Eggs, eggs, everywhere!

Finding Easter eggs at FBC Kerrville last weekend.

Getting excited about our own egg hunt this year!

Happy Birthday Kate!

Kate is 1 year old today! I can't believe my baby is now a one-year-old. It's amazing to think that a year ago she was finally here. Before then we had not seen her or held her or kissed her or experienced the joy that is Kate.


We had her birthday party this past Saturday and I have to say it was quite a success. We had a great time and Kate did too. Several of her friends were there and we had a happy chaotic time. The weather was awful - cold, windy, and overcast - so we had an inside party. But the pinata still worked inside and the cakes was delicious, so no one seemed to mind.
With this pinata instead of hitting it with a stick there were strings to pull that would break the bottom. Much safer with little kids.


Kate's party was a bunny theme. She wore her ears for a little while.


My mom helped me make her cake. So fun!

She had her own little bunny cake which she enjoyed eating, contrary to how she may appear in this picture. =)

So far today we have celebrated with blueberry pancakes for breakfast. We have leftover birthday cake for tonight, a few more presents for her, and we will see what happens in between! =)

Thank you to all who helped make her birthday celebration so fun. Kate, your parents love you more than you can imagine and we are so thankful for this year we have gotten to have with you. We look forward to many more and are excited to watch you grow up. You are a blessing and a joy to us, more than you will ever know.

Fun with my new camera

Jesus Has Overcome

Sarah mentioned last week about the passing of our friend Julie. Last weekend we headed to Arlington to see friends, go to Connect Church and attend the Celebration service. Although we had heavy hearts, the weekend became one filled with Christ-centered worship. The theme of the weekend as spoken by Julie’s husband Mark was. ”It will be a little about Julie, and a lot about Jesus”

Julie was a woman who loved her God and Savior. She loved to worship Him and longed for others to share in her joy by knowing Him also. Faithful to who she was, the weekend became one about celebrating and praising Christ, and pointing others to Him.

It sounds so easy to type that, and almost natural, like, “well that is what you are supposed to do…” but it was Sunday morning during worship at church that I was overwhelmed by the foolishness and absurdity of it all. Here was a man (Mark) whose wife of 15 years had just died after a long difficult struggle with and ugly disease. They had been laboring in prayer for years that God would heal her and intensely trusted that He would. He is now left to raise their two young kids without their mom. This seems like the perfect opportunity to become angry and shake your fist at God and say things like, “she doesn’t deserve this… she was such a wonderful woman… why her…you owe me!!??”

I’m not saying Mark didn’t have those moments, but to see him standing there with both arms lifted high to his Father, singing and even shouting loudly “How great is our God…You alone are Worthy… Your Love is better than life…Oh Christ, Be the center of my life!”… I was overwhelmed with emotion. This just isn’t a natural response, it doesn’t make sense, and could even be disrespectful to Julie…. unless…. God is great and good and right and does no wrong, even in the midst of tragedy...unless He alone is Worthy of all honor and praise and worship in all circumstances…unless His love is better than life, and unless Christ was and is the Center of Mark and Julie’s life, marriage, and family. If those are true then a weekend of passionate worship is the only true and appropriate response such a tragic loss. Only in Christ are all understanding, purpose, peace and comfort found. For it is only in His death and resurrection where our hope for victory over death lies.

God give me the faith to praise you and rejoice in your goodness and grace in the midst of tragedy.

May I join with Job to say..”The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, but blessed be the name of the Lord” and Habakkuk who said “…Though the fig tree does not bud…yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. …” and Paul when he says “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinth 1:18

These two songs resonated in my heart this week as I reflected on the weekend.

---I hear the Savior say,
"Thy strength indeed is small.
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all."

’Cause Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy pow'r and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots,
And melt the heart of stone.

And when before the throne

I stand in Him complete,
Jesus died my soul to save
my lips shall still repeat.

--Alex Nifong

---There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"

---Chris Tomlin

Blogging for Books

This week there are two books in the same tour. For the first time since starting the "Blogging for Books" program I was unable to finish reading the books. As the previous post stated, we had a good friend pass away and were out of town for several days. I did get to read about half of one book, skimmed the rest, and skimmed and read sections of the other book. So I can give a decently informed opinion.

Sally Clarkson wrote Dancing with My Father about finding joy through our relationship with the Father throughout life's challenges. She draws from her experiences in life and how the Lord taught her to develop a life of joy. Clarkson uses Scripture to explain what the Lord wants from us and for us.

I think that Clarkson is an encouraging and practical writer. She seems approachable and realistic. I like the way she tackles her topic and I have enjoyed reading the first half of the book. =)

Here is part of the summary for this book:
"In this warm and wise book, author Sally Clarkson invites readers to take God’s hand and let Him lead them into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. With the voice of a trusted mentor, she reveals how, by getting in tune with the rhythm of God’s presence, women can nurture an inner attitude of anticipation and celebration even in the stressful seasons of life."

Mother-Daughter Duet by Cheri Fuller and Ali Plum is about developing a strong relationship with one's adult daughter. I have not read this book, though I have read sections and skimmed much of it. Written toward mothers, it is a discussion about how to bridge the gap so that your daughter will want to draw close to you. Cheri and Ali are mother and daughter and use their own experiences plus stories from women they interviewed to help mothers move in the right direction.

I could see how this book could be a helpful resource for a mother wanting to develop a stronger relationship with her daughter. It seems to be encouraging and thoughtful. I would recommend it to a mother who is wanting to draw closer to her adult daughter.

Here is part of the summary:
"The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet."

These books were provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.