Happy 13 Years, Honey!

Chad and I are celebrating our anniversary this month. I'm so thankful for a Godly man to share my life with.

I'm currently doing the Beth Moore Bible Study, Believing God. It's just fantastic and is requiring us to look back over our lives and answer some really tough questions. Sometimes things that we don't always want to remember. Well, one thing the Lord revealed to me this week through the study was how His hand was all over guiding me to Chad, my greatest treasure.

I'm so thankful that the Lord kept both of our hearts forgiving toward each other as we dated and led us to move on together and eventually get married. It's just amazing to me when I think back on how we met in HEB one day, became friends, and now we've been married 13 years, have four kids, and are serving the Lord as a family. I'm so blessed!

A few days ago, Chad and I were discussing our businesses, and he said to me... "Don't you see it, Baby? Together we're unstoppable". I loved hearing those words, and believe them. Thank you, Chad, for being my life's BEST decision! Well, besides following the Lord, but that goes without saying!

I can only imagine!

I wanted to share this family photo with you all. I've always found it quite intriguing and just amazing!

Years ago my paternal grandfather, "Padre", who passed away 23 years ago, acquired this photograph. Padre was a very sincere true Christian who was also a Baptist minister. His love for the Lord shone through him. I am so blessed to remember him coming into my room at night, laying hands on me and praying for me. It is not unusual at all for me to remember the prayers he prayed over me and account them to the blessings the Lord has laid out in my life.

Anyway, the story behind it is that it was taken at a funeral my grandfather did. A man by the name of GA Newman thought the clouds looked amazingly beautiful and snapped a photo. Upon developing the black and white film, this was the image in the clouds. Mr. Newman gave this photo to my padre hoping he could use it in his ministry. It is an ACTUAL old fashioned black and white photo. It has been in my family for years. I recently asked my mom to scan it and send it to me for a school project Kate is working on. It amazes me every time I see it.

This picture was taken back in the day when computers weren't even existent, so no photoshop can account for this image. I LOVE it! Thank you, Lord for sending your angels to guard us.

Psalm 91:11
For God commands the angels
to guard you in all your ways.

Happy Birthday, Cort!

This month we're celebrating Cort's Birthday! I still can't believe that my son is SIX and in kindergarten. Where does the time go?

I'm so thankful for Cort and the energy he brings to our family. He's our little evangelist. He is always quoting God's word and telling his sister what God doesn't like about what they are doing. It's really amazing the heart he already has for God at such a young age.

He's active and very much all boy. He always wants to be playing ball and wrestling. He insisted that his birthday party be all boys and they had to play football. Well, it turned into a group wrestling match on the trampoline.

My favorite recent Cort quote is something he said to me when Chad and I left to go to North Carolina. I told him goodbye and I'd see him when I get back. He said, " I'll always remember you Mommy! You're that pretty girl with dark hair that always wears lip gloss". It was precious and was so cute to hear what my 6 year old son thinks about his momma.

Happy Birthday, Cort!

Oh the Joy of a Peaceful Retreat!

Chad and I were able to get away for a few days to the most gorgeous, peaceful resort in Asheville, NC.. The Grove Park Inn and Spa. Chad had a conference with his company and I decided to tag along.

The mountains with the leaves changing colors were just beautiful and the weather was very mild. It was just an outstanding scene.. a perfect picture of my favorite season.. FALL!


I was able to have two days of fantastic workouts. Their facilities are outstanding and the surrounding Country Club neighborhood made for a fabulous morning run. I found a little cottage that I hoped to talk Chad into buying, but the $999,000 price tag is a little too steep for our weekend home. As I was jogging through the neighborhood I saw wild turkeys literally in people's front yards. Groups of them.

I was able to be an adult with no responsiblities for 3 days. No homework, dance, gymnastics, karate... you name it. Many thanks to my dear friends, Kim Evans and Julie Helton, who made it possible by keeping my little people. I love you ladies and am so appreciative for the time you allowed me to have.


But, all good things must come to an end. I DO have responsibilities and 4 little people that count on me, so I decided that we better come home and back to the real world. BUT... getting away was GREAT!

CHICKonomics

My dad is a physician in a small area. As I was growing up, strange as it may be, I remember my mother constantly stopped by friends asking her what she thought about their ailing back, or sick stomach or any other ailment. Remember I said my DAD was the one with the MD behind his name, not mom. Well, lately a similar senario has been happening to me based on Chad's profession. I get questioned about my opinion of the stock market and what it's looking like. I don't mind it, of course, client relations are extremely important to us both, but I feel about as secure discussing the stock market as my husband feels discussing the sensations experienced when nursing an infant.


Well, that has changed for me. I was given the opportunity to spend 3 days with Chad at a conference surrounded by his peers...men.. and a few women.. who are experts with investing and the stock market. This group of investor coaches are impressive and extremely successful, experienced folks. I feel like I learned so much about the current market and was actually able to put a CHICK spin on it, so I'm going to attempt to explain the stock market and why I'm not worried in Chick terms.

I would like to make a disclaimer that in NO WAY has what I'm saying been given the stamp of approval from my husband, or any other financial coach. This is absolutely my spin on it. So, take what you will!

Let's say you went to Dillards and found a fantastic pair of shoes. They cost you $115. You think they will possibly be worth more in six months or a year, so you've decided NOT to wear them right away because you really don't NEED them. You're interested in seeing what they could be worth a little later and possibly selling them on ebay to someone else at a higher price later.

Six months passes and you go to Dillards to look for more shoes... WHAT?? The gorgeous pair you purchased for $115 is now on sale for $30. You're upset... You're so worried that now your pair of shoes have LOST most of their value. The busy sales clerk sees your dismay and begins to counsel you by telling you "OH.. don't worry. This is a SPECIAL sale and these shoes are going back to their original price in a few weeks". You start to stomp out depressed, then you remember that you've just put $250 in your "secret stash". You get smart and use your $250 to buy as many $30 pair of shoes as you can hoping that you can sell them later for their original price of $150 and make a tremendous profit.

A little bit of time goes by and you're still worried because the shoes are still only worth $30. You panic and start to want your $250 back. You want to return them and just take what you can. But, the smart investor side of you says to stick it out. SMART DECISION... Six months later, you walk in and see the same shoes for $200 a pair. You run straight home, list your shoes on ebay and reward yourself with your good returns! You were patient and it paid off.

Just like the "take an extra 40% off" sale at Dillards comes and goes, so does the stock market. Patience will prevail. Continue praying for our country and the economy and stay calm. AND.. if you have ANY extra money.. call your investor coach, Coach Chad and BUY BUY BUY!

Yellers.. Give Us A Break!

Today as I was walking up to Kate's 8am soccer game I heard a woman in the stands screaming like a crazy woman at her daughter on the field. M A RI A ... RUN... NO... GO FASTER... YOU'RE JUST STANDING THERE.. I'm talking about yelling like I have never heard before. She even exchanged words with the umpire. She continued this the whole game, and I'm just sure she left with no voice. She became a spectacle and a source of a lot of jokes from the other side of the stands.

Maria's mom, whoever that is, left me thinking about why parents are so hard on their kids during sports. My three oldest all play sports, and so I'm in the parent fan arena on a weekly basis. I just don't get it. What ever happened to encouraging our kids and complimenting them. It is just amazing to me how parents belittle their children in public. And, I'm not just talking about Maria's mom.. Again, whoever poor Maria is, it's at least half of the parents out there.

For example, I have watched a child, who happens to be the best player on the field, giving her absolute all out there with very little support from her teamates, and I will hear her parent on the sidelines just hollering "MAKE THE SHOT".. NO DIDNT YOU SEE HER. GO PAST HER. or DONT WAIT.. so loud the whole complex hears. Then, the child makes the shot, scores the goal, and never hears the same hollering in a positive "THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT... GOOD JOB. Why is it that some parents are so quick to just yell the negative? Frankly, it's embarrassing to the child and belittling.

How many people would yell out loud in front of all of our kids classmates.. YOU MISSED ONE ON THE TEST. YOU DID IT WRONG! PAY ATTENTION! Hopefully no one, yet parents will stand and run up and down the sidelines like idiots yelling something equally as hurtful with the whole squad and everyone else around listening.

I am an encourager. I am grateful that my children want to play sports and I'm excited that they are out there. If I were the kid with the yelling mother, I'd be looking for the first opportunity to quit sports just to avoid the embarrassment of being the kid whose mom won't shut her trap!

Knowing Kate

Today is a Kate day.. That simply means that I'm spending a moment reflecting on what all is great about my Kate.

If you knew me when Kate was a toddler, you'd know that she was the ultimate of life's challenges. She was an absolute Pill! I remember countless times of having to leave stores because she was laid out on the floor pitching fits that she couldn't have the toy she wanted. Or, I remember the days that we had to rig her bedroom door to stay closed because we couldn't get her to stay in her bedroom at bedtime. I also remember the day she was kicked out of First Baptist Woodway's Mother's Day Out for biting the teacher.. and the day that my sweet friend, Shannon took her in at Highland Mother's Day Out. Boy, I bet Shannon regreted that after having to hire an extra person to sit in a room with her during nap and hold her so tightly she couldn't move. Then came the phone call for me to pick her up early on Tuesday and Thursday because she was bothering the other kids.

There are countless stories about my Kate as a toddler. I think it was the year she started PreSchool that she changed. I remember Chad and I expecting the teacher to call and say, "Come get this kid NOW!".. Well, that didn't happen. We got one good report after the other and that was that. She blossomed into this sweet little girl that enjoys rules and guidelines.

Now, she is my best helper and such a natural little mommy to the little ones. She genuinely cares about others and is a true pleaser. She doesn't have much of a sassy mouth and seems to truly enjoy spending time with both Chad and me. It's just wierd the transition.

If you know Kate now, you probably don't hear much from her. She has really turned into a little intravert. She is very outgoing with her friends and, of course, family, but I just can't get her to come out of her shell with adults. Any ideas on that are appreciated!

But, for now, I just enjoy the talks we have and the little girl she still is. I'm guessing I only have a few more months until the almost 11 year old wants to trade in her American Girl Dolls and Build a Bears for make up and a razor. AHHH! It's bad enough that she's had to tell boys at school that she's not allowed to DATE. As IF!

So, if you have a little one that's giving you the biggest struggle of your life, just keep submitting it to prayer and Keep "Believing God". It is possible for a terrible toddler to turn into a terrific tween!