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Thursday, April 26, 2012

#SSMTC

Siesta Scripture Memory Team Celebration

16% of us who started at the beginning of 2011 finished the task. I celebrated with four beautiful and amazing women from AZ.

We moved from AZ to Frisco February 2011 to plant a church.

Leaving my church was hard.
Leaving my family was hard, but I know that they are constant. I will always see them.
Leaving my friends felt impossible. Friends don’t see each other on the holidays. Friends can’t always afford to travel to visit other friends, they use money to visit other family.

When Robin suggested that we five friends do this just before I moved, I loved the idea. The idea of checking in no matter what every 1st and 15th.  I wanted so badly to be connected with these women. I never imagined that it would all come together. That all four of them would sacrifice to come to Texas a year later and drive in car with me five hours… one way.  It was a celebration for so many reasons.

One of my favorite challenges and truths from the weekend was to “Listen with the ears of a chosen lady”. I didn’t accidently slip into this role of a church planting wife, I was chosen specifically for it. I know that, but it’s always good to hear it again. And again. And again. 

My favorite truths spoken to me by our "Siesta Mama", Beth Moore:

Listen with the ears of a chosen lady… eklecte kuria
I didn’t accidently slip into this role a church planting wife.
I was chosen.

The word study on “abiding”
It’s not standing still
Ex 14:14-15- Moses says stand still, then God says GO!

It’s not moving backwards PUSH BACK
Ps 118:13- I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me.
Ps 44:5- Through you we push back our enemies…

It’s not running ahead
II Jn :9- Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God…

Be careful of where TRUTH stops.
If it starts and stops at your head,  your head will puff up.
If it goes through your head into your heart, the feeling will explode
It must get down to your feet.
Knowing + Feeling + WALKING = True Abiding
If it hits your feet it’ll change the way you live.

We don’t have a knowledge problem, we have an obedience problem.

That’s ground God gave me. I want it back.
2 Tim 1:12 (MSG) I couldn’t be more sure of MY GROUND- the One I’ve trusted in can take care of what he’s trusted me to do right to the end.

The five of us sat in a circle and recited the verses we had been memorizing all year. It was such a sweet time to look back at God's faithfulness in all of our lives. I was kind of impressed with all of us :)

I'm looking forward to starting the process again in 7 months.

Anyone want to join in? 

Merry Christmas!

We prepared ourselves for a Christmas that was going to look very different from every Christmas we've shared with our families. I think we did a pretty good job about being intentional with new traditions and memories. Instead of a big baking day with all of the sisters, aunts, cousins and mom, we had our own little baking day. Dad even helped out in the kitchen. 

 We went to look at Christmas lights. We stumbled onto a neighborhood that had incredible displays and a whole tour. We ate Wendy's as we creeped along the tour. Micah loved the lights so much that he actually started saying words! He would point at every new house "dis" "dis" "dis"... this, this this.

 We had our first Christmas Eve service with Frisco Fields Church. 


 We fed reindeer their food. Sophia brought a bag home from school with oatmeal and glitter. We will definitely make sure the reindeer are well fed from now on. They loved it. 


After the service we headed to Chili's for dinner. It took us a while to find something that was open. Who knew?!

It was different, but very special. Kind of like this whole past year :) 


Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, I realize it's almost May. Whatever. 

Gotta do it for the book! And I know you're not really THAT mad about my delayed posting. Here we go again!

Danny, Allie and Finley decided at the last minute to drive from Denver to Frisco for Thanksgiving 2011. I had yet to meet Finley and was missing my sister big time. We even surprised Ashie. It was a super fun weekend! Allie helped me cook my first turkey. Yea, that's gross. 
 Sophia and Finley had matching PJs. Sophs loved sitting with her. She just told me a few weeks ago (yes, in April)... "I miss Finley Foo Foo. She's my tiny, little friend"
heart melt. 
 We peeled potatoes in front of the TV and watched the parade

 The boys cut the turkey. There were SEVERAL Christmas Vacation quotes during the entire weekend. I saved the neck for you. 
 We picnicked at Frisco Square the day after Turkey day. We packed up all of the leftovers, played freeze tag and truth or dare. Ashleigh "tebowed" in the middle of the street and Jared couldn't complete his dare of climbing a lamp post so he screamed "I'm a puny, little girl!" at the top of his lungs. 
So, that was fun. 
 We love Frisco!


It was a pretty darn good Thanksgiving for being the first away from the big family in AZ. 

Monday, November 7, 2011

Baylor Homecoming

I finally made it a Baylor Homecoming! It just took moving to Texas, having a sister on campus and having an amazing bestie
who lives in Waco.

Mom, Kevin, the kids and I all drove down to Waco Thursday. Ashleigh had given us her schedule. She was available to hang out with us from 3:30-5:45. We took full advantage of our time with her... an early dinner at Ninfa's before she headed off to Pigskin.

Friday I stayed back at Lesley's house with the kids, while mom and Kevin followed Ashleigh around Waco. I love staying with the Swartz fam. It's one of the most comfortable places on the planet for me. Lesley is one of those few friends that I never miss a beat with. I'm so thankful for her friendship and I adore her family.

Friday night we went to the pep rally and bonfire. Sophia was slightly grumpy and tired, but Micah LOVED the whole experience. He danced most of the night. He gave a few good Sic Ems. He clapped with the Golden Wave band. He pointed and grunted at the huge bonfire and fireworks. He was so cute to watch.
(Ash is dressed up in her wolf costume for Pigskin)
The ladies
The Dudes
Saturday morning we headed back to campus for the parade. Ashleigh's roomie, Emily, was one of the Kappa float chairs. It was by far the best float. There was so much detail and moving parts.
We ran into Jamie, a college friend and my Kappa "little" ;), and her sweet daughter.
Sophia is 10 days older than Rowan. It's been fun to watch them grow up side by side... I feel a through the years post coming on...
After the parade we visited the Kappa room for an Alumni brunch. Sophia is a rockstar in the room. She was wisked away when we walked in the door and schmoozing the whole time until I saw her again as we were leaving. In fact, we left her in the room with Ashleigh's roomie on accident and had to go back to get her. Mom of the Year!

She's watching pledge songs with Ashie
Next year will be 10 years since graduation.
So... I'm old.
Sic 'em Bears

Global Cities Pastors

We had the amazing honor of spending some time with Rod and Peti this past week. Rod pastors Fairfax Community Church and is Jared's coach in this whole church planting adventure that we're on. Peter (Peti) pastors a church in Budapest, Hungary. Jared is part of a group of Global Cities Pastors who come from what will be 75 key cities in the world. It's such an honor to be able to connect with people like Peti through this experience.

Jared, Jake, Rod and Peti went to the Texas Church of God Assembly in San Antonio this past weekend while we went to Waco for Baylor's Homecoming. These guys laughed lots. :) It just felt like we had more of our family in the house. It's actually really quiet in the house tonight. Kinda sad. We miss you guys!
Rod and Micah are birthday buddies... with a few years in between.
Peti thought Micah was pretty cool. And I'm telling you, it's not many people that Micah will cuddle up to. Peti is a lucky guy!
(Note: that is a FLY on the left side of this photo! I can't believe it made it in the picture. Rude)

We know we'll see Rod again and hope to get to see Peti and meet his beautiful wife someday!

QT with Gigi and Papa Kevin

Mom and Kevin left yesterday. Mom was here for two weeks, the first week working the Dallas Market. Kevin joined us the second week. It was a great "holiday". Since we'd lived a mile away from them, we don't really have many photos of them with the kids. Now that they're visitors, we're better at remembering to document these special times :)
We rested, spent an afternoon in downtown McKinney and went to Waco for Homecoming! More of that to come.
We miss you Gigi and Papa! Thanks for visiting!


Halloween 2011!

For Halloween we went to our friends' house in the neighborhood we want to live in when we move in February. It was such a great night! There are three families from church who live on the street. We ate soup, walked around the neighborhood together and met some new families.

Sophia was Belle.
(you're getting a princess wave here)
Micah was a dinosaur
(you're getting a RAWWRR here)
Micah got the hang of trick-or-treating pretty quickly.
And he LOVED wearing his costume.
Here are the Seatons checkin out their loot. Violet even got in on the action. She's growing up so fast!
Daddy making sure everything looks alright :)
We had Micah try on the Princess Leia wig that Elise wore.
He doesn't look all that amused, does he?