Life or something like it

Savvy Photographer

2009-11-22T15:31:00.002-06:00

I regularly follow over 100 photography blogs -- blogs of those I would like to emanate, those for inspiration, and those to learn from. One of the most resourceful blogs is The Savvy Photographer. I love the interviews with photographers, profiles on products, gorgeous images, and giveaways. It's always inspiring and energizing -- a great way to start your day! Check it out!

The Birth of Hayden

2009-07-23T22:13:00.007-05:00

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Creative Mama

2009-07-07T14:30:00.003-05:00

Just this week I was introduced to a wonderfully inspirational woman - Angie Warren. Not formally...but through blogging. She has such a beautiful way about her and her photography is amazing!

This week, she is blogging all about photography and giving away some great things. Today's giveaway...Photoshop CS 4...check it out here.

The End of an Era

2009-07-01T22:26:00.002-05:00

Of course I have been sort of busy since my little man came into this world. But today, instead of breaking my sabbatical for him, I m breaking it in honor of my Love.

Today marks the day of big change in our lives. It truly is the end of an era. As of today, July 1st 2009, Brian and Jamie Moore are taking the reigns as the new Youth Ministers of The Connection Church. And while Nic and I couldn't be more excited about this transition, it also closes a huge chapter in our lives. (more his than mine)

At the ripe old age of 18, my husband ventured into the world of full time ministry. He spent the next 13 & 1/2 years pouring his life into the students of Goldthwaite, TX before moving onto Lockhart and finally ending up here, in Kyle. There is no way to adequately tell of how incredible my husband is and how great his desire is to "storm the gates of hell" for lost souls. I remember standing in complete amazement when I learned how long he had been at Goldthwaite. In a day and age when Youth Ministers last a mere 18 months, he had planted his life in this mall town and he gave everything he had to the students there. His life was their life, and the end result, many found their way to Christ. He called Goldthwaite home for nearly 10 years. His relational style of ministering has kept many of those students in our lives to this day, many we are blessed to be able to call our closest friends. His time there shaped him into the man he is today. I know that he learned how to be a husband and father because of the relationships he had and still has with men and families from Goldthwaite. And when we moved to Lockhart, it was the same...to see students find a real, authentic relationship with their Savior. And nothing changed when we moved here.

As pastoral roles at the church are changing, Nic is fullfilling more of the administrative role of his Family Pastor duties. But I know his heart and desire have not changed.

Babe, thank you for loving and serving God so faithfully. Thank you for wanting to see the lives of students changed. I know that heaven looks much different because of your faithfullness...even when it wasn't easy, even when the money wasn't there, even when you had better offers, even when your way was too "out of the box"...thank you for perservering. Thank you for the example you have set for our son. Our life is truly blessed and I will follow you wherever God may take us. And although our life and your ministry look a little different, I know that God is not through with you. I love you.

This is Love

2009-05-08T20:13:00.002-05:00

This is my world these days. I couldn't ask for anything more. These two men are my life!

Guess...

2009-04-13T17:53:00.004-05:00

Man I need to get better at posting! I know it has been too many months...

Well, the end is upon us. I am within a week of my due date. Can you believe it?!?! I cannot. It seems like just yesterday...well not really. It feels like it was ages ago that I was sick. Life got back to normal, the semester started, and things have been going great. Now I am tired all the time, but can't really sleep that well. My ankles swell to enormous proportions. And my hips and joints just ache. Little Hayden Russell has not "dropped" yet, I dare say it feels like he is creeping up higher and higher. But I know he isn't. He'll settle himself when his time comes I suppose.

I did want to let everyone know about this. We are having a little contest to see if you guys and gals can accurately guess when Hayden will make his grand entrance. You can vote here or there. And just to give ya a little more info than Nic: 1) I have not had a single contraction of false labor, which is pretty normal. 2) I am only dilated to 1cm...and holding. 3) According to an old wives tale, you baby is born 5 months from the day you feel the flutters of life for the first time, and for me that was here.

So let the games (errr...guesses) begin!! Oh and there is a prize for the closest guess.

A photo (or two) for you Ashley...

2009-02-16T20:23:00.004-06:00

As before mentioned, I thought I would post a few pictures of my ever growing tummy. This one was taken around January 23
And this one was taken just yesterday. He is definitely starting to grow more out and making his presence known. He has knocked the breath out of me more than a few times over the last few days. We have less than 9 weeks left; crazy to think this journey is almost over and a new one is about to begin!

Someone must love me

2009-02-10T10:57:00.003-06:00

I will not reveal who....but someone is AMAZING!! And that is an understatement. And he/she is much more amazing than for just bring me this treat. And I know you must think I am crazy for going on and on and on about this. But my life was totally blessed and it is awesome to know that God has brought us here to do life with such incredible people.
On another note, I must be careful about what I blog....Ha Ha!

Monday Musings

2009-02-09T18:43:00.003-06:00

Today, it took me every bit of an hour a 15 minutes to get to school. This is twice as long as it normally takes, but the rain should have done the Hill Country good!
TCC rocked yesterday. Cole spoke about conflict and I walked away with much to chew on. And Jeremy and Karli led us in an incredible time of worship, it was awesome!
Nic and I have some wonderful friends. Jordan Speegle spent all Saturday evening with us while we registered for baby things. And he was in good spirits.
It takes longer to get a crib than I originally thought... 8-12 weeks. Baby is due in 10.
Chick Fil A makes a mean chicken sandwich.
I really wish we had some milk and chocolate syrup...I'm craving a cold glass of chocolate milk right about now!!

The Last 80 Days

2009-01-30T17:15:00.005-06:00

That's it. Isn't that slightly unbelievable. I only have 80 days left until my due date, April 20, 2009. I can definitely say that this pregnancy wasn't at all what I could have expected.

THE FIRST TRIMESTER
I knew I was pregnant very, very, very early. Before many women know. And we kept it a secret for many reasons. My early pregnancy symptoms were pretty minimal. I didn't gag when I brushed my teeth, every smell didn't make me nauseous, and I wasn't having to pee every 5 minutes. But around 6 and 8 weeks, I started the non stop throwing up. And after weeks of that, I landed myself in the hospital, twice, for nearly two weeks. This also got me a PICC line for a month; my one source of hydration and nutrition. You can read about the whole hospitalization ordeal here. We moved into our new house and to a new job during this time. All of this seems to make me think I had a slightly uncommon, abnormal first trimester.

THE SECOND TRIMESTER
I eventually got my PICC line removed, started eating a little and pretty much started getting back to normal. I started Pilate's and realized how much by body had changed and weakened from being sick. I felt those first quickening flutters of movement and it was so unreal! I also caught a second wind. I felt slightly renewed but most days I really didn't "feel" pregnant, nor did I really need maternity clothes. We also found out we are having a boy, (who has yet to be named.)

THE THIRD TRIMESTER
Just a few weeks ago, I entered my final and third trimester. This thought has been slightly unsettling, but also exciting. Most days, I think we haven't prepared enough, that there is so much we haven't done. All big ticket items, still left to be bought not to mention all the small things that are needed. We haven't even fully cleaned out his room to start moving him (meaning his stuff) in. And yet, I am not really worried. God has granted me a sense of peace and an internal calm. Of course, nesting has kicked in. The house being messy, things being unorganized, ahem, Nic leaving his socks on the floor...these things do unsettle me.
And I have noticed my body changing. My 'bump' is growing every day. Noticeably. It is so weird! I am still not totally in maternity clothes, many of my prepregnancy pants still fit with the aid of my trusty bella band, its just the desire for shirts to be longer, that's about all. I give it a few more weeks and I am sure I will not even want to look at anything without a stretchy waist! OH, the pains have come!!! What was slightly effortless in my Pilate's class, is now taking every ounce of energy and strength I have. I know that this class is great preparation for labor and many of my girlfriends keep telling me it will help my body bounce back after baby comes, but it still leaves me drained. I am uncomfortable most nights. My hips have begun to hurt and my stomach hurts just from all the growing. One night last week, I got up 8 times (count them, 8) to pee. And, with all the moving baby burleson does, I feel like I could pee on myself! I have what is called an anterior placenta, meaning my placenta is on the front and it does inhibit my ability to feel him kick from the exterior, meaning Nic can't really feel him all that often. But I sure do feel him rolling around and jabbing me!
There aren't many things I crave either. Sometimes I just want a cookie, or something crunchy, or something savory. Most of the time, I just want it to taste good. I have noticed in the last week or so, that I really love a glass or two of chocolate milk. I went through this last gallon in 5 days, all by myself because Nic doesn't drink milk. Most days, I don't have too much of an appetite. Mostly I think that is because as my uterus grows, my organs are being cramped in such a small space. It takes so long for food and such to digest. But then just last week I had a day or two where I was hungry, all day long! Oh and I think I could go for french fries and gravy at any time.

So, the next 80 days or less will be quite interesting and should prove to hold many exciting moments before I actually give birth to this incredible life inside of me. Also, I am not a huge fan of pictures of myself, but I might post a few. I should be getting maternity shots done and maybe I'll post those. Only time will tell. Until next time...

Recap

2009-01-29T10:32:00.005-06:00

Once again it's been a few weeks since I have posted, alot has happened but then again not a whole lot, just life, one day at a time.

Nic turned 31. Once Nic turned 29 he began to dread his birthday. So I try to do something a little extra to celebrate. Last year was a surprise party. And this year we celebrated two different nights. On his actual birthday, I took him to eat at Estancia Churrascuria. It was quite amazing. Brian and Jamie Moore, some fellow youth workers, joined us and we greatly enjoyed hanging out together.
The second part of this celebration requires its own bullet. Since right after I got sick, I have been craving my mother's chicken fried deer steak. When my daddy hunted, we always had this to eat and it was all of our favorite meal. We each had our own part; Jackie and I would pound the meat, Jerry, Julie, and Jason would help get the potatoes and gravy ready (More Grease!! ... that's a story for a different day). It was wonderful and I told Amber, that whenever I got my hands on some of that meat, I was going to make that meal. Over Christmas, Nic and I hit the motherload when it comes to venison, as so I set out in recreating my momma's chicken fried deer. Zak, Amber, and the Coups came over and we enjoyed some chicken fried deer steak and mashed taters. To top it off, we had a chocolate brownie mosaic cheesecake, which was all from scratch. Delicious!!
I started school last week. It has been a slight adjustment to my sleeping schedule, but I sure am loving the classes I am taking. These are two classes that I have been waiting to take and I am looking forward to all that I'll be learning. Maybe I will post some of my work from this semester.
As of today, we have 2 months and 22 days until my due date. Baby Boy Burleson could come early or come late. Who knows. Quite a bit has been going on with my pregnancy so stayed tuned to an all preggo post!
Well, does there have to be a five....

3 Things I am loving at this very moment...

2009-01-07T16:47:00.003-06:00

Ear plugs - oh I knew how great they are but I am coming to a new appreciation of them. Usually I am a very sound sleeper, and if I can get to bed before Nic, then I can slumber right through his snoring. But in my pregnant state I always wake up because a) I have to pee and b) I have to reposition myself because I get so uncomfortable and c) did I mention that I have to pee. And then why I try going back to sleep, its impossible. So, recently I retreated back to the ear plugs, and I sleep so soundly not even my alarm can wake me up! It is such a beautiful thing.
My Pilate's class - after I got so sick in the beginning of my pregnancy I realized how weak I was and many ladies at church told me how this Pilate's class helped them through labor and bounce back afterwards. So, as soon as I was cleared, I joined and I have thoroughly loved it. I go two days a week and I have loved that no two classes have been the same. My instructor is amazing and she specializes in pre and postnatal so she always lets me know what to do and not to do and alternative moves. Not mention she is a member of the church and a great friend. It has been awesome to watch my body change through this pregnancy and notice how much stronger I have become because of the class.
My dear and beloved husband - yes I know this is a given, but today my love was renewed! This may seem very silly, but it was monumental to me, so humor me. We haven't been grocery shopping since way before the holidays. We haven't been home to need groceries...so needless to say, most things needed to be thrown out. Last night, we went grocery shopping and I told Nic that we would leave the cold stuff in the walmart sacks in the fridge, as not to mix up old and new, and today I would toss the old. As I started to do this, I noticed that Nic carefully put back all the things he used for lunch back into the sacks! It was just so sweet to realize he listened to me. And it made me smile! I married the greatest man alive.

Holiday Highlights

2009-01-04T21:51:00.003-06:00

Well this past month has seemed to have literally flown by!! I haven't been home more than two consecutive nights since December 17th. So here is a rundown of Christmas Burleson style:

We had Christmas parties with both the Jr High and High School Students and it was a blast.
Nic and I had the chance to spend an extended 5 days with my parents and siblings and their children at my sisters house in Houston. It was so awesome to be in the same place with them at the same time for so long. There were 15 of us under one roof and we loved every minute of it. Not to mention my five nieces and nephews adore Nic and spent every spare moment trying to chase him and jump all over him.
I got to experience my first Christmas service with The Connection Church and let me say it was INCREDIBLE!! Over 900 people showed up to celebrate on Christmas Eves Eve and it was a truly rockin' service. You can check it out here.
We then headed for a 5 day stay in Gorman to celebrate with Nic's family. We spent a very calm, quiet and restful few days. No crazy shopping days were really planned (which is quite unusual for us) but we survived.
Nic and I celebrated our own Christmas tradition by opening gifts on Christmas Eve and it was bittersweet. Next year we will have a little one, and so it was hard to truly enjoy this last Christmas as newly weds and not imagine how much our lives will have changed by the time the Holiday Season comes around again.
I think Nic got the best Christmas present any man could ask for, he felt the baby kick for the first time. I laid in bed all morning just thinking how wonderful it would be and how happy Nic would be, and that afternoon, without much prodding, our little one made his presence known to his father.
Nic got the honor to teach on the Sunday after Christmas. He suffered such a sickness and very high fevers the days prior, but God truly showed up. My hubby is a funny man and God used his stories and life experiences to bring practical application to our lives. You can check it out here if you like.
Unexpectedly we dog sat for my brother in law, and then on the spur of the moment, we decided to go to Houston for New Years to take Oscar back home. It is always a blast to hang with Justin and Christy and we truly didn't want to come home, but we had to.

And now we are home, gearing up for a new semester in life. I can tell you this, a goal for 2009 is to blog more. I know you are just dying to know that, but I truly am going to try. Let's see how it goes.

Lullabies

2008-12-09T16:47:00.007-06:00

As I was surfing the web this afternoon, I came upon something very strange, odd, different, but something quite exciting. I'll be very interested in seeing what JMob has to say about these.

Apparently, lullabies are not just for babies anymore.

So would you like your little one to be able to hum along with "Hey Jude" or "If I fell?" Well then pop this in...

What about "Back in Black?" Then this is for you...

Want something a little harder? Check this one out...

Or, if you want to raise a little rastafarian, here ya go...

If you want to swing the pendulum the other way, you should check out these...

Maybe your little bambino could be crooning to a little "Baby Blue" or "Walk the Line."

Personally I am a little excited about purchasing renditions of Cold Play and of U2. I also like the last two.

But there are so many more out there, Pink Floyd, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins.

Lullabies...all grown up.

Anxiously Awaiting

2008-11-24T18:45:00.002-06:00

Oh gosh golly already! I wish tomorrow would come sooner. But I know it will be here soon enough. And who knows, this child of mine may not even cooperate.

I have been reminded that we may not get so lucky tomorrow. We might not find out what we are having. So I have been trying to prepare myself that we may walk away without the information we so desire. But alot of the anxiousness too is just to be able to see our little one. It seems to have been such a journey to get to this point. The months leading up, the months of sickness, and just now being able to enjoy being pregnant. Although, unless I wear a maternity shirt and unless you catch me right after I eat, I barely look pregnant! I'm sure my time will come; the waddling and discomfort will surely be upon me before I can even turn around.

But for now, it's just the waiting...Thank goodness my appointment is first thing in the morning.

A milestone

2008-11-19T22:21:00.002-06:00

The other night Nic and I went to Austin to pick up a prescription and decided to grab dinner. We had a lovely evening at La Madeleine and then headed home.

When I was up in Maryland, I noticed that my tummy was starting to poke out. It was so odd and exciting. And little by little, I notice my little bump getting larger. Of course it is not that noticeable to everyone, not even that much to Nic, but I am acutely aware about every little change and I notice how it even feels different.

I am rounding out my 19th week of pregnancy and after we got home I was hanging out in our room, laying on my belly. And all of a sudden, I felt something. A fluttering, a flipping, a something. And I realized...it was my baby moving! It was odd and different and yes, it was exciting. So I have reached a huge milestone in my pregnancy.

When I told my momma, she said that her mother would say to count 5 months from the day I felt it and that would be when the baby will come. Only time will tell if that old wives tale is true or not. It definitely is a possibility because my due date is April 19th.

Right now, I am anxiously waiting for Tuesday. I can't wait to find out if its a boy or girl!!

A month in review

2008-11-18T10:50:00.001-06:00

So it has been a month since I last posted. I was stuck with a cold and the cold has crept right back up, just not with the same agression.

As I said before, these past few weeks have been awesome.

JMob was home for his birthday weekend and we got the honor to hang out with him and his parents. Of course we ate some great Mexican food at Chuys and then we headed to Mozarts to grab some warm and sweet treats by the river. It was awesome to hang out and celebrate such a milestone. I hear Randy just got back from an amazing trip to Boston, and I am sure that he will be blogging about it.

That very next week I braved the unthinkable and tried a day or two with no IV fluids. The whole week was a success. I saw my OB and he gave me permission to have my line removed and Nic and I were ecstatic! My home health nurse came that very weekend and pulled the PICC line. This, incredibly, was a pain free ordeal. I have been great for the past three weeks now!

That same week, TCC put on their annual Trunk or Treat bash. This year it was held in the parking lot of Cabela's and with the help of all our groups, volunteers, staff, and band it was a total success. We had the opportunity to reach 3,000 people! It was exciting and I was glad to be a part. Zak said a little more about it here.

When I saw my OB, he also gave me clearance for air travel. My brother Jerry is a Naval Doctor. He went to the Acadamy back in the 90's and when his squadron retired, he decided to go back and go to med school with the goal of being a Flight Surgeon. He graduated in May of '07 and now has to finish up training in Pensacola for 3 months. He and Ingrid didn't want to uproot the family, so he is going by himself while Ingrid and the kids stay in Maryland. While he made the transition to Florida, my mom was in MD with my niece and nephew holding down the fort. So, I flew up there to spend some time with her and the kiddos. It was such a blast hanging out with my momma and bittersweet coming back to Texas. Diego and Liliana were hilarious and such a hoot to be around. It is so true that kids say the darndest things.

While I was there, Nic was here recovering from a major wisdom tooth extraction. Now, he is doing great, but it has been a slow and steady road of healing that is not quite over. He did great through the whole process and truly has done everything the doctor told him to do, even laying off his beloved diet sodas for awhile.

As soon as I arrived home, Nic and I spent the day planning our first major event for Connexion Students - an aftergame bash. This day also entailed me locking my keys in my car. Twice. Within the same hour and my sweet prince (who was in a stupor from pain meds) had to come rescue me. I was told that this was pregnancy brain beginning its take over of my body and all my intelligence. The event went off with wonderfully and we were suprised and humbled by how God chose to show up. It was so completely awesome to have Zak and Cole (and wonderful wife and girls) there supporting us and helping out.

That same weekend some former students and now dear friends, Kaylen and Jordan came in. That also meant hanging out with Foster most of the weekend so he could see them too. They came in to visit but they also got their hands dirty with helping out with the aftergame bash. We all stayed up chatting till three that morning. It was awesome! It is incredible to see what God is doing in their lives now as young adults and how faithful they each are to doing what He has called them to. Jenna, Foster, Kaylen, and Speegle...thanks for believing in what we do and thanks for all your support!

The next week was spent in preparation for Elevate '08 Weekend. Once again, God showed Nic and I how faithful he is. Student after student after student signed up to be a part of this huge kick off in the Student Ministry. There were students inviting their friends, students who we had never met much less knew signing up, and we even had a student come who had not even been in Texas for a month come; they were all showing up to be a part. It was incredible. There were about 50 of us total and we loaded up in a few vans to stay at 7A resort in Wimberley for the weekend. They were all sad to load up Sunday morn, sad that the weekend was over. There is no way to thank those who were involved, without them Elevate would not have been possible. And the best part is...one student made the decision to follow Christ!! It gives me goosebumps to think about what God has in store!!!

This week I am looking forward to this weekend. We are having our annual staff advance and I am pretty excited to see what all that will entail. I'm sure it will give me something to blog about.

And on one more happy note, on Tuesday November 25, we are gonna find out if we are gonna have a boy or girl!! I am so so so excited and excited that Thanksgiving will follow soon after.

Reminded of how lucky I am

2008-11-17T14:59:00.006-06:00

Sometimes in life things happen and you remember how lucky you are. That happened to me today.

I am incredibly lucky to have the best 4 sisters a girl could ask for. Julie, Ingrid, Jackie and Christie are incredible. I am so grateful for them being a part of my life, it brought tears to my eyes.

As I nervously, anxiously, and excitedly look at what life holds for me in the very near future, I know they will mean even more to me. I am so grateful for the relationships they have with Christ, with their children, and with their spouses. I am profoundly thankful for their wisdom and I know throughout my season of motherhood I will come to rely on Ingrid and Julie more than I can imagine.

I am truly grateful for the sisters who love me, encourage me, pray for me, and forgive me. And today I was reminded of just how lucky I am.

...

2008-11-16T20:30:00.003-06:00

Oh how I want to blog...oh how I have thought of blogging...

We have had a very awesome, interesting, busy, exciting few weeks...

Hopefully I will get to a recap or just share a thought or two later this week...

Cross your fingers!

All you need is some good football and some good food...

2008-10-18T19:42:00.002-05:00

Nah...but this UT vs. Mizzou game is one of the biggest games of the season so far, so it should make for an interesting evening. Especially since Nic likes to talk to the TV.

Life as of late has been uneventful. I was commenting to my mom on the phone today that I seriously stay at home all day, watch some TV, wash the occasional dish, fold the occasional load of laundry and try to rest. Monday, I got the wonderful gift of a pedicure. It was the most blessed thing and now my toes are a beautiful shimmery red. I felt like a new woman after that. I successfully made my chicken fried rice for Nic, this was a huge feat because previously, even turning on the oven was making me sick. This past Tuesday was my first day out on my own. I drove for the first time in over a month and headed to San Marcos to get my blood drawn and meandered around Wally World. For the most part, it was a success. I barely got nauseous but my vein did roll on the lab tech making it hard for her to draw my blood.

Over the course of the previous weekend, I had acquired a sore throat and a serious cough so on Wednesday I headed to Lockhart to see my family doctor. There was no final diagnosis, but she put me on an antibiotic. Apparently when you are pregnant, everything could be highly toxic so you can't even take the most basic of cold remedies. While in the LOC, I decided to make a few visits to some of my favorite people. I stopped by my work, because I seriously think some of my coworkers my have thought I was near death. So I showed up to say hey and prove I was doing so much better. Then I made a stop by the High School to visit my sweet friend Gayla. We had a great visit, I'm sure a made the perfect distraction to work (ha ha). My last visit was unsuccessful because no one was home so I headed back to my humble abode. Another successful outing.

Unfortunately, the antibiotic alone does not alleviate my symptoms, so I called my OB and he gave me some suggestions that have helped. I am still coughing like crazy, mostly at night which is not conducive for sleep. But I keep telling myself all will be well soon. I really do feel much better. The normal nausea and vomiting is practically gone, it is just this cold that is kicking my butt now. I was complaining to Nic the other night that if it wasn't one thing it was another. We got to hear the heartbeat again at my appointment on Friday, so that was something to smile about and it is nice to know that I am heading into my second trimester, yet the end is still not in sight.

One thing I am looking forward to, going to church tomorrow. I love my church and am so thankful for what God is doing. Tomorrow is gonna be great!!

One step foward, two steps back

2008-10-03T20:55:00.003-05:00

Wednesday was such a big day for us. I had been feeling pretty good all week, and we had a big doctors appt. It was just a regular check up and for the first time, Nic and I got to hear the heart beat. It was such a surreal experience. First I heard my own, and then, this quick fluttering, so strong and steady. It was breath taking. And so perfect. It was an awesome thing to hear. On our way home, we stopped for breakfast and apparently something I ate did not agree with me and by the time we got home, I was so nauseous and began vomiting. Which put me right back into that awful cycle. Thursday I contacted home health and by the evening, they finally came to administer some meds through my IV since I was not able to keep them down orally. As soon as I got that Pepcid, my stomach settled and I was able to eat some popsicles. Today I was able to rest and finally ate a peanut butter sandwich...small I know but this is huge for me.

Everyday holds something new, but this being sick is getting soooo old. Hopefully it will pass soon. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers...you have no idea how comforting they are. Thanks again.

Well...

2008-09-28T14:21:00.003-05:00

Yes I know, it has been such a long time. Life has been nothing short of crazy and I truly thought that it could not get any busier. To be honest, this has been the first time that I have even had a chance to be online since we moved to Kyle. Thankfully, I haven't gotten any threats from JMob or my husband, I guess they are compassionate and understanding of how life has been lately.

At the first of September, with the help of my brother in law and some church members, we finally moved into our new home. One of my favorite moments was after coming back to the new house with a second load, as we rounded the corner, we noticed our financial secretary and her husband and teenage daughters mowing our lawn. Definitely brought tears to my eyes. God blessed us with a house that was affordable, spacious, and in a great neighborhood. One of the huge pluses of living in this house is that it was in our price range and it has a beautiful backyard with a HOT TUB!! Party at our house (or year round baptisms...however you may look at it.) The week before we moved, I started classes at Texas State, and I am thoroughly enjoying them. My professors are great and I love my photography class. Nic is adjusting well to work at The Connection Church. He absolutely loves getting to go the office everyday and working with such great people. What an opportunity to be involved in what God is doing here in Kyle, TX.

Maybe if you follow my twitters, you may have noticed a hospital stay or two as well as a beautiful picture of my IV. You may be wondering what is up. Am I dying? No, not really (well aren't we all, we're closer to death today than we were yesterday.) Do I have an illness? No, not exactly. A permanent condition? No, nothing permanent. Well, I guess the biggest news of all the last few months happenings is that I am pregnant. To be honest, we weren't gonna spill the beans for another month. But when you're not keeping meals down, every smell makes you want to puke, you're in and out of the hospital, and you carry around an IV, people tend to notice and worry and want to know what is going on. So this is what is going on, I am carrying a little bean who is about eleven weeks and one day gestation. Of course, Nic and I are both thrilled and can not wait to convert the extra room into a nursery. We also know how fragile life is, and of course there is the fear of loss all the way up until labor, but we are trusting God knows what He is doing and that this tiny life is His, even after he/she enters our life.

Now, to tell you how this sweet little being has affected our lives so far. Towards the end of August, morning sickness attacked. At first I was just mostly sick in the evenings, and it was bad. The doc gave me some anti nausea medicine, which really didn't work. I was in his office nearly every week so they could check my vitals. Mostly, they weren't worried, hopefully it would pass. I began to get nauseous all day, but could keep down soup and crackers most of the time. Then, I lost 10 lbs in one week, still no worries...this was because I wasn't really eating. Then, some of our best friends, Clay, Meg, and JMob came for a visit and we fellowshipped at one of our favorite eateries, Chuy's. Miracle of miracles, every ounce of chips, queso, tacos, and jalapeno ranch stayed down. Those guys must have been my good luck charm. After that though, it was down hill. By Tuesday, nothing was staying down, everything came back up. So, I went straight to my doctor's office the next morning. Turns out, I was severely dehydrated and had ketoacidosis. They admitted me into the hospital. I had a three day, practically uneventful stay (other than I learned how much I hate needles and the nurses ended up blowing a few of my veins leaving me with painful bruises.) Our pastor's wife and two girls came for a visit, I enjoyed the company of my parents and Shep one evening, my sisters came another and Zak and Amber and Couper came to bring Nic supper one night. I did not, however, learn to keep liquids down before he sent me home. By Sunday I was back to square one. Amber, Zak's beloved wife and my sweet friend, loaded up Couper and took me to the doctor first thing Monday morning; I had lost 5 more lbs, the ketoacidosis was back, so they admitted me into the hospital again. She stayed with me until I was settled and then Nic got there to take over. Pastor Cole came for a visit and so did Randy, which totally blessed my socks off. This time I was on the Labor and Delivery floor and the nurses were much kinder and took excellent care of me. On Tuesday, my doc kept pushing me to drink fluids, so I tried that evening. I knew it wasn't going to be good. I drank 3 oz of water over an hour and a half period, only to begin throwing it up over the next two hours. Liquids were not my friend. The next morning, he was blown away, ordered a dietitian and a gastrointerologist(sp) to come check me out. I asked him about home health but he told me it was a hassle. By the next morning he changed his mind. He ordered a PICC line and home health to hook me up to a portable IV. This was an all day process but we finally got home at about 8:30 pm that evening. Home health came on Friday and they showed us how to set up and change my IV. Now I am a little bit more mobile. I've gotten my hair cut, went to church, and we've eaten out a few times. And, I have been able to keep down Coke and sweet tea. This whole ordeal has been slightly insane. 2% of pregnant women suffer from this crazy, out of control vomiting and nausea. It is a condition called hyperemesis. Nic likes to call it morning sickness on crack. It can last all pregnancy and it also comes back with every subsequent pregnancy. But I am already feeling better and my appetite is definitely back. I do get tired and worn out fairly quickly. Nic has been a wonderful nurse, taking care of my every need. And my mother-in-law has come in to help with the housework and meals. We haven't had a chance to unpack really anything, so she has been a great help.

So this has been our life for the past month. It's definitely been exciting. Hopefully things will slow down enough for me to keep up with updating, but I can't make any promises.

Another Night....

2008-08-14T22:29:00.002-05:00

Of lounging around watching the Olympics.

Well, we have closed a chapter in our lives to open a new one. One filled with many unknowns, and many hopes, and many dreams. This shall prove to be an exciting time. But it has been a joy to see the hand of God over the past two years here in the LOC. He worked in a way only He can, and He made it to where only He could get the credit. And something Nic told the students last week rings very true, we may be gone, BUT GOD IS STILL HERE. And I know He will continue to move.

As we make this transition, something Steven Furtick said about every opportunity having an expiration date keeps coming to mind. "Exceptional people, churches, and businesses possess the agility to move at the speed of God. This usually means merging into oncoming traffic at breakneck speed." He continues to note that most of us are more fearful of making a wrong move thatn no move at all. Sometimes opportunities will just pass us by. I pray that Nic and I continue to listen to God's voice and no one elses. That we don't cease to seek His will in the small, just because the big decisions seem to be made. "The cost of missing out may be greater the cost of messing up."

Nic has a saying, storming the gates of Hell, that paints such a picture. Zak says that he wants to make it hard to get to Hell from Kyle Texas. Both of these statements have been weighing on me, making me think, and challenging the way I live. You gotta love people enough to not want them to be in Hell. What am I doing to show people the way to Christ? What are you doing? Just a thought.

On another note...the author of one of my favorite books, Peppermint Filled Pinatas (which I am reading for a second time), left a comment on my previous post...I am slightly star struck. Ha ha. But it is pretty cool. I will be blogging about his book soon. You should definitely read it between now and then. The best thing about it is that I am not JMob, pretending to be someone like Driscoll or Giglio. He has a bad habit of doing this. Mine is the real deal.

So, as we sit here, for another night, just laying around, being lazy, and enjoying the olympics, these are the things that are running through my head. But I have a feeling that these Olympics are causing our procrastination in packing. It's just something I am not looking forward too.

These are a few of my favorite things

2008-08-11T23:00:00.003-05:00

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Okay just joking...

With my birthday money I bought these. The hope is that I will take up run/walking. They are some of the most comfortable things I have ever put on my feet. Money well spent.
Pandora rocks my world. I can get my Buble fix whenever I want and this practically reads my mind. As it plays through the selections it has made for you, you can decide if you like it or not and it actually remembers. If you happen to be an iphone owner, they even make an app for you.
This. It has totally revolutionized my web time. I usually just link from one blog to another to another to another. Now, that is a think of the past. Thanks to google reader, I can keep up with all 100+ blogs (yes you read that number correctly, I follow over 100 people through blogging) I read all in one place.
A made bed. You may think I am joking. But we got a new duvet set from potterybarn. And my sweet husband says that it feels so good to jump into a made bed every night. I have to agree.
To keep me company on my run/walks, my darling gave me this. It has made running blissful....oh wait, I forgot, it doesn't even work. But hopefully that will all change tomorrow when JMob, Nic and I head to Austin for some quality time spent together and I take the dang thing back to the Apple Store.

Happenings

2008-08-11T16:01:00.006-05:00

Let's see where to start?

we took our last trip of the summer at the end of July - that was to Jr. High camp at Hi Line Lake Resort (which is located in my old stompin' ground, Lake Buchanan).
I have been super busy at work. I am the personal assistant of one of our dear friends and he is manager of two locations, which has been keeping him pretty busy.
I am officially a Bobcat. Getting my fall schedule together has proved to be difficult, but it will all work out.
We are in transition!!! This is probably the biggest and most exciting news. Nic and I are making a move (just 20 miles west) to join the staff at Connection Church. Nic will be Minister of Families and we are totally stoked to be a part of this church plant. Both Nic and Zak blogged about this BIG NEWS!
We are still looking for a house, but we do have a great lead, just praying all things pan out.
This is the fastest transition I have ever made in my entire life!

EDIT: Well it is not the fastest. Hire slow, fire fast...we have been in the process of this for 8 months. But it has only been a week since we told our church, almost two since we have told our students, and we will be at Connection this weekend. So that is what I mean by fast!!!
Tata for now

"Knees to the Earth"

2008-07-16T23:14:00.002-05:00

"Be blessed, be loved, be lifted high. Be treasured here, be glorified. I owe my life to you oh Lord. Here I am...."

Aside from the crazy business of summer, God has been pulling and tugging on my heart. The way I have been studying scripture has been really different and enlightening. The approach is a very old style called lectio divina - literally meaning the divine reading or the divine word (I think). Eugene Peterson calls it a "basking in scripture." It is a way of learning to silence the inner voices of your soul so that you can hear what God is trying to say, (which can be incredibly difficult), being intentional in listening to Him, focusing and learning what He would have from you and for you.

Okay, I am little off track. I have also been investing in some summertime reading. A pastor I used to work for would say that you should be reading 5 books at all times besides your Bible. So I have a few in rotation right now. It is of no surprise to me that the topics covered in one of my books are perfectly coordinated with my scripture readings.

Many times in my life I wonder why, what, when and where. Why is this happening to me? Why did God want this to happen? What am I supposed to learn? What am I not learning? When will we finally arrive? When will this or that happen to us? When will this stop? Where are we supposed to be? Where are you? So much of my heart knows the answers to these questions. I know that God is sovereign and that His grace is sufficient. I do know these things. I find myself often standing in the gap between my will and knowing God is enough. So much of my relationship with God isn’t that we are wayward friends, but that I adore Him. It is so hard to not be disappointed. I am not talking about being selfish and wanting things to go my way, or the way I think they should. I am talking about feeling like a wounded lover. Hurt from the pain of disappointment, disillusionment. Wanting to be recaptured by my Savior. We must pray to want God’s will over our own, and this should be so easy. Yet, it is a struggle. C S Lewis put it the best way when he said “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us. We are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.”

Therein lays my struggle. It is not that I don’t know that God truly wants the best for me, for us, for our lives. I do know this, and I know He is the most powerful God desiring to bring glory to His name. But I truly wonder how painful it will be. The road to His best – what tears will I cry, what heartache will I experience, what scars will I bear once I make it to the other side? Only a radical trust and faith could see you through this.

I think most of my life I have feared doubt. What kind of Christian does that make me? Loss of hope. What does that have to say about my faith? I had a breakthrough – wondering if God’s perfect plan for my life will hold certain promises, or even realistically expressing painful doubt and dwindling hope over lost dreams – this does not equate to doubting God. My loss of hope is not a loss of hope in my Christ. In these times, it is learning to hope in God’s own perfect character, not the hope of simply being rescued from my pain. God did not remove the thorn of Paul’s flesh – He simply said that His grace was sufficient. What a tough thing to learn, grace for the moment – although God is truly faithful in His outpouring of grace.

So it rests on this, is He enough? I know this has gotten long. I want to chronicle this time in my life. This long post is for me to remember. I close with this prayer…which I so diligently want for my life.

Lord, help me to know that You are enough. Take my eyes off myself. Take my eyes off the desires of my heart. Help me to truly delight in you. Mold the desires of my heart and mold them to Your will. I don’t want to need to be anything more that I need to be your humble, obedient child. I don’t want these things to be a stumbling block between You and me.

I want to give this desire, this drive, this ache to You. Help me to not snatch it back as I so often do with the things I place in Your hands. Help me to truly be content with Your will and Your timing.

Lord, You know the desires deep in my heart. But until the day You give those blessings, help me to grow steadfast in you. Let me reach out to those around me. Help me to minister to those You placed in my path. If we are headed in the wrong direction, change our hearts. Help me to keep You first and to seek You daily.

Let me know you are enough.

"Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"

2008-07-12T17:22:00.005-05:00

"I sat at the table and was amazed at all I saw, there were candles everywhere and a white lace tablecloth on the table. Flowers were sprinkled all on the ground, the whole gazebo was decked out. He turned to me with a huge smile on his face and said the flowers were for me. It was huge bouquet of roses, with one perfect white daisy in the middle. 'Thank you.' I smelled them and their fragrance filled the air. He said, 'You know what you always say about daisies...' 'Yes, don't you think daisies are the happiest flower.' To which he replied, 'I do. And you know what else makes me happy...' with this he tugged on the daisy and a box came out of the flower wrapping, he opened it, got on one knee and said 'YOU'..."

My favorite flower in the entire world is the daisy. I am not sure when my love for this flower came about but I do know that my favorite movie, You've Got Mail, deepened my love for the daisy. Daisies are a happy flower, they make you smile when you see one, and they are my favorite. I remember the first flowers Nic ever sent me, a gorgeous bouquet of huge pink roses. A few weeks after that delivery, we watched You've Got Mail and that was when I told him I loved daisies. Until the day he proposed, he never gave me daisies, which I always thought was odd, he always sent a dozen roses in rich and vibrant colors or a pure snowy white. The day he asked me to be his wife, he had one single daisy to give me, right in the middle of roses. He later told me that when we watched that movie, he made a mental note that he wouldn't give me a daisy until a ring was attached to it. Is that not the most sweetest and romantic thing ever? So daisies have a huge significance in our relationship. Sometimes he sends me bouquets of them just to let me know he loves me and it always makes my heart smile. It brings a reminder of the day he professed his love for me, a love God ordained, and the day he wanted me to be his, forever.

Random...you may be thinking...but I promise that it isn't. Today I got a card in the mail, which isn't really all that unexpected since my birthday is just around the corner. It had a huge, white, perfect daisy on the front. It was from one of my dearest friends. It was to let me know she missed me and loved me. It brought a tear to my eye. It was special and it made me remember how lucky I am to be surrounded by people who love me. And just as the daisies the love of my life gives me, this daisy made me heart smile. It made me thankful. It made me hopeful. Love and friendship are beautiful things. I was reminded of this today.

Disclaimer: No my title is not wrong, Kathleen Kelly asks this to Joe Fox when she says daisies are her favorite flower in You've Got Mail. I just like to say they are the happiest.

2008-07-10T14:44:00.002-05:00

I am watching a movie and the girl in it has a west highland white terrier. Now I want one more than ever....I probably should have just twittered that but anyways....aren't they cute?

Brinner Twitter and Birthday Week

2008-07-09T20:03:00.003-05:00

Well...I haven't meant for there to be such a lull in blogging. Its just that I want to blog, then I don't. Some of me thinks that the yous out there aren't really entitled to every little thing in my life and to be honest, allot has been going on and I just don't think its really the world wide webs business.

On another thought....I do love twitter. Anyone who is anyone twitters. It is a social networking site (just like everything else out there) where you have 200 characters to answer this question "What are you doing?" You answer and everyone you subscribe to, you get to see what they are doing. And you can get updated every time they update. You can get updates from CNN or keep up with you fave movie star or band, (or ingenious church planter...) what ever floats your boat. But the best thing is, it keeps you connected. You become a part of peoples lives in a way you never thought possible. It also seems to be a way to text with everyone knowing your conversation. And through twit pic, you can be a part of important moments. I agree with some other bloggers out there that it seems to be taking place of blogging. But I do love it. Try it out, its addicting.

Tonight I served Brinner. Maybe you aren't familiar with this....but it is breakfast for dinner and it happens to be one of my favorite things. I am pretty sure that the word was out there before "Scrubs" but this popular TV show has made it more widely used. My dad made it allot while growing up. Jaron has been asking for it, so I made his wish come true. Also my husband asked for peppered bacon and biscuits and gravy, so for the first time in my life I made gravy from scratch. And it turned out amazing. So, I slaved over a very hot stove in the middle of a very hot 100 degree summer in a very hot house because we are trying to conserve electricity, to fill the stomachs of my boys. All that slaving was well worth it. Brinner was delicious and filling. Something else about dinners....I have them planned out for the rest of the month and no meal is duplicated (except fajitas I think)...amazing huh?

Finally, its Birthday Week. What is Birthday Week you ask? Well, my Nic and I met shortly after my 21st birthday. When I turned 22, just 2 1/2 months after we married, he was halfway around the world in Germany on a mission trip that was planned before he even knew I existed. So, he planned a gift for every day to be sent to me along with a card. And so he has kept up the tradition. Since I turn a quarter of a century on Monday, my Birthday week started today. Nic says it is the "best holiday of the year, because we are celebrating God's incredible gift for [him] - [me]!!" (That's what today's card said) Isn't he the best? I sure do think so. I am not one to go disgustingly on and on and on and on and on and on and on about my husband and how much I love him. But I do value the man that God created for me.

Well, Mission LTX is wrapping up tomorrow and then we are headed to Schlitterbahn on Friday to hang out with my family for the day.

Thought I would share...

2008-06-19T21:38:00.003-05:00

This song really speaks to my heart. It is an old song by Watermark

Arise and be comforted
For the Lord, He is good to the weary
And even the young heart can tire and fall
But He knows them all

For the Lord, He will renew their strength
And they will soar on wings as eagles
And they will run and never grow weary
They will walk and not grow faint

For the Lord, He is good
Lift your eyes to the heavens
For the creator is living in you
Come surrender as you are
And know that you’ll never stray too far
Let His power within you heal your heart
Lift your eyes to spacious skies
Let Him chart your way to flight
Spread your wings and fly
For the Lord, He is good

I'm Here and You're There...

2008-06-09T21:07:00.003-05:00

Well folks, I am in Kingwood while my husband is about 200 miles away in Port Aransas. Although I miss him terribly, it has been a joy to be with my darlin' brother in law and his sweet wife. They have taken such good care of me. It is wonderful to feel so loved. Unfortuantely, circumstances, that I can not blog about right now, are difficult. And to say that I am handling it like a Christian pro would be such a lie and I do not pretend to be such a stoic. I wonder where God's hand is in it all. Somewhere in my head I know He is sovereign, hopefully that knowledge will trickle down to my heart. So if you think upon me or Nic, please pray.

Really other than that, not much is going on. We have had some good eats and tomorrow I bet I get some good shopping in. I hear my sister-n-laws mother can shop up a storm. I'll let ya know how that goes. Retail therapy is the best therapy.

Time for a post...

2008-06-05T09:45:00.004-05:00

Once again, I have gotten griped at for not posting, blah blah blah...I guess I just don't know what to say.

Well, my sister did it, she graduated!! We had a blast in Corpus taking family pictures and hanging out. Nic and Jaron got the chance to check out the condos we would be staying in for camp. And after realizing the poor condition they were in, decided we needed to stay in a better place. So when we got back, the boys all got on their phones to find a new place for us to stay. Our new location for high school camp is The Pelican in Port Aransas.

Shortly after we came home from Corpus, Nic and I headed to Maryland to go to a conference and hang out with family for a little vacation time. We were so blessed to stay with my brother and his wife and two kids. We loved every minute of our time with them and we were both so sad to come back home. Nic and I were refreshed and challenged during our time at the Whiteboard Sessions. And we saw some interesting sights in DC and ate the best crab cakes in Annapolis.

This week has been full of putting in the final touches for camp. Amy and I got all the food for the week, under budget I might add and there is still much preparation for the meals before we leave. I can't believe we will be heading out in just a few short days!! Oh how much laundry I have to do....

Update on Life!

2008-05-14T14:29:00.004-05:00

Well, my husband has told me that if I don't blog soon then he is going to remove me from his blogroll!! Since it has been over six months, I guess it is time for a little update for those who actually read this. To recap:
* I finished up the Fall semester with a 4.0 and we spent the holidays with both families.
* My darling husband had been dreading his 30th birthday for over a year. I conspired with his parents and brother to throw him a suprise party and since the thought of turning 30 made his stomach turn - we called it his 29th birthday: Volume 2. It was a blast and I truly suprised the man who can never be caught off gaurd.
* Started a new semester full of art classes - which I have found to be more time consuming and labor intensive than any other class I have ever taken. I am so thankful this busy semester is over.
*Nic and I celebrated 3 wonderful years of happily wedded bliss (well atleast most of the time haha!) two weeks ago. He suprised me by taking me to stay in the Regency hotel in downtown Houston. We were passing through to go to Bridgecity so Nic could preach there again. We had reservations at the Spindletop (a spinning restraunt at the top of the hotel) and it was wonderful. They suprised us with this delicious Italian Wedding Cake. We had an incredible celebration.
* Before summer officially begins we have two stops on our journey: 1) my baby sister is graduating from college in Corpus Christi, so we are going to celebrate there this weekend and 2) we are headed to Washington DC for vacation. My oldest brother lives there and so we are going to get to visit with his family and Nic is also going to attend a conference. I am excited because I get to attend a wives luncheon which should prove to be amazing.
* Once we return, we will hit the ground running, its going to be a busy summer! Luckily, Nic got the opportunity to hire three amazing guys to help him out. JMob, Covey, and Dusty will be ministering alongside us this summer. They are incredible men and we are blessed to have them.

There is a snapshot of life. I am sure there is stuff I have missed, DNOW, weekend excursions, fun times with friends and family; I must do a better job of blogging...

Feeling Blesssed

2007-10-16T18:41:00.001-05:00

Recently, I have had many days were my heart surges full of joy and thanfulness because of the blessings God has given me. It makes me feel like I am his favorite. And hey why can't I be? Doesn't He love us all that way?!?

The most amazing man on the face of this planet lives in my home. I get to go to bed with him every night and wake up to him every morning and sometimes, if I am lucky, I get to wake up in to the sound of his glorious snore at 2 or 3 am. School is going marvelously well. School is wonderful. I think I appreciate it much more as an adult. It is not just an obstable to overcome, or an expectation held over my head, but rather something I want to do and actually I am loving doing it. And I guess it helps that I am reaffirmed in my efforts, Nic is uber proud of me and why shouldn't he when I have all A+'s in every class. Heck, I am way proud of me. I have a great family. The best sisters a girl could ask for, even though our busy lives prevent us from talking so much and parents that support Nic and I. And God has truly blessed me with some wonderful friends, new and old.

One of them I got to have a great lunch with. A woman that has truly touched the core of my heart. It is because of my husband that we met, but she laughs and says, don't you know God would have brought us together some other way, we were destined to meet. And I know it is true. Kindred spirits we are. Much alike and also much different. Over a meal and a few hours, I walk away a changed woman. Feeling challegened, cared for, appreciated, convicted, contemplative, grateful, renewed. Having laughed, nearly cried, seeing the hand of God, and knowing our futures are definitely intertwined. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. And once again, I am confident in the love and grace God so lavishly lays upon me. It is all such a beautiful thing, a glorious moment, a tender thought.

As of late I have felt the innate desire to try to express the joy that I have. Often times, unable to put into words but I try. God is good, even when His hand is unseen. Lindsey Kane

I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils...

2007-09-04T20:20:00.000-05:00

It seems like it will never come, then it does and it flies by so fast. But to me, summer is not over until Labor Day is gone...and it has. So now is time for a busy fall.

As I sit in my very quiet living room, Nic and I on our his and hers Dell laptops, each of us surfing and reading, I vaguely remember how just a month ago our evenings were so much louder and so much more exciting. It is not until these quiet evening moments that I miss the boys and the noise and mess they brought into our lives. That day as they moved out, I felt like a parent, trying to cope with empty nest. I am no mother, and I am no empty nester, but I guess in that moment, as both of their trucks drove away, I felt like one. I partly felt they were taking a part of my heart with them too.

Oh now, I am not trying to be sappy or depressing, just emotions I felt. How quickly the seasons of life shift how quickly a winter can change to spring can ablaze into summer and fade into fall back into a quiet winter.

And the semester has already begun. Most of my professors haven't waited to start with the 100 page reading assignments, quizes, and the like. There is no hesitation just ready set go. And go go go we will until December 16th rolls around. I have been blessed with an easy commute, likeable and interesting professors and new friends. And you can't take forget the loving husband who will cook dinner when you get home and do the laundry to boot. (Thank You my Love.)

I really am looking forward to the rest of this year. Hopeful. Inspired. Renewed. Hope you can find the same.Oh, and I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils, if only I knew you name and adress. But, this not knowing has its charms.

Beach Break to Camp 7*8

2007-07-28T14:25:00.000-05:00

My husband is much better at this consistenly blogging thing than I am...

Summer has been great and going by too quickly!

For camp this summer, we partnered with FBC P'ville to take our students to the beach. In June, we loaded the bus, van, and a tahoe and headed to South Padre. After an uneventful trip, we settled in for a few jam packed days of fun. The camp speaker was a good friend of Nic's from Howard Payne. Scott has done camp for us before, and so I knew that our students would be challenged and so would I. He did a great job, and it was fun to hang out with him again. Lindsey Kane once again delighted us with her gifts and was the worship leader. And once again I am throughly impressed with this woman of God. It was an utter joy to be able to be ushered into the presence of our Savior. I had the privelage of getting to stay with her all week and just got to hang out most of the time. I can say that the time was well enjoyed. After many were sunburned and tired we headed home. My sunburn was so bad I had a late night visit to the emergency room. But all is well now.

The day after arriving home Nic and I had to joy of witnessing a wedding of two very incredible people. I love going to weddings, I love seeing friends get married and these are two people that I can say God has truly united in an amazing love. Aside from my siblings weddings, I have to say that this was one of the most beautiful and perfect weddings I have ever seen. It was a utter joy to be a part. So thank you Megan and Clay for alowing me to be a part of your joy.

Nic was home for a week, which seemed to fly by, and then was gone to Springtown for a week. He was allowed to opportunity to speak at their missions camp. Andy was gone for most of the week so it was just me a Jaron and it seemed I went to Austin every night for some reason or another. I had the privelege of celebrating a momentus 25th year birthday with a dear friend of mine. And then spent the weekend with my inlaws.

The first week of July was Mission Arlington. We had an incredible week there and I couldn't be prouder of our students and how they consistenly served all week long. It made me realize how great our students are and how capable they are to change our world.

The next week was my birthday week. I am incredibly lucky to be married to Nic. He spoils me to no end and loves doing so. Every day of the week I got a gift and a card. Nic even made me a coupon book for things like "A clean - to your approval- bathroom" or "You get to pick what movies we rent for a night." It was super sweet and he put a lot of thought into everyday to make me feel special. On Friday, he suprised me and took me to stay in San Antonio for the night. He made reservations at the Tower of Americas for dinner and it was AMAZING!! I felt like a princess all night. I am a lucky woman.

The next week was full of preparation for Jr High camp. On that Saturday though, we got to visit with my parents, my sister in law and all my nieces and nephews. It was a fun day. They climbed all over everything and had so much fun playing that they busted a bean bag chair and we had all that little white stuff every where. But my 5 year old nephew was good and vacuumed the living room.

Last week we headed to Camp 7*8, again with P'ville. We spent 3 days in the rain and sun out at Lake Buchanan. We had a blast. It amazed me to watch my husband and his ability to consistenly minister to students. He never ceases to amaze me but sometimes I forget how incredible he is. There is no situation that he can't take care of tactfully and gracefully. He never loses control and is always available. My husband is wonderful.

After weeks of dressmaking, I finally finished the night before the wedding and everthing looked perfect. Mandy and Bubba wed in a packed sanctuary in a beautiful ceremony. They are such a sweet couple and I know that God has such incredible plans for them. Mandy is a beautiful woman who has such a love for students. I know that God is going to use her and her beautiful marriage to minister to so many young ladies. I am blessed to know her.

We have Mission LTX next week and then I think things will be slowing down. School will start and the boys will move out. Our house will be lonely and empty once again. It had been a joy to see how God has shaped all of us this summer. Grown us in different ways and allowed us to see things and situations differently. It has been a great summer.

Summer is here...

2007-05-29T20:19:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks of April and the month of May have proved to be quite busy.

"I take you, Nic..."

On April 30th Nic and I celebrated 2 glorious years of marriage. Most of me can not believe how quickly time has flown. And yet there is a part of me that feels as if we have been married for years. It is such a peaceful thought to know that God had worked so intensely in our lives to bring us together. I am truly blessed to be married to such an incredible man of God, who chooses daily to live for Christ and to love me with all he has. I am daily reminded of the grace that God has bestowed upon us. How He, inspite of our choices, blesses us with such amazing gifts.
So in celebration of our union, we headed down to Port Aransas for a 5 day vacay. We stayed in a great little place called the Inn at Fulton Harbor. It had beautiful views of the ocean and pool and hot tub. Everyday was full of activity and amazing seafood. We had such a peaceful and relaxing time. I did not want to come back. You can check out the full itinerary and some pics on Nics blog.

Welcome to the Burleson Boarding House
As some have comically noted about my home, we have had the privilege of having a few house guests. Some short term and others a little longer.

"I want a High School Diploma"

A former student of Nics has experienced a series of misfortunes in his life. Nic and I felt strongly that if someone just gave him a chance, then he could have the tools to succeed in life. So halfway through April Curry moved in. Not really sure how things would play out, but fully trusting in God that things would be provided for, we trekked down an unknown path. Curry came and accomplished what he intended and in only 5 short weeks, he completed 2 years of school and received his High School Diploma. He diligently worked at school and made such an impression on the teachers that he was allowed to do the invocation for their graduation ceremony. Nic and I are very proud of him. Being a typical teenager who has not spent very much time away from home, he got homesick and moved back home after graduation.

"Hey Jo, can we call you mom and Nic dad?"

"No." Came the calm and firm answer from Nic. After college finals were finished, two guys, also former students of Nics, moved into one of our spare bedrooms. Jaron and Andy have been here almost a month. These two incredible guys have moved in with us to help Nic out this summer with the youth -- for nothing. Although, they both are employed to fund their own financial needs, their primary purpose is to be with Nic and help him out. It has been a complete and utter joy to have them here. It is a daily reminder of so much. They remind of me of who my husband is, an incredible man, capable of a ministry that has sustained students beyond highschool years. They remind me of my own paths of faith when I was their age. On a regular basis they remind me that they have know Nic much longer than I have, that they remember him as just a young buck in his early years of ministry. They are full of memories and stories and I love just sitting in the living room, late at night, hearing them tell story after story, making me laugh so hard I almost pee my pants. I stand in awe of my husband, I stand in awe of the men of God they have become. It is so much fun to have them here and I already do not want them to leave.

"Thank You Auntie, may God bless you!"

These words came out of the mouths of three beautiful young ladies. Lovinsa, Fiona, Allen and their Auntie Daisy from Uganda stayed with us for just one night but have such a lasting impression on Nic and I that I know that we will never be the same. The Watoto Children's Choir came to our church as part of their ministry and we had the honor of opening our home for them to stay. Each of the children that are in the choir are orphaned due to AIDS. It is utterly devastating to think about where they come from, to think upon the life they must have lived. But each of them tells an incredible story of grace and mercy in how they came to know Jesus through becoming part of the Watoto Village. Each child is placed in a home with a mother and 5 siblings. Each is given the chance to attend school, and the hopes of one day becoming a leader in their country. Each song they sang spoke to my heart, especially "I am not forgotten." I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten, God knows my name. Each of these children know their identity in Christ. They know whose they are, and they have a hope, and hope so immense, it spills out of their smiles, their speech, their eyes, their lives. It was a beautiful reminder of the God I believe in and the hope that I have.

I can almost be sure that my boys enjoyed them more than they enjoyed my boys. The girls taught them tribal dances and in turn my boys showed them moves such as the sprinkler and what not. We all just laughed and laughed and laughed. Every moment was priceless. They touched us so deeply that two days later, we traveled to San Marcos to see them again. As we were leaving, I hugged Allen and she asked if the whole gang was there, I responded yes. Her eyes lit up and she said "Will you tell the boys we miss them?" It was such a sweet moment. Those girls have left a mark.

Not a day goes by that I do not think upon them. How richly blessed our lives are here in America. How selfish we are as a people. Always wanting more. Bigger houses, better jobs, bigger paychecks, bigger tvs, designer clothes, designer luggage, luxury vehicles. During one particular song, they played a video. A quote shook me to the core, it commented on our inability to care for and minister to particular people, referring to the AIDS epidemic. It simply said that maybe we are the ones who are sick. Later generations, turning back and asking us, what did we do while children were orphaned by the millions. Heart wrenching. For more information, www.watoto.com.

Life has been full. So filled with so much. God has blessed us. God has blessed me. He has richly given us so much. I am filled with joy to my core. Joy that, I pray, seeps into the lives of others. Joy that I pray I can be genuine to. When my brother was ill and dying, my mother once told me that she was not happy, for happiness is just a measure of your happen stance. But she had joy, a joy that filled her to her core. For when life doesn't always hand you the cards in a happy way, when things like new homes and apartments, new jobs, new friends, healthy families, healthy colleagues, healthy churches don't always find a way into your life. When happiness is dependent on things and jobs and circumstances...let there be joy. I have a firm faith in knowing, that although resting in the center of God's will does not necessarily bring happiness, it resounds a deep joy. Happiness is fleeting but joy resides. Choose joy...

The Attic

2007-04-19T21:17:00.000-05:00

Well after months of nothing...I guess that I have found something that is worthy of blogdom...
Wednesday was the grand opening of The Attic...our new (new to us) youth space that we have been waiting a year to get. Somewhere between Easter and now Nic celebrated his one year anniversary on staff and we celebrated our one year here. It has been an exciting year, full of many things. So much of me can't believe we have actually been here that long. Time seems to fly. Of course the excitement of a new youth minister spreads and students show up, and a youth minister consistently and relevantly shares the love of Christ and students stay, so space has essentially been a problem since we got here. With a little patience (forced at some moments), alot of sacrafice (of those who believe in student ministry), and some persistence, we have found such needed space. We moved just off the square in the upstairs of an old, old, old building, hence the name 'Attic.'
It has been utterly amazing to watch my husband's vision come to fruition. It has been a joy to be a part of the whole process. On Wednesday, a fellow consistent and devoted youth worker commented that there was a smile on every face. And there was. There was so much joy in that space, so much fellowship, so much laughter, so much of what the church should look like. It felt good to know that these students felt like that had a place of their own. A place to call theirs. A place just for them. I have a feeling that if we didn't have the pool tables, video games, pizza or air hockey, the smiles would have still existed. I am a little envious of them. They now have a safe house, a family room of sorts, in the church. They get to experience what it is like to have people love and support them and want them to succeed. What an incredible tool, as my husband would say, a building could be and is.
What is even more incredible? That is how the love of God is. It creates a safe house within. It creates a sanctuary in the midst of crazy lives. It creates laughter, smiles, and happiness. And oh what a joy the love of God truly is.
Another interesting fact is, if every student brings just one friend, just one, then we will exceed fire code by fifty I think. What an incredible problem to have.
The artwork is from the creative mind of one of our students...what a beautiful way to use your gifts for the kingdom.