He Blessed Me

This week we received our letter from our sponsored child in Kenya, John. It was awesome and blessed me deeply!!! I was intrigued as to what he had to say to us. His gratitude and authenticity will bless you too so I wanted to share the letter here.



(written by a translator)
"John greets you in the name of Jesus Christ. He says he is grateful to God for He has answered his prayers and given him a sponsor. He informs you that he says thank you for choosing him as a friend and a sponsor.
He informs you that his praying to God to continue to bless you and your family."

Johns prayer requests:
"John requests you to pray for his family to live happy, and pray for his studies so that he can work hard and have a good future."

Wow, I was blown away! I couldn't believe a 7 year old would be asking for prayer for his studies yet alone already thinking of his future! Quite different then the prayers that are said by my 6 and 8 year old girls. His gratitude of sponsorship was poured out in his letter and it filled me with joy. My heart was so happy. :)
Along with the letter on the front, it told us more about John. The letter also included:
favorite color: purple
favorite school subject: social studies
best game: football
best song: Muhadhara
best friend: Ales Kamunya
Where he lives: Village
Parents & Sisters: Arnod & Nyakeo (dad & mom), Sharon (sister)
*best bible story* Crucifixion of Jesus

I loved the last bit of information!!! John's favorite bible story was about Jesus death on the cross! He is hearing the gospel, the good news of Christ. John is experiencing the love of Jesus, medical attention, attends school...all because as a family we decided to pay $30 a month to sponsor this boy.
Its amazing how sponsoring a child in need, it blesses you more!
I can't wait to write back and send a picture of our family. :)

Please join me in prayer and when you think of our family, please pray for John too. If you want, you can also sponsor a child through Compassion International.
It too, will change you!

Sponsor a Child

Country Music

If you know me, most of my songs from itunes or in my car are Christain or Country music! I LOVE country music and I LOVE to dance to it! :) It comes more natural to me than that crazy hip hop stuff!! LOL
Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood fill up my ipod with a few from Taylor Swift! SHHHHH... but I've even been to a Kenny Chesney concert in which I paid way to much money for a ticket but it was an awesome concert. Well, for the most part I've played country music loudly in the car without hesitation of to what "exact" words were flowing from their mouths, but here recently, it seems I need to filter a little more due to 3 girls and their radar ears!!! ;) For example, today we were out running errands and I had the radio on a country station(really wasn't paying attention) until at the very end of the song, the guy says..."go get me a beer momma" LOL...I was like hmmm, I wonder if anyone heard that when about the time I am looking back and Addie is laughing and said the exact same phrase!! "go get me a beer momma"!?!?! OK, truth told, I laughed hard.
I do have a song that the girls really like (me too) and I love the story it tells. Its a little cleaner and spiritual for sure! Its from Carrie Underwood called Temporary Home! Love her, so need to pay big money to see her in concert.
Here's the video. Enjoy. :)

I Lied, not on purpose....

I did, I lied! My previous post included my "next" current read or book on the shelf would be The Help.....well, my sister convinced me to take her book home, a 750+ page book, that would include vampires and werewolves! Yes, I have been sucked into this craziness of the Twilight series, I will be reading Breaking Dawn. LOL!!! I haven't read the 3 previous books of this vampire saga but I have seen all 3 movies and have LOVED them! :) They are great. Once I heard that the last book was huge and it would be broken into 2 movies, I was like hmmmm maybe I should read the last book so I don't have to wait so long to find out the ending. Then, on my out of town trip to see my family, one of my dearest friends from high school really hit the nail on the head of why I should read this last book. Lindsay informed me that someone might spill the love story or happenings because there are so many people around me that know the ending and, it will be over a year until the next movie. Plus, my sister told me some minor but GOOD details of why this book is a must. OK, sold!!! :)
Now, I have a huge book sitting by my bathtub to read every night and I am wondering....does this make me "one" of those fans?! :)

Current Read and Next on the Shelf

So, I've never really been a reader until a couple of summers ago! I guess I am starting to show my age...a little bit. :) Really though, I was the girl who barely could comprehend what she read right after reading it, the average type reader, never read anymore than I had to in school and college!! Now, I treasure times I can sneak in my bed or on the couch with a blanket and curl up to my book before my head starts nodding like I am old. LOL
Ryan brought me home a book this week and I can't put it down, it's a really easy read. Its called "Scouting the Divine" My search for God in wine, wool, and wild Honey by Margaret Feinberg. Love it, and Ryan knew I would. Its been a captivating read. Go out and get it....its that good!
My next read, I'm a little excited about. I saw it recommended from a friend so I got on the internet to do a little research on it and it sounds amazing. Then, I was in Barnes & Noble today and what do you know....the staff had it out displayed as "staff recommendation." It's called "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. Here is a little something from amazon I copied and paste so you could get a taste of the book.

Product Description
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women—mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends—view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

A very different read for me, I guess I'm feeling a little adventurous these days...even in my reads. :) I'm excited and I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

Some Local Fun

This summer we are not officially taking a summer vacation so we can save for some future happenings. However, we have had family come down and see us and we've taken a couple of 3-4 day trips! My sister and her family came down for a couple of days and we jammed packed as much as we could and it was a blast! We decided to call it our "staycation"! :) Always fast, but always way fun.
Enjoy the tons of pictures. :)
Kemah Fun!





(only pic I got w/ Ryan, Breece, and Chan smiling big on Boardwalk Beast :) )







Galveston Fun!

Why I Will Always Have Cats in my House

They Make me laugh...a lot!!



They help me with chores!!



They sleep with my girls!!

My girl's ages and making a wave...

A house of all girls brings barbies, pink, and all things sweet....a yea right! LOL! I am seriously having to constantly think, be on my toes, and really filter what messages are being sent to my girls. One thing we love to do together is watch movies as a family (thanks to Redbox and Blockbuster Express)and the 1st showing at a theatre (only $5), it makes for a very reasonable treat. Its become very difficult these days with 2 girls turning ages 9 and 7 soon and what we deam appropriate for watching. Its kinda this in between age and it shouldn't be. I feel the pressures of school and the fast pace of society seem to make my girls grow up quicker and want to "get big." Therefore, the barbies and baby dolls are losing the battle and FAST! Also, we have cable which brings Disney right into the living room and right into my girl's eyes and hearts. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a post to bash Disney or what they produce for this generation, it's just even though it is the Disney Channel made for the girls, I still need to filter how much they see and hear. I have been convicted of this for a while now because so many of the shows are reality type that promote older relationships. I sure do miss the old cartoons like Flinstones, Fragle Rock, Jetsons, and Smurfs...ahhh some oldies but goodies, huh?! :)
I do like many things that Disney does put out and promote for example, documentaries on Earth and protecting it. This is one thing we have done as a family and they are really neat! Each Earth Day, Disney puts out a documentary on the Earth, Ocean, and this next year will be on animals in Africa, which reveals how important it is to take care and nurture this Earth and its animals. They are wonderful! They promote kids to volunteer, recycle, get out and make a difference and I couldn't agree more. This past Earth Day, we went to see Oceans and it didn't disappoint but within weeks the BP disaster hit, and boy did it hit way close to home!! :( Makes my heart break as I've seen images that literally make me sick to my stomach. Well, Addie's heart has grown toward sensitivity to animals just like mine, so I have decided that we have to put our love for animals into action and start volunteering...be proactive, and make a wave! It might start out little but I hope my girls have a heart and passion outside of themselves for people, animals, and this earth! Here's a video from Oceans... we all love this song! :) Enjoy!

Random Dream Places!!

Due to the torrential down pours we experienced prior to the 4th of July weekend, Ryan and I decided to load up the girls and head over to West Houston and the Galleria area! We needed to get out of the house and so did the girls!! ;) Ryan and I are the type of people that will drive around places for enjoyment, hit historical down towns, go to quaint little specialty shops, or just drive and look at old homes with porches. Well, on our way back after a day in West Houston and hanging at the mall, we were talking (dreaming) of the places we really want to take the girls and some places we really want to go as a couple. Ryan and I have already been to some amazing places prior to having kids so I definitely want to go back to some of these places and still see some new ones! So in this random dream post, I'll share a few we will one day journey together, hopefully sooner than later! :)

With the Girls
Disney World
Yellowstone
Colorado (snow skiing)
Washington D.C (when they are old enough to appreciate it/museums)

As a Couple
New York
Jackson Hole Wyoming (went there for our honeymoon, a must to go back)
The Grand Hotel (from the movie Somewhere in Time) Mackinac Island, Michigan
The East Coast (in the Fall)

These are just a few places! I am sucker too for small towns with bed and breakfasts along the way and would love to do this in many places. Our favorite stop in Texas is of course Fredericksburg....LOVE that little town. :)
Ryan and I have already done a lot together and I am thankful for all the stops and memories we've made in Nashville, Washington D.C., Jackson Hole, Destin, Fl (to many times, I've lost count), and finally Hawaii! Its been a blast with Ryan and now I can't wait to experience some of these with my girls.
And these are my dreams..... :)

Abilene Fun

Last week, Ryan was at camp with the Jr High ministry, so the girls and I took off to Abilene. Abilene, TX is a very special place in my heart for many reasons! I was born in Abilene but then my dad got transferred to Odessa, TX when I was going into 1st grade so I was raised in good ole West Texas. :) Then, my mom had family in Abilene so it was a place we visited a lot and did many holidays there. Finally, I went to Hardin-Simmons University and met Ryan, dated 3 years, and lived the first 5 years of our marriage there, so Abilene has some very deep roots and fond memories.
My aunt still lives there and they just put in an amazing in ground pool with a huge cabana, outdoor grill, and flat screen tv! Its beautiful and built right, if you know what i mean!!! LOL ;) Literally, every night after dinner, we would spend hours out there talking outside. The girls and my sister's kids would spend hours swimming. My sister and her kids came across, along with my mom and my aunt so we had a blast, it was a nice treat to all be together.
While in Abilene, we hit some local favorites. We went to Grace Museum in which I showed the girls where we (me and Ryan) had our wedding reception. Its sooo pretty and Addie really appreciated it, i think her eyes even sparkled when she was in the ballroom and I was telling her some stories. :) So cool. Then of course, we had to go to Candies by Vleta's....OH MY, so good, it will always be a favorite place for a small town treat. I love their white chocolate covered grapes and dried apricots, then the dark chocolate heath is yummy, and taffy..mmmmm, ok enough! lol:)
We celebrated my cousin, Ashley, who turned 21 so we all ate downtown at a steakhouse that is delish for sure.....love The Beehive. Here's a pic of all the cousins at the restaurant. :)



(Chandler was sitting next to me, he didn't make the cousin picture)

We love Abilene...and with Ryan on the board of young associates at HSU now, it will be nice to spend some more time there.
It was a GREAT trip. :)