#937 - Blueberries!

Greer Farm

We have lived in Hughes Springs for 3.5 years now, and just the other day I heard for the first time about a farm only 10 miles away where you can pick blueberries & blackberries. How have I not known about this before?? I 'liked' them on Facebook recently, so I've been watching their updates about when is the best time to pick. The next few weeks are the best. I knew a family trip was in order - and soon!

It's a bit difficult to get my husband out of bed on Saturday mornings (really, every morning, but especially Saturdays when he doesn't usually have anywhere he has to be). Yesterday was even worse because of the past two weeks he's survived walked through. So, I worked extra hard to wake him up and by 8:30 a.m. we were out the door. Yay! 

It didn't take Riley long to spot the blackberries!

This little girl is ready to pick!

She caught on very quickly!

Hard at work

There were over 30 rows of fruity goodness!

We found some huge blueberries!

One adorable blueberry-picker

She and I were partners and the boys were partners. Keep scrolling down to see who picked the most.

dropped one!

Sweet girl holding one

When we were driving to the farm at 8:30, it was already 82 degrees outside. Poor girl was dripping with sweat (she sweats like me!) by the time we were finished. Air condition and cold water were just what she needed!

Okay, here's mine and sister's pile (about 3 lbs)

And here is Daniel & Riley's (honestly, mostly Daniel's - Riley pretty much just talked the whole time and tried to play blueberry basketball). About 6 lbs. Boys won!

Washed, dried and ready to go in the freezer!

Such a fun family outing! I'm thinking about going back again before this season is over. All of these blueberries were just $20 ($3.25 per lb)! Thank you, Lord, for fresh fruit and cheap, productive family fun!

#938 - Love!

Holding Him

When Jill sent me this earlier today, my heart felt SO happy! This is exactly what we prayed for on October 26, 2012! She was released from the hospital this morning, and Jack will be in a few more days. The icing on the cake will be the day when she gets to load him in his car seat and head HOME!

#939 - He's arrived!

Jack Hayward Henage

This precious little boy is our newest nephew. He was born last night (6/19) at 9:09 p.m. weighing 7 lbs 6 oz and measuring 20 inches. Is he not adorable??

Several months ago I wrote about sweet Jack here. He truly is a miracle, and we're continuing to see that as he's approaching 24 hours of being in the world. Last night I was teaching at VBS when I received a text from my mom saying Jill had been rushed to the hospital and was about to have a c-section. What?!?! Her c-section was scheduled for this next Tuesday (6/25), so I knew something wasn't right when she was going to have one last night. After I got home I was able to get ahold of my mom and find out that Jack was born and baby and mama were doing fine. Thank you, Lord! (Add to the craziness the fact that my parents are on vacation in Canada and will be back Friday night)

I couldn't wait to see pictures of the little man, but ended up having to go to bed before any were sent. At 11:30 pm, my phone rang and it was my mom. I knew something wasn't right because like I said, she's out of the country and up until this point we'd been texting. She said that Jill was fine, but Jack was having small seizures every couple of minutes and they were going to transfer him to a large hospital in downtown Baltimore. Jill, of course, would have to stay behind (about an hour away from Jack). My heart just broke for her and Chad, and I immediately began crying out to the Lord. I then got my first picture (below) of the little man from my brother at midnight.

A few minutes later I heard from Jill that she had just said goodbye to Jack. I called her and we went before the Lord's throne together. We may be over a thousand miles away from one another, but our Lord hears our prayers no matter where we are, and the Holy Spirit draws our spirits together in spite of physical distance! We prayed specifically that Jack would be healed and the seizures would stop.

 

I know many others were praying the same thing, and you know what? He hasn't had any seizures since arriving at the new hospital! Also, they've done a ton of tests on him, and everything's come back normal! God is good! Oh so good! I promised Him last night that I would give Him all the glory for healing this baby, and I do! Lord, You are holy, sovereign and faithful! We know You are holding Jack in Your gentle hands as he's away from his mama. Let him feel Your presence! We continue to pray that he will be completely healthy and free of any complications. We trust You, Lord, and we believe!

Will you pray and believe with us??

Naturally, during the night last night, the Lord led me to these verses. And I claimed His promises once again. Thank you, Lord, for Your living Word!

#940 - Their Daddy

Love Him!

My favorite three in their Peruvian shirts

As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a mother. I would try and picture myself as a mother and what my kids might be like. I was thinking about it today, though, and the funny thing is I never tried to picture what the father of my children would be like. And I'm thankful I didn't. There is no way in this world I would have gotten it right! You know the verse that talks about God giving us more than we could ever ask or imagine? Yeah, that's what happened when He gave me Daniel. I am not only in awe of him as a husband, but wow, what a daddy!! He is SO patient with our kiddos, and often times, I am SO not! He can make them both laugh with very little effort. He loves to spend time snuggled up reading to them. He knows (most of the time) when to jump in and take over for a worn-out mama. But most of all, he has a deep desire to show them Who Christ is and teach them what it means to be a follower. I love hearing him seize so many moments and use them as teaching opportunities. I love that he tears up when someone mentions his children and the responsibility he has as a father. I am so thankful that we get to walk this parenting road together. He teaches, encourages, challenges, and supports me. I love you, Daniel!

 (Peruvian-dressed daddy & kids sitting under a picture of one of Daniel's favorite places in Peru!)

#941 - My Daddy

Thankful for Him

If you ever wondered who my biggest fan was, take a look at the man standing beside me in the picture above. I was reminded this afternoon when I called to wish him a Happy Father's Day just how much he loves me. Sundays are busy for us. (side note: I feel as though pastor's and their families should get to move major holidays that fall on a Sunday to another day of the week - I've seen my hubby and the father of my children a total of 2 hours today, one of which was during the worship service - because he's fulfilling pastor-type duties) So, I didn't have a chance to call until about 5:30 (6:30 his time). When he heard my voice on the phone, though, you would have thought I was the president calling. He seemed so excited and kept telling me how good my voice sounded. And he's always been this way. He loves both my brother and I unconditionally, and he's always quick to say those three important words. I am thankful not only for a father who loves me, but for a father who loves and serves our Heavenly Father! Dad, you taught me at an early age the importance of commitment and loyalty to our God. Thank you so much for instilling those values in me! Thank you for modeling what it means to be a servant. You wouldn't just give the shirt off your back for someone, you'd give your right and left arms if they needed them! :) I love you, and I'm thankful God chose you to be my daddy!

#942 - Surprise

I Did It!

I successfully surprised my hubby! I am horrible at surprising people because inevitably I'll forget to cover my tracks on a minor detail and the cat will come jumping out of the bag! But this time, I did it! What was the surprise? I met Daniel and the Peru team at the Houston airport on Saturday morning!

So to some that may not seem too exciting, but I live in small town Northeast Texas, I have two small children, and I'm 2.5 hours away from the closest major airport (DFW). When Daniel first started going to Peru two years ago, I thought it would be really neat if sometime I could meet him at the airport when he flew back in. The catch, though, is they fly into Houston (which is 4 hours away from us) at 6:20 IN THE MORNING! So, I knew I'd have to somehow get there Friday night and find a place to stay.

When my mother-in-law said she was going to come stay with us for a few days toward the end of the week, I thought, this is my chance! So I started planning. I looked into renting a car and driving down there, I checked flights out of smaller airports that are closer to us (outrageously priced!), and then I checked flights out of DFW. I found one for $43!!! I knew I could stay in a hotel near the airport and just ride the shuttle to/from, but my last big hurdle to overcome was how to get to the DFW airport. I didn't want my m-i-l to have to drive me (and the kids) the 5 hours round-trip. I asked several friends if they had any plans to go to Dallas that weekend, and none of them did. So, I mentioned my idea of going to Houston to my m-i-l. She's a great problem-solver, so I knew she'd be able to help me figure it out. She called her brother who lives just north of Dallas, and sweet Uncle Scott agreed to meet me halfway if someone could get me to Greenville, TX. My m-i-l said she'd drive me there, but when I mentioned it to my sweet friend, Jamie, she volunteered to do it. Yay! My plan was working! I quickly went online and bought my airline ticket and hotel room.

I made all of these plans the day Daniel left for Peru, so once it was all nailed down, I knew the excitement of what was to come would get me through the week without my other half. And it did! The kids and I were alone for 6 days (in some moments it felt like 6 months), my m-i-l came and then a day and a half later, I was headed to Houston! Not everything went quite as planned on my trip down (2-hour delay in leaving Dallas, 20 minute sit on the tarmac in Houston because there wasn't a gate to park at, and waiting almost an hour for the hotel shuttle at midnight knowing I had to be right back there in 6 hours), but the ultimate goal was met and I successfully surprised my man! Thank you, thank you to all who were involved in helping me pull this off!

#943 - Almost home!

Seeing Him Tomorrow

 

He and the team are down from the mountains and they'll be boarding a plane in just a few hours headed from Lima to Houston. I can't wait to see him tomorrow!! And I have a surprise for him (and NO, I'm not pregnant!), but just in case he happens to check the blog before boarding the plane (which would be a small miracle, BUT I don't want to ruin the surprise), I'll wait until after it's revealed to share on here. Stay tuned!

#944 - 44 years

Their Commitment

44 years ago today, these two said "yes" to each other before God and man. I am thankful they did because 10 years later yours truly came into the world. :) Happy Anniversary, Mom & Dad! Thank you for teaching me and my brother what it means to commit to something/someone and follow through. I love you both, and am proud to call you my parents!

#945 - Peace

His Perfect Peace

This team of 7 (3 from our church and 4 from another church in our association) just boarded a plane in Houston and are on their way to Lima, Peru. They will speak the truth of the Gospel to the people in the mountains of Peru. Please pray for them! They will return next Saturday, June 15.

The kids and I decided (well, I guess I decided for them) that we'd stay put while Daddy's gone this time. I've been at peace with that decision ever since I made it, but the minute the church van left the parking lot this morning, I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach and I wasn't so sure I'd made the right decision anymore. Up until about an hour ago, I've been battling anxiety and nervousness. I couldn't really put my finger on the problem (well, other than the fact that my husband and best friend was leaving the country for 8 days), but I knew I needed to spend time with the Lord as soon as possible (ie. when Ella was down for a nap and Riley was in his room for quiet time).

Have you ever heard of this devotional?

I opened to June 7 (cause you know, today's June 7) and here's what I read:

I am all around you, like a cocoon of Light. My presence with you is a promise, independent of your awareness of Me. Many things can block this awareness, but the major culprit is worry. (and at this point, the tears started flowing) My children tend to accept worry as an inescapable fact of life. However, worry is a form of unbelief; it is anathema ("a person or thing detested or loathed") to Me.

Who is in charge of your life? If it is you, then you have good reason to worry. But if it is I, then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive. When you start to feel anxious about something, relinquish the situation to Me. Back off a bit, redirecting your focus to Me. I will either take care of the problem Myself or show you how to handle it. In this world you will have problems, but you need not lose sight of Me.   

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Whew! Thank you, Lord, for leading me to this truth today! After reading this (several times), I confessed my worry and fears to the Lord. And you know what happened? He gave me PEACE. A peace that passes any and all understanding! A peace in my inner-being that tells me the kids and I will be just fine this week. He will give us sweet times together. This peace also reminds me that if I start to get anxious or worry again, I can turn my eyes toward Him, and He will restore my peace and remind me of His promises. What a LOVING God we serve! I am so thankful!