Durham Days

One Rock At A Time

2011-02-09T12:40:00.001-08:00

So, here I sit. So incredibly grateful for the rocking chair. The white one that was sitting in our garage for several years after we moved Mayce and Bryce to older rooms, and thought we had no need for it. The one that was so simple and so unimportant....so I thought....until Blake hit "the phase." And when I type, phase, I mean "angry, frustrated, clingy, disobedient, sad" phase. We had only been in the new house 6 months, our 4th precious baby was here, and taking some new attention, and life as he knew it was upside down. Not to mention the fact that I was now homeschooling two, and needing some specific time in the day to do so. He was sad, he was almost 2 and he was NOT having it. We found that bedtime began to be hard on him, and he quickly shifted from laying down quietly, to crying for several minutes. These were Blake's hardships......now for mine.

I was now a mother of 4, six and under. I was recovering from delivery, settling into/keeping a home triple the size of our other, homeschooling a 5 and 6 year old, shifting with my hubby as he transitioned in his job, all the while, realizing that days at home were now the norm, and going out was now quite difficult. I found solace and comfort in the sweet, short, time I had with my Father before my kids woke up, and I put all I had into making each day enjoyable, purposeful and disciplined. Then...Blake hit his phase, and I hit a new phase of tired! Brayden was 4 months old, and we could just not pinpoint why this was so difficult for him. After much prayer, I walked out to the garage one day, and felt two words pound in my heart..."rocking chair." "God" I said, "he's too old for that!" His response "it's not just for him....it's for you too."

Needless to say, that caught me off guard. But, you better believe I ripped that chair out of the garage that second and cleaned it up! We moved it to his room, and began reading his bible story in the chair, then rocking and singing love songs to him for about 15 minutes. As I would sit there with Blake snuggled on my chest, I was overwhelmed with emotion. It literally seemed that each rock of that chair brought healing. It was like we were both being mended in our heart with every single squeaky motion. As I would sing/worship and whisper every phrase I could think of to tell Blake how much I loved him, my Father would literally do the same thing to me. It produced the most incredibly intimate moments.....every single day, every single rock.

One day, while rocking, I began to thank the Lord for this "simple" solution to such a difficult phase. He began to flood my heart with this incredible concept of healing one step, or rock, at a time. See, it's often the simplicity of His plan that is so impactful for His glory. He could have given David supernatural strength, but instead he gave a stone. He could have given Moses a fleet of angels to whisk the Israelites away, but instead he gave him a staff and an interpreter. He could have given the world a mind-blowing heavenly entrance of the King, but instead he gave us a precious baby in a humble environment. This mommy business is not easy, and I will never claim it to be, but I certainly know that if our focus on His perspective is lost for one second.....if our eyes leave the Master and glance at the storm of our circumstance.....we will begin to sink faster than we can imagine. Just like Peter, we too can get weary, afraid and overwhelmed (understandably) and begin to lose sight of Who is guiding our faith walk. The story is not in our weakness, though, but rather in His beautiful redemption.....which He freely gives without hesitation!

I called out, and He answered.....in the form of a chair. Never would have imagined this white hunk of wood to bring so much peace and mending to our hearts......but the Rock of Ages knows exactly how powerful one rock with Him will be, and for that, I am eternally grateful!

"The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." (Ps. 18:2)

Fall Festival.....Take 4......ACTION!

2010-10-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

This was one of the best years we have had at the ol' festival and I was thrilled! See, this little outing has become quite a "task" over the past few years. Let me explain:

Year one: Mayce and Bryce are 3 and 4, it is VERY cold and they both have a runny nose! We endure because we really wanted them to have fun, but I think it ended up being harder on everyone in the end......"next year will be better" I say:) Well.......

Year two: Mayce and Bryce are 4 and 5 and I am 8 months pregnant with Blake and SHOULD be on bedrest. I just can't resist seeing the kids and the weather was a little better than the year before, soooooo, I haul my lawn chair from event to event and sit and watch. Towards the end, everyone was tired of waiting on me, I'm sure, and my poor father in law was sweet enough to carry my chair around the entire stadium! HA! "Next year, we WILL enjoy this!" Well.......

Year three: I am pregnant, AGAIN, with Brayden, yet this time only 6 months:) About 45 minutes into it, I decide to walk about 10 feet from my family to get some popcorn for Blake. As I sift through the masses, wait in a LONG line, and head back, I quickly realize they have left where they were. Of course, I did NOT take my phone, and I proceeded to be lost for the next 45 minutes, only to finally catch up with them as all the kids were getting fussy and we were ready to walk out!! The only "watching" of the kids I managed to do was on the camera in the car on the way home:( "Next year HAS to be better!" Well.......

Year four: Yayyyyy! Finally, a success!! Now, don't get me wrong, I have loved being with the fam every year, but we have certainly made some sacrifices for the good ol' festival, and I was ready for an easy, fun outing:) The weather was perfect, the kids were happy and well, let's just say, I NEVER left for popcorn, Ha! Plus, we were able to do all they wanted to before the number of children reached 15, 000!! :) So, here are the pics from this year......Hallelujah!!

Daddy and Blake (23 months)
Ropin' for candy:)

Mama and Brayden (7 months)
Blake LOVED the toddler area....He thought he was big stuff:)

Mayce and Bryce waiting for a ride

And finally, the kids doing what they do best......"seeing who can go the fastest!" :)

10 Years....

2010-08-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

......Hallelujah! 10 years and 4 kiddos later, Monty and I are closer than ever before, more in love and stronger than we could have ever imagined.....and all glory belongs to our Father!! What a beautiful journey this has been so far, and although there have been some deep valley's, I could not imagine one second without this sweet man and his indescribable love for me!! Monty out did himself this year and planned an entire 4 day trip without me having any idea what was to come! We ended up in Beaver Creek, CO at the most incredible resort I have ever been too:) He organized dinners at some fantastic restaurants, a horse back ride to a remote mountain top restaurant, a 3 hour spa treatment, ridiculous shopping (haha), and golfing (of which I don't do, but LOVE to ride in the cart and watch him because I never get to do that anymore:)!! This man just continues to amaze me with his love and kindness. of which I do not deserve. The Lord has used Monty's unconditional love throughout these years to literally heal my heart and break through some major unlovable walls I had. So, Monty, there are no words....."thank you" is just not enough, but you are everything I could ever dream of, and as long as I am this earth, I want to be beside you!!

"His mouth is sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my lover, this is my friend." (Song of Solomon 5:16)

Plane ride to CO

View from our room
Flowers waiting for me when we arrived:) They were exactly like the ones he gave me when he proposed 11 years ago...two red and one white, representing the union of our lives and Christ being the constant center of it all. I cried like a baby then and I cried again on the trip! HA!

Golfing

Right before horse back ride

Monty's dream home:)

JUMP!

2010-04-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

Let me just start by saying a big "Hallelujah!" that Brayden James is here and I am no longer hauling this pregnant body up and down my stairs! :) He is one of the most beautiful, sweet spirited children, and we have enjoyed him so much in the last 2 weeks. It just feels like we are complete now, and by complete I mean, "run mama ragged between 4 little ones" complete! HA! That's a great feeling:)
The last few months have certainly not been without their challenges, and I will be the first to say that choosing to fight sometimes made me weary. The details are just details, and not really needed here, but as a whole, I will say that I welcomed this new season with open arms......and alot of green energy tea:) We are settled in to our home and grateful to be passed the moving in stage. Monty is managing his office now, and walking in so much grace it's mind blowing. Let me take a few sentences just to say what an absolutely incredible man he is! You know, many people lose sight of treating their family as good as they treat those around them, but I can honestly say, that man treats us better than anyone I have ever come in contact with. When he's here, I just want to be right next to him, and when he's gone, I miss him like crazy. He is amazing.....never have I met anyone who loves the Lord with such purity and humility.

So, back to life. Monty is enjoying this new position and doing rather well at it, if I do say so myself;) We are currently taking a "break" from homeschool until we get on a better schedule with little man, so the kids are trying to see if they can set a world record by how long they can stay outside! Seriously.....I told Monty if we chunked a tent and some food outside, they would never come in:)

Finally, on to our current season, the "Brayden/Nana" season, as I like to call it:) My precious mother quit her job in February because she wanted to be the hands of Jesus to us.....and I mean that! I don't think she even knew how much the Lord would use her, she just knew her heart stirred to be here more and help me, and she was more than obedient to that call! I don't know what I would have done without her, and will forever be grateful for her heart. In February, she started coming for 3 or 4 days, every week, just to help around the house and be an incredible mama and grandma! She is still coming currently, and I am not sure if we remember how to do life with out her now:):) Nana, you are a gift from our Lord, and words cannot express how you have blessed us.

So, here we are. Brayden joined us on March 22nd, after going into labor during an incredibly anointed service, and laboring all night in the most peaceful setting I have ever felt. The Lord gave me a very vivid picture during that service, of me running and jumping over this large canyon. Now, I have never done the Long Jump in track, but that is exactly what my body looked like. It felt as if He was saying that in order to move into this new season, I had to run and jump, and never look back. I felt that there are times that we walk, times we run, and times we sit still, but then there are some seasons that move you to a completely different spot, and you just have to JUMP! It was right after that when the contractions started and Brayden arrived at 5:15 in the morning, after never having a contraction closer than 2 minutes apart. We pushed one time, and he came with ease. Monty and I savored every moment of his arrival, and words can't express the beauty of the Lord in the room that night.

Here are a few pics from the last few weeks. Please, please remember.....there is a Mighty, Mighty Maker who designed you with intention and certainty! He is the Defender and Victor, and no matter what the enemy intends or pretends, we have a beautiful choice to walk hand in hand.....trusting all the way. Trusting through the pain, the heartache, the exhaustion and the rejoicing. You were MADE to worship and, I am of the opinion, will find little satisfaction until you know that. Bless you....may He stir your heart to JUMP and never look back!

2010-04-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

Blog Slacker!!

2009-12-11T05:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I am totally a blog slacker!! I never thought I would have to admit that, but now I think it has gotten so bad, I must join a 12 step program;) There have been TONS of changes in the Durham house, and I feel like we are just now getting our feet back under us. Now, let's see, where to begin? Well, I guess I can just do a super quick recap, then show some cute pics of the kids.......yeah, that sounds pretty good:) First, I am getting fatter by the second and really feeling well for this fourth pregnancy:) Still having the circulation issues, but probably to be expected when I am on this number! HA! That being said, we MOVED and it was.....well, slow....slower than I ever wanted, but "lesson teaching" slow for sure. I am learning to gain some much needed patience, and drop some yucky perfectionism.....it's a good thing, just not fun. In the midst of the move, the Lord and my Nanny had a beautiful encounter, and she went to live with Him:) The house certainly became a side note, and the new revelation of Godly character and principles was laid afresh in my heart.

So, here we are. All settled in, meeting neighbors, hanging pictures, planning get-togethers and adjusting to STAIRS! Now, I won't harp on this point, but it must be said.....the reality of the level of "out of shapeness" I was in, slapped me in the face when I met those stairs! :) They are Holy sandpaper for me, and I love them.....I do.....I tell myself that everyday, as I climb them exactly 437 times before lunch:)

Kids are healthy, happy and huge! Mayce is as beautiful as ever, and the biggest helper I have ever met. Her compassion level just blows me away. Her favorite phrase is "mom, let me do that. You have a baby in your tummy. Just sit." Now, whose not gonna love that:) Bryce is still my mighty man with passion running out his ears. He loves all, and has the sweetest, most sensitive heart. To say he is a protector would be an understatement! Then, there's little Blake. He is growing like crazy, and not interested in walking in the least bit, although we politely informed him he is a year old now and could start anytime:) He is so love able, and SO inquisitive. I love to watch his eyes when he gets picked up, because they scan the room faster than lightening, taking full advantage of this new aerial view he just received to decide where he will conquer next:) All in all, we are well......and blessed. I see all the works of the Lord over the past ten years of our marriage journey, and if I think of it longer than 2 seconds, I will weep. He is good, folks, really really good. His mercies are new, His Name is strong, His power is mighty and His love is relentless.

Here are a few pics of what's been going on and I promise more house pics soon. Thanks for indulging the extremely long "catch-up" blog, but in a few years, I would have forgotten some of these beautiful times......so you had to put up with the wordy mama today:) Bless you!

Pulled all the Christmas decor out for the new house:) YAYY!

Blake after his first haircut:) He did so good!

He also figured out how to put his lunch in that new hair cut:)

Bryce practicing some "new tricks," as he calls it, on his bike. Notice we do all said "tricks" while bike is completely still! HA!

Our first snow (well, kindof) in the new house:)

One Crazy Weekend!

2009-11-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

What a crazy weekend we had!! My mom came down on Thursday night to help me get a jump start on my packing, so Friday we hit the ground running. I had noticed that Mayce had been acting a little different on Thursday, but just thought she was a little tired. On Friday, she seemed a little grumpy and did not eat really well. Now, for the past week and a half, the nasty stomach bug had filtered through both of my boys, but it was fairly mild and went quickly. It had been a week since anyone was sick, so I thought we were in the clear:) Well, we went to bed a little late Friday night, and Mayce wanted her Nana to sleep with her. We had all been asleep about 2 hours when I noticed the hall light and bathroom light come on suddenly. I jumped out of bed to find my mom cleaning off sheets, pillows and clothes because Mayce had gotten sick in the bed. She was laying on the couch, and in the short time it took me to get to her from asking what was going on, she had gotten sick again! My heart broke in a million pieces for her, because she was just miserable. She continued to throw up for the next 3 hours about every 15 to 20 minutes. After the first 5 times, I began to call our pediatrician and the ER. When her doctor called back at 3:30 am, she ordered her a RX for nausea. She took one and fell asleep, with me sleeping on the floor next to her bed. She literally turned over every 5 minutes, and it was very obvious she was hurting. By 6 am the next day, she woke up with a 102 fever and pain. She was very miserable and very sick. I still thought she had a really bad stomach bug, so we began to try the popsicle/juice route for the next few hours. However, I could not get her to try much and her fever was increasing. About 6 pm that night, Monty and I decided to take her to Cooks Urgent Care, and I am more grateful to our Heavenly Father for that wisdom than you will ever know! After an IV, blood samples, Strep test, H*N* test, x-rays, and u-sample, we were very surprised to find out she had a UTI with the main infection being in the upper part causing pain. Needless to say, we were relieved it was not her appendix or any other flu, but we knew this was very painful:( The doctor felt that she might have had a virus too, so all the way around, she was pretty sick. Our experience there, despite all the tests, could not have been more peaceful, and we were blessed by two beautiful nurses who passionately loved the Lord and detected His Spirit in Mayce's little heart. Isn't it amazing how His Spirit just draws "all men to Himself?!" One nurse asked Mayce what her favorite book to read was and she answered "Luke.....from the bible." She just smiled and said "mine are Acts and Romans!" They, then, began to talk about their favorite scriptures:) What a sweet and comforting moment He provided. We ended up coming home around 11:30 pm, after receiving some fluids, antibiotics and nausea meds. I would love to report that she was 100% the next day, but sadly, this will be a few days of recovery. She still has not eaten well, but I am sure in the next few days, we will be up and running:) In fact, her Nana took matters in her own hands this morning and offered her a dollar to eat some toast.....and let's just say, Mayce is a little richer today! HA! Thanks for all the prayers from our dear friends, and thank you, Nana, for serving us and being such a blessing through this entire process!! Please be encouraged today in knowing our God IS a "strong tower for the righteous to run too" and an "ever-present help in our time of need!":)

This was soon after she recieved her IV, which she was such a trooper for:)

(sorry pic is so blurry, all I had was my phone camera)

Durham Family....come out, come out, wherever you are!!

2009-10-27T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a while since we've been in the blog world, so I thought I would post of few pics of what we have been up to:) Sadly, for a months worth of time, it's not a whole lot, but I forget to take pictures often.....pregnancy brain!! HA! By the way, we are also excited to announce that sweet Durham #4 will be a BOY!! Bring on the quarter backs! We will also be moving in the next 30 days and we are absolutely THRILLED about that:) The kids are so ready for more room and I will try to take some pictures of that little adventure;) Be blessed in His presence today, as you seek to fulfill His beautiful plan for your life.....the joy of that journey will overwhelm you!

Trying to hit the park when it's nice out. This particular day, the kids totally cracked me up! Mayce and Bryce really wanted to play with these bigger kids and were kindof being snubbed until the big kids made a big mistake....stopped to have a play plan meeting! HA! Mayce jumped right in the middle and asked them why they were not letting the younger kids play and suggested an idea of how everyone could play together. In about 5 seconds this group began to take the lead from a 5 year old and the rest is history! Too funny....her daddy was proud:)

Blake enjoying his park experience:) Love the sun grins!

We've also enjoyed digging for worms and trying to sneak them in and show mama.....nasty:)

I have mentioned before how much Blake enjoys being outside, and not much has changed:) We also like to sample the diverse pallet of "food" that the ground has to offer! HA!

Lastly, we have been teaching our 11 month old to read......what? doesn't everyone do this??? JUST KIDDING! I just found him sitting in this chair one day and it was too cute to pass up throwing a book in front of him:) This lasted a grand total of 5 seconds!!

In Your Midst!

2009-09-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

"Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His Name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; This is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!"

(Isaiah 12:4-6)

May you be blessed to know that your Heavenly Father is in YOUR midst today, fighting on your behalf, cradling your heart, and whispering love songs in your ear!

Here's a little bit of my "squishy" to bless you even more:) (Eight teeth and all!) May you be blessed beyond measure knowing you are loved and you are wanted!!

Birthday Bashes!!

2009-09-21T14:08:00.000-07:00

So, I turned the big 3-0 this weekend and I could hardly believe it! It seems like since I have been having sweet babies, the years are just slipping by:) I wanted to share some of the incredibly sweet things that my husband did, as well as, some of my very precious friends! First of all, Monty arranged for our little ones to go to Nana and Pops house for 4 days, then he took off Friday so we could just have fun:) We ate out, looked for houses , ate out some more, slept in, then ate out some more:) On Friday night, he asked me to get ready because we had surprise dinner reservations at 6 pm. Well, when I walked out to get in my car, my two precious friends Krista and Becky were waiting there to whisk me away for a girls night out...too fun! We ate at a fabulous Italian restaurant then went to a movie. Thanks girls!! Then on Saturday, we woke up early to look at as many houses as we could, and Monty surprised me before we left with a beautiful book he had made. It was filled with letters from the amazing women in my life, and was intended to overwhelm me with encouragement and love......it WORKED!! I have never read sweeter words and I was absolutely blown away with this act of thoughtfulness! Thank you, baby, for loving me so much that you think of ideas like this. Thank you, Becky and Krista, for being his hands and compiling such a memorable gift! Later that night, Monty had one more surprise up his sleeve as we arrived at a restaurant to meet "1 couple!" (haha) As I walked in, I was honored to find all of our closest friends and my sweet in laws there to celebrate:) After we left there, we went to Krista's for some fabulous homemade cheesecake with any topping creation you could imagine! Needless to say, this was an incredible birthday and I am so very very grateful!! Thank you, Monty, for being YOU and for putting so much effort into your relationship with Jesus, that your heart is truly a gift to anyone you know:) I am honored to be married to you!

(I am sorry I don't have any more pictures than this, but I never had my camera with me on my "surprise" trips:)

Monty brought me this gorgeous arrangement of 30 roses on my actual birthday! I LOVE flowers!

I Smell As Good As.....

2009-09-09T06:16:00.001-07:00

Something you need to know about Bryce is he has a super sensitive, go-go gadget, sense of smell! He LOVES when things smell good, and lets it be known when something, or someone, does not smell to his satisfaction. For instance, if I was a little slow to taking my shower one day, he will scoot up beside me, snuggle up, and in his sweetest voice say "mama, you don't smell very good." Yes, it always creates such a beautiful moment between us:) haha!

Well, the other night, my "acute sense of smell" boy got out of the bath and was proceeding to put his clothes on when I heard this declaration from the bathroom..."MAMA, I smell so good.....I smell as good as God!" Lofty, I know, but absolutely precious! And, knowing of Bryce's many phenomenal moments with His Heavenly Father, I have no doubt that when He would "taste and see" of the Lord....He would probably smell Him too:)

Dinner Time

2009-08-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here's what the Lord showed me today. Hope it encourages you as much as it did me. Basically, this is a VERY quiet time of life for me with three little ones and one on the way. I mean, let's face it, not many people want to do a play date or lunch date with such a big crew and I can completely understand that:) We are a little limited as to how we can be involved and that's just how it is. So, for now, it seems a little quiet and lonely at times. I was asking Him this morning for some encouragement during this season and this is what He said. Why am I not surprised that it was focused inward instead of outward! HA! Simple in concept....but that's the way my mind works, so that's the way He speaks to me:)

I am realizing that if I am not "eating the book" that I am self condemning, lost and insecure. If I am not digesting His every word, then I immediately focus inward, see ALL the shortcomings and miss the "moments." But, when I "taste and see" my senses are overloaded and I wonder how I ever survived without it. If just stuck with self, I would be a miserable being, but to know there is more, more that I can do that has nothing to do with my gain or recognition, well then, there's peace like I've never known. He shows me, little by little, that I don't need to know every facet of my life calling at this very moment. I just need to wake up and ask Him to make me a blessing to someone, somewhere, and He will lay out the rest when He's ready. He asks me to scoot my chair up, put my napkin in my lap and eat like I have never eaten before.....eat the feast that only He knows how to prepare!

Two "Fun Filled" Weeks!!

2009-08-04T07:48:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a LOOOOONNNGG two weeks at the Durham house!! It started off simply divine, with my wonderful, handsome, magnificent husband surprising me for our 9th anniversary and whisking me away to the Gaylord Texan for two nights!! It was an amazing surprise filled with 3 days of re-focusing on our family vision, eating wonderful food, catching a movie and shopping! Thank you, honey...I LOVE YOU! My sweet in-laws were so gracious to drive all the way to our home and stay with our kids:) It was so nice to not have to pack everyone up and send them somewhere:) Thank you so much Grammie and Gramps!

Well, our beautiful weekend was quickly interrupted when we came home on Sunday to all 3 kids feeling a little under the weather. We just thought they had colds until that night when we realized Mayce and Bryce had contracted some NASTY virus that shot their fever to 102! On Monday, I took all 3 to the doctor, and as I pulled up, the Lord decided to open up the sky and pour down sheets of rain! Now, I love rain as much as the next girl, but there was no parking space close, and all of my kids were not happy campers. We were completely drenched by the time we reached the door, and Mayce had started to cry because she began to feel sick to her stomach. By this time, I was praying for some serious GRACE!! We got into the doctor, and found out that Mayce and Bryce had canker sores covering their throat....ouch! I could not get them to eat or drink much for the next three days, and sleeping was in short supply. I felt so sorry for my babies! They were miserable! Well, by that Friday they were much better, so we decided to head out of town for my family reunion. We drove 5 hours Friday night and arrived at 11:30 pm. Everyone seemed to be doing well, but on Saturday I began to notice a little difference in my sweet Blake. And to make a long story short, by Monday, he had full blown sores all down his throat, which equalled NO FUN! He was miserable and could not sleep or eat well for 3 days. So, we are now all officially better and SO grateful this is all out of the Durham house!! Thank you, Father, for your grace and strength!

I have posted some pictures from our tremendous "get away," and informed my husband that I could handle one of these little excursions about once a month! HA!

It was so nice to just sit and read the paper....not something we get to do to often these days:)

Good Friends, Good Times, GOOD GRIEF!!

2009-07-21T08:09:00.000-07:00

We've been pretty busy around here, so I thought I would do a "one post" catch up:) God is faithful, friends....do you know that? He continues to blow our expectations out of the water and exceed any ideas we could ever have! I LOVE that His glory will be made known, and I pray your are seeing little glimpses of that today!! Blessings!

GOOD FRIENDS:

Jennifer, Jessilyn and Reese Johnson stopped by for a little visit! They are from Midland and it is always SOOO good to see them!

Bryce and Reese

Jessilyn and Mayce

GOOD TIMES:

My sweet hubby brought me these one night after one of those "long" days:) They were accompanied by a movie, cherry coke (my favorite) and chocolate! Now, that's a good man right there!!

Yes, it's true, my chunky monkey is 8 MONTHS OLD, and eatin' Ritz like nobodies business:)

Mayce and Blake had some bonding time the other day while Bryce was sleeping, so she decided he needed to be a super hero with her and get in her cape:) This just about sent him over the happy edge!!

NANA AND POPS....WE LOVE YOU! Our Nana and Pops surprised us last week for a little day visit, and the kids were elated! We had sooo much fun, and have NO DOUBT, we did go to

Chuck E Cheese!

GOOD GRIEF!!!

There are no words, folks....no words.

Lastly, and certainly LEAST, would be this little treasure that my parents so graciously brought for my children, shipped directly from Sodom and Gomorrah, I am sure! It is by far the most annoying duck whistle thing I have ever encountered:) We now must be wearing our bills as we ride our bikes and let everyone know within a 10 mile radius we are coming....thank you mom and dad:)

San Antonio Pics:)

2009-07-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the pictures from the last day in San Antonio:) May all of the Sea World pictures rest in peace! HA! These are from the fantastic Children's Museum in downtown San Antonio and some from the hotel and pool:)

The day we left

Our room

They were worn out by the last day:)

Milking the cow at the museum:)

There was a full size plane inside the museum...they loved it!

Human bubble maker

Riding the loader at the museum

Bubble room

Old bank (working computer that Mayce LOVED)

Old country store

Trolley at museum

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a wonderful trip to San Antonio late last night:) We had so much fun with the kids! Monty and I laughed on the way back to the hotel after the second day at Sea World, because we had NEVER seen our kids that worn out before. They were so utterly exhausted that they were just crying and laughing for no reason. It was over 100 degrees both days, and we got there at 10 am and didn't leave until 4:30 pm!! I will be posting pictures soon, but unfortunantly all the great shots we got from Sea World were accidently erased by little miss Mayce. She was taking some shots with the camera and just pushed the wrong button and there they went:( She felt so bad, so we tried to take a ton of pictures on the last day we were there:) Anyway, glad to be back....super exhausted and sunburned, kissing Blake more than he probably enjoys, and all Durham's are LOVING being back in our own beds!:)

Please Pray

2009-06-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

I am asking for prayer for my sweet friend Jan and her precious family. We have known the Greenwood Family for quite some time and would love for anyone who reads this to commit to praying for her as she walks with the Lord through this significant health journey. She will be updating her status and expressing any needs her and her family might have on her blog which is jangreenwood.blogspot.com. Bless you and thank you!

Now, I Know:)

2009-06-17T07:35:00.000-07:00

So, I knew my little chunky monkey LOVED going outside, but, yesterday, he graciously educated me on exactly how much he would like to experience our backyard adventures! Mayce and Bryce were outside swimming, and I was inside feeding Blake with the screen open to hear the kids. As soon as he was finished eating, he began to fuss a little and occasionally look at the door. Now, I know he is only 6 months old, but I will no longer assume the boy doesn't know exactly what he wants:) After changing his diaper, I decided to take him outside for a few minutes before his nap.....that's when he decided to educate me. As we were walking towards the door, the whining began to cease and then I realized I needed to grab my phone. So, I turn away from the door and Blake began to sob so hard, so quickly, that you would have thought someone just gave him a shot. Tears and snot immediately began to flow and he could hardly breathe. At first, I thought he was hurt, but as soon as I grabbed my phone and stepped outside, the crying stopped immediately and he gave me the following little grin as soon as his little hiney hit the swing! Wow, Blake, momma will NEVER forget that little lesson....thank you, little mister:)

Here was one we took later on in the day.....outside, OF COURSE:):)

Stir It Up and Lay It Down!!

2009-06-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard this older worship song?

Rise Up

"There's a stirring deep within me. Could it be my time has come? When I'll see my gracious Savior. Face to face when all is done. Is that His voice I am hearing?

'Come away, my precious one.' Is He calling me? Is He calling me?

I will rise up! Rise up! And bow down, and lay my crowns, at His wounded feet."

Ok, so you might not have ever heard it, but have you ever felt it? Do you ever wake up and feel that stirring in your gut, and you're not sure why? All you know is that your heart wants to burst inside of you, and if you just open your mouth and speak His Name, He might very well overwhelm you! All you know is that if you bow down and lay YOUR crowns at His feet, He is going to download some seriously incredible agenda right into you!

Do you realize the role that is at your fingertips to play in His plan? Do you know that the aspects of your personality, the ones that touch the heart of others, were put there by your Maker for a purpose?

If there is one thing that really "stirs" my heart, it is that "one"....the individual....the lady who is sadly walking through the store with loneliness and insecurity written all over her. See, it's not always about the 300 that could be spoken to at once, at least it's not for me. It's about the hurting heart that He can restore one conversation at a time.

The stirring in my heart today is to encourage you to focus on the ministry right smack-dab in front of your face. The one that probably no one, besides your King, will ever know you did, but it's the one that stirs your heart to bursting....the one you KNOW you are called to for such a time as this.

Lay your crown down, sister, and take HIS!

"You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God." (Isaiah 62:3)

A little chunk of LOVE....

2009-06-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

....sliced right out of the love cake!

Happy Birthday, Bubba!

2009-05-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sweet 'Tater-

I can't believe you are already 4!! What a wonderful man you are turning out to be....a carbon copy of your daddy. Everyday you amaze us with the love that literally gushes out of you. For as long as I can remember, you have been our little bear cub. You love to wrap your little arms around me and daddy and just cuddle on our chest for as long as possible. I love watching the process of the Lord growing you into a little gentleman. He is so faithful, Bryce, and He already uses you more than you will ever know. There is nothing sweeter than hearing you whisper promises of protecting me in my ear when daddy is not here, and feeling your tiny arm hanging around our neck as we lay with you at night. Your concept of being filled with the love of Jesus, and generously giving it away, just blows our minds! You are more than we could have ever imagined, and you epitomize the fact that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. I can't begin to imagine how He will use you as you grow older in Him, and for the simple fact that He trusted me and daddy to shepherd you, overwhelms us. You are an athlete to the core, and have the heart of a gentle warrior....just like your daddy. We are so proud of you, buddy....what a gift you are to this world.

New York....NEW YORK!!!

2009-05-13T19:40:00.001-07:00

Soooooo......I WENT TO NEW YORK!!! It was just me and my baby and it was a blast! We were blessed with this trip from the wonderful company, Paycom, that Monty works for and it was fantastic. They packed in just about as much as they possibly could and we were literally exhausted after our 5 day adventure. Here are a ridiculous amount of pictures for one blog.....but be glad, this is only a THIRD of them:):)

Bless you as you seek His face in all you do....He is faithful, He is precious, He IS.

The dinner cruise/awards ceremony
Dinner cruise

Monty receiving his award
Really bad Statue of Liberty pic....sorry, moving ship! HA

We got to see Mamma Mia.....so good!

Yankee's game at the new stadium

Our new friends Tammy and Greg

Taking the subway during our ELEVEN MILE big apple tour walk....this mama was tired!
Ground Zero and the space where the towers once stood
Brooklyn Bridge
The first theatre in New York
Tour stop in SOHO
Oldest Jazz club in New York
Central Park

Central Park
Grand Central Station
Our fabulous room in the New York Palace

View from our room

First night out
Takin' it all in:)

What Have We Been Up To?

2009-04-23T14:10:00.000-07:00

A little bit of tackling...

A little bit of Bryce's salvation celebrating...

A little bit of putt-putting....

A little bit of messy playing....

And a whole 'lotta loving!

Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!

2009-04-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

Princess-

You are literally a breath of fresh air to everyone you meet! Your daddy and I will never be able to put into words how much you mean to us and how much you melt our hearts. Every night, we sneak into your room and just stare at your beauty and whisper prayers of gratefulness that God entrusted you to us. I have never met another person, much less a child, who cares for others the way you do. I'll never forget the time you chose to not have cheese on your burger just because you knew your Grammie didn't like cheese and you didn't want her to feel left out:) Now, that's precious:) Your heart belongs to your Jesus, and it is evident in all you do, even at such a young age. I look forward to watching Him raise you with grace, integrity and compassion and I cannot fathom the lives that you will touch for His Name. So, Happy Birthday, Babydoll!

In true Mayce fashion, you have given more to others than we could ever give you.

Your life, in itself, is a gift to this world.

We love you, baby!

Walk The Line

2009-04-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

So, this morning my kids come running in from outside, screaming for me to come and see their "line." Now, you must know that with Mayce and Bryce together...outside...alone.....just about anything is possible. I would not be surprised if they constructed a rocket out of dirt that would actually fly! So, when I heard they had made a "line," I figured it was probably worth viewing:) And....bottom line, this was the most creative "line" I have ever seen;)

The beginning was balls, a microphone, shoes and a broom

Next, we have all of the tools from his tool box along with their two chairs and a truck
We then have bats, the tool box, a tee-ball, a basketball goal, little shovels and rakes, golf balls, and mini airplanes

Moving on, we have a grocery cart, tiny buckets, the car, a coffee maker, a play kitchen (on its side, of course) and a tri-fold chair

Lastly, the sprinkler, two swings, a tent tunnel and a slide

The cowboy and his little lady posing proudly at the end of their "line":)

Revere His Glory

2009-04-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

"He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.

From the west, men will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along.

'The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,' declares the LORD.

'As for me, this is my covenant with them,' says the LORD. 'My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,' says the LORD."

(Isaiah 59:16-21)

You overwhelm all of my senses, melt my heart and blow my mind.

Thank you, my Lord....it is my honor to serve you.

Who has Grace?!?

2009-04-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Bryce got in trouble for something, and after discipline and discussion, I told him I loved him and reminded him, as we always do, that grace was here for him.

I guess he had never really payed much attention to our little grace reminder until now,

because he quickly perked up and asked "Oh, where is she?!?"

(referring to his little friend from church named Grace).

I said "No, honey, Jesus has grace for us."

Then he got the funniest look on his face and proclaimed

"Well, why does HE have her!?"

I laughed so hard, and realized that having friends named after beautiful principles of the bible sometimes backfires on you! HA!!

Back Up, Mama:)

2009-03-19T14:18:00.000-07:00

So we are having rest time, and I can hear Bryce just chatting away in his room. I can't exactly make out what he is saying, but he typically goes to sleep pretty fast, so I decide to go and tell him to stop talkin' and start sleepin':) I peek in and see him sitting up on his bed looking towards his closet area. I say "hey buddy, let's go ahead and lay down and get some sleep, okay?" Then, he gently responds, "mom, I'm talking to God. Can I sleep when we are finished?" I quickly excused myself and apologized to the Lord for my rude interruption! HA!

Talk away, little warrior, talk away.
There is much to be discussed and much to be heard about the mighty call on your life!

Seriously?!!....

2009-03-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

.....who came up with push-up pops!! It's been a while since we've had them and once these little puppies hit my kids hands, they totally reverted to eating like a 6 month old:) As soon as I realized that we were going to add these frozen friends to our attire, my OCD nerve was hit, and we finished those bad boys over the sink:)

DAY 1:

DAY 2: (smarter mama!)

Just had to throw in a little bit of my dumplin' for your viewing pleasure;) Playing patty cake with sissy just about sends him over the happy edge! We belly laugh, get the hiccups and spit up everywhere....it's good times.

Let's not pretend....

2009-03-01T12:50:00.000-08:00

....that life is always easy, or remotely close to it. Lately, when I go to pray for those close to me, my heart is swollen with pain, and there are truly only "groans and moans" from the Spirit being expressed. Words don't seem to touch it...my words, that is. "And then....God." His Spirit swarms in, as if He were a bee and the situation were honey. He moves on our behalf in a way that is indescribable, and He executes a plan that is incomparable...and we are forever changed. Day by day, minute by minute, second by second, He offers these life changing scenarios if we will just ask. The beauty of His design is that we play such a massive role....you might say, we connect the Beekeeper, via the Queen bee, with the hive.

Dutch Sheets explains it this way: "We, through prayers of intercession, meet the powers of darkness, enforcing the victory Christ accomplished when He met them in His work of intercession."

Christ created, captured and confirmed all the power we ever need and He simply asks us to believe and open our mouth. Believe and open our mouth....He then calls the meeting into order and takes care of business!

What's my heart for today?.....that your prayers may be a little different than they were yesterday. That there will be a stirring deep within you to go beyond the circumstance and seek the Source. For truly "we are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5: 20-21)

Catching Up!

2009-02-16T15:28:00.000-08:00

Here's what's been going on at the Durham Casa over the last few weeks:)

OH HAPPY DAY:

Here are just a few pictures of our mornings!! It's a little bit of madness and a whole lotta' happy combined into one! HA!

SURPRISE VISIT:
My Uncle Ronnie, Aunt Frances, and cousins Katelyn and Carson, from Odessa, made a surprise visit for the day :) It had been awhile since we saw them, so the kids really enjoyed each other!

SUPER BOWL SWEETS:
The kids will use ANY occasion to make a cupcake, and the Super Bowl was certainly no exception:)

KRESS TRIP:
We also took a wonderful trip to Kress and had ourselves a little V-Day party:) Thanks Meme!

Mayce and her twin (Aunt Jamie)

The King and Queen in their Royal Bath:) Thanks Nanny!

Ok, your eyes are not deceiving you.....Cousin Drew is 7 1/2 months and Blake is 2 1/2 months. Put him on the line, coach!!

CRASH COURSE IN CREATION:

Last week we had "Creation Week" at home and learned a new day of God's great creation each day of the week. We got to color a creation picture, read our story and do a craft:) We decorated some creation cookies, but they didn't stick around long enough to get a picture:)

Heart To Heart

2009-01-22T14:52:00.001-08:00

At bedtime, the other night, Mayce and I were laying in her bed visiting. Mayce and I have many deep conversations throughout the day, because she is definitely a deep thinker. She rarely takes information at face value, but tries to dissect it and figure out every detail. We have recently had many discussions about how we hear God, and I have walked away from most of them thinking, "Ok Lord, please make that one clear, because I know I have thoroughly confused her!" HA! Well, this particular night, we were contemplating hearing God in our heart, but not always hearing a "voice." I was explaining that we often hear him in our heart and we, then, know what we should or should not do. After a very long moment of silence, she sat up and proceeded to fling her body on my face, with her chest smashing my nose. Completely muffled, I said, "Honey, what exactly are you doing?" She, then, replied with a very disappointed tone

"Mama, I just can't hear Him, so could you please listen to my heart and tell me what He says!"

Priceless!

I think we've just moved into a whole new topic of discussion.....intercessory prayer:)

Springuary Weekend!

2009-01-12T08:26:00.000-08:00

It could not be more beautiful here! Yesterday and today have been in the 70's and gorgeous! It feels like Spring in January, so it seems like I have not seen Mayce and Bryce for like 24 hours:) They head outside first thing in the morning, and I have to drag them in the afternoon. Yesterday, I told them it was time to eat, I faced some opposition with that statement, and ended up giving them their plates in their tent....outside, of course!

Monty and I have also quickly discovered that our youngest little husky is most willing to give all his smiles and cooing to his bubba and sissy. He is just now 7 weeks, so I am pretty impressed that they can bring out his little personality better than anyone:) Here's a little shot of him talking to his sissy, aka, his princess:) All she has to say is "Blake, what are you doing!" and he lights up!

Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to our dear Longhorns. We love us some Colt McCoy around here, and just had to get Blake involved as soon as possible:) I think he wears the horns well:)

First Time For Everything:)

2009-01-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

So, I was having some precious bonding time with my "not so little" little man yesterday, when I experienced a mothering first. I was just jabbering away with my most annoying baby talk, when I decide that I had to just lay a big kiss on him. I lean down, pucker up, and instead of feeling sweet little lips, I get a huge dose of spit up in my mouth!!! Of course, my other two precious, VERY observant, angels were there to witness the entire event, so the questions flowed like water for the remainder of the day. "What did it taste like, mama?" "Why did you make him do that?" "Did you swallow it?" Oh, the endless adventures of motherhood! Nothing else could bring so much joy and, yet, make you want to puke all at the same time! HA!

One Grateful Mama!

2008-12-16T08:37:00.000-08:00

"When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel."

(Is. 29:23)

(Thank you, Krista, for being able to capture the heart of my children in a picture. You are so gifted!)

What's Been Goin' On!

2008-12-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well, here are a few pictures from our week:) Blake is quite the healthy boy, weighing well over his birth weight already! He has already nestled his little self right into our hearts, and we can't get enough of him! Bryce just goes around all day saying "mom, he's so cute!" and Mayce just wants to kiss him, hold him and put him in her little stroller:) I love it. We also had two special guests this week that we were thrilled to see! Thank you, Melissa and Isaac Terry, for hanging out with us and bringing your beautiful joy into our home! I love you, dearly, and can't tell you how much your visit meant to me:) So, here are some random pictures from our current "never a dull moment" life:) What beautiful gifts our Father lavishes upon us!!

Okay, so Blake wasn't too thrilled about this pose, but the kids sure looked cute;)

She would prefer to do this all day long...and yes, this big man is ONLY 2 weeks old!

I nibble those cheeks OFTEN!

Playing with precious Isaac
I would like to eat him up!!
Just had to throw this one in here. This was a "daddy/bryce time" creation! I was impressed.

Family of Five!!

2008-11-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hi friends! Here are a few more pictures from our exciting weekend of meeting little Blake:) Wanted to share a quick story from the weekend that involves...you guessed it...Bryce and his beautiful way of thinking:)

He and Monty went to run an errand while we were in the hospital, and Monty asked Bryce, "what should I call Blake, since you are my little champion?"

Bryce quickly responded with "well, little man of God!"

Then Monty asked "what does that make you then, Buddy?"

Bryce then said "Big man of God, dad!"

So, here I am....living with THREE wonderful "Men of God" that come in all sizes;) Be Blessed!

Waiting for Blake to arrive!

3:42 pm

The kids were super concerned for their "baby"

Pops and Nana

Grammy and Gramps

Uncle Shane

Big sister Mayce

Big Brother Bryce

Going home!!!

Meet ~ Blake Michael Durham

2008-11-23T06:41:00.000-08:00

Here are a few quick pictures from Dad. Many more are coming from Mommy later today!

Born: November 21, 2008 - 3:40pm
Weighing in at 8.1 lbs and 20.5 inches long

After 6+ plus hours of waiting they finally meet brother BLAKE.

The Gifts You Just Can't Buy

2008-11-18T14:10:00.000-08:00

We found out on Monday that our newest little gift will join us on Friday!! Monty and I are thrilled, but I am not sure we could ever top the excitement of the kids:) They are so adorable, and I could not be more blessed to know that they are welcoming their brother with such joy and anticipation. They decided the other day that they wanted to get Blake a present. I told them that was a very sweet idea, and the next thing I know, they called me into Mayce's room to show me what they had come up with:) Yes, they decided to shove themselves in a box and give themselves as a gift! I told them that was the best gift they could give him, then, sadly, I had to explain that they couldn't stay in that box until he arrived. I did promise, however, that someday I would tell him their sweet plan:) Please keep us in your prayers as we pray for His presence to be so evident in that hospital room on Friday. After all, it's only in His presence that we find the fullness of His joy (Acts 2:28), and we could not ask for anything more as we welcome Blake into our Father's world:)

Blake's Blessing

2008-11-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

Some of my precious girlfriends threw us a shower a few weeks ago in honor of little man Blake:) They decorated a little room at La Madeline and we had a very girly time! I did not get any pictures with my sweet mom and mother in law, but I am so grateful you both came and I love you very much!! We were blessed beyond description and I want to also say thank you to my sweet friend Heather for driving all the way from Borger, TX to celebrate with us:) Mayce was so excited for the "girl time" and loved every minute! She thought she was about 15 and had herself a big ol' bacon quiche:) I was proud! Anyway, thank you girls (Krista, Becky, Susan, Lea, Melissa and Stephanie) for being the hands of Christ and blessing us so much! We love you!

Mayce and Addison (Heather's daughter). It has been over a year since they have seen each other, so needless to say, they were attached at the hip:)

Yes, Stephanie, I was able to read every gift you wrote:) HA! You are so sweet!
The awesome canvases that my dear friend Laura DeSpain painted for the kids:) She is unbelievably talented!

Fall Festival

2008-10-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

We absolutely love to go to our Fall Festival at church, and we get entirely too much candy, cotton candy and popcorn:) Our sweet Grammy and Gramps have gotten to go with us for the past 3 years, and this year by far, was the best weather!! As the kids are getting older, we are noticing they desire to try the bigger, more daring, rides. This year was no exception, and we did have to try the ZIP CORD ride!! I fought off wanting to puke by watching my little babies literally fly through the air, but they had an absolute blast, so I kept my mouth shut:) HA! Also, I know you might be wondering how I could go from bed rest one week to walking around a stadium the next, but I assure you I had Dr.'s permission:) The only stipulation was that I had to have my sweet husband carry a lawn chair around and I had to sit while we waited in every line:) It was pretty hilarious having to sit at every stop, but I got to be there, so it was so worth it!!
Please continue to pray for the release of our Father's plan for our country:) Be blessed!

Chillin' in my chair, waiting to go in to stadium

The ZIP CORD!

This is right after they let her go and she smacked the opposite bouncy wall because she was so light:) It was so cute and hilarious:) She thought it was pretty funny.

Cotton candy face

Every year Grammy and Gramps ride the train with them right before we leave. This was Mayce's "I'm kindof done taking pictures" face, and of course, Bryce and Gramps had to give their little shout out to the Longhorns:)

35 Weeks:)

2008-10-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have some precious girlfriends whom I haven't seen in a while, so I post this for Jenn, Heather and Melissa:) This will be my one and ONLY prego pic, I can assure you! We are so excited to meet little Blake, but are so grateful to our Father for His perfect timing:) Love you, girls, and I can't wait to see yall again!

Man Time

2008-10-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

So, Blake tried to pull a fast one on us Sunday afternoon, and thought he needed to come a little early!! Needless to say, we landed ourselves in the hospital for the night, and my parents drove in to stay with the kiddos until we figured out a plan:) Such a blessing....thank you so much Nana and Pops! When we came home on Monday, Nana took Mayce to the store, and since I am on bed rest for a few days, Bryce decided to stay with his Pops.
He was so excited and came running to my bedroom screaming
"We're gonna have some MAN time!"
Me: "Oh reeaaally, what are you gonna do?"
Bryce: "We're gonna watch man bideos!"
Me: "and what 'bidoes' would those be?"
Bryce: "uhhh...mom, YOU KNOW....COMMERCIALS!!"
I'm not sure if Bryce has ever actually seen a commercial, but it was definitely yet another classic Bryce wording moment;)

Jamie, Dillon and Drew:)

2008-10-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

My sweet sister in law and precious nephews came into town this weekend and it was such a blessing to see them:) Little Drew is already 4 months old and so full of sweet boyness!! He is yummy:) Thank you Grammy, Gramps and Jamie for such a great weekend! We love you!!! Precious Drew

Bonding time:)

I'm thankful for...

2008-10-17T08:28:00.000-07:00

...friends that are really creative! We had a "thankful" craft day with our friends Taylor and Krista, and it was a blast! My portion of the creativity was to provide lunch, and let me tell you, I picked up a pizza with some flare and zeal! HA! Krista had come up with a great idea of making thankful turkeys that listed the things we are thankful for on the feathers, then we made some delicious turkey cupcakes:) The kids got to decorate their turkeys themselves, and they ended up being huge blobs of sugar! We are very grateful for the Kings and would get crafty with them any day!!!

All good mothers let their kids eat cake batter, right?

Turkey decorating!

Thankful Turkey

Canton Trip

2008-10-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I experienced my very first Canton trip a few days ago and LOVED it! A few of the ladies from our lifegroup took a day trip together and experienced all the junk food we could handle:) Now, I probably would have taken advantage of the entire scene a little more had I not been 8 MONTHS PREGNANT, but instead I just ate alot, drank alot of water and sat whenever I could! HA! I need to also confess that my dear friend Krista (also prego) and I did waddle ourselves over to the cart rental and try to rent one for the day....and had they not been sold out, you better believe we would have been hauling ourselves around in that "Rascal!" Overall, it was such a blessing to be with these ladies and watch the shopping skills come out in full swing....I must say, I was impressed:) Thanks, friends, for letting this big ol' mama tag along:)

Kelly and Katy

April, Krista and I (right before I downed my first "nasty dog" as Krista calls it:)

Back: Katy and Jessica

Front: Kelly and April

Just had to throw this one in here:) We got to play with precious Eve the next day and the kids loved every minute of it! She is such a cutie:)

Just Had To Share

2008-09-23T13:27:00.000-07:00

This book is absolutely amazing!! I just had to post about it for those of you who have not read it. He has such a practical way of sharing the necessity and power of prayer, and he answers so many of the questions that tend to just linger in the air for many believers. This man has such a respect and devotion to His Father that it oozes out of his every word. The knowledge you will gain from this book will leave you changed forever. Enjoy!

This weekend...

2008-09-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

....we played and played and played and played with Nana and Pops, and we enjoyed EVERY messy minute of it! We painted with our bodies, played the Wii for the first time with Uncle Shane, ate some good home cookin' and, finally, pushed the wrong button on the token machine at Chuck E Cheese and spent Nana and Pops' money FAST! We had so much fun, as always, and love you guys TONS!

How to make "finger" paint become "body" paint in a split second!

WAYYYY too much Wii!Uncle Shane

You leave her alone for one minute with her grandkids and this is what happens!

Watch out Romo!

Hatch Time

2008-09-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

So we were eating at a restaurant last night when Bryce announces he needs to "use the restroom." Now, this phrase indicates a little more serious business that needs to be done, so I get to handle this task:) He has entered a glorious phase of not wanting me to actually be in the stall with him, but wants to see my hand over the top of the door. It is so cute the way he organizes the whole scene. I know the lady in the next stall must be enjoying our little conversation so far. Then, in order to continue to entertain the other stalls, he completes his "duty" loudly, and calls me back in. As I enter the stall, he announces loud and proud "Mom, I hatched it!" Stalls go in an uproar:) He had the cutest look on his face, and I almost hated to tell him what "hatch" really meant! The exploration of different words and different meanings is endless at this phase and I LOVE how they sometimes crash into one hilarious sentence! They bring some serious joy to their mama's heart:)

Okay, I'll admit it...

2008-08-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

...she gets all her moves from her daddy:) HA! Seriously, Mayce is doing some kind of little dance for the majority of the time she is awake, and I love it:) She is so full of joy that she just has to move! Often times, throughout the day, the Lord will remind me of the reckless abandonment at which my children love and serve Him. They don't care what they look like, they just want to let that joy come out:) What a fine balance we must find in continuing to grow mature in wisdom and staying childlike in faith. He reminded me that everyday when my children call out for "mama," a load falls off of them and onto me (as it should be). So, every moment I call out "Father," I can fall into His peace of being His child:) Enjoy the beauty of being a "child" today:)

"I will become even more undignified than this..." (2 Samuel 6:22)

He's a poet and didn't know it

2008-08-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

So I just had to blog about something sweet and hilarious that my husband did:) Being 6 months pregnant, I sometimes have great intentions to go and purchase items, but just don't always get around to doing it! This leads me to my latest "only Monty" moment:) As I have stated many times before, my kids love to swim, but I don't always enjoy sitting outside, in the smoldering heat, watching them. I have also greatly desired to soak up a little sun, thinking that this might conceal my ever growing cellulite:) So, I thought I would purchase a fold out chair so I could turn the sprinkler on me, lay out, get a tan and watch them all at the same time. Well, going to the store specifically to find a chair was just not happening...pathetic, I know. Then, a few weekends ago, Monty came in after a long Saturday morning of restoring a fence in 100 degree weather, and asked me to please check in the garage for something he needed. When I walked out the door, I saw a new tri-fold lawn chair with this letter of endearment:

I am so glad you are Mine

I think you are so Fine

But you think your skin is Fair

So I went and bought you a Chair

Now you can lay out in the Sun

And tan your white Buns

But at the end of the Day

I can still Say

I think you are so Fine

And you are all Mine!

What more can I say...I ADORE THIS MAN!

10 Year Reunion

2008-08-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we headed to Kress for the annual "Hi Neighbor Picnic" (adorable!) and Monty's 10 year reunion. We had such a good time! They really go all out for this all day picnic...they start with a wonderful parade with more candy than my kids could handle, then town lunch at the school, duck race that afternoon (yes, my kids LOVED it), homemade ice cream galore, then to top it off, a town dance at the tennis courts at night! That's right folks, a good ol' town dance:) They throw a little corn meal on the concrete, set up the DJ and let it fly! It was so refreshing just to go to Kress and get away:) We spent all of our time visiting with family, playing outside, eating GREAT meals and just relaxing. I had such a good time visiting with some of Monty's old friends, and letting all of our kids play together. I am not sure my kids have ever been as dirty as they were this weekend, but they loved every minute:) Thank you, Nanny and Pawpaw, for letting us stay with you! It was a much needed trip that blessed us more than you will ever know:)

Nanny
Riding Uncle Dane's four wheeler

Sitting in Nanny's front yard, watching the parade, with some new friends:)
Mayce's favorite dance partner:)
Uncle Dane, Aunt Jamie, Dillon and Bryce

Riding the lawn mower with Pawpaw

BRING ON THE BLUE!

2008-07-18T07:06:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to announce that we will be welcoming another sweet baby boy Durham into our household on December 4th! We are so excited and can't wait for Bryce to be a big brother....he will LOVE it:) Thanks for sharing in our excitement and please know that we covet your prayers. Blessings!

The Grape in my Guitar

2008-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

As my guitar teacher was tuning my guitar the other night a strange noise caught his attention. "Did you drop a pick in here?" He asked, smiling. "Uh, not exactly." I said, smiling back. "It's a grape." I said. "A grape!" He said, laughing. "Well, technically, it's more of a petrified raisin now, I guess. My kids dropped it in there too long ago for me to remember, and it has been in there ever since." He just continued to chuckle and tell me about some cute stories of his 5 kids. After I left, I had to laugh, again, about the condition of this good ol' guitar of mine. I was so hesitant to even take the class, knowing that I probably had one of the oldest, most used, guitars in the bunch. My sweet father-in-law had loaned me this guitar a long time ago, when I vowed someday I would learn how to play it....then it just sat in my closet. The kids eventually found it, and you guessed, dropped a grape in it for fun. They would clank around on that thing all the time, and to tell you the truth, I didn't really care. I made sure they didn't destroy it, but I was not that protective of it.
Then, low and behold, years later, I find myself sitting in a guitar class, finding a new love for this grape-filled friend of mine. I found that I began to be very protective of it once I discovered I could produce beautiful sounds with it, and needless to say, the kids were no longer allowed to clank around on it. In a matter of weeks, it became special and important...it became what it was created for.
So, I am driving home, thinking about this new found love for this old piece of wood, and it hits me like a ton of bricks. Since I have started lessons, I have dropped my pick in there at least three times, and was able to retrieve it quickly each time. But, do you know after all these years I have yet to get that silly grape out, much less even see it! It's still the same old guitar it was, I have just found a new love for it because I put the effort into finding its potential. The minute I thought about this I realized that this is like Christ...and I am like the grape-filled guitar. There was no possible way for me to ever know my potential unless He picked me up and played my song...the one He wrote just for me. And ,yes, I sometimes hear that petrified grape of my old self clanking around, but instead of making me sad and useless, it makes me grateful and motivated. I love this old guitar, and all the character that comes with it. I was right, it is different than any other guitar in my class...it has a story...a testimony you might say. And every time I pick it up to worship (with the one song I know), I smile because I think of Him, His grace, and His song for me.

Lakeside Fireworks

2008-07-09T12:39:00.000-07:00

We got to spend a wonderful 4th of July with our dear friends Andy and Susan, and their nieces, Sydney and Corbin. They took us to a great spot on Grapevine Lake where the view was unbelievable!! The kids watched about .5 seconds of the fire works, then decided snacking around a lantern was more fun....go figure:) Thanks Andy and Susan, it was a blast!! Blessings!

"If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed." (John 8:36)

On the way to the lake!

Sydney, Mayce and Corbin

Monty, Andy and Bryce right after a small set of fireworks was set off right next to us:)

2008-07-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Andy and Susan (and soon to arrive baby girl!)

Snacks around the lantern

Girl's got her own style!!

2008-07-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

Well, Mayce is totally into picking out her own outfit, fixing her hair, then attacking mine! She is so much fun and so intense about her ideas of "fashion":) She is already becoming such a little lady and I love watching it happen:) What an unbelievable experience children are! Thanks, God....You are brilliant!

We had to "re-direct" our images just a little before we did our grocery shopping! (HA)

Jess and Emmy

2008-06-22T09:45:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Jess and Emmy came over to play and swim. We had so much fun and little Emmy made us laugh the entire time!! She is a riot! Mayce, of course, loved having her "living baby doll" around and she was on top of every little need that Emmy had:) She fetched her juice, tried to feed her, tried to change her diaper, pushed her in the swing and helped her in the pool. I'm pretty sure when our baby comes I am going to have to stand in line to care for him/her:) Thanks for blessing us, guys!

Jess made these for the kids! (I pray, daily, for the gift of "artsy"...I know it's coming...He's just producing patience, I can feel it!)

Emmy, I want to eat you!

I don't know, your guess is as good as mine! I do know he loves those stinkin' "gobbles".... even in 6 inches of water!

Mayce's goal is to create a new way to come down that slide every time...it's hilarious!

Kress

2008-06-09T06:19:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we got the chance to drive down to Kress to visit the family. We had such a good time seeing everyone and wish that we had gotten the chance to take a picture of ALL of it:) We first stopped in Lubbock to visit Aunt Jamie, Uncle Dane, Dillon and Grammie. We had so much fun playing with Dillon and their 7 new puppies! Bryce and Dillon played for hours together without ever saying a word....only boys can do that:) Also, a huge highlight of the weekend was that Aunt Jamie got to come home from the hospital for a few hours to visit with us and it was so good to see her! Only a few more weeks to go before baby Drew arrives! We then headed to Kress to visit Monty's Grandparents and eat some TASTY food:) I can't put into words how much this weekend blessed us and we can't wait to do it again in August!

Nearing the end of a 6 hour car trip!

2008-06-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

Playing with Pawpaw

Grandaddy

Meme

Playing at Jamie's house

2008-06-09T06:15:00.000-07:00

Daddy's highschool friend, Travis, brought his motorcycle:) He was officially the coolest person to the kids!

The kids loved Travis:)

2008-06-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

"Duck, Duck....Goose!"

Training Day

2008-06-05T12:56:00.000-07:00

Stroller, kids, juice, cell phone...we were ready for the walk. No different than most days, except for the fact that it is exponentially hotter this week, the wind has blown about 30 miles an hour everyday and I am more pregnant than before:) So, I get about half way through the walk, and I am feeling the burn. I don't always walk with the kids and I don't always walk a mile! Most days I go for a nice stroll, in the evenings, by myself, and come back refreshed. But, I realized I would have no time that evening to walk, so I chose to go in the morning, pushing 70 plus pounds of kids...against the wind! I turn onto the final street, and I begin to chat with the Spirit. I was kindof griping about having to walk and was also pondering about what drives you to care for your body. Then, He softly said "It's me." "I am the still small voice that subtly urges you to care for my temple." Now, I am certainly not the picture of perfection when it comes to a completely healthy lifestyle, but I certainly would be quick to take the credit for an incredible act of will power when it comes to a healthy decision. He was so compassionate and patient as He reminded me that in ALL things He receives the glory and this is just one example of how He is the creator of ALL good decisions that we could ever make. He reminded me that the deep down desire to keep this temple in a healthy state was placed by Him and that He was proud of this very small effort. "What a kind thing to say! Thank you God." I thought.

Then....it happened.

I look up and notice and older gentleman trimming his bushes. He was sweating a great deal because, by now, it was getting pretty hot. He appeared to be crippled on his left side, but was able to stand without assistance. As I approached from across the street, he suddenly turned and said "Ma'am" with the sweetest smile I had ever seen. I said "Yes sir?" Then he said the most amazing words as he put his beautiful hand over his heart

"God bless you, ma'am....you have been trained well!"

What an incredibly odd thing to say to just anyone, but how incredibly accurate those words were to me! My God cared so much about our seemingly light conversation that He voiced it through this precious man. He wanted it made known that every good and perfect ANYTHING

(idea, gift, act) comes from Him! They were words directly from my Father to me......the Ultimate Trainer of this Temple!

Discovery

2008-05-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

It's just kindof been one of those weeks. The ones where you are super reflective, a little hard on yourself, and certainly not feeling like the most disciplined of God's children. I'm just now 12 weeks pregnant with the 3rd Durham, and although I feel new energy approaching, it still takes alot for me to stay "on my game" throughout the day. I want to spend my much needed time with my Father, have fun with the kids, educate them for that particular day, keep my house up, cook one to two meals, spend time with my hubby when he comes home and on top of it all, constantly be ready to act when the Spirit says...oh, and sit for a second when it's available. So, needless to say, rarely does my head hit the pillow at night that I feel accomplished and satisfied.

Then it happened. I walked outside and found that my daughter had managed to find the most remote and random mud puddle in our back yard! Now this puddle was not even rain created, but "neighbor washing off fence" created. And she not only found it, she DISCOVERED it! I mean, if she could have submerged her body anymore she would have. You would have thought she had never stepped outside before in her life:) At first, I admit, I was a little irritated with the soon-to-follow clean up process, but Monty quickly snapped me out of that by laughing hysterically and asking for the camera:) As soon as she stood up for the picture, my heart said "that's what I feel like!" I just felt like I was covered with situations, self-imposed agenda's and ridiculous goals. I am amazed how easily I put myself in performance mode for the Lord, rather than belief mode in His power!

So, here I was with this great revelation, and a passionate prayer for an answer.

Then, just as quickly as my heart asked, the answer came. Monty asked Mayce to stand still while he washed her off, and this was her reaction...

Priceless. She could have just stood there, but no, she welcomed that cleansing water with open arms, knowing ALL the dirt would be gone in a matter of seconds.

And, yes, you guessed it...just as she had hers, here was MY discovery. He never made me feel overwhelmed and bogged down, I did that. He never asked me to set those limits on myself, I did that. All He asked is that I believe... believe that He sent His Spirit so that I can do all things through Him. Believe that even in a grocery store, my prayer could change a life. Believe that the circumstances He allows can only be faced in His power and not on my own. Believe that the wife my husband needs and the mother my children need can only be found in the woman submitted to Him. Just believe... by faith... arms open wide... as He washes me white as snow.

Hellllooooo Heat!

2008-05-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

For the last two months I have been telling my children, daily, that it is still too cold to swim. SO, at the first sign of a remotely hot day, we were in the pool!! Let me rephrase that, the kids were in the pool, I was sitting in a chair eating mint chocolate chip ice cream:) Enjoy!

2008-05-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wet, saggy swimsuit and sandbox = too funny!!

Happy Birthday, Bryce and Mayce!

2008-05-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my babies are 3 and 4!! Here are a few pictures from their little party we had last weekend:) We have some incredible family and friends who came out to celebrate with us and made it VERY special! We love each of you! I didn't get near as many pictures as I should have, but since Durham #3 is well on the way, I was doing good to remember the cupcakes:) (HAHA!) Bless you, Bryce and Mayce....you bless your daddy and I more than you will ever know!

Mayce's precious friend, Daily, came all the way from Abilene to surprise her for her birthday! They are so sweet together:)

Payton and Bryce

Daddy time:)

2008-05-10T12:54:00.000-07:00

2008-05-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

The wonderful swing set my dad built:)

The Heart of Worship

2008-04-22T21:11:00.000-07:00

"...and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven."

(2 Chron. 30:27)

Lord...you take my breath away.

Saturday Night

2008-04-14T06:40:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, our precious friends, The Terry's, took us to the Rangers game....all you can eat, might I add!! We had so much fun! I wish I could say that the kids were totally into the game, but that would be a lie! They watched it here and there, but mainly decided that when the little red, blue and green dot raced around the field, that they would officially attend a Rangers game any day:):) We also had a little bonus during our game....THIRD DAY!! They played a pre-show, and during the game they showed up right above our stands to take pictures with a few selected fans:) Let me just take this moment to say that I have, in fact, met Third Day. Some friends and I were standing in line at Whataburger, and we turn around to see Third Day in line right behind us! We tried to play it off cool, but we failed miserably:)

So, back to the game, we tried to snap some shots, but I am not the greatest photographer! Let me just throw in a side note here and say that my husband and "all you can eat" go hand in hand! I have never seen him eat so much junk in my life! I almost threw-up just watching him:) Thank you, Joe and Melissa, for such a sweet gift! We love you guys!

Third Day

Easter

2008-03-24T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our mini Easter egg hunt:) We just hid them in the backyard and turned them loose! Thank you Nana/Pops and Grammie/Gramps for making the eggs a financial investment instead of just a cavity investment:) They will appreciate it someday:):) Praise our Risen King and the precious gift the Spirit is to us every second of the day!

2008-03-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

Bryce was trying to be a chicken:)

Filling up our piggy's!

Sabby

2008-03-18T08:46:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to tell our sweet friend, Sabby, thank you for being so stinkin' incredible!!! She not only introduced me to the wonderful world of sushi, but she continues to bless me with a beautiful friendship off 13 years...and growing! Thank you, Sab, for ALL the Starbucks runs and long hours of c.d. burning:) Thanks for loving my kiddos and showing them the love of Christ! We love you!

Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It...wait...what???

2008-03-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

We've had a couple of crazy days...we went from 70 degrees to 32 degrees pretty stinkin' quick! We were driving home in the icy mess today, and I just mentioned to the kids that I really had to concentrate on the road because it was "slushy." Mayce quickly piped up, in great excitement I might add, and asked "is it cherry or coke?" Yes, folks, that means one too many visits to the Target Icee machine! She literally asked me if she could lick the road!! Never a dull moment.... be blessed!

Tuesday....

Today!

2008-03-06T17:38:00.000-08:00

Well, we ran out of daylight, so this is Faceless Snowman, and his trusty sidekick, Blob Boy.

Baby Sew Trendy...I think I love you!!

2008-02-14T06:49:00.000-08:00

Monty's cousin, Jessica, is one talented woman that I just have to brag on today:) She started a company called Baby Sew Trendy and her creations are absolutely precious!! She originally started with just baby items, but she has now ventured into the toddler world, and I am thrilled!!! She was so sweet to make Mayce and Bryce these awesome shirts and I just wanted to say a huge "THANK YOU!"

I also threw in a few new pics of the kids:) They are getting so big...and hilarious! Enjoy!

Courtesy of Baby Sew Trendy:)

Bryce and daddy's lincoln log creation

Mayce's contribution to baking:):)

I'll give it to her, the girl can accessorize!

Seriously???

2008-01-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, if you know me at all, you know that I absolutely adore my husband with all my heart! But, seriously, it's like "you were almost there....just one more itsy bitsy step." I laughed so hard when I saw this failed attempt at the toilet paper replenishing that I had to take a picture:) Monty is the greatest man I know, and he helps me in the home more times than I can count...but this was just too hilarious! At least the roll made it near the holder this time, and not just sitting on the floor:) Probably the funniest part of this entire scenario, was when Mayce (the 3 year old) came in to go potty, noticed the "manly mishap," and promptly whipped the old roll off and replaced the new one in a matter of seconds!! She then asked me..."Mom, why did you not finish with the toilet paper?" Ahhh, she's been taught well:):) I love you Monty...thanks for the laugh!!

5 AM

2008-01-18T04:53:00.000-08:00

5 am. That's right...5 am in the morning seems to be the work out time of choice for the Durham household these days. I find it mildly insane, but unbelievably invigorating as well. I concluded the "insane" part after the first day of strain, when I woke up and could hardly lift myself back off of the toilet! The next day, I knew I had to re-work the sore spots to help them feel better. Re-work the sore spots....how crazy is that concept? About as crazy as the way I often doubt the Lord, get angry about a certain situation and drag myself through more hurt than He ever intended. Do growing pains hurt? Obviously, or they would not be called "pains." But what makes the difference between a "growing pain" and a "self inflicted" pain is my choice of praise or pity in the midst of trial. Sure, it hurt to re-work my muscles, but I submitted my body to it, knowing the end result is greatly desired. (Two kids...I need the end result:) I was reading this morning in 1 Chron. 12 where it talks about King Rehoboam's rebellious choices and the fast approaching attack that the Lord was allowing Egypt to carry out on Judah. Now, the king had not listened to the Lord, as his father Solomon had, and his people were not pleased with him...neither was God. So the Lord was going to allow Egypt to rip into Judah until....."so the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves, and they said, 'The Lord is righteous.' Now when the Lord saw they had humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came saying 'They have humbled themselves, therefore I will NOT destroy them, but will grant them some deliverance." (12:6-7) Now, granted, the king had created this situation with his rebellion, but the end result is what makes me stand in awe of our mighty and gracious God.......my sincere, heartfelt praise will always reach His heart and move Him to action on my part. Absolutely amazing! After such a long reign of disobedience, the king suddenly had a heart change, and the Lord delivered him when he "deserved" to be attacked. Whether it be turning from my own rebellion, or enduring His process of maturing, my praise bonds me with the heart of our Creator and assures me, no matter what, that His plan WILL prevail! No greater peace will I ever find. Just something to think about.

"May the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Ps. 19:14)

Cavity Free!

2008-01-16T04:47:00.000-08:00

Mayce had her first dentist appointment this last Monday, and she did unbelievable! They called her name, she hopped out of the chair, told me bye, and pranced her little bottom through the door like she had done it a hundred times! Then, from my waiting room chair, I could hear her chatting with the assistant the entire stroll to her destination room:) I, then, heard her telling the hygienist and dentist all about how we brush our teeth at home, what she had for breakfast, that she loved the way their toothpaste tasted and that she liked the Wiggles that were on the t.v.! I was rolling and I am pretty sure she was keeping them entertained! She is the funniest kid.....who never meets a stranger! Needless to say, we were SO proud of her:) After about 45 minutes, Mayce came running out cavity free and lovin' the dentist! PRAISE THE LORD!

Exhausted...but worth every minute!

2008-01-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

Let me just begin by saying I am so sorry for the 16 million pictures I have posted on this particular blog! Christmas was literally a 13 day event, so I figured this amount of pictures was pretty mild:) We had such a wonderful time seeing all of our family and greatly enjoyed their company. We started out with our own Christmas here at home, then went to Kress (Monty's side) for a few days, then Abilene (my side) through new year. My camera desire had pretty much dissipated by the time we reached Abilene, sorry about that mom:) So, since there are no pictures from Abilene, I will just say thank you to Mom, Dad, Shane, Terra, Garrett, Nanny, Sue and Amy for spending Christmas with us in Abilene! We had such a good time with all of our family! We love you all so much and want to thank you for being such a blessing to us!

Christmas at home:)

2008-01-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Bryce with his new tool set

This is their new obsession:)

Bryce just had to wear these glasses that his Grammy had on a doll:)

2008-01-08T21:10:00.000-08:00

Mayce and Meme

Her sweet Great Grandaddy

VERY patiently waiting as the daddy's unloaded all the presents from the cars:)

"Chill out" Christmas shirts from Grammy and Gramps

2008-01-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Their Daddy...Their Hero

She LOVES her Uncle Benny

They can't get enough of their daddy!

2008-01-08T21:05:00.000-08:00

This is their new cousin Luke. He has such a pure heart for the Lord and the kids just ate him up!

2008-01-08T21:04:00.000-08:00

Meme and Grandaddy

Nanny and Pawpaw

Opening gifts at Monty's Nanny and Pawpaw's house

Sadly, my only picture from Abilene....I think it explains itself....we were EXHAUSTED!

Christmas...a little early:)

2007-12-16T14:03:00.000-08:00

We let the kids open one present a piece, a little early, and they were so pumped! I can't imagine how HYPER Christmas will be this year:) Two toddlers, LOTS of family and TONS of presents...I already need a nap! I joke about the craziness, but I must say, I am so looking forward to this Christmas with the kids. Monty and I have really been trying to teach them the precious reason for this holiday and their grasp of Jesus' birth has been fantastic! They genuinely know this is His birthday and that THEY are their own gift to Him:) What a wonderful concept! So, praise Him for this season and for the gift of His Son and His Spirit! May you be glorified, Lord, in all we do...even if we will need a nap after it all!

2007-12-16T14:01:00.000-08:00

Mayce decided she wanted her dad to be the couch. What a good sport to try and accommodate the request of a 3 year old!

His daddy has taught him well! "Hook 'em Horns!"

Yes, folks, he IS a professional!

2007-12-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

I just had to post a picture of the beautiful work of art Monty created on our house:) He did such a good job with our lights, I felt the need to share:) I'm pretty sure you can see our house from 2 blocks away:) May each of you have a blessed Christmas as you celebrate the monumental birth of our Savior!

Monty...I absolutely treasure you!

2007-12-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

Monty, you are the most precious person in my life and I adore you! I literally praise God daily for the gift that you are! You are the epitome of a Godly husband, being blessed with the heart of a lion and a lamb. You truly remind me so much of David in your pure and uninhibited devotion to your Father. I don't know how you manage to make me feel as if I am the most beautiful women you've ever seen, but you do it daily, and it blows me away. Thank you for giving me so much security by making your relationship to the Lord more important than anything here on earth....2nd place never felt so good! When you proclaim "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" it is a battle cry from your heart and I have never seen a man fight so hard for it! You draw in the Spirit in such a mighty way, crying out for him to activate all His wondrous gifts right before our eyes. What a marvelous sight, I have witnessed, on more occasions than I can count. You cause our children to literally hunger and thirst for Christ, for to them, He is as real as you are! So, today, the words thank you fall so short, but they will have to do. You are the man I could have never dreamed of, for you far surpass what I could have ever imagined! I love you!

2007-12-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Little Stinker!

2007-11-29T12:46:00.000-08:00

I could not resist posting this hilarious video of Mayce. She was only 19 months old, and as you can see, she had found a new game with our phone. She would push the locate button on the phone and make it start beeping, then I would grab it from her to turn it off. Her face is absolutely priceless before she pushes the button....pure ornery....looks just like her Gramps:):):) (Sorry there is no sound...took the clip with our digital camera and it doesn't have sound.)

Makin' Mama proud!

2007-11-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

My daughter said the most beautiful Thanksgiving prayer I believe I have ever heard, and it truly made me cry! It went a little something like this:

"Lord, thank you for all of my families here with me and for all you give us. Please bless everybodies and I hope they enjoy all of their presents. In your Holy Name, Amen."

Now, there weren't any presents awaiting all of us (a little mix up with Christmas), but her intent was just precious, and I'm pretty sure about 12 people in Abilene, TX were all a little more thankful that day! Hope you enjoy looking at the snow as much as we did:)

First snowball she has ever thrown!

"PLEEEASE can I go out now!"

2007-11-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Bryce being a little gentleman and cleaning the snow off for his Nanny:)

"Actuwee..."

2007-11-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

So my son has really picked up on a new word, and I absolutely think it's adorable! He LOVES the word "actually," however, he says it "actuwee." It is the sweetest thing, because he says it for everything:) For example:
"Bryce, did you sleep good, buddy?"
"Actuwee, yes!"
"Bryce, do you need to go potty?"
"Actuwee, I do."
"Bryce, I love you."
"Actuwee, I wuv you bery much."
I love how their little minds work:) Here are just a few pictures from our church Fall Festival. We had a blast this year, and the weather was just perfect:) We stayed for 3 hours and lived up every sugar-high moment of fun that we could:) They did enjoy alot more of the festival, besides the animals, but we were just too busy to take pictures....sorry:) Enjoy!

Some friends of ours, Ramzi and Diane, came with us and brought their daughter, Elise.
Isn't she adorable!

2007-11-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

Roadtrip

2007-11-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

We went to Abilene a few weeks ago and got to visit with my Nanny, Aunt Sue and Cousin Amy. Oh, and I can't forget to mention Jobe...the dog who thinks he's a child:) We had so much fun seeing everyone and enjoying some tasty roast... thank you very much, Nana! We had a really good time! Love you guys!

I also just wanted to briefly mention an incredible teaching series that our pastor is in the middle of right now. I have been so blessed by the knowledge the Lord is imparting through this message. As many of you know, according to scripture, our souls must continually be bathed by the Word in order to be consistently transformed. We must allow the Lord, daily, to take our will and make it His own, because our soul will certainly try to take control....not pretty:) If you have a minute, check out the link: http://www.gatewaypeople.com/sermons/2007/20071103_WhatsYourTrumpCard.html.

It's an anointed teaching that I pray takes your walk to a new level of freedom. Enjoy!
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17)

Playing with Jobe

Aunt Sue and Nana

Bryce "educating" Nanny and Sue on how to properly eat chicken:)

Sue, Nanny and Amy

Sprinkle Mania!

2007-11-04T20:02:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to share a few pictures from our cookie making party:) They had a blast with their friend, Taylor, and they made a HUGE mess:) Bryce kindof gave up on us pretty quick, but Mayce and Taylor held out for the finished product!

Bryce didn't really get into the cookie decorating...can you tell?

"Three sprinkles for me...two for the cookie"

I think Taylor approved:)

I'm pretty sure she had more sprinkles than icing!

The Place to BEE!

2007-10-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, so....the Pumpkin Patch is definitely the place to be!!! And, as we quickly found out after we purchased our snow cones, it's quite the attraction for bee's as well:) Between the sticky fingers and sticky benches, the bee's were making a grand appearance! We probably could not have picked a busier day to go, but it was a blast and it was FREE to top it off:) After attending the State Fair only a few days before, I must say, it was refreshing to not spend more than $5 on an outing:):):) We tried to do everything they had to offer, because that is certainly the mentality of a 2 and 3 year old:) We bounced in the bounce houses, slid down the slides, rode the train, ran through the pumpkins and ate some yummy snow cones! The Lord created a beautiful day and we just soaked it up:)

As I sat and watched the kids play, I couldn't help but think about the splendor of our King. The Mighty One who wishes to speak to us about ALL things ALL the time, if we will just tune our ears to His voice. The Giver of wisdom, power and all good gifts wants us to give up our will so He can activate His. And, oh, how much better is His will than ours could ever imagine being. Thank you, Lord, for literally pouring out Heaven on earth and letting us experience so much life through your death. "Your Kingdom come; Your will be done." Be Blessed!

2007-10-17T13:16:00.000-07:00