Summer 2010-Highlights

Just so that we'll never forget, I wanted to write about this first summer and what our life looked like. There really hasn't been any monumental news happening-it's actually been a nice, easy, stress-free time...and that is important to note. God has given us this season of rest, and we are thankful.

I say it has been a season of rest, but Chris might disagree. He has been in Greek classes all summer, and that has required a good bit of studying. I will say, however, that he has really applied himself and put forth a lot of time and energy into the class. It has paid off, and he has done really well. He takes two quizzes every Tuesday and Thursday, and he will have taken two midterms and two finals by August 5. It's a lot to cram into 8 weeks, but it has been his only school-focus this summer. He's headed into August with a low A or high B, so he shouldn't be too stressed studying for his final exam. I am so proud of the type of student he is at age 40...somewhat different than he was at 20 :)!

The easy, stress-free comment was probably more from my perspective. For the first time in many, many years I started my summer off with cheerleading camp. It wasn't, however, anything like the cheer camps I had been to as a teenager. The girls did cheer from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., but there was a window of rest in the middle of the day. This was a "luxury camp" at the beach in Galveston, so we actually were able to enjoy a couple of hours each day relaxing on the beach or by the pool. It was NICE!!

Soon after cheer camp, my parents came to town for a week, and we just spent the week hanging out with each other. We went to the NASCAR track, Cabellas, a Rangers game, and the pool. While they were here, the kids spent a few hours everyday at VBS at First Baptist Saginaw. Probably the highlight of the week for all of us was watching my sweet husband baptize our baby boy. It was a truly special occasion...not only was it Brandon's public display of his inward commitment, but it was also Chris's first opportunity to serve in that capacity. To top it all off, it was Father's Day. Does it get ANY better?? It was so nice just having my parents here for everyday life. Time, distance, and maturity really help you realize and appreciate the beauty and value of family.

Soon June was coming to a close, and I headed to Dallas for an AVID workshop for school. While I was in Dallas, Chris was offered an interview with First Baptist Euless. It would be for a 25 hr/wk job designed for a seminary student. In our eyes, it seems like it would be an absolutely perfect job for Chris. As I write this, we are still in the process of interviewing. Chris has progressed to the top-two...only God knows (at this time) if this job is for Chris or the other guy. Also during that week, Chris and I celebrated our 15th anniversary. He was able to to come over to Dallas for a date night, and the kids stayed with friends. It is such a blessing to still be in love with the boy I married. Actually, I have so much more love and respect for him 15 years later. He is truly a God-given gift to me; and the cool part is that I know he'd say the exact same thing about me. What a treasure!!

July got started quickly as the two big kids went to camp with Eagle's View Church. Both kids really enjoyed it, and I believe they both really got a lot out of it. I missed them so much though!! Brandon, however, thoroughly enjoyed getting all of our attention! I jokingly said that I was going to go ahead and buy each of them a trailer for them and their future families. I KNOW my future son-in-law and daughter-in-laws would appreciate that...don't you agree? :)

Now mid-July is approaching and we have a little vacation weekend planned for Sea World in San Antonio. The kids are super excited, and Chris and I are so happy to be able to give the kids this treat. We also invested in Six Flags season passes (it's only 30 minutes away), and we have spent a thousand hours there this summer. That was probably one of the smartest purchases we have made in a LONG time!! We were not able to go anywhere last summer, so that makes these fun outings even sweeter. It may not be the wisest thing to go on vacation when money is so tight, but sometimes you just have to splurge a little :).

The 2 big kids have done swim team this summer, and Brandon played baseball. The state swim meet is coming up in two weeks in Frisco, and we are looking forward to that . We also are looking forward to moving into another house. Hopefully this one will be where we stay till school is done. It's bigger; it's in a good neighborhood; it's still in our same community; and it's closer to the interstate (which is good for Chris). Last but not least, we are planning a trip to home-territory in early August. With Chris's potential job situation, we are not sure yet how it will all work out, but we will surely be hitting the road soon. We may have to split up into two cars so that Chris can finish out school/work and the kids and
I can travel a little longer. Either way, we've GOT to get some true southern air in our lungs! Most importantly, we need to see the faces and rub shoulders with those we hold so dear!

As we look forward to another school year, we can rest confidently in God's love,His grace, and his tender mercies that are all new every morning. One truth that has resonated with me lately is the beauty of being able to rest in God's sovereign goodness. We don't have to try to manipulate God into doing what we think is best...all we have to do is surrender our desires to Him, and trust that in His infinite wisdom and goodness, He will make our paths straight. There truly is NO need to worry...our "Daddy" has it ALL under control.