we both needed healing and refining. We found that in our church body and through an awesome, Spirit-led counselor. He needed us pliable and usable when He presented this current chapter in our lives.

On its 3 year anniversary, I am proud and humbled to introduce you to Wakeboard Church. When I met Alf in the Fall of 1995, he was already deeply addicted to wakeboarding as a sport. I mean the let's skip class and hit the lake kind of addicted! :) Little did we know that God could and would use it to bring people into a personal relationship with Him.

Here's what it looks like: Every Thursday night anyone who wants to can reserve a spot on whatever boat is going out on the lake. The group rides until dark. When the sun is gone, they tie up all the boats in the cove and have a devotion and a time of prayer. What began as an idea in Alf's head has turned into full time ministry for our family. Alf quit his job at a local boat dealer on Saturday, July 12th. We had a informational/support meeting for Wakeboard Church on Friday, July 18th. We were blown away as 65 of our closest friends and family filed in to learn about this thing called Wakeboard Church and how they could get involved. We shared the vision for the ministry along with our heart for the culture. We discussed what we needed financially and closed with a question & answer time. It totally rocked!! I wish I could say that we walked out of that meeting with all the money we needed. We didn't and that is okay because we are witnessing some COOL ways that God is providing for us as a family and for the ministry.

A few months before Alf and decided that we needed to step out in total faith, we began to ask God what His PERFECT will was for our lives. I will be the first to admit that I was terrified at the thought of Alf quitting his job. Things were already tight so how on earth would we make it? Would Wakeboard Church be able to totally provide for our family's needs? Time and again we heard the Lord tell us NO BACKUPS. When I say time and again, I really mean it. It got to be absolutely humorous! He continued to have patience with us as we asked for more and more confirmation. He had grace when we kept conjuring plans B, C, D...backups. So, on the July 12th, we totally stepped out. It was the most peaceful, freeing, and scary day of our lives.

It's been a month and we are still completely floored at what He is allowing us to do. It's hard. It's awesome. It's exhausting. It's exhilarating. It's humbling. It's hard to balance it all. We are learning that each day and each week looks differently from the one before...and that is okay. Our home is always filled with stinky boys and I LOVE it! They now have a safe place to hang out, be real, ask questions about life and God. They are now part of the family...

My advice is this: NEVER say NEVER! If you are open to it, God has a plan so awesome it will completely boggle your mind. You wouldn't want to miss out on that, would you?

I am driving myself CRAZY!!

Okay, so really my perfectionism is driving me crazy. I can't tell you how many times I have sat down to write and immediately retreated to another room. Here is the deal...God is doing some AWESOME stuff right now and I want to tell you all about it! My hang up is that in order to get everything out of my head I will need to tell you our latest adventure BACKWARDS. My personality cannot handle that!! It needs to be in chronological order!! But if I try to tell it in chronological order then I will get even more behind... I know I sound like a CRAZY person, but this is how my brain currently functions.

So here is where I need some accountability: my plan is to write tonight while the kids are asleep and Alf is at Wakeboard Church. If you wake up Friday morning and there is not at least one new post, then you have my permission to call me and yell at me!! :)

Birthday Wishes!

Happy Birthday to my sweet Hubby today! I love you!

Did I mention she likes pasta?

I obviously didn't learn the first time around...

She dove into the ziti like no tomorrow!

Trey was doing his part by egging her on BIG TIME!! I absolutely LOVE the last picture of them together!! I couldn't have posed that shot if I tried. It was TOO sweet watching her lay her head on her bubba.

The Yogurt Incident of 2008

I'm not quite sure why I thought it was a good idea at the time, but I let Shaefer feed herself the other night. She had a blast! And then she had a bath!

First the apples, now Cheerios

I posted here about God providing apples for Trey. Well, God did it again! :) He provided something "little" that we needed. Here is what happened:

My daughter, Shaefer, is 14 months old and just now has her first tooth coming in. She is too cute! Needless to say we go through LOTS of "mushy" foods and TONS of Cheerios. It was time for her afternoon snack so I headed to the pantry. As I reached for the bag of Cheerios, I thought to myself, "I really need to get to the store for some more snacks." Then I thought, "How am I going to do that? I already used our grocery money for this week?" Honestly, the entire situation left my mind at that point.

We went to church that night for our first financial support meeting for Wakeboard Church (more details to come on another post!). It was so cool to be surrounded by my sister, her husband, my mom, my father-in-law and countless friends as we embark on this new adventure. The meeting wrapped up at about 9:00pm and we headed home. My sister, her husband and Trey beat the rest of us home. When I walked into the kitchen the first thing I saw was 2 boxes of Cheerios sitting on the counter. My sister has gotten them CHEAP with a few coupons and knew they would not go to waste at our house! :) She had NO idea what had transpired earlier that afternoon, but God did and He used my sister to meet a need in my life. The need was little. The need was simple. But it was a need none the less.

This is the God I am madly in love with. He is fully capable of doing HUGE things while at the same time being fully active and intentional in the LITTLE things. He desires to be so entangled in our lives that we are unable to tell where we end and He begins. That is my desire as well...to live my life filled with Him so that I simply disappear.

To Casi, my sweet sister: I know you had NO idea when you stopped by Albertson's that day that God would use you in my life, but He did! Thank you! He has given you such a compassionate and giving heart. You inspire me in HUGE ways! I LOVE YOU!

Honestly, I didn't mean to lie...

I told my friends that I was writing again. I think I did twice since my e-mail. Honestly, I didn't mean to lie...

I've been caught in the horrible trap of perfectionism AGAIN! I hate it! I've had so much to say. God has been doing so many amazing things in me and in my family. I got stuck on the fact that I was going to be unable to fully express my heart, so I wrote nothing at all. It bums me out. In the next few days I'll take some baby steps in writing out our latest adventure. Here is a sneek peek:

I wonder what my name is?

When we moved back to Texas 4 years ago, we tackled the huge task of finding a church to call home. We left a full time ministry position in St. Louis and needed to rest, sit back and receive and have God heal our marriage. When we walked into 121 Community Church the first Sunday, we knew without a doubt this would be our new church home. The worship was authentic. The teaching was Biblically sound and full of truth. No gimmicks. No topical studies. Just meat...just what we needed.

4 years later we are still gnawing on the meat our pastor serves up each week. We are walking through the book of John. Here is what I came away with this Sunday:

We looked at John 10:1-21. Verse 3 really jumped out at me. I have read this story many times, I even have it underlined in my Bible (Yes, I mark in my Bible!!). Verse 3 says, "The watchman opens the gate for him (the shepherd), and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." Our pastor expounded a bit on the eastern shepherding culture and it made this verse even more meaningful to me. He explained that the pens or folds that held the sheep would be used by numerous herds at a time. The animals were able to distinguish their master's voice from another shepherd. The verse talks about the shepherd calling his sheep by name. Not names like we think of like Ann or Billy, but names based on the characteristics of the individual sheep. I love that!

Since Jesus compares himself to a shepherd, I remember leaning over to my husband and asking, "I wonder what He calls me?" :)

God - thank you for not giving up on me! You are slowly refining me by chiseling away the stinky, stubborn and rebellious parts of my character.

Provision in the little things

I don't know about you guys, but we live on a budget...a tight one. I'm all about being real, so I'll just tell you that I HATE IT!! Part of me hates the restricted feeling I get when I look at THE monthly spreadsheet. Part of me loves it because God always provides...even in the little things.

Here is what happened today:

Trey, my 5 year old, LOVES fruit. Believe me, I am not complaining! :) We were prepping lunch and he asked for some fruit, specifically an apple. I told him I was unable to buy apples this week. It was no big deal to him (he knows all about coupons and sales!), he moved on to something else and reassured me that maybe next week they would be on sale. Man, I love that kid!! Here is where provision comes in...

In my last post, I told you that I was involved in VBX at our church this week. Today was the last day and I stuck around to help clean up and get things back in order for tomorrow's service. I was sweeping when my friend, the children's minister, asked me if we would eat the fruit that was left over from today's cookout. When I looked up from the pile of chips I had just swept into a neat little pile, I saw a huge bag of apples on the counter. With a huge smile I said YES!! How awesome is that?!?!?!

Trey and I didn't stop to pray specifically for apples today, but God heard the simple request of a 5 year old. He provided...just like He ALWAYS does!

VBX

VBX has taken over my life for a few days. I grew up going to VBS - Vacation Bible School, but my dear friend and children's minister hates the thought of vacation/summer/school being in the same sentence...so our church does VBX - Vacation Bible Xtreme!

God is doing some AWESOME stuff in my life right now. Hopefully this weekend I will be able to spend some time sharing it with you...after VBX!! :)

The BEST Babysitters!!

Okay, so not really...but I couldn't resist posting these pics.

My sweet daughter is now officially mobile. I'm still getting used to the idea of walking being her preferred mode of transportation. Needless to say, there are moments during the day that I lose track of her momentarily (please don't call CPS!!) One of these "moments" happened this afternoon. My husband had mercy on our dogs and let them hang out inside. Texas heat can be horrible! What I didn't get a picture of is the chair that is stationed to the left of the baby gate to help secure their "doggie room." I was enjoying some alone time, minding my own business on the computer when I realized I hadn't heard my sweet girl in a while. We all know what that means!! TROUBLE!! I followed her sweet "words" through the kitchen and I found that she had crawled under the chair to get to her puppies. Holley, the larger lab mix, let Shaefer pat, poke and prod her while Brock, the smaller blue/red heeler wedged himself into the corner to protect himself from any thing baby touching them. Man, they are troopers!!

Just being real - Update

It's been a little over 2 months since I posted this. I figured an update was more than overdue.

I was in a really scary place. A place that I have never been to before and I pray I never go back to. I ended up calling my counselor and explained the following "symptoms":

* not sleeping well
* constantly irritated
* on the verge of tears all the time
* if my anger meter is from 1-10, I felt like I lived at an 8 or 9 all the time
* experienced rage - never had before, I felt like punching walls, even my dreams were violent
* I found myself clinching my teeth throughout the day
* I attempted to get into the Word every day, but it was like I was staring at blank pages...all I knew to do was cry (literally cry) out to God.

We decided the best course of action would be to make an appointment with my doctor. While I waited 2 WEEKS for my appointment, I read over some of my journals from the past few months. I was able to see a slight pattern. Basically I would feel completely out of control until my period began, then all was right with the world. Because of this cycle, my doctor said I was experiencing SEVERE PMS...you think?!?! That's right friends...I have become that crazy woman all the PMS jokes are jabbing at. I've been on Zoloft for the past few months and it seems to help now that the dose is correct. It's also good to note that getting back into the gym, having set "me" time each week and actually asking for help around the house has also helped tremendously. I love my husband dearly, but despite all efforts he cannot read my mind.

So, there you have it and here's to being real!! :)

Defending the Universe

I just peeked outside my kitchen window and caught a glimpse of my son. He is strategically hiding behind a pile of brush we are taking to the street. All he is wearing are his flip flops, Spiderman pajama bottoms, some sort of 1993 Nintendo glove thing and holding a yellow, plastic bat. Because I know my son, I don't even have to guess what he is doing...he is defending the universe against all that is evil! Man, I love that kid!!

The Last Bottle...

Yep...there it is, folks...Shaefer's last bottle! I know I'm a dork for taking a picture of it, but this milestone has been more emotional than expected. Maybe it's because she seemed so much bigger today. Maybe it's because she ate a "real " big girl breakfast this morning. More than likely it's because as far as we are planning, she will be our last baby. So last night, I made my last bottle...

Love at first sight...

Every night before going to bed, Trey would pray for Baby Spikey (a.k.a. Shaefer). He couldn't wait to meet her in person. The day finally came...

This is one of my very favorite pictures of Trey & Shaefer. The way they are looking at each other brings tears to my eyes!

I know the day will come when the smiles and belly laughs are replaced with bickering and tattling, but for now I am hanging on to these moments...the moments that I pray are etched into their memories. The memory of Trey jumping up and down just to make Shaefer laugh. The memory of Shaefer "chasing" Trey around the living room. The way they cheer each other on when they try something new. There are many, many more...

My prayer each night while putting Trey to bed is that I would know how to nurture and cultivate a healthy relationship, a healthy friendship between my children. I know God will answer my prayer just like He answered Trey's.

I can't believe it's been a year!

I am stunned! This past year has totally FLOWN by. Our sweet Shaefer turns 1 today. I enjoyed my trip down memory lane...I hope you will to! :)

Here I am in all my pregnant glory at about 37 weeks. Off to a birthday party and a wedding!

One last picture before I was wheeled in for my c-section. We found out at 36 weeks that she was breech. There was no turning her...believe me...my doctor tried! :(

Shaefer Kay arrived at 2:15 pm on May 24th. She was 7 lbs. 9oz. and 21 inches long.

Sweet Shaefer Kay!!

I always said I was a "boy mom." I always said I wasn't quite "girly" enough to have a daughter. I always said I wanted to be the only girl in our house. I am SO glad God planned something different for our family!

Trey knew from the moment he found out there was a baby in my belly that God was going to give him a baby sister. He promptly named her "Baby Spikey"! I've never prayed so hard as we walked back to the ultrasound room at 20 weeks. I begged God that this baby I was carrying was a baby girl...not for me, but for Trey. I wanted him to know without a doubt that God heard his sincere, 4 year old heart. God answered and it's been love at first sight ever since...

(More to come soon!)

Just being real...I'm Not Alright

This song really illustrates where I'm at right now. I am struggling. I feel alone even when I am not. I want this time to push me closer to God. I pray it does. I really need it to. All I know is that depression sucks...

(I'm still new to this & I couldn't get the YouTube video on here)

Easter 2008...a week late :)

Trey & Shaefer

The Evans Clan

Alf & Shaefer (a.k.a. Baby Alf Clone)

Me & my kiddos

Hebrews 11:24-27

All I read: Hebrews 11:24-27

Best thing I marked: Hebrews 11:27 - "By faith he (Moses) left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he (Moses) persevered because he (Moses) saw him (God) who is invisible."

How it impressed me: The latter part of verse 27 hit me hard. It says, "he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." Moses encountered the One, True God. We are not always privy to why God does what He does. But I can hold on to and trust God's character during those times. I think Beth Moore said it best today in my devotional: "Remember that most of what God does is invisible - totally outside our realm of observation or understanding. We cannot base our faith on what He appears to be doing or how dramatically He answers our prayers - because faith founded on God's apparent actions is not faith at all. Attempting to exercise our faith according to what we can see cancels out that very faith." I desperately want this to be true in my life. I don't want to ride a spiritual roller coaster based on God performing tricks like a trained circus animal. I don't want to have the attitude of "Well, God didn't give me what I wanted/prayed for, so He must not be real." As his child, I have come to believe and understand that He, as my spiritual father, only desires the very BEST for me. He desires that my heart and my character be purified so that I can be used in the lives of others and be an accurate reflection of who He is. Some of what He allows to happen or gives me in my life may not seem like the BEST from my human perspective. But when I prayed, "Lord, do whatever it takes to make me like you!" I meant it! I don't always know WHY He does what He does, but I know WHO He is. That is enough for me!

God - I love you! I am nothing without you! Help me on my journey to know you better. Help me know who you are when I don't understand what you are doing. I trust you!

Another critter!!

We must have some sort of animal rescue vibe going on around the house...Alf found this little guy in the street in front of our house. Trey named him "Squirrelly".

We found a few pecans for him to nibble on. Trey was SO excited! He couldn't keep his sweet hands off of him!

All the animal rescue organizations were closed last night, so this was the little guy's bed.

Another adventure in the Evans' home! I wouldn't change it for the world!

Quite a surprise

The morning began like any other Thursday morning. Alf left early for work. The kids and I left a bit later to drop Trey off at preschool. Shaefer and I ran a few errands. As I pulled into my driveway, THIS is what greeted me:



Yup, that is a raccoon in my pecan tree. When I first pulled in, he/she (who really knows??) was at the base of the tree probably pretty bummed that the trash was already taken by the city this morning. It took off up the tree. I'm sure it felt pretty trapped...Holley & Brock (my two "guard dogs") on one side of the fence and me in my Honda on the other. Luckily I had enough time to run inside to get my new camera. I knew Trey and Alf would LOVE it! I wish I would have gotten a few pictures of Brock. He was so proud!! He was strutting around like he was saying, "Look mom! I treed a coon!"

Cute feet...

I just wanted to share a few cute pics of my daughter's new shoes. I found them online at Pediped. They are the only ones I can get her to wear! Who can resist a pair of chubby feet in cute shoes?!?!

My fate has been decided...

Alf and I have been praying for over a year about what God would have us do concerning Trey's education. He continually asks if he can quit going to preschool. He is so excited about Kindergarten...he wants to start TODAY!!

We live in an area that has great schools, but we just didn't feel peace about putting him in that kind of learning scenario. So that left us with homeschooling and a charter school that I had found nearby.

I NEVER thought homeschooling would ever be on my radar. I had so many doubts about educating my child at home. Yes, I know my child the best but does that mean that I could offer him the best education. The Lord began to soften my heart in this area. Trey even mentioned his desire for me to be his teacher at home for Kindergarten. So, we prayed...

We visited the charter school last year and absolutely LOVED it. It is a public school that still has to adhere to the state education standards, but they can choose the manner in which they communicate the information. The comment that stuck in my head all year was, "Yes, we have to administer the TAKS, but we do not teach toward the TAKS." That was music to my ears! I truly felt that my son would receive a well-rounded education at this school. The classes are smaller. They do tons of learning outside in nature. They serve the community around them. The only catch is that after you apply for enrollment, they stick all the names in a "hat" and lottery for the open spots. So, we prayed...

After a year, we still didn't feel that we knew without a doubt what to do. So, we prayed...

Last weekend we visited the charter school again for Kindergarten Round-Up and turned in our enrollment packet. My prayer had become the following: "God, you know my son better than anyone else. You created him! You know what is best for him. You know what I am capable of even when I doubt myself. I don't feel a complete peace either way. But I am up for either option because you will help me. If his name is chosen in the enrollment lottery then I will take that as an open door for the charter school. If his name is not chosen, then I will take that as an open door to homeschool for Kindergarten. You are in total control! I trust you!"

What a cool journey this has been! The charter school called on Friday morning and they DREW HIS NAME!! We are very excited and so is Trey. Like I said earlier...he is ready to start TODAY...no more preschool.

I am stoked that God heard our prayers and answered them in His perfect timing. God controlled the hand of that administrator. My heart is at peace.

It's been WAY too long!

When I looked at the date of my last post, I was SHOCKED! Has it really been that long since I posted? Apparently so. So to my devoted 3 readers...I sincerely apologize!! :)

Okay, on to other things. I'm still new to this whole blogging thing, but I've been tagged so here I go with the questions.

What I was doing 10 years ago: Let's see if I can even remember 1998! I was a Baptist girl smack dab in the middle of an Assemblies of God college in Waxahachie. Man! What a trip! I made some awesome friends, had some great experiences and hashed through my relationship with God. What else...I was hoping to be engaged and later that summer I was. Alf and I married on December 19, 1998! And so our adventure began... :)

5 things on my "to do" list today: go to the gym, finally write on my blog, completely finish the laundry, go to the dentist, have "girl time" with Shaefer while Trey is at school

Snacks I enjoy: CHOCOLATE, goldfish, baby carrots, cheese, yogurt

Things I would do if I were a billionaire: tithe to my church, pay off our debt, pay off the debt of my immediate family, buy my sister her dream - an animal sanctuary, give, give, give...that is A LOT of money and we already have too much crap! :)

3 of my bad habits: I pick my face every night before bed (this drives Alf CRAZY!! ), I tend to quit when things get hard, I am addicted to General Hospital

5 places I have lived: Grapevine, TX; St. Louis, MO; Bedford, TX; Waxahachie, TX; Yukon, OK

5 jobs I have had: stay at home MOMMY, Transcript Evaluator at Missouri Baptist University, Office Manager of Admissions at Missouri Baptist University, ride operator at Six Flags Over Texas, child care provider

I would like to tag: Melissa, Dorothy & Meredith

Permission Granted

I just wanted to give you a quick FLYlady update...I've been shining my sink for 19 DAYS IN A ROW!!! I can't believe it!!! I'm still working on all the other "baby steps". I haven't quite got the hang of them all yet...

Okay, so on to an epiphany I had recently.

In an endless attempt to have a "kept" house, my days would be filled with the mundane task of cleaning, tossing, scrubbing, sorting, etc. I had certain tasks I would do on certain days, but the cycle was completely ENDLESS. At the end of the day, I would fall into bed totally exhausted not really seeing the results I had envisioned. My mind was in direct correlation to my house...cluttered and overwhelmed.

I truly believe I have a "crafty diva" inside me somewhere screaming to get out. Here's the problem: I never got enough done throughout the day to warrant any fun, crafty time for me. Being a perfectionist, enough would never be enough to be able to reward myself with time doing what I enjoy. I would say things like, "Okay, when the pile on the counter in the kitchen is completely gone then..." Or, "When the front room is spotless then..." That "then" NEVER happened until I found FLYlady.

I am realizing that I can do 15 minutes here and 15 minutes there around the house, THEN do 30 minutes of something I enjoy. The tasks don't have to be completed in those 15 minutes because I can come back to them. The point is that I had to begin giving myself permission. What I decide to do during this "me" time is totally up to me and changes daily. Some days I spend all of my "me" time on the floor with the kids...with NO guilt. Other days I may call a friend, spend time on the computer, read a magazine then TOSS it. The possibilities are ENDLESS! :) I love this freedom!

So last week I got CRAFTY!! I've had all these plans for my daughter's room and none of them have been done. She is almost 9 months old now, so I had to get crackin'! Here is what I came up with for one of her walls:

I had a complete blast designing and painting her mirror and bow holder. I even included Alf in the project...he helped me fit the mirror into the frame and "sister pie" is his special name for Shaefer.

So what projects do you have lying around your house or cluttering up your mind begging to get out? Give yourself permission...I want to see PICTURES!! :)

Just take 2 of these...

I was talking with my husband, Alf, last night over a late dinner. I said, "Wouldn't it be totally cool if there were this little magic PATIENCE pills?" He just smiled at me.

No really, wouldn't it be cool? I so want to be more patient with my kids. Some days I have this bottomless pit FULL of patience. Other days...not so much!

I seem to be apologizing to my 5 year old, Trey, ALOT lately. If I hear, "Mommy, that hurt my heart!" one more time, I may turn into a puddle of tears on my kitchen floor.

Today is a NEW day! I am determined that my words, my tone of voice, and my face will communicate how madly in love with them I am!

(God - help me be an accurate reflection of who You are today! You are patience...)

I Need a New Mix Tape!

Who out there remembers either making or receiving a "mix" tape? They were AWESOME!! I'm probably aging myself...but who cares! :) I could listen to that tape any time and immediately picture the person who gave it to me or picture the event where that particular song played. All those feelings come rushing back!

(SIDE NOTE - I just received a "mix" CD from my awesome friend, Melissa, with her song picks from 2007. LOVE IT! I am definitely going to use her as a resource to widen my musical tastes!)

Okay, back on track...as I mentioned a few days ago, I am a new FLYbaby attempting to tackle my home with the use of the FLYlady system. My baby step for DAY 5 was to write down any nagging, negative voices I was hearing in my head about my situation and rewrite positive things to replace them. In an effort to be real, here is what I came up with:

~ This will NOT last! You will quit this...just like everything else you have tried before!
*** I have been consistent for 5 whole days! That is HUGE! Each day is a new opportunity to start fresh!

~ Are you serious? Your house is a complete WRECK! It will take YEARS to get through it all!
*** From FLYlady - I can do anything for 15 minutes! I say, "Small bites = Small victories!"

~ Your husband won't notice all the hard work you are putting into this! He doesn't care!
*** He may not notice, but my motives are pure! I am doing this for ME, my peace of mind and for the peace of my home! In the end, he and the kids end up winning anyway. ;)

I'm sure there are more in there mulling around, but these were my biggies. This exercise really helped me hash through some negative conversations I'd been having with myself. So let's relate this to other parts of our lives.

Years ago, Amanda introduced me to the concept of the "tapes" that run in our minds...usually full of negativity! Come on, sisters...you know what I'm talking about! She and I recently began talking about re-recording those negative words (which are usually TOTAL LIES) with TRUTH. It's interesting though...when I think about the tape that runs in my head, I am one of the "lucky" ones who get both a sound and picture account of my screw-ups. Some times these pictures and dialogues are just flashing images and nagging voices. Other times it is a total "High Def" / "Dolby Surround Sound" experience! The point is that no matter what it looks like, my tapes are false. Sure, I did the things I see, I said the things I hear, I heard what other people said either to me or about me, but they are still FALSE. I am no longer that person!

The personal journey I am on with God is to find out more about Him, to truly know Him and His character so that I can know more about who I really am. The only truth is God's truth, so I'm finding out what He thinks of me so I can re-record those negative tapes with TRUTH. You see, from the moment I asked God to come into my life and change me, from the moment I told Him, "I'm all in! Whatever you've got for me...I'm IN!" He no longer sees the old Kelly. He tells me I am a new creation in Him. Everything I see and hear in those tapes have been forgiven and forgotten about. I can start FRESH! I no longer have to live in fear, guilt, shame, or whatever else is plaguing me. It is a constant battle. I try to immediately send that voice or picture packin' when they rear their condescending head. Some days I get it right, other days I tend to wallow in the pit a bit too long. It's my choice: either I believe what He says about me or I don't. It's pretty easy when you break it down like that. Who better to trust and believe in than the One who made me in the first place?!?!

We all have the tapes! Let's start mixin' 'em up!!

A Huge Thank You!!

All I can say is that you guys are awesome!! Thank you SO much for the encouraging comments and e-mails. I must be honest...I was scared to venture into this new community. I don't know much about it. I don't know all the "rules". I feel like such a "newbie"! I am so excited and I just wanted to stop in and say THANK YOU!!

My Sink is Shiny!

I agree, this is a strange way to begin my first post, but I just wanted to share this picture with you. Can you tell how clean and shiny it is?!?! It is awesome!

Okay, so this is what happened. About 2 years ago my best friend, Amanda, mentioned FLYlady to me. I checked out the cleaning/organizational site, but I was not ready to dive into what the regimen entailed.

Now fast forward to last Thursday. I was hanging out with my awesome friend, Melissa, and her cutie-pie girls talking about ways to decorate her youngest daughter's room. We settled in for sandwiches when I began to flood her kitchen with tears. I'm serious...the flood gates flew open! I confessed to her that I had been crying most of the morning before making it to her house. I felt completely out of control and overwhelmed with life and my house. I attempted to explain to her how the state of my home mirrored the current state of my brain...dirty, cluttered, etc. I felt so overwhelmed to the point of being paralyzed. I was unable to begin anything simply because I didn't even know where to start!!

Later that night, I was on the phone with my spunky friend, Shannon. She intently listened as the flood gates flew open again. She and I became fast friends at church and have been blowin' and goin' ever since! (I miss you!!) You see, Shannon and I have some personality traits in common...we are both perfectionists. Not just perfectionists, but the WORST kind: we are procrastinating perfectionists! Here is a tiny glimpse into how our minds work. We see a task ahead. We want to do it correctly and perfectly the first time. We make whatever task it is at least 100 times harder than it needs to be. We realize that the task cannot be accomplished to "our standards" so it doesn't get done...EVER! And so the cycle goes on and on and on until we are completely surrounded and overwhelmed. All that may sound a bit extreme and silly, but believe me...it's TRUE!! Anyway, Shannon mentioned FLYlady again and actually read parts of the website to me over the phone. I was finally ready!!

The next day I spent some time perusing the site and began to see a light at the end of my tunnel of clutter. It was awesome! I began reading through the list of Baby Steps and realized I COULD do this. Baby Step #1 is Go Shine Your Sink. It sounds ridiculous, but trust me...it works. It seemed silly to start here when the rest of my house was a complete disaster! Let me say this: I've been shining my sink for only 4 days and my outlook has completely changed. It is absolutely refreshing to begin each morning with a "clean slate" with no nasty residue from the day before.

If there is anyone out there that feels the same way I do, let me encourage you: YOU CAN DO IT!! Pretty soon these simple habits I am forming will pave the way to a cleaner home and a more peaceful me!

It has begun...

Well, here I am in blog world...absolutely clueless! After months of prodding from my husband, I finally caved and "From God in the Shower" was birthed. I have absolutely NO idea what this will look like or what I will write about. I guess I will just have to wait and see what God gives me!