Steamboat Skiing

the pilot let them get in the cockpit :)


our first family ski trip! and it was SO MUCH FUN!!

Kam's trying on her boots...she called them 'rock stars' and she definitely was on the slopes!

except for when she was eating the snow...

Brooke loved ski school too!

Erin just did ski school for two days and skied with her dad on the third day!

Cha Cha came too!

We loved our time in Colorado! The girls loved the snow...their first time to see it and they loved skiing :) We had beautiful blue skies the whole time and the temperature was perfect!! Good memories...

Catching up...

Baylor bowl game in San Antonio with my College Sweetheart...

watched RG3 score a touchdown right in front of us...Heisman winner and drafted out!

Kam's swimming in FINS! Her first 'class' and she loves it!

Erin's b-day at American Girl...Kam brought her Bitty Baby, Cindy Lou of course!

Erin, our new 7 year old, brought Hazel...

Brooke brought her girl...

the loot...Brooke chose a cast and crutches...

Erin chose a suit case :)

I watched...

Kameron fall asleep tonight...and I wondered why I don't do that more often. It didn't take long. I asked her to close her eyes and she did...she folded her hands over her chest and breathed slowly...she only opened her eyes once...to make sure I was still there....smiled, whispered she loved me, an unusual thing for her, and that was it. She was asleep.

She's growing up so fast...she's just three, but as I was drying my hair this morning with my hair flipped over and hanging down she walked in between my legs and looked up and smiled...she barely made it through...I know it won't be long before she's too tall to walk between my legs. That made me sad...but thankful...thankful that God allows time to slow down sometimes...so that I can enjoy what He has given to me in that day, that moment.

A neighbor friend is losing her sister...and she is experiencing the unexplainable grace of God...a peace that the world doesn't know or can understand...and then I open the Bible tonight and God speaks of His grace...and how His grace allows us to believe and how His grace sanctifies us...

So, as I watched Kameron fall asleep tonight, I prayed for her...that God would save her and that she too would know and understand God's amazing grace.

2012

May it be a Race of Faith

Hebrews 11:2
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A little bit of Christmas!

Charlie is back!

and Snug has found a favorite spot to sleep :)

thankful.

for all God has given, so undeserved, but in His grace, He gives many reasons to give thanks...

most thankful this Thanksgiving for His Word...that we can know God...in reading the Psalms the last few weeks, I get to know a little more of who He is...

He is the Holy One, a Just and Righteous Judge, His Statues are right and commandments are pure...His ways are Perfect. He is the King of Glory and Lord of Hosts, King Forever on His Forever Throne. He is the Rock, Unchanging, Constant, and Faithful Sustainer. He is Powerful, Majestic, the Maker of heaven and earth, by a word of the Lord they were made and they declare His glory. He is an Upright Warrior and Avenger. He is the Merciful Most High, Gentle, Generous, Defender of the weak, and full of Grace....Great is His goodness and Marvelous is His Kindness. He is the Beautiful Savior, Deliverer, Rescuer, Healer, Counselor, Advocate, Helper, Redeemer, Restorer, and Friend. He is the Fountain of Life, Living Water, Light of the world, our Hope, and the Truth.

He is my Shield, Protector, a Fortress and Refuge...my Hiding Place and Lifter of my head. He hears me and knows my heart and mind. He Teaches and Leads...He makes my ways straight, establishes my steps, and sets my feet on a Rock. He is my Salvation.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:57

Happy Thanksgiving!

a book craft, by Erin

favorite line: so if you are in pain, my dad will ask for your name and pray for you.

She asked where I was Friday night and I told her I was wrapping gifts, she asked if they were for her, and I said no, for boys and girls who won't get presents on Christmas, and she said, even if they're good? and i said, even if they're good, they won't get presents unless we send them one...
Operation Christmas Child sends a present with the Gospel...the greatest gift of all.

a book by erin on a saturday afternoon in villa's craft room...

Brooke's 'broken up club' and our SWEET concert

Kyle and I went out to dinner and just as we set down we got a phone call to come home to take Brooke to the ER. She jumped out of her swing so she could pet Snuggles and landed just right...breaking both the bones in her right arm.

We didn't need an x-ray. Her arm was obviously broken...looked like a goose neck. She was so brave! We told her about the broken bones we had growing up and she decided to make a 'broken up club'.

She loves her pink cast!

Went to the Shane and Shane concert and it was awesome, just as we expected. They are super talented...could be secular and mainstream if they wanted in a heartbeat, but they sing to Jesus and I'm so thankful they do. EVERY song on the new CD is awesome, but another one of my favorites is Liberty....this song is all about how Jesus sets us free. I can testify that this is exactly how I felt when Jesus saved me and how He continues to set me free from what the world says is important. Praise His Name!

The Lord is
The Spirit
Where the Spirit of the Lord is found
There is liberty
And the Spirit lives inside of me
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, now
There is liberty, there is liberty,
There is liberty

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

When the spirit
of the world comes
to kill me and enslave me I will say
There is liberty
For the chains of sin that once entangled me
Have been broken, now I'm singing 'cause I'm free
There is liberty, there is liberty,
There is liberty

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

The storm rolled in
It was dark in the land
As the Son of Man
Was crucified
You don't take his life
He laid it down
He paid the price
And shed His blood

It is done!
The veil is torn
He has won
And I am free
And I am free
And I am free
I am free

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see

For freedom You set me free
And yes, I am free indeed
You rewrote my name
And shackled my shame
You opened my eyes to see
I am free

Erin's Baptism

Erin was baptized on Sunday. She has waited a long time to let others know that she loves and wants to follow Jesus...and she got to share her baptism with all of her cousins. I cannot express how special that day will always be for Erin and our family. The pastor said she was the most excited little girl he had ever baptized :) We giggled because we knew she was beyond excited to be 'bapaptized' :)

She accepted Christ in the BSF John study almost 2 years ago...she was very persistent and I was hesitant because she was so young...but God is sovereign and He knows her heart and I definitely didn't want to stand in the way. She finished her discipleship book just a month or so ago and was really ready to let people know that she loves Jesus and believes He is God's Son and that His death on the cross paid for her sins and declares her righteous before God.

We are so thankful...here's her baptism in pictures...













Our prayer for Erin and ourselves, Colossians 1:9-11,

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened in all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

A note to Erin:

Erin,

It was an awesome day. You were so ready, you were glowing. You were so persistent in your desire to ask Jesus to live in your heart and I was so hesitant because I thought you may be too young...I still have a lot to learn about God's sovereignty...

The fruit of the Holy Spirit has been so evident in you...your soft heart, your love for Jesus and others, your boldness in sharing the Gospel to others, your unashamed worship, your desire and faithfulness to know and memorize His true Word, your kindness, your self control (that's hard with 2 sisters!), your conviction and sorrow over your sin...

And when you asked Opa this weekend if you could pray for him, out of nowhere, I was just blown away by God's goodness...your prayer of thanksgiving for him and what he has done for his family and his country was beautiful...

I know you aren't and won't be perfect, or anywhere near it (none of us are) :) but I'm so glad you accepted the One who is...

I love you,
Mom

Because He's God.

Shane and Shane's album was released this week! Favorite song on there is Because He's God. I would download it from iTunes if I were you, you'll thank yourself...it's awesome. I want my girls to know that Jesus is the way, the only way....not just the only way to heaven, but the only way to live a life worth living.

Oooo, Oooo
What if God came down to earth
Stepped out of heaven
Walked into your house
Said ask me anything
And you said I just had to know
How do ya get to heaven
And you were hanging on His every word
Cuz He is God, You believe because He's God
And He said

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only Son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

You know that God came down to earth
He stepped out of heaven
Walked into my world
And made my heart His home
And He said there is a better way
A life worth living
And I'm hanging on His every word
Cuz He is God, I believe because He's God
And He said

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only Son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

Ohhhh
There's a fork in the road ahead
That you are walking
It is wide and it is easier
But it leads to destruction
The other way is a narrow gate
Its the path less taken
It is hard and it requires your life
It's the pathway to Zion
The pathway to Zion

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

There's a way to go, an open door
For the human soul
You can come today
Jesus is the way
He's my only son, He's the one I love
And I gave Him up for you to be saved
Jesus is the way

Oooo, Ooooo

Beach House and BSF

Cha Cha took us to a beach house in Galveston last weekend. It was fun! Erin and Brooke got to get out of school early (they loved that!). They got to see their first IMAX movie when we got there and then to dinner at Westend...a really good place to eat that was on the water and in the middle of a neighborhood of homes...it was neat and the food was yummy.

Schlitterbaun was fun...the girls loved the slides and Kameron hung out with Cha Cha and loved the lazy river :) Kyle and Cha Cha took the girls out to the beach and got in the water...I only got knee deep and Kyle said the expression on my face would be awesome for a post card (he was being sarcastic).

On the last night, I put in Soul Surfer (it was in the DVD player at the home we rented)...mistake. I don't know if Brooke will ever go into the ocean again.

Erin and Brooke are going to BSF with Kyle!! They love it!

All That's Left

Slowly drawn
Moths to the flame
We think we're strong
We think we're anchored down
Then it comes
The hurricane
Down come the walls
Up come the foundations
We've been building on
And suddenly we'll see

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have

So let us look
Into each other's eyes
And read the stories
Written there between the lines
And take a list of all the wrongs we keep
And tear it into pieces
Let mercy be the only thing we're harboring
'Cause eventually
We're gonna see

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have

This is why our hearts are beating
To love each other
As we have been loved
Everything else is a fleeting shadow
But love endures all things, believes all things
Hopes all things
Love never ends
Love never ends

That all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we ever really had
And all that's left is to love
That's all that we have
That's all that we'll ever have
All we really ever had
All we have in the end is love

Oh, the only thing that matters is to love
This is the only lasting treasure
Love endures all things, and believes all things
And hopes all things
Yeah, love endures all things, and believes all things
And hopes all things
(all that's left is to love)