Meet the Faulkners

Update

2011-11-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

Well after telling someone about my blog this morning, I decided it was time to come back and do an update. I didn't realize I haven't posted since my BIRTHDAY! Wow. Where to even begin. So much has happened over the last 5 months. I'll do a quick list to catch you up on what has happened over the summer and fall.

* We went on a cruise in August with Charis and Bert (my sis and bro-in-law) and had an absolute BLAST! One of the best vacations I have had. We started in Miami and then went to Grand Cayman Island, Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. I'll post with pictures and a lot more about the trip later.

* Bo started his last semester in Grad School! Hallelujah praise the Lord he is almost done! Next semester will be a tough one as his last class in Dallas doesn't get done until around 10 pm... I hate when he has to drive home that late.

* Upon preparing for our cruise, Bo and I started running in April. I have so far ran a 5K in 25 minutes, a 10K in 56 minutes and am preparing for a half marathon in 2 weeks. What started out as an easy way to lose weight has become a life changing experience. I feel so close to God when I am out on the road alone in my thoughts...but that's another post all together :)

* I finished a 6 week bible study that encouraged and filled me with His Spirit even more. It was called Deeper Still and it was wonderful!

* New and wonderful friends have come into our life over the past few months. And, I have formed deeper relationships with some amazing ladies at church.

* God has restored and rebuilt relationships in my life that had fallen a part, and He has helped heal my bitterness.

So much more has happened in our day to day life, but for now that is a good place to stop. I'll keep updating on some of the things I mentioned!

a journey through life

2011-06-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to take just a moment to reflect on the past 26 years...yup that's right. I am now 26 years old. I am no longer in my early or even mid-twenties! I am officially in my late 20's and on the downhill slide to 30. I still don't know how I feel about this yet. In your early twenties you can get away with stupid things, because let's face it...you are still young and not as smart as you think you are. By 25 you SHOULD know better, but still people don't expect much. By 26 you are in your late twenties and are now expected to "know better" You are a grown-up. I don't feel "grown-up"! I am now going to take a look back over my life and pick out my favorite moments in the past 26 years to see if it equals "Grown-Up"!

I was born (pretty great moment) on June 7, 1985 on the HOTTEST day on record for June7, in Chandler, Arizona. It was a steaming 117 degrees that wonderful day. My mother and dad couldn't decide on a name for sweet me, so my Aunt Jerry Ann chose my name! Pretty special :)

We are jumping ahead now to roughly 5 years old. Lot's happened this year, but the one that sticks out most is being in Sunday School and playing with the kitchen set in the classroom. I yanked open the little refrigerator door and bam, next thing I remember is that I was in a Dr. office getting stitches in the top of my head. A GIANT seashell was on top of that sweet little play refrigerator and it fell and cracked my head open. Skip forward a few weeks...we are now MOVED across the country to Pennsylvania and my mommy is cutting stitches out of the top of my head. I think.

Moving forward nearly a year...I now have a brother...enough said.

Very shortly after Coleman is born we moved to Texas. Arlington to be exact. In the time we lived in Arlington, I pushed my middle sister off my bike and broke her front tooth, she still holds a grudge, I have one of the first surprise parties I can remember, and I remember loving my teacher! I don't remember her name but I remember really liking her!

Ok jumping ahead a few more years...I am 12. We live in Waco and I am visiting Victoria's life church for a special production. I accepted Jesus that night. I am not sure I fully understood that, but I knew I was safe with Him in my life! During this same year, I got another brother...in law that is, I became an aunt for the first time AND we moved back to Arizona.

Moving up to the teens...I was a boring child...accept that I had a smart mouth and used it often. My mother spanked me when I was 16..I am serious. I think she laughed too. I know I did as well as my sisters. I was already taller than my mom by this point, so this was a very funny moment! My parents used to ask me to leave the house. I am a homebody and would rather hang out at home with my mom then go out and do something stupid. I did get a job when I was 16 so that helped some. I have worked ever since then.

High School graduation...nearly 500 in my graduating class. My last name was Adams...I was 2nd to last to graduate...you think someone made a mistake??? Yea...they did. There was a big goof!

Now I am 20. My parents got divorced this year...Not a bad thing really. It has worked out OK. My mom moved back to Texas...and guess who followed her...that's right. ME! I did rekindle a lost friendship this year. My sweet friend Taryn from high school! We started talking and emailing a lot when I moved back to Texas Early twenties were filled with memories and laughter and some heart break. But, it made me stronger. And, I am thankful for all the good times!

22. 2007. Taryn, my friend from above, lost her battle with a very aggressive ovarian cancer. She was 23. Just a couple months older than me. Taryn doesn't know this, but she changed my life at her funeral. She had a strong faith. She loved deeply and told people how important they were. She was confident she would be with the Lord and she even told her mom that before she passed. Her funeral wasn't a sad event for most. I realized that day that what was missing in my life was a deep unconditional love. Not an earthly. A heavenly love. I realized that day what it meant to live for Jesus. I came home from her funeral a changed person. I went to church the VERY next day. I prayed hard to God for the years lost between He and I. I vowed to rededicate my life and make a difference in someone's life the way Taryn did in mine. She may have lost her life, but she gave me mine back. I have grieved over the loss of my friend, but I rejoice today with the absolute with out a doubt fact that I will see her again someday.

Also, when I was 22 I met a guy named Bo Faulkner at church. I didn't care for him very much. In fact we agreed we probably couldn't really even be friends. Lots of complications at that time. God has a real sense of humor though! During a hard time in my life, the only person that came to my mind to talk to was...Bo. The very person who I really couldn't stand. But, I called him up and we met for coffee at Starbucks. he helped me get through that time with lots of laughter and goofy smiles. We talked a lot and started hanging out. We realized after a month or so of this that there was something there. Something neither of us would have guessed could be there. So we started quietly dating.

Jumping to my 24th birthday. Bo left that morning for Colorado. I would see him in a week. Or so I thought. Oh I also had the 2nd surprise party of my life this birthday. I was mad. I have grown to dislike surprises, but that is another blog all together! Oh back to Bo...so I did the normal Sunday routine; I went to church where everyone was SO nice to me, I went home, hung out with my fam and got ready for my birthday dinner with Jenna and Brenton. (Our best friends) Jenna picked me up and we started and extraordinary scavenger hunt. All the while we talked and laughed and Jenna stressed that this was really my present from Bo. He set up the scavenger hunt as a fun something to do since he was on his way to Colorado and couldn't be there with me. I went along laughing and thankful for friends and Bo who put so much into my silly birthday! The last stop was at the arboretum in Hewitt...I got out of the car expecting to find my gift. And, boy oh boy did I. I found Bo waiting for me. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. So of course I did what I do best...I cried. HA. I had no idea what was going on. Bo talked and I laughed and I cried and then he sang to me, and then it hit me. He was going to ask me on my birthday to marry him! Remember that sense of humor God has, yea He was laughing big time this day! God's perfect plan was working out. On June 7, 2009, Bo asked me to be his wife. I of course said yes, and were married in 2010!

25th birthday was spent in Colorado with the youth. It was a blast! I finally got to go and experience the week! I could have moved there.

Looking back over the years I guess I have determined that I have had a VERY full life to this point. Maybe it is true that we never grow up. We may get older, but we learn and grow each day. I am blessed with lots of friends and a family that loves me. My husband is not only the man I love, but my best friend. And, God...God has given me the unconditional overwhelming love I was searching for! He loves me through the bad and the good and will continue to love me until His plan for my life is full filled. He renews my spirit each morning and in times of doubt reminds me of His ever present love! I may not always be the person God would want, but He is always there with open arms to wrap around me and whisper His sweet words of love.

Maybe after all this 26 won't be so bad!

Not just a student worker

2011-05-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Once in awhile someone walks into our life and changes it. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does you feel the impact forever. One person can open your eyes to see things more clear. I have had the privilege of this happening to me many times in my life. The first, was my friend Taryn who passed away a couple years ago. She showed me how God can change your life forever if we allow him to. By her faithful walk she showed me what was missing in my life and what I so desperately wanted. The second, was Beth Moore. No bible study can rock my world like hers do. Every time I amazed by her knowledge and her love of God. I want to be on fire for Him for the world to see! I want to live each day making a difference in the lives of others in Jesus' name.

The most recent person to walk in and shake things up was the most unexpected person. A 5 foot nothing, outrageously spunky, with a smile to melt your bad day student worker walked into my life in January. She literally bounces when she walks. She is so fully of energy. And, that's not all. She is full to the brim with God's love. She pours that love out everywhere she goes to everyone she encounters. What started as an employer/employee relationship has grown into a life long friendship. Everyday she came into work she was happy to be there no matter the task. We laughed a lot, we worked hard and we prayed openly with each other. Ariel didn't just help me in the office, she helped me spiritually. She could sense when I was stressed out and would just pray for me right there. She came to me for advice and truly took to heart what I said.

I am always amazed by the people that come in and out of our lives. It sometimes seems like we meet people at the exact moment we need them. Even if we don't know we need them at that time. Looking back over this semester I realized that this was a pretty stressful time in my new job and I believe that God brought Ariel to me knowing she would help me through the busy times and keep me calm when I started to get frazzled. Everyday she left with a smile. Everyday she walked in happy to be there. I am so thankful for the little treasure that God brought into my life. I wish her the best in nursing school. I know that she will do incredible things!

Hey Ariel, I want you to have a great day!!!

Easter Walk

2011-05-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Children's Minister at church presented an idea to the children's ministry team back in January to do an Easter Walk. So often we teach kids about Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday, but we don't focus a lot on Jesus' last week. The Easter Walk takes them on an eye witness account of what happened that last week. From turning taking the donkey, to turning the money tables...all the way through being taken in the garden and meeting before Pilot and ending with the empty tomb. Each scene is told from a witness in each location. From the moment Amy told us about this I loved it. I loved the whole concept. I prayed over each scene and we worked long and hard about each person who would play the characters. I truly believe God led us to each person who performed and it was incredible. Children saw firsthand what it would have been like. It wasn't a story being read to them, they were taken back in time to each place and got to hear the dramatic week before the Cross. Here is a brief look at what our children experienced.

The donkey is taken

The Temple

The Upper Room

The garden

Pilot's Scribe

Barabbas

The Empty Tomb

Talking about the Disciples taking the donkey

The Temple after Jesus has turned over the money tables

After the last supper is served

Hearing about Jesus being taken from the garden and betrayed by a kiss

The Scribe who saw Pilot wash his hands of Jesus' blood

Barabbas talking about being released and Jesus taking his place

The 3 ladies at the empty tomb

"This was my cross. He died in my place!"

The tomb is empty! He has conquered death and RISEN form the grave!

Unfailing Love

2011-05-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I have posted anything! I have had something on my heart for a couple weeks now. I have even made notes all over my "to-do" pad at work with this particular blog idea. As you may know I am on a one year bible plan. I am reading (sometimes) daily a few passages from the Old, New, Psalm and Proverbs. I was reading through Exodus and 9 times in a matter of 5 days I read the phrase "unfailing love" in reference to God. I started writing down each time I aw that phrase and got to be too much. Not only is it in Exodus but it is all over Psalm. In fact I had to look up how many times that phrase occurs...32 times! 32 times you will read about God's unfailing love for us. I think He wants us to know he is serious about that.

I love God's Word so much. No matter the kind of day I am having I can always open up my bible app (yes, I read off my iphone at work..don't judge) and there before me is God's faithful promise to love me always. His unfailing love for me is evident everyday. In my husband, my friends, my family, my work... I see bits of His love in everything I do. My favorite verse that I read is Psalm 32:10, " Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD." I just love that. It made me stop and think about all the "bad" things in my life..I couldn't find anything. I know that things aren't perfect but when I stop to think of my life and what God has provided I am overwhelmed. His unfailing love pours out on me daily! My hope and trust is in the Lord and he HAS provided!

Women's Retreat 2011

2011-04-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago I went on the MBC Women’s Retreat. I had a blast. I formed relationships with some women that I otherwise wouldn’t have. I made deeper bonds with my friends and even conquered a lifelong fear of mine…HEIGHTS! Well maybe conquered is a strong word, but I definitely, literally jumped out there. Below are some of my favorite pictures form the weekend with a caption or two on why I love the picture so much!

I have never been on a girls road tirp before...these two ladies made it a blast!!! We sang and talked and laughed a lot!

I just adore these two! They have a mother/daughter bond like no other. I was glad I could capture this sweet moment between them.

Leah turned out to be the master swing pusher :)

Cabin # 8!!!

I did not know Paige very well but I am so glad God brought her into my life. She is an amazing example of what a God fearing woman looks and acts like. This moment brought it all home for me. In the midst of her message, Paige was struggling with her mind and her thoughts. She had to stop and take a moment to regroup. I thought that if nothing else happened the rest of the weekend, this moment will always stick with me. We have to step back sometimes and face the hard issues head on. We have to allow God to block out our inner-voice and give him control of our mind. So often our own thoughts are what tear us down. I just can't explan the impact this simple act had on my life!

I signed up to do the zip-line...I did not sign up to do it alone! I made Kacey do it with me otherwise there was no way I was climbing up that ladder and going alone. She has already informed me she will pull that card out and guilt me with it at some point! HAHA

Together we faced our fears. We have a special kind of bond now...we didn't die :)

The cross made me worthy of God's unfailing love. Thank you for the cross, Lord!

LaLa and Angela had some fun surprises for me...that I promptly passed on to the rest of my cabin :) Thanks for making my first women's retreat the best!!!

The whole group!

The Spice Girls showed up to put on a quick show...

"No more pictures, Courtney"

I just love her face!!!

Thanks to the MBC Women's Ministry Team for a great retreat!!!

Revelation of the day

2011-03-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to read through the bible since January. I am on a read the bible in one year plan. I read 1 chapter in the Old, 1 in the New, 1 Psalm and 1 Proverb. However, I must admit that I have slacked off lately...a lot. This week I have started a new work out plan to get fit by the time I go on my cruise in August. Some say I may have started too early, but I don't want to kill myself all summer. So I am going slow and starting early. With this new workout plan it made me aware of another plan I was failing at...my bible plan. So this morning I sat back and read 3 days worth to get caught up. I am going to do that until I am on track where I should be. You may be asking where the revelation came from...it wasn't in realizing that I wasn't reading the bible anymore it came from what I read this morning.

I picked up in Exodus chapter 24. I will give you a brief synopsis, Moses goes up the mountain to meet with the Lord and has talked to the people and they all agree to do everything the Lord has commanded. The next day Moses builds an altar for the Lord. Moses sacrifices bulls as a peace offering. This is the gross part...Moses drains half the blood from the bulls and splatters that on the altar. Moses again goes to the people and reads from the Book of the Covenant and again the people agree to do everything the Lord commanded. Then Moses takes the other half of the blood he drained and splatters it out in the crowd of people telling them the blood is the sign of the covenant with the Lord that they will follow his instructions.

So after I read that and called Jenna to tell her what I read and email Bo to tell him what I read I had a revelation. I am so very thankful that God sent his Son to die on a cross and have HIS blood shed for me and for the sins of the people on earth. How lucky we are that we don't have to sacrifice animals on the altar. God provided a way for us to be forgiven and live with Him in paradise. He sent his only son to die for us. I know we hear that all the time and it is powerful, but after reading what Moses did as a sign of the promise to God, it made it 10 times more powerful to me. To know that all I have to do is believe, repent accept and chose to follow after Him everyday...that seems like I am getting off so easy compared to Jesus. But, then again he knew from the very beginning of time what the plan would be. It is God's perfect plan and for that I am so thankful for the love that God gives us and the love that Jesus showed by dying on the cross for us.

He made me to be me

2011-03-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

Last night I went with my good friends Amanda and Nancy to Zumba. After Zumba the instructor leads a short devotional. I must admit after sweating for an hour the last thing on my mind was a devotional...but I am really glad I stayed. She talked about a blog she follows and she shared what that lady wrote. It was all about showing God's love to everyone, everyday in every situation. And, that no matter how other people show his love or share his Word, we are all different.

It made me stop to think about myself for...well...the rest of the night. I realized something from that devotional that I didn't even want to go to. I realized that no matter what is going on Jesus told us to show his love to others. That means that on my worst day, and I do have bad days, I am supposed to show God's love. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 2:8 "⁸ so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well" To me that says that we are not only to share the Word with others, we are to literally share our lives. To make friends. to let others into our lives and know us personally. We are to have a relationship with others. Otherwise how can we share the gospel with them? We are to fellowship with one another. The poor, the rich, children, adults...it doesn't matter. Am I forming relationships? Am I allowing brothers and sisters to know me? I like to think I am, but then, there are days I don't feel like opening up and allowing people into my life. However, I look back over the last few years and think about how much my life has changed because of the people I have let into my life. I am better today because of the people that lift me up and help carry me not only in times of darkness but in the light as well. The love me for who I am and encourage me to be better. That leads me to the next thing I realized last night and this morning.

She talked last night during the devotional about how unique we all are. how we are all made different. I left feeling a sense of sadness. So often I do a bible study and walk away thinking, "Man that women is amazing I want to be just like her!" But, last night it hit me...I don't need to be like Beth Moore or Ann Graham Lotz or a writer like Francine Rivers. I don't even need to be like Dave Ramsey when it comes to money smarts. God made me unique and one of a kind. They are incredible individuals in their own right, and I certainly can learn a lot from them, but why strive to be like them? I am carefree, loving and fiercely in love with God. Isn't that enough? I love the woman He has made me. I search his word for the answers. I turn to Him for guidance and assurance and I praise for the struggles....because they only make me rely more on His grace and mercy. Proverbs 8:17 says, "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." Stop and think about that...are you in love with God? Are you passionate about His Word?

I don't need to be anyone else. I am who the great I AM made me to be. He loves me for who I am and now my one challenge is to live up and grow into the woman He wants me to be! I am worthy of His love. And, I challenge myself to show that love everyday, in every situation no matter my mood.

Disney Christmas 2010

2011-01-27T07:07:00.000-08:00

What an amazing trip we had during Christmas break. Bo's mom and dad decided to take all of us to Disney World in Florida for Christmas. We had SO much fun!!! I have so many pictures to chose from that for now I will just post a couple. We went on every roller coaster (multiple times), we ate delicious food, we ran around like kids and waited in line for character pictures! I had never been to Disney World so this was a real treat for me! I got my nickname when I was 1 form my dad when we went to Disney Land in California. I apparently got so excited to see Minnie Mouse during her electrical parade that my dad started calling me "Totally Minnie" I still love Minnie Mouse and to meet her in person was a dream come true! :) I will never forget the amazing memories we had while on this trip. I hope it is the first of many fun trips with my in-laws!!!

Disney really is the most magical place on Earth!!!

It is officially Christmas at my house

2010-11-23T09:35:00.000-08:00

I love to decorate. I mean I love, love, love to decorate. I come by it naturally. My mom decorated for every holiday. She had "off-season" decor and she had seasonal decor. I can't help but love the holidays. There is so much to decorate with :) I decorate for the fall on September 1. By November1 I am listening to Christmas music and by the weekend before Thanksgiving my house is decorated for Christmas! Bo thinks I am crazy. He just can't understand why I love it so much. He even grilled my sister, Candace, last night about my so called "traditions". However, she confirmed that I wasn't crazy weird about my decorations, that we did in fact grow up that way!

My family has lots of other traditions that have followed me into my marriage. Christmas stockings for instance...growing up Santa always filled your stocking on Christmas Eve and laid it out for you to open on Christmas morning. This will be the first year in my whole life that I have a different Santa filling my stocking :) My mom also makes cheese soup and goodies the night before Thanksgiving and we all gather around at her house and laugh and talk and get ready for the very busy day ahead. Growing up we always played a game in the car with my dad. The first one to spot Christmas lights won the game, and the prize dad owed you $1.00. Based on that game, my dad owes me thousands of dollars!!! I have so many more traditions that I could talk about. But, I think you can see why this is such a special time of year for me.

What are some of your family traditions?

I stand amazed in my Revelation

2010-11-18T12:43:00.000-08:00

I wasn't going to blog that today is the last day of bible study since last week I said we had 2 sessions left...but I couldn't help it. I was doing my homework this morning and I read all the way to the end of Revelation. When you least expect God to pop off the pages, He doesn't just pop out...he will JUMP OUT AND GRAB YOU! I have clung with both fists to the verse in Genesis that says God was walking in the garden looking for Adam and Eve even calling out to them "Where are you?". My whole life changed when I read that verse. It was my whoa God moment. That moment where you not only feel shivers and tingles, but when you go back and think about it you get the same feeling all over again. In Revelation 21: 3 it says this, "Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them- they will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God." I am so excited about that verse. It seals the deal for me. I am hooked on God! From beginning to end God has been dwelling with us. He has been longing to return to that fellowship with us. He will search us out and seek us even knowing that we have fallen, and in the end, He still wants to dwell among us forever!

He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End...how awesome is the God we serve. What a promise we have to look forward to. Yes, He is coming quickly.

A revelation about friends

2010-11-11T11:33:00.000-08:00

I realized that I only have 1 or 2 sessions left in the Revelation study I have been doing at church. It got me thinking about the women in that group and what they mean to me. I am greatly blessed by the incredible women that I call my friends. Thank you to all the amazing ladies who are walking and growing with me on our spiritual journey! What an amazing thing it is to be in the family of God! I will continue to pray for each one of you that God continues to bless you lives and our friendship.

"Two are better that one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, the other is there to help him up.
But, pity the man who falls
and has no one to pick him up."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Baby Grady - 5 days old

2010-11-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

These are long over-due but I wanted to get them posted before he was a grown boy! I got the joy of taking Katy's maternity pictures and when she asked me to do Grady's newborn pictures, I was thrilled. He was such a good baby the entire day. I loved that Justin was able to be here for their first family pictures!

Billy and Kelly's Engagement Pictures

2010-11-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

I met Billy about a year and half ago when I worked at the Press. I got to see Kelly's ring before he proposed and I got to hear all the details about how everything went. I loved getting to spend the afternoon with Billy and Kelly. I could see the love that they had for each other! It shines through every time they smile at each other. I pray that over the next couple of months, God continues to bless them!

Sponsor

2010-11-02T09:31:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share the new and exciting adventure God has brought into my life. I have been wanting to get more involved in activities and groups at work. I just feel like I have talents that could be used here. So, I talked to my friend Diane about volunteering as a sponsor for the organization she is a part of. Turns out they needed more people to sponsor, so me and mom are now a part of the Chi's organization.

The best part about this organization is that the girls volunteer every weekend all over town. They show their love and support of others and this community with their hands. Their motto is "clasped hands in service" They are sharing God's love by the simple acts they do: cleaning up trash, habitat for humanity and other great programs in town.

I am really excited to be a part of this. I look forward to getting to know all the girls and getting to serve with them around town!!!

Advent and impromptu pictures

2010-10-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

This year for advent each week will have a scripture and some kind of artwork to go along. It could be a painting, a drawing, a word, a photograph...anything that you are good at and represents those scriptures. Fran Ostrom asked me and Rachel Sterling to each do photographs. I love that we have such talented youth that are pulled in and included in all the church does.

Fran emailed me my verses and told me my week was joy. I started praying immediately for what I was going to take pictures of, because, well in case you don't know me...I find joy in everything! There is not one thing that just overwhelms me with me joy. I find joy in the simplest things in life...right down to the 7Up I just drank! But, clearly I couldn't take pictures of that :) So after praying and reading the scriptures the ideas just came pouring out of me! I knew what I wanted to do. I knew the direction God was telling me to go.

I called Katy and told her my ideas and told her I needed 30 minutes of her time to accomplish what I needed. So we met and here is a peak at some of the pictures we did!

I honestly can't say it enough times...Katy can make me laugh like no one else! I am so blessed to have this family in my life! I adore each one of them...especially Grady! The verse I chose to represent my week is:

"Shout for JOY to the Lord, all the earth. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his...For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." --Psalm 100: 1,3,5

How true that is! God's love has endured through every generation. How evident His love is in a mother's smile, a friend's laugh and the simplicity in a child's face!

Learning to walk in someone else's shoes

2010-10-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went through Mission Waco's Poverty Simulation with 13 of our youth and 5 sponsors. We literally were homeless for the weekend. It was one of the best and worst weekends I have ever had. I don't want to give too much about the weekend away, but I will share some highlights.

I was shocked by how little I know about what is going on in the world. I know that I can't change them and that I can't help that I live here and not somewhere else. But, it was shocking to me how little I pay attention to the news. So often I think "there is nothing I can do" and I turn a blind eye to it. The sad part is, we live in the midst of poverty. I don't have to travel across the world to see sadness and struggle. I can see it in my own city. I can experience it for myself. I learned that being in poverty does not mean you are living on the street. You can live in a house and even have a job and a car. But, what no ones sees is that you don't have food to feed yourself or your kids, you aren't able to make enough money to live on or you simply struggle with an addiction that gets the better of you.

One item I kept this weekend was my bible and 2 times I asked God to show me something and I am still amazed by God. The first was curiosity. I wanted to know about fasting. What did the bible say to do when you fast. A repeated theme kept coming to me: prayer. You pray. A lot. I remembered that on Saturday when I was hungry. And, while I was not fasting, I did pray. I prayed out loud with Rachel Sterling and I prayed to myself. I asked God to be with me. Surprisingly I was not hungry. I never got the hunger pain in my belly. I was full on God's love. I noticed that on Saturday night when we ate dinner...I wasn't hungry. I hadn't been hungry the entire time I prayed. The hunger didn't hit until I took my focus off of God. The second time God showed up, in a big way, was Saturday night. I again opened the bible and just asked God to satisfy my need. I needed to see something, to hear from Him. I turned to Job. I realized and even joked that I had never read Job before. Connie told me I was going to love it. I think she knew what I was about to see and how God was about to reveal himself to me! As I began to read I marveled at a few things: Job loved God so much but more importantly God loved Job so much that he was willing to let the Devil tempt Job. And, tempt he did. The most amazing verse to me was when Job's wife, after death and sickness, came to Job and asked him if he were not angry at God and basically tells him end your suffering, curse God and you will die. Job, ahh Job. How sweet his love for God is. He tells her she is talking foolish. Here is where it gets amazing to me. Job then says, " Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" (NIV) "We take the good days from God - why not also the bad days?" (The Message)

I love how the messages says it. Saturday was in my book a bad day. One day. I just had to make it through one bad day...but should I not thank God for that day? I learned so much about the world and what is going on. I learned about my own city and the anguish that lives around me. I learned about hunger and sleepless cold nights. All in one bad day. I would do it again. I would learn it all over again and still praise God for the bad day. Because of that bad day, my eyes are seeing things different. I appreciate more and praise him more for what I have.

Below are some pictures from the weekend. A caption will explain each picture.

These are the four things I got to keep: sleeping bag, gum aka toothbrush :), bible, and a sweatshirt (which doubled as a pillow at night)

This is what I wore: shorts, size 16 (I am NOT a 16), flip flops (I am now scared of flip flops after wearing them that long), t-shirt, my sweatshirt/pillow.

I craved this all weekend. It is an amazing thing that we can drink clean water from so many sources, and so many countries don't get to have that luxury. How thankful I am for water!!!

We ended the weekend at Church Under the Bridge (amazing!) and my dear friend Sarah was there to greet me with a friendly smile, an encouraging word and a warm hug. Thanks Sar for being such a positive in my life. Love you, my sister in Christ!

What did I take away from the weekend? A new found respect for those that live a life I can't imagine. For those who have lost their children to hunger, lack of water and the cruel environment they were born into.

What am I going to do after this weekend? I am going to open my eyes and pay attention to the world around me. I am also going to, in small ways, take care of my brothers and sisters. For that is what Christ calls us to do, love our neighbor!

My revelation of Revelation 2-3

2010-09-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read a verse or a passage in scripture that just struck every nerve in your body? One that made your hair stand on edge and sent chills down your spine? That happened to me this morning. I have had encounters with God like that before, but this morning brought me to tears. I could hardly believe what I was reading. God jumped off the page at me and I could hardly breathe. We are studying Revelation right now in bible study, and this weeks homework (Beth Moore always gives homework) was reading Revelation 2-3 and seeing what each churches message was. We then had to pull from each letter and write a bit about it. Our last assignment was to find the one that was the closest to our hearts. One that we identified with the most. As I read back through each letter to the 7 churches...I was glued to Philadelphia. I couldn't stop reading. I read it over and over! I felt as if the words were coming off the page. For those of you who don't know what that passage is read below:

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key to David. What he opens no on can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though are not, but are liars- I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

Revelation 3: 7-13

So many lines come out and speak to me. The one that sticks to me the most, the one that I am clinging to; that literally brought me to tears, "I will make them fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I HAVE LOVED YOU" That weighs on my heart. How often do we listen to the negative people in our lives? Those that claim to know Christ, and yet they hurt us day in and day out with their words. How often we fall short of the glory of God, and they are there to point out our flaws and mistakes. We are judged by others and are not forgiven by them. We all make mistakes and we are all flawed, but Christ loves us, and those who stand against us and stand to harm us beware. Christ IS coming back and HE DOES LOVE YOU! He will make those around you fall at your feet. Never doubt your strength for it is in Christ's love for us that we find strength to stand up for our beliefs. Stand firm in his word. He is coming back!

After 9 months of waiting...He is HERE!

2010-09-27T11:37:00.001-07:00

Evan Lee Lane is finally here. I have never been more excited to meet someone as I was to meet this sweet, not precious (that was for you Jenna) boy.

Last August Jenna and Brenton told us they wanted to have a baby and I started praying right away for them. No two people would be better parents than my two best friends! I thought I knew before they actually told us. But, I kept quiet about my suspicion. We got home from our honeymoon in January and they told us! I cried (again). I was so thrilled for them! It was so much fun planning the baby shower, going to the diaper shower and buying EVERYTHING I could get my hands on. We have had so many wonderful memories over these months!

Now you have to understand that Jenna and I have "old lady names" for each other. Please be warned and don't be offended. I am Nancy and Jenna is Betsy. We came up with these in the most random way, but they are what they are! When Jenna told me she was pregnant I was SURE I mean SURE she was going to have a girl. I love Fancy Nancy. It began when my niece was born and I saw the books at my sisters house. They are the CUTEST books ever! If there were Fancy Nancy movies, I would own them. We started calling me Aunt Fancy Nancy after my love of Fancy Nancy books, and my "name" being Nancy...did I mention I knew it would be a little girl that would grow to love Fancy Nancy as much as I do?!? When the time came to find out what they were having I was so excited! I believe we saw Jenna and Brenton that night and she let me know...it was a BOY! A Boy...hmm...that will be harder to get to love Fancy Nancy than a girl...but none the less, I let go of the idea it was going to be a girl! However, the name has stuck. Fancy Nancy I am :)

Bo, Brenton and Jenna all made fun of the way I acted. Especially when I started singing to Jenna's belly! My mom used to sing to me the sweetest lullaby and it stuck with me forever. I started singing as a joke and then it kinda became a ritual! I was the first person to sing to him when he was born and it is even written in his baby book! :)

September 22, 2010, it was time to meet the little one. I went to the hospital off and on that day. After work I made my up there and into the room...there he was! This amazing little bundle of joy. He brought smiles to every one's face. He was beautiful! I can't get enough of him! I want to hold him all the time! Words can not express how utterly amazing he is! I am so happy for Jenna and Brenton and so grateful they have let me and Bo be apart of this time in their life! I wouldn't have missed this event for the world!

The last picture of just us 4!!! We are forever changed, for the better of course :)

Uncle Bo (George) holding Evan. This is my favorite picture!

Evan's first photo with Aunt Nancy!

The happy family!

Our 5Th wheel as I like to call him :) We love you so much Evan!

Revelations this week

2010-09-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

I started the new Beth Moore Revelation bible study a couple weeks ago. It is already stirring something deep inside me. Each day I am praying for God to give me a revelation, to help me see things with clear eyes. I am letting go of things that stand in the way of letting me experience God in a real way! The group of women that meet on Thursday night are absolutely amazing. It is so great to have such a close group to lift you up and encourage you along the way. Last night during the lesson, I looked around and was so thankful for my sisters in Christ who will overcome with me.

After talking to Lauren last night, I realized that I am so thankful for all the women in my life. I have some of the greatest friends. And, God is opening more doors for me to meet new people! We are not all the same age, or in the same places in life, but we can laugh together, pray together, cry together and seek answers together. It isn't about having this family or that family...it is about being one family. The family of God!

"You were cleansed from sin when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart." 1 Peter 1:22

After bible study I was left thinking...Beth Moore has that effect on people. I was thinking what is in my hands that I am not letting go of? What am I holding onto so tightly that I can not grab hold of God with both hands and hold on tight. So many things came to my mind in an instant. When I got home the house was very quiet and it gave me time to just reflect. I started doing my yoga and while doing so there was one point when I was standing tall, both arms were stretched high above my head and my hands were open wide. It hit me like a freight train. I started praying right there for all the things I was holding onto. I gave it all to God. All the hurt, the fear, the loss...I let it all go. And, there with my arms stretched above my head I closed my hands into fists and held on tight to nothing but God! It was such an amazing moment between me and my Lord. I felt closer to Him then I ever have. It was my first "who are you" moment, and it was soul shaking and wonderful all at the same time!

I pray that God continues to show us more revelations in the weeks to come.

Psalm 143:8

2010-09-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

" Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show my the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul."

I read that in the book I am currently reading, 48 Days to the Work You Love written by Dan Miller. He was talking about starting your day on a positive note. So many people watch the news of read the paper first thing in the morning and it is filled with heartache. The author was expressing the need to take time each morning and fill the first hour you are awake with positive, creative and inspirational input rather that filling our minds with the pain that so often is in the news. Think how many times you have watched the news and gotten worked up over something you heard. I know that happens to me more than I want to admit. Imagine what your day would be like if you blocked that out first thing and found something that lifts you up.

About 3 months ago I started praying something similar to that each morning on my drive to work. It started as a plea for God to help me get through the day at a job that made me less than happy. Now it has become part of our morning quiet time. I want to believe that my attitude change has to do with the fact that each day I give it all to God. I ask him to control my thoughts and my words. I give him full access to guide me in any direction that he sees fit. When I started doing that I noticed an immediate change in my behavior. There are days that I don't pray that prayer, and I feel it by the end of the day. I can sense it in my behavior. But, each day is a new beginning. A chance to start over and take complete advantage of the grave God offers us...no matter what we were like the day before.

Speechless

2010-09-03T11:37:00.000-07:00

I am so overwhelmed with feelings right now. I can hardly type this, but I wanted to share what just happened to me. I work at Baylor University in the Keyboard Division of the School of Music. I work with a lot of graduate and undergraduate students from all different places. I met a graduate student a couple weeks ago named Judy. She is from China and doesn't know anyone in the U.S. She moved here to study music at Baylor. She has had to come in my office several times for different reasons, and I always try to be nice and patient with her. I can't imagine moving somewhere I didn't know anyone and barely spoke the language. I drew a map from Baylor campus to the mall, I have copied music for her because she didn't know where to go to get that done, and I have tried to just talk to her and make her feel welcome. Today she came in my office and paid me the highest compliment anyone has ever given me. She told me that I was the kindest person she has met, and that my kindness has helped her settle in at Baylor. She said where she is from it is rare to meet someone who is as kind as I am. I don't know about you, but it makes me so happy on the inside to know that I have made a small difference in her life. I love the feeling that I get from helping people. I truly do believe that a smile and a positive attitude can brighten someones day.

She has no idea how she made me feel by such a simple compliment. It has given me proof that it isn't me, it is God working through me. I pray every morning that I will be a Christ-like example to someone who needs to see God's love...I only hope I can become close enough to talk to her about how amazing God's love really is! On days I don't feel overly friendly or Christ-like, I am again humbled by someone else's view of me. I will always remember what Judy said to me, and how it has made me feel!

Thank you God for Judy and her words of encouragement to me. Thank you for giving me the greatest example of a kind person, your son....Jesus!

The rain

2010-09-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

This morning was one of those mornings. I didn't hear the alarm in time and I was rushing to get ready for work. As I am walking out the door I noticed it is raining! I hurried to get in the car and spilled soda on myself. I got out of the car went back in the house and changed. Now I am late for sure! I finally make it to the office and I have to park a block and a half away from the building. No big deal right? Wrong! We don't own an umbrella!!! Not even a small one we keep in the car just in case...nope, nada! By the time I got to the office I was soaked. head to toe I was wet.

When I finally got to my office, up 2 flights of stirs, I sat down and was humbled. I realized that when we get in a hurry we miss out on so much. If I am constantly in a hurry, how can I possibly realize it is raining...finally. I have been praying for rain for weeks now! I guess it was one of those moments when I realized I need to stop rushing, and start paying better attention to the blessings that God is providing for us.

Moments with God

2010-09-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

I listen to Pandora radio on my phone in the morning while I get dressed for work or church or whatever I have going on that day. I have it programed to Selah. It is mostly soft songs that are just easy to listen to. It is a time for me to hear from God. It is my quiet time with him. The house is still and I am the only one awake. I have broken down to God in our early morning quietness and he has wrapped his loving arms around me and picked me up. I have prayed so hard that I cannot even hear the music. And, that is ok...that is our time together. One song keeps coming back to me over and over every morning. I feel like it is my song right now. It is completely how I feel about God. I thought I would share it here.

When the sun starts to rise and I open my eyes
You are good, so good.
In the heat of the day with each stone that I lay
you are good, so good.

With every breath I take in
I'll tell you I'm grateful again.
When the moon rises high before each kiss goodnight
You are good.

When the road starts to turn around each bend I've learned
You are good, so good.
And, when some body's hand holds me up, helps me stand
You are so good.

With every breath I take in
I'll tell you I'm grateful again
Because it's more than enough just to know I am loved
and you are so good.

So how can I thank you?
What can I bring?
What can a poor man lay at the feet of a king?
So I'll sing you a love song
it's all that i have
To tell you I'm grateful for holding my life in your hands.

When it's dark and it's cold and I can't feel my soul
you are still good
When the world has gone cold gray and the rains here to stay
You are still good

With every breath I take in
I'll tell you I'm grateful again
And the storm my swell even then it is well
and you are good

So how can I thank you?
What can I bring?
What can a poor man lay at the feet of a king?
So I'll sing you a love song
It's all that I have
To tell you I'm grateful
for holding my life in your hands.

Every time I hear that song I am reminded that God is so good. And, no matter what is going on in my life or in the world, this one true fact remains...God is still good. He doesn't change. He is ever present in everything!

Have a blessed day!

Sarah turns one!

2010-08-13T14:33:00.001-07:00

I had so much fun with Sarah. She is such a sweet little girl. I can't believe how fast time flies. She is already 1!!! I know that she will grow to be a beautiful young lady and I am so thankful that I get to be a part of this time in her life!

A sneak peek...

2010-07-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I got to spend the evening with Lori and Katy taking her maternity pictures. Katy was absolutely radiant. The three of us laughed and giggled and had a great time! Katy can make anyone laugh in any situation!!! We were mainly in Cameron Park, but ventured onto an old railroad bridge near the end of the evening. Here is just a sneak peek of the day. Bo will be editing more in the next week or so. I can't wait to see the rest of them.

BVBS

2010-07-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

This is a little late, but I wanted to share our fantastic photo. We did Backyard Vacation Bible School in June and it was a blast! I worked at Bill and Nikki Bailey's site as the children's story teller. I love teaching the kids and seeing their eyes light up when they finally get it! We learned the ABC's of being a Christian, and I am proud to say that by the end of the week, those kids knew what each letter was and what it meant! I only hope that I made a small difference in some of those kids lives!

A new hobby

2010-07-09T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have recently become very interested in taking pictures. It isn’t something I want to pursue as a career. It is more a fun hobby, something to dabble in here and there. Bo and I have kind of made it a team effort (in my mind anyways)! I take the pictures and he edits them. He is getting very creative with the editing, and is really mastering the technique. He has a good eye at perfecting the picture. What I enjoy about it is spending time with someone, and getting to know them in a different way, capturing that one perfect moment. There is always that one shot!

I had the privilege of taking Zane Bailey’s 2 year old pictures a few weeks ago, and it was an absolute blast. Nikki and I met at Cameron Park and just let Zane play and be himself. He didn’t want to corporate at first, but what 2 year old does! Eventually he livened up and started playing and having a great time. By the end of our afternoon he was hamming it up for the camera.

Here are just a few of my favorite shots from the day!

Happy Birthday Zane!!!

Long Over Due

2010-06-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

We had the best honeymoon. We got to go to so many beautiful islands in the Caribbean. We talked about the places we wanted to go, and we both wanted to go somewhere it was warm, but I wanted to go to St. Lucia and Bo wanted to go to Antigua. We came across a Carnival cruise that went to all the places we talked about. It was perfect. The best part was flying out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was just one more place we got to see. We ended up staying an extra night in San Juan to really get to see the city. We went to San Juan, St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten. I was blown away by the history and culture that each island had. They are so similar, but so different at the same time.

This was my first cruise and it was a great experience. We were able to get a great room right in the middle of the ship with a balcony. Each morning we would wake up to a new place. We would get off the ship about 9:00 am and go explore the islands. We did tours, we went to the beach, we went to the shops, and one day we got a day pass to a resort and laid out by the pool all day. It was the most relaxing week I have ever had. After a crazy week before the wedding it was exactlythe what we needed. Bo and I have so many inside jokes and stories from our time away. I still laugh while looking at these pictures and thinking about some of them. We even made a list of funny things to tell people when we got home...sadly I don't think anyone else found our stories funny excpet us. I guess it was a "you had to be there" moment!

I think the best part for Bo was when I found a lone can of Dr. Pepper at a fort on the top of St. Maarten's island. It was the first one he was able to have in a week!

I see many more cruises in our future. I know each one will be packed with more memories than the one before.

Colorado 2010

2010-06-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Bo takes the graduating seniors on a trip to Lake City, Colorado, and for 2 years now I have had to hear how much fun it is. They go jeeping in the mountains, white water rafting, eat pizza at the best pizzeria, and stay at the Ostrom’s house. We decided that it was best while we were dating that I not go on any overnight trips with the youth. I was fine with that except for when it came to Colorado. I wanted to go so bad!

Last year Bo had to leave on my actual birthday. (Well sort of) The year before that he left the day after my birthday. THIS year I got to celebrate my birthday while in Colorado. I finally got to go! I was not ready for what the trip was truly like. I am from Arizona and I love the mountains. I have been to Prescott, Payson, and Sedona. I have seen the Grand Canyon and hiked some pretty amazing mountains, but nothing prepared me for the beauty of what I saw. It was like stepping into one of the last untouched places on earth. It didn’t hit me how stunning it was until Bo and I went to one of the look- out points of the Mountains and the lake. I kept asking Bo if he had ever seen anything so magnificent. I was touched by the beauty God has given us. I was humbled in thinking that He created it for me. It was a glimpse of how much God truly loves us.

I also got to spend a lot of time with the seniors. I got to see a different side to each one of them. I got to know the annoying habits they each have, that Stevie snores and Sammy clicks in their sleep. I got to witness and be a part of Taylor Rose cleaning a toilet! More than anything I got to share in a lot of laughter with them. The best was coming together each night for devo with Bo. They have genuine thoughts and concerns about college and growing up. It was a real moment with them that topped each day off.

We also got to hang out with one of the best dogs I have ever been around. She changed my life! Fran brought her dog Betsy up to stay for the summer and I got to play with her, take walks with her, and cuddle on the porch with her. She was so sweet and well behaved. Fran is working very hard at training Betsy. I think Betsy was a gift from God. She was placed with the most loving family and gets to go on all kinds of adventures. It has made my longing for a dog even greater! I hope I can someday have a “Betsy” of my own.

I am so thankful for the memories I now have from my trip to Colorado. I can assure you that I will be going back each year. What an amazing way to strengthen my relationship with the youth, and with my Creator!

Lake City, Colorado June 2010

Meadowbrook Senior Retreat

Honeymoon

2010-04-21T07:25:00.001-07:00

Bo finally edited one of the photos from our honeymoon. I can't even begin to explain what an amazing time we had. Every morning we woke up to some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen. The weather was truly awesome. It was warm and sunny everyday. We went on tours, laid out on the beach, swam with turtles, ate some wonderful food, and best of all just relaxed and enjoyed our time! Here is a sneak peek of pictures. More will come along soon!

Shopping with Jenna

2010-04-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight Bo and I had dinner at the Lane's house. After dinner the guys went fishing and Jenna and I decided to go shopping at the mall. I was supposed to be helping her shop for clothes...but one thing led to another and I ended up spending more than she did. We started at Forever 21 and ended up all over the mall. We shopped for tops, jeans, and jewlery. I am the hardest person to shop for jeans but I found the best ones at PacSun. We have had a relaxing time just roaming around the mall...with out Bo and Brenton :)

3 months and counting...

2010-04-16T20:17:00.000-07:00

I came home from work today and found my favorite flowers and a beautiful card from Bo. He isn't one to surprise me very often so this caught me off guard. Today isn't a big day; it isn't a big anniversary or birthday, just an ordinary Friday for most people. For us it is 3 months from the day we got married. I know it isn't a huge mark and by no means did I expect to get anything, but it meant the world that he thought of me today!

I can't believe it has been 3 months. We have had the most fun!!! I look forward to all the memories and anniversaries in our future.

I love you, always have!

I realized...

2010-04-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

That I love to go fishing. Bo always wants to go fishing when the weather is nice, and I never thought that it would be something I enjoy to do, but as it turns out...I do! We have gone a couple times this week and it is so relaxing. I have been fishing before, so I kind of had a clue what I was doing...but Bo likes to show me new tricks and teach me how to do it better. I think he gets that from his dad. :)

I am still getting the hang of the idea of taking the fish off the line myself. Bo got my first catch off and then told me I had to do the rest. I am not kidding when I say that the 3 other fish I caught JUMPED off the line once they were on the dock. They got themselves free. I did however have to kick them back into the water...just as gross as actually touching them!! I stood on the dock the entire time and I decided that fish know you are there, and they play a mind game with you. I was bored and instead of casting each time...I just dropped the line in the water and let it float. I played with it back and forth...really it was just for my entertainment, but I was enjoying myself and I was being quiet (not easily done) so Bo didn't say anything to discourage me. Then it happened. A fish hit the line and I got excited. However, this was not a normal fish. This fish knew how to get my attention. And it did. For the next hour I tried and tired to catch that fish. Every time I would cast the fish would nibble the end of the line but never get to the hook...and then it would take off. It would pass over the line in the water to make the pole jerk which made me excited...and then nothing would be there. I had more fun trying to get the fish then anything else. I am sure that fish was just as bored as I would and thought it would have some fun! Next time...I will catch that fish!

Friday night picnic

2010-04-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

This past Friday night Bo and I went to the Lane's house for a picnic. Bo and Brenton fished all day, and decided they wanted to grill out. So while they maned the grill Jenna and I made the sides. We had steak, ribs, salad, asparagus, fruit, and grilled peppers. It was the best meal I have had in a long time. We set the table by the fire pit and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It was the perfect end to the busy week.

Bo loves this asparagus. It is baked in the oven rather than steamed. You top it with sunflower kernels and crasins. Delicious!

While the grill was heating up Brenton and Bo were messing around in the yard. We heard the icecream man come through the neighborhood, but sadly we didn't get there in time to enjoy it. Maybe next time!

The best part of the evening was when Bo fell through the tree trying to get away from Brenton. And, by fell through I mean snapped in half. He broke the tree by falling on it. I have never laughed so hard in my entire life. Tarzan he is not! We will be buying a new tree to replace the one he broke. Sadly Jenna and I were laughing so hard we couldn't take a picture...just use your imagination!

Good times with good friends!!!

Some fun pre-wedding photos

2010-03-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

It is official...I am a bad blogger!

2010-03-15T08:09:00.000-07:00

I have not updated the blog or put pictures up. I did change the background color for Valentine's day, but have done nothing else. OOPS! I will start recent and go backward with stuff going on. A few weeks ago we had the best surprise. A snow day! I was sick and had been off work for a couple days, but I bundled up anyways and went out to play. Jenna and Brenton invited us over, and we had chili and played outside making snow angels, a snowman, and having a snowball fight. It was like being a kid again, and I loved every minuted of it. The best part was that I didn't have a pair of gloves so Jenna and I shared a pair! We each had one glove and only used that hand to do stuff. It was such a great way to spend time with friends.

We have also had a lot going on in our families. Bo's grandfather passed this past weekend. He was 89 years old and lived an amazing life. He led his entire family to Christ all by going on his own to church at the age of 12. It is such a loving and heart warming story, that shows me how God moves in peoples lives. I truly feel that he was called by God to serve, and what an amazing job he did. He not only led his family to know God, but it is something that has stayed with the family. I am so glad Bo has such treasured memories of a wonderful man!

My sister and newphew both had surgery 2 weeks a part. It has been chaos running around and helping the family out with whatever the need. They are both doing really well though. God is continuing to answer prayers of healing and recovery in our family!

So much to catch up on

2010-02-05T10:21:00.001-08:00

Well, we did it! We made it down the aisle, through the reception, and had the best time on the honeymoon. I will have lots of pictures coming, so you can see all the beautiful places we got to see. First though let me start by sharing some pictures and fun stuff that happened before the wedding.

My bridesmaids and best girlfriends threw me a great girl’s night out!!! We had my personal shower that morning, and then we hit the town! I stayed at Jenna’s house Friday night and we got to do the typical girl stuff. We curled and played with her hair, messed with make-up, and giggled about the special guys in our lives! I haven’t had a slumber party since high school…what a blast that night was! Now for those that don’t know me, I try my hardest to always be on time! I don’t like to be late. EVER! So Jenna and I woke up early Saturday morning allowing ourselves plenty of time to get ready and be at my mom’s house for the shower by 10:30am. Around 10:20 we were ready, so I called my mom and asked if we could come a little early. In the sweetest, gooiest, I’m in front of people but you are in so much trouble voice, my mother told me we were 20 minutes late. THE PARTY STARTED AT 10AM!!!! I nearly cried. Late, to my own party! How AWFUL. I was mortified. We threw our stuff in the car and took off. We were a mess. We finally got there and everyone just laughed. We had a great, great time. I got some really good items, and some not so good items! There was so much laughter and love in the room that it didn’t matter what I was opening. I was just glad to be surrounded by girls who love me!

After the party Jenna and I went back to her house to get dressed for our night out! All the girls who went out that night bought matching outfits and surprised me with one! We met at my sister’s house, were I was made to wear a hideous vale. All done in fun...that is what I kept telling myself! We went outside from my sisters and the most beautiful limo was waiting to take us out for the night! We went to a great restaurant here in town called 1424. It was a quiet little restaurant with 10 giggling girls at a corner table. We had the best time! After that we went from place to place just having fun! We ended up at IHOP at about midnight were the laughs continued. We finally made it home, and I crashed for the night. Little did I know what the morning had in store for me!

I got to church around 9:00am (same as always) and went to my Sunday school class to get ready to teach. About 15 minutes in to the lesson someone came and got me and said I was needed in the fellowship hall. I walked in and was overwhelmed. The youth and youth ss teachers got together and planned us a surprise Pounding. For those that don’t know what a pounding is, it came from the old days when someone would move into town everyone would bring them a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of this and that…well the kids went above and beyond buying enough groceries that our pantry is still over flowing! It was the most unbelievable thing. They even put together a scrapbook of each of their favorite recipes for Bo and me to have. I was so taken by everything from the weekend… I just cried. It hit me how blessed Bo and I are. So many people were a part of making that the greatest weekend. We both had so much fun in everything and I knew it was just what we needed before the hectic week that was coming our way!

I will have pictures up this weekend from this weekend, the week before the wedding, the wedding, and the honeymoon!!!!

10 days to go...

2010-01-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe we are 10 days from our wedding. There is still so much to do, but I am thankful that we are surrounded by people who love us. So many people have offered to help out with all the little things going on. I just can't wait for the day to get here. It is going to be such a fun day. Thank you to everyone involved and everyone who will be there. We are looking forward to sharing this time with you!

Invitations are out!

2009-12-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

We have finally stuffed, stamped, sealed and dropped off at the Post office nearly 380 wedding invitations. I feel so accomplished. We have 6 1/2 weeks to go! I cannot believe how quick the last 6 months have gone. It seems like a dream. For the very first time it hit me today as I waited for the postal lady to weigh the invitation and tell me we were clear, that we are getting married. I knew it was happening, but for a second it was like time stood still and I thought about what that meant. I am over the moon with excitement right now at the thought of marrying my best friend. (Not Jenna) Bo has been such a blessing in my life, and i am thrilled to get to share this time with so many people. I look back at all the fun we have had. There have been some moments that I wished would last forever. We have made so many memories it is hard to pick my favorite. I do know that no one quite gets me like Bo does, or makes me laugh like he can. No matter the day I have had, I know Bo will be there. I am truly thankful for what we have together. We can argue, laugh, cry, or just talk, and at the end of the day I know with out a doubt that Bo loves me, and I love him.

Always and Forever

2 Months to go and so much to do

2009-11-16T11:43:00.000-08:00

I got an email today from the Knot.com that told me Bo and I were getting married in 2 MONTHS. I then looked down at my calendar and low and behold WE ARE! I can not believe that it is almost here. When we got engaged, I was sure 7 months was plenty of time. Ha. I never thought so many little details go into this one day. I have a new found respect for Wedding Planners. They have got to be the most organized people EVER. There are songs to choose, decorations to buy, vows to decide on, and in the midst of wedding planning there are holidays! My most recent fear is the invitations. We are sending out 400 invitations. They have to be stuffed, addressed, and stamped....I think we are going to have a party one night and recruit all our friends (Jenna and Brenton) to help us with the madness! Bo and I are also looking for a place to live after we are married. Finding time to look for a place, contact the people, and then go see it is almost impossible. Who knew you could do so much at one time. I am so thankful for friends and family who are supportive during this time. I know lots of prayers go out for us.

Next week we start our premarital counseling classes and I am really looking forward to it. We have heard such great things about Dr. Eades, and I think Bo and I will learn a lot about the other person. It is funny how after being together this long we still learn new things everyday. We have had to take all these personality tests and marriage inventories that we will go over in the sessions. We have joked about the results a couple times, but I know that a silly personality test can't decide if we are compatible or not.

I know everything will come together and be wonderful. And, even if something isn't perfect I am okay with that. It isn't about the details. It is about Bo and I getting married and starting a life together...well really it is about the honeymoon...but shhh!!!

Shower Number 1

2009-11-12T11:58:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, Bo and I went to Gonzales for our first wedding shower. My mom and Jerry Ann came in town as well, and we all had dinner at the Faulkner's house. When Steve says he is cooking he doesn't mean for just those who are at the house...he means the whole town! Ha. The food was amazing (as always) , but more than anything I am so glad our families could come together. I hope there are many more dinners like that one in our future.

The women of First Baptist Gonzales threw the shower for us. It was so much fun getting to meet all the wonderful people who came to celebrate with us. Bo was on staff there for awhile, and it was nice to put faces with names I have heard before. The out pour of love was so over whelming to me. I just want to thank everyone who was involved in making that such a special day.

Bo and I

The beautiful Mothers! They looked like models for Coldwater Creek in their nearly matching outfits.

It wouldn't be the same without a silly face from Bo and I!

Saturday night was the most fun for me. When Bo and I got back into town, we unloaded everything at his apartment. I had so much fun sitting in the room organizing all the gifts and looking through them again. I can't wait to decorate our home and fill it with all the wonderful gifts people gave us.

Sight Seeing

2009-10-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

I love road trips. Short or long, I love them. I like to get in the car and go places I have never been. That is what Bo and I did on Saturday. We went back to Howard Payne's Homecoming. There was parade, a picnic, and the football game. We met up with Bo's parents just before the parade started. I loved meeting people that knew Bo and his family from way back when. After the parade, Bo showed me around campus. Then we went to the picnic, which Underwood's catered, and it was of course....amazing! After that we drove around town and I got to see the world's smallest block. It literally is one building and that is all. Pretty cool! I saw the church his dad worked in, the school his mom taught in, and the high school Bo and Kris attended. The best part was going to see the house they lived in. I have heard so many great stories about that house and the land they had. You can tell a lot of happy times were had there. On our way home that afternoon Bo showed me the first church he worked at in Goldthwaite. I am glad Bo took me back to his old stomping grounds! Someday I hope to get him out to Arizona, and show him all my favorite places.

Meet the Bridesmaids

2009-10-16T10:21:00.001-07:00

For the first time since Bo and I got engaged, I was able to get together with my 4 bridesmaids. We met for lunch at Teriyaki Park Sushi, and then went to make jewelry at Got 2 Bead. I had something so specific in mind for what I wanted them to wear; I knew I would never find it, so we made them instead. The nekalces turned out beautiful! It was a great day filled with laughter and love.

In the back we have Charis Echterling, the Matron of Honor, and my oldest sister. On my right is Lyndee Tucker. I have known her for most of my life, and although she hates to be called it, she really is the other sister! To the left is my very best friend Jenna Lane. If you can't find me check with Jenna, I spend as much time with her as I do with Bo. Down in front is Candace, the Maid of Honor, and also my older sister. And, in case you wondering, the bride is the one in the middle!

There you have us! I look am looking forward to many more fun days ahead with my girls!

Reservations, Hotel Rooms, Passports...check!

2009-09-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

I am trying to adjust to the thought of life on a ship for 7 days! In 111 days from now, we will set sail on the Carnival Victory. I have already been told several times not to refer to the ship as a “boat,” it is a ship...the boats save your life. We are looking forward to many relaxing days on the beaches of the Southern Caribbean Islands.

Let the count down begin!

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-09-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

Never in a million years would I have imagined my 24th birthday turning out the way it did. The morning when Bo got on the bus for Colorado, I thought I wouldn't see him for a week. I prepared myself for a birthday without him.
Little did I know that hours of hard work, and many secrets, went into making this day perfect! Even after an early morning, he still found time to practice so that it would be the perfect ending to my day. He always finds time for a silly face, even in the most romantic setting.
Afer a sweet song, and a few laughs, he asked me to be his wife...
My answer was YES of course!!!
Each day, I am still amazed that this is the man God chose for me. I still cry everytime I tell this story. This will be one that we will share for generations to come. Thank you to everyone who had a part in this day. You will never know how much your love and support meant to us. Charis, thank you for capturing our moment. I can't imagine not having these pictures...what a treasure. Jenna and Brenton, you really are the most amazing friends we could ever ask for. Kristen, thank you for helping in all the ring shopping craziness!!! To our moms and dads...thank you a million times over for all your prayers and love.

I look forward to the months ahead of planning for our beautiful day. I want everyone to feel as if they are a part of this special time in our lives. Over the next few months, we will keep everyone updated on all the excitement. Thank you for visiting our blog!