There's Just Something About SuMmEr!

I don't know what it is about summer days that can make a person feel so alive? I think that there is just some sort of freedom to it. I remember as a child spending hours and hours playing outside with the neighbor kids. We would let ourselves get lost in our imagination......wherever it would take us. We would play our little hearts out until we would hear Mom yelling from the back porch. Em and I would be sweaty and hot from our day's adventure; feet covered with dirt and knees scuffed up. Yes, those where the days! These are my top favorite things about summer (picking these wasn't easy):

Cherry Limeades
There is something just so honestly refreshing about a bottle of cherry limeade on a hot summer day ...... what else is there to say?

Fireflies

When my sister and I were little we used to catch fireflies in my grandparents back yard. We would put them in jars with a little grass and poke holes in the lid. We always released them the next night.

spinklers

Pure Bliss! Something so simple

can provide hours of entertainment and joy. There were so many different games you could play while under the sprinker. What could be better then being soaking wet with your feet covered in grass?

Camp

I started attending Maranatha Bible when I was in 8th grade with my best friend Heather. Later my sister and many other friends came to join us. Camp became the staple of summer! It was always a time to grow closer to God (and check out the boys...of course). Once we were too old to be a camper we volunteered as cabin leaders. Life was good!

and last but not least.......

Flashligt tag

The BEST game EVER invented! We lived out in the country in a small little neighborhood and on summer nights we would all meet up in our front yard to play flashlight tag. LOVED IT! Some of the best memories of my life. If you have never played, you are missing out on some serious fun!

I can not wait for Addi to experience summer the way it is meant to be experienced! I am sure her summer's will hold as much joy, excitement, and adventure as mine did. Soon enough, I will be the mom standing on the back porch calling in my children after a hard day of playing. I will wash the dirt off their feet, patch up their knees and tuck them in to bed for a good night's sleep.

meet herbie !

That's right! I FINALLY convinced Andy to buy me a puppy!

He is our new puppy that we adopted from the Houston SPCA!

Mr. Herbie is a Labrador retriever/golden retriever mix. He is 3 months old. CUTE!

Mitty's only strategy is to keep the upper ground. Both of our cats have responded really well.

We are planning on buying a house in the fall so our strategy is to house train him in the apartment. This insures that my new home won't have pee and poop all over it. In the 24hours he has been with us he has peeped in the apartment 4times and pooped 3times. So much fun!

A love like HIS

Humans are so fickle! We give love so freely (sometimes a little too freely). God created us to love one another and we can do it really well... when we want to. Unfortunately, it doesn't take much for us to yank our love back either. In a moment of anger or frustration, we quickly decide that our love isn't quite worth giving anymore.
I have recently been experiencing a situation where nobody would blame me if I decided that I no longer wanted to love a certain person in my life. It would be SO easy to say, "sorry, you have deeply hurt me and I can no longer love you". In our human minds, this would be completely justified, but my human love was replaced a long time ago.
You see, there is guy in my life who loves unconditionally... no matter what! How many times have I spat in his face, stomped on his toes, and defiled his very name? Everyday. Although this hurts him, he loves me WAY to much to let this get in the way of HIS love. In fact, this very man DIED for me....THAT'S RIGHT! A long time ago, as a little girl, I asked him to put a love like that inside of me and the exciting thing is HE DID! Am I saying that my love is perfect all the time? No! Unfortunately my human nature takes over and there are many days where my love is extremely selfish.
But here is the deal: Today I am choosing to let His love reign in me. There is NO way that I am going to let bitterness get in the way. I am not going to snatch my love back just because I am hurting. You know why? ...Who am I to do this? GOD has loved me contiguously despite ALL of my sin against him. He calls ME to love like he does. So you know what?? I will love! No matter how much I hurt because it's not about ME! So, let me challenge you to do the same. Let's take Christ's example and love at a level that is beyond our human nature. Man, just think how Incredible your life would be!

I am broken. Mourning for the things that were lost, for the things that once were. Everything I know and am familiar with has been ripped out of my hands. What am I supposed to do with these pieces that was once my security? This ground is uncharted and ruthless terrain. I find myself stumbling and lost in this wilderness.The pack on my back is heavy and weighs me down. Each item inside is too precious for me to let go of. For a moment my compass falters and spins out of control. But due North was never lost. The arrow still points to the cross. So I begin to run.... straight towards the only thing that is still stable and secure. I keep my eyes fixated on the cross because I know that I soon as I take my eyes off of it, I will fall. A storm crashes all around me and there are moments where it is too blinding to see, but the compass is still pointing me in the right direction. Finally I reach the foot of the cross all I can do is collapse with the burdens that I carry. Slowly, I begin to unpack my baggage and it is painful. Each item that I carried in my bag were priceless items to me and letting go of them is more than I can handle. But he is there.... and he wraps his arms around me. As I grip each item, he gently whispers, "lay it down, it is no longer yours to bear" I watch as my fingers slowy peel off....one by one. Eventually my bag is empty as my pride, identity, security, and strength lay in a heap on the ground. All that I was is now is now laying at the foot of the cross, like discarded garbage. I feel myself collapsing, but his arms are still wrapped secuerly around me. All I can do is fall into the comfort of his sweet sweet arms. Peace.


The journey must go on, but I am outfitted with a new pack and within it, all that was lost has been restored. Only this time they are different. They are easy to carry and place no burden on me. A new identity tag hangs from the handle. One that reads, "Jesus".


As I step out onto the path to continue my journey, I know that I will face some dark caves, but I also know that there will be many sweet valleys. As long as my compass is in my hand, I know that I can never get lost because it ALWAYS points straight to the cross.

A Girl and Her Cat

Who knew a little girl and a cat would form such a loving bond. It is really amazing what our cat, Mitty, will put up with when it concerns Addi. Addi will grab her fur, pull her whiskers, and climb on top of her. Mitty's response???.......Loving kisses!

This bond has been in place from the moment Addi entered our apartment. My first day home was spent napping on the couch with my new baby laying on my chest. Mitty was right there taking a cat nap with us. There was no turning back from that moment.......

Addi is delighted with Mitty's very

presence. When Addi gets upset you will often

hear "MITTY" being yelled out. We know that as

soon as that little cat walks in the room, peace and quite will follow.