Spring Break

It seems like last week was Christmas! It amazes me as to where the time goes. I can't believe it is already Spring Break! We recently began thinking about what fun things we could do with Seth for Spring Break. Last week, we were flying his kite at the park and saw a sign advertising a horse camp. We knew this would be something that Seth would love to do. We talked about it, got the details and then gave Seth a few options for Spring Break. Hands down he chose Horse Camp! We were not surprised! He had a blast and his instructor told us "he's a natural!"

Seth had the time of his life! 

Half Days!

We love half days!!! Half days of school that is and on top of that it is raining outside! I was songlad when Seth got in the car and asked if we could go home and relax! How fun!! We got home at 11:45 and got back in our jammies and are relaxing on the couch watching "emergency". I told Seth that was one of my fAvorite shows when I was a kid!

What a great way to spend our day!!!

Texas Independence Day - March 2, 1836

A true Texan knows:

1. That “y’all” and “fixin’ to” are a legitimate part of the English vocabulary. If you don’t say these phrases on a regular and consistent basis, we know right away that you aren’t from our neck of the woods. Oh, and “neck of the woods” – you have to say that too.

2. Chicken Fried Steak is a required part of every Texan’s diet. Extra credit for mash potatoes, corn on the cob, and fried okra. And for the record, it’s not chicken fried steak unless it’s smothered in white cream gravy. I’ve heard rumors about restaurants in other states putting brown gravy on a fried chicken cutlet and trying to pass it off as chicken fried steak on the menu. That should be a crime, punishable by imprisonment or at least a few days of picking up trash along the roadside.

3. Animals were made for eating. Get ready for the hate mail. I don’t mean to offend anyone here, but you can count the Vegetarians in our state on one hand. We like our crispy bacon and our backyard burgers. And while we’re on the subject, BBQ is not really BBQ unless it’s made from BEEF! What’s up with that faux pork BBQ stuff in AL, TN, and GA?

4. Humidity = Hair spray. Enough said. If you want to know which brand works best, ask any female from Texas. Trust me, these gals know their hair products. Should one of those Texas-sized tornadoes blow through town, they might lose their homes, but God love ‘em, their shellacked hair helmets will remain right smack in place, not a hair out of place.

5. You can do serious jail time for picking bluebonnets (our state flower). Okay, not really, but we continue to pass along this tall Texas tale to our children and grandchildren in order to scare them half out of their wits, so they’ll leave these beauties untouched on the side of the road.

6. There is no such thing as “authentic Mexican food.” I’m guessing that some health freak in California probably coined the phrase. And while we’re at it, I think it’s high time we admit that Texas does Mexican food better than…Mexico. It’s a proud statement, I know, but it needed to be said. Cheese enchiladas in Texas, by law, must be topped with chili con carne, cheese, onions, and sitting in a pool of grease in order to qualify for Tex-Mex. Restaurants fixing them any other way in this state won’t be in business for long. And Queso is not the same thing as “cheese dip.” If made right, you will dream about this golden treasure on a regular basis. (For the record, every time I go home a Tex-Mex restaurant is what I smell the minute my plane touches down at DFW  - and much to my families dismay that is ALL I want while I am home! Doing without Tex-Mex may be my most difficult adjustment since moving out of state.)

7. The weather is as unpredictable as a quirky middle school romance. It can be below freezing in the morning and in the 80’s by mid-afternoon. Oh, and when it freezes over every decade or so, everything shuts down because we don’t know what to do. Those who venture out usually end up on the evening news standing next to their banged-up car in a ditch with their heads bowed in shame.

8. There is only one “UT.” Wait, you didn’t know there’s another college out there claiming to be UT with some skewed shade of orange and white? (Cough, cough, Tennessee)  It is very cool that people as far away as Tennessee follow the Horns!

9. There is no such thing as a stranger. We are the “friendly state” and with that honor comes the responsibility of smiling, waving, or saying “hi” (or a combination of all three) to passers-by. If you don’t respond to our kind gesture, we automatically assume you are: A) hard of seeing and hearing or B) from New York.

10. We are proud, but not prideful. Big difference. We simply take great pride in being from Texas and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Whoops, did that sound prideful?

If you’re from Texas, comment back with your favorite place to get good Tex-Mex, BEEF BBQ, or Chicken Fried Steak! Don’t forget to include the city, so those visiting from out-of-state know where to find good Texas cuisine.

Once a Texan - always a Texan!   

Hot Item!!

I have recently taken up a new hobby! Garage Sales!!! I have always wanted to go to sales, but never seem to have time or the motivation to do it--especially by myself. With recent changes in our family, I immediately had to make time and be motivated out of necessity to start!

I had one day to hit sales in PC. I prayed hard!! Matthew 7:8
"For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." God knew what I needed and I just asked Him to lead me to it! The first house I went to I made my first purchase--a section couch that I was able to get down from $400 to $150. (I didn't think that was bad for a newbie on the first strike :) Several loved ones (who will remain annonymous LOL) gave me a very hard time about my purchase, but I still knew I did good - even though the couch was very well worn! We have used the couch since November.

At the beginning of January someone who knew I was looking for furniture asked me if I would like their loveseat and couch. I explained to them my situation and how hard of a time I had been given and they gave me their almost brand new set. Seriously-it looks like it has never been sat on! It is beautiful! God has been so good to us! He knows what we have need of even before we do and before we ask!! Matthew 6:8 "...for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.") So now I had two couches!!

Well, late night I had the "brilliant" idea of listing the sectional on Craigslist. Now, I have never done that before so I had no idea what to expect. My add went live on craigslist at 9:05 this morning "Tan Sectional - $100" and within 30 minutes I had received over 25 phone calls and was in a bidding war and a race as to who could get to the house fastest! It was WILD!!!! By 11:00am I had sold the couch, had $100 in hand and the couch was out of my house!!! Again, not bad for a newbie!!

I think I may have just found a new career!

<i>Father - thank you for caring about the little things in our life!
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God's Wonderful Creation

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I have had the priviledge over the span of the last 40 years to be able to visit many different places on the face of the incredible earth that God created for us "in the beginning." I am constantly amazed and blessed at all that He has given us to richly enjoy.

Over the past almost 19 years Greg and I have been able to travel across the vast majority of the United States (mostlt while we worked at the college) and have had the opportunity to travel abroad. We have been the wonderful honor to take the Gospel to Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Cambodia. Cambodi has a very special place in our heart as we are actively involved in educating, equipping and encouraging national church leaders in a very unique way. It is our prayer that God will open many more doors of opportunity for us to minister His grace and love in Cambodia, and that He will allow us to continue to see life change happen in Cambodia.

In the summer of 2009, Greg and I were taken on the absolute trip of a lifetime. We are still amazed at God's grace in allowing us such a wonderful opportunity to be blessed in such an incredible way by two of His wonderful children. We toured London, Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and the Greek Isles and to say it was breathetaking is an understatement! There is not word, a picture or any other way to describe the majestic beauty of the places we saw. You truly have to go see if for yourself. The highlight of our trip was the opportunity to walk the streets of Ephesus in Turkey where Paul ministerd, visited Miletus and Didymas, and visited the Collasisum in Rome where Christians where persecuted at the had of Nero. I get chills again just remembering the experience. What an incedible opportunity.

In December of 2009, we were also so blessed to be able to take Seth on his first missions trip to El Salvador. We have prayed that as God continues to burdern our heart for foreign missions that He would make a way for Seth to be able to travel with us. We want his young heart and life to be touched by these wonderful chances of a lifetime. It was such a blessing to see Seth touched by what he saw, yet not at all inhibited by the language barrier, but even quickly found his own way to communicate past it. When we left, he was trying to figure out how we could stay and help the people there. As we drove to the airport he cried because he did not want to leave. It is our prayer that this will be the first of many ways in which God will burden his heart for a lost and dying world and that someday God will use Seth to do great things for Him in His world.

We truly have been so blessed and are so thankful to You God for allowing us the opportunity to visit so many of these incredible places and see be able to see your majestly in every detail, difference and similarity of the vastness of the earth. Thank You Lord for your incredible blessings!

More Changes....

Seth sits beside the desk he made in Mr. O's shop!  All we have left to do is to stain it.  This was a great experience for him and the desk will be something to cherish. (Thank you Mr. O)

After several weeks of homeschooling with Mr. & Mrs. O, Seth has been given a wonderful opportunity to attend a Christian School in Jacksonville.  After much prayer and consideration, we decided to enroll him.  He started school last week and has loved every moment of it!!  That was a huge blessing to all of us.  He has jumped right in and done a great job making new friends.  He loves his teachers and has enjoyed his new schedule, which also include touch football and Taekwondo.   (Actually the whole family is doing the Taekwondo!)

Our first big project at school was for the 2nd grade Indian Celebration.  They learned all about the Indians and Pilgrims as they studied the first Thanksgiving.  So the Tuesday before Thanksgiving they were going to have an Indian Feast complete with Indians and Pilgrims.  Seth wanted to be an Indian, but because of the short notice, Mom preferred to be a Pilgrim.  After trying to figure out a pilgrim costume, mom gave in and attempted the Indian costume.  What a challenge for someone who doesn't do that kind of stuf!! :)  But, for our first one, it was a huge success!  Seth was the best looking Indian there. 

For the first 7 days of class at a new school, it was wonderful!!!  Mom, Dad and Seth are all very thankful to God for his abundant blessings on us all and His amazing goodness to our family.  He amazes us day by day! 

2010

Today is the first day back to school!  I guess that means the holidays are officially over.   Not only was it the first day back, but it was a cold on at that!  I woke Seth up with a nice hot shower, a hot breakfast and then off to school.  It was 29 when we left for school!  If we would have had rain, it would be snow!!  (wishful thinking:)  He was excited to go back and see his teachers and friends.  Last night after our devotions he prayed a sweet prayer for his teachers as they teach him.  We also prayed for a good start to this half of the school year.  We have had a really rough year, but feel we are right where God would have us and are hopeful that Seth will shine!

Looking forward to all that God is going to do in the Peter's this year!  We are excited and ready to go!  Thank you God that your mercies are new every morning...GREAT is Your faithfulness!!

"YESTERDAY" is history -
"TOMORROW" is a mystery
"TODAY" is a gift-
that's why they call it the "PRESENT!"