Annalise Turns 3!

We can't believe my baby is 3! Wow, time really does fly by fast when you are having fun. Yes, we are having fun with little Annalise. We love her sweet yet crazy personality! It keeps us laughing all the time. So, we dedicate this post to our baby. We love you Annalise.
(her birthday was yesterday but didn't have time to post pics of her big day) :)

A Chance to be a Neighbor

I am wanting to take time once again to share my thoughts and views of whats happened to our area just 2 weeks ago. Ryan and I took time today to help feed 1000 or more people who drove by in their cars by a FEMA pod area so we could help serve a hot lunch on their way to pick up free ice and water and cleaning supplies. It was so good to be serving hands to these hurricane victims who lost so much. It was good to see my girls be serving hands and put bread out on plates after plates after plates.
After our time there, Ryan took me to some of the areas he has been helping out this whole week ripping out sheet rock, moving debris to the curb, and so much more. I was silent once again as to see so many people's homes after homes just destroyed. Its simply heartbreaking.

The difference with hurricane Ike and hurricane Katrina is that the Red Cross had received millions of dollars for hurricane Katrina. Three years later, hurricane Ike hits and the Red Cross has received only thousands for this disaster. Its troubling to me. Its troubling that people have said, it was only a category 2 storm but simply forgot it was the size of Texas and at one time took up 80% of the gulf. Its troubling to me that my neighbors are back to normal. They fixed their fences and roofs and have re landscaped and to my knowledge seemed to almost forget what has happened to our neighbors just 5-10 miles away.

Those homes and families are anything but normal. Its troubling.

Ryan and I were talking on our way over to San Leon to serve the hot lunch today and we were talking about Jesus and the parable of the good Samaritan found in Luke. Here it reads....

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the law? he replied. Jesus says, "How do you read it?" He answered: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength and with all your soul and with all your mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself."

Jesus replies, "you have answered correctly. Do this and you will live."

But the expert in the law wanted to know, "who is my neighbor?"

This is when Jesus goes on to the tell the story of the good Samaritan a story I am sure many are familiar with. What I find so interesting is the Jesus never answers the man's question but simply tells the parable and in return asks the man a question. He says,

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus tells him,

"Go and do likewise."

So as we are all trying to move forward and and get a routine back or some type of normalcy to our lives, I pray that I would remember this parable. I pray that I would show mercy to my Seabrook, Kemah, San Leon, Clear Lake Shores, Baycliff neighbors. I would be the neighbor who knows God's words and commandments to go and do likewise.

I found this video through our local news website that I wanted to share. Its a chance to give to the Red Cross and to remember their efforts in disasters such as hurricane Ike. Or you can give to http://www.ikeassist.org/, a website set up by our church to help and keep people informed of the many needs that still need to happen to make this area complete again.
Thanks for listening to my rambles today.

Get a tissue, this video is special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXipDNAwW94

Yikes its IKE!

An actual picture of hurricane Ike. A friend at church, her son-in-law's friend took this picture.

It is absolutely amazing to see it coming in!

Held

Encouraged today by this song.

Held by Natalie Grant
Contemporary Christian Music Video

One Week

Its hard to believe that just a week ago, my family was glued to the tv watching live coverage on hurricane IKE . Now my family is experiencing the devastation in our own town seeing neighborhoods after neighborhoods throwing their belongings to the curb, watch cranes pull boats off of other boats, watch once pretty green trees and palms lay on the side of the roads or streets, or trees that literally are in shock and have shed their leaves, or maybe its the Kemah Boardwalk completely destroyed with debris all over it, or its the semi-trucks that are passing out ice and water, or the national guard around amongst you like you are in a war zone. I could continue on with what our eyes are witnessing and how overwhelming the feeling becomes.

I can't even explain or describe the feeling with what my eyes have seen over the past days upon returning to my home. I am grateful for the minimal damage on my personal home and quickly realized stuff is just stuff and can be gone in a heartbeat. Its like you always know that but until you see homes missing, sections of communities gone, or an entire inside of a home sitting on a curb waiting for trash pick up, it becomes a quick reality.

So today...what a difference a week can make. There is progress going on and you see so many neighbors helping other neighbors, church's launching rescue relief, and so much more. Even in the small things as clothes donations and cooking meals is making a difference in someones life. I pray my small deeds of servant hands are felt with what I can do.

May we all be the hands and feet to those in need during the aftermath of this hurricane.

Wisdom and Wings

I haven't officially informed my readers my September memory verse for the month. I wanted to do something with joy or wisdom. Ryan put out a challenge to his leaders and encouraged a verse on wisdom in proverbs so I thought I would join in on that challenge and memorize that verse. So, here it is, my memory verse for September.

"He who walks with the wise is wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

Then, there is the famous song by Mark Harris "Find your Wings" that has become a favorite. I keep ranting and raving about it because its exactly what I am feeling these days as my sweet babies are turning into sweet girls super fast! So, I thought I would share the song here so you could enjoy it with me. :)

Find Your Wings - Mark Harris
How time flies raising children

The Happenings

If keeping up with 4 schedules is not enough (Annalise doesn't count yet), hurricanes, potty training, head colds, and everything in between has consumed my life over the past weeks!
Whew, its been a whirl wind around the Prater posse. As of 2 weeks ago, Annalise is officially potty trained meaning poop and pee pee! YES- thanks to the bribe of going to the ZOO to see animals, she pulled through for me. :) One of my motherly goals was to have her potty trained my the time she turned 3 so we are right on track. Makes this mommy happy!
Next, we would have these ever occurring hurricanes that keep moving into the Gulf and make for a constant watch. Seriously, this has been a little draining as we have been emotionally strained whether or not to evacuate or is it coming toward us, or do I have everything ready to go just in case, etc, etc.
Then, we would have our normal routine with Ryan's work schedule and church events, Addie heading to first grade, and now Avery in preschool. 3 different schedules makes a full calendar pretty quick and that doesn't even include my meetings, friend times, coffee, date with my husband, etc. So, the happenings have been a little crazy but don't let that fool you. I have joy deep down which shouts excitement a new season is around the corner, my time memorizing God's word, and an exciting adventure I feel God is moving in our family.
The happenings of the Prater posse continue and this mom is just holding on tight to the rope behind the boat making sure its joyous, fun, and purposeful. :)

My Pre-Schooler

My love bug, Avery started her 3 day Pre-K today and she did great!! I am so excited for her as she meets new friends, learns new things, and plays in a "school" setting. I pray my sweet girl shines big this year! This is your special year!! Shine Avery Shine. :)

The Ranch

It was a great Labor Day as we were invited to the famous Diamond R Ranch by our friends Carla and Dave. The picnic was in honor of breast cancer awareness and honored a dear friend of Carla's who is battling breast cancer at age 36. So there was live music, good ol' Texas BBQ, dancing, football playing, hammock swinging, just great picnic table talking. We had a blast together as a family and with some great friends. Enjoy the mini video--didn't get many photos due to all my talking.