so much to catch up on......

the kids and i left thursday, the 19th to head to sunrise beach where my aunt and uncle live. we got there every year for my mom's side family reunion. as always, we had a fabulous time with family, jet skiing, boating and tubing. so much fun...and i LOVE my family! i wish i could see them more than once a year. my pop turned 85 on the 19th. he just finished a memoir and gave everyone signed copies. it is a priceless treasure from my amazing grandfather who graduated from tx a&m and became an ag teacher for 35 years in the same school district. he served his country in world war II and has been an amazing husband to my mammaw for 60yrs this year and has been a devoted and loving father to five children. there are 12 of us grandkids and ugghhhhh...a lot of great grands :) can you tell i love my pop and am very proud to be his grand-daughter? :)

upon leaving the family reunion we came to rockwall for the night. on sun. night the buses came to dallas and picked rylee and i up to go on to youth camp in colorado. 16 hours later we arrived in colorado and after about an hour stepping off of the bus, my allergies went crazy!!!!! ughhhhh..i was miserable. i couldn't breathe and i've never sneezed so much in my life. there was cotton from cottonwood trees flying everywhere. it looked like snow. i'm assuming that is what i'm allergic to. anyway, after three days of misery i discovered a God given thing called claritin d and afrin nose spray. woo hoo..................i felt better on thursday and friday :)

youth camp was amazing. two girls from our group entered into a relationship with Christ, which was the hightlight of the week. the focus of the week was on God's love for us, our love for one another, community. i could go on and on about things that God showed me but i would be writing all night. i'll just sum up that i came away wanting to LOVE more, give more and serve more.

my babies turned 4 on tuesday! it was hard being away from them on their birthday, but my parents made a BIG deal over them :) we are having a party on july 5 in waco where we will officially celebrate their birthday. they are getting so big... i was soooo glad to see them and grey. it's nice to have a break but hard when your separated from your kids.

we are in rockwall tonight. i'm recuperating from the trip and then the kids and i will head home tomorrow. i'm still not feeling well. i'm sure it's a combo of allergies and lack of sleep. i took a 3 1/2 hr nap this afternoon and woke up feeling like doodoo. is that how you spell it? oh well. you get me.

i leave you with a quote from Gandhi...i hope you find it as challenging as i do.

"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

these words are sad and challenging. God, may we truly understand what it means to live like Christ. help us to know the true meaning of love!

can't think of a good title :)

i took grey to the doctor yesterday.  he had to get three shots and blood drawn from his little arm :(  the reason for the blood is....apparently the state cannot find his newborn screening.  therefore, they had to do a new one yesterday.  ughhhhhhhh!  frustration abounds when it comes to the state!!!!!!!  anyway, my sweet friend Kristi (mom to 4 yr old triplets) kept my other three yesterday afternoon while i took grey to tx children's and then meredith came to get them from kristi's and brought them home.  grey and i got home around 6pm.  it was a longgggggg afternoon and we were both worn out when we got home.  i'm soooo grateful to kris and mer for taking my kids...thanks guys!!!!!!!  love you both :)  

it has been a busy week.  been gone a lot from the house. today is laundry catch up day, then we are going swimming at kristin's apts.  the kids are super excited and i'll be glad to get a little sun :)  hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!!!!    

Ode to Julie...

today is my sweet friend, julie's birthday!  i'm sad i can't be with her, but sooo happy that we got to spend last weekend with them.  julie...you are an amazing friend and i am sooooo blessed to have you in my life!  i hope your day is amazing and you know how very special you are!!!  and now i will "blog sing"....

happy birthday to you!  happy birthday to you!  happy birthday, dear julie!  happy birthday to you!

I LOVE YOU!  :-)

here is my daughter, world. would you like fries with that?!

so i'm having a little trouble fathoming the fact that rylee starts kinder in the fall.  it feels like i am giving her to the world and i don't think i am ready for that!  for the past 5 years of her life the majority of her life has been spent with me.  i filter, teach and influence.  (not that i have done a perfect job by any stretch of the imagination)  she has been in an amazing preschool where she has learned and grown with Christian teachers and influences.  now...it's time to let her go into the world.  will she have a teacher who knows Jesus?  will she make friends with children who have grown up with healthy influences?  have we instilled in her to do the right thing no matter what?  these are the questions spinning in my mind as i come to a place of letting her go into the world where she will be influenced by things beyond my control.  "beyond my control" is a difficult concept for this self proclaimed "control freak" :)  

this is the point where i put my money where my mouth is regarding faith vs. fear.  these are the truths i know:

1.  we have instilled and fostered a knowledge of Jesus Christ and the influence we want Him to have on her little life.

2. we have instilled values, morals and a standard to live by

3. most importantly, she doesn't walk into kindergarten alone

my life verse is proverbs 3:5,6.  trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  in ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

so, i trust on the truths that i know:

1.  He has absolutely never failed me

2. He has a plan for rylee's life

3. she will face difficulties and temptations and i won't always be there to help her

4.  her journey is hers....not mine

5.  He will NEVER leave or forsake her

i think #5 is my favorite.  no matter what she will face in her life.  He will never leave her.  i can rest in that.  i will be there for her to help her along her way, but ultimately this is her journey.  i can't  control it and honestly, i wouldn't want to.  the difficulties and struggles we face in our Christian walk mold us into the people that God desires for us to be.  if i protect her from the world i cheapen God's role in her life and ultimately i rob her to know and experience the amazing grace of God.  oh...how i desire more than anything for my children to truly experience God's grace.  i don't want perfect little Christian robots.............i want children who humbly know that we are nothing without His abundant grace.  now.....in order for them to experience that grace....they have to screw up on their journey....probably majorly like most of us......which they most assuredly will :)  

"Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, 

I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see".

fabulous weekend...

our dear friends philip, julie and baby ella came down from corsicana this weekend.  we had such a great time.  julie and i had pedicures on saturday afternoon and then julie, philip, kyle and i went to dinner at chuey's downtown (great mexican food :)  meredith kept the kids...thanks mer!!!! :)  it was soooo great to be with them.  we always have good times together!