Preview Sunday

Wow! It is amazing to see God work around us, and Him letting us join him!
Yesterday was our "Preview Service"... leading up to our "Launch Service" on October 5th. It was a great day and I'm so excited my parents and father-in-law got to come.
I should have some pictures soon. My friend Yessica was so sweet and took tons of shots of the whole service for us.
So, if you live in the Houston area, join us next week as we offically kick off our brand-new church in the Medical Center. We'd love to have you join us in our quest for Relevant Truth, Authentic Relationships, and Compassionate Service.

PS The preaching is great, even if I'm a little biased! ;)

sweet baby words

Tonight, I was putting Landon to bed amidst sobbing (his, not mine!) in a melt down. It was Preview Sunday* and he had NO nap. I asked him why he was crying.
He answered, in a little whiny voice, "My eyes were sad and then they cried." Oh, he almost made Mama cry!

*check back tomorrow for an update on this, I'm going to bed! And yes, it's 8:45 p.m.

Not Me Monday!

Okay, so I am following this blog that I love (praying for her unborn precious baby and love her writing style!) and the author is starting a new contest called "Not Me Monday" where one can quite therapeutically relay events that she did NOT do that past week. Does that make sense? So here goes... my first Not Me Monday (Sunday!)

1.) I certainly did not take Tylenol PM one night just so I could sleep late the next morning while my kids were at my parents. Nope, that is irresponsible. And if I HAD done it, it probably would have only allowed me to sleep until 8 a.m. anyway. So I am glad I did NOT do that!

2.) I did NOT look the other way when my dog relieved himself, and I ain't talking peeing here, in a neighbor's yard. Nope, once again, irresponsible.

3.) I did not go out in public in a hideous red vest, even if it were to be for a volunteering banquet and that is our uniform. And over my dead body I did certainly did not go with my husband dressed exactly the same way. How nerdy is that?

4.)I did not completely enjoy my week off with my children at their grandparents/aunt and uncle's house. Nope, I was pining away all day when I didn't have to clean poopy diapers, break up fights between a one and three-year-old and certainly was not happy to go to the grocery store alone!

5.) And with the above said, I did NOT race my husband out to the driveway when they got back and argue over whom got the kids first! :)

Because really, I did miss 'em!

We are Great... post-Ike, that is

I just realized, because some of my friends asked, how we did during Hurricane Ike, that I had never posted about it. We had some really minute water damage in our kitchen, but absolutely nothing compared to what others are going through. We only lost power for maybe 12 hours, and weren't even here for that. Please continue to keep the people in this area in your prayers. There are people who still don't have electricity and it is HOT. Last week was really cool but we're now back to typical Houston weather.
And worse than no electricity, many people in Galveston, etc. lost their entire homes and everything in them.
If you feel led to help, click here to go to a website hosted by one of our sponsor churches, Clear Creek Community Church. They are really being the hands and feet of Jesus during the aftermath and would love your help.
Also, during our Preview Sunday, all of our offerings will be given to Hurricane Relief efforts. I don't think we can really even fathom how long it is going to take, or how much money it will cost, to get everything back to normal.
I know it has hit me how everything you called home can be gone in an instant. Take time today to thank God for what you have.

Bittersweet

So the kids are with my parents/ sister for the entire week! Talk about bittersweet... the house is so quiet... I miss them but at the same time am trying to enjoy it while it lasts!
Ben and I enjoyed an ENTIRE day together yesterday... sleeping in, shopping, watching a movie and then going to a great dinner downtown (via MetroRail, no less!) and enjoying some great live music. It was great to get to focus on each other for a complete 24 hours.
Today is back to work, getting ready for our previously-planned and post-poned Preview Service. (how is that for alliteration?) I am able to help Ben a lot this week as we prepare for this exciting day!
But I am starting to miss the kids... I need some snuggling! So if you see me and I look a little weepy- just let me kiss your kids or something!

Sweet kiddies

Check out the great pics our friend Meg took of the kids! Thanks, Meg!

She Said Yes!

Seven years ago, almost to the hour, Ben proposed to me. It was one of the most fun, surreal nights of my life. I kinda suspected something was up and bought a new outfit for the occasion.
He took me to dinner at Olive Garden (my favorite at the time), and we ordered a meal to split. Well, when he didn't even eat half of his half, I knew that he has nervous about something! Those of you who know Ben know that he eats all of his food, then licks the plate clean!
Anyway, then we drove back to the church where we were serving at the time and he sent me on an errand so he could set up. When I came back into the sanctuary, he led me to the altar and had roses sitting there, and a card. He told me to open the card, which said, "Congratulations, You're Engaged!" (guess he was pretty sure of the answer!)
Then he got down and one knee and asked me to be his wife. It was the most beautiful proposal. I'm so glad I said yes!

Our First Sunday as a new church!

Today was a very exciting day for the Church in the Center. We had our very first worship service in our new meeting space! It was a great time of bonding together as a core group and renewing our vision for our church to be a ministry to the Texas Medical Center.
It was absolutely the most incredible/strangest feeling walking out of church and immediately seeing Texas Children's Hospital about one block away, which of course is where this whole journey began for us. We are finally here!
Ben and I went on a date tonight (thanks to Andrew and Fabia!) and we were just saying we couldn't believe that we actually were beginning what began as just a thought almost two years ago exactly.
We thank God for this incredible culmination of two years of prayer, hard work, excitement, nervousness, moving, faith, doubt, and most of all, his hand of mercy upon us!

funny story

Today I was in Wal-Mart with my kiddos and on the baby doll aisle. (I think I like looking at that stuff as much as my baby girl!)
Anyway, I was scanning the price tags of everything and three of the yellow tags on one shelf said "BA baby." BA is how we liver moms refer to Biliary Atresia (Landon's disease).
I got this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, then glanced up at the product. It was a Baby Alive doll! I felt sooo stupid for even thinking biliary atresia, but at the same time, that is what BA stands for, for me anyway!
Just thought I would share yet another way liver disease has infiltrated my thinking!

By the way, these "BA" babies were the most expensive ones I saw! How fitting...