CATNAPS

I just took these pictures of Amanda and our two cats (Samson and Joey) taking little catnaps in the front living room. All three of them look so stinkin' cute, I couldn't resist taking a few pictures. Now only if I had the luxury to drop on the floor and fall asleep as well. Unfortunately my only option at this very moment is to quickly daydream while folding the laundry and straitening up the house, before my sweet girl wakes up. Prayerfully she will sleep for at least 30 minutes. ;0)

A Fun Weekend With Family

This past weekend we headed down to Houston to celebrate our niece Amelia's second birthday. Soowan's brother, Ragnar and his wife Aryn live in Northern California, but Aryn's family lives in the Houston area. So when they are they are visiting Texas we try our best to make a trip down to Houston to see them. This was also the first time anyone from Soowan's side of the family has had a chance to meet Amanda. Everyone fell in love with her immediately, and her and Amelia had fun playing and eating together all weekend long.

Amelia has gotten so much taller since the last time we saw her. Sadly that was over a year ago, but it was nice to see her all grown up, walking and talking. She is such a sweet, little girl and of course is in love with everything Princess and Disney. Amelia is also a great little cuddle-bug as well. The sweet little girl climbed up into my lap a couple of times for some good cuddle time. Both of my kids are/were wiggle worms and not much of little cuddle bugs unless they are not feeling well. So it was nice to have a little one to hold and squeeze for longer than a few minutes.

We did learn some exciting news from Ragnar and Arynthis weekend!!! They are considering moving back to Austin in a couple of years. This is wonderful news and we will be praying that they move back to Texas sooner than later. It will be nice to have family close by again.

I also want to add that Aryn's family is the epitome of Texas grace and hospitality. They are the sweetest and the kindest people we have been blessed to get to know in past couple of years, plus they are truly and authentically NICE. That is rare this day and age, and we are so grateful that they are family. Yes, maybe only by marriage but still in true meaning of the word.... family.

Here are some pictures we took over the weekend. The weather in Houston was perfect, sunny and warm just like we like it. We took the kids to the park and they played for a while until it was nap time for the girls. Micah could of stayed another few hour and played longer, but that was not an option for him this time around.

May 2008

There are two movies our family is excited to see this May!!!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE TO COME OUT!!! HE MAY BE GETTING OLDER... BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT INDIANA JONES THAT MAKES MY HEART BEAT!!! ;0)




Another movie our family is excited to see this May, is Prince Caspian. Micah enjoys reading the Chronicles of Narnia series and it's fun to see the characters come to life on the big screen.

This Little Piggy

I was debating whether or not to cut Amanda's bangs, because they are always hanging down in her face. She will not keep a clip or barrette in her hair for longer than 10 seconds, so today I tried a pigtail for the first time. I was skeptic thinking she would pull it out right away, but she kept it in all morning/early afternoon. The best thing about it, is she had no food in hair after breakfast and lunch! So pigtails it is, and no bangs at this point. ;0)

Make A Joyful Noise to the Lord

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!
Psalm 100:1

When picking up Micah yesterday from school, he came bursting into the van with extreme zeal and excitement. He quickly opened his backpack to show me what he received in music class, a recorder. You know those plastic little clarinets we all were given in grade school. He pulls out a little music book and joyfully says, "Mom I want to play you a song that I have been practicing just for you. It's one of your favorites, OK."

He puts the recorder to his mouth, struggling to find the right placement of his fingers onto the little holes and making awful, high pitch sounds as he tries to find the proper first note. He is sincerely apologized with each loud, ear piercing sound that came out of his recorder and reassures me that that was not the right note, and to wait because he was not quite ready yet.

Finally he finds the first note and tells me to listen closely and see if I could recognize the song. He starts off rather well, and after the first 4-5 notes I realize he's playing, "Amazing Grace". My heart sinks, my ears attuned as he plays his little heart out FOR ME! He made no mistakes until he hit the high D note. Ouch my ears! You know what note I'm talking about... The 'high D' that only those who have been given the gift of song can hit(vocally), and make the note sound pleasing to the ear. For the entire 20 minute car ride home myself and Amanda were Micah's audience as he kept trying to play the entire song perfectly (and if he didn't, he would have to start the song all over again). Lets just say it was a rather long ride home yesterday.

Well we survived the car ride home, and for the rest of the day I had the song playing in my mind over, and over, and over again (minus the screeching sounds of Micah's recorder). ;0)

With this it made me think of my 1000 Gifts List I decided I would keep this year. I started my list, but it has become clear to me that I was making a general list of all the things I'm thankful for. Kind of like a 'count my blessings' type of list, and not a heart felt list of me experiencing God's grace. As the song continued to stir in my mind and began to sink deep into my heart I began to meditate on His grace. What it means to me, why I don't deserve it, but how he continues to extend it to me daily.

Soon it occurred to me that the list I started sounded more about me, and less about Him. My husband, my children, my church, my friends, etc. I am truly thankful for all of them, and do see them all as gifts from God, but I started to feel that the list needed to be something more than just what I'm thankful for. I feel that my list needed to be of the graces He gives to me in every moment of every day that I fail to see because my mind is either filled with worry, stress, obligations, commitments and all of the other daily distraction that can come my way. So last night I decided to look at my list differently. I'm keeping my original list, but I want to seek deeper and find the everyday graces in each person/experience that I have written down and how God uses them as gifts of His grace each day.

From Race Cars... To Earrings

Yesterday was Micah's derby car race with his Y-Guide Circle. I wasn't going to go, because after all is a Father/Son event. But considering it was the first day with an overall high above 45 degrees, Amanda and I tagged along.

Micah won his first two races; lost his third race; moved over to line 2 and lost again. After 2 loses, you're out. Some of Micah's buddies made it close to the end, but no one from his circle placed. Afterwards some of us went out to dinner. It turned out to be a fun outing, and I was also happy that some other Mom's from his circle tagged along as well. Here are some pictures from the race!





Here are a couple of new pictures of Amanda. We had her ears pierced last week and I've been meaning to take some pictures of her with her new BLING! Isn't she just so darn cute?!?

1000 Gifts List

Every other Friday I go to a women's group at my church called, "Encouragement Fridays". It's a great time to fellowship with other mothers, eat yummy food, and hear a relevant, practical message from some of the most amazing women. I have been abundantly blessed from the wisdom, knowledge and the authenticity that these women bring to our group. They have openly shared with us about their lives, their marriage, their families and their relationship with the Lord.

During our last meeting, one mom talked about a blog she follows and how she has been blessed by reading the writings by a Canadian mother of six. She has started what she is calling her One Thousand Gifts list. The speaker at our group challenged us to keep a list of gifts that God has given to us. Not gifts we want, but to list the gifts we all ready have. God gives to us daily, and many times we miss those gifts within the craziness of our daily lives. I know I do.

So today, I have decided to start my own 1000 Gifts List, that God has generously h given and continues to give to me on a daily basis. Some I will share on my blog, others I will write down in my journal.

Here is the link to the blog in mention and I hope by reading this blog it will inspire you to start your own 1000 Gifts List. LINK

In His Grip,

Nancy

CHRISTMAS IN KAUAI!

Our time in Hawaii was the most memorable Christmas ever! We had a blast and enjoyed all that the island had to offer. We swam, snorkeled, hiked, sunbathed, went sightseeing, ate and ate some more!

We highly recommend going to Hawaii during the Holiday season. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not too cold. The humidity was at a minimum for the region and there is a lot less bugs during the winter season as well. We hope to return to the islands every 3-4 years to vacation during the Christmas Season.

Here are a some pics of our time spent in Kauai! We took over 500 pictures and I narrowed it down to a few less for you to view.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!!