Sandy Pumpkins

Here are my promised pictures. This is not nearly all of them, but it's some great highlights. Enjoy.

My Dad, The Goofball So Cool. It was the perfect day to be on the beach.

Daddy and Jack. Such Boys.
That's his name!
My favorite spot.

Here are some pictures of Jack at the pumpkin patch yesterday.

Some News

It's amazing how someone's life can change in one week. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Cheryl Miller. I found out this weekend that the tumor was cancerous. They did get it all out and she is recovering faster than the doctors expected. She walked a lap around her floor yesterday!!!

She will go in for an appointment next week to look at what happens next. I know that God is bigger than all of this. He is control.

I feel like I'm copying all of Kelly's blogs from last week!!!

I'll be posting pictures soon from our vacation. I promise!!!!

An Update from the Beach

Jason, Jackson and I have been spending the last 3 days at the beach in South Padre Island. Absolutely gorgeous. Fall is the best time to come to a place like this. No one is here and the beaches are clear of seaweed. It's WAY to cold to swim, but we've really enjoyed just relaxing out there. The highlights of our time at the beach have included watching "the young at heart" search for treasures with their metal detectors. Oh and don't forget the sifters, shovels and paper bags they carry along. So yes, it's been an eventful week! We've had some great food and are staying at an awesome resort that my dad is a member of. Life really couldn't be better right now.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Cheryl Miller. She had her surgery Wednesday night. They got EVERYTHING out and it looks good. They sent it off to see if it was cancer and will know soon. If it isn't then she is good to go! So, let's be praying. Kara and Kelly, thank you so much for the encouraging comments. Wow!!!!! They both were such incredible miracles.

I will post pictures as soon as we get back. Ciao.

If My People Pray....

Okay, so I have to ask you all to pray. One of the members on my worship team, Cheryl Miller, went to the hospital last night because of some bad migraines she was having and ended up finding a baseball size tumor in her brain. Today they went in to do some more testing and found that if they don't get it out now, she could only live for a few more months. One day life is good, and the next your being told you could die any day????

It's just awful and I'm sick even thinking about what all this could do to her family. She has 3 kids, ages 14, 16 and 18 and a husband of 20+ years. They will find out tomorrow during surgery if it is cancerous. They are pretty sure from the X-Rays that it is.

I've heard of 4 people in our church that have been diagnosed with cancer in the past 6 months. I don't know what's going on!!! Please lift her up today and tomorrow....as well as her family.

I know that God is in control and that he is with her!

Good Friends

This weekend I had a special visit from 3 of my very best friends. I've known Katy since I was a freshman in high school and Michelle and Abby since I was about 18.

I have to say we've had some ups and downs...but I guess if you are a girl, you know what I'm talking about. Ultimately, we've always known that no matter what we would be there for each other. Friends are friends forever..oh dang I just got that song in my head.

We had a great weekend, all in all. We ate way too much food, laughed A LOT and shared what was going on in our lives. Just like old times. 2 of us now have kids, one is going to Singapore for a year and I think that we are all still trying to figure out who the heck we are.

Jackson and Addyson...."sittin in a tree"...

This week's grateful statement:

"I'm grateful for friends that let me be myself and don't care."

P.S. Is everyone LOVING this weather or what????

Start Being Thankful!

As you know, Jason and I work at our church. He is the Pastor of Spiritual Formation (He was recently licensed!!) and I'm the "Worship Arts Coordinator". I really love my job and being able to do ministry together wtih my husband. God has blessed us with an amazing church and amazing leadership over us. God is so good.

Although we are sooo blessed (and we are), life can be a rollarcoaster. We are newlyweds of only 3 1/2 years, have a 16 month old baby, are fighting our way out of student loans....still, and are trying to find a way to balance ministry, family and life. This summer I realzed that I had started growing bitter about some things in my life. Jason brough to my attention, as he does so well, that maybe we had stopped being grateful. I lost what gratitude was all about. Okay, so he was right.

So I have started to make it a priority to say what I'm thankful for everyday....no matter what.

I'm thankful that I have such a great place to work at and do my dream job. I am thankful for such a great husband who is so supportive, encouraging and challenging...all in one. I am thankful that I have a place to live ....even when the next door neighbors dogs are barking at 1:00 AM behind my bedroom window!!!! I am thankful for such a beautiful son who makes me laugh, smile and cry...all in one. Lol. I am thankful for such amazing friends who don't judge me, who believe in me and who tell me like it is. I'm thankful for Coldstone Icecream. Without you I'd probably be 5 lbs lighter, but your yumminess is too good to pass up once a month.

Have you forgotten how to be thankful? Truly? Maybe you haven't....I wish I could be like you then. Either way, what are you thankful for?

Days Outside

On Saturday, Jason and I decided to venture out to Gruene, TX. It's so close, yet feels like we are getting away from our hectic life. This is a little late in getting out, but I had to share these oh so cute pictures of Jack - Jack.

One of my dearest and "bestest" friends, Terra Jean Phelps, is having to say goodbye to her husband for 15 months! He is leaving for Iraq in December. So, Tuesday night Jason and I had her kiddos overnight and spend yesterday morning at the park. It's the LEAST I could do for them. I wished it could have been a week for them. I can't imagine saying goodbye to Jason for over a year.

We've had a great week. Things have seemed to slow down a bit. I'm enjoying life.