Fun times in Texas...

Cutie Patootie!

 Look at all of the bluebonnets!

Nate in the Texas Bluebonnets

Grams and Baby Nate

My beautiful sister and "super duper" Cooper!

       Chloe and Nate playing

         Grammy getting some love

Crawling to the next one daddy points out.

Nathanael very excited about the eggs!

On Thursday the 2nd we got to the airport no problem.  Our flight was scheduled to leave at 6:20 but was delayed.  We ended up not leaving until around 7 which is Nathanael's bedtime... you can probably see where this is going.  It was a very difficult flight!  Food only did the trick for so long... we finally just had to let him scream it out on the plane while Bryan was bouncing him so that he would go to sleep.  It was humiliating, but nice once he drifted off.  We made it there at 12:15 Texas time.  We spent the night with Bryan's mom and then my mom came and picked us up on Friday.

The trip was filled with lots of family fun.  Friday night we cooked out hamburgers, Saturday morning my parents invited my cousins and their sweet kids over for a big breakfast and an Easter egg hunt, and then Sunday after church Bryan's family came over for brisket and sausage.  Lots of eating!

Chloe loved being able to be a big cousin to "Baby Nate" but she really wanted him to be able to walk.  Maybe when we get there next time he will be walking for her. She was a big helper with both Cooper and Nate.  Cooper has the sweetest disposition and he is totally in love with his mommy! 

It was cold most of the time we were in Texas so we didn't get to take the ever-so-ready boat out but she is waiting for us to get back!  She is tuned up and ready to go!

Oh and on our way to the airport we stopped and got some pics in the bluebonnets! Nathanael is still in his jammies but I think they turned out cute! Enjoy!

TEXAS here we come!!!

We are headed to Texas tomorrow to visit family for Bryan's Spring Break.  So I am busy doing laundry and packing for the family to get us ready to leave tomorrow.

It has been a great week figuring out all the details of the summer.  We have decided that we are moving to the great state (Texas) for the summer and for me to have this sweet baby.  We are looking forward to a fun filled summer full of family time and relaxation.  

The Lord is good to give us this little break before we hit the ground running in September with Harvest Bible Fellowship.  For those of you who don't know, we are moving to Chicago for 8 months for church planting training.

For now things are busier than ever trying to plan for our future and finish off this semester.  It has been neat to see the Lord work out every single little detail.  The business sold and should be completely gone by May 1st, our apartment manager is allowing us to only pay a pro-rated amount for the month of May, the POD should be arriving in a couple weeks so the we can strategically start packing for our final destination, Austin, TX, and the Lord continues to teach us and grow us daily through all of this.  

We are hoping that the Texas bluebonnets will still be around when we get there.  Hopefully I will post some pics in a few days.  Have a great day!

The Business SOLD

"Yahweh, Yahweh, a God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness..."  Exodus 34:6

Many of you don't know that while in seminary we have owned our own business.  Bryan started a luxury portable restroom company about 2 years ago.  In doing this he wanted to see it make enough money to support itself and provide for our family.  The Lord truly blessed it and it has done both.  I have been able to stay home with Nathanael while Bryan attended seminary and ran the business.  Our desire all along has been that when seminary comes to an end we would try to sell it so that when we left here our main focus would be on planting the church.  

This past weekend the Lord provided a buyer for the business who goes to Grace Community Church.  His desire in buying Uptown Restrooms is to hire seminary men and their family's while they are here.  Not only are we thrilled that our business sold, but we are excited that it will be used for helping other men while they training to be pastors.  

We see the Lord providing for us once again as He so faithfully does.  Now, our goal is not to thank Him and walk away and "forget all of His benefits" but to trust Him for His provision in every situation!

Stellan

So, I ran across this blog off of one of my friends blogs.  I have started praying fervently for this little boy and his family.  You can click on the link to the right to read his story.  Please join me in praying for him, he is so precious and I know the Lord is faithful and can heal him.  Thanks!

Our Little Abundance

 So this is Baby # 2, which we are calling Abundance at the moment.  We just realize that the Lord blessed us so with Nathanael and then to give us another is pure abundance.

I know I promised this a long time ago but here is our first ultrasound pictures.  At this point it is so hard to see what everything is but we do know that we saw a sweet little beating heart!  We are praying that this little one is growing and healthy!  We are so thankful!

10 months ago

Nathanael... you are such a sweet gift that we cherish everyday.  Mommy and daddy love you so much and are so thankful for you.  The joy that you have brought to our lives is immeasurable. The fun times you and daddy have playing football on the living room floor and the snuggle times we have while I sing you songs are irreplaceable.  Your love for us is evident by your big smiles and the open mouth kisses we receive!  We Love You Son and can't believe you have already been with us 10 months!  You are so much fun and we can't wait to see what the Lord does in your life!

Yosemite National Park Weekend

We were blessed to be given a cabin up in Yosemite for the weekend to enjoy as a family.  It took us 6 1/2 hours to get there b/c we had to stop at the 2 Sonics and the Chick-fil-a we found along the way.  For those of you that don't know in L.A. we don't have either of those.  It was great... we enjoyed our trip that was only supposed to take 4 hours......

Once we got to the cabin we cleaned it a little and then put the little man to bed!  He was exhausted from the trip so he slept all night. (this usually doesn't happen when we are somewhere other than home)  Bryan built us a huge fire and we enjoyed some time by ourselves. 

We began reading "Respectable Sins" by Jerry Bridges on Friday night and continued throughout the weekend.  We have not finished the book but it has made me more aware of my sin.  I just realized how sinful I really am on an everyday basis.  Frustration is huge for me!  I get so frustrated when things don't go the way I think that they should go.  It has just become so evident that I respond like this way too often.  Instead of responding with an attitude of graciousness and understanding that this might not have been my ultimate plan but it is God's. I need to learn that I am not in control and that Christ is and he might be trying to teach me something. 

Whenever I feel frustrated and know that I am sinning I have begun to meditate on Psalm 139:16, "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  So just understanding that every circumstance that occurs during the day is part of God's plan for my life that day!  Then I just have to pray and ask the Lord to help me to respond appropriately!  I am learning so much from this book and if you want to be more aware of your sin then this book is awesome!  I am sure there will be more of this to come!  My heart is overflowing with things that I am learning from it!

So this was a highlight of the weekend and then other highlights would be the views that we got to see and the awesome time spent with my 2 favorite men.  

It was so beautiful and so majestic!  It was amazing to look at and know that we serve such a huge God! 

I was great to have this family time together and I am thankful that the Lord allowed it!