ONE WHOLE YEAR!

Wow! Just a year ago, Justin and I were thrust into the amazingly wonderful, yet incredibly overwhelming world of parenthood by the arrival of our sweet Elizabeth Grace. Though the time has flown by, we have really tried to savor every moment. Our God has so graciously given us what we need for every trial and provided a multitude of sweet memories. Here are a few pics to recount the past year.

Friends

One of the best things about summer is that I often get to see people I haven't seen in awhile! Lately Elizabeth has gotten to hang out with many of my bestest friends. Here are a few pictures from summer lunch dates and the like.

Aunt Julie went to high school with me and now lives in Chicago. It was a fun surprise to have her stop by during her time in Texas.
Aunt Sarah is living in Italy and sharing the love of Jesus with people there. This picture was snapped just before Elizabeth spilled Sarah's coffee all over them both. (Atleast it wasn't hot!)
Aunt Tressa has been my best friend basically since birth! She is now a volleyball coach and teacher at Rockwall Heath High School. This picture was at her very first volleyball tournament; those girls are blessed to have her as their coach!
Aunt Martha and Maegan (3 months) came to Fort Worth for a visit! They now live in Pensacola, Florida where Matt, Martha's husband, is in the Air Force. I think Elizabeth and Maegan are going to be great friends too!!!
This is Elizabeth and her best friend Kyleigh! She is sometimes annoyed with Elizabeth, but also plays with her a good bit too!

Running Makes Me a Better...

Running is something I have always loved to do, but I have been on somewhat of a hiatus for a couple of years. When we moved to New Jersey, it was not safe for me to just go running, then when we returned to Texas, I was a rather large pregnant woman, and then after having Elizabeth, with crazy schedules and such, I just didn't have it in me. Now, however, I have dream baby who goes down between 8:00 and 9:00 sleeps until 9:00 the next morning on a normal day! Justin doesn't have to leave for work until 8:00, so this leaves me with an early morning window of opportunity. Although 6:30 am seems quite early when I don't have to get up, I feel like a whole new woman when I do! I have started off slowly, just running a couple of miles, but it is such sweet time! From the sunrise to the wind against my skin to the sound of the birds, my senses are awakened to God's beauty in this time. It seems that during the rest of the day, I am much more consumed with my "to do list", and I miss out on the good stuff around me. I had forgotten how much God uses my running time to convict me, teach me, and love on me, so running makes me a better follower of Jesus. When I return home, I am able to make breakfast for Justin and spend a little time with him before he leaves for work, so running makes me a better wife. After Justin leaves for work, I get to have some Jesus time in the word and get things done around the house, leaving me more time to actually get on the floor and play with Elizabeth later in the day, so running makes me a better mommy!
Not that running is magical or anything, it is just what God has given me as a tool to start my day and in effect, make me a more productive follower of Jesus, wife, and mommy. Thanks God for your good gifts to us!
I'll leave you with a few pics of course!!!

Flowers Get Thirsty Too

Elizabeth has a new favorite thing... giving the flowers a drink. It goes something like this, sometime between breakfast and lunch Elizabeth eyes the makeshift watering can kept by the back door. She makes her way over to it and lets me know it is time!!! Regardless of what else may be going on, at that moment, the flowers become our priority! We fill up the plastic pitcher and out we go. The planter box in our back yard is just the perfect height for Eliz to cruise around and "help." She loves to feel everything she can get her hands on and is quite fond of the feel of flower petals. Here are a few pictures of flower time!



We are so thankful to have such fabulous parents! At the end of July my parents took us on a trip to beat the heat in the mountains of New Mexico. We drove 9 hours in my grandparents all too cool conversion van, but it was all worth it. The deer came to visit Eliz nightly and she gladly waved and "talked" to them. Justin and Daddy played golf and went fly fishing. I got to read over half of a book not concerning baby stuff and got a pedicure. Nothing fancy, but a much needed break from the craziness of our daily lives. Justin was also able to prepare for his sermon without the stress of school and work. Thanks Momma and Daddy!

Way to go Justin!

Daddy gives the BEST baths!!!

Daddy taught Elizabeth how the "shooter" works... it is by far the best toy ever!

Congratulations to my wonderful hubby! Today, he completed his second seminary class this summer. The past month and a half has been pretty crazy for him. Between taking classes, working at his "money job," serving as a pastor at CityView, being a super Daddy and a loving husband... he has been going non stop! Yea for a hard workin' hubby!
We had a lot of fun yesterday as we had friends over in the afternoon and then joined our friends, the Richardsons, to watch fireworks from the TCU soccer fields. We had just enough reprieve from the rain to see some pretty fireworks light up the sky. Elizabeth really liked them and squealed with delight as she watched.

Here are a couple of pics from Elizabeth's first 4th of July

This is Elizabeth's response when you pose the question,

"How big are you?" She is SOOO BIG!

My girl loves to read! Look at the expression already!
We have no shortage of books!

A Sweet Sunday!

Last Sunday was such a sweet time for our family! We had Elizabeth's baby dedication at CityView and were joined by many of our family members and close friends. As Justin and I discussed the purpose of dedicating our daughter, we came to the realization that it is actually more of a commissioning of us as parents and a plea to those around us to keep us accountable in raising Elizabeth Grace in the ways of Jesus. What a fun task!!

She is an absolute joy and has already been used by God greatly in her 9 months with us. Our heartbeat is that she would see Jesus clearly in our lives and that He would draw her to Himself at an early age.

We are so thankful for our family and friends and the abundance of support by which we are surrounded. Our community at CityView is so very precious, and I am thankful for Elizabeth to grow up in this unique place!

As usual, cameras were flashing!

An Exciting yet Humbling Day

Wow! What a day. I wanted to let everyone know that I was officially installed as one of the pastors at CityView Church today. It was an incredibly exciting day, as it was my first Father's day and a very humbling one knowing that I have an incredible responsibility in the days ahead, both as a husband, a father, and a pastor. Today I was reminded that a pastor is one who manages his household well, is above reproach in all areas and one who aspires to leadership--one who burns with the desire to lead. Leadership is so much about being on the front line. It's about taking bullets, protecting the flock, teaching and training well, and leading the flock on God's mission. It's not an easy calling and I know that I will need much prayer in the days ahead. But the great thing is that the leadership that God has given me is of the little "L" variety. Jesus is the big "L" leader, and as the "Chief Shepherd," He is the Senior Pastor of our church and of my family. My job is simply to say, "follow me as I follow Christ" as Paul said (which means I have to follow Christ).


This last year of our lives has been crazy. This time a year ago, we were planning to move across the country for the second time in 12 months and Ang was 6 months pregnant. We felt a calling and responded to it, but it was very fuzzy and didn't make sense. It has even involved me working at a company that sells copiers. Believe me when I say that I have never aspired to be a copier salesman, but the Sovereign God has brought us through this journey according to His purposes and His timing. Now Elizabeth is 9 months old, we are happily settled in Fort Worth, and serving in a place we absolutely love and feel a strong calling to. Today was in a way the close of one chapter of our lives and the beginning of a new chapter. The story doesn't change much between chapters, (as we will both be serving in a very similar capacity) but today has definitely been a great day worth celebrating!


Today was a wonderful 1st Father's Day as well. Angela surprised me with a book of notes from dear friends and mentors from my life over the past several years. It was awesome. She did well. I could not have asked for anything better on this day.

Fun Stuff! And the not so fun...

Elizabeth's Memorial Day Outfit... Pretty cute huh?
Well, I am glad to report that our little angel FINALLY has her FIRST TOOTH! After 5 months of waiting for a little white spot to sprout into something more, a tooth has emerged!!!!!

Other events of today...
- A gallon of brown paint mysteriously flipped and spilled upside down in our garage!
- While playing basketball, Justin sprained his ankle:(
- As I raced out the door to get him an ace bandage, I stepped right in the large puddle of brown paint...
What a day?!?! At least we got a tooth out of it!

For those of you who do not know, Justin had the privilege of preaching the past two Sundays at CityView. He did a great job of sharing Truth with our community, and I was so proud of him! We are looking forward to June 17th which will not only be Justin's first "real" Father's Day, but also the day he will be installed as a pastor at CityView!:)
To hear Justin's sermons, go to http://www.cityviewchurch.net/ and click on resources to find the link.

Girl Friends and God's Glory

God's Glory is most often evident to me through the sky and its splendor. However lately, God has been using His people and His grand design of the Body to reveal His glory unto me.

I have been reflecting lately on the blessing of my girls! In the past year God has overwhelmed me with precious godly women with whom I can walk through this season of life.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my husband like crazy and I delight in talking to him and walking through life with him! However, there is something about my girl time that actually enhances my relationship with Justin.

I have a sweet group of women I get to hang out with on Wednesday nights, and they challenge me, encourage me, laugh with me, and teach me so much. Through these women and many others, I am beginning to learn what community looks like and how God intended for us to depend on one another. So often in life we are taught independence and encouaged to be self sufficient-although this is in direct opposition to the kind of life God lays out in His Word. We need eachother! I need someone to teach me how to cut a mango. My friend needs me to teach her how to be a good steward of finances. I need help in discipling the heart of my strong willed 8 month old. I need women to call me out in my sin. I need women to challenge me to be a better wife and mom. I need women to rejoice with me and to mourn with me. The needs are many, yet often our pride squelches our ability to cry out for help from the Body, and in turn, we miss out on the opportunity to grow and be changed to be more like our Saviour.

As I look at my precious daughter, I pray that I would pass on a legacy of community for her to follow. May she be a woman of a humble heart that loves the Body and exemplifies Christ.

May I simply issue this challenge for you to embrace community. Ask for help. Offer help. Rejoice in God's beautiful design. May you see His glory in His people!

Just had to share a pic of my cute little percussionist
"helping" with the dishes.

Milestones!

Well, our little munchkin is growing like crazy and a bundle of energy! She has begun to crawl and is VERY CURIOUS! She also has learned to clap-- it is the cutest thing I have ever seen! I am learning so much about delighting in the simple things in life and creditting it all to the Creator and Giver. Elizabeth is so beautiful and such a light, and we really have nothing to do with it. We are simply God's instruments to be her parents, to love her, and to teach her Truth through our lives. I say simply, but it is by no means simple! Every decision we make affects not only us, but our daughter as well. Though the responsibility is great, the rewards are overwhelming!
Another shot from Tuesdays with Nana!
Dinner in the bathtub...

The tornado sirens were going off and it looked like a hurricane outside!!!!