Our next Adventure

Tomorrow morning we will be heading out for Sweetwater. We will have a busy weekend meeting church members and having a good time. We are nervously excited. We have such a strong feeling for this church and can't wait to start our next adventure. Keep us, FBC Sweetwater and Calvary here in your prayers. We will be looking at land, the schools and for me a job while we are there. We anticipate things going well. Have a great weekend!

Tears

I had such difficulty thinking of a title. I cried all throught the service. We are so excited about the opportunity in Sweetwater but it is going to be hard to say good-bye to this church where we have felt so blessed. There are so many people that we will miss. After Phillip's message today, he told the church about us going. It went well and most of the church came up to us and told us it was just a matter of time. Phillip is such an amazing preacher. And I am not the only one that says that. We are thankful that this part is over and only 5 more days until we get to go to Sweetwater. Kaylee is in Del Rio until Wed. with her Nana. It will be yet another wild and crazy week. I have always been one that said, but after that, things will settle down. I think, however, that I have finally learned that that day will never come.

Have a blessed week.

To Tell the Truth

Sadly, our little Reese has told her first lie...and innocently too. I came home yesterday to find popcorn all over the floor. I asked Reese what was on the floor and she said it was popcorn. I then asked her if she had put it there and she said, "Uh,Uh. I asked her again if she had spilled the popcorn and Phillip said her name firmly and she said, "Uh, huh". So she didn't lie for long. But her face was so sweet and serene throughout the whole deal. We told her she wasn't in trouble, but she had to pick it up. Later, when I got home and asked her if she had cleaned it up, she pointed to the vacuum.

More Pretty Pictures

Family Pics

We had some new family pics taken. They are precious. The girls look great. They are so pretty. I am so blessed. We go in-view of a call on Aug 3 and will be spending the whole weekend there and having little get-togethers all weekend. The deacons in our church, have asked us to tell the church this Sunday that we are going in-view. Keep our crazy circus life in your prayers. We are headed to the beach Aug10-15 and will be able to relax finally and then come back and move.

Gettin Started

Today I have spent most of the day cleaning out closets. Phillip is always asking me why we keep all the baby clothes. I simply explain that they are all so good and if we have another little girl, we won't have to buy any clothes. I did go through and throw out any clothes that have stains. I also made a bag for Dittos for Kiddos to sell that I didn't really like or that the girls just didn't wear. I felt pretty good about my cleaning. Phillip looked at it all and said, "Is that all you are throwing away"? I actually still have 3 bags to go through and drawers, but we are getting there. I have boxed up all of my nursery stuff because I am planning on Reese advancing to a big girl room. I told Phillip that I have really made a lot of progress and he looks around the room and says, "Hmm, looks like it". Well, I am doing my best. I am trying to pack and yet not make it conspicuous.

On another note. We have told our head of deacons that we are going in-view of a call and will tell the rest of the deacons tomorrow and the youth pastor and his wife. We will tell the music minister on Monday night. She had a precious baby girl on Friday and won't be able to make the meeting. I hate that we were unable to tell her before the baby. We tried but they were not home.

I have been so proud of Kaylee. I know how hard it is to keep this secret. You feel like you are lying all the time. Today we were painting at the church for VBS and a little girl was there. Kaylee asked (in front of a little girl), "Mom, is it okay for me to tell Kaityln (the air rushes out of me) that we are going to the beach?" Whew. That was close. Then Kaylee whispers, "I wasn't going to tell her we are moving to Sweetwater". I quickly explained that we did not talk about that at church at all. ***Only 2 more weeks and we are so ready!***

Call

We will be going in-view of a call on Aug.3rd. Cutting it close to beginning the new school year but I am sure it will all work out. Keep us all in your prayers.

Feeding the Soul

I was driving the other day and was listening to my music and lifting it all up to Jesus. No one can hear me so I am shouting the Lord. I worship through songs. I guess it is just truly a time that I Praise Him and realize how awesome He is. I was trying to tell Phillip how some of these songs make me feel and it is like I drink them in with a mighty thirst. They quench something in me. Here are just a few and they are only paraphrases:

Chris Tomlin's Everlasting God: definately one of our favs
Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, wait upon the Lord. Our God, You reign forever, our hope, our strong deliverer. You are the everlasting God. The everlasting God. You do not faint. You won't grow weary. You're the defender of the weak. You comfort those in need. You lift us up on wings like eagles.

Mecry Me's Bring the Rain: Bring me joy. Bring me peace. Bring the chance to be free. Bring me anything that brings your glory. And I know there'll be days, when this life brings me pain. But if that's waht it takes to Praise you. Jesus Bring the rain.

Casting Crowns East to West:

Just Prayers

Please say a prayer for our family and for FBC Sweetwater as we are trying to iron out all the details. This is such an important time for us all and we are all excited about the opportunity. We are praying for God's will and His direction. Once we finally go in view, we will have to come back and tell our church and friends that we are leaving. I will have to get a job and then get Kaylee in school. Right now it looks like it will be down to the wire with getting all things settled before school starts. Thank you for your prayers and your interest in our lives.

God is Good All the Time!

Is it like Sweet Tea?

As we were driving to Sweetwater last night, we were telling Kaylee that we were meeting her Nana and Dadoo in Sweetwater. Kaylee sat there for a second and asked, "Is Sweetwater like Sweet Tea?" We kinda laughed and told her no, but at the same time I can see where she would get such a crazy idea.

We had a good visit last night and are awaiting that phone call with the time to come if that is God's will. We feel called to go to Sweetwater and that God can do some amazing things there. We would be delighted to be His instruments there. We have been praying for this for a while now, that God would show us where He wants us to serve. I would never have imagined it would be Sweetwater, but what a blessing that I was not expecting. We would be in the middle of both of our families. That is incredible for pastors. We have always been open to whereever God calls and still will be if this is not the place. At the same time, God is definately calling.

Please continue to pray for us and for FBC Sweetwater. There are great decisions to be made. We know that we will meet with them one more time to discuss final details and then the process continues.

The Fourth

Well, we celebrated the fourth of July in Abilene at my Dad's. We had a great time. We swam in their pool, played on the 4-Wheeler, and did some fishing. We were there a couple of weeks ago and every time we cast we would catch something just about. This time we were using stink bait and it was a little more slow going. Kaylee would not be bait lady and Reese said it was stinky...but wanted to smell it each time. Go figure. At one point we had thrown Kaylee's reel in and I was baiting my hook and asking Kaylee to come and get her rod. She is busy playing with the frog I just caught her. Kaylee's rod starts heading for the water on its own. So I drop my reel, lunged for the rod and caught a fish as well as slid down the bank and was caked with mud. Phillip said it was hilarious to watch. I had to retrieve my sunglasses from the mud and try to get some of the mud off. Later we shot our own fire works and had homemade ice cream. Then Phillip and the girls and I slept outside in our tent. Kaylee did great. Reese did fair. Phillip and I...we both aren't sure we ever really slept. It was a nice night but there were fire crackers going off all night and got pretty windy. So now we are recuperating, sun burned, and tired. Phillip is taking our youth to camp tomorrow and then we are meeting with Phillip's parents on Monday in Sweetwater for the kids to go there the remainder of the week and we will be having our final interview that night. Say a little prayer. We are so excited about the opportunity there and are ready and willing to go if this is where we are supposed to be.

Have a great weekend!