Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Mom, Hunter, kitties, and more!

Here are some pictures I haven't posted from the past few months

My mom visted during March. I think this is the only picture we got of us!

We had a youth event at our house the beginning of April. Here are a few of the adults that were there. I don't post any pictures of youth on our personal site but you are welcome to check them out at http://www.groundedstudentministries.blogspot.com/. Robert had a meeting prior which explains the tie! He and his wife Heather (next to him) are our neighbors and I work with both of them. They are great friends to have in Beeville! Stacy (on the other side of me) is the mother of one of our youth. We are SO excited to have Stacy helping out with the youth. Her daughter began her journey with God about a month or two ago and it has been such a blessing to see her blossom as a young woman of God!!

LOL....This isn't a great picture but while we were at a conference in DFW, we got to see my cousin Hunter and his new place. Here, he is showing us the new Cowboys stadium. He lives only blocks away! I'm so proud of him and his new beginning in Arlington!

AWWW.....Anyone from West Texas knows how refreshing it is to enjoy Rosa's!! There was one a few blocks from our hotel in Ft. Worth so we decided to take advantage and eat there...TWICE! Anyone judging us right now doesn't understand what the withdrawls are like!! LOL

This was from the Youth Ministry Lab Conference in Ft. Worth. It was a great weekend to hear amazing speakers share what God has laid on their hearts regarding youth ministry and youth leaders. I was so excited to get to go with Mike to a conference...they even had breakout sessions specifically for youth pastor's wives and some regarding girls ministry!
OK...I am giving everyone the chance to close this window....
If you don't care to see pictures of our kitties, you can close now and no hard feelings...
Seriously...I don't want anyone to say that they were forced to see pictures of the cats...
Our parents all love animals, and most of them are especially drawn to cats. They are so cute...they ask us often how the grandcats are doing!! I guess when you don't give them grandkids, they'll take what they can get! LOL Instead of sending many pictures, I've posted them for our parents but do not want anyone to get tired of seeing pics of the cats so you can go on about your business now....
Rascal stretching in the sunlight!
LOL...Rowdie isn't really as fat as he looks although Heather asked if I was feeding him lasagna! I promise it is the angle...(he's in my lap)

No, he's not drunk...

One of them LOVES to play with the scratching post...and pull the fuzz off the top....guess who....
Rowdie is the guilty one!!!

Rascal has found several places he LOVES to rest...he doesn't lay on the mantle often but we've found him there a few times. He really likes the pop up tent we got them. We think he thinks he is invisible when he gets in the tent...LOL He hides there when the youth are over.
He also likes laying by the back door and looking out, a specific window seal, and our back couch. If I can't find him in any of those places, we're in trouble!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Newest News

We have been pretty busy the last few weeks with work, church, and Mike finishing up his semester. Just a few things to mention...

*I have officially applied to grad school at Texas A & M University Corpus Christi!! It took me a little while to complete my essay but it was finally submitted with my application today. I did not want to mention it until it was official. And I guess it won't be official until I'm accepted.

Anyway...I am so excited to be entering the MAC program. MAC is Master's and Certification. I can complete my teacher certification and earn a Master's degree in Secondary Education with only 15 extra hours. I don't look forward to adding something to my schedule but I am very excited with the idea of teaching. Teaching was my goal when I entered college...it was my goal from an early age...but with moving to New Orleans and not being settled until now, it hasn't been an option.

We were at a Student Life Conference in February when I began thinking about finishing my certification. God began speaking to me about MY role in Beeville. Yes, I'm in the role of Youth Pastor's wife but I am not getting a chance to be a part of the community or meet others in the Beeville community due to working 20 miles away at the Children's Home. I feel secluded here and feel I am missing out on the relationships I could build if I were in another position. Plus, teaching is one of the best ways to be involved in the community. I'm excited to work with students in a broader spectrum.

*LifeGroups is going very well!! We have about 8-9 core youth group kids that come to our house each week for LifeGroups and they often bring 1-2 friends. The topics of discussion have been challenging for them and they seem to be enjoying the deeper content.

*We have formed a Leadership Team among the youth group and are very excited about that. It includes 6 youth that have shown leadership qualities since we've been here. We had our first meeting last Sunday to go over what the Leadership Team will do and what it means to be a part of the group. I'm ready to give the leaders some responsibility and watch them grow in their leadership skills.

*We have passed our 6 month mark in Beeville (April 16)!! Our 6 month mark of being homeowners and my employment at the Children's Home will be on April 27. I can't believe we've been here 6 months. In most cases, it feels like just yesterday that we said goodbye to our friends and family and it feels like FOREVER since we said goodbye to our friends and family. I am very ready to surpass our 1 year mark! We have not lived in the same place longer than 1 year since we got married! Don't believe me?
Townhouse that I lived in when we got married - 2.5 months
Townhouse next door - 1 year
Apartment in Kenner, LA - 3 weeks
Hampton, GA with the Muehlbugers - 2 months
Woodstock, GA with the Jacksons - 7 months
Andrews with my Nana - 1.5 months
Andrews in my Nana's guesthouse - 4 months
Apartment in Brownwood - 11.5 months
Apartment in Midland - 1 year
Some people may ask why I like to share how long (or short) we lived places...it reminds me that God is in control. It also helps me be thankful for where God has placed us now.
Well, I'm off to start my weekend! Tonight includes Mike making me dinner and catching up on my TV shows...our DVR is so full!! Tomorrow will include Mike finishing some school work and me getting to organize! YEA! Also, we'll be celebrating Gina's birthday...FUN, FUN!
Have a safe one!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Grounded Student Ministries

Check out the Grounded Student Ministries blog!
(The link is under Good Stuff to at the bottom of this site!)

This is our youth group and we are LOVING all the activities going on! Most pictures are from our LifeGroup on Thursday night. We have the high school youth over every week for a time of Food, Wii, and Bible study. It has been a great time to go a little deeper and challenge the older group. We have a good size core group that comes each week and they've been bringing a friend or two each week.

Please be praying for us as we meet with the youth each
Thursday night from 7-9...
We hope to have our new logo for Grounded Student Ministries
up soon courtesy of Miss Kate!!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

My #100

#100

TV shows always celebrate a milestone when they film their 100th episode. Posting my 100th blog has been that way for me...a milestone. I didn't realize I was approaching 100 when I started re-reading my past blogs from the beginning. So when I did see that I had posted #99, I felt very blessed. Blessed that my family and friends would continue to read about our lives through 100 posts. Blessed that God brought us through 100 posts! Blessed in believing I'll have 100 more!

When I started this blog, I was going through a time in my life where things changed daily…hourly even! I needed a way to keep my family and friends updated without running up the phone bill and also enjoyed sharing pictures with them of what was going on in our lives but didn’t want to fill their inboxes! We were far away and our hearts were being refined.

This blog has been through a lot with us…moves, visitors, hospital stays, more hospital stays, holidays, birthdays, friends’ weddings, friends going through transitions, us buying our first house, Mike seeing the beach for the first time…all the things that have shaped us into who we are today. My hope is that it will be with us through many more transitions in our lives…friends and family’s weddings, babies, Mike’s college graduation, me starting and completing grad school (more on that to come!), and all the other things God has in store for us!

Looking back at my first blogs, I see that although so much has changed, so much has stayed the same. Mike and I are still madly in love with each other! We are still attempting to follow God daily! We are still stubborn at following God at times and He gets our attention with sometimes drastic measures! We miss our friends and family every day and want desperately to share our everyday lives with them. But this time around…Mike has a full-time ministry job! We are home-owners! Which means we are staying put!! We own two cars! We have added so many friends to our family! And we still miss our family and friends every day and want desperately to share our everyday lives with them!!

Thank you for sharing our everyday lives with us…even if it is through this blog! We are far away and our hearts are being refined and that is what this blog is about.

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Almost there!

I am a bit disappointed in myself...I have forgotten my camera cord 3 days in a row!! I was hoping to get a few pics of my mom's visit up soon but they will have to come tomorrow! (I hope!!)

One exciting thing is that the blog about her trip will be my 100th blog!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!! I'm so excited!! Thank you all for keeping up with me/us through this site. It has been such a blessing to have this form of communication and venue for sharing our life. I looked back at past blogs a week or so ago and was so blessed to read the words of my heart from September 2005 until now! God has taken us on quite a journey and he isn't finished! Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Until #100...