Dallas Delight

Thirty-seven

2011-12-28T00:01:00.003-06:00

Today is my thirty-seventh birthday. I thought I would share 37 things that I am thankful for and update you on our lives along the way. This last year has been one of, if not the most challenging years of my life. From the death of my best friend, job uncertainty for Tim, and the general toughness of raising four kids.

Here we go:

1. I am thankful for God. I definitely would not be standing today if God was not my strength. He is my provider, my comforter, my healer, me helper, my rock, my hope and so much more. I am thankful that He chose me as his child. He has proven himself faithful over and over again. His mercies are new every morning.

2. I am thankful for Tim. I love doing life with Tim. We have four beautiful, talented children. He sacrifices daily to make sure that we have a good life. His faithfulness to God is unwavering. Tim cares deeply for people and the students at Texas Tech.

3. I am thankful for Zach. Zach is my firstborn. He is shy and sensitive. He is kind and loving. I love his heart. He feels deeply and is a good friend. He likes to play baseball but is better at soccer. His piano teacher also says he is a talented piano player. I like that he isn't needy but is still willing to give me special hugs. He asks on a weekly basis if he can sleep either in my bed or on the floor next to me. He has a special bond with Calyn but is also very caring towards Grant.

4. I am thankful for Calyn. Calyn is my special girl. She loves to read and play sports. She loves Jesus. She is quick to catch on to new concepts but sometimes lacks common sense. Currently, her top tooth is loose and she messes with it constantly. Calyn likes to help me with chores. She talks all the time.

5. I am thankful for Abby. Abby is our happy child. She is almost always in a good mood and laughing. Abby loves to have fun. She is definitely the middle child-not old enough to be big but also not the baby. Abby is the only one of our kids who is attached to a blanket and like to suck her thumb. Abby is intelligent and likes to make sure that rules get followed.

6. I am thankful for Grant. Grant brings a lot of joy to our family. He is a happy boy but also has a mean streak. Everyone thinks that he is so sweet. He loves, loves, loves to get his hair cut. He also likes to eat snack food instead of a proper lunch or dinner. He stays up til at least 11pm and has his daddy wrapped around his finger. Grant is a daddy's boy and often prefers Tim over me.

7. I am thankful for my Dad and Lou. They treat my kids great and also help me in so many ways. It is great to see my dad so happy. I like that we go to their house every year for Thanksgiving. It is a fun tradition. I just hope that my brother and Lou's daughters can join us next year.

8. I am thankful for Tim's parents- John and Terry. John is such a friendly, outgoing fellow. Terry has such a great love for my children. They visit us several times each year and blend so nicely into our family.

9. I am thankful for both Williams' families. Tara and Melissa are two of my closest friends and I would be lost without them. Both families are experiencing rough times, but I know that God will prove himself mighty.

10. I am thankful for my friend Laura and her two daughters. We go to gymnastics together every week and then have lunch at Chick-fil-a. I can always call Laura when I am in a bind and she will help me.

11. I am thankful for a new mom friend. Sjanna and Sydni have become very close friends. I love that we have friends to hang out with. We go out for ice cream, play basketball, go to dance recitals, and just have fun together. Even Abby and Grant love Sjanna and Syd. In fact, I think Abby would move in with them if she was given the opportunity.

12. I am thankful for Leah and her family. Even though they moved away, they still come visit us. We miss them a lot. Leah loves Jesus and makes honoring her husband a priority. I often learn a lot from her.

13. I am thankful for my running partner. God has blessed me again by allowing Jennifer and her family to move back to Lubbock. Jenn and I rum most Saturdays and chat throughout our runs. We challenge each other to be honoring of our friends and to be more like Christ.

14. I am thankful for running. So thankful, in fact, that I have planned to run a half marathon with my big brother at the end of January. Yikes!

15. I am thankful for Janis Buschman. Tim and I help Janis and Job out with the graduate class at church. I love getting to spend time with Janis as she imparts godly wisdom in such a loving way. I have also gotten to know one of Janis' daughters better over the last year. Grant and her daughter are about the same age and we love seeing them at church.

16. I am thankful that this sweet lady is cancer-free! The kids and I had the privilege of taking Rita to weekly radiation treatments during the month of October. She was such a trooper and is healthy. We want her around for a very long time

17. I am thankful for weight loss. Over the past month, I have lost 17 pounds. I am not exactly where I want to be, but I am a lot closer.

18. I am thankful for Bible Study. I attend the weekly women's Bible study at our church. Over the years, I have learned so much and developed many new friendships. I am thankful for our church and the women in our church that know and teach the truth.

19. I am thankful for OLBC-old lady birthday club. Ladies, you know who you are and I am thankful for each and every one of you. We should have started this years ago as it has rapidly become one of my favorite things.

20. I am thankful for Cora and her momma, Carrie. Through Brie I had the privilege to meet Carrie. My crazy friend, Melissa and I recently made a whirlwind trip to meet Miss Cora. She was precious, but more precious was bringing a little piece of Brie to her best friend Carrie.

21. I am thankful for new babies. Two of my cousins adopted baby boys this year. I am thankful that they opened their hearts and homes to two boys that needed to be loved. God is good.

22. I am thankful for PDO. Grant and Abby attend Parent's Day Out for 5.5 hours a week. I get a little alone time while they get to play with their friends. They both have great teachers that really love on them.

23. I am thankful for Zach and Calyn's school. They have learned so much and have made so many friends. Their school and teachers are amazing. We are so blessed to have a good public school. They recently took a field trip to the local corn maize. It was such a fun day.

24. I am thankful to be able to do volunteer work. I help out quiet a bit at Zach and Calyn's school. I am the Box Top coordinator for their school and was proud when their class collected over 1000 Box Tops. They won the Fall competition and as their prize they got to decorate gingerbread houses at their Christmas party.

25. I am thankful for my volunteers. Please don't anybody tell my children that raking leaves is not fun. They actually fight over the rakes. They make doing a mundane task so much more fun.

26. I am thankful for Parkridge Pregnancy Center. Tim and I both support the work that they do (Tim in an official capacity). They teach young pregnant girls about their developing babies and how God can change their lives. They are amazing.

27. I am thankful for basketball. Both Calyn and Zach enjoy playing basketball. This Spring I get to help coach Calyn's team.

28.I am thankful for volleyball. I play on a women's team and while we are not terribly talented, we have a lot of fun.

29. I am thankful for Eric. Eric impresses me more and more each day. He has grown in his role as a father so much this past year. I am incredibly proud of him. He could have given up, but he chose to fight for his family. I pray that he continues to teach his children about Jesus and about Brie.

30. I am thankful for the Carol of Lights. In years past, Brie often brought the girls to this annual event. This year, Eric brought them. I was very happy to have them with us.

31. I am thankful for hot chocolate. We had hot chocolate after seeing the lights and it hit the spot.

32. I am thankful for Eleri. Eleri now has such a special place in my heart. She has grown into such a fun, little girl. No more baby. She recently told me about her Tinkerbell wings that she is going to wear so that she can fly to visit her mom.

33. I am thankful that we got to take Mali to see the Nutcracker. Zach, Calyn, and I went to Amarillo to take Mali. It was my chance to fill Brie's shoes for a few hours. I was honored to have that privilege. The dancing and the costumes were amazing. Mali was enthralled. I quickly saw why Brie insisted on taking Mali each year.

34. I am thankful for Christmas vacation. It has been nice to spend extra time with Tim, Zach, and Calyn. We have done many special projects and attended some fun events. Sleeping in a little is also a bonus.

35. I am thankful that my mom started the tradition of filling stockings for my kids. We do not celebrate Christmas in the traditional manner, but we do continue to fill the kids' stockings. I really enjoyed buying special presents to put in their stockings (Tim also gets a stocking).

36. I am thankful for Curren. He recently turned one. He is a miracle. He is a champion. He is happy and healthy. When he smiles at me, my heart skips a beat. I miss my friend for a second and then I am able to smile back at this precious miracle. I thank God that he chose to spare Curren's life. A recent update was added to his site. You can read it at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/currangomez

37. Lastly, I am thankful for simple things like not having to do laundry on my birthday.

Beth Moore

2011-09-22T16:57:00.001-05:00

I've had several people ask me how the Beth Moore conference was. I am currently buried in work for my part-time job, but my pal Melissa gave a good summary here. Janis so sweetly gave me my ticket for my birthday last year and allowed me to spend the day with her and her girls. I so love each of the Buschman women and am constantly amazed at how different their personalities are from each other. They all, however, share a passionate love for Jesus. It was an excellent day (although I missed two soccer games). Check out Melissa's blog entry and watch the video if you want to see me.

Also, I was allowed to be an encourager to women as they came forward and asked for prayer. I did not realize the magnitude of the task I was given. As I looked into the crowd, so many women were crying. Women approached us that were hurting and so broken. I am thankful that God allowed me to minister to them by encouraging them and praying with them. I am forever changed and humbled by this experience.

First Day: Take 2

2011-09-03T22:16:00.000-05:00

Abby and Grant are going to PDO one day a week again this year.

New back pack for Grant:

Grant is not so much into the love. Just goes to show how different these two are than the twins. Abby will come up to Grant to kiss him or love on him and he will punch her in the face.

I hope they have a great year and enjoy their time at the same "school."

Scriptures for school

2011-08-23T20:28:00.000-05:00

In the never-ending quest to teach my children scripture, I decided to choose verses for them for this school year. I wanted to select a verse that would be specific for each of them.

For Zach, I chose Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Zach is usually good at things that he tries. However, when things are difficult for him, he experiences anxiety or does not want to participate at all. I want him to remember to ask the ultimate giver of strength and talent when he needs confidence.

For Calyn, I chose I Corinthians 10:31- Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Calyn too has success in most things she attempts. I want her to know who created her and gifted her with her talents. I also want her to remember to use her talents to please God and to bring him glory.

I wrote the scriptures on the binders that they carry to school each day. I'm sorry the picture is not great.

1st grade for Z and C

2011-08-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today was the first day of first grade for Zach and Calyn. Zach was not too excited to go, but Calyn was very excited. They are in the same class again this year. The class is 2/3 boys. They have a few friends from their class last year. Their best friend, Sydni, is in the class next door. I think it is going to be a great year for both of them.

Only binders allowed in first grade (no backpacks):

new kicks:

I love how they still hold hands:

Recognize this guy?

2011-08-20T17:57:00.000-05:00

When Zach played catcher last spring, his job consisted of standing next to the adult catcher in hopes of catching a foul tip. Fall ball has changed everything. His team moved to a new league to get some experience with machine pitch baseball. Now Zach has to wear full protective gear and catch fast moving balls. He has done such a great job and is getting more and more involved in the action on the field. His team has had a rough go of it as many of the teams are older. But true to the past, fall ball has been a chance for them to grow and develop as baseball players.

Join the club

2011-08-07T21:47:00.001-05:00

Zach lost his first tooth tonight. He was pretty excited to finally lose a tooth.

Calyn lost her third tooth yesterday.

They are both getting so big. They start first grade two weeks from tomorrow!

God's Promises

2011-07-14T15:33:00.001-05:00

In the last two weeks, we have driven to Colorado and back (via Los Angeles, California). One night we were fortunate to see several rainbows. Calyn excitedly exclaimed, "God sure is making a lot of promises." While she did not quite have the correct understanding of the rainbow, I loved that she connected the rainbow to God and his promises. Her statement got me to thinking of all of the promises that God makes to his children. I am thankful that He is God and that even when we do not see the big picture, we can rest in Him, his love, his goodness, and his promises.

A 1st for our first and a 2nd for our second

2011-06-02T22:22:00.001-05:00

Zach hit his first home run tonight. It was also a grand slam. He was one excited little boy. His batting has steadily been improving all season, and he hit well all night tonight. For his last at bat, he knocked it to the fence for a home run and ended the game.

AND

Calyn lost her second tooth. As you might remember, the dentist pulled her first tooth. She let me pull this one. She was also quite proud of herself and of her momma.

It has been a busy and exciting first week of summer.

First and Last

2011-05-28T23:39:00.000-05:00

First day of Kindergarten:

Last day of Kindergarten:

Good friends:

Great teacher:

Kindergarten graduate Calyn:

Kindergarten graduate Zach:

Mrs. Daniel's Kindergarten class:

2nd place Kindergarten AR reader:

1st place Kindergarten AR reader:

Mom's Day 2011

2011-05-16T23:46:00.001-05:00

My friend Melissa just posted an excellent blog entry detailing our shared Mom's Day. You can read it here. In case you don't click on the link, I'll give you a synopsis. We (the Dallas' in our car and the Williams' in their car 12 miles behind us) set out for Amarillo early Sunday Morning. The purpose of the trip was to see Curren Gomez get dedicated (along with 40 other new arrivals). Eric, the girls, the grands, and the nannies all took the stage to dedicate Curren. I know this day was hard for Eric and his family but I was so proud of all of them and blessed to get to spend the day with them. The week leading up to the service was really tough for me. I struggled with really missing both my mom and Brie. While I know my mom is in far better shape in heaven, sometime I play the "what if" game. I wonder what my life would look like now if mom had stayed healthy. What kind of relationship would she have with my children? I could go on and on. I usually don't because I am satisfied with her being whole in heaven. For some reason it hit me hard this year. Most likely because I was also missing Brie and feeling so broken for her children. I know that God has and will continue to place wonderful, godly influences in their lives. But selfishly, sometimes I just want Brie back.
The day in Amarillo was good. I had a rough time during praise and worship, but made it through. We all had lunch together. The kids played in the kiddie pool and watched a movie. I got to hold, feed, change, and love on the Champ. We left in the late afternoon. We stopped in Tulia so the rest of my family could meet my cousins' newly adopted baby boy. We got to eat at Chipotle (my favorite) when we arrived in Lubbock. Once we got home, the kids were excited to give me all their homemade goodies. They worked hard on their cards and poems.

They also got me a new bike which my friend, Laura, helped me pimp out with a baby seat. Pictures of that will have to wait.

I love being a mom to my kids. Although they do things that annoy me like Zach showing up to baseball practice without his shoes. Not just the right shoes, but shoes at all. Or like Abby peeing in my bed as I type this post (she was in my bed because she has strep again and Tim is out of town again). They also do and say funny things like Calyn coming upstairs in the middle of the night saying that Grant's crying is making her ears hurt. Today, Zach pointed to a Chihuahua in the car next to us. While I was impressed that he knew the dog was a Chihuahua, Abby didn't see the dog and said, "Where is the enchilada?" Abby does not think it is funny at all when Grant scratches or bites her. She is however, the first to comfort him and feel bad for him when he gets punished for scratching and biting her. She hugs him and tells him, "It's okay bubba."

There is almost never a dull moment at our house. I would not trade our chaos for anything. Losing my mom and Brie has taught me a lot about not taking things for granted. Brie and I talked just before her death about whether our goal was just to survive or to thrive. We both decided while we go through seasons of just surviving, we did not want stay in those places. We wanted our families to thrive and our relationships with Jesus to thrive. I think I am more than surviving but still have a way to go before I can claim to be thriving.

The fifth of May

2011-05-11T16:23:00.000-05:00

I found the cutest cookies on one of my favorite blogs. Sweet Sugarbelle is a South Plains native and makes me want to bake more. Her cookies looked like this:

My cookies looked like this:

I made guacamole and queso for dinner:

We had the tortilla chip cookies with guacamole (fruit dip) and salsa (strawberries and kiwi) for dessert. Tim questioned me as to when we started celebrating Cinco De Mayo. I replied, "When it gave me an excuse to make something cute."

Prayers Please

2011-05-07T14:54:00.001-05:00

My cousin's family is going through a very difficult time right now. Would you please stop and pray for them? Please pray for peace and comfort and understanding.

Also, tomorrow we are headed to Amarillo. Curren is getting dedicated. Please pray for the Gomez family as they go through their first Mother's Day without Brie and for Eric as he dedicates his son without his wife by his side.

One more- our family is also going through a very challenging time. I do not have the freedom to share but would appreciate if you would pray for courage, wisdom, and encouragement for my husband.

Thank you!

One down, seventy-nine to go

2011-05-02T16:36:00.000-05:00

Before:

After:

Calyn recently "lost" her first tooth. She had to have it pulled by the dentist because it was infected.

Thinking about her teeth, reminded me of the dinosaur project the twins did for school (not sure why but probably all of the teeth we the kids had to cut out). The twins worked with one of their friends and they each produced a dinosaur fossil head. They were Zach's archeopteryx skull (2 liter Sprite bottle), Calyn's tyrannosaurus skull (gallon milk jug), and Sydni's triceratops skull (half gallon milk jug and paper plates).

How can you tell when Grandma visits?

2011-04-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

Your dinner plate looks like this:

Your ~~baby~~ toddler looks like this:

Your big kids smile like this while they play outside in 50mph winds:

Thanks Grandma for a fun visit.

Resurrection Sunday 2011

2011-04-24T23:07:00.000-05:00

We had a wonderful day. We went to church and then headed over to the Buschman's house for lunch. Grant and Addison hunted a few eggs after lunch. The weather was beautiful. Neither of them touched their lunches, but they each stopped and opened each egg in order to get to the goods inside.

This was Grant trying to give Addison a kiss. Addison declined his offer.

We are so very thankful for the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross. Today we celebrated that He is Risen!

Brie's Blog Book

2011-03-22T14:48:00.003-05:00

Carrie, Melissa, and I helped Brie's dad turn her blog into a devotional book for mothers. This was such a labor of love. When Tom first mentioned the project, I eagerly agreed to help. I had no idea that he meant that we would have to get started immediately. Talk about fast forwarding the grieving process. All three of us went through Brie's blog and pulled out the posts that we thought pointed to how Brie lived her life for God and dependent on God. We edited the posts for ease of reading and then added scriptures and journaling questions. Although the job was rushed, I think the book turned out great. All proceeds form the sale of the book will be used to pay for college for Mali, Eleri, and Curren. If you want a copy, you can order a book here or I can deliver one to you. We are asking for a $20 donation for books delivered locally (they are also available in Amarillo, Dalhart, and Dallas) or $25 if ordered on-line.
Thank you everyone for your continued support and prayer for this family. Please do not grow weary in praying for them.

Hair cut

2011-03-13T21:56:00.000-05:00

Before Grant turns one and a half (tomorrow), I figured I'd better blog about when he turned one (and a few other events since he turned one).

This picture does a good job representing the four Dallas children. Grant is questioning why he is where he is and why someone is taking his picture. Calyn is carefree with an easy smile. Abby is being her usual the rules-don't-apply-to me self. Zach is sulking and finding great joy is frustrating his parental units.
We celebrated Grant's first birthday with a backyard bbq on September 11, 2010.

We had family and friends celebrate with us.

There was a lot of food.There was a happy birthday boy.This one is for Brie:).Grant was trying to impersonate a smurf.Luckily he had an appropriate change of clothes.

At the first of December, I took Grant for his first haircut. It was so sad to see his baby hair fall to the ground, but he did look so handsome after the cut.

Before:

During:

After:

He has gotten his hair cut twice since these pictures.

I miss this smile

2011-03-07T14:41:00.005-06:00

2011-03-07T14:41:00.001-06:00

Our story in pictures

2011-02-24T16:39:00.010-06:00

Last October (I know I am so far behind), we attended a wedding reception that had a photo booth. I think the couple got their money worth on our family alone. The kids spent much of the evening taking their pictures. The rest of the evening, they spent on the dance floor. Based on their re-enactments of Dancing with the Stars, I much preferred the photo booth option.

All of us in order of addition to the family:
Our efforts at having personality:

Tim and the kids:

The 3 Dallas girls:

Calyn and Abby:

The three "big" kids:

Zach (can I just mention what kindergarten has done to my sweet boy):

Calyn (serious and smiling):

Abby (the party girl):

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:10:00.003-06:00

Side note: I promise that we are not abusing Zach. He had yet another "incident." He tripped and managed to break his fall with his head. Poor guy!

Squeeze it in

2011-02-13T22:52:00.007-06:00

I have to get this post in before tomorrow. Valentine's Day is one of my most favorite days of the year. But before we get to the love, let's re-cap the recent winter weather.

The kids were so excited about playing in the snow. I felt like it was way too cold for them to be outside. So we compromised. We have to check our neighbor's mail everyday because she is in the hospital (has been since October-feel free to pray for her-her name is Leona). I bundled up the big kids and let them go get Leona's mail. I went out with them and let them play as long as they wanted. We were outside less than 10 minutes! It was cold!

Grant was SO mad that he did not get to go outside (he is not outside in the picture but it looks like he is)

We enjoyed the week of very cold temperatures. We enjoyed several fires in the fireplace, stew, smores, chili, and hot chocolate. It was fun to take a break from our normal routine and just enjoy lots of time together as a family.

Be still my heart

2011-02-01T22:31:00.005-06:00

Last Saturday, Melissa and I loaded up our children and headed to Amarillo. Thanks to a large freezer, I only had Makenna and Grant in my car. Mak watched a movie while Grant slept, making for a quiet trip.

Part of me was dreading this trip. Part of me was hopeful. Several of Brie's friends had met in Amarillo the previous Monday in order to spend time with the girls and help organize. I was set to make the trip and even had grandparents come from Wichita Falls to watch the kids for me. However, a vicious stomach bug struck on Sunday night. It took out me and the three older kids. Calyn also had strep. Grant and Abby had sinus infections. It quickly was clear that I was not meant to go to Amarillo. Melissa, Carrie, and Rachel were able to love on the girls, meet the new Nanny, see/hold Curren, and organize closets. There was a lot of crying involved.

Once we arrived in Amarillo (for Eleri's birthday party) my heart was happy. Uncle Brandon held Eleri while she opened her presents. She was beaming while everyone sang Happy Birthday to her. Mali's smile was such a sight to see. She played the big sister role excellently as she helped Eleri open her presents. Eric looked good and was having fun playing golf in the backyard with all the men. It was so good to see each one of Brie's special loves doing well.

After cake and ice cream, I asked Eric about seeing Curren. It was about 20 minutes past his normal visiting time but Eric called up to the hospital anyway. The nurse informed him that Curren had just had a major diaper explosion and that if we came immediately that I could hold him. I was in the car so fast that I did not even tell my children that I was leaving. Curren was just finishing a bottle when we arrived. I then got to hold him. He looks so big in the pictures, but he is still so, so tiny. It meant so much for me to be able to hold this precious boy. I got to tell him about his mom and how much she meant to me. I got to gaze over him and thank God for his life. I tried singing to him but that was just not my thing (sorry Carrie-there was an audience).

I hated to leave Amarillo but am so thankful for the ways that God has and continues to provide for Brie's family. I miss her everyday but know that she is where she was meant to be. Now I am encouraged that her family will make it through. It will be a daily struggle but God is good. He will hold then through every step. Please continue to pray for this family.

Black and Blue

2011-01-16T17:01:00.003-06:00

Zach had an "incident" involving a metal pole on Thursday night.
Zach, Calyn, and I arrived about 8:15 pm at a local junior high for my volleyball game. The school is always dimly lit at night. Calyn and I were walking towards the main sidewalk that leads to the front entrance of the school. Zach ran ahead of us to go up another sidewalk that intersects with the main sidewalk. For some reason, he left the sidewalk and cut across the grass, probably in an effort to get to us before we got to the intersection. What he did not see was a metal railing that ran the entire length of the main sidewalk. He was running full speed as he collided with the metal railing. I saw him hit and knew that the impact was bad. He started screaming hysterically and instantly got two giant knots on his head (in the middle of his forehead and above his right eye). Fortunately, he was not seriously injured. He is a little beat up but otherwise okay.
This is a picture of him on Friday:

This is a picture of him on Sunday:

Updates on Curran

2011-01-10T22:49:00.003-06:00

Baby Curran is hanging tough.
Daily updates can be found here.
Please keep praying for him, his dad (Eric), and sisters (Mali and Eleri).
Also, please join me in praying for Brie's brother (Brandon) and her dad (Tom).
Thanks!

It is time.

2011-01-07T13:26:00.003-06:00

I say it's time but my next thought is maybe it is not time.
How, oh how do you write about someone so dear and precious to you in the past tense? Especially when you still can't believe they are gone.

I think I will start by telling you about Brie and me. I know we met at nine30 but I am not sure how or when our friendship began. It seemed that Tim and I often sat behind her during church, and Tim was always joking that someone needed to feed her because she was so thin. We were both pregnant with our first children at the same time. We used the same OB. I think we first connected when we ran into each other at an appointment. Our OB was always running late so we had the chance to visit. I remember going to visit Brie in the hospital on Thanksgiving Day after she had Mali. I knew that she had Mali because my OB told me that day after at my appointment. I was on bed rest, but was leaving the house to go eat Thanksgiving lunch with some of our friends. I convinced Tim to take me by the hospital, and we took several non-practical presents from a local boutique. I guess that shows that at that point I did not really know her because I would never have given her non-practical gifts otherwise.

Somehow we really connected after the birth of our kids. We got to know each other each week at a Bible study a couple of other moms held for moms that were nursing. I don't think I learned much about John through that study but cemented friendships that will last forever. Brie and Mali started coming over to visit and later play. Our friendship developed. Brie and I were very different. We often commented that we were surprised that we were friends. She was so tiny. I am not tiny. She was messy. I do not like messes. Imperfection didn't bother her. Imperfection often bothers me. She wanted to be the best mom possible. I wanted to survive. She drank Dr. Pepper. I prefer Diet Coke. She was cheap. I could stand to be cheaper. She considered "running" as a jog around the block. I run at least three miles or I don't bother. She made homemade invitations. I remade them because they weren't straight. I could go on and on and on.

Two things that Brie and I shared (and I guess why we were so close) were our love for God and our desire to honor Him in day-to-day living. Brie and I talked for hours and hours about how to be better moms and wives. We prayed for each other and often shared our struggles. We prayed for each others husbands and children. A common theme I have heard repeated over the last week was that Brie didn't just say that she was going to pray for you, she did. This is so true. She prayed for me and my family through the small things and some very large things. Brie challenged me to love my husband more. She taught me biblical truths about my role as a wife and a mom. She encouraged me to spend more time playing with my kids and less time worrying about house duties.

I grieved when Brie moved to Amarillo. She was my best friend. Mali was my kids' best friend. It was hard. No more play dates. No more lunches. No more Bible studies together. No more pictures at the Tech tulips. No more leaving the OB's office and heading straight to her house so that she could be the first friend to hear that I was pregnant. As time went on our friendship changed. We were not physically close, but we still talked often. I knew that I could call on her for advice. She knew that I was always available for whatever she needed. I hated that I could not help her out more when she was so sick with both Eleri and Curran. We still prayed for each other. I would often get one line texts asking me to pray. I'd pray and wait for her phone call explaining the situation. She and the girls (and sometimes Eric) would come visit usually for some special occasion. The kids and I (and sometimes Tim) would travel to Amarillo. Abby's birth. Grant's birth. Sara's wedding. A cousin having a baby. Birthdays. Baby showers. Surgery. Doctor's appointments. Husbands travelling. Trips to the zoo. We still shared our lives.

Brie loved me, and I loved her. In fact, I almost would always tell her that I loved her at the end of our phone conversations (like I tell Tim that I love him and then hang-up). I always caught myself before I said it as I am not one who tells people how I feel. Again, Brie is teaching me. Tell people how you feel when you feel it. There may not be a next time. I wish I would have told her that I loved her. I know that she knew but why was I hesitant to tell her?

Brie had a rough life in many ways. She faced many struggles as a child and many of these struggles affected her as an adult. However, Brie trusted God. She basked in his unconditional love. She fiercely loved Jesus, her husband, her girls, her unborn baby, her friends,and her family. She wanted everyone to find happiness and freedom in Christ. She wanted others to know of the difference that Jesus Christ made in her life. She wanted to honor God with her every action. I know that she is sitting at the feet of Christ in heaven and soaking up every word. I miss her terribly but am happy that she is happy and right where she ultimately wanted to be.

I will miss her friendship, her sweet smile, her advice and wisdom, her love, her prayers, her messiness, her books (she was so cheap but always bought the latest book from our favorite author), her comments on my blog, her encouragement, her baby bumps, her vacation stories, and her declarations that she was not high maintenance.

I know many lives were changed on December 26th of 2010. I look forward to seeing how many lives are eternally changed from either knowing Brie White Gomez or hearing of her story.

I love you friend.

From Tim:

2010-12-30T11:42:00.001-06:00

On the night of December 26^th, 2010, we lost one of our closest friends on a lonely stretch of highway in north Texas. Brie Gomez was someone that shunned being the center of attention, but in death has become widely known for her tragic fate. She often told her husband Eric that she wasn’t sure why she maintained a blog when almost no one read it. Her words have now been read by thousands. While many are focusing on the legal and political ramifications for CO State Senator Williams and the cruel irony exposed by unbuckled passengers in her vehicle, I prefer to talk about Brie and the faith that is the core of her being.

Brie was my wife’s closest friend and Brie’s 6-year old daughter is a best friend to my 6-year old twins. We last saw Brie just three weeks ago when she and her girls made the two hour drive to Lubbock to attend my kid’s birthday party. Later in the day, we shared a ride on the Polar Express Train. When we hugged her good bye, we had no idea that it would be the last time we saw her alive on this earth. We will always cherish the great memories of that day.

Brie has a deep and profound relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Her family and friends have no doubt that she is safe in Heaven, welcomed by the words of Matthew 25, “Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the joy of your lord.” Her memorial service, attended by over 1000 people, was an excellent tribute to a woman who had dedicated life to honoring Jesus in everything she did. If anyone could provide personal forgiveness for such a terrible transgression, it would be Brie.

We have been honored to spend the last few days with Brie’s immediate family and other close friends. We have witnessed the profound sadness coupled with the vivid hope that we will see Brie again. We know that Brie’s ultimate desire was to meet Jesus face to face, which has happened. While we will struggle for a long time with losing her and know that the road ahead for her family will be treacherous, she is now experiencing unbridled joy and peace in the presence of our Lord. Family and friends have prayed for the recovery of the Williams family and are thankful that their kids were not seriously injured or killed.

In the midst of the shock and grief after the accident, Eric and the family made the courageous decision to donate Brie’s organs. As far as we know, at least six organs/tissues were successfully implanted in recipients, providing life-preserving miracles to them and their families. I hope they someday learn of the woman who has given them a piece of her life.

I was privileged to see Brie’s son Curran in NICU. Knowing the severity of the crash, the violence of the impact to his mother, the time it took medical responders to reach the remote location, and the fact that he is only 3lbs and 10 weeks premature, I stood in awe of the miracle before me. It is incredible to me and many others that Brie could sustain a mortal wound, but continue to keep her baby alive until he was delivered many hours after the accident. Please continue to pray for the little guy as he struggles to survive. Sister Eleri suffered a broken leg and Mali has multiple bruises and abrasions. Both are expected to quickly recover physically, but face life without their devoted mom. Their dad Eric sustained injuries as well, and all are deserving of our prayers.

As we returned to Amarillo, after the burial in Dalhart, it only took a moment to drive past the patch of road where two vehicles collided and the paths of two families were dramatically changed. Small pieces of broken glass twinkled in the morning sunlight, a subtle memorial to a woman who wanted to reflect the love of Jesus Christ to all.

Tim Dallas, PhD

Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX

Disclaimer: The ideas expressed in this letter only reflect the views and observations of the author. I do not represent the Gomez/White family in any official or unofficial way.

A nut in every bunch?

2010-12-25T12:47:00.001-06:00

Can you tell who is the NUT in our bunch?

Merry Christmas everyone! We are so fortunate and blessed that God sent his Son to save us. Joy to the World, the Lord is come!

Abby turns three with a ladybug tea

2010-12-15T21:13:00.018-06:00

We celebrated Abby's third birthday with a ladybug tea party.

We had lots of special guests:

We had lots of girl talk:

We had lots of decorations:

We had lots of red and black or round and spotted food:

We had messy faces:

We had special hugs:

We had fun painting:

We gave out special treats:

To end her day right, Abby chose to eat pizza at Dion's and celebrated with a final cupcake.

2010 Christmas card

2010-12-14T23:27:00.001-06:00

Oh What Fun Christmas Card

Click here to browse hundreds of Christmas card designs.

View the entire collection of cards.

It is that time again

2010-12-05T21:50:00.005-06:00

I love getting Christmas cards in the mail. Over the weekend, we received our first three cards. My favorite cards are photocards. I love seeing the changes in the members of the families that I don't see on a regular basis. New babies, lost teeth, tall children, special vacations, etc.

When it is time to design our cards, I usually turn to Shutterfly. I always wait until too close to Christmas to get our cards ordered. Shutterfly cards are easy to design and once ordered, are delivered quickly. They also have so many fun designs to choose from. I have been very pleased with my past Shutterfly experiences.

My favorite trend right now is cards that use black and white photos like this one.

I also really like this one.

And this one.

I will receive 50 free cards for writing this blog. While I love saving money, I am excited to share these cute options with you guys because you can get in on this deal too!

"fall" FUN

2010-12-05T21:13:00.000-06:00

We've had a busy birthday week. I figured before I post about it and it gets any colder, I'd better share some of the adventures we had this fall.
Tim, Abby, Grant, and I joined Zach and Calyn's class when they visited the apple orchard. We learned about bees, tasted honey, and picked apples. I managed to get stung by a bee. It hurt, but I was glad it was me and not one of the kids.

We also visited the local corn maze for a sweet friend's birthday party.

Abby dressed as a donut maker and attended the fall party at her PDO. Before going, we made a trip to Krispy Kreme. The workers let her decorate a donut.

The next day it was Zach and Calyn's turn to dress as donut makers. We went back to Krispy Kreme and got a tour. The workers also made all three kids official Krispy Kreme name tags.

My Thanksgiving Meal

2010-11-18T13:49:00.006-06:00

I am not much of a cook, but I really enjoy baking. When I saw these cupcakes I knew that I had to try to make them. I had seen the turkey legs, peas and carrots, corn, and mashed potatoes and gravy on various sites. I came up with the sweet potatoes and Tim helped create the cranberry sauce.

So here is my version of Thanksgiving food:
I made them for Abby's annual Thanksgiving lunch at PDO. The girls always dress up as Pilgrims and the boys as Indians. Last year Abby would not even wear the costume. This year she wore it and even modeled for the pictures.

Grant had a good time at the lunch. He played with all the PDO kids while I helped prepare the lunch. He tried cranberry sauce for the first time and then smeared it all over his head.

I am so thankful for Abby's PDO and the three teachers who love on her each week.

Here is a picture of all of the kids (some with their guns up):

And of course, one more picture of the cupcakes:

Real Cowboys wear boots

2010-11-11T12:33:00.000-06:00

Birthday Sneak Peek

2010-11-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

Abby's third birthday is three weeks from today.

She will be hosting a tea party on her birthday.

Any guesses as to the theme?

Here are a couple of hints:

the big Z

2010-11-05T13:15:00.008-05:00

Today. Can you believe it? I am posting about today!
Today is crazy hair day at school in celebration of the end of the second six weeks of school.
Zach wanted his hair sprayed blue and black.
No problem.

The problem is that everytime we spray his hair it ends up looking like his normal hair only darker. So this time, I suggested something a little more dramatic.

Calyn wanted her hair fixed like Abby's and then sprayed pink.

Calyn kept telling me that her hair was not pink enough. Anyone want to guess how many washings it is going to take to get rid of the "not pink enough" hair?

My 1st STAR

2010-11-04T20:30:00.000-05:00

Calyn was recently star of the week.

We made a poster that told all about her:

Dr. Dallas gave a presentation to her class. She was really shy when she introduced her dad:

I read a book to her class and met her for lunch.

On the last day of her stardom, I brought a red star-shaped balloon to her when I picked her up from school. She loved it. We ran a few errands after school and then stopped at Chick-fil-a for dinner. As Zach opened the door to get out, the balloon escaped. I yelled at him to try to alert him, and he immediately started crying. Calyn started crying. Abby started crying. It was sad but oh so funny.

These days are going fast

2010-11-03T18:34:00.000-05:00

Grant has been under the weather the last couple of weeks. He has enjoyed (or we have enjoyed) extra snuggle time with mom and dad.

I am definitely going to miss this when my baby is no longer a baby.

Ketchup

2010-11-02T21:43:00.005-05:00

Blog world,

I so miss telling you about our adventures as a family. We have kept a hectic pace the last few months. I have been neglectful. I will attempt to play "ketchup." So check back because we have done a lot.

To start-what is better than a naked one year old?

Answer: a naked one year old wearing a crown.

Sports report

2010-09-29T16:10:00.012-05:00

Here is a long overdue update on our sports goings-on. I'll start with our current endeavor.
The twins are playing Upward soccer again this year. The twist is that Tim and I somehow agreed to coach their team. We have had three games thus far and the team improves with each game. Zach scored 8 goals in the last game and still really enjoys playing soccer. Calyn scored 1 and struggles to remain aggressive. She does enjoy celebrating each of Zach's goals which is neat to see.

The twins played Fall ball which is actually July/August blazing heat ball. We joined up with our big rival from the Spring season who already had an established Fall ball team called The Rogue Warriors. The kids won every regular season game (10) but lost the tournament championship game. Calyn played first base and did an amazing job. Zach hit the ball extremely well and got on base on most attempts.

The Express Spring season team ended up winning first place in the regular season and the tournament. This was such a special team of kids and families. Most of the families really bonded and it was so fun to have new friends to see at each of the games.

Abby's back to "school" photos

2010-08-26T21:06:00.005-05:00

Abby returned to PDO today. She was excited to go to her "school" since the big kids have been going to their school all week. She has a new teacher this year because her old teacher took a full-time job. We are sad to see Ms. Lori leave, but are looking forward to the fresh ideas and attitudes that come with a new teacher.
I took her to meet her new teacher on Monday. Abby had a new mosquito bite on her cheek that made her eye swell almost completely shut. Add to that a split lip and she was such a sight. I'm glad she looked a lot more normal today, although you can still see the bite on her cheek.

Abby received Calyn's old back-pack but was excited that I had her name put on it. We never personalized any of the twins' belongings in hopes that they would be passed down to future siblings. It was fun to have her name put on something for her.

I am loving that both of the girls agreed to wear dresses for their first day of school. If you look closely at Abby's ankle, you can see the stamp she received yesterday at gymnastics. I figured since Zach and Calyn always got to go to gymnastics that it was only fair to let Abby do the same. She did great in her class and paid attention and obeyed much better than 75% of the other kids. It helped that the instructors remembered us and treated her as a favorite. By the end of the class, she was already sitting in the instructor's lap.

I think Abby is by far my greatest challenge. She isn't big enough to be a big kid but also isn't little like Grant. I often expect her behavior to be reasonable like Zach and Calyn even though she is three years younger. Abby likes to push the boundaries with me and even her brothers and sister. She is often very funny and is quite intelligent. She loves to sing and hearing her sing to and about Jesus can bring tears to my eyes. She is such a joy and I am so thankful that I get to be her mom!

They want to go back!!

2010-08-23T21:16:00.000-05:00

The title sums up Zach and Calyn's first day of Kindergarten. Both had a fantastic day and are excited to go back tomorrow.

Because I miss my friend...

2010-07-24T16:01:00.009-05:00

I have a friend who has been out-of-town for forever (it has actually only been a month but it seems like forever). I took pictures so that she can see some of the changes around the Dallas house. And since most of my readers live far away, maybe everyone will enjoy this update.

I added Grant's nine month picture to the wall that has Abby's nine month picture:

I hung a 16 X 20 canvas print of my favorite picture on the wall close to the tan chair:

The great rain of July 2010 wrecked some havoc at our house. The biggest problem was that our living room flooded. Here is what the carpet looks like now. Servpro is coming Tuesday to replace the carpet pad, re-tuck the carpet, and clean the carpet throughout the house (thanks Tyson!).

Tim is preparing for his sabatical that starts this Fall. He purchased a new desk chair and a bigger monitor for his home office. I am preparing for his sabatical by remaining in denial that he will be underfoot this Fall.

Zach and Calyn picked out these spiffy backpacks to get ready for kindergarten which starts in 30 days (I can't seem to understand why some of my friends are upset or sad that their children are starting school).

In order to prepare the kids for school and to give them a way to earn money, we have been trying to introduce more structure to our days. If they complete every task, they get fifty cents each day. This was last weeks chart. As you can see, we struggled in the area of scripture memory. We failed to learn a new verse, but continued to work on the verse from the previous week. Even Abby knows it now.

Best day of 2010

2010-07-20T19:55:00.015-05:00

May 9, 2010 was an exceptional day. Zach and Calyn were baptized. Grant was dedicated. Moms were appreciated. An uncle visited.

We headed to church bright and early. Grant hung out in the church library with Papou before the service. How handsome is he?

We took the twins upstairs to meet their sweet friends and to get instructions from Mr. Bruce. My friend Stephanie had the best caption for this photo. It was "These Belong to Him." Thank you Jesus that they do.

Mr. Bruce said a special prayer and the video can be seen here. We are thankful to Mr. Bruce and Mrs. Rita for this special service. It was the last 930 of the semester and Bruce agreed to spend a significant portion of his time baptizing our kids (6 total) and dedicating our babies (9 total).

All of the kids were baptized and video of the twins can be seen here.
This picture of Calyn shows her joy.

At the end of the service, we were able to dedicate Grant. At our church, babies are presented before the church. Both the families and the congregation are challenged to pray for and help raise the babies in a manner that honors God. As parents, we pledged to teach Grant to love and follow God.

The service was also very special because the band, Pearl Merchant, played several songs that are special to our family. They sang Blessed be the Name, How Can I Keep from Singing, and Shout to the Lord (our wedding song). As I was upstairs and heard Blessed be the Name, I thought to myself that Abby would enjoy it because it is her favorite song. By the time they got to Shout to the Lord, I realized that Tim had had a hand in the music selection. We love Pearl Merchant and were so very thankful and honored.
After the service, we headed to Dion's to celebrate with pizza. Our LifeGroup also came and we got to feed them one last time before the summer break.
The other Williams' family joined us.

Uncle Jeff came all the way from California.

After lunch we headed home to give Nana and Grandma their Mother's Day presents.
Nana with her masterpiece from Calyn.

Grandma with her masterpiece from Zach.

The twins also made me cement hand prints at school. The best part was their cards.

Calyn's card:

Zach's card:

I know that this post is very late. Thank you for allowing me to share about our special day.

Soccer

2010-07-16T16:53:00.008-05:00

Zach and Calyn attended soccer camp at Texas Tech earlier this week. They had a good time and were excited to go each day. The new soccer complex is quite amazing. This was our first time to send them (without us close-by) somewhere that was not church-related. It was for 2.5 hours each day. Overall, it was a good experience.

They also had VBS at the church where they use to go to PDO. The VBS was from 6:30 to 8:45 Sunday-Thursday. This is their third year to attend and they love it every year. The church also serves dinner at 6, so it is nice for the mommas too.

Add in a couple of baseball practices and one Upward soccer evaluation, and we have two very tired children.

Last but not least

2010-07-13T23:41:00.002-05:00

I have been lost under a pile of work. Since the middle of May, my part-time job has consumed almost all of my free time. I finished my latest and largest to this date, assignment last Friday. Since Saturday, I have been trying to catch up on all the time-consuming tasks that had been put off. I still have to finish a baby shower present, but otherwise I am pretty much caught up. Now I can get back to blogging. I am actually quite a bit behind on blogging. But to get started, I will tell you a funny story.

Last week, I was changing the sheets on my bed. Zach was taking a shower in the upstairs bathroom. All of the sudden he starts shrieking. I hurry to the shower and pull back the shower curtain. He is covered in blood. It is pouring from his mouth and is covering his body. He is so upset that he cannot tell me what happened. I get him cleaned up and Tim calms him down. All the blood was coming from a cut on his lip. We question him repeatedly, he won't tell us what happened. I am thinking that he is just traumatized from the accident. About an hour later Tim overhears him telling Calyn that he was trying to shave with my razor! He is the last of my kids that I would expect to do something like that. Hopefully he learned his lesson.

Have you checked the children lately?

2010-07-07T22:43:00.005-05:00

Someone around here has become quite the little mommy. She shuffles her babies from play area to rest area and then back to play area. She even makes sure they have toys, blankets, and snuggle towels.
I would love to say that she is modeling me, but I think she is already a much kinder and patient mommy. Now if I can just teach her to do all the chores that come along with being mommy...

Gardening apparel

2010-06-26T13:57:00.004-05:00

From almost nothing

to our Sunday best,

the Dallas girls know what to wear for maximum comfort during gardening.

An open apology

2010-06-16T13:51:00.000-05:00

Dear Canon 50D,

I REALLY wanted you before I got you. I want to invest more time in you and allow you to thrive and flourish. I am sorry that you often sit at home and feel ignored for weeks at a time. I am infinitely more sorry that I did not zip up the Canon bag. Because of my inattention to detail (or the insane amount of children I am responsible for), I hoisted the unclosed camera bag onto my shoulder and you tumbled onto the cement driveway. I immediately picked you up even as I endured snide comments and nasty looks from your wanna-be owner. At first (maybe because you were still stunned), you performed fine. But later (at a most critical and important moment), you refused to behave properly and my oldest children's baptism pictures will forever be blurred. For this reason and to avoid future memory loss, I sincerely apologize for dropping you. Please accept my apology so that we can continue building our relationship. I promise to take better care of you and be ever vigilant in your presence.

Thanks,

Beth

Mooing on up!

2010-06-14T15:14:00.000-05:00

Grant is nine months old today. He has grown and matured so much in the last few weeks.

He:

has four teeth (two on the top and two on the bottom)

weighs 19.3 pounds

is 28 inches long

can pull up to a standing position

refuses to crawl but scoots on his bottom to get where he wants to go

learned to clap last week

cruises along the sofa and the ledge of the fireplace

can say mama and dada

plays peek-a-boo by covering his eyes with his hands

loves to stand on his daddy's hands

has started sleeping through the night (thank you God)

likes to pull his sisters' hair

eats just about anything that is offered

wears size four diapers and 12 month clothing

and

likes to float in the pool.

We recently purchased a new (to us) mini-van. We bought two more car seats so that both of our cars could transport all four kids. Here is Grant in his new cow-covered car seat. Look closely and you can see one of his top teeth.

Grant also likes to eat his grandma's crepes with blueberries.

You decide

2010-06-10T16:34:00.000-05:00

a super tired little boy

a neglected fourth child

Baseball update

2010-06-08T21:38:00.005-05:00

We finished the season with a 13-1 record! The improvement in most of the kids was nothing short of amazing. Zach can now hit the ball (hard) and steps up to the plate with confidence. Calyn has become quite the second base(wo)man. She can field the ball and throw it to first to get the runner out. She still needs a little work on covering the bag when the ball is in the field.

We had our last regular season game on Saturday and survived the 110 degree heat. Even the cookies I made survived.

We play in the play-off tournament on the 19th. I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

Days 4 and 5 - Country Living

2010-06-01T21:18:00.000-05:00

After San Antonio, we headed to the Kerrville/Fredericksburg area. A friend of Tim's from his grad school days agreed to let us visit.

We arrived Saturday afternoon to this beautiful sight. Brian and his dad BUILT this house. It was amazing. Everything was so quite and even the country air smelled good.

Brian had a wedding to attend in Fredericksburg so we followed him into town. We walked and shopped a little before having dinner at a Mexican restaurant. The restaurant had cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. I was excited.
Sunday morning we woke up and took a tour of Brian's ranch. We visited goats and sheep, jumped off the porch 1000 times, rode the 4 wheeler, rode in the golf cart, ate grilled hamburgers and homemade strawberry cake, went for a run, and swang on a tree swing.

After all that, we headed to Brian's other ranch and took a tour. It was 2000 acres, so the tour took quite a while. We saw cows, a working water windmill, and lots of cacti. We also walked or swam in a little stream. The twins thought it was great.

We fed the kids an early dinner and then let them watch a movie while the adults ate. I could have stayed much, much longer. I really enjoyed being in the country and all of the fun my kids got to have. We will have to go visit again and SO appreciate Brian's hospitality.

Monday morning we headed to Austin. We ate at The Cheesecake Factory. So good! Then we headed to Pflugerville to hang out with Aaron and Ashley. The kids played the Wii and jumped on the trampoline all afternoon. Once Dana and Caleb got home, we went to eat at Chuy's. It was a short visit but good to see the Whitmire family (most of them).

On Tuesday we travelled home.

We had such a good time.

Day 3 - Sea World

2010-05-29T21:15:00.004-05:00

On Day 3 of our trip we went to Sea World.

Our first stop was to see and feed the dolphins. Luckily we arrived at a feeding time and were able to purchase 4 small fishes. Zach and Calyn eagerly picked up each fish and tossed it to the dolphin who was waiting for its food. I think the dolphin knew there was supposed to be 4 fishes because he/she waited patiently until all 4 were produced. Abby screamed LOUDLY every time Tim tried to take her close to the tank. After the feeding, we visited the big shark tanks.

We then headed across the park to watch the killer whale show. Abby was delighted by the huge whales and clapped for them every time they swam by.

We then headed to lunch. While we were waiting in line for food, Calyn dropped her hat. Abby dove to get it and ended up hitting her head. I'm not sure if she tripped or just misjudged but she rammed her head into the tile floor. She cried for a while and then got really lethargic. A nearby Sea World worker convinced us that we should let her call the EMTs. We agreed because Abby was acting so strange. The EMTs arrived in a flash and checked her out. They were kind to us and left us with an ice pack for the bump on Abby's head.

After lunch, we let the kids play in Shamu's Harbor. They had several different play areas. Zach, Calyn, and I rode the Shamu rollercoaster.

After playing, we visited the penguin exhibit and then Tim, Zach, Calyn, and Abby rode the log ride. They had to wait in line forever but it was the only ride that Abby could go on. I sat with Grant and visited with a nice family. After visiting for over an hour, the grandma offered to hold Grant so that I could take pictures of the ride.

The video is not great but shows Tim trying to make Abby excited about her log ride experience. She was not excited, by the way.

After the log ride, we had frozen lemonade and ice cream treats. We let the kids play in the water at Shamu's Harbor. They got soaked, so we decided it was a good time to leave. Abby was asleep before we even left the parking lot.

We had just enough time to get to our hotel and freshen up before we were met by the Vinson family. Dave, Cristy, Cal, and Kate moved from Lubbock to San Antonio just after the twins were born. Oh how we miss this sweet family and it was SO GOOD to see them. They took us to eat pizza and then to have Amy's ice cream. It was the perfect ending to a very enjoyable day.

Day 2 - San Antonio Zoo

2010-05-26T22:12:00.001-05:00

We spent Thursday morning at the San Antonio Zoo. After a small "come to Jesus meeting" with the oldest Dallas female child, a good time was had by all. Apparently some five year olds would rather stay at the hotel and swim (who knew?).

Abby with the "mingos" as she calls them.

The gold star goes to this boy.

The weather was perfect. It was cloudy and a little drizzly which kept us from melting.

Zach was very sad to find out that the zebra had died of old age. Luckily we passed through Zephyr, TX on the way home and he got to see three zebras from the comfort of our car.

Thursday afternoon and night we toured the Alamo and walked along the Riverwalk. We ended the evening with a swim in the hotel pool.

Guess where we have been?

2010-05-25T21:53:00.006-05:00

Any guesses?
Here is another clue:

Getting warmer?
Yet another clue:

Yup, the Alamo in San Antonio.

We have been on vacation for the last week. We had a great trip, did lots of fun things, and saw many sweet faces.

Words cannot express

2010-05-09T23:12:00.000-05:00

how amazing it was to see Zach and Calyn get baptized. I have so much more to share about this special day, but I wanted to upload the video so that those who were not here today could see it.

An invitation for you

2010-05-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

What: The Baptism of Zachary J. Dallas and Calyn E. Dallas and the Dedication of Grant T. Dallas

When: 9 May, 2010

Time: 9:30 – 10:45 am (during the 9:30 service)

Location: First Baptist Church – Lubbock (2201 Broadway St. [Broadway & Ave V.])

Online: www.paradigmtexastech.com (streaming video of 9:30 service)

On behalf of the Dallas family, we would like to invite you to witness Zach and Calyn being baptized and Grant being dedicated. Our faith in Jesus Christ is the centerpiece of our lives and a personal relationship with Him is the most important thing we want to instill in our children. We are blessed to have many family members, friends, and a church that have also communicated to our children the love and truth of Jesus Christ. After many weeks of nightly questions, on August 1^st, 2009, Zach and Clayn both made the best decision of their lives by asking Jesus Christ to come into their hearts. Although they have made this decision at a young age, we believe that they know and understand the core truths of Christianity and have a sincere desire to follow Jesus throughout their lives. We also believe that they have come to an understanding of the purpose of baptism and they have chosen to take this next step. Later in the service, we will be bringing Grant before the congregation to pledge our commitment to raise him in a Christian home including teaching him biblical truth through our lives, words, and actions. We are eternally grateful to see Zach and Calyn make this commitment and look forward to seeing Abby and Grant choose to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Please join us Mother’s Day 2010 as we celebrate this special day.

We also invite you to join us for lunch following the service at Dion's on University.

Sincerely,

Beth and Tim Dallas

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

Common themes

2010-04-29T14:15:00.001-05:00

I have noticed two things lately on Facebook:

1. many people suffer from insomnia

2. Mondays are often hard days

My recommendation is that people should have 4 babies within a five year period. Their insomnia would be cured and everyday would seem like Monday making Monday no longer a big deal.

Anybody agree with me?

Updated family picture

2010-04-28T19:33:00.000-05:00

Let the record show...

2010-04-24T22:16:00.002-05:00

that the Express is back in the win column. We won today 9-3! I think Tim was the MVP of today's game. He got hit by a ball (that was hit by our best batter), managed to leap out of the way of another ball (he straddled the ball from his knees), caught at least one foul ball (it did not count, of course), and was congratulated by a parent for being "so patient with the players."

Let the record also show...
that I completed my first 5K since having Grant. The whole family traveled to the community of Meadow to run in the 2nd Annual Meadow Mile. My time (35:02) was atrocious, but I ran the whole way and have lots of room to improve. Tim ran the 5K while pushing Grant and Abby in the double stroller. He finished around the 38 minute mark. Zach and Calyn ran a .5K race. Calyn did not place in the top three but ran well and was the first female finisher. Zach, as he put it, "got passed by a lot of other runners."

Special treatment

2010-04-23T14:18:00.000-05:00

I think I have mentioned previously that trains are highly revered in this household.

Here is another example of the special treatment they receive. Each train gets a special "shed" built for him/her and gets to choose which best friend train gets to share his/her shed.
If the train is extra-special, then the alphabet book used to build the shed corresponds with the first letter of the train's name.

What will they think of next?

ODDS and ENDS

2010-04-21T15:17:00.001-05:00

Here we go.

Let's just get the sad news out of the way first. The Express lost their first game. The final score was 10-5. The umpire was terrible. The actual score should have been about 15-5. He was terrible but in our favor. The kids did not bat or field well. I knew we had to lose sooner or later and sincerely hope that we play better on Saturday.

Last Saturday, we visited with some out of town friends that we do not get to see very often. We then attended the Lubbock Arts Festival. They had a lot of neat kid activities. Home Depot sponsored a booth where the kids built banks.

The Lubbock model train club was in attendance. We met up with some of our baseball friends and enjoyed the trains with them.

The Dallas children love trains. I had to drag Zach to the next exhibit. I think he could have stayed in the train room the entire day.

The theme of the festival revolved around Legos. Check out these amazing lego sculptures:

The kid's favorite: a bike that was half real and half lego

Tim's favorite:

My favorite:

A whole lego village:

On Sunday, Zach, Calyn, Grant, and I travelled to Amarillo to see Mali get baptized. We are so proud of her and her decision to let Jesus live in her heart.

Today is Tim and I's ninth anniversary. Wow! Happy Anniversary Tim. You are a great husband and father. I love you. A couple of girls from our college ministry are going to come watch our kiddos so that Tim and I can go out. I don't think either of us got gifts but I did make him a blueberry pie. I think I am going to make a list of things I have been meaning to discuss with him but haven't because we are always distracted.

Spectacular Seven

2010-04-20T14:56:00.007-05:00

Grant turned seven months old on the 14th of April. He continues to grow amazingly fast and is still a happy, happy boy.

He now wears a size 3 diaper but not for much longer as size 3 diapers often fail to contain what they were made to contain. He wears 6-12 month clothing. The clothing that is 6-9 months is getting a little snug.
Grant has both of his bottom teeth and loves to let you "feel" them.
He can also shake his head back and forth as if saying "no."
He loves food and eats just about everything offered. Peas make him toot just like they did his big sister, Abby.
Sadly, I have begun to pack up some of his baby things including his bouncy seats and play gym. I am sad that this stage is over but look forward to future stages. Most of our baby gear has been used for all of our children. Who imagined as they picked out shower gifts for us five years ago that these gifts would be used by four babies? I am thankful that all of our gear will be going to a new home and will be used by babies that I will know and love.

Lastly, I leave you with a glimpse of what it is like to have the "help" of a two-year old with feeding her baby brother.

Lincoln and Lauren

2010-04-15T21:54:00.001-05:00

Recently I have had the privilege of participating in two baby showers for two good friends. For Lauren's shower, I made a diaper cake topped with strawberry cake balls.

For Lincoln's shower, I helped Melissa make this jungle-themed diaper cake.

Lauren arrived last Friday and I am looking forward to meeting her soon.
Lincoln arrived today and here he is:

Such a cute little gift from God.

More pictures of Lincoln can be found here.

Heartstopping

2010-04-10T22:22:00.004-05:00

I have to begin this post by saying that I think watching the twins play baseball is going to cause me to have a heart attack.

The last two games have been too close for my comfort. Last Tuesday, we played a team that was better than any of the others we had played. We were down by several runs early but came back in the middle of the game to take the lead. We led the rest of the game but it was a tough win.

Today we played the Volcanoes. These volcanoe kids could play. They could actually stop the ball AND throw to first base AND get our runners out. We trailed the entire game. The first several innings we did not even score. I kept telling myself that our winning streak had to end sometime and was preparing for today to be that day.

Midway through the last inning, the score was 7-3. We were the home team so we had the last bat. It was at this point that the Express decided to take it to the Volcanoes. Each batter (except one) hit and scored until we won the game (with only one out and runners still on bases).

IT WAS AMAZING!

I never imagined that I would get so emotionally invested in these games. To me I don't think it is about the actual win but about our team playing well and my children hitting the ball. I like to see how exited Calyn and Zach get and that they want to tell everyone about their games.

But oh my! I think I am going to have to calm down a little or I am never going to make it as a sport's parent. I mean they are only 5!

Grant goes swimming

2010-04-09T23:59:00.001-05:00

Continuing with the previous post's theme of irresponsible parenting, Grant recently went swimming. He generally likes his bath so we figured he would enjoy swimming.

I would love to blame the irresponsible portion of these photos solely on my husband, but I might have asked him to continue throwing Grant up into the air until I got several good shots with good lighting.

*MIGHT HAVE*

In case you are wondering if Grant enjoyed being thrown up into the air, just check out his face in the following picture.

PUUUUFFFFF

2010-04-07T14:55:00.001-05:00

Recently Grant tried Puffs. Now you are probably thinking about the Puffs made for babies that provide moms endless hours of peace and quiet while eating out. No, he tried Cheetos Puffs.

I think he was a big fan.

Note to responsible parents: Do not attempt this at home. Cheesy goodness causes a rash when comes in contact with infant skin.

Can you guess

2010-04-05T14:20:00.000-05:00

which of my children I think should have been a model?

Whew!

2010-04-03T21:14:00.020-05:00

We have had a full day. We started out this morning with a Easter celebration at the church where Abby goes to PDO. The kids did crafts

and ate a snack.

Grant was so excited that he fell asleep

while tightly holding onto his daddy.

Abby took off once the little kids were let loose.

She did not let any obstacle get in the way

of her egg hunt.

Soon big brother and sister were able to join the hunt.

MANY eggs were found by these three.

We then grabbed a quick lunch and headed to see Texas Tech play baseball.

The weather was beautiful but the final score was not.

After the game we embarked on the annual quest of trying to get a ~~good~~ decent picture of the kids with the Texas Tech tulips.

Although we did not get any really good pictures (sorry about Abby's hair-it had already been a long day), I would love to say the kids enjoyed the photo shoot. However, in just about every shot someone is either crying, pouting because they did not get to hold Grant, digging in the dirt, or completely massacring the guns-up sign.

I will say though that overall the day WAS really fun. And everyone went to sleep quickly tonight.

Thank you Jesus for these four blessings and for dying to save me from my sins. What a glorious day that we get to celebrate your victory over sin.

What time is it?

2010-03-27T20:31:00.004-05:00

It's baseball time.
I mean what says spring like baseball, dirt-filled air, and gusty winds.
Zach and Calyn are playing coach pitch baseball this year. Tim is the team's manager and gets to pitch to our players. The transition to pitched balls is going well so far. Calyn did ask after the first practice if Tim could please stop throwing balls at her. She was afraid he was going to hit her. But once she got use to it, she has done well. Zach is in the process of switching from batting righty to batting lefty. I think with a little more practice, his batting will improve. Several of the Dallas boys have odd right/left handedness. Uncle Pete is left-handed but bats right-handed. Tim is right-handed, but bats left-handed. Zach has always switched between eating with his left and right hand, so it stands to reason that maybe he might be a little odd as well. We will see.
Today was our second game of the season. We won 8-1 (we won our first game 11-3). I did not get many pictures because I was keeping the score book and checking on Grant and Abby. They sat in the car because Abby has a sinus infection and Grant has the croup.
So far, the season is really fun. We have a great group of kids. All but one of the kids seem really interested in learning the game. Despite the score, our fielding is pretty terrible. We won because the other two teams were not very good hitters. Hopefully we will improve as the season progresses. So far, Calyn is the only girl we have seen. Maybe some of the other teams will have girls playing?
I am looking forward to a great season. Go Express!

Zach getting some last minute instruction.

Zach batting lefty.

Calyn running after hitting the ball.

Zach and Tim playing catcher.

Heavy Heart

2010-03-23T23:04:00.003-05:00

One of my childhood friends had a baby in October. Evan was born at just 26 weeks and spent several months in the hospital. He got to go home just a few weeks ago and meet his two older sisters, Olivia (7) and Ava Grace (4).

Unfortunately Evan contracted an infection over the weekend and went to be with Jesus this morning. I ask that you pray for his parents, Seana and Casey,and the rest of his family. They have really been on a roller coaster ride the last several months but have proclaimed the name of Jesus at every turn. As believers they know that Evan is with Jesus, but they still hurt. So please take a moment to lift up this sweet family and also pray that Evan's short life will continue to turn other towards Jesus.

Thanks friends.

Is Spring Break really a break?

2010-03-21T14:40:00.006-05:00

Usually the week before spring break, Tim and I look at each other and ask what we should do for spring break. We usually agree that we should go on a fun trip but never really have the time or energy to plan one. This year as in the past, we decided to stay home and work on house projects and go for special outings with the kids. One thing I love about Tim's job is that he can take off time during spring break if he chooses to do so.
So for spring break this year, here is what our family did:

Beth and Tim took Grant to his six month doctor's visit

Everyone went to the park

Beth took Grandma to the airport

Beth ran about 12 miles

Tim turned over the soil in the garden and flower beds and put down black paper that prevents weed growth.

Tim cleaned and organized the storage shed and the back porch

Beth took Zach and Calyn swimming

Everyone ate dinner at the Williams' house (that is both Williams families-thanks friends!)

Beth made green food for St. Patrick's day

Zach and Calyn each wrote a book

Tim painted the downstairs bathroom

Tim, Zach, Calyn, Abby, and Grant went swimming with the Gomez family

Everyone welcomed three new members to our extended family at a birthday party

Beth cleaned out her closet

Tim spent several hours doing his real job, some at home and some at Tech

Beth and the kids watched Annerson so Lex and Leah could have a garage sell

Tim, Zach, and Calyn had baseball practice

Beth shopped at Gap, Old Navy, and Wal-mart

Beth wrote an exciting passage about muscle contractions

Beth threw away the pumpkin that had been on the front porch since October!

Grant tried squash, carrots, and green beans

We had a busy week, got a lot accomplished, and had a lot of fun. Although we stayed busy, spring break is definitely a break because we got a break from our normal routine and got to spend so much time with Tim.

Busted

2010-03-19T14:00:00.012-05:00

Grant has been sitting up for about a week now. I really have been meaning to blog about this accomplishment but kept putting it off. Today a sweet friend was over and walked in and caught Grant in the act of sitting and playing all by himself. The first thing she said was, "When did he start sitting?"
So here he is:

He turned 6 months old on Monday. He weighs 17 pounds (50th percentile) and measures 26.75 inches (60th percentile).

Besides sitting he recently got his first tooth (bottom right). No pictures of it yet, but it did get a fluoride treatment at his doctor's appointment.

Grant is still easy going and usually happy. He has been a little grumpy the last few days. Both Tim and I agreed that he seems to be missing his Grandma. He still is not sleeping well at night, but at least his cuteness makes up for my lack of sleep.

He can pick up toys and likes to chew on his burp cloths, blankets, or socks. He recently discovered his feet. And he can now roll from his tummy to his back.

He is quite enthralled with ceiling fans especially when they are moving.
Be sure to check out his long eye lashes.

He is wearing size 3 diapers and 6-12 month clothing.

Slow down little boy! You are growing up WAY too fast.

A GREEN Day

2010-03-17T23:19:00.011-05:00

Today was a very GREEN day for the Dallas family.
It started with Tim working with his GREEN thumb in the backyard. He got the back flowerbeds and the garden cleaned out and ready for to be planted.
Some of us wore GREEN clothes.

We walked to the grocery store which was very GREEN of us. Abby and Grant rode in the GREEN jogging stroller while Zach rode his scooter and Calyn rode her bike. We even carried our groceries home in our GREEN reusable bags.
We ate GREEN crepes for dinner.

We drank GREEN milk.

We had GREEN cupcakes.

The kids ate on GREEN plates and drank from GREEN cups.

Even Grant got in on the eating-of-the-GREEN.

He likes his GREEN avocado.

Tim started removing the GREEN from the downstairs bathroom.

Grant wore GREEN pajamas to bed. He made me promise not to take his picture since he was wrapped in a pink swaddling blanket.

We really enjoyed our St. Patrick's Day.

How about you?

Thunder thighs

2010-03-10T23:13:00.003-06:00

I have absolutely no idea who he inherited his chunky thighs from but at least they are cute on him.

Yes, that is rice cereal on his hand. A blog post about that will follow soon.

Good things about visits from Grandma

2010-03-07T22:50:00.002-06:00

The kids bounce off the walls the first couple of days that she is here but then settle down once they are use to her being here.

She took the kids to Toy-R-Us.

She empties the dishwasher.

She gives Grant his bath.

She is the best bedtime story reader. Even I sometimes like to listen. We visited the new library to stock up on books.

She keeps Grant entertained.

She got introduced to Blue Sky (ie., another excuse to eat there).

She plays with the kids at the park and I get the chance to run.

She loves Krispy Kreme donuts so we take her there often.

She plays with Abby while the twins are at school.

She shares in the numerous diaper changes that occur at our house.

She teaches my kids about Jesus.

She taught me (again) to make crepes.

She likes to play games and work puzzles.

Fortunately, her visit continues for another week.

A typical day

2010-03-06T21:01:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite blogs recently had bloggers link up and show their daily routine. I am not going to link up but thought it would be fun to look at my daily schedule.

7:30am Feed Grant if he has not already eaten.
8:00am Wake-up big kids and feed them breakfast. Get Grant and Abby changed and dressed. "Encourage" Zach and Calyn to get dressed. Brush my teeth, put on contacts, and put my hair in a ponytail (unless it is Tuesday-then I shower before heading to Bible Study).
8:55 am MWF-take Zach and Calyn to preschool, head to the mall to walk, go home to shower, play with Abby, and feed Grant again before picking up the twins at noon.
Tues-go to Bible Study til 11:30am
Thur-take Abby to Parent's Day Out. The twins and I either head home to hang out or go do something fun.
12pm-1pm Lunch
1pm-2pm The kids play while I usually try to get some chores done. Sometimes we play games or do projects such as painting. Lately, Zach and Calyn play the Wii.
2pm Feed Grant. Abby goes down for a nap. The twins have 'room time.'
2:30pm-4pm If Grant takes a good nap I usually do my Bible Study, read, do chores, work on projects, and do actual work if I currently have a project from my part-time job.
4:30pm Usually go for a jog/bike ride if the weather is nice. Tim often meets us after work.
5:30-6:30pm Cook and eat supper. Feed Grant.
7pm Tim and kids hang out. I usually do more chores or have a little time to myself or hang out with everyone or spend one on one time with a kid.
8pm-9pm I bathe and feed Grant while Tim bathes the big kids, reads books, and puts them to bed.
9pm Tim and I usually watch TV either together or separate and we both often work also.
11pm Feed Grant and put him to bed.
12am Read before going to bed.
12:30am Go to sleep. Usually Grant wakes sometime between 2am and 5am and gets fed again.

Well there you have it. I love having a husband that usually gets the kids ready for bed. It allows me to focus on Grant. Tim also gets the big kids ready for church on Sundays (including breakfast and except for hair) so that I can get ready and feed Grant.
I am working really hard on cooking supper consistently.
I have also started running again and so am often trying to squeeze this into my schedule. I cannot wait for warmer weather so that Grant, Abby, and I can go to the park in the mornings while Zach and Calyn are at school.

A boy and his trains

2010-02-25T22:38:00.005-06:00

Zach has a love for trains.
He spends a lot of time in his room playing with his trains.

He makes sure his train friend stays cozy and warm when they watch tv together.

His clothes profess his love for trains.

Even his snacks are train-friendly.

You know you are a mom of many small children when...

2010-02-23T23:58:00.000-06:00

you have to stop nursing one child in order to go wipe the booty of another.

the man behind you in the check-out line at Target looks at your cart and says, 'Please tell me you run a daycare.'

your skin breaks out in a rash from a lovely virus picked up from your children.

you stuff an extra car seat into your already packed car so that Abby can spend time with her friend Annerson.

you can manage to catch every hour on the clock overnight.

you make a quesadilla, a peanut butter jelly sandwich, and a hot dog for one lunch.

you talk on the phone from your closet so you won't wake up any sleeping children.

you stay up way too late in order to have a little peace and quiet.

you become a 'mall walker' because it is too cold outside for a baby.

you change your clothes at least twice daily due to deposits left by others.

you wash 8-10 loads of laundry every week.

you sing the patty cake song more often than you have adult conversation.

The 2010 Dallas Valentine

2010-02-18T00:28:00.002-06:00

Happy Heart Day

2010-02-14T22:54:00.018-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!
I thought I would include all of the pictures from previous Valentine's Days.
2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Tim always sends out an e-mail card that he puts together. I wanted to upload each of the cards but the format did not work. Instead I just uploaded the photos. It is amazing to see how our family has grown in just a few short years.

We had a great day today. Grant and I stayed home from church. He has been sick for the entire last week with a low-grade fever and a horrible cough. He still had the fever today but seemed to be feeling a lot better.

Tim and the other kids went to church. They brought home food and then we opened presents. I went a little overboard this year but had bought all of their presents on clearance a few weeks ago. Zach and Calyn also 'built' Grant a bear yesterday that they were super excited to give to him. Tim built them bears for their first Valentine's day. My brother's family made one for Abby when she was born. So now they all have their own bear.

Valentine's Day really makes me miss my mom. She always had special gifts waiting for us when we woke up.

Here is our day in pictures:
Zach opening the lifesaver card that I recovered after forgetting to put it in his Christmas stocking.

Calyn displaying hers.

Showing some brother and sister love.

The gang after church.

Abby opening her card.

Abby dancing with her Elmo hands.

Grant being helped to open some blocks.

Grant and his new bear.

Tim's gummy bear rainbow.

I need to add that Tim and the kids got me frames to make a collage of pictures from our recent photo shoot. I'll try to post a picture once it is complete. We have to wait for the store to get more frames as we bought all they had.

Tea for three

2010-02-07T22:07:00.009-06:00

Yesterday was the annual tea party at our church. It was the fourth tea party for Calyn and I and the first for Abby. Calyn and I had so much fun getting ready. I ironed our pink clothes. Calyn picked out our accessories. We both washed our tea cups. Calyn looked forward to the party all week.

We sat at Nana Janis' table. Janis has graciously hosted us several times. But this year was the first year for her to be joined by her daughter, Jessica and new granddaughter, Addison. Janis has always loved on us and made us feel like family so it was so fun to see her with her special guests.

Calyn loved the tea. I think she had five cups with 'two sugar cubes and no milk.' We are going to have to get her a bigger cup before next year or Janis might not invite us to sit at her table since Calyn kept her so busy. We also dined on peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, fresh strawberries with whipped cream, cranberry (? I am not actually sure what kind of scones they were, but they are amazing every year) scones, and mini chocolate chip cookies.

Abby ate a lot of strawberries which was funny because she refuses to eat them at home. She had fun playing with Addison. I think Janis and Jessica thought she was so cute until Addison touched Abby's nose and she said, 'Don't pick my boogers!'

Here are some pictures of our special party. I did not realize I did not get any of me until the party was over.

When the cat mom is away...

2010-02-01T11:18:00.011-06:00

~~the mice~~ Abby will play.

Glory

2010-01-28T15:48:00.002-06:00

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." Isaiah 43:7

What do you think God means by "my glory"?

My answer was to please him or that he created us to bring him pleasure.

However, Beth Moore just taught me that 'God's glory is the way He makes Himself known...is how He shows who he is...is the way He makes Himself recognizable.'

He created us so that we may know and recognize him.

Take this scripture:
"So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." I Corinthians 10:31

Before I would have interpreted that I was supposed to please God with my actions. Know I understand that through my actions others should be able to recognize God.

I just had to share what I learned today. Carry on with what you were doing!

This guy

2010-01-17T20:09:00.006-06:00

You know the one.

The one who refused to nurse for the first 8 weeks of his life.

Well.

Now he refuses to drink from a bottle.

But.

This makes him and his momma very happy.

4 months

2010-01-12T22:22:00.005-06:00

Grant will be 4 months old in just a few days. I can hardly believe he is already four months old. It saddens me to see him grow up so fast. Many times I find myself looking forward to the days of no more diapers, kids that can feed themselves without huge messes, etc. But just as quickly I remember that being able to cuddle them, put lotion on them, etc. will not last forever. I just wish there were more hours in the day to enjoy all the little things about being a mom.

What is Grant doing these days?

He can roll from his back to his stomach.
He often sucks his thumb or first finger.
He chuckles whenever you tickle his ribs or wipe under his chin.
He charms everyone with his smile.
He sleeps through the night most of the time.
He still spits up a lot.
He likes to take baths and sit in the bathroom while the shower is running.
He is not a fan of his big sister biting his foot.
He can stand on his daddy's hand.
He likes to 'fly.'

He produces a lot of drool. But no teeth yet.

He is an absolute joy.

Some more smores

2010-01-09T20:40:00.007-06:00

Since having children, we use our fireplace more than we ever did prior to children. Since the twins were old enough to talk, they ask for a fire everytime it is cold. We also make smores in the fireplace. It has become one of our cold weather traditions. I don't realize how big the kids are until I look back at old pictures.
2006:

2007:

2008:

2009:

And of course we can't forget Abby:

Just in case

2010-01-04T15:10:00.002-06:00

...you are one of the people wondering things out loud in public...

Yes, they are all mine.

No, I am not crazy. At least I wasn't the last time I checked.

I do know how babies are made.

I did pay for some of them and I would do it again.

Yes, they are twins.

No, they are not identical. The reason they are not identical should be obvious.

Yes, they are tall for their age. And no they don't start school until next year.

I am brave.

I do have my hands full.

I think they are beautiful also.

I do stay busy.

Yes, I too am glad they are not yours.

Thank you for your sympathetic smile, but I am quite happy with my life.

A fresh start

2009-12-31T22:57:00.000-06:00

In order to have a fresh start in 2010, I need to catch-up.
Recently we had a family photo shoot with a local photographer that we met through our church. She did a great job with us as we were quite the challenge. Her other work can be found here and here.
Thanks Jessica for working with us!

We also celebrated my birthday recently. We spent the day together as a family. I got a new camera. I am looking forward to learning to use it and taking pictures for my friends one day.

Happy New Year everyone.

Oh I just remembered that I have a family ski trip to blog about. I guess that will have to wait until next time.

A shout out for Kristie

2009-12-31T22:12:00.005-06:00

I have a cousin who is super talented. She made these cute Texas Tech outfits for my girls. She also makes baby items like the burp cloth you can see in the first picture. All her stuff is reasonably priced and made with lots of love.

Her website is http://lollipopsandkisses.blogspot.com/. She is also having a sale! Please go visit if you can.

2, 5, and 5

2009-12-27T13:45:00.014-06:00

The months of November and December bring birthdays for the majority of our not so little family. Abby turned 2 on November 29th followed by the twins turning 5 four days later. Squeezed between the two birthdays were two infected ears, two infected sinuses, and a case of RSV. Abby was on house arrest for the twins birthday so she did not get to go out with them. Thankfully Grandma was here to watch her.

Abby:

Abby is an amazing little girl. Her vocabulary amazes us daily as well as her ability to use words correctly and in combination. She is in the 70th percentile for both height and weight. Even her head circumference is in the 70th percentile. Her pigtails, big blue eyes, and sweet smile receive comments just about everywhere we go.

Below is Tim's birthday letter to Abby:

29 November 2009

Dear Abby –

Today is your 2^nd birthday! It has been great to see how much you have grown up over the last year. You went from being a baby that could barely walk to a little girl that runs all over the place, can speak in whole sentences, and eat all by herself. In fact, one of your favorite phrases now is “Abby do it!” Many times you are able to do it all by yourself. It is amazing to see how quickly you have picked up language. You are such a smart little girl with bright shining eyes. You are such a cute little girl who makes a lot of people smile and comment when they see you. We love to see you laugh and to make you laugh. You are pretty ticklish and enjoy being eaten and tickled. You are so loving towards Grant and it’s so fun to see you give him a kiss. Abby kisses are the best and everybody loves getting one. You play pretty well with Zach and Calyn. It’s tough being the little kid, but you can hold your own and many times you get your way. Recently, it has been great to see you pray before meals. It brings us joy to see you wave your hands in the air as you go through your little meal-time prayer. We will be excited to see the day when you understand enough to ask Jesus to come into your heart.

We are so grateful to God for giving you to us. You bring us such joy and happiness and we are very proud of you.

Love,

Daddy

Zach:

Zach also amazes us. He is an awesome big brother to Grant and Abby and a fun companion for Calyn. He is very sensitive and often soft-spoken. His teacher often tells me what a sweet boy he is. He likes to hug on his friends and does not really understand personal space. His current favorite things include wrestling, math, and mazes. He is still a picky eater but is learning to try new things without as much complaining.

Calyn:

Calyn is a talker. She loves to talk. Her second love is all things musical. She often plays the guitar and sings. She loved the drum set that we gave her for her birthday. She likes to challenge the rules. She too is a great big sister to Grant and Abby is always wanting to help take care of them both. Both her school teacher and church teachers have told us how inquisitive she is. She really desires to understand things at deeper level than most of her peers. Calyn can be a handful at times but overall is a cheerful, vibrant little girl.

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T19:16:00.018-06:00

In case you do not already know, our family does not celebrate Christmas in the traditional manner. We choose to celebrate Jesus' birth every day of the year. We just focus more on it around the 25th of December. With this in mind, we do not buy each other gifts.

Sometimes I struggle with the decision not to 'celebrate' Christmas. Not because I miss getting presents but because I miss the traditions involved. We usually go to our church's Christmas Eve service, but it was cancelled due to bad weather. I did venture out to go to the grocery store and then spent the evening making sausage balls and oreo truffles. We also had great family time, gave Grant his first real bath, and cooked smores in the fire.

On Christmas morning, the kids opened their stockings. We fill their stockings because my mom use to fill them and I miss her being able to carry on that tradition. This was the first year that Zach and Calyn really questioned us about Santa and whether he is real or not. Zach claimed that if they show him on the news, then he must be real. I told them not to expect a lot of presents in their stockings knowing that I had spent only a few dollars each at the dollar spot at Target. After they opened them Calyn told me that I had made a mistake because she got tons of toys in her stocking. So cute. We cooked a big breakfast and Tim and the kids played outside in the snow.

We went over to the Buschman's house for Christmas lunch. Job and Janis are so sweet in that they make sure that we have a place to go on Christmas. I am so thankful to them and their four children (and two spouses) for allowing us to be a part of their family. We had a great meal and lots of adult conversation

Tonight as we put our kids to bed, we will once again read the Christmas story and remind them about a tiny baby that was born to be king. Merry Christmas everyone!

Three months

2009-12-16T22:57:00.007-06:00

Grant is now three months old. In the last month he has become more alert and aware. He smiles a lot more lately but usually won't look at whoever is holding him. He no longer sleeps well at night. He does however sleep through church every Sunday. The nursery workers are afraid he will get promoted without them ever meeting him.

Too many mommas!

Giving Thanks

2009-12-13T22:47:00.012-06:00

We spent Thanksgiving in Wichita Falls with my dad and Lou. My brother and his family, Lou's daughter Jennifer and her family, and Lou's daughter Brandi and her dog were also present. It was our first holiday together as a new family. A total of 19 people was a little crazy at times but overall was a lot of fun.

This is the kids table minus the 3 that were sleeping.

Abby's normal nap time is 2pm. She fell asleep about 15 minutes before we started lunch.

Ashley was not feeling so good and also slept through lunch.

Grant thankfully slept through lunch.

After lunch we headed to a local park to take pictures and climb a very large hill.

Even Abby and I made it to the top.

Not easy to get a good picture of all 10 kids.

I think Zach had the most fun. The boys were 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, and 11 (I think I have those ages correct). He played and was never without someone to entertain him. Calyn was really bummed that Ashley was sick but also had fun playing with the boys.

The Big 4-0!

2009-12-09T15:38:00.011-06:00

I surprised Tim with a party the day before his 40th birthday (I was going to say we but even the kids were surprised by the party). With the help of Janis, I created an elaborate ruse to get Tim to the Orlando's on Avenue Q. Fortunately he complied. We arrived to a room full of friends. I think Tim was truly surprised and appreciated the effort. Everyone enjoyed the conversation and the food. The guests also brought gifts to Tim. They consisted of things that an old person needs like denture cream, reading glasses, bladder control items, etc. Some of the gifts also included 40 items like 40 leaves, 40 raspberries, 40 mints, and 40 fingerprints. Overall the party was a huge success and made turning 40 easier for Tim. Thank you so much to Leah and Melissa for helping with the details of the party. Here are some pictures:

So much

2009-12-07T00:33:00.003-06:00

I have so much to blog about:
4 birthdays
Thanksgiving
a new camera
Zach & Calyn's first Lord's Supper
a family photo shoot
our first ever Christmas decorations
sick kiddos
The list goes on and on.
Unfortunately I have to play catch-up on my part-time job that has been neglected due to all of the above. But I will be back soon. Until then I leave you with a picture of two of my favorite guys.

Because I had to

2009-11-21T16:52:00.006-06:00

I know we are all extremely busy these days. Between my husband, kids, housekeeping, laundry, spending time in the Word, cooking, exercising, and my little part-time job, my days are completely full. Occasionally though, I see something (usually while blog surfing) that I just have to try. These little guys were too cute not to attempt.

I made them for Abby's Thanksgiving lunch at PDO. She dressed up as a pilgrim.

But she was more than happy to let her dad wear her costume.

Tiny at 2 months?

2009-11-16T21:27:00.003-06:00

The answer to that question is no. On Grant's two month birthday he moved up to 3-6 month clothing and size 2 diapers.

He had his two month check-up today. He weighed 12 pounds and measured 23 and 1/4 inches (both 60th percentile). He looked and sounded great according to his doctor. He is starting to smile a lot and sleeping 6-7 hours at night. He says he is ready to see both sets of his grandparents next week. He is also looking forward to meeting two aunts, one uncle, and three cousins.