#934 - Daddy Days

Pump it Up & CFA

Summers are so busy for us. I remember when we moved here 3.5 years ago I thought things would slow down some during the summer months. And then our first summer hit. Boy, was I wrong! It was as if our calendar was twice as full as all of the other months. And every year has proven to be the same. This summer has been even more busy because we've been without a youth minister. Daniel has taken on a lot of the youth leadership roles as well as his normal pastoral duties. (Hopefully this will change after this weekend, though, as we have an awesome family coming in view-of-a-call for the youth minister position) So when he told me at the beginning of the week that he was taking off on Friday since he'd be working the entire weekend, I got excited! 

We headed to Longview as a family and enjoyed releasing energy at Pump it Up and then a delicious lunch at one of our favorites, Chick-fil-A. Too bad we didn't know it was Cow Appreciation Day until we got there!

Both kiddos had a blast with their daddy!

And their Daddy had a blast acting like a kiddo!

Eat Mor Chikin!

And then 2 out of the 4 of us conked out on the way home

We are very thankful for a day when we can be together as a family and enjoy playing and resting. A much needed calm in the midst of various storms!

#935 - July 4th & 5th

Family Time!

Daniel has an aunt and uncle who serve at the International Baptist Church in Singapore. Every summer they come home for a visit, and the past few years we've gotten to spend 4th of July with them - so much fun! This year they were staying just an hour away at Holly Lake Ranch so we headed that way on the 4th for a cookout and family fun.

This is how Riley sat for the first 30 minutes...he's going through some phase in which he gets embarrassed very easily.

And then there was Miss Priss who was all smiles and ready to play with her cousins

They may look alike, but their personalities are quite different!

3 generations...not sure why Daniel's smiling like that :)

What's a family gathering without an ipad?!

Ella quickly found her favorite - Emily. Riley has always gravitated toward Hannah (the one beside him in the picture above), and the past 2 years Ella has immediately wanted Emily.

Sweet little curly cue! Love her!

Emily is getting ready to graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University, so on Friday (the 5th) we went to lunch to celebrate. The restaurant was on Hawkins Lake, and the view was gorgeous!

 Love my family of four, soon to be family of five! And no, I'm not preggo - read my last post if you're wondering how we're growing.

The Singaporean Moore's (Emily & Austin live in the states now, though)

The Matriarch with some of her grands & great-grands

Meanwhile, back at Holly Lake, we enjoyed some outdoor play - I could just eat her up!

And here's my favorite little man

Ella's first putt-putt experience...didn't last too long

It was more of a "let's walk all over the green and pick up everyone's balls" type of game

This little guy got into it, though! We missed him playing the day before, but everyone tells us he scored 3 hole-in-one's!

And for some reason, Holly Lake decided to shoot fireworks on the 5th instead of the 4th...who knows, but we enjoyed them just the same!

Jumping to Daddy

Playing with a sparkler that was left over from our wedding - 5 years ago!

A big shout out to Ya Ya for the pinwheel...it kept us entertained for a long time as we waited for the fireworks!

See what I mean?!

And again!

That's the face that says, "let's get this show started!"

Here they come!

Riley kept saying, "these are SO beautiful!" :)

We're so thankful for the time we had to spend with family we only get to see once a year! We're also thankful for the freedom we have in this country to not only live as we want, but to worship the one TRUE God without fear of what may happen. Without the freedom that comes from Him, we are nothing!

#936 - Getting Close!

Today I am thankful for the agency we're applying to be foster-to-adopt parents through. This past Saturday we attended our first (of 2) P.R.I.D.E. (Parent Resource for Information, Development, Education) trainings in Tyler at the Christian Homes office. We weren't sure what to expect, and honestly, after a rough night in a hotel room with 2 little ones, we weren't all that excited about sitting through 6 long hours of training. However, it was a wonderful experience! We both gained so much from it, and one of those things for me was a greater love for the agency we'll be working with. Not only do they know our ultimate goal (adoption), but they also LOVE the LORD and desire to serve Him by serving others. When I told our trainer that I saw fostering as a type of ministry - not just to the children, but also to the birth parents - she got it. She didn't look at me like I was crazy. She understood and agreed. That brings me peace and joy.

So, you may be wondering when we'll stop talking about fostering and actually start doing it! The end of the application process is in sight! We have a few more minor details to take care of, one more in office training (next week) a couple of online trainings, and then we should be ready for our home study. That's kind of the big shabang at the end which will determine if we've been approved or not. Would you please pray with us? As the end of this long process comes to a close, the reality of everything is setting in and I'll be honest, I'm somewhat scared (okay, there are days when I'm really scared). Our daily routines (mine more than Daniel's in a lot of ways) are about to change drastically. BUT, I know without a shadow of a doubt that we've been called to this, so that's what I must cling to. When we step out in faith, God provides for our every need and He blesses us beyond measure. So, please pray that my fears will be replaced with faith and that any apprehensions will be replaced with excitement! We get to be a part of God's movement to rescue & restore those who are hurting! How much more exciting can it get??

#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!