Fireproof Date Night

We have been wanting to see Fireproof since it came out and we finally made it last night! The movie started at 7. Hal got home around 6ish and this prego couldn't wait until after the movie for dinner, so we smuggled in our dinner in my purse. :) Subway is my friend right now. I usually have at least 2 veggie subs a week. It was quite nice to watch previews that were tasteful and know you weren't going to have to worry about language or in anything else in the movie you were getting ready to watch!

The movie was great! We loved Facing the Giants (made by the same folks) even though the acting might have been a little lacking. Fireproof was a step up for sure, but that wasn't the reason we loved it. It strongly portrays two powerful messages: the Gospel of Salvation and the covenant of marriage. I think it is kind of like going to a 2 hour mini marriage conference. It is a good reminder about the role God plays in your marriage and little things that you can do for your spouse. If you haven't seen it yet, go see it.

After the movie, we went to Chili's for molten chocolate cake. I let Hal have a few bites. :)

Doctor's Appointment-34 Weeks

I am not sure how you can call it a doctor's appointment when you see the doctor for less than 5 minutes! :) I guess it is a good thing that the appointment was in and out! Drew's heartbeat sounded great and my growth was good. We are still measuring right on schedule. I did have more weight gain this time than we would have liked, but he felt that most of it was water weight. My ankles, feet, and hands are puffier than normal! He said...keep doing what you are doing and see you in 2 weeks.

I like early morning doctor's appointments...they get me up and going. I have already been to the grocery store this morning after the appointment. The rest of the day will be filled with laundry, Bible Study, writing, and probably a nap. Tonight we are having Taco Soup...yum! I can't wait.

A List of Things

1. I finally put out my fall pumpkins last week. It was hard for me to put them out when I could look out my back door and see palm trees in my yard. The fall season is still one of the things I miss the most about Northwest Arkansas. I have also been craving a big pot of Taco Soup. I told Hal we could turn the air way down and pretend it was chilly outside. :)

2. I have been on a Drew clothing fast for a few weeks now. I had to make myself stop! The kid seriously has a closet full of clothes. I kept finding good sales. How can you pass up cargo shorts and polo shirts for $1.99? I bought them in several sizes!

3. I love pumpkin flavored anything.....and it makes me very happy that Starbucks has their Pumpkin Spice Latte's back. It is a mouthful to say, "I would like a Grande, non-fat, decaf, Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream please." :)

4. Hal is going on his annual guys weekend tomorrow. They are going to the Kentucky/Arkansas game. Saturday night I am hosting a Girls Night Out for our Sunday School class.

5. When people ask me how I am feeling, I have decided I am just going to say "big and pregnant." :) I feel great...but of course my back is hurting and I am tired, so I think "big and pregnant" will cover those.

6. I am loving studying the life of Moses this year. Hal and I were challenged by how much Moses' parents were able to teach him about God at such a young age. One of the gifts I received at my shower from a mentor of mine was a book of 365 Devotionals/Bible Stories for parents to read with their kids. On the inside cover she encouraged us to start early with the tradition of sharing these with Drew each night. We are looking forward to it!

7. We had our first class at the hospital last weekend. It was a nursing class...very informative. Our next class is our all day Birthing class the first weekend of November.

Doctor's Appointment- 32 Weeks

I guess it is time for a pregnancy update....I went to the doctor this morning. He said everything is looking great! I am measuring right at 32 weeks. My weight looks good. Drew's heartbeat was "perfect." I go back October 21st and November 4th. After that, I will be going every week! I can't believe that I am almost to my weekly appointments.

I am still feeling great. Of course as I continue to get bigger, I am starting to have back aches and feel more tired, but that just goes with the territory. The only trouble I have had with swelling is if I am on my feet a lot or if I get too hot. I really can't complain!

Hal is getting even more excited. I hear him say just about every day that he is ready for little man to be here! Of course, I agree, but I am sure he will be here before we know it.

Shower for Drew

The ladies in our Community Group did a brunch shower for us on Saturday. My friend Christi hosted it at her home. I really had a great time and we feel so blessed to have such a wonderful church family! We settled into a church much faster with this move and it has been a big help in the transition.

We had this yummy, precious cake!

I love this little onesie!

This was a super cute gift! It was clothesline full of cute outfits. There was a tag with a blue rope on top of the mini laundry basket that said "pull slowly." As I pulled the cord out, they were all on the clothesline.

A nursing coverup I had been wanting...we had to test it out!

Marcie and Christi. Marcie is expecting her first baby in January. The shower was at Christi's. She has been such a blessing to me! Christi and her husband have two girls that are precious. Maybe we can make a match for Drew. :)

Me with my super sweet friend Rachel. She and her husband Marcus are our community group care group leaders. We have enjoyed getting to know them and their two kids.

What's up for the weekend?

Every week seems to fly by! I can't believe it is already the weekend again, but I am not complaining. Weekend=more Hal time. Tonight we are going to rent Leatherheads and have dinner here at home. Tomorrow Hal will be working during the day, and I have a shower. My friend Christi is hosting a shower at her home. Several ladies from our church community group will be there. I am pretty sure tomorrow night will involve watching football! I mean...what else would Hal and Lindsay do on a Saturday night in the fall? Sunday we will be off to church and then probably to eat at our favorite place, The Broken Egg, for lunch. If you have been to visit us here in Florida, then I am sure we have taken you there!

We do want to see Fireproof as well. Have any of you seen it? If so, what did you think? If we go, I will give you my review?

Have a great weekend!

Orlando at 31 weeks

Saturday night we went to Orlando to have dinner with our friends the Binns'. We met them at Downtown Disney and had dinner at Rainforest Cafe. It was great to catch up with them and see their son Byron! It is such a treat when people come to Orlando and we get to see them. Before dinner, we made a quick trip to Ikea. We got the last few things we needed for Drew's room. I am pretty sure Ikea is a requirement for us to move anywhere!

This picture was taken at Downtown Disney...as you can see Drew is growing! :) I am feeling great. Just battling a little swelling in my hands and feet, but nothing to bad. I have been so blessed to have friends loan me clothes! Thanks for this pink dress, Kim. :) My friend, Mary also sent me a lot of clothes that I wear often.

Cravings and other things from the week

I haven't really had too many random pregnancy cravings...but this week has brought about a few. I woke up in the middle of the night and wanted carmel corn. I don't even really like carmel corn. Sunday during the sermon at church, I turned to Hal and wanted Pringles. He got me some that afternoon. :) The next craving was a throw back to childhood. I wanted one of those ice cream bars shaped like Mickey Mouse. His ears are dipped in chocolate...yum! We are going to Orlando tomorrow to have dinner with our friends, the Binns'. Hopefully we can find an ice cream bar!!

This week I gave my first BSF lecture since I started serving as Substitute Teaching Leader. I taught on Exodus 2:1-10, the birth of Moses. What a great passage for me to teach right now! It was easy to come up with illustrations and it was a very timely lesson for me about faithful action. I had really dreaded doing a lecture from the first minute I accepted the position, but God was so faithful in helping me through this first lecture. I had great joy in presenting it on Wednesday!

I have ordered Drew's carseat and stroller. Thanks to the friends and family that gave us giftcards. :) They should both be here next week! Hal picked up Drew's "going home" outfit while he was in Starkville this week. It is a super cute MSU outfit. I will have to post some of the clothes we have bought for him. We have had fun hitting sales and picking out clothes for him. One great thing about living in Florida is that you don't have to worry about seasons! He will definitely be a Polo boy like his Dad from time to time!

Have a good weekend!

Almost There....

We are getting oh so close to having Drew's room finished! Tonight we got his verse on the wall over his crib. We still need to hang Hal's jersey over the changing table, get a small table and floor lamp to go beside the chair, and finish the curtain. We are so pleased with the way it is coming together! It is also surprising how fast a room can fill up!





Crib with football bedding. Bookshelf we painted with his growing collection of toys. Sarah L did the letters above the bookshelf for my shower centerpiece.




Psalm 27:1 is the verse we picked for him. and are praying for him. Andrew means strong and manly and we felt this verse went along.



I love these crib sheets...they have vintage football players on them. The bedding is green courdroy with denim.



Mom and I recovered this chair when she was in here in late July. We got the monogrammed Razorback blanket at our shower in Fayetteville.


We had Hal's jersey framed to go above the changing table. We loved the way it turned out.

Fayetteville Weekend

We had a great weekend in Fayetteville....it just always goes to fast! We were on the go from the moment we landed. Friday I spent time at the bank visiting and Hal went to the Cooper plant to visit. Friday afternoon we headed to Cassville to see my brother's team play as well as hang out with my nieces and sister in law, Suzy. Saturday morning Hal dropped us off at our shower and he had breakfast with a friend. The shower was so much fun!!! It was wonderful to get to see so many people that are important to us in one place. We were also amazed at people's generosity in helping us get ready for Drew. That afternoon we hung out at my parents house. Saturday night we had dinner with Donnie at Amy at Tim's pizza...yum. :) Sunday we went to UBC, out to lunch with friends at Noodles, visited with my grandparents, and then headed for dinner with friends again. Whew...I am exhausted just typing this! As tiring as it was, it was so worth it.

I had a doctor's appointment this morning. He said Drew's heartbeat sounded great at that I was measuring right at 29 weeks. I go back in 3 weeks and then will start going every 2 weeks after that. I can't believe we are only 2 1/2 months away from him being here! We are looking forward to this week. Hal's parents will be here tomorrow to spend a few days with us.

Enjoy the shower pictures below





My gift helpers...Kennedy and Landry.



Yummy food and so cute centerpice w/ Andrew's initials. I am going to hang these in his nursery.

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Opening gifts...this one happens to be a Hog blanket! :)


Super cute diapers w/his initials.





Dad and Hal came by at the end of the shower to help us pack up.

XNA-EWR-TPA

We are home after a wonderful weekend in Fayetteville. We had a long day of travel but feel very blessed to have had two on time flights with Continental today since they are dealing with the aftermath of Ike. We were originally scheduled to connect through Houston to get back to Tampa, but changed our flight yesterday to connect through Newark. If we had kept our original plans, we would have missed our connection in Houston. We left Fayetteville around 10:00 central this morning and landed in Tampa at 4:15 eastern. We only had 40ish minutes to make our connection at Newark and it seemed that our gates were at the opposite end of the airport, but we made it! Hal had my bag, our carry-on suitcase, and his backpack and we moved as fast as my pregnant body would allow us!

I will put up pictures and details of our weekend tomorrow.

Yummy Recipe

Mom is always asking me what I am cooking for dinner....so I thought I would share with you guys as well! I enjoy getting the free Kraft Foods magazine. It is hit and miss for me...sometimes there are several things I try and other times I don't find much. There were several recipes I wanted to try in the Fall 2008 magazine. Last night we had Foil Pack Chicken Fajita Dinner. It was great and super easy. The recipe is meant to serve 4 so I just adapted it to make 2 foil packets and used what I had. The recipe below is for 4.

Foil Pack Chicken Fajita Dinner

1 1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 Tbsp Taco Seasoning Mix
4 Small Boneless Skinless Chicken breast halves (I used two tenderloins per foil pack)
1 each: green and red pepper cut into strips
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fold up all sides of each of four 18X12 inch sheets of heavy duty foil to form 1 inch rim; spray foil with cooking spray. Combine rice, water and taco seasoning; spoon onto centers of foil. Top with remaining ingredients.

Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal each packet. Place on baking sheet.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let stand 5 min. Cut slits in top to release steam before opening packets.

We added guacamole and sour cream on top and few tortilla chips on the side.

Enjoy! Let me know if you try it! You can sign up to receive the Kraft magazine at kraftfoods.com.

Busy Week

BSF(Bible Study Fellowship) kicks off this week so it will be a busy week trying to get back in my routine! I need to get some writing done this week as well........and the BEST part of the whole week is that we leave for Fayetteville on Thursday afternoon! We are excited to get to see family and friends. And this prego girl is for some reason overly excited about Fayetteville food this trip! I am ready for Rick's sausage rolls, Slim Chickens, Tim's Pizza, Penguin Ed's, and JD China. Not sure how I am going to get all of those things in while I am there, but I am going to try! Hal would also add Loafin Joe's to that list and take off Slim Chickens...he doesn't appreciate the Cayenne Ranch like I do. :) Ymm...my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Hospital Tour

We attended an information session and took a Hospital Tour last night. Our doctor's office is across the street from the hospital, but we had never been in the hospital itself. We both feel a little more at ease now that we know where we need to go! They walked us through every step of our visit starting with where we enter, labor triage (where they determine if you are truly in labor before they admit you), labor and delivery, and then the Mother Baby Unit. We learned about their security and the way we can allow visitors in, etc. We are praying that both of our parents will be able to be here! I think it was a little surreal for both of us as we stood in one of the labor and delivery rooms!

I have been feeling great! I had been having some rough pain in my ribs associated with costochondritis, but it has been much better this week. You may remember me mentioning costochondritis last October. Click here to see the old post that gives an explanation. It had been much better over the spring and summer until late July. My doctor said that as things starting shifting upward as the pregnancy progressed, I needed to expand which was causing the pain again. He warned it might not get better and would probably get worse, especially as Drew starts throwing punches to the ribs! :) I am grateful for the relief...even if it only lasts a few weeks!

What are we up to? Part 2

I am not sure how I left out one of my biggest projects!

*I am still writing for the student ministry for our church in Texas. I finished a study on Authority that will kick off the year and I am working on finishing a study of the book of James to fill out the rest of the semester.
*I also have a new friend here in Florida who writes for Lifeway and has mentioned me to her editor. I am going to be contacting them and sending some of my work in. Not sure where it will lead...but we will see!

I am off to watch a friend's little girl for a few hours and then headed for my weekly Friday lunch with Hal. Five Guys burgers....ymmmm! We are looking forward to this long weekend as I am sure most of you are as well. I would love to hear what all of you are doing!

What are we up to?

Fall seems to be the time that everything gets into full swing.

*Hal and I started a Leadership Class at our church, Sarasota Baptist. The class is a 32 week course that meets on Wednesday nights. This semester we are doing a survey of the Old Testament and the Spring Semester will be a survey of the New Testament. We will also cover Bible Doctrines and do scripture memory. We are both so excited to get to this class and the fact we get to do it together makes it even better!
*BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) starts back for me next week. This year I will be serving as Substitute Teaching Leader. I will have the privilege of teaching the Introduction Classes each month as well as teach seminars periodically. This year we are studying The Life of Moses. I am excited to start this as well....I love studying the Old Testament!
*Hal is busy at work but is getting settled into a routine. He is working long hours and has to work some Saturdays, BUT he is home every night and those hated drop offs at the airport are few and far between.
*Of course we are also getting ready for Drew. We keep talking about how fast late November/early December will come! We have his nursery almost done and I will post pictures once it is finished. We have several classes scheduled at the hospital for this fall, including a tour of the labor and delivery area next week. We were talking the other day that if I did go into labor, we wouldn't know where to go at the hospital other than the ER, so we will make sure we take care of that next week!
*We can't wait for Thursday night....the kickoff of college football! We have nothing planned for this Labor Day but watching football!

As you can see we are going to have a busy fall and a busy spring even if we weren't having a baby! I have struggled with feeling a little overwhelmed, but know that the Leadership Class and BSF are both things that God has called me to do. We are praying for childcare for Drew for two mornings a week after the first of the year so that I can continue with BSF. We know that having a baby changes everything, but we also know that we have a big God who can work out the details and is worthy of our time spent in service to Him. I repeat this to myself when I start to stress about finding childcare or wondering if I can handle it all.

Home from Houston

We had a great time in Houston! It was great to see Kim and Nate and to get to meet Owen and Blake. We also enjoyed spending time with Kim's mom who has been there for a few weeks to help Kim. Blake and Owen are doing great! We had so much fun getting to help out with them. Hal loved sitting on the couch and holding the boys on his chest. After a very long 8 months for Kim and Nate, it was such a blessing to see two beautiful boys and their two wonderful parents who couldn't be happier!

Saturday night we went downtown for our friend Vani's birthday party. It worked out great that we happened to be in town. It was great to see here as well as a few other friends from Houston. Happy Birthday Vani!

Sunday we headed to church. We were able to visit with friends we had meet through the student ministry as well as see the students we worked with. It was a great end to the weekend!

25....almost 26 weeks

I had a few emails while we were gone asking about where we were registered. I posted links to the registries on the right side of the page.

So Long Fay

Fay made landfall farther south than they expected and only as a tropical storm. We haven't had any rain yet....just a little wind but they say we should see rain this afternoon. Looks like our plans for the week will go on! We are so excited to go to Houston. We will be staying with Nate and Kim and get to help them with Blake and Owen for a few days. We will also get to see Kenny an Susannah and their baby, Luke who was born last Friday. Saturday night we will be celebrating our friend Vani's 30th Birthday. It will be a busy trip.....but a much needed visit with friends!

Fay, Fay, Go AWAY

Listen up Fay....this is what I need you to do. I need you to come across Cuba tonight and take a rouie (a.k.a a right turn) and head out to the open waters of the Atlantic. I hear the waters out there are nice and you can get as big as you would like and not harm anyone. Thanks!

We are of course watching Fay. We have our water, lights, food, batteries, etc. I am scheduled to leave for Houston on Wednesday afternoon and Hal is supposed to follow me on Thursday. We are praying on trip goes on as planned!

Snoogle

I have a new best friend.....my snoogle(see the pic of the lovely lady demonstrating above.) I was having trouble sleeping and couldn't get comfortable. I had read about the body pillow called a Snoogle, but I figured it was just a gimmick. After a few more nights of trying to manage multiple pillows, I gave in and bought a snoogle. It was a wise purchase! Although it does take up a little room in the bed...I am sleeping better and I am pretty sure that means Hal is sleeping better too! He is in Mexico this week, so the Snoogle and I have the bed to ourselves.

Olympics

We are addicted to the Olympics. We watched it all weekend long starting with the opening ceremony. We loved watching swimming, gymnastics, and basketball. I don't even mind if I know the outcome...I just love watching it! I have found myself laughing at a few of the events. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about sports and I have to admit I didn't know there was ever such a thing called handball. I couldn't quit watch it without laughing....just seems odd. It is like a mix of soccer, basketball, and volleyball and I can't quite figure out the rules! Hal is out of town this week so I will be catching lots of Olympic action! :)

Progress

I just got back home from dropping off mom at the airport in Tampa. We had a very busy and productive week. We spent quite a bit of time in Drew's room. Saturday, mom, Hal, and I painted his room and a bookcase. Mom and I also worked on covering a chair and ottoman for his room as well. We have a few more things to get it finished up and then I will post pictures. Mom and I also painted a large chest blue to put in mine and Hal's room. We also managed to find some time to go shopping....of course Drew came away with a few things. I seem to have a hard time buying clothes larger than 6 months. :)

ABC World News Tonight

I have shared the story of our friends Nate and Kim Stroh with you over the last few months and many of you have been so gracious to pray for them. The boys were born on July 3rd...both boys are doing very well and it looks like Owen will get to come home this week with Blake soon to follow. Last night they were featured on ABC World News Tonight....click HERE to read the story and see the video.

Nate and Kim are both thrilled that they were able to spread the message about Twin Twin Transfusion with over 8 million viewers last night. Early detection is key in order to treat this condition.

Hal and I are looking forward to our trip to Houston in August to meet Blake and Owen and spend time with Nate and Kim. Please continue to keep them all in your prayers.

21 Week Belly

My photographer a.k.a my neice Jessica took a picture for me to post today. Drew is starting to make his presence known not only by my expanding waistline but also by his little hands and feet. Have a good weekend!

Company's A Coming

Hal and I are so excited that our niece Jessica is coming to spend a week with us. I am picking her up in Tampa this afternoon and she will be here until Monday. We are going to do some shopping, probably go to the beach, head to Orlando on Saturday, and who knows what else we will get in to. The picture to the left is of us in Tennessee last summer....my belly is a little bigger this summer. :)

After she leaves on Monday, I head back to Tampa to pick my mom up on Tuesday. She will also be here for a week.

Really?

As I was watching Drew on the ultrasound screen, I couldn't help but think what I am pretty sure a lot of moms have thought before, I realize it isn't an original thought! I kept thinking...."how in the world can anyone look at that screen and not believe in God?" I just can't imagine not believing in the one and only creator God. I mean something like that can't just happen out of nowhere....and it doesn't evolve. It could only come about by the all knowing, all wise, creator God. He is the only one that can make something out of nothing....just as He did when He created the heavens and the earth and all that is in it.

I realize that I write this from a bias perspective because I do believe and I know God personally, and it breaks my heart to think about another mother lying there and looking at that screen and not seeing the workmanship of God as they look at their child. It gives me a new way to pray for those around me and more importantly, it drives me to my knees in thanksgiving that I do believe and that I do have a relationship with the creator God. Sometimes, I think I can take that for granted.....how HUGE that really is. Actually, it is everything.

Have a good weekend.

It's A Boy!

We had our 20 week ultrasound today and learned that we are having a boy! There wasn't any guessing with this one....he was proud to let us know. :) We are both so excited to welcome Andrew (Drew) Edward Ramsey and with nieces on both sides our families are excited as well! The doctor thought everything looked great as far as development and I am feeling great. Above is a side profile pic of Drew.

NYC

For some reason I couldn't get the pics at the bottom...so read the post at the bottom. It will better explain the pics. :) Magnolia Bakery- Greenwich Village
Cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery
Before "A Catered Affair"
I guess you can call that a baby bump. :)
Dessert after the show....yummy cheesecake! :)

We had a great time this weekend! I was quite able to keep up our usual NYC pace, but we were still able to do alot. We battled a little bit of rain, but that didn't stop us. We left Sarasota around noon on Thursday and with two on time flights we were in the city by 7:30. We headed out to dinner at The Eatery in the Clinton/Hell's Kitchen area and had a great meal. Hal had some super yummy mac and cheese. Friday we were in a cab headed for the Lower East side by 9:00 and had breakfast at Clinton Street Baking Co. This restaurant was in an interesting neighborhood that we had visited before. The breakfast was great! I had seen the owner on Martha Stewart and it didn't disappoint. We then headed for one of my favorite places in the city, Century 21. Century 21 is like TJ Maxx but 1000 times better. It is in a former bank building right across from the World Trade Center site. I managed to come away from there with some shoes. :) We then walked up Broadway to Greenwich Village. We love just walking the city...you never know what you will find. We loved Greenwich and managed to find Magnolia Bakery. There were people wrapped around the block to get cupcakes....they were great! We continued to on to one of our favorite areas, the Flatiron District/Madison Square Park. There is an interesting store Fishs Eddy there that we found last time. They have really interesting stuff. We were planning on watching the big fireworks show along the East River, but after walking all the way over there.....we ended up leaving! I wasn't feeling that great and we realized we hadn't eaten dinner and had only grabbed something quick for lunch so we headed for dinner and then watched the fireworks on TV! :) Saturday we dodged the rain by going in and out of the stores on 5th Ave and then heading up to Bloomingdale's. Saturday night we had a great dinner at Dervish Turkish and then we to see A Catered Affair. The show was different than expected but wonderful. Sunday we walked around a little in the morning and then headed for the airport! I am leaving out a ton I am sure...thanks for letting us share our trip with you! You can click on the restuarant/Store names to see a link to their website. :)

2:00 AM

Our flight landed in Sarasota at 2:00 AM this morning. After being delayed out of La Gaurdia we got to Atlanta to another 4 hour delay...we left Atlanta at 12:30. Gotta love it when bad weather shuts down the busiest airport in the country for a few hours on the end of a holiday weekend! At least we made it home and our flight wasn't cancelled!!! I will put up pics and more about our trip later....we had a great time!

Our patio

I like lots of things about our new house, but I think that my favorite thing is our patio. Our house backs up to a nature preserve so there will never be houses behind us. It seems like there is always a good breeze out there so you can often find me out there in the morning with my journal and my Bible. In the evening, we love to eat dinner out there. Last night, we watched the lightning of a storm as it approached. View of the patio
Another patio view Flowers mom helped me plant
The preserve view from my table on the patio
Our table and chairs......notice our mascot to the right. :)

Weekend Update

We had a great weekend...it just seems like they aren't long enough these days for Hal! We tried a new pizza restaurant on Friday night that we really enjoyed. Hal needed to go into to work on Saturday so I got up and went in with him around 8:00. We took breakfast to the the guys working at the plant and then I worked on getting his office cleaned up. He has been in the office almost 3 months, but hasn't had the time to unpack boxes. We were there until almost 2:00. I took the rest of the time to work on the study of James I am writing for HAFBC Student Ministry and work on some of our plans for our trip to NYC over the 4th of July. I found a place to buy discount Broadway tickets and we got 1/2 price tickets for A Catered Affair on Saturday night. We then spent the afternoon working on a few things around the house.

Yesterday we were lazy and didn't make it to Sunday School. We made pancakes and then got ready for church. After church we went to Moe's (kind of like Chipotle or Flying Burrito) to eat and we ran into a couple we have met at church. Their kids were out of town and they asked us to sit with them for lunch. We ended up talking to them for over an hour....it was a nice treat! We have meet a lot of really nice people, but we haven't had many "real conversations" with people. It was nice to feel like we were really getting to know someone! Last night 3 young trainees who work from Hal came over for dinner. It is fun to treat them to a home cooked meal while they are away from home.

Sonic

If someone wanted to make a few bucks, I think they should look into putting 15 Sonic franchises in the Sarasota/Bradenton area. After living in the land of Sonics a.k.a. Fayetteville, AR or Humble, TX, I am dying of thirst in Sarasota! My car said it was 99 degrees today while I was out and about.....and all I needed was a Large Diet Limeade from Sonic, but Sonics are few and far between around here so I had to settle for a bottle of water when I got home. Okay...I am done throwing a fit. All of you Fayetteville and Humble people think of me when you are enjoying your Sonic drinks. :)

Update

I have been getting in trouble for not being regular with my postings. So here is an update on a random assortment of things!

*We had our monthly checkup on Monday and had a great report. The heart beat sounded strong and my blood work was good. We go back on July 14th for an ultrasound and hopefully we will know whether Baby R is a boy or girl. I am not really "showing" yet...I just look like I have put on a few pounds. I am feeling really good and my current random craving is vinegar. Weird...I know, but I can't get enough of it. Everyday I have to have tomatoes and cucumbers cut up with vinegar and oil.

*Mom and Dad where here for a week earlier this month around my birthday. We were super busy while they were here. They helped with things around the house and in the yard. We showed them around Sarasota and took them to Orlando on Saturday. For my birthday we went to dinner at a restaurant in our favorite area of Sarasota, St. Armands Circle. Hal totally surprised me with a beautiful bracelet for my birthday. I say totally surprised me because I can usually figure out or at least come really close to what he is getting me, but I had no idea!

*Hal and I have been tossing around a few different ideas for what to do over the 4th of July weekend. We talked about Savannah and Washington DC, but I think we are going to end up with old faithful and head back to NYC. We love the city and wanted to make sure we went back before baby gets here. We are going to book the tickets tonight....my guess is we will end up with NYC.

*The house is coming along...all of the boxes are unpacked now. I am working on getting pictures hung and getting things organized.

*I still haven't seen a gator....I am pretty sure that they don't exist in Florida.

Request

A few weeks ago I posted about our friends Nate and Kim Stroh and their twin boys, Owen and Blake. (A picture of Kim on Mother's Day is to the left) The post is titled An Article to Read in case you didn't read it. Kim has made it 5 weeks from her surgery date! They have had a few ups and downs since the surgery date. Yesterday she was admitted to the hospital for an indefinite period. Owen, the larger twin, is now loosing fluid and they can't determine why. If he were to roll over on his umbilical cord, it could cut off his blood flow. Blake, the smaller twin, is almost 1 full pound smaller than Owen. They are going to be monitoring Kim as well as giving her a steroid injection to help with the boys lungs in case they have to take them. Please take a few minutes as you read this and pray for the following.

*Pray that the boys would make it to July 4th (32 weeks) or July 11th (33wks).

*Pray for peace for Kim as she spends time for the hospital.

*Pray for Nate as he trying to balance work, being with Kim, and concern for the boys.

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Loooonnnnggg Weekend

We are looking forward to a long weekend! Hal is ready for the much needed break and I am ready to have him at home for a few days. Hal's parents will be here tomorrow and we are excited to show the house and around Sarasota. Have a good weekend!

Gators and Cravings

I have been obsessed with alligators since we moved here. Weird, I know. Every time we pass a retention pond or any body of water I am looking to see if there is a gator anywhere. No luck so far, but last night we came close. I had a long day of unpacking and didn't feel like cooking so we went for pizza and on the side of the road we saw several police cars and a wildlife truck. We could see them with a huge black tarp and then realized they were throwing it over a gator. It was close, but I didn't actually see the gator. Maybe next time.

I haven't had the cravings yet where you want to mix random things together and eat them, but I have definitely had cravings since the nausea has been getting better. The funny thing is that I have been craving things I can't necessarily get! I have been craving my mom's potato salad. I tried to make it but, it didn't turn out like hers. She will be here the first week of June...I am pretty sure I can get some then. :) I have also been craving JD China from Fayetteville. No body makes Chinese food like Mrs. Jennifer....I tried some here, but it just wasn't as good. The other major craving has been for a Canadian Bacon sandwich with Ranch dressing and mozzarella cheese like my Uncle David used to make at his pizza place. Yumm...my mouth is watering. Maybe it is good that I am craving things I can't get my hands on, but I sure wish I could!!!

Lots of Boxes

I think the boxes are growing....it feels like I am making progress and then I look around and see that I have a long way to go! I think I underestimated how tired you can get in your first trimester. I thought that I would have them all unpacked after a week or so...of course I was basing this on how quickly I unpacked the boxes in Houston, but after almost 10 days, there is still plenty to do. I work for a while and then decide it is time to rest. Another hold up has been waiting on the painters. They have down the house in stages and hopefully they will finish it up soon.

I was glad to have Sarah L here with me last week. She helped me unpack. It was fun to show her some of the fun and beautiful things we have found here in Sarasota.

An Article to Read

Hal and I wanted to share this article with all of you as well as ask you to stop after you read it and say a prayer for our friends Nate and Kim. They are precious friends of ours from Texas and have been through quite an emotional few weeks. As you can read from the article, their twins had twin-twin transfusion. The article explains this in pretty good detail. There is also a video you can watch. Kim and the boys all seem to be doing well after surgery. Please take a few minutes to pray for the boys continued growth and specifically that Kim will be able to carry the boys to mid-July. Thank you so much for taking a few minutes to lift them up before God Almighty.

Click here for a link to the story in the Houston Chronicle.

Closing

Our closing is set for 4:00 today!!! We are praying everything that needs to happen today gets done. The movers will deliver our stuff tomorrow and we will spend our first night in the new house tomorrow as well.

Are we ever going to close?????

I don't remember much about buying our first house. I think I was in wedding lala land, but this one is going to be very memorable, but not in a good way! :) We signed the offer around the middle of March and were told we would close on our before April 30th. Well, as of right now, we still don't know if we are going to be able to close tomorrow! The moving truck will be here tonight with our stuff. We are trying to avoid having to put it into to storage as long as we close tomorrow. Hal and I are very ready to sleep in our bed as well as have two cars!!! Please pray that all the details will fall into place and we will be able to close tomorrow.

Many of you have asked how I am feeling. I am 9 weeks today and feeling pretty good. The nausea has been MUCH better the last week or so. I had an oh so fun sinus attack, but I am getting over it. Other than being tired, I am feeling pretty good!

Big News

Hal and I are so excited to share that we are expecting! I am about 7 weeks along which means we can expect Baby Ramsey in early December. I have been feeling pretty good this week after a rough week of nausea last week. We decided that we like to just do things all at once....we get married and move and now we are moving and having a baby! :) At least we have a little more time to prepare for baby, unlike our 6 week engagement.

We sold our house in Texas!! I am headed there tomorrow to help with a shower for my friend, Kim, who is having twin boys. Then the movers come on Monday and Tuesday of next week. I then fly back here on Wednesday. We hope to close on our new house sometime next week. We are anxious to get in the house and get out of this apartment.

HAFBC

I think that I have delayed in putting these pictures up because it meant we were really moving. :) These pictures are from our last Wednesday night at church...they show several of our friends as well as many of the students. Leaving this group of people was by far the hardest thing about leaving Texas!

Our house in Florida

I had a fight with Blogger trying to get this up, but here it is. :) Click on view all images if the slideshow never loads. Hal and I went to an early service this morning and then had lunch/breakfast and then headed to the house. Enjoy the pictures.....we are excited. Happy Easter!

Blessed

Blessed. This sums up how Hal and I are feeling right now. We made an offer on a house yesterday and we found out today that is was accepted! We have gone through some stressful moments lately as we researched houses and as we were on the ground here looking over the weekend, but we are absolutely amazed and humbled as we look back and see the hand of God on this entire process. We were able to find exactly what we wanted and we got an amazing deal.

We will probably be taking the buyout on our house in Houston. We don't know any specifics yet....but hopefully the details will all be worked out soon. I will put up pictures soon. :)

If my life were a movie or a TV show.....

If my life where a movie or TV show, today it would have had one of the following titles.

Golden Girls: We had an early flight into Tampa this morning and I dropped Hal off at the plant around noon. I then headed to the hotel to check in, but the room wasn't ready yet. I decided to grab some lunch and headed across the street to a seafood restaurant. As I walk in, I notice that I am the only young, and by that I mean under age 50, person in the restaurant. As I continue waiting on my table, I can't help but start chuckling to myself. I am not sure if it is the shorts and knee high socks or the couple that walked in with matching canes w/ a flowery motif on them. I just kept thinking...this is just like the Golden Girls! I just kept laughing out loud to myself in the car! :)

Legally Blonde: I am sure most of you have seen this movie. At one point she is stressed out and is driving around a her new town and slams on her breaks when she sees a nail salon. After lunch and checking in, I decided I needed a pedicure. I called 7, yes, 7 Aveda Salons and none could get me in this afternoon, so I decided it was time to get out of the hotel and I headed to look for a good ol' nail place. After driving about 4 miles, I SAW ONE! I made a quick left and practically ran into the place. The pedicure and manicure did me good. :)

That is the recap of my first day in Sarasota.....I am househunting tomorrow with the realtor. We had a great night last night....I will post pictures later!

What to Pack???

We are getting ready for our temporary move to Sarasota this week. Our flight leaves early Thursday morning. I have been working on getting our stuff packed, but it is hard to know what to take! We aren't sure how long we will be there before we come back to Humble to be at the house when the movers come. I have made numerous lists to try to think of as many things as I can! I will spend Friday previewing stuff with the realtor and Hal will join us on Saturday and Sunday. I am anxious to see Sarasota....it is weird to be moving to a place you have never been! :) Please pray for us as we look at new homes as well as make a decision about what to do with our home in Texas.

Breakdown in the car

No...my car didn't break down. I had a break down in my car. I had just walked out of a doctor's office and felt silly, stupid, and frustrated. For a few days preceding my trip to the doctor, I had been having tingling and numbness in the back of my head. Sometimes I think I am a border line hypochondriac (ask my mother about my numerous trips to the elementary school nurse) so of course it freaked me out. Hal was out of town, so I went ahead and made an appointment to see the doctor. I explained my symptoms, he asked if there was any other stress in my life......after that question, I knew what was coming. I explained to him that we were in the process of getting our house on the market and relocating. He then said that he felt that the numbness was due to anxiety. I was relieved on one hand and on the other I was somewhat angry at myself and embarrassed. I quickly made my way back out to my car, called Hal and told him, and then I sat in my car and cried. I began asking God to forgive me for my lack of faith and trust in His provision. I don't have to know necessarily how and when all the details of our move, the sale of the house, and finding a new house will take place. It probably won't work out the way I want it to or the way I would do it, BUT it will work out exactly the way God planned it and it will be for mine and Hal's ultimate good. That good may not be us making a big profit on our house, that good may be sitting in my car that day and recognizing that the God of the universe is in control and not me.
The two weeks since the breakdown in the car have been better, but not without challenges. Our house has been on the market over two weeks and it hasn't shown yet, the temptation to freak out is there, but God is so gracious. He has calmed my anxious fears and reminds me to make the choice to trust in Him. He also reminds me of His provision for us. It's a daily battle...and sometimes it is minute by minute battle, but I want to chose to trust Him.

Update

Life has been moving quickly for us lately. I don't think I realized how quickly until we were in our student service this morning. During worship, I looked up and saw students that we have grown to love worshipping and it really hit home that Hal and I just have one more Sunday left. Sure, we will be back to pack up the house once it sells or we take the company buy out, but next Sunday is our last normal Sunday. We have known moving was a possibility for a while and we have been talking about it for so long, but the time to move is coming fast!

Hal left tonight for Atlanta. It is his last week of travel in his old job. It was somewhat surreal for both of us when we were getting his luggage out of the trunk at the airport. We have done that countless times over the last two years, but we gave each other a high five, smiled, and said this is the last trip! He has been gone 6 straight weeks....and I know he is ready to be in one place for a while.

We have one way tickets to Sarasota booked for Thursday March 13th. We will spend the first weekend house hunting and Hal starts on Monday. Our first few weeks will be spent in a hotel and then we will move into a corporately furnished apartment around the end of March. We can stay in corporate housing free for 60 days so we will leave the house on the market for a while this spring. If it hasn't sold by late April or May, we will need to start thinking about taking the buy out option.

Please pray for us in this transition time. We have a lot of decisions that will need to be made about our current house and as we look for a new home. We are both learning a lot right now....more to come on that in future posts.

Hal's New Job

Several people have asked us what Hal will be doing in his new job in Sarasota. He will still be working for Cooper Industries, just working as a plant manager in one of their divisions. Click here to see the website for the business he will be working in. He is excited about the opportunity, but even more excited that what he will be working on will help save lives.

We originally thought he would be "officially" starting on March 17th, but that date keeps moving up. He will be spending most of the next two weeks in Sarasota. Please pray that we can get the relocation process going and get our house on the market quickly. Although we are sad to leave Humble, we aren't looking forward to him having to commute back and forth between Humble and Sarasota.

Things I Love

I love....

• My husband....he is amazing.


• Getting to travel with my husband when he is away working.


• Peanut M&M's


• My new glasses. :)


• HAFBC Student Ministry


• UNO


• text messaging


• the opportunity to study and write cirriculum for our student ministry


• honest friends- who aren't afraid to share their heart with you(You know who you are)


• Pappasito's Beef Fajitas. Yum!


• Hot tea every morning


• Guitar Hero


• Worship- Kenny and Susanna, the Ramsey's are going to miss you!


• You...for reading my crazy thoughts on this blog.

Christmas Pictures....A month late

Here are a few pictures from Christmas in Fayetteville....sorry they are a month late. Mom, Dad, Hal, and I went to Tim's before Christmas. We then took a walk around the Fayetteville Square. For those of you not from Fayetteville, each year they decorate the old Town square with thousands of white lights. It is beautiful and one of my favorite Holiday memories. Except for this year, I wasn't quite used to the cold! After a quick walk and a quick picture, I was read to head for the car. We also got to spend a lot of time with my family including my nieces. They really warmed up to their Uncle Hal.

Today we found out that Hal will be starting in Sarasota, FL on March 16th. We are glad to have a few more guaranteed weeks here in Houston. He will be doing quite a bit of travel during this transition time as well, but fortunately I will be with him quite a few of those times. Please join us in praying that we can get our house on the market quickly and that it will sell! More updates to come!

Confessions of a Control Freak

It's Official....We are moving to Sarasota, FL! Hal received a phone call last night offering him the job. We still don't know exactly when all this will take place, but we know it will be sometime this spring.

Hal and I have both learned a lot through this experience over the last month. This control freak, especially learned a lot. I guess the best thing to sum up this for me, is that I finally let it go. I was so TIRED. My mind was constantly working trying to figure out what was going on, what would be the next step, what did that comment mean, what does it mean that we haven't got a phone call yet.....and it went on and on and on. I got to the point where I was literally mentally exhausted. This was just where God wanted me to. He wanted me to admit I couldn't figure it out or control the situation, but that He was in complete control of it. There was an extreme amount of peace that came with that realization. I really stopped stressing about it....I stopped trying to figure it out. The next test of this lesson approached just as I hung up the phone from learning we were moving. I must now trust God for ALL the details to come in the next few weeks and months.

Bad Blogger

I have been a bad blogger lately! The time since Christmas has been a whirlwind!

I am back at the bank for a few months and still writing. My days fly by.

Hal and I are praying about what is ahead of us. We thought we were 100% headed to Sarasota, FL, but now we aren't so sure. For this control freak, it is a hard lesson to learn, but we know God is in control and we are just waiting to see how things work out.

More to come soon! I promise!

Going Home!!!!!!!!!!!

Hal and I head for Fayetteville tomorrow afternoon! We are looking forward to spending time with friends and family.

Merry Christmas!

It Finally Feels Like Christmas!

It was a big day yesterday....I got to wear a coat and a sweater to church! It finally felt like Christmas! I have mentioned several times that one of the hardest things about moving for me has been adjusting to the weather. It is funny how we associate times of the year with how the weather feels. Even though our Christmas tree is up and we have been going to Christmas parties, it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me when it is 80 degrees outside!

Even though the weather hasn't been what I am used to in order for it to feel like Christmas, I have been thinking a lot about Christ this Christmas season. I have been working on our next study for our students at Church. Beginning in January, we will start studying the Trinity with them. As I have been swimming in the deep theology of the Trinity, I have been faced again with the reality of who Jesus Christ is. It has been a good reminder for me as Christmas is rapidly approaching. When I think about Jesus this season, I want to think about more than just a helpless baby in a manger. I want to think about the fact that the baby Mary and Joseph cared for was God Incarnate. He is worthy of praise and adoration and should be lifted high not only during the next few weeks, but every day of my life.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Luke 2:11

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

Grateful

Okay...so I am a little behind on my Thanksgiving post, but I guess better late than never. We were in Mississippi for Thanksgiving and had a great time with Hal's parent's and his brother's family.

Here a few of the many things I am grateful for this year:

• My relationship with God. The Lord has been so gracious to be this year. it has been a great year of learning more about who He is and what He wants to do with my life.


• My Husband. He is simply amazing. Last Friday I went downtown to meet him for lunch, as we were sitting on the balcony outside talking I thought about how blessed I am to have a Godly husband. I could name a 100 things here, but the thing that comes to mind first is how he is supportive and excited about our choice for me to be a stay at home wife.


• My parent's health: After a few scares this year, I am so grateful that they are both in pretty good health.


• My friends: God continually blesses me with wonderful people in my life who encourage me in some many ways.

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!

The Big Event and More

Here are a few things I have intended to blog about for awhile, but haven't taken the time to sit down and do it!

1. I flew home from my Fayetteville trip on November 7th, a few days earlier than I might have in order to attend an event with our students at church. It was cleverly titled "The Big Event." Our students had been inviting their friends and family for months and the student staff and adult leadership had been praying for months. There were over 700 people at the event, but more importantly over 80 students and adults experienced a life change that night when they confessed their need for a Savior and asked Jesus Christ to be King of their life. Around 25 of those were then baptized this past Wednesday night. Perhaps the greatest thing about November 7th, was that the generator that was running the sound equipment went out about 5 minutes before the event was to start. Although it ended up being a little different than first planned, a backup system was brought in and the Gospel was presented. We were then able to have a time of worship at the end. I heard someone say after the event was over that maybe God was trying to remind us that he doesn't need smoke and lights....he doesn't even need a powerful sound system. All He needs is His Word to be proclaimed. Plain and Simple. It was a good lesson for me. As I continue to work on writing curriculum for the students, I need to remember that it is just about God's Word, nothing more.
2. Continuing on the writing theme....I had turned in a query letter to a publication in September. They accepted the query letter and asked me to write the article on speculation: meaning that they don't guarantee they will publish it. The article was about a very personal struggle and although it was difficult to write, I was thrilled they might be interested. I submitted the story. After a few weeks, I got an email saying they weren't interested in publishing it. Honestly, I was crushed. I don't handle "failure" any better at 26, than I did at 16. But, I learned a few lessons from this denial. Hal asked me after I read the email, if I learned anything from writing the article. I told him that I had...and he reminded me that is what was important. It was also a good pride check. I wanted and still want to get published, but I need to remember that getting published isn't any more important than the writing work I am doing for our students at church.
3. Costochondritis. This is a new word in our lives. No, I didn't make it up although I thought the doctor was making it up when he told me that was what was causing my pain. In September I began to experience pain in my chest. It could be quite sharp at times and other times it was just a dull pain. After a few weeks, we went to see a doctor. He felt that since I was young and my family didn't have any history of heart disease that it was costochondritis. He told me to take Advil and it should get better. It did get somewhat better, but never seemed to go away. Over the past few days, it had become quite painful again, so I saw a different doctor yesterday. He gave the same diagnosis, and told me he experiences the same pain as well. He gave me a shot and a prescription to help with the pain. Simply put, costo is inflammation of the joint where the ribs join the breastbone. They aren't quite sure how I ended up with it since it usually occurs in those who have chest trauma nor are we sure how long I will experience the pain. We are praying it goes away soon. See this link of you are curious. :)
4. Hal's home!!! We think he has finally made it through all of his trips for this year! He should be able to get some much needed rest. Of course we will be traveling for the holidays, but those are fun trips!

Quick Trip Home

Hal and I both headed for the airport last Saturday. He is in England this week and I made a quick trip to Fayetteville. We had originally planned on me making the trip to England with Hal again. We had tossed around visiting a few different places on the beginning or end of the trip, but we decided it was just too much travel for Hal in such a short period of time, so I decided to make a trip to Fayetteville. My days were filled! When we were in England in October, my grandparents had a car accident, and I did not want to wait until Christmas to see them. I was able to spend some precious time with them. I also got to see my nieces for the first time since last Spring. I enjoyed playing with the younger girls and talking with Courtney. I also had a great dinner with friends from college. We hadn't all been together(apart from weddings and showers) since college. It is crazy to think about how all of our lives have changed in the past 4 years. This was the first trip since we moved to Houston that I was able to come home and not have to work at the bank....it seemed kind of odd to be in town but not be at the bank on Monday morning. I did stop by the bank on Tuesday to visit. The trip flew by, but it was great to spend some time with family!

Humbled, Amazed, Thankful......

The list could go on and on for me this morning. I picked up Hal at 5:45 last night. He was tired after almost 24 hours of travel with no sleep, but he was home!

I have struggled with anxiety and worry with his travel over the last few years. I will admit that there were times that I worked myself into an all out panic where I would be in a cold sweat and feel sick to my stomach. But by the grace of God this trip was different. I know that many of you prayed the requests I put on my blog as well as others whom I asked to pray for me here. We both felt your prayers.

Studying the temptation of Christ in Matthew 4 last week also had a big impact. I don't think that I had ever really thought about my worry and anxiety as Satan tempting me to doubt God's protection and provision for Hal and I. In Matthew 4, when Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted, He uses God's word to answer Satan's temptations and he trusts in God's provision and plan for Him. When Satan offers Him food after he has been fasting for 40 days, He trusts that God will sustain him. When Satan takes him to the top of the temple and says throw yourself down for God will command angels concerning you, Jesus says not to put the Lord God to the test. In saying that, he refuses to bow to Satan's attempt to damage his pride and he trusts that God will sustain and defend him. He asserts that God isn't here to serve us, but we are here to serve God. When Satan offers Him a way to have the kingdoms of the world without having to sacrifice and die on a cross, he trusts God's sovereign plan. In all these temptations he didn't use his divine power to overcome them. He used just what I had available to defeat my temptation to worry and doubt: God's Word, Holy Spirit, and faith in God's character.

This past week, I found myself humbled and at the same time joyful at the way my Heavenly Father protects and cares for His children. Whether it was a encouraging prayer or word from a friend, a call from my mother-in-law, worship at church, or time spent with my mom and aunt, God was unbelievably gracious and faithful to me this week. In all honesty, there was only one time that I felt panicked.

As for Hal, he is still sleeping this morning. :) It may take him a few days to get over the 13 hour time difference. He was able to find decent food this trip. He navigated through all the different stops he had to make without difficulty. All of his flights were on time. God was gracious.

So...again, thanks for your prayers!

25 Years Later....

Of all the birthdays one celebrates in their lifetime, none is more celebrated than a child's first birthday. But my first birthday, my mom left me at home for a trip to visit her sister Kathy in Galveston. She took my brother, but left me behind. But this week after 26 years, I finally got to go to Galveston with my mom and my Aunt.

I love to tell this story and tease my mother. :) My mom and Aunt left today. We had a great time shopping, laughing, and talking. I hope we make in an annual event.

Company Coming

I am having a little trouble getting around this morning, but I better get it together soon. My mom and my aunt are on their way to the airport and will be here shortly. I am not sure what the plan is for today. We are going to go to Galveston one day and maybe drive to Port Arthur since my Aunt has lived there in the past. You can be sure that shopping will be involved in the weekend plans. :)

I talked to Hal a couple of hours ago. He was headed to bed to try to catch up on a little sleep. There is a 13 hour time difference, so it is always weird for him to be winding down as my day is starting. He will be spending the weekend in Hong Kong before flying to Shanghai on Sunday afternoon.

Have a great weekend!!

China

Friends and Family- Hal and I have a favor to ask you. He will be leaving for China tomorrow morning. He will be gone October 16th-25th. He will then be home for a week and leave again for England on November 4th. We have a couple of prayer requests if you wouldn't mind bringing these before the Father for us.

• Pray for travel safety for Hal. On the China trip he will be in a couple of different cities. Please pray for safety on each leg of the journey as well as wisdom on how to get to each place.
• Pray for good health for Hal. The last time he had this many trips back to back his body didn't respond well.
• Pray that he could be a light in a dark world and be able to share his faith while in China.
• Pray for a calm heart for me. Pray that I would trust the Lord with Hal's safety.
• Pray for travel safety for my mom and Aunt Kathy as they travel down here to see me Thursday-Monday

Thank you so much! We are so blessed to have your prayers.

MSU Goodies

Hal is in Starkville at State for a few days doing on campus interviews with college seniors for Cooper. He left this morning and comes back on Friday. He was happy to eat lunch at his favorite Starkville restaurant, Little Dooey's. He called me this afternoon from the bookstore....I am taking bets on how many MSU items he comes home with. You know how he loves his MSU paraphernalia. :)

I have been busy this week trying to get a few more of my 1 John lessons done. This morning I went to BSF and then had lunch with a friend. I am so thankful for the time I have to study and serve. I was initially worried about having too much time on my hands, but that hasn't been a problem!

Bloggiversary

Tomorrow is the 1 year anniversary of our blog! A friend of mine from here called it her Bloggiversary, so I am stealing it. :) Last October, Sarah L was here to visit me and she suggested I start blogging. I am so thankful she had this suggestion! It has been a huge blessing to me over the past year, and has even encouraged me to try to do a little freelance writing. It has also helped to keep me in contact with many of you. So, thanks Sarah, and I hope all of you enjoy it as well! The picture to the left was taken when Sarah came to visit this past August. It is on the 49th floor of the building Hal works at. She has been to see me twice since we moved and I am running out of exciting things to show her here in Houston, but who knows where we will be the next time she comes to visit. Have a great weekend!

A Face We Can Know

One of my favorite worship leaders, Charlie Hall, has a song called Sum of Beautiful. Below is the beginning of the song.

You are the God with a face we can know
In Christ you made all things beautiful
We see Your heart of Grace in all the world
You are the God with a face we can know

I was walking through our neighborhood listening to my IPod when this song came on. I have listened to this song countless times, but for some reason, it really stood out to me this time. I kept repeating the first line over and over in my head. We can actually know the face of God Almighty....WOW...let that sink in for a minute. God is a personal, relational God. He desires a relationship with us. A relationship where we know him intimately. Just as it takes time to get to know a new friend, it takes time spent in prayer, studying God's word and in worship of Him to know Him intimately. God's character is clearly outlined in His word. When we study the Bible we can learn about Him. We learn that He is omnipotent, immutable(unchanging), holy, righteous judge, and loving Father.