Our Journey

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Our 3 kids have their birthdays all within 8 weeks, and we actually enjoy it! We have deemed it “Birthday Season” in our house. It’s so fun to see each of them grow into their own special person.

Jordan celebrated his 5th birthday in January with all things dinosaur. He also played his first season of basketball in January. He has enjoyed Pre-K so much this year and has thrived under the loving and creative educational environment his two teachers create. He LOVES playing in the snow, so much so that we had to give him time limits due to safety reasons.

Colton turned 7 in February and has now decided 7 is his favorite number (it used to be 6😉). Jurassic World was his theme as he has recently discovered the movie series and loves it! He continues to love laughing and making others laugh. He has also grown into quite the mathematician, loving to count money, tell time, and work any mental math problem you can throw his way. He is playing soccer currently and counting down the days to baseball.

Our Gracie girl turned 10 in March…double digits! She amazes us with her love for reading. When I say she devours books, I mean faster than mom and dad can keep up. She chose Harry Potter for her birthday to celebrate finishing the book series. She found a new love this past year in dance classes at an amazing local studio. We love seeing her grow in her love for the Lord and personal relationship with Him. It’s a sweet time to sit back and watch, as the parent.

Jordan, Colton, and Grace bring us more joy than we could have ever imagined. Dinner time around the table, Saturday breakfasts, game nights, movie nights, and just the everyday to-dos are so invaluable to us. You each are so very special and unique to us and to God. We pray you each know your Creator and Savior as your friend and Heavenly Father. We pray God will bless you and keep you always. Thank you Lord for these three precious lives.

We love you 3 always. -R

P.s. we also celebrate Justin’s birthday in March!! He turned 35 this year!!! We love you so much, honey! We are tremendously grateful for your servant heart, humor, and strength. Thank you for how you provide for and love our family. God bless you always, my love.

My dear Pa, a mountain of a man, passed on December 29th at 84 years. Its hard to put words to the torn feeling it leaves you with when someone you wanted to be healed is now perfectly healed in Heaven. I miss so much about him and still am mourning the loss we will experience this side of heaven. His hugs, his honesty, his smell, his suspenders, his tea, his eyes that twinkled. He was such a big man in my eyes….big hands, big shoes, big belly 🙂 and a very big heart! He gave so much. The silent understanding that is created between military families is very special to me. He would send me a card or gift cards right at the moment I needed it during a deployment. He was always thinking of others and would often tell me how hard he knew my job as a military spouse was. Oh how he loved his wife, Annie. I’d love sitting with him and talking about her after she passed. We’d always get to a point where we both were crying. And even then, in the midst of his sorrow, he’d find a positive word to say and cheer me up. But that was Pa. A kind genuine soul. He meant what he said and said what he meant…another quality I will miss. He called me Bekah all the time. I loved that little special feeling that comes when someone gives you a nickname. I can hear him now on the phone saying “Now Bekah, I’ve been thinking about something…”. I never knew what was coming but it always seemed to make me smile. One time he visited us in New Jersey and after the visit I found out he was freezing at night in our home but he never said a thing to me or complained…only joked with my mom that “you could hang meat in here”. 😂 He served his country above and beyond the call. His advice, support, and empathy will stay with me; and just like him, I will pass it on to those coming behind us. I have so much more to say, but will stop there. I’m excited that he is with the Lord in Heaven. I will cherish all of the times we had. I will miss him so much.

Hug your loved ones while you can. Time is precious. -R

We became the Oklahoma Brazells this summer and are enjoying the new pace of life, the kind welcoming people, and NO DEPLOYMENTS. (Something each of us needed and wanted.)

Schools, sports, clubs, and church activities keep us at a nice “balanced busy” right now, with still having time to hike, bike, and try our hands at some new hobbies.

We have now completed our first drive to visit family in SC over the holidays and it honestly wasn’t too terrible of a drive. As silly as it may sound, 16 hours is doable for our family now. This last visit brought with it the passing of my dear grandPa. He gave so much to so many. I will miss our connection with him and Ma as fellow military members so much. They gave me a comfort and connection that we don’t often find. The confidence they had in eternity gives me so much comfort.

In the first month of 2021, we have experienced loss and growth. We will miss loved ones that have passed. We will also rejoice in the many gains…the most fun being the celebration of our sweet Jordan turning FIVE!!

We have decided to blog again for many reasons …the biggest being distance from loved ones. We look forward to writing more often here.

For now, we will share a few favorites from our new home and the holidays… Love, R

Pride.

There are so many quotes and feelings that come to mind when I hear this word. Pride comes before the fall, and I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free! Pride month and they are my pride and joy! How can this one word provoke so many feelings and images?

Lately I have been seeing how the sin of pride can be manifested in my life. Maybe you can relate? We can find comfort in knowing that this is not uncommon… C.S. Lewis (extremely well know theologian) said in his book Mere Christianity, “There is one vice of which no man in the world if free; which every one in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else; and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves…There is no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. The vice I am talking of is pride… According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

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Wow. Lewis explains that this unnoticed vice is actually more common and more dangerous than the others we’d like to discuss as we sip our tea😘.

The past few weeks God’s been doing a work on this heart of mine. Not a hanging new curtains kind of a work, but a bringing in the bulldozer work. Like any home renovation, a new paint color and carpet is great, but if the foundation is rotten, you will need to get down to the bones of the house first.

Thankfully, I’ve been promised a whole new house one day by a contractor that said He will not finish until this good work is completed. Phil. 1:6

So here I am working on this mess that’s been covered up by pretty wall paper, and this is what I have learned so far…

• Pride is an enemy that often goes undercover as a friend. (“How dare them…”, “I would never…”, “Don’t they know what I’ve done or who I am…”, “It’s my right…”.) Those statements seem to be defending me, but are instead isolating me and giving me amnesia to what has been done for me, and to the fact that I am a sinner.
• Pride supports the belief that God is not able. If He is real, then I can know that the Lord will fight for me, I need only to be silent (Exodus 14:14) but if he is not real, if I don’t believe He is who He said He is, then I might want to step in to fix this wrong, to set someone straight, or defend my right. Now don’t get me wrong, we for sure are called to speak up for the oppressed (Proverbs 31:9). How can I know the difference? One comes from pride, the other empathy. One wants credit, the other wants for others.
• My pride effects more than just myself. Friends, children, spouses, coworkers, strangers…if I look at its effects they ripple far and wide. It limits more than just my legacy, it suppresses the Holy Spirit himself. (One example out of the many: if my pride keeps me from opening up to my friend about how I am really doing, I am missing an opportunity to connect and an opportunity to feel supported, encouraged, and advised by my dear friend. They now cannot pray for me or encourage me because I’m fine! We’re doing good!) I’m not saying we should start a therapy session anytime a passerby asks how we’re doing, but how many opportunities have I missed because of pride?

• Finally, I have found myself realizing that humility truly is a work in progress. I’d even say, it may be a forever lifelong project for me. I am shocked by some of the moments that pride comes sneaking into the smallest cracks of my thoughts. Even while writing about the battle against pride, I have found it sitting beside me patting my back. (“Look at you! You are growing so much….people will be so impressed with your humility…” Yep, it’s an ugly enemy disguised as a companion and forever friend.) The red flag that seems to draw my soul’s attention to this trickerary is judgement. When I start to create a judge’s seat in the middle of my renovated house, I realize this big chair of judgement is good for only one thing; pride’s hiding spot. Because let’s be clear, there is only one judge and if I am not pointing people to his truth then I’ve told him to clear out, the job is mine! (James 4:12) Therefore, I have to call it what it is…an idol. Pride is an idol.

I hope you all feel encouraged and not alone in whatever battle you find yourself battling in today. Addiction, depression, anger, unforgiveness, and yes, maybe even pride. We can all take heart that He is for us, not against us! -Romans 8:31. Lean in & let go…allow Him to do His work in and through you today.

Love, R

Being a military family has been quite the adventure so far. Each of us could write our own book at this point and I’m sure each point of view would be entertaining, adventurous, bringing much laughter and some tears.

A new chapter is coming for our family this summer as we move to “OOOOOOOOklahoma”! My show choir self cannot say that state without singing it. So sure enough, we will be moving back out west. This time to the 25th flying squadron at Vance AFB! Justin will be an Instructor Pilot in the T38 there! Justin starts pilot instructor training in March and should complete in in July. We all will move to Enid, Oklahoma in early August.

We sure do appreciate your prayers for our family during this transition, our children to find good friends in Enid, and Justin’s safety.

We love you all!

-R

…check out this amazing announcement our daughter, Grace made! Her excitement makes our hearts so grateful!

Thank you to our FL family who has been welcoming, loving, warm, and helped sustain us through two deployments while here. We will miss you just doesn’t seem like enough…❤. Our church has given each of us a safe place to grow, learn, and belong. Thank you for being used by God in our lives…your impact has been eternal. We will just say “see you later” in July.

Each year we plan a trip to our beloved Auburn. Sometimes it’s just overnight and sometimes we get a long weekend. We try to align it with a baseball or football game. This weekend we enjoyed 3 nights in Auburn camping at our favorite park. It’s a bit of nostalgia as we hike the same paths we did as college sweethearts 13 years ago. We have successfully taught the kids the fight song, love for Mama G’s sandwiches, and the necessity of a Toomers Corner lemonade stop. We really enjoyed the beautiful Autumn backdrop to our time together, also reminding us of the covenant we gave to one another about 11 years ago. Here are some moments from the adventures…

War Eagle and Happy Thanksgiving from our family to you! Love, R

All 3 of our babes signed up for soccer this year and are loving it so much! They have embraced being a part of a team and learning something new. As busy as we are, I have really enjoyed having this to look forward to almost everyday of our week. The families are kind, the coaches are amazing, and the kids seem to all be so friendly and good sports!! And there’s just something about being out on the field as a family.

Here are our 3 soccer stars….

Love, their biggest fan … an official “soccer-mom” now!

As we enjoy our last Saturday of summer, I am given the opportunity (thanks to an afternoon thunderstorm) to sit and reflect on all this summer has held for our family. It has been a very full summer of special gifts. Gifts of laughter, deep conversations, snuggles, trips in and out of the country, and much more. We are grateful and thank God for the opportunity to have these times together with those we love.

June brought the trips. As soon as school was out, we hit the road to South Carolina! We treasure having all our immediate family in one state! Cousin time and special visits with others is always on the top of our list! We then made our way up to New Jersey to visit some “framily” as we call them 🙂 The military has given us these people and we are forever grateful. We enjoyed our favorite Diner, Sesame Place adventure park, and of course driving down memory lane literally! Then we made the big jump over the border to Canada. We enjoyed Toronto so much….parks, water, museums, a big mix of cultures, and COOLER weather! Finally on our way back to Florida, we stopped in Kentucky to explore the Derby grounds, the Louisville Slugger factory, and a special visit with my aunt. We returned home to a week of playdates with our wonderful friends followed by an extra special week of VBS & fun with our cousins, aunt Erin, Nana & Papa who were able to join us!

July started out with a whole week of our kiddos away at Nana & Papa Camp 2019! Followed by a few days with Granny & Papa too! They just love time in SC with family! Justin and I also enjoyed having that week to be together, going on dates, and accomplishing jobs that needed to get done around the house. We even squeezed in a trip down 30A and a paddleboard date. We came home to Grace going to her first overnight camp. She loved every minute of Horse Camp and is already excited for the next one! We made even more fun memories with friends here, enjoying the pools, beaches. spashpads, bay, ANYTHING WITH WATER! Dad also planned some super exciting activities, like a trip to RideMakerz, Baytown Wharf, the movie theater, and touring the old airplanes on base. We ended July with a visit from Granny, Papa, Aunt Kathy, and cousins!

August arrived with all the humidity you can pack into one place! But it also has brought slower mornings, pjs until 10, late nights, marble runs, new hermit crabs, library visits, tent making, sprinklers, bike rides, and sunsets at the dock. We have met our teachers, bought our school supplies, and have our first day of school outfits all laid out and ready!

It has been a special summer. Full of water, family, friends, and fun.

*I will add a shout out to the ONE, yep that’s right, ONE book I was able to finish this summer. Uninvited by Lisa Terkeurst has given me the opportunity to change my thoughts (which is a powerful influencer) when it comes to friendships, relationships, and myself. She has introduced me to the idea of “living loved”. As I practice living in my identity as someone absolutely and completely loved by the King of Kings, it changes my perspective of situations, my expectations of others, and my personal self-talk. I highly recommend her book as a guide to any woman that has felt less-than or too-much at times.

With love and slightly sweaty hugs from Florida, R

…and here it is, the combination of all things summer! It’s a lot of pictures but I promise, this is the edited version 😘

Whew. We have just finished our family’s summer adventure!! What started as Justin’s one week of training away, turned into our whole family making a 14 day road trip together! We enjoyed so many wonderful times together and with loved ones. From South Carolina to New Jersey, Niagara Falls to Toronto, Louisville to back home in Florida; it has truly been a blast of an adventure! We have had time to talk, laugh, discuss, and make lots of memories. As a military family, we often can feel ourselves wishing for a more stable lifestyle but we also appreciate the gift it has given us to have loved ones and memories all over!

Here is the list of some of our adventures the last two weeks:

• Riverbanks zoo (best zoo we have ever experienced anywhere, hands down! Thank you, aunt Kathy!!)
• Celebrating birthdays and an early fathers day with our families!! We love time together!
• Visits with our grandparents and the kids great grandparents. We love hearing stories and special moments with them!
• Lots of pool time and cousin time!!
• Breakfast with our New Jersey “framily” 😊. There were tears shed as we explained to Colton that you may not know them but they know you and went to battle in prayer for you before you were born.💙🙌
• Sesame Place adventure park. (Colton and Jordan said this was their favorite part of the whole adventure!)
• Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist boat ride. (Thank you Justin for encouraging us to go on the boat ride, spend the money, wear the silly ponchos, and who cares if you get wet?!😄 What a wonderful fun and beautiful time!)
• Toronto (While daddy had training, we enjoyed the science museum for kids, some neat parks, and Canadian stores. Justin was able to join us for Medieval times, Fantasy Fair which is the biggest indoor amusement park in Ontario, Pets 2 movie, and of course the hotel pool! Toronto was Grace’s favorite part of the adventure she said.)
• Churchill Downs in Louisville! We have learned a lot about Secretariat the last year. It was so cool to tour this historic area!! The tour guide even took our family back to Secretariat’s name plate after the tour.
• Louisville Slugger factory was amazing! So much attention to detail to make it a very special and personal experience. Highly recommend!! Military Member’s ticket is free too!
• We also got to see my Aunt Karen which was extra special!

Hope you’re having a wonderful summer so far!!

Here are some photos (Okay, a lot of photos 😘) from our adventure!

Love, R

April is “the month of the Military child”. As I look at these three, I see so much. I remember so much. I feel so much. They are my heroes. The people that call me mom, are also the people that inspire me so much, in so many different ways.

I don’t have the words to describe how grateful I am for each of you. How proud I am for the strength you have shown at such a young age. I know God will use these experiences to prepare you for a purpose we can only imagine right now. I pray He continues to guide and protect you in Christ Jesus all the days of your life, and that you will continue to stand proudly for your daddy and the country we love so much!

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Some fun facts about Military Child Appreciation Month:

-The color purple is the color they chose because it is a combination of all the branches: Army Green, Marine Red, & Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy Blue.

-“The official flower of the Military Child is the Dandelion, as it puts down roots almost anywhere and is almost impossible to destroy. It’s an unpretentious plant, yet beautiful and strong.” -branchta.org

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To all the beautiful and strong military children out there, we celebrate you this month and always. Thank you for all you are. Heres to you!
With respect & love always, R

I consider my husband to be the best man I will ever know. Justin isn’t perfect but he is perfect for me! His humor, dedication, passion, outdoor-loving, genuine spirit pulls out the best in me and others. His honesty and love are the best gifts to me as his wife and friend. I truly look up to him for so many reasons. His work ethic at home and work inspires me.

As we celebrated his birthday two weeks ago, I couldn’t help but thank God for giving each of us such a wonderful gift when we found one another at such a young age. Growing with my soulmate is something so very valuable. I Love Growing Old With You! is a song I heard for the first time on his birthday week and found it so very fitting…

Happy birthday, J! I love walking with you through life. Here’s to you!!!

Love, Your People 😘

Eight years ago life changed. I watched Justin gently holding our baby girl, who literally looked like a little angel with praying hands. She had entered the world in a way we would have never planned but God was just starting to teach us about trusting him with our children. She has now grown into a little young lady who is very aware of others, loves to read and laugh loud, has a natural ability to remind us of biblical truth & helpful spirits, adores nature, horses, and science, and as our oldest she continues to stretch our boundaries to trust God with our precious children.

We had a blast celebrating Grace at school with oreos for her friends at recess, a daughter/mommy date, a family picnic, and playdate with her two besties. 🥳💞

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Grace, we are so proud of you. We love to watch you grow in all ways. We enjoy your humor, care, and thoughtfulness. We can’t wait to see what God will do in and through you as you trust him as your Lord.

I am so glad God gave me you, daughter. You are such a joy in my life, and so many others.

Keep shining. Love, mom

“So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.‘” – Hebrews 13:6 💞

T Ball season is in full swing, and boy is our family enjoying it! Colton has loved every minute (and so have we)! We had Opening Ceremony today and our first game. We are so grateful for a league that loves the sport and instills values that will go with them in life.

I’ve been the baseball girlfriend but this is my first time getting to be baseball mom. It is such a gift to have a front row seat to see our children grow and try new things. We are just so grateful for these cherished moments. We love you, #5! 👏❤⚾️🤟

Love, R

We celebrated Colton’s 5th birthday this week! I can hardly believe it was 5 years ago. It all still seems so recent.

He is such a joy! He can make each of us laugh so hard! He also loves hard. Holding doors, nighttime snuggles, his love for singing in the car, playing board games during rest time, wrestling with dad & siblings, and his honest heart are just some of the ways he loves. I see my fierceness in him mixed with his dads quiet strength & light-hearted humor.

Colton, you are a fearfully and wonderfully made child of God. I love all the multitude of ingredients that the Creator used to make you! I love your adventurous spirit, (even though my heart has stopped at times because of it). I love your athletic abilities and how you use it to make friends and connect with your brother. You are a dedicated brother, sometimes possessive of your people, but I can’t deny the fact that I know where you get that from too. You are such a blessing to our little tribe. 💙 May God continue to hold you, sustain you, strengthen you, and fill you.

Happy 5th birthday, Batman! Soar high!! We love you!

Love, R

Last month I was able to bring in the New Year with my favorite person by doing something new! He helped me make my first trip abroad. We traveled to England and enjoyed exploring the country as fast as one can in a week.  We went from Stonehenge to Salisbury, road the coast from Southampton to Dover, and then finished it off with a few days in London.  Oh it was just fantastic! We were able to really talk, connect, build new memories, discuss things that take longer than a few minutes or hours, and explore together. Here are some photos of this beautiful country. I’m so grateful for this time we had to celebrate our 10 year anniversary, and I am very thankful for dear family that loved on and cared for our children so much that week!!

 

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Our baby bear is 3. He’s done a lot this year. And it continues to be a joy to watch him develop into the person God crafted him to be. His brown eyes, cunning smile, and smooshy cheeks still get me. His love for reading, wrestling, and football has grown. His bashful side still shows, but he seems to find his courage faster in new situations. His lovey, “ducky”, remains his most beloved possession. The 3 Little Pigs and Jesus Loves Me are nightly requests that I am learning to soak up, because as the last 3 years have taught me, they will change too at some point and oh how I’ll miss them.

He chose the theme Superhero Flash for his birthday. I had to laugh with a full-heart as I realized the irony. These 3 years have been a flash for me, buddy. I’m so glad God gave me you. You have taught me to cherish.

May God bless you with strength, courage, kindness, and joy as you grow.

Love, mom

As this year comes to an end, I have already been given a word for the next. The word hope was brought to my attention during a lesson Justin was teaching in Hebrews back in November. I’m glad it came early so that I had time to ponder and have it rattle around in my head before it settled in my heart. As we discussed the story of Christmas, I tuned in on the story of the wise men more this year as they so embody hope in their wanderings.

Often when we hear the word hope, it comes with conditions.

I will remain hopeful if…

I will remain hopeful until…

I am hopeful because…

However this verse reminded me of the hope I truly desire and need. One that is unwavering. In life, no matter what the season one thing remains, change. Change is always occurring and cannot be avoided. It comes slowly sometimes and we can see it way off in the distance as it approaches. It comes like a tornado other times, smashing into our circumstances and leaving us barely recognizable. Change can be a sweet time of growth and blooming. It can be a bitter time of pruning and reshaping. But change comes.

With the changes ahead, I have decided to stand firm on the only foundation that does not shift. The Hope found in my faith. Because He who promised is faithful. I know that to be true.

As we enter 2019, I pray you know this hope that is unwavering. I pray it is a personal experience for you daily. And as I finish this blog, I’d like to share the surrounding verses for context…and because it helps me appreciate the full meaning of my theme verse this year.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Hebrews 10:19‭-‬25

Happy New Year, friends!

In Hope and Love, R

P.s. Our Christmas 2018 adventure to SC was wonderful! Here’s a few captured moments…

I have to share how very excited and proud we are of Justin!! He is a wonderful husband and daddy; so full of sacrafice, love, and care. On Monday, our favorite man became a Major in the USAF! My heart feels like it could explode when I look at my high school sweetheart and see him accomplishing goals we’d dream about while sitting on the hood of his Honda at the local airport way back when! I love you J and we are Major-ly proud of you always!!! Fly high!! Love, your tribe 😊

As most of you know, we had a celebration 6 weeks ago as we  welcomed J home from his seventh deployment!!!!!!! Praise the Lord for bringing him home safely each time…HE is good!! (Psalm 115:1)

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We really enjoyed his time off and made the most of it by having fun at home and visiting family in SC!

One fun outing was a boat ride with some close friends (we’ve lived in NM and FL together, and grown from 2 kids to 6 kids while being friends!). It was so much fun exploring all day together, except for the part when Colton experienced his first jellyfish sting! He was so brave!

While in SC we made the most of our 4 days visiting family and we are so grateful for these moments (and the now 8 hour drive)!

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Once we got home, life began to adjust back into a comfortable pace. We are very grateful for a new opportunity at the Wing for J the next two years, and a new adventure for me teaching preschool at the same school that the boys attend! 

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We have enjoyed the day to day little moments…many things to be grateful for….Colton has started soccer, Grace is enjoying horse riding, and Jordan has stopped crying at school drop off!! 🙂 Here’s a few small moments that make us smile! 

I can’t upload the video to the blog but click the link below to see Grace learning to trot on her favorite horse, Angel!

Grace learning to trot at horse riding lesson!

Hope you guys are all having a wonderful September! Enjoy life.
~R

Back to school is an exciting season in our house!! I say season because it’s much like a holiday 😁 We anticipate it, talk about it, share our dreams, plan for it, buy special things for it, and then its here!!! With all the planning, it still always seems to surprise me with how fast it comes. This year we have a 2nd grader, Pre-kindergartener, 2 year old preschooler, and it was my first year back in the classroom since having these precious kiddos of ours. I am very grateful for the opportunity to transition back into the teaching world in a gentle way (two days a week!!). Our kiddos’ teachers are truly some of my favorites and while I don’t handpick them, I know God does. I loved walking this season as their mommy and as a teacher. It really is a calling on my heart and I am filled with so much joy to live it out. I absolutely loved seeing all the back to school photos from family and friends near and far! May this be the best school year yet!!! God bless! Love, R