Catching Up

Saying it's been a while since I last wrote is kind of an understatement.  It has been way to long. There is no real important reason just the fact that we have been beyond busy.  We have literally been non stop for 2 months.  Barely time to breathe not much time to sit and write.  School and sports are finally coming to an end for this season.  I can't wait for summer to officially begin.  It certainly feels like summer here in south Texas.  It's been in the upper 90s for about a month now. 

After Al passed I helped my mom for about a month.  She sold her house without it ever being on the market.  A friend of a friend was looking in the area for a home her size and looked at it one day, and bought it the next.  A huge blessing.  I bet I know who was doing the negotiating up in heaven!  She didn't plan on selling right away, but just couldn't pass on the offer.  She moved to her "second home" which is a beautiful condo on the ocean.  She is adjusting and trying to fit all of her "stuff" into 3,000 sq ft of LESS space than she had before.  With the help of my hubby she now has some beautiful built-ins that will accommodate all the important things like shoes and handbags.  You can read about her journey here. 

Delilah just finished up her softball season, and did great. We had such a great season!  She also received an award from the local Water and Soil Conservation District for winning 1st place for their poster contest. 

She was so excited, and even more excited about her cash prize she received.  Lilah is still in gymnastics and is training to compete in level 4 this year!  She is almost finished with 2nd grade and almost 8! I just don't know where time goes. 

Celeste turned the big 5!  We had her party at the gym where they go to gymnastics.  All this kids had such a great time, and I loved it because I didn't have to keep the kids entertained!

Celeste is almost finished with her first year of t-ball.  She just loved playing and at this age, its so fun to watch the kids play! 

Celeste is also still in gymnastics and she will be competing in level 3 this season!  She is almost finished with pre-k and she is beyond excited about Kindergarten in the fall.  I know she will do great and have so much fun! 

Trinity also had a birthday.  She is now 3!  We were in Houston visiting family on her birthday, so my aunt made her a cake which she just loved!

She looks like such a big girl now!  I'm not sure what happened to her baby face.  Trinity is almost finished with ballet, and will have her recital next weekend.  She has informed me that she does NOT want to do ballet again!  I thought she liked it, but I guess not.  Her favorite thing to do is play with her baby dolls.  All 25 of them! 

While in Houston we went to the Astros/Padres game.  We have a friend who is a pitcher for the Padres and we got to watch him pitch.  The girls also loved it because of all the treats they get at a baseball game!

We also took the girls to the Children's Museum which was so much fun!

 Easter was also great.  We had a wonderful church service, and a delicious lunch at church.  My husband took this picture of me and the girls before church.  I think its now my new favorite!

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Update your blog please!

It has been way to long since I have updated my blog.  Not because I don't want to, but because I have been so busy these last few weeks.  The little time I did have I would spend with my girls or catch up on housework, and we took a long week vacation to Disney after Christmas.  I seriously thought about doing away with this blog until someone who I didn't know read my blog, told me how much they loved reading about our family.  That one person's comment about this little blog who has few followers and fewer updates must go on.  So one of my New Years resolutions is to blog more often...very often.  It's already 8 days into the new year and I am just now writing a new post.  So it starts now! 

I'm going to back up a bit to December.  The girls and I went to the Nutcracker.  They were so excited about going, and before the first act was over Celeste and Trinity we ASLEEP!!  So all  through the entire performance I had two drooling girls on my shoulders.  I enjoyed the show and laughed a few times as my Lilah told me everything that was going to happen in the show seconds before it did.  She saw it a few days before with her school. 

Celeste and Trinity had a Christmas program at school, and they were both so excited to sing.  I took this picture before the program.  I was so proud of myself for making these cute dresses for them, and actually finishing them on time!

Our church's children's choir practiced for weeks for their Christmas program.  This was Celeste's first year actually singing.  All the other years she just stood up on stage and clung on to her sister.  Lilah had a solo, and she did great.  Made us cry as she sang about our Saviour. 

 After church we took a few family pictures, and I just love this one of my girls.  They look so beautiful.   

 My mom and step-father were able to make it to church that Sunday.  It was such a blessing to have all of our family together for that Christmas service. 

We all spent Christmas eve at my parents house.  I just love that time together with fellowship, food, and all the children just full of joy.  The children asked ALL day if it was time to open their presents.  I remember being the same way as a child. 

My husband read the Christmas story out of the Bible before we opened gifts.

                                            

All the children took turns opening their presents in front of everyone.  This seems to make things move a little slower than everyone just tearing open all their gifts in 5 seconds.  The girls loved everything they got.

(I probably should have cleaned her face before taking this picture)

My husband surprised me with an iPad.  I had NO idea!  Lets just say...I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

The next morning the girls woke up super early 6:30am to be exact. (that's way early for me)  They opened gifts from each other.  Each year the girls pick out a gift for their sisters.  They try sooo hard not to tell each other, and this year they kept it a secret except Trinity told Celeste one of hers.  They were so excited to give the gift they picked out to their sisters.  Santa came by and brought more things they asked for.  (yes we "do" Santa.  My girls know the true meaning of Christmas.  Santa is just for fun, and they wont believe in him when they are teenagers.  That's all I am going to say about that.) 

My step-father was admitted to the hospital again on Christmas day.  This past Tuesday he was released to a rehabilitation facility so he can start regaining his strength back from all the weeks he has spent in a hospital bed.  He seemed to be making progress, and last night we got a call that they were taking him back to the hospital because his oxygen level had dropped low.  So today he is in the ICU.  Please pray for him, and my mother as we all try to make it through this tough time.

I will write all about our Disney trip next time.  I think I have overloaded this post, but here is a little sneak peek...

July

July has been well....BUSY!  If you haven't noticed by my lack of blogging!  I feel like we have been non-stop all month, and when I have time at home I try to catch up on housework.  Some people hace "weekend reviews" on their blogs...well today for me is going to be a "month review".  On the 3rd my beautiful daughter celebrated her 7th birthday!  I can't believe she is 7, and yes I will probably say that every year! 

We had a little swimming party with her sisters and a few friends.  It was such a nice day, and we had the pool to ourselves.  I loved watching these little girls giggle all day!

Trinity enjoyed the food (all over her face in the pic above) especially the watermelon.

                                                

About the second week in July we packed up our travel trailer, and headed to youth camp in Lufkin.  I was so excited to go this year because it was our first time at this particular camp.  Lilah was old enough this year to be a camper.  She really wanted to stay in the dorms with the other girls.  I was a little worried at first, but she did great and had an awesome time! 

                                     

 During the week the kid campers and youth campers were separated and did different activities throughout the day, including church services in the morning and evening.  I spent most of the day on the playground with my little girls!  It was soooo HOT, and didn't even phase the girls!

Trinity is ready for church!  The services were so awesome!  On the last night of camp we all met at one service.  The place was packed!  The children's choir sang first, and I was so proud of my Lilah!  (She is in the middle with a white sweater and a black, white, blue and pink dress.  Her hair is pulled back.)

 

It was a long week, but we had so much fun!  I can't wait until next year.  The last week has been quiet around here.  I am just trying to catch up on laundry and some sewing projects.  It has also been very rainy here in Texas the past few days which is great weather to just stay home and relax!  I hope you all had a great week, and I promise to post more often!

The Lord Is My Shepherd

I enjoyed reading the front cover of our church bulletin, and I wanted to share with you...

The Lord is my Shepherd...

THAT'S RELATIONSHIP!

I shall not want...

THAT'S SUPPLY!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...

THAT'S REST!

He leadeth me beside the still waters...

THAT'S REFRESHMENT!

He restoreth my soul...

THAT'S HEALING!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness...

THAT'S GUIDANCE!

For His name's sake...

 THAT'S PURPOSE!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...

THAT'S TESTING!

I will fear no evil...

THAT'S PROTECTION!

For Thou art with me...

THAT'S FAITHFULNESS!

Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me...

THAT'S DISCIPLINE!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies...

THAT'S HOPE!

Thou annointest my head with oil...

THAT'S CONSECRATION!

My cup runneth over...

THAT'S ABUNDANCE!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...

THAT'S BLESSING!

And I will dwell in the house of the lord...

THAT'S SECURITY!

For ever...

THAT'S ETERNITY!

Revival Week continued...

Well we missed Tuesday night's service. An unexplainable illness got to me and Trinity late in the afternoon, details will be left out! All is better and last night I only got a picture of my two little girls before church. Lilah didn't want to take a picture because she was sill waking up from a nap. I think they got distracted because they saw a dog across the street. Too cute!

(taken with my phone...camera at job site AGAIN..)

Last night we had a great service. There wasn't any preaching until the end, just a good Holy Ghost service. The Lord really came by and blessed. I kept hearing the song that says, "He touched me, oh, He touched me, and oh the joy that floods my soul. Something wonderful happened, and now I know He touched me, and made me whole!" As I began to think about this song it reminded me of the night some years back when I accepted salvation. The Lord truly touched me that night, and made me whole! I have been through trials, and valleys, but He always sees me through, and make me whole again.

The scripture that was read at the end of service was out of Acts 10:38. It says, How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with them.


God is still in the healing business, as my husband always says. The stripes He endured on His back are for our healing. Nothing is to hard or great for God. Let Him do a work in you. People were healed in the shadow of Peter....imagine what can happen in the presence of God.

Revival Week

Our church is in revival this week, and we are blessed to have a really great preacher and his wife here from Missouri to minister to us. I want to share just a little bit everyday this week about what was preached the night before.

I got to snap a quick picture of my girls before church.


Doesn't this little lady look too cute?

The scripture was taken from John chapter 21. Verses 12-14 say, 12: Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13: Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14: This is now the third time that Jesus shewed Himself to His disciples, after that He was risen from the dead.

Jesus not only showed Himself to His disciples and others after He was risen to fellowship with them, but to show them that He is alive and still Lord! Jesus is not in the grave nor is His body. He is alive and seated on the right hand of God in heaven making intersession for you and me. I can remember countless times He has showed Himself real to me. Times He has showed up to heal, deliver, and set free. A little reminder that He is alive and cares for me and my family! Can you think of the times that Jesus showed himself real to you?