I've Been Tagged!!

Yippeee!!! I love being tagged, thanks Sharla. :)

The rules are you go to your sixth folder and pick your sixth picture and explain it.

When I went through the blogger upload and found my sixth folder (they are listed alphabetically here, so it is from August 2008) and sixth picture, this is what I got:

I know! BO-RING!!! It's almost exactly like the one I have on my blog alllll the time! Of all the pictures...ha! So, just for fun, instead I went to My Pictures and got the sixth picture from the sixth folder there where they are NOT listed alphabetically, and this is what I got:

This is from June 2004 when our great friends Laura and Clay (who now live all the way in Boston, *sniff sniff*) came and stayed with us at our old apartment and we spent the day at AstroWorld. It was cloudy and hot, but not crowded at all and this is a picture of Paul (who you can see in the very back left seat) and Clay riding this ride while Laura and I took pictures. What a fun day and a fun memory!!!!

Okay, I'm tagging Dacia, Robin, and Lacey S.!!!

Friday Night Fun

Friday night we went to the Music Rebuilds concert to see Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Robert Randolph, and Third Day. We had a great time, but realized we were old when we starting yawning around 9:30 pm and took a few breaks out in the hall because it was too loud. Haha, tons of fun though and great to get out with some friends and family and leave Charlie behind... with his wonderfully-capable-loving-and-more-than-willing-to-babysit-anytime-Nana-and-Pop!!!! Thanks Nana & Pop for the night out!!! Here are a few pics from the night...

Jars of Clay

Alisha and I (with Paul squishing her head)

Switchfoot guy out in the middle of the crowd

By the way, my husband's cousin's husband knows him. :)

Paul getting sleepy at 9:30

Third Day

A Good Day

Yesterday was one of those days I just want to bottle up and save for a not so good day. It was one of those crisp, busy, productive, fun, friendship days that makes me thankful for the life that I live. It was pretty ordinary but involved some of our best friends over for the entire day. The guys worked outside and made some pretty great progress on the beautiful deck (which I am so pleased to announce is almost finished!). The girls went for a walk with the babies then came home and subjected them to a long session of picture taking in matching outfits. (Sorry boys, when you can dress yourselves and actually move, you'll be able to get away from us :)

Then we went to the bookstore and strolled around getting GREAT deals on kids books and had coffee. We came home and messed up the house with all of our books, and babies, and stuff. It was the great kind of messy that feels fun, and lived in, and full. I promise Alisha- the mess didn't bother me at all! Then we put the babies to bed and the guys came in and we ate a great dinner of homemade ribs, cornbread (with the BEST butter) and salad. We laughed and ate and talked until it was dark and we were all exhausted and full.

Today's the Day

I've mentioned on here before that some of our best friends are moving away. Well, today is the day. We spent a couple evenings ago at their house, packing and moving boxes. Paul went on his lunch break yesterday to help load the U-haul. They came over last night for coffee and conversation, and we stretched it out to almost 10:30, not wanting it to end. This morning they are driving away with the U-haul to Ft. Worth where they will spend the next two years for Nate to go to seminary. They gave away their dog and are selling their nice, three bedroom home and moving into an old 650 square foot on-campus apartment where they will have to pay quarters to do their laundry. They are leaving the town where they both have family close by, good friends, and good teaching jobs to a new city where they are having to start all over... and on one income.

You may be wondering why anyone would be out of their mind enough to do something like this? They've had a good start, why would they want to move "backwards" ? They will tell you it is because the Lord has called them into youth ministry. And when you meet them, you will know its true. They are passionate about the Lord and about kids... and about kids knowing the Lord. But this is not to say that they are bible-beaters, spouting scripture all day long and happy that they are leaving. They are just like us, normal people, sad they are leaving, and a little scared I think (ok, maybe a LOT scared)... but they have a simple faith that the Lord knows what He is doing and has a Bigger Picture in mind.

While we will miss our almost thrice-weekly get togethers, late night talks, games we always win ;), Myronisms, brownies, and rudy-suckers... you have taught us what it means to follow Christ...we will see you as often as we can and will pray for you always...

Bachelorette Girls' Night Out

Well, even though I was disappointed with who DeAnna chose last night on the Bachelorette finale, I did have a great time dressing up in my old prom dress and hanging out with some fun girls... yes, I did say I wore my old prom dress... and no, I could not zip it up all the way. :) Click here for more pictures.

Wedding Crashers!

We had such a great time!!! (See previous post for information on what we did last night...)

Lacey & Cynda

The bride (Lacey's sister) with the beautiful cake Lacey made!!!

The roomies The mommas & babies! (I had it easy last night!)
Jennifer & Bryson

Lacey & Gavin With the happy couple
Josh (Lacey's husband) & Gavin
Sleepy after a long night of partying

Can't Hardly Wait!

I am sitting here waiting for two of my best friends to drive in from Dallas this morning. They were two of the three roommates I had in college and tonight we will be joining the third at a wedding downtown. Its rare that we are all together at the same time as we live in three different states and four different cities so I am SUPER excited about this weekend. There are now four husbands and three little boys that are a part of the group too, and unfortunately the husbands could not make it, but the little boys (who we just KNOW will all grow up to be BEST friends) will be in tow, so many many pictures to follow.....!!!! We've made it a tradition over the years since college to get together for a New Year's party...

Tonight will be the first time we have all three boys together!!! Many more pictures to follow...

I REALLY love my friends...

...that's why I'm dog-sitting today for them. Sadly, some of our best friends are about to move and have a lot of unknowns ahead of them so they are up in Ft. Worth today so she can interview for a teaching position. Wanting to make all of this as smooth a process as possible for them, we offered to keep their precious Maggie-dog since yesterday afternoon (They'll be home tonight). It has been a GREAT experience for Daisy- finally someone to pay her some attention and give her the play-time she needs. But Maggie's still a bit of a puppy (though they're about the same size!) and she can keep going and going and going and even Daisy looks at me like "help!" Haha, but really, they're having a great time today- now if I can just not trip over them, and continue to keep Charlie out of their wake...

As for now, its my first break of the day! Somehow, they both wore themselves out and Charlie is taking a pretty long nap!

This one's Daisy- look closely, there's a dog there!

Maggie conked out by the couch

Sweet Charlie, not even aware of the chaos that awaits him when he wakes up!

(in the process of uploading these pictures, Maggie woke up and peed on the floor! Gotta go!)

Old Friends and New Babies

Today, Charlie and I took a little day trip out to Katy to visit with one of my old college roommates, Lacey. After college, she and her husband moved to Atlanta, but her family still lives in Katy. Since she was in town she invited me to come spend the day at her parents' house with her and her little boy, Gavin. The last time I saw them was at New Year's when I was pregnant and Gavin was about 2 and a half months old. We spent the day talking, playing with the babies, taking pictures, and taking the babies swimming!!! It was so great to get to hang out with and talk to another stay at home new(ish) mom who is also one of my best friends, talking about everything from our biggest fears and struggles as moms to stretch marks and cake baking. I hated to leave so soon and wish she lived closer and we could do that more often!!! Thanks, Lacey and Gavin for a super fun day!

The first time Gavin & Charlie met

Together again!

Thanks Gavin, for loaning Charlie your swim trunks!

"Mom, I'm not sure I like swimming!"