Family Fun Day

Our neighbor Paul, plays in a bluegrass band, Eastwind. the band was playing today at Epworth United Methodist Church's Family Fun Day. Our children spent the night with the Chandlers last night, so we could enjoy our anniversary date. We met up At Epworth to listen to the band, and let the kids play. We all had a good time. the kids jumped in the bounce houses, got their faces painted, played games, and ate some yummy nibblins. We saw lots of people we knew, and ran into some cousins along the way! We were very happy to see Aubie! He came out and made pictures with us. So Dad, Eat your heart out. WAR EAGLE!!

Wow via Africa

As most of you know, Chris and I have been praying that God would provide our airline tickets to Colorado soon. We just didn't want the price to increase. We had no way of knowing where the money was going to come from, but we were still trusting God to provide. Well, I woke up the other morning and there was an e-mail from our friends who are missionaries in Africa saying they wanted to buy our tickets. Can you believe it? We were stunned. God just continues to pour out his goodness on us. I mean if I had permission from everyone to tell you how God has been using people in our lives to bless us, there would be pages long. God is an Awesome God and worthy of all our Praise!! We love Him and loving telling others about the might wonders of our Lord. So as of this afternoon we have 2 tickets to Coloardo. God has asked us to follow him, and we are following, trusting him to work out the details. And the sweetness in which He does it, is priceless Like a father loving his children. I am so glad He is my Father!!

11 Years

Chris and I will have been married 11 years on May 31st. I thought and thought of some way to sum up what Chris means to me, and I couldn't. I thought about this project I had done in a Bible Study when we had been married for 4 years. The project was to take a sheet of notebook paper and write on both sides. We were then to carry this in our Bible, and add to it as we continued in our marriages. Here is what is written on the front of my piece of paper:

Things that Attracted Me to Chris:
1. Tender Heart
2. Passion for the Lord
3. Desire to be a godly Husband & Father
4. Patience

On the back of the paper is written:

Things that Continue to Attract me to Chris
1. Bible Knowledge
2. He is a great Husband
3. Money Sense
4. He is a Wonderful Father
5. His Laugh
6. His Strength
7. How he handles everything
8. The way he plays with our kids
9. How he handled our move to Seminary
10. He cuts the grass
11. How he is trying to break out of shell
12. How he can annoy me with his desire to decipher the Bible
13. He didn't ask me for the grocery bill 10/21/04
14. That he is realizing he is a work in progress
15. How well he does at his job
16. He took me to dinner and didn't question the price!!
17. He lets me have alone time with my girlfriends
18. He lets me sleep in late from time to time.
19. He compliments my size. Especially following weight gain post twins!
20. He always tells me I am beautiful
21. He gets puffed up and proud when he introduces me to someone
22. He encourages me as a Mom
23. He can handle the kids and the house if I have to be away
24. He has great strength, faith, and trust
25. He doesn't let his childhood enable him as an adult
26. He isn't afraid to walk by faith
27. He Trusts God with our future.

I love adding to this little list. I hope it will one day help my kids see that loving their Daddy was something that grew more with time. My prayer is that they will see this also carry over into their relationship with the Lord. For My relationship with Him has gotten sweeter with time.

Things that let me know I am in Alabama

Grandmothers house
The sight of Granddaddy's shop full of mowers
Cousins...and lots of them!
Aunt Cathy's Tea cookies and sweet tea
Aunt Julie's crater cake
Aunt Judy's hamburger loaf
Dolly Madison Bakery
Nosegay Florist
Piggly Wiggly
Trees so tall, they block the sunset
End-cap display full of Boiled Peanuts
Auburn "cars" everywhere
Moon Pies
Country's B-B-Q
Lakewood Baptist Church
Magnolia's
Camellia's
White Lily Flour

These are just a few of the little things I am treasuring while in Alabama. God is so good. We have a huge beautiful Magnolia right outside our back door. It is blooming, and its flowers have graced our table daily. The girls and I have enjoyed watching how these go from a bud to brown petals in one day. Aren't you ever amazed at the splendor of our Creator? There is such a contrast between Texas and Alabama as far as foliage goes. And I really like seeing all His green right now. I guess I have a new found appreciation for something that was so "everyday" before.

Good Pictures

We wanted to have a picture made for our Cadence Prayer Cards. We also wanted to get some good pictures of our family. Including pictures with my Mom , Dad, & Brother Nate

Cooking In the Kitchen

Abigail, Julia, and Myself made some cookies in the new kitchen. It was so good to feel "at home" in our new home.

Graduation Party

Charles and Judy gave Chris a graduation party. It was so nice, we had a really good time getting to see everyone again. Here are the pictures, I think you can see it, better than I can say it.

All is well

All is well here in Alabama. We are settled in, and we are ready to have company. I had the opportunity to speak at the Baptist Women meeting Thursday. I spoke on the joys of seminary, and how I feel like I have changed so much in 4 years. I talked about our calling to Cadence. I shared how God has really shown himself to be faithful to us. I also asked for prayer in raising our money to go to Colorado. Wedgwood is paying our training fee, we just need airfare.

I am putting together our new and improved wish list for the hospitality house. We are very much looking forward to going to Colorado. I think it is starting to sink in, that we are no longer living in Texas. We are NOT on vacation in Phenix City, and we are going to be missionaries. I am loving this adventure. I am excited about what is coming, and I am very happy that we are getting to share our faith walk with so many people.

We pray you all are well. I will post some pictures soon. We just have to wait for the antenna to be delivered. I am currently writing this from the other May house (Chris' aunt & uncles).

okay friends, here is an update!

We love our cute house in Alabama. We worked hard and the truck is empty and returned. The boxes are getting emptied...slowly but surely. I made coffee (thanks Jamie) this morning in my brand -new mug from Joy. So I am happy that we are making progress. Plan to get the TV hooked up in the next few days. My how I miss my brother! Plan to be finished in time to attend church Sunday and go to Chris' graduation party on Sunday afternoon.

Pray that in the next few days, we survive the change. I think the kids are like I am, still on vacation mode. It seems so silly, but I saw a Starbucks today (not close to me) and became sad for Fort Worth. And I never knew I was a downtown city girl. I guess Texas got in my blood. I know Tonya just can't believe I wrote that. However, it was so sweet to see my Grandmother and Grandaddy, Have dinner with Chris' cousins, visit with my Aunt as she unpacked boxes, eat with Chris' family, see friends in the army, and go joy-riding in the ol' hometown!

Todays biggest prayer request, is for Chris a job. Lifeway did not work out the way we had hoped. Please pray that God will be clear with us about what he would have us to do.

Thank you all,
Eli

The Truck is loaded

Teh truck is loaded and packed to the brim. We had to leave a few things behind, but it is alright. We are on the road headed to AL right now. Mile marker 553. We had a lot of wonderful helpful yesterday loading, unloading, re-loading, cleaning, eating, and saying good-byes. We made one picture. The Kids and there friends on the ramp.

Baby Esther

Michael And Rachel Koch are the proud parents of Baby Esther. We are excited that she has FINALLY made it into the world. The kids have anxiously waited to see Baby Esther. I have waited, hoping she would make it before we moved. We are blessed to have Michael and Rachel as friends. Chris and Michael have gotten close working at Lifeway together and going to school together at seminary.

48 hours

In 48 hours we will have packed the truck, driven across the country, and made it to Al. So pray for a smooth time loading the truck, a nice quiet & uneventful ride, and easy unloading. Please pray for good sleep along the way. It has been a fun and crazy past 48 hours, so the next 48 are bound to be an adventure!

Graduation

Quick Update

We just made it home from Graduation....I am now the proud wife of Seminary Graduate! We had a great time at graduation. We ar enow running to Arlington for the homeschool book fair. And then back home to finish packing up. We move on Monday. If you are in the neighborhood, and have a strong back, feel free to stop by Monday morning!

Indiana May turns 8!

Junior getting his first clue from Dr Jones.

Making mummies to get clue 2

It was so cold, the girls watchedfrom the window. can you see Grandma Jan?

Mummy Caleb

Defeating the Crocs to get the next clue

Finding the last clue.

Finding the cargo crate in the old family castle.

Enjoying Cookie cake with a full house of friends.Loving the Indi hat and whip on the cake

Getting the gift he has been asking for a whole year...the Nintendo DS.

Can you believe our baby boy has turned 8? I know we sure can't. He had a wonderful party and was thrilled to have spent the day with friends and family.
We went on a great Indiana Jones Adventure. Looking for the missing cargo crate. Dr. Jones left his son a note, and Indiana and his friends had to get the crate back. The boys had a great time chasing down the clues all through the house and yard. The boys really enjoyed the birthday party, and are still talking about it. David got really sweet gifts and everyone was so thoughtful in their giving. He was so delighted. I have a dozen pictures of huge smiles!