Shelton Family

Mercy Triumphs...

2012-02-29T17:43:00.002-08:00

The word mercy keeps coming to my head and since we've moved here I feel like we've been given key situations where we can show mercy and hope to those who are hopeless. I am doing the Beth Moore study on Wednesday mornings and it is all about Mercy Triumphs through the book of James. So our situation this week was one I would have never guessed we would ever see. We were driving home on Monday morning with just Mary in the car. We were on a busy interstate in our area and we drive under a bridge/overpass and Mike says " I just saw a man fall from a bridge". I look back and he is laying in the shoulder area face down with one shoe in the lane. Mike pulls over and sprints to this man. I call 911 and explain the situation. Mike yells at him and sees blood everywhere. A few other cars pull over and God clearly placed Christian's by this man's side. My Bible Study leader Anna pulls over and just runs to him. She is praying out loud for him the whole time and then a dad of a little girl in Ellie's class also runs to him. In this man's last moments he had 3 people praying for him out loud. It is a really sad situation. He was homeless and moved here from GA to find work. His mom commented on the news story for any witnesses to call her. Mike called her this morning and was able to comfort her. She cried on the phone to him and just was so sad. He also spoke with the man's sister. He connected them with a local church in there area for more comfort. The sad thing is that he had a 7 and 9 year old. I just cannot imagine knowing this is how my father died. There was no foul play involved, but he did struggle with alcohol so no one will ever really know what happened to him on that morning. His sister commented today on the local news story online. I hurt for this family and it just reminds me to not forget the forgotten of this world. Everyone needs compassion and mercy. Here is what his sister said:

I am his sister. I just wanted to thank the ones who stop to call for help. But, most of all say thank you for praying with him and sitting with him. It gave me great comfort knowing someone was there. I can't imagine how you guys felt seeing that first hand. But, praise god you guys were there! I will never forget it! To the ones who said nasty comments, specially the one I wonder if he bounced! WOW! I pray that one day you don't find yourself with a loved one in a situation like this! further more, we do not know if he fell off or jumped! The ecomony is horrible for sure! I thank you guys for the nice comments and comfort words people have posted! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!

Beautiful....

2012-02-20T13:26:00.001-08:00

I could listen to this song all day and the words are so powerful if you really listen to it....She sounds like an angel.

Ellie's Vday Party!!!

2012-02-14T13:45:00.003-08:00

The cute table decor....

Yummy treats

Ellie with a chocolate face with a sweet friend in her class.

Our favorite teacher!

Awesome Kindergarten class with their teacher. They got her flowers.

Ellie's Vday party was a big success. I love these pictures cause I was not able to attend, but one mom sends the whole class all the pictures. The parents rotate on helping with parties so you are only helping with one per year. The other fun thing they did was make "love bags" full of water bottles, hygienic items, a small new testament, granola bar, etc.. for when we see homeless people etc.. on the street we can hand it to them. I love that they incorporate serving others all throughout their day and do it in ways that children understand. It was for sure a fun day in Kindergarten!

Five!

2012-02-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

So so happy!

5 stars on the floor leading to some birthday presents.

Anna with her preschool friends. Mary had to be in the picture. Anna loved bringing cupcakes for her class. She picked 4 princess ones for girls and 4 spiderman ones for the boys.

Presents on her birthday morning..

Anna picked a hot pink and purple cake from the grocery store. It is so pretty:)

What a fun day we had celebrating Anna on her 5th birthday. We opted for a fun family party and we let her pick out 5 fun things to do as a family. It was so laid back and she really enjoyed taking cupcakes to her preschool class. I cannot believe Anna is 5 years old. She has matured so much this past year and has shown us so many awesome qualities. She is very smart and a quick learner. She has no fear and is the only girl in her basketball class of 14 boys. She has a huge heart of compassion and loves to help people. She is super sweet to Mary and other children that are younger than her. She is full of life and has a flair for life. She loves fashion and really enjoys changing clothes so often:) We love you Anna and are so thankful for you.

Mountains!

2012-02-08T10:01:00.000-08:00

So beautiful and 1 hour and 15 minutes from our house!

Mimi with the girls...

All of the Shelton girls. Not quite sure what Mary is doing with her shirt and she would not keep on her coat:)

So fun to have the grandparents come for a visit.

100th day of school!!

2012-02-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

Ellie working on her 100th day of school project!

She picked 100 seashells and Mike was awesome to help her glue each one on.

Mary borrowed the hat for a picture.

100 day picture!

I cannot believe Ellie has been in school for 100 days. It has been a great 100 days and she has adjusted so great to her new school. Her teacher and classmates have made us all feel so welcome. She always comes home with a pretty positive attitude about her day. Her favorite special is Art and she mentions a few kids names each day. It is amazing all that they are learning at such a young age. She is reading short books and knows all of the "popcorn" words that we all use so frequently. They are now working on addition and clocks. I am so proud of her most of all for the way she models herself at school. Her teacher has told me many times how flexible and kind she is to those around her. We love you Ellie!

A little look at Ellie's school....

2012-01-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Ellie's school made this promo video for admissions and people thinking about attending Calvary. It has been such a blessing as we are new and just feel so welcome. Her teacher is amazing and the 12 friends she has in her class are extra special. It reminds me a lot of my Christian High School and I only look back on high school with awesome memories. Some fun facts about Calvary are our pastor's father founded the school 40 years ago. His brother is the one speaking at the beginning of the video. Also, Gary Chapman the author of the five love languages book is on staff at Calvary. So lots of his books are in the library:) There are lots of Center Grove families and teachers who also attend the school. It has been a really great experience and one we are really grateful for being so new to an area. Ellie's class is at the end of the video!

CBDS Promotional Video from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

Mary's first haircut and an early birthday...

2012-01-17T15:36:00.000-08:00

Mary was not sur what to think about her hair getting cut, but she was very compliant.

Much better and just a trim for her very long bangs.

Sweet girl makes me laugh all day in the midst of some terrible two's!

An early birthday cupcake for Anna at nana' house

Excited for a yummy cupcake and to blow out the candles.

Nana with her girls and not quite sure where Ellie was during this picute!

2011 Review for Fun

2012-01-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

I saw this idea on a few blogs and thought it would be fun to remember 2011!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?I rode a zipline in the volcanoe area of Costa Rica. It was absolutely amazing and scary all in one!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't really remember what I wrote for 2011:) However, Mike and I are both doing well at regularly exercising and I feel so much better!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my dear friend Katrina gave birth to a sweet little boy named Case. We talked so much about his name and her husband really had some unique names that I know she is thankful they did not use!

4. Did anyone close to you die?Yes, my sweet dad died on August 17th. It was for sure the biggest part of our 2011. It changed me forever and I miss him like crazy.

5. What countries did you visit?Costa Rica for our 10 year anniversary and it was perfect

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?I think just continuing to feel settled in NC with great friendships and new ways to serve our community/church.

 7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?August 17th (Dad's Death) and October 22nd was our going away party in Dallas. I will always remember that time with our friends and pulling out of our home in TX to begin a new chapter in NC.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I would say just that we have transitioned well and drawn closer together as a family. Also, adjusting to a new life with a child in Elementary School.

9. What was your biggest failure?I think the thing I have struggled the most with this year is fear. Hence, why I am about to study the book "What women fear" by Angie Smith. Also, daily parenting failures that occur!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?No and it was the first time in awhile I did not end up in an ER or something. Possibly, cause I was not pregnant!

11. What was the best thing you bought?New glasses, IPhone, Date nights, Books, Toms

12. Where did most of your money go?Daily living!

13. What did you get really excited about?I would say it has been really fun exploring our new area. We've done so many fun things and enjoyed the mountains that are now so close to our house. I am also really excited about diving in to a small group really soon. Mike and I thrive on life built around community with others. It gets us both really excited!

14. What song will always remind you of 2011?Taylor Swift, Passion 2011 CD, Never Let Go

15. Compared to this time last year, are you: – happier or sadder? A little of both. I am happy with where God has led us, I love my hubby and girls, but I miss my TX friends so much. I am sad when I think of them.–

16. thinner or fatter? ha ha, I actually weigh 5 lbs. more than I have in a long time, but I feel better cause of exericse!

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?  technology, worrying, cleaning:)

18. How did you spend Christmas?We were together as a family and then we went to the mountains for a few days.

19. What was your favorite TV program? Well, our favorite series Friday Night Lights ended, but we watched all of the seasons live. American Idol is always a favorite and we watch way to much sports.

20. What were your favorite books of the year? Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning, Good Grief(awesome book for anyone going through a grieving process), The Help, All Karen Kingsbury Books, and I am working on Hunger Games

21. What was your favorite music from this year? I think I said the answer on favorite songs.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?The Help and all the double date nights with the Saugiers' at Studio Movie Grill!

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?34, and we went to dinner/movie. It was a fun night even though it is 5 days after Christmas.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?I think just more time with my dad and not feeling torn between taking care of our girls in Dallas and time with him in GA. It was so very hard.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?I have no idea. It depends on the day and what I am doing with the kids. I will say I no longer see designer jeans, purses, or shoes. It is a much more laid back/mountain like dress in NC

26. What kept you sane? Christ, Diet Coke, Community Girls, Mike, Music, Sleep.

I would love to read your 2011 Recap and here's to making many more memories in 2012!

Random....

2012-01-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

I really don't have much to blog about, but a few random things that have been fun, crazy, or hard!

* I have been exercising more since we've moved here. We live across the street from the YMCA and they happen to have excellent free childcare with your membership. Mike is putting me to shame as he is training for a 1/2 marathon. He has this crazy discipline where he runs really early on Saturday mornings for 8 miles. He runs with a guy/neighbor from our church who also has great discipline. However, we both feel better and I have no excuses except being lazy:)

* Mary had this crazy limp today and would not walk. It was crazy and I still have no idea how it happened. I took her to the doctor and she would not put weight on it. She started to crawl cause it hurt so bad. They sent us to get an XRAY at an imaging center which was actually a really easy process. The doctor called 30 minutes later and she has no fracture. They think maybe she has a bad bruise or strain. She was walking a little more tonight, but I basically held her all day.

* Mary and I spend a lot of time together as we are home just the two of us 3 mornings per week. She is so much fun and hilarious. She makes everyone laugh and is just a funny kid. She really wants to be a big girl and share a room with her sister's, but I am keeping her in the pack n play for as long as I can.

* Mike and I got to meet friends from seminary last night who live about an hour from us. We met half way at Chili's and it was so fun to catch up. We've known them since we were all newlyweds. We have that common bond of being in ministry and I am thankful for "old" friends who live so close to us. We dropped the girls off at a families house who go to our church. They live on 2 acres or so. They have an awesome house and barn. The girls got to pet baby goats, see chickens, etc.. They had so many great stories to tell us when we picked them up.

* We are starting to make friends and build relationships. We knew it would take time and that we would have to be intentional with reaching out to people. We've tried to have a different family or couple over each week. I've met a few mom's for play dates and it has been fun getting to know people.

* Mike is doing well and really enjoying his job. He has gotten to teach on Sunday mornings twice and has two big student event coming up in February. He is an amazing father, husband, and pastor. We talk all the time about how much our marriage has grown over 1o years. I think it is through the different seasons that you draw closer to one another.

* I am going to see my mom tomorrow after school for MLK weekend. I am so excited and still can't believe I can just drive there in a few hours.

Well, I need sleep so I can function tomorrow, but hope you are all doing well!

Christmas!

2012-01-04T18:01:00.001-08:00

Christmas 2011 was great, tough, different, sweet, and memorable. It was the first Christmas without my dad and the first one that we were alone as a family. My mom was here just before Christmas, but then went to see my brother in OKC and family in AR. Mike's parents had his brother from NYC visiting them in KS. We just moved and traveling as a family of 5 during the holidays could be a challenge. So we set out to start our own traditions and we really had a good time. The Lord was so faithful to bring us lots of joy through our kids that helped us not feel alone! The other memory maker that really made our time so special was on Christmas afternoon we headed to the mountains. We went to Lake Lure, NC which is gorgeous. I only took pictures with my iPhone. It was absolutely beautiful and we had pretty good weather. A highlight was we went on a 2 mile hike at Chimney Rock State Park. The movies "Last of the Mohicans" and my fave "Dirty Dancing" were both filmed in this area. Our girls love to be in nature and really do a good job on hikes. Mike and I are quickly becoming mountain people and it is just so easy to relax when you are there. It is so quiet and such a reminder of how beautiful God created our world. We were in Lake Lure for 3 nights and it really broke up our Christmas break. Mike was off work almost the whole break and it was just nice to not be on a schedule. The girls love getting to stay up a little later and we all tend to sleep later in the morning. However, we are back to routine this week and a new year always tends to bring a level of excitement with it! Anyways, here are a few pictures from our Christmas morning and the girls were excited to see their presents.

Mary and her cookie set. She loves to pretend to bake us cookies.

Her other favorite present was some Dora blocks.

Ellie and her marching band set. She is pretty musical!

Sweet girl who always brings us laughs all day long.

Sister picture in their Christmas pj's

We are blessed to raise these girls!

Our Happy Birthday Jesus Cake! Mike is not a fan of sprinkles so we only put them on part of the cake.

Fun December Events....

2011-12-23T17:41:00.000-08:00

Anna at her preschool Christmas program. She was all about the angel costume!

Mary and Anna after the program.

Student Ministry tacky Christmas party. Mike and I wore matching Kmart Turtlenecks.

Santa came to the party and Ellie was super excited!

10 Years!!

2011-12-21T19:07:00.001-08:00

The Gideon Ridge Inn...Blowing Rock, NC

View out of our room.. Beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains

Christmas tree in the library of the inn. It was cut down in the mountains.

Awesome fire place at the inn. It was so cozy and quaint in there

Dinner at Storie Street Grill

Mike and I celebrated 10 Years of marriage on December 15th. We celebrated in September by being gone for 5 days from the kiddos. However, we had to go away for one night to celebrate on our actual anniversary. My mom was in town so it worked out perfectly. We went to Blowing Rock, NC which is right by Boone, NC. It is only about 1.5 hours from our house. It was perfect. We stayed at a great inn and I loved it! The whole night was perfect and just fun to reflect on how far we've come in 10 years. We got married very young and we've grown so much. Mike is truly my best friend and I am beyond thankful for a wonderful husband. I would say now marriage is one of our main passions in life. We've learned that it takes so much effort and it can quickly become mundane. We try to go on date nights regularly and often have "couch time" at night where we debrief about our day or how we can serve each other during the week. I am truly excited about the upcoming years with Mike and as they say it just gets better!

good read....

2011-12-14T10:33:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas time and you hear so much about joy, peace, and hope. I think this time of year as Christian's should give us much hope. We have a rescuer who has saved us all and as a mom I loved this blog on how we can resemble hope to our children. Enjoy!

Click here

A thought and a few pictures...

2011-12-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

God appoints people who do disappoint – to point to a God who never disappoints.”

Appointed to be this mama to these children, this wife to that husband, this daughter, this sister, this church member — appointed to this work, to this home, to this marriage, to this relationship, and it’s not about disappointing as much as Who am I pointing to, Who am I turned to and reaching for and seeking after and walking all of my life towards.

I did not write this, but have thought a lot about it lately. I feel like we are all constantly battling with disappointing our children, husband, friends or just being disappointed with life. When really we can point to the one who never disappoints. I love that I am appointed to be the wife and mother of my sweet family, but wow what a responsibility to raise these cuties and love this sweet man. These pictures might be a preview of a Christmas card coming your way:)

Are you hanging on...?

2011-12-05T17:20:00.000-08:00

I have been so encouraged over the last month by our Pastor's teaching on Sunday mornings. We are studying the book of Joshua and it was just what I needed in the midst of transition. I really feel like we have grown so much over the last year through trials, circumstances, and change. There were so many days when my dad was sick that I told Mike "I am hanging on", but just barely. It was so tough to receive terrible news, love your kids, maintain a house, etc...I would reflect on certain scriptures and just hold on. My grandmother gave me a keychain when I turned 16 that had the verse Joshua 1:9 on it which says "The Lord your God is with you wherever you go". She was doing it more to remind me to be safe and make good choices with all of my new freedom:) However, it is a verse that has helped me so much over the years and it is a promise that I have always seen fulfilled. Anyways, the point of the series was how do you stay consistent and not continually wrestle with life during the hard times? How do I rest in the midst of things I cannot CONTROL? Here are a few verses and thoughts that have encouraged me over the last year and I hope they do you as well.

Those who choose to really live the life God gives, live deciding to:

1.) Rejoice in all things as His. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

2.) React Reasonably in all things like Him. "Let your reasonableness that does not always have to be right be know to everyone. Live saying "I don't have to get my way" to be happy or at peace.

3.)Release all things troublesome to Him. " The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

4.) Reflect on all things praiseworthy before Him. " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, Reflect (Focus) about these things.

5.) Rehearse all things productive for Him. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me- Practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Many have asked us how are you adjusting to life in NC and normally my answer is that it has gone well. I think as you mature your expectations are more realistic. We know it will take time to establish good friendships, community, and be used to a new area. Mike has really enjoyed his job and with any "new" thing there are things that take time to get into a routine. He got to teach on a Sunday morning a few weeks back and will continue to have that opportunity which he is really excited about. The student ministry is going great and just getting to know leaders and families gets easier each week. The girls have really done fine. They tell me sometimes they miss certain friends and their babysitter Mrs. Tammie. I would say that is where I am at as well. I really do miss some of my sweet girlfriends and just how we all knew each other so well. I miss meeting them for coffee or mexican food:) We love living in a smaller area. It has been fun to explore and try new places. We love the slower pace and just how beautiful it is here. I can truly say we have felt beyond welcome. The generosity and welcoming spirit of our church has been such a blessing to our family. We are continuing to take things one day at a time. It is what I learned this last year in my dad's battle with cancer. You could not look ahead you just had to focus on today. I know Christmas will be difficult and just not the same as having him here with me. However, I can cling to the promises in the verses listed above. I hope they were an encouragement to you!

Children's Museum!

2011-11-28T18:12:00.001-08:00

Anna making donughts

The Krispy Kreme play area and we have visited the real place a few times:)

Serving me a dozen

Is she not adorable?

Anna and Mary playing at the vet area

Mary playing at the alphabet area.

Anna playing at the vet area checking on her teddy bear.

Shopping at the grocery store.

We had so much fun at the children's museum. I was so impressed by it and the girls had so much

fun. We ended up getting a membership for a Christmas present. I know we will go there often as it is pretty close to our house and was not to crowded the day we went. The Dallas one was crazy as there were always field trips there and it was difficult to keep track of your kids!

Horse Rides...

2011-11-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

Ellie was super excited about riding the horse!

Anna has no fear and asked the guide if they could go over the jumps!

Fall days are wonderful

We have a park really close to our house that has so much to offer. One of the highlights for the girls is the horse stables. You can pay $2 and ride the horse around a farm area for a few minutes. Both girls really enjoy it and are not scared at all. I am terrified of horses. I do not know why? I just don't trust any large animal and they sense my fear:) I am so glad Mike takes them to pet the horses so I do not have to do it. I am sure we will visit the horses on a regular basis. Anna is convinced we need a fence in our back yard for our own horse. If she only knew how much work that would be for her mommy and daddy!

Anna's Thanksgiving Feast...

2011-11-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

She wanted Mary and I to see her classroom after the program.

Anna the pilgrim

She loved singing the songs that they had learned for the program.

A trip to Mayberry....

2011-11-22T16:51:00.000-08:00

We've been doing lots of local exploring since we've moved to NC. There is a town really close to us called Mount Airy, NC. It is where the Andy Griffith show is based upon. There is all kinds of Mayberry places. It is a pretty quaint little town. We went one Saturday morning and it was a fun day to explore. My dad was a huge Andy fan and I knew he would be proud that we visited the city although the girls had no idea what the show was about.

Halloween!

2011-11-17T19:19:00.001-08:00

One cute minnie mouse

She's learning to pose and loves the camera

Sweet Sisters

Anna was one happy Ariel

Mary was getting a little tired of her minnie ears.

We had so much fun on Halloween. Each girl loved their costume which helped so much. Ellie was with Mike already in NC. She was Jessie the Cowgirl and Mike dressed up as Woody. They were a super cute combo. My mom and I took Anna and Mary trick or treating in a great neighborhood by her house. Anna enjoyed it so much and Mary enjoyed her ride in the stroller:)

Tennessee....

2011-11-17T18:37:00.001-08:00

Daddy won Anna a UNC ball. She was so excited!

Ellie loves the duck rides.

Mary really enjoys the rides.

Excited to be at DollyWood!

What a fun day at Dollywood. All the girls really enjoyed it and it was so empty.

On our long drive from Dallas to NC we stopped in the Smokey Mountains of TN for a few days. It takes a week for your stuff to arrive when you move across the country. It was a fun few days in the Mountains. We went to the national park a few times and it was so awesome. We saw a black bear which really scared us all. We also did a hike one day and it was really fun. We took the girls to DollyWood one day as well and it was really fun. They loved the rides so so much. It was through the school week so there were no children there. It was so empty and there were no lines. It was such a great week after such a stressful time of moving etc... I hope we can go back sometime as it is only 3 hours from our house now.

First Day of School/Work!

2011-11-14T18:21:00.003-08:00

Sweet girls and they are excited for the first day of school in NC!

Ellie is so easy going and flexible which made for an easy transition to her new school.

Mary is always making us laugh and she is great in front of the camera.

Anna goes to preschool 3 mornings a week from 9-12. Mike had his first day of work as well. I guess his coffee had to make the picture.

Well, I finally feel like we are in a routine once the girls started school and Mike started work here in Carolina. We were not sure what to do about school for Ellie. The elementary schools here are really big which is the opposite of her school in TX which was tiny for a public school . We decided to check out a local Christian school that so reminds me of my Christian high school. We toured it and really liked it. It has been an awesome experience so far and Ellie's teacher is wonderful. It is a busy little school with pep rallies, chapel, class parties,etc...Her class size was also a great attraction as there are 13 kids and the K teachers have a full time assistant. There are lots of kids from our church who attend there as well.

Anna is loving preschool which is such a blessing for mommy. She did not always want to go last year and came home really tired. I think she likes the 9-12 schedule better and she gets to eat lunch at home with us. Her school is really close to our house which makes things very convenient since it is only 3 hours. I can't believe she will start Kindergarten next year. Wow!

2011-11-14T18:21:00.001-08:00

One last good-bye

2011-11-11T17:29:00.001-08:00

Well, our last good-bye to sweet friends in Texas was such a blessing and such a wonderful send-off. It was literally the night before we started the long drive to NC. Our community group hosted it and made it so special for us. We all went out to dinner as couples prior to a dessert/coffee time with lots of friends at 8. Here's a glimpse of such a fun time and one that I do not want to forget!

They had couples right us notes and put fun pictures all around the home.

Fun fall decor

Yummy desserts that we all loved!

The 5 couples that we met with weekly for almost 4 years. Wow!

The guys being silly

LeeAnn is one of my dearest friends. We were neighbors all 5 years and were in the same community group for 4 of those years. So thankful for her!

The girls whom I will always be grateful for and how they pushed me to be a stronger follower of Christ, wife, and mother. We also had tons of laughs every time we met!

The CG guys. Mike would say the same thing about them except they met at 6:15 A.M. every single Tuesday to challenge each other. I am so glad the girls had night meetings!

Courtney, Katrina, and I after I had shed quite a river of tears.

Mike with some of his best buds. He's known David since he was 15 and at Kanakuk.

Well, I think that was my last post of good-byes. It really was such a great last week in TX. We've had a great first week here in NC and I will post about it soon!

One last double date night....

2011-11-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

Simon and Katrina were some our most special friends in TX. We went out with them all the time. It was funny cause we would plan something on the weekends with them and we would normally opt for no kids. They were easy, fun, and some of the most Godly people I know. They challenged me to move forward to love people with kindness, generosity, service, and just being there for people. They are the type of couple who put service into action. Simon was often picking up a homeless guy in Dallas or coming to help Mike with a crazy house project. Katrina, was there for me through really hard times with my dad and we have been through so much together. We are going to miss our date nights with them! However, I know we will plan a trip to see each other sometime in the near future!

One last playgroup night....

2011-11-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Katrina, Courtney, and Jeri

Most of the group at a fun dessert night at Courtney's house.

Well, our last week in Texas was filled with saying goodbye to so many dear friends. These girls are some of my sweetest friends. I met them when we first moved to TX and we all had kids about the same age. We met regularly once a week for a few years and then as our kids got older we just met at random times. We loved having girls nights and would go out to dinner or coffee once a month. I am so thankful for each one of them and all the fun we had together.

We made it!

2011-11-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it to NC and the drive was actually not to bad. I have lots of pictures to document the journey from TX to NC, but I am to tired to load them. We arrived yesterday to our rental home and I have been unpacking boxes and suit cases all day. I need a little comic relief tonight and read one of my favorite blogs. Read here and I pretty much feel like her when it comes to homeschooling our girls. I sooo respect all of my friends who do it. Anyways, click here to get a good laugh!

Ellie's 6th Birthday!

2011-10-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

E, A and their good friend Grayson...

Nana sent her a great back pack for Kindergarten

Strawberry Shortcake was this years theme choice.

Gymnastics Party is always a hit and no work for the parents!

Goin to Carolina!

2011-10-16T20:24:00.001-07:00

Well, one of our all time favorite songs is by James Taylor called "In my mind I am gone to Carolina". I am so excited to say we are going back to NC. It is something we have been praying about since April and then after Dad passed away we put everything on hold for quite some time. Mike was presented a job offer in April at a church just outside Winston Salem, NC. I don't think I've ever learned as much about God's will, trust, and how His timing is perfect than over the last 6 months. We have LOVED our time in Dallas. We love our church, friends, and all that we have learned while being here. It has been such a special season and one we will never forget. We have one more week in Dallas. Lots of tears this week I am sure as I say good bye to so many amazing friends and community.
Anyways, we are excited to join a great church in NC. God is at work there and we are excited to be a small part of His work. Mike will be the pastor to students and families. We are really excited about his role and he will also get to teach on Sunday mornings quite often. He will get to work with our former pastor in NC that we worked for while he was in seminary. God has truly worked in amazing ways over the last few months. It will be such a blessing to be 4 hours from my mom. I still can't believe we will be able to drive to her house without it taking 14 hours. We received further confirmation when our house sold in a day for full price without having a sign out front. We were shocked and once again reminded of God's faithfulness. We have a big week this week with many good bye dinners, party, etc....say a prayer for us!

Kindergarten!

2011-10-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

1st day of school outside of her locker

What a crazy feeling it was to walk her in for her first day. I love her backpack!

Kindergarten so far has been great. I know Ellie loves it and is learning so much. She has a great teacher and it is really pretty amazing all that they learn. She continues to say PE is her favorite thing about the day. They go to PE 4 days a week. As a former Elementary PE teacher, I would have to say that it is a fun class, but I only had students once a week. 4 days of Kindergarten PE would be a lot for a teacher! I would say the biggest adjustment is about once a week she gets pretty tired. I can tell she has to go to bed early and have some alone time throughout the week. Also, she is super excited for staying on "green" every day this year. We are proud of our little Ellie!

Pumpkins!

2011-10-03T13:39:00.001-07:00

I am so glad I had my camera today when we went to the Arboretum! It was a warm day, but still fun to try and get in a fall mood while wearing shorts and sandals:) Mary kept her bow in and smiled so all was good in her 2 year old world! Ellie was at school and I am sad she was not in the pictures. Happy Fall!

Summer 2011

2011-09-04T17:16:00.000-07:00

I read this on a blog from a fellow Texan and thought it was funny! We are only two 100 degree days away from setting a record of most 100 degree days in one year. We are currently at 68 100 degree days and need to get to 70. It has cooled off today and all week will not be 100. I am soooo excited to not sweat constantly.

Here are her observations:

1. 108 degrees doesn’t feel that much cooler than 111 degrees.

2. Weathermen are big liars who tell you early in the week that there’s a chance of rain and cooler temperatures (only mid-90s!) by Thursday.

3. Which then causes your heart to break when you find out that they led you astray.

4. It’s time for summer to end when you begin to feel complete rage just walking across the Target parking lot.

5. Ordering a frappucino once you’re inside Target helps the anger subside a little.

6. Until you have to walk back outside and then you wonder why you even bother to put on makeup anymore since it just melts off your face.

7. The only thing that gives you hope is that it’s officially September.

8. And you received the new Sundance catalog in the mail and it’s filled with all manner of delightful boots and cozy sweaters.

9. And college football starts this weekend.

10. Which means it has to get cool again someday, right?

Please say yes.

I’m done with the Summer of 2011. DONE.

A life well lived...In Honor of my Dad!

2011-08-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Florida, Summer 2009

So glad I have this picture! My dad was a wreck on our wedding day:)

My dad was always my biggest fan and toured the country watching me run track and CC.

My dad and Ellie were really close as we lived with them for 6 months when she was just a baby. She would sit on his lap for hours.

Well, as many of you know my dad passed away on August 17, 2011 after a 14 month battle with cancer. I have not been very public about it this past year except with those who are in our family or close friends here in TX. It has been the most difficult year for so many reasons, but I can say God has been faithful and has given me enough strength to get through each day. My dad and I were very close in so many ways. He has been there for me through many of life's ups and downs. However, I can say I have never been more proud of who my parents are than I have been over the last year. My dad wrote me an email in June talking about before the "storm" comes you have to know where your faith is or else you will be tossed by the waves. My dad knew where his faith was and remained a solid rock until he went to heaven. There are so many things that stand out over the last year, but I want to remember a few in a very random order:

* There was one night that I literally could not sleep and was very emotional. I think it was in the spring and I got up to get the computer out to write my parents an email. I told them all things I was thankful for as their daughter and how proud I was of them in the battle. I always want to be sensitive to how God is leading me and I know on that night he kept me awake until I followed. I will never regret writing that letter.

* I will never forget going to the chemo clinic with my dad and he was so sick. He vomited the whole car trip and I realized that day my trip to see them was to partake in his suffering with him. I needed to see the suffering to know how to have compassion. It was so difficult and once again a day when I knew God would have to get me through it. I also saw how great a clinic he went to and how thankful we were for sweet doctors/nurses. I saw a lot of suffering of many patients there. I would love to continue someday to minister to those in suffering.

* I will not forget going to my parents house in June with just Mary. It was such a special trip. Dad felt somewhat decent and even went to dinner with us a couple of times. I got a really great picture of my dad and Mary. She loved her papa.

* I will not forget the friends in our community group along with other friends who have supported me this whole year. I am talking about friends who did my laundry, cleaned our house, spent the night with me when I was sad, wrote me emails, called, texted, etc.. and I knew I could call them whenever. I have two dear friends who also lost parents to cancer this year and we have a very special bond.

* I will always be grateful for an awesome husband who cried with me, prayed for and served me this whole year. Mike rode with my dad to the chemo clinic where my dad shared with him what he wanted his funeral to be like with very clear specifics. It was so great that he planned it all just the way he liked it.

* I will always be grateful for my mom who stuck by my dad for 40 years and served him so well this last year. I cannot imagine what she went through, but she was amazing. She said some of her favorite memories was this last month and just what sweet time they had together.

* I am thankful for a dad who worked so hard. He was excellent at his job and even went to the office the week before he passed. So many of his co-workers were such a great support to him. His company was amazing to him and my mom. It was such a blessing.

* I am thankful that my parents go to a great church and are a part of a really great community group that God ordained prior to such a big trial. They are all so sweet and kind. They go to North Point's north campus.

* I am glad I got to speak to my dad days before he passed. I wrote him a letter and Mike read it to him on the phone. He was very clear in his response and said he loved us, how sweet I was, and told Mike his greatest honor in life would be the privilege of being a husband/father.

* I am thankful that his memorial service was perfect. He wanted it on faith, family, and friends. Mike spoke on family, a community group friend spoke on faith, and a co-worker spoke on his friendship. It really was awesome and so encouraging. The girl he requested to sing was available and it was so awesome to hear her sing his favorite songs.

I have seen God's love in such unique ways this year and even though it has been such a hard year I know that God is faithful. I am most of all thankful for a great daddy.

Missouri....

2011-08-11T19:14:00.001-07:00

3 very excited girls about to spend a day at Silver Dollar City!

Daddy's girl

Posing for a picture outside of our condo.

Mary loved the baby pool cause she could stand up in the water.

Ellie has become a fish this summer.

Some rest stop in Arkansas. We took our time coming home. I think it took us close to 10 hours.

Most people say Mary is a little Mike. I really see it in this picture.

We had a great family trip to Branson, Missouri earlier this summer. We met our sweet friends from college. There were 5 little girls under 5 years old. We had two condos and it was perfect. The weather was awesome especially compared to our second hottest summer ever in TX. We almost set a record of most consecutive 100 degree days, but it did not get to 100 today. We were one day short of the record. However, I can say we have now endured 42 consecutive days. It is really starting to get old. Some friends and I think you could get the Seasonal Depression like they do in Seattle:) You cannot go outside really and it is just bright and sunny every day. I hope this heat wave ends very soon.

4th of July!

2011-07-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

Quite the picture....

I think they were looking at daddy

To bad we lost this lovey...

Playing at a playground in Branson, MO

Mary turns two!!

2011-07-27T18:19:00.001-07:00

Oh, I love her and her sweet smile!

Excited to be two!

Look at me!

I think she loved her funfetti cake:)

Singing Happy Birthday

Everyone is looking at the camera!

We had a fun family night celebrating Mary's 2nd Birthday in early June. She loves Dora or Do-Do as he calls her. We had dora plates and napkins. It was super fun and so cute seeing her get so excited. We went swimming after dinner and finished off a great night!

Camp Barnabas

2011-06-29T19:36:00.001-07:00

Wow! I can't believe our girls were able to go to camp with Mike this year. It was such a blessing. I was able to go to my parents house with only Mary which was so great. It was so different only taking one child who happens to be so flexible, sweet, and laid-back. It was so awesome to spend time with my dad who is battling cancer without the distractions of the whole crew! I had a great time with my mom going places, swimming in their pool, etc... I felt like I was on vacation. Anyways, we thought the girls could handle 5 days at camp with Mike. So I drove them up to camp which is in SW Missouri. It was a 7 hour drive and then I drove to Branson, MO to fly to GA. It was a crazy day that started at 7 A.M. and I finally arrived at my parents house around 10 P.M.. Mary did great, but slept till 10:30 the next morning she was so tired. Anyways, so Ellie and Anna were super excited to go to camp. We talk about camp a lot since we both worked at Kanakuk, etc...

Our students go every year to serve at a camp for special needs kids. It is called Camp Barnabas and it is really similar to Kanakuk, but designed for special needs children. Each week of camp is for children with specific needs. This year our group went the week designed for kids with autism, opposition defiance disorder, and a few downs syndrome children. It was great cause it did not matter if E and A threw a fit, were loud, etc.. cause most of the campers were really challenging. Mike always comes home so thankful we have healthy children. We had two high school girls as E and A "counselors" for the week. The girls slept in a cabin with Mike each night. They loved it so much and did really good till the last day when they got really tired. It was so fun to see them in this element and we all stayed the last night together. It was such a great experience. Here are a few pictures!

Ellie on Hawaiian night which was by the pool with lots of tasty frozen treats! There was a different party every night with a specific theme.

Anna was all about dressing up each night!

A student with her camper on circus night!

Each student was paired with a special needs child for the whole week. They assisted them in everything .

Ellie and Anna at dinner.

The girls with their counselors.

Mike with some guy on the Branson Belle. A fun pre-camp activity!

Three in a row....

2011-06-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

Three girls... I get so many comments about weddings, teenagers, etc... However, I think they are pretty special and love having three girls!

Dancing Girls....

2011-06-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Sweet girls after the recital. Anna preferred her crocs!

Family Picture - Mary. She stayed at home!

Mimi and Granddaddy came to watch which was very fun!

The girls had their dance recital over Memorial Day Weekend. It was super cute and they did really good. There was a big audience so you never know what might happen. They loved the Finale with the whole studio. It was a fun year, but I think they want to move onto gymnastics. They were not fans of wearing tights or itchy costumes:)

Ellie Graduates!

2011-06-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ellie's preschool held a graduation! It was just about the cutest thing you could imagine. They did a performance of different songs and Bible verses they had learned throughout the year. Each child was presented a certificate and got to walk across the stage. We love our little school and Ellie had the sweetest friends in her class. I am so thankful she attended Jubilee Junction!

Happy Graduate

Ellie and some of her buddies

A sweet friend from Watermark. They spend a lot of time together!

So excited E and E will get to attend Kindergarten together!

Yea! a family picture... Mary was in childcare:(

She loves her daddy!

Ellie and her sweet teacher.

Ellie and Aubs have been friends since they were 2 years old.

I love my sweet Ellie and am excited for the new chapter she will begin in August!

Mary is almost two!

2011-05-16T20:05:00.001-07:00

I cannot believe our little Mary will be 2 years old in just a few weeks. She still seems like such a baby to me. She is super fun and all smiles most the day. However, I am starting to see a little bit of that I am almost two attitude come out. Here are a few things about Mary that I want to remember:

Mary loves her sisters. She really wants to be big like them. She follows them around all day and is starting to interact with their pretend play. She also likes to scream at them when they take something from her.

Mary loves to eat. She is always looking for snacks and I catch her eating off the floor all the time. She is so fast I cannot catch her.

She loves to be outside and is always trying to go out into the front yard. She likes to go on walks and play outside lots!

She loves her purple crocs. She looks for them first thing in the morning and now screams when I try to put other shoes on her.

She does not like the bath very much unless E and A are in there with her.

She is friendly and loves to say "hi" to everyone she sees. She does well at church and for babysitters. She cries for just a few minutes, but then is fine.

She would pretty much let me hold her all day if I would. I have to put her down sometimes an it makes her mad.

She does well in the car and did great on her first long road trip to ATL. She is a big fan of the dvd player!

She is starting to recognize a few friends who are also her age. I think she will be a sweet friend.

She ends all prayers a little early by saying Amen in a really sweet voice.

She is now in the routine of reading a book before nap and bed time at night. She will sit pretty still for a few books.

We are so thankful for our sweet Mary. I love spending so much time with her each day. She is truly a blessing!

What we did today....

2011-05-15T17:13:00.000-07:00

Watermark Baptism Day 2010 from Watermark Community Church on Vimeo.

This is our baptism video from last year. However, each year our church only does a "formal" baptism once a year. It has always been at a park in years past, but as the church has grown we ran out of room there. We did it today in the pond in front of our church. It was beautiful weather and was such fun. I love seeing the people's faces who have truly experienced a changed life. They have to share their "story" in a small group this morning and it is so awesome to hear how God has changed their life. There were a few children all the way to an elderly lady at the very end. I chased my girls all around the campus while Mike was in the pond. We had so much fun. It is one big party which is the way it should be. There were fun bounce houses that I had to chase Mary out of cause she loved them so much! We had a sno cone, pop corn, and cotton candy. I love that my girls will grow up thinking church is fun and that we know how to celebrate changed lives! I can't wait to see this years video as it always brings us to tears.

One Sweet Girl.....

2011-04-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

We tried to do a little family photo shoot a few weeks back at a local lake and it was a disaster. We got up super early cause Mike is all about lighting etc.. I am more can we just take them in the front yard! However, we have gotten some great pictures in the past so I was up for an adventure. When we got there it was soooo windy. I am beginning to not like wind at all. It is almost impossible to go outside on a windy day here cause it will blow you over. Well, I could barely keep the girls dresses down and hair out of their eyes. So we gave up and decided we will try another day soon. However, I do love these two pictures cause Anna looks so sweet an her smile was so natural. I love how she put her arm around her sisters. A few fun things about my sweet girl.

* She loves to play and laugh. She loves to be tickled or wrestle with daddy. She loves to be pushed high on the swing and laughs the whole time.

* She is still tiny and not a huge fan of food. She eats to survive, but for sure does not love to eat. There is nothing much that really tempts her. Her favorite food is still macaroni and cheese. She is starting to understand that she must try everything on her plate. She will do it most times, but still does not like the food!

* She is playing soccer this spring for the Eagles. She has a lot of fun out there. I will have to post some pictures soon.

* She still likes preschool and talks about the same few friends each day. I am really praying for her to have a few sweet friends that are her age. Most of her friends are Ellie's age and she often times wants to follow Ellie everywhere. She told her teacher at church she was thankful for her sisters as her best friends.

* We are going to move A and M together this summer to share a room. I think Ellie will need to go to sleep a little earlier once Kindergarten starts. Her and Anna tend to talk a long time once they get to bed.

* She is such a climber. It is almost how little boys like to wrestle. Anna loves to climb on anything and everything. She is also really good at it so I normally do not worry about her. She told me tonight that it is because she is a monkey. We are for sure doing gymnastics in the fall.

* She has a sensitive, compassionate heart and I love when it comes out. She is normally the one who volunteers to pray at mealtime. She often prays for the kids in Africa and our friends who are adopting there. She prays for the babies that are sick and still prays for her great grandma who passed away this past winter. She asks about the homeless people we see and wants to know all about them. She will watch all videos from church and be very intrigued by them.

* She is very opinionated about what she wants to wear each day. I have to be prepared each morning or it will be so easy to respond in frustration to her. I give her a few choices, but she so badly wants to wear a dress everyday with cowboy boots or dress shoes. I had to take away her dresses this week as a consequence and when she makes a good choice in not throwing a fit about what she wears she is able to earn a dress back into her closet. I love Sundays when she can wear whatever dress she wants!!

* She is still a mama's girl, but loves to play with Mike. She just wants me when I have to go somewhere or at bedtime.

We love you sweet girl and are excited to see you continue to grow into an amazing little girl.

Time Flies....

2011-03-31T16:17:00.000-07:00

Well, Ellie is officially registered for Kindergarten next year. I cannot believe she is old enough to go, but I know she will love it and learn so much. These are some of her best buddies from her preschool who will now go to her Elementary school with her. They also go to church with us which is so great! I was so happy to meet other Wmark families who will attend our school. I learned a lot at the registration and Ellie got to go on a tour of the school, meet the two kindergarten teachers, have a snack and meet new friends. I am excited for this next chapter of our lives and feel so blessed that our kids will attend such a great "little" school where everyone walks to it and you know your neighbors!

Rebecca Black - Friday (Parody)

2011-03-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

So a couple guys from our student ministry staff did a parody of the new Rebecca Black song Friday, if you haven't seen it check it out and get a laugh from this video...

Spring Days....

2011-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, everyone is looking at the camera. We got some hand me downs, but 2 matching outfits!

Love my girls

Anna loves to swing and go very high!

Sweet Ellie!

Mary on a trampoline and she loves it. Check out her belly:)

Well, these are pictures from our exciting spring break week. The weather was gorgeous and it is for sure my favorite time of the year here. We do not really get a fall till late November/December. However, it starts to get really warm in March and you don't sweat like crazy which we will be doing soon. We love to go on walks, play at the park, eat on the patio, and play outside all day. I am soaking it up while we can cause I know soon we will not even think about going outside.

Community Group Spades!

2011-03-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

The crew minus one couple who was out of town with the bracket which is appropriate for March madness

Mike and Jeff! So thankful he and his wife joined our group!

The big prize for the winner to choose. Mike wrapped it up nicely!

Explaining the rules!

Once a month our community group does something fun as couples. We each take a month and plan something fun for the group. March was our month so in honor of St. Patrick's Day/March Madness we decided to do a spades tournament at Trinity Hall. We just discovered this place and love it. It is an Irish pub and has the best food. Mike and I split fish and chips that were so yummy. Mike made a bracket for the tourney and we had prizes for the top 3. We did not win a prize. However, to make it more suspenseful the first place couple got to choose from a huge box or two different envelopes. They were all great prizes and it made it more fun. I am so thankful for the accountability, care, and love these couples provide for us. We are beyond blessed for our community group!

Ice Cream...

2011-03-17T19:13:00.001-07:00

Mary chooses to just use her hands... quite the mess!

Ellie likes Strawberry and Chocolate

Ice Cream in the spring and summer is one of our favorite treats. It is the one food I can get everyone to eat:) We have a local store called Braum's that is now within walking distance of our house. It is a fast-food restaurant, but also has really good, cheap ice cream. It also has a small market inside where you can buy milk, juice, gallon ice cream, etc... I frequent Braum's a lot to buy milk since I think we need a cow as much as we go through in a week!

Spring Break Fun...

2011-03-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

Well, I would say Spring Break has a new meaning with my crew. It is for sure not a break, but we've had some fun! It is crazy that people travel to Dallas for Spring Break. Our zoo, arboretum, six flags, etc... are packed with people so we've not ventured out of our normal routine. We started the weekend off with lots of basketball and staying home. Mary had another ear infection. I am not sure how many she's had since the fall. The Doctor told me if she has another one in April or May when it is spring that she will send us to an ear doctor. I feel so bad for her as she is miserable when they occur. She put Mary on a new anti-biotic that is stronger, but getting her to swallow it is requires Mike and I. Ellie also had a fever over the weekend and she did feel very good. I asked her what she needed and she told me she needed "more energy". She was so calm and it was kind of strange to see.

I've tried to plan one thing for each day so we have some structure and fun. We've been to the park, sam's club (they love it), library, and tomorrow is Building Blocks at church!

The girls have enjoyed playing together and being creative in the backyard. It is fun that Mary is now interacting with them and she wants to be a part of all the action. She is so sweet and will for sure hold her own with them. It sure is a blessing to be their mommy each day and be a team with Mike as we raise these sweet little girls!

DTown 2011

2011-03-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

DTown was held a few weeks ago and it was great. It is similar to a DNow and it is our biggest event of the year. The students stay with their small groups in kids homes all across Dallas. The team puts so much work into this event and it was awesome. I know many kids were drawn closer to Christ because of this event.

Mike went to Utah and I stayed home....

2011-03-08T19:05:00.001-08:00

Mike went to Salt Lake City back in January for his niece's wedding. I am so glad he got the opportunity to spend time with his family without our crazy crew. I had a good weekend with the kiddos and it seems like it gets easier each time he goes away and I am flying solo. I just give myself and the kiddos some extra grace and we all do great. I am always glad when he returns, but with no family in town I've had to get used to it. Here are some fun wedding pictures!

Mike and his bro with the bride and groom. What a beautiful couple!

Mike, Mara (his beautiful niece), Wendi (sister), Dave (cool younger brother)

Mike and Wendi (mother of the bride)

Mike and Dave! I love this picture...Dave is an awesome musician in NYC!

Mike's amazing family

Valentines Day in March....

2011-03-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

Well, I had good intentions of posting these on Vday, but we just uploaded new pictures tonight. I love Valentine's Day and I think it is such a fun holiday for kids. The girls loved their preschool party and exchanging cards with their friends. Mike brought them home a special Valentine treat and I know they will look forward to this day each year. They are for the most part thinking picture taking is fun these days. I am so glad and Mary totally loves the camera. She sometimes will run away, but for the most part she loves to say "cheese". We are at such fun ages right now and I am loving each day with my family.

Anna and Mary are now 4 lbs. difference in weight. Mary could possibly tower over them!

I love spending each day with this cutie. She makes us all laugh so much each day.

I am seeing their bond grow each day and I am sure it will increase next year when Ellie is at school.

Most people say she is a little Mike. Her mannerisms are similar as well.

Ellie is such a great big sister. She's very helpful and great at protecting Mary.

Favorite Things...

2011-02-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

I think as I get older I really start to think about in the midst of normal life to think about what is such a blessing to us right now. Life is not random and I know that God ordains certain things to happen in our lives. So in no particular order here are a few of my favorite things that have been going on in the Shelton house:

*Valentine's Day this year was so fun. I know we should love each other everyday and I feel like we do, but it was fun to have something to look forward to together. My parents always made VDay a big deal. I loved getting a flower or a balloon from then. I still got a Vday Box this year from my mom with some fun goodies in it. Anyways, so we made plans with another couple that had the same gift card that we had. We'd been saving it to go out together. It was to TX Land and Cattle (a yummy steakhouse) and we had enough on the gift card for all 4 of us to get steak, 2 appetizers, and 3 desserts to share. It was so fun and we had a free babysitter. We went to an Irish Pub after cause Ian is from England and enjoyed playing a game of spades together. It was so fun to just relax and laugh with friends with my favorite Valentine!

*I am feeling so blessed cause I feel like God has answered some major prayers regarding my dad's cancer. He still has it, but after surgery for an infection he is feeling pretty good. He was able to go on a Quail hunting trip with his coworkers this weekend. I am so thankful that he feels well enough to enjoy one of his favorite things. They also may get to come to TX at some point this spring if he feels up to it. I would love for them to see Anna play soccer:)

* Our church does a thing called Foundation groups for newly married couples. It is a small group that meets for 12-18 months and you have a mentor couple. We've been meeting with 4 newlyweds since October and I've loved it! Mike and I wish we would have something like it as newlyweds. It has been neat to share our story and allow God to use us to relate to their early marriage struggles.

*Warm Weather is back in TX. It was soooo cold for about 3 weeks that we could not play outside and all our normal activities were canceled. I am so glad we can go to the park and get energy out.

* DTown (Disciple Now) is this weekend which in student ministry is our biggest event of the year. The team has been working so hard and I know it will be awesome. It is such a fun event that allows the students quality time with their small group and tons of amazing worship/teaching time. I think they have close to 600 students/leaders that are attending this year. It is such a big event to organize, but so worth it when you see the fruit in the students.

* My girls are growing up, but are as cute as ever. They are little sponges learning all the time and I wish they could stay little like this for a long time. Except for I could do without the messes and snack delivering all the time!

So what are some of your favorite things going on in your life right now?

Anna's 4th Birthday!

2011-02-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

The princess theme and most decorations came from the Dollar Tree! Love that store...

Anna picked out the purple barbie cake from Target. The icing was a little crazy.

The second table for little girls

Sister picture in their princess pajamas

She knows how to pose.

I can't believe she is 4!

Beautiful girl

She loves her daddy and he was the only boy at the party!

Her favorite friends

We played "Cinderella says" instead of Simon says.

Pin the tale on the princess

Yummy cupcake

Aubren, Sydney, and Ellie being silly

Group picture with some tired little girls

Anna turned 4 years old this week and she was so excited. We had a princess pajama party at our house on a Friday night. It was so fun and the girls enjoyed dancing, playing games, cupcakes, popcorn, and just being together. There were 10 little girls and their mom's who happen to be some of my best friends. Mike felt a little alone, but he was a great d.j. for our princess music. I enjoyed having the party at our house and it was not to stressful. I am so thankful for Anna. I would say the 3 year old stage was by far the most difficult, but we started to see a big change the closer she got to 4. She has such determination and is so smart I am excited to see what she will do as she gets older. We love Anna!

Winter Blast 2011

2011-02-06T17:58:00.000-08:00

Mary was not a fan of the snow or sledding adventure so she was entertained with a sucker.

Ellie thought wearing Mike's goggles was super cool.

Anna on the sled with her friends.

Such a great picture and I love how much they love each other.

A picture of our street after round 2 of winter weather.

We had such a wild week of winter weather in TX this week. It was by far the worst weather we have experienced since moving here. The week before it was a warm 78 degrees and 3 days later it is freezing. We got the ice the first round that lasted for 4 days. It was so cold as well that you really did not want to go outside. Mike's office was closed the first day cause of ice and then the next day due to power issues. The parking lot never improved so they worked from home all week. At the end of the week there was a second round of snow that was supposed to be 1-2 inches and we got 6 inches. The snow was super fun to play in so we enjoyed all kinds of snow activities with friends. It was so unique as well with the Super Bowl being played here this week. I think God put our focus back on his creation and away from the lure of such a big event as the Super Bowl. We have all been praying for the past couple of months for protection of our city with the sex trafficking that can occur during a big event like the Super Bowl and I am sure the weather stopped so much of it! I am ready to play outside soon and I am sure this summer when it is 110 degrees I will wish for cold weather!

Cowboy Day

2011-02-06T17:50:00.001-08:00

Cowgirls have to wear purple!

Beautiful Girl

Mary wanted to be a cowgirl as well:)

Our preschool does a cowboy day every year. The girls were super excited, but Ellie had a fever/cough so she had to stay home. She was begging me to let her go! Anna' class did all kinds of fun cowboy activities and got to have lunch in the church's fellowship hall which is always a favorite.

Real...

2011-02-02T18:00:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I love about our life in TX is the way that authenticity is just "normal". I know what my friends are going through or their entire life story. We are able to encourage one another with our past and our future. I read my friend Jamie's blog earlier today and was reminded that we all have a story and it is to be shared with others. Jamie was one of my first friends when we moved to Dallas. I was placed in her Bible Study group and a year later we were in the same community group until they moved to PA a year ago. Jamie knows who she is in Christ and she now walks in that grace. I had never met someone who had an abortion until we moved to Dallas and I am so thankful that our church has a ministry called "Someone Cares". It is an abortion recovery ministry and the girls are taught they are loved and forgiven. Many are now ministering to other girls who've had an abortion and using their story of grace to help. So go and be encouraged by Jamie.

Playgroup Reunion....

2011-01-09T19:30:00.001-08:00

I got to go away for the weekend with these sweet girls in early December. I was so blessed when we moved here to be placed in their Wednesday morning Bible Study group. I remember telling Mike that I really liked these girls and then I kept bumping into my friend Katrina at the gym. One day she was talking about her playgroup and I decided to be bold. I invited myself and I felt so welcomed and connected right away. We moved here not knowing anyone and these girls are such dear friends to me. They have been together since their babies were born. Our church does a ministry called Square One for new mothers. They meet once a week for six weeks to discuss motherhood and form friendships with other new mom's. Anyways, we had so much fun just catching up and being away from our kids for a weekend. It was also fun cause two girls who have moved away to KS and PA flew back for the fun! I am so thankful for such sweet friends to walk with me through these fun/long days of the baby years!

The Remodeling Fun....

2011-01-05T19:22:00.000-08:00

Well, we are officially moved into our new home and we love it. We feel so blessed by sweet neighbors and are really excited for where the girls will go to Elementary School. Our city is very interesting in that there are no new homes in it. Most were built from 1950-1980. Our last house was built in 1959 so we had quite the vintage charm. This house we moved up a few decades to 1979. We love our city and its proximity to the big city, Watermark, friends, etc.. We also have a great little neighborhood school that many church families attend. It is only 2 classes per grade K-6 and they say it has a private school feel to it. We can walk there and I know Ellie will be excited come August.... Anyways, so we found this house that we really liked cause of the way it was maintained by the sweet lady who lived there. We did not have to do any landscaping, windows, etc.. It just needed lots of paint and some flooring. I do not have pictures of our master bathroom on here, but we have not done anything to it or the girls bathroom so it has lots of wallpaper and gold fixtures! Mike did such a great job with handling the remodel job which was done prior to us living there. PTL! He even with the help of our agent picked out all paint colors, fixtures etc... I tend to get a little overwhelmed and second guess myself so after trying to take care of 3 kids, pack, etc.. I handed the whole thing over to him! Great decision on my part:) So here you go on a tour...

Most homes in our area have dark wood paneling and lots of gold.

Dining room after we took out gold wallpaper and gold light fixture.

Wood floors are in the dining, living, kitchen, and hallway

Entry way had wallpaper as well...

Kitchen looks a lot better with some fresh paint.

I was a little nervous about this transformation.

I love all the built in shelving and we have a breakfast table here.

It was very dark in this room and we wanted to lighten it up.

Family room where we hang out lots!

Behind those closet doors is a wet bar. Lots of my friends have a wet bar as well...pretty funny.

Lots of paint!

Playroom or 4th Bedroom when the girls get older..

Not a great picture, but we carried the colors from the entry way into this room and painted all doors, trim, shelves, etc.. white!

Christmas 2010....

2011-01-05T19:01:00.001-08:00

The best gift of Christmas was seeing my sweet dad with his family!

She knows how to turn on the charm!

Christmas morning

Beautiful girl....

They can love each other!

Striking a pose...

A White Christmas in Georgia

4 plane rides in 2 weeks. They are becoming pros!

Christmas 2010 was a great one. I was gone for 2 weeks with the kids and Mike joined us for the last 8 days after a trip to CO for ski trip. I flew by myself to GA to visit my parents and the plane ride went really well. I guess they are getting older and Mary is just more chill than A or E was at 18 months. Anyways, we enjoyed a week or so prior to Mike arriving to celebrate Christmas with my family. It was a very special Christmas for our family as my dad is battling cancer like a true heroine. I am so proud of him and my mom. The faith they have shown is amazing and I am so blessed to have been raised by Godly, loving parents. We all enjoyed a white Christmas which was the first one in Atlanta in over 100 years. My mom outdid herself in making every person feel special with great gifts, food, and thoughtfulness. We missed attending Watermark on Christmas eve cause it is one of our favorite services of the year, but enjoyed attending Passion City Church as a family. I will post part 2 of our trip to visit KS soon!

A little to much fun....

2010-12-08T20:31:00.000-08:00

looking good in our Christmas gear...

What a crew:)

Love these girls!

We had our annual Community Group Christmas party this week and decided to make it tacky Christmas attire. Mike raided the student ministry skit closet for attire. I was an elf and he was a really tacky elf man. It was super fun and we were sad the Clark's were sick. It is such an awesome thing to have true community in our lives. We've now walked together for 2 1/2 years and been through lots of life together. I would not have it any other way.

Halloween Cuties!!

2010-11-23T20:16:00.001-08:00

Wonder Girl is on a mission!

How cute is this bumble bee?

I loooovvvee this picture!

Ellie was a monarch butterfly and she said monarch all day.

I love these sweet girls!

Halloween was super fun this year and we enjoyed lots of fun activities. We went to a great street to trick or treat and to a church's fall festival. Ellie and Anna really enjoy it and still pretend to trick or treat all the time. Mary was happy to be there and she enjoyed a few lollipops!

Hideaway Weekend!!

2010-11-23T19:58:00.001-08:00

All the superheroes at the Halloween Party

Some of Mike's 10th grade small group guys

We are looking a little tired after not much sleep:)

Some of my senior small group girls!

I am way behind on the blog, but our annual fall retreat was great! I got to go for one night thanks to some sweet friends who watched the girls for me. We were at Pine Cove camp which is similar to Kanakuk, but has a/c and heat so they rent it out throughout the year. It was a great weekend for my small group to have time away to connect with each other and with God. Mike spoke 4 times after running a fever on Thursday. He did awesome, but with little voice it was a challenge. It was a crazy week with closing on both houses etc... The theme was on Noah and about being a "freak" for Christ. It was such great content as I had not studied Noah very much. It is now time to plan for ski trip which is in just a few weeks!! God is doing great things in Student Ministries and it is fun to be apart of it.

Watermark Trick or Treat

2010-11-13T20:31:00.001-08:00

Princess Anna with Cinderella

Ellie at the "Disco Party"

Go Rangers!

Anna and Daddy

Mary reaching for Mommy!

Watermark has a fun tradition every Halloween where the staff kids come up to the offices after school to Trick or Treat. It was so fun this year and made the kids feel so special. Each ministry team came up with a theme for their section of the office. There was a Toy Story area, Circus, Princess, Disco Party, Texas Rangers, Neon Lights, and a magic show! The student ministry team did not participate cause they had a big retreat that weekend. I am so thankful that our girls will grow up thinking dad's job is the great and that church is fun!

Fall Happenings...

2010-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it is October in TX which means it is still pretty warm and everyone pretends that it is fall by wearing jeans and long sleeve shirt. However, the leaves are still green with no color and you could wear shorts to the pumpkin patch. I do miss fall so much when I see pictures on friends blogs of awesome scenery. However, I will love it when it is 60 degrees in January and we can go to the park! We are in the midst of a super busy week and I am having to pray about not getting overwhelmed etc.. Here are a few of the latest happenings in our house since last Friday:

* Anna had a small spot just about her ankle that looked like a bug bite/ingrown hair, but it was starting to be inflamed all around it and very red. I texted a picture to my nurse friend and she said it was an infection. It looked very similar to an infection that Mike had several years ago that was on his foot. I knew it was staph infection. Anna is not a fan of anything medical as in she is terrified and does huge tantrums most times we go to the doctor. I load up the van with all 3 cause Mike was going to a Ranger game and she is not excited. I feel so bad for her cause she is really scared. We love our doctor and he tries to make it fun, but it just does not help her. He looks at it and determines it is staph. He puts her on an oral antibiotic and it has gotten so much better. I had it flavored at CVS and she is taking it awesome!!

* Two days later Mary starts to have a fever/cough. It was a rough day and she ended up having a 104.5 fever. It was scary, but with some motrin it started to go down the next day. I think she may be our first sickly kid. A and E are rarely sick, but she seems to be more prone to viruses etc..It could be cause she sucks her fingers and crawls all over lots of floors!

* We closed on our current house on Tuesday without a hitch. It was a long journey, but we prayed most every night that the "right" buyers would come along. We had one offer that fell through at the last minute and two days later Mike gets a call in his office from a lady whose son is in his small group that she is showing our house that night to a Watermark family. We did not think much of it cause we showed it so many times. The family did not know whose house they were looking at prior to seeing it. When, they walk in they recognize us in our pictures. It is crazy cause he is on staff with Mike at Watermark. He is new and so I did not know them, but there are also lots of staff. It has been such a blessing to work with someone you know and it has been such a great process! We are renting our house back for a month to give us time to do some updating on our new house. It is a great house just a little 80's looking! However, our current house is 20 years older so we are moving up a few decades. It is a great size and we are super excited about being able to host lots of people and be a place for our girls to grow up with their friends. The other great thing is that the elementary school is awesome and really small. It is only two classes per grade and we know lots of families who live in the neighborhood. Ellie is super excited to go to Kindergarten next year with quite a few of her friends. I will be happy when all the paint colors are chosen. It is so not in my element:)

* Mike has their annual fall retreat this weekend at Pine Cove camps. I am going for one night and am excited to be with my small group for our last fall retreat as they are seniors. It is a big weekend as junior high will also be at pine cove, but at different camp. Mike is speaking at it this year so lots and lots of prep work has gone into this weekend. I know it will be an amazing weekend for the students.

*We are officially in Halloween party week with a pumpkin bash at preschool tomorrow and trick or treating at the church offices. It will be a sugar-filled day. We went to a fall festival tonight that was super fun. We have 3 unique costumes with lots of changes happening during the decision making process. Ellie is a Monarch Butterfly and even though it is just wings with lots of colors she is convinced she is a Monarch butterfly. Anna was going to be a lady bug to keep the insect thing going, but Cinderella won out and she has to have a magic wand to make the costume complete. She asked me tonight when her carriage was coming to our house. Mary is going to be a bumblebee or ladybug cause we have two super cute costumes.

Anyways, I hope you are all enjoying a fun week and I hope to have pictures posted soon!

A First Post!!

2010-10-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

I was getting so frustrated with my old blogger account. The design template was not working so I thought it was time to move on to a new site! I hope you will leave a comment to let me know it is working right. Happy Fall and Go Rangers! Mike was at the game tonight and I know he loved every minute of cheering for our favorite Texas team.