Living in the Country

We have made the move. We are living on my parent's ranch until our house sells. I have only a quick moment to blog.

This is the Welcome Committee!! Are they the cutest little tykes, or what???!!And, a little fishing after dinner.
We are doing great! It's peaceful and beautiful out here. We probably will not be able to get Internet out here, so I'm going to have to figure out how to blog from my parent's house. Until then.....

Noah's Ark Bible School Graduation Program

Tuesday night was Spicy Girl's Spring Program and Graduation from Noah's Ark Bible School. We have been there for 3 years, and it's been the most wonderful time for us. I am proud of how my daughter has grown since she's been there, and proud that she's graduating from preschool; but a little sad that this chapter of our life is over. It's been a wonderful 3 years.
"God is listening, God is listening. When we pray, when we pray. We fold our hands so quietly, we shut our eyes so tightly. Now let's pray, now let's pray."

"Pharaoh, Pharaoh, oh baby let my people go! Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Tony Chestnut knows I love you, Tony nose, Tony knows..."

And my baby graduates. Thank you Mrs. Mary for a wonderful pre-k year. We love you and we'll miss you.

*Spicy Girl and I will be joining Daddy Spice in Austin this weekend. I'm not sure when I will get to blog again, since we won't have the computer hooked up right away. I'll try to sneak to my parents house to get some posts done. I just have to post pictures of our adventures with the cows, deer, wild turkey and such. I will be back asap.

In Our Hearts, In Our Prayers

NASHVILLE, TN...5/21/08... At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

He Did It!!

He did it!! My man graduated from Dallas Baptist University yesterday. He has been slowly working on his Business Management degree for more than 15 years now; not consecutively, but off and on. He's been very serious about it for the past 4 years, but with working in full time ministry and taking care of a family, it's been a slow process. As many of you know, he had the opportunity to take his last 24 hours this past semester so that he could graduate now. I don't mind bragging a bit; out of 8 classes, he made 6 A's and 2 B's. Yeah...that's my man! We were able to get most of the family sitting together.

D.S. and good friend Scott.

Spicy Girl will be graduating on Tuesday, so I brought her regalia to get a Daddy/Daughter graduation picture.

Daddy Spice and his mom.

Dinner afterwards at The Spaghetti Warehouse. This is D.S.'s best friend since about age 12, Kevin.

And my best friend, since the moment Kevin married her!!

Me with my man!!

The Panda Family came by for dinner and fellowship.

Spicy Girl HUGGING Panda Girl.


It was a beautifully, exciting day. I know that Daddy Spice is happy, relieved, satisfied and eager to move on to the next adventure in our lives.

Mother's Day Weekend

This was the best Mother's Day weekend for me. We really didn't have anything specific planned, but ended up having a wonderful family weekend.

I woke up yesterday morning to the sound of CareBears singing me a Mother's Day song (singing card). Spicy Girl was all excited about making a special day for me.
We ended up downtown at a great little Italian restaurant where we ate on the patio. After lunch, we went to Starbucks for coffee and a brownie. Then we just walked up and down the street, window shopping.

When we got home, D.S. filled the little pool with water, and we played and sunned in the backyard.

We also decided to spruce up the back patio with some new flowers. S.G. and D.S. did all the planting.

"Look Nana, I picked out a new flower for the flower pot you gave me last year."

I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day weekend. Thank you to my Spicy Family!!

Happy Mother's Day

To the two most important mothers in my life, I want to wish you the happiest of Mother's Days!This is whom we refer to as Mamama Spice. This is my step mommy. She has been a mother to me for the past 19'ish years. She has been there when my mother has not. Thank you Mamma Carrie for "raising" me through college. Thank you for helping me through my first years of teaching. Thank you for taking me shopping ALL the time. Thank you for ALL of the wonderful family vacations you take us on every summer. Thank you for loving me. Thank you most of all for the way you love my daughter. My love grew even more for you when you took my baby in your arms and called her "your own". You can never know how much that means to me. We cherish you!
This is whom we refer to as Nana Spice. This is D.S.'s mother, my mother-in-love, and Spicy Girl's Nana. She has been my sweet M-I-L for 14 1/2 years. I've known her longer than that, as D.S. and I dated 5 years prior to marriage. This is a woman with a gentle, Godly spirit whom loves us unconditionally. This is a mother who has shown me kindness, respect and generosity. I couldn't ask for a sweeter M-I-L. Thank you for your prayers, love and support, especially in this time of our lives. We love you so much.

And to my Spicy Girl. You have made my life complete. I don't need chocolates, flowers or jewelry for Mother's Day; I just need you. Every day for me is Mother's Day! I love you so very much precious daughter.

Going Home

Well, the house is for sale and we've been taking loads to storage in Austin. We're going home. We've been talking about it and making the plans for months now; but here we are. Less than two weeks away from D.S.'s graduation, and we're headed home. It's been a very hard decision for me because I've worked very hard these past 4 years to make this place home. I've made wonderful friends. This is really the only home Spicy Girl remembers, and she's made her best friends here. But home...it's where our family and oldest friends are. It's one of the most beautiful places in Texas; it's home. So, Spicy Girl and I joined Daddy on one of the "packing" trips to Austin this weekend. We had 24 hours to visit the grandparents and eat at one of our favorite restaurants, The Hula Hut right on Lake Austin.When we were driving in, D.S. and I started talking about the things we want to do when we are moved back; the things we've missed most. We both agreed we needed to eat here, so we called Nana, picked her up, and she treated us to some yummy fajitas at The Hula Hut!!

After dinner, we went back out to the docks to look at the lights on the water. It was a beautiful evening! It felt good.

See those houses up on the hill? Well, Austin is known for the lakes. Houses like this are all in the hills over looking the lakes. I had friends in high school who lived in houses like this. We'd walk down to their boat docks and sun bathe, or water ski. I told D.S. that one day, I want a house over the lake. WELL, it could happen...LOL!!

The Lilies

"Consider how the Lilie's grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well."

At the beginning of the "school year" a lot of friends blogged about the Sara Young devotional book called Jesus Calling. I went out right away to buy it and have read it every day since then. I can't tell you how much it's spoken to D.S. and I. It's as though it was written for us, for this exact time of our life. I don't know if it would have meant the same to us if we were reading this book last year. Anyway, the general theme, for us anyway, is to TRUST God, be in his presence and have peace. He knows where we are, what we need, and when we need it.

Yes He does!!

(Oh, and by the way, I don't know if these are lilies or Iris', but they sure are pretty. They grow in our yard, along with purple ones, every year.)