Texas Vacation

So I don't quite have all the pics yet, but here are a few from our time in Texas. We left on the 20th of May and just got home yesterday...the 28th. The weather was in the mid to high 90's the entire time we were there...a little better than the weather back home-to say the least. We had a great time! I got the chance to talk to and with Kris' Real Life Group of girls, which was so fun for me and I loved getting to know them a little. Rob got the chance to golf, not once, not twice but THREE times! And one of those times was on the course than runs around and in the back yard of Kris and Greg's house-Twin Creeks. He said to me one day--"Erin I will golf that course before I leave." I laughed b/c Greg doesn't have a membership and there is just no way to get on that course without one--it is pretty exclusive. However, the next day we had lunch at the club after the swim meet and Rob and Greg got talking with the new owner. Kris, the girls and I left to go home b/c we had two cars and when those boys came home we were informed that they were golfing on Monday...FOR FREE! You have got to be kidding me was all I could think!

So yeah, we did other things too...swam in the back yard a lot, and at the club one afternoon, went to one of John's swim meets, went to church with the fam and got to watch Matt play in the worship band, Kris and I got to go scrap Friday night at Archiver's ;), and shopped.....I would say the best times were just watching the girls get to know better and really bond with the Tolanders. Ever since we have been home Gracie has been talking constantly about Matt carrying her around in a blanket and tickling her, and swimming and coloring with John. They both loved playing with John and the bunnies--Minskers and Pippin.

It was a teary goodbye at the airport! How we all wish that there wasn't such a distance between us, but we are already talking about our next meeting and looking forward to that and GOD IS SO GOOD! It is a blessing to be able to share our faith and to encourage and spur one another on in that. We were able to all give support to each other and it was fun to see how God spoke though and in us when we share the different areas and seasons of life that we are in!

Thanks to the Tolanders for thier hospitality, generousity, and LOVE!!! We had a GREAT week!

Gracie Turns "3"

It was so fun to watch Gracie on her birthday! She is just starting to really grasp that it is a special day just for her. We woke up in the morning and I made caramel rolls for her and we opened a couple of gifts from Rob and I. She was all smiles from the minute she came out of her room that morning!
So yeah Gracie loved the candles and even blew them out, with a little help ;) But mommy didn't think about the fact that putting wax candles in fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls might be a slight problem. Needless to say, she didn't eat that one!
I once again undertook making the cake myself...only this year I didn't really plan ahead much. not that I ever really do ;) I knew that Gracie wanted a Little Mermaid cake, so I pretty much went and got the stuff the day of the party, baked the cake, and freehand/traced Ariel and Flounder from a coloring page Gracie had. Gracie Loved it! That is what matters right? Not the fact that if you looked close enough you could see that Ariel was definitely cross eyed!

Gracie loved having all of her friends come and sit with her at a special table-even Auntie Meggie

Auntie Sarah came and surprised us! She was supposed to have to work but got put "on call"...I think I was more excited to see her than Gracie...I was definitely missing her ;)
The featured dessert, besides Ariel of course, was 'frost your own cupcake'Gracie and her cake...love it when three year old thinks all your art work is great! "Mom, you did such a great job!" LOVE IT!!!

We had everyone make one of Gracie's favorite things out of Play Doh and then tried to get her to pick her very favorite. Megan had the inside track b/c she sat by Gracie and made Ariel and her castle...so yeah, Gracie would hardly look at anyone else's!

We also played another game where the three kiddos above tried to get as many skittles as they could out of whipped cream! Justin beat everyone by 1 skittle! They were great sports ;) And yeah Gracie opened alot of GREAT gifts! She had fun riding around with Gma Sally on the scooter b4 they had to scoot out!

All in all, a GREAT birthday party!!!! Fun was had by all ;)

Birthday in Pella

Rob and the girls headed down to Pella the Thursday of Tulip Time to spend the weekend with the Pella VL's. The girls had SO much fun being able to play with Nathan at his house. His Parents have made the coolest house for him to play in the the girls loved it!
Gracie plays so well with Nathan! over Easter break she had him sat down on a chair and was doing his hair for him. It looks like here she was holding him and he pulled up his shirt to let her blow on his belly!
The Aunties hit a home run with this cake! From what I here she was so enthralled with the cake she just got quiet once they put it in front of her ;)Daddy was a ROCKSTAR this weekend! Karys wasn't feeling the greatest and he had the duty of taking the girls all around to the festivities and helping Gracie open all her gifts. What a blessing he is as a DAD!!! I don't worry hardly at all when he has them by himself...I am blessed!
This little diva even got a gift from Grandma! What a cutie!

From Cali to Cornfields....

I headed out to Cali on the 2nd of may to pick up my little sister Meg from college. What a whirlwind that was! I got there Fri morning and left her to go visit dear friends...must say I was so enthralled with the VerWys family and how much we miss them I didn't even take one picture of thier dear boys! Who are getting huge and handsome! And yeah got to see my college roomie and her little sister too before the day ended!

All in all we made great time, had Great conversation, saw GREAT sites, and stayed with GREAT ppl, and survived it all with AWFUL colds!

Megan and I outside of her dorm, after an awesome breakfast with the Milhon's, after packing up her room, and before our road trip officially began!


So we decided at the last minute to take the route that would lead us through the Grand Canyon. B/c of our last minute planning we barely made it in time. I think we ended up catching like 40 minutes of daylight left! However, IT WAS AMAZING! You feel like you are standing on the edge of the world....how can you see this and not believe in GoD! It was like when you lean close to the edge you could feel the breath of God! So worth the $ for the time we got to spend here!

Lisa picked an AMAZING restaurant to meet at! We had so much fun catching up with her and Jordan and yeah we finally had an AMAZING meal that wasn't fast food!

What a blessing the trip was....one that we may never have the chance to do again. Wow! We shared so many laughs, stories, convos, naps, and songs....I couldn't have picked anyone better that I would have rather driven across the country with! Love my little sis so much!

Heaven

Gracie-- "My baby died..."
Mommy-- "Really? What does that mean?"
Gracie-- "She's not coming back."
Mommy-- "Where do people go when they die?"
Gracie-- "Mexico..."

We went on to talk about this and straighten her out! SO HILARIOUS THOUGH! Later at the end of the conversation she told me that we should tell everyone about Jesus so they can all go live in heaven. She also said that it would be silly not to live in houses in heaven...so we came to the agreement that we would all fit into God's house and there would be bed's for everyone, but she still wants to sleep with Meggie!

Last Month In Pics

Making cookies with mommy is always a treat! Especially when we both get to lick the dough! Gracie is quite the clean nut and was insistent on washing everything after making cookies and anything else that we used while eating lunch.
Putting the big girl bed in Karys' room to being getting her used to seeing it with the hopes of transitioning into it. Gracie and Karys enjoy it together on the 1st day in her room!
Chalk and more chalk! If it hasn't rained lately, you'll more than likely see plenty of artwork on our font sidewalk/cement pad. The girls just love to play with chalk.
Apple Jacks and smiles! Karys orders jacks with milk and a poon, i.e. spoon. Gracie takes her's dry as finger food.
Gracie makes a friend at the indoor pool and goes down the slide repeatedly with her. It was fun to watch her in that 1/2 hour grow up right before our very eyes!
Gracie loves to color! Working intently on her Pooh coloring book in the big chair.

Karys exhausted after lunch and falls asleep on the family room floor, fingers and blanky close by at all times!
A package from Auntie Heather with summer clothes including new dresses, and of course it was a no-brainer that they had to wear them to church that Sunday. Thank goodness it was warm enough.
Karys' interesting new favorite spot- under the kitchen table with yes, her fingers and blanky.
Going for a walk on a beautiful Saturday with babies and strollers. We walked completely around the block in what might have been the longest walk around the block in history, but it was too nice to mind!
Baby Leah comes to visit and help at the garage sale!

Wrapped in the arms of God

Ok....are you ready for this? Yeah, I don't know if I am....but I know that I need to update the blog, and I need to journal cuz I am a ball of emotion and knots--so really I could just kill two birds with one stone? Ok, like I said are you sure you are ready for this?

I am a sinner....I am not enough...I am a liar and a cheat...I am scared of failure--like REALLY scared...I want to make a difference...I want recognition...I want to be all things to all ppl but I know I can't...I am angry...I am controlling...I am unmotivated...I am so tired...I am tense and uptight...I am sick...I am broken...I am on my face...I am held...I am lifted up...I am walking...I am flying...I am a leader...I AM PASSIONATE...I am a lover...I am a listener...I am a learner....I am bold...I am relational...I am empathetic and compassionate...I am a daughter...I am a vapor...I am sent...I am willing...break me...refine me...lead me...carry me...send me...empower me....emesh my being into yours....make me invisible that ppl may see only you when they see me....hear my cry...recieve my worship...thank you....thank you....thank you...................

Over the past couple days, maybe even the past week I have been heavy with conviction of where I fall short. It all started in a sunday school class for K-2 graders talking about "busting" sin and being a part of the sin busters club. We have walked through Stealing, Dishonesty, and I forget the term for the other one but making fun of others. So through all three of these, especially the first two I have sat in a room full of kids...as the example in the room right? And never felt more humility...Who am I to lead and teach them? I am a thief...I have taken things without permission--from my mom, my sisters, even Rob. I am a liar...really I have been doing it so long that sometimes I can't draw the line between the truth and the lie (Plz don't lose my trust yet in hearing that...I will get there ;) And my question has been throughout this time...If we were created to worship God and to bring glory to Him....yet we were born sinners...how are we supposed to overcome our sin to find our true innate calling and why does our sin seem to take precedence over our need to worship and our journey to holiness?

Well, I have also felt lately as well a foreign feeling of self-righteousness....and I say foreign bc I haven't seen it before...it could have been there I just chose not to look at it or really was ignorant to it. I know I haven't arrived....plz ppl I KNOW! But lately I feel like I have been acting like I have. I have words for everyone, a plan for everything, time for others....something is wrong....very wrong....

By starting to draw the lines between these two things an amazing revelation hit me! Yes I was created to WORSHIP and yes I was born a SINNER....but I can't do it on my own! And the only way to overcome my sinnful being is to recognize my NEED for God and once I do that my innate being starts to stir and I am drawn to my face longing to be held by the one who created me needing nothing more that a gently finger to wipe away my tears. I look up and see a picture of myself nailed to the cross...I am smiling and beautiful-yet I am broken and sinful...but I am FORGIVEN and I am HOLY because I have been washed by the blood of the Lamb...the Lamb who was sacrificed on the altar as an overwhelming, all-encompassing atonement for my sins.

I CANNOT BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PPL! I had a girl get pretty upset with me this week bc I told her, "There is nothing special about me...I am just someone who chose to take the time to spend with you, bc I want you to grow in JEsus." Oh she was mad! She hated the way I downplayed myself...but that is what I need to do! I am a vapor, I am insignificant, BUT I am devoted to the one who made me and destined to do His kingdom work here on earth--therefore I am malleable, and willing to be made perfect in my weakness. i am on my face wrapped int he arms of God....He is carrying me to that special place where He himself will put me back together and help me realize my worth (Cuz let me tell you after sin busters I was feeling pretty worthless!) And he will forgive me, but he will also challenge me and grow me....stretch me and push me...and that might hurt, and I am going to fall down (Probably a lot)....but I will be able to rest in the fact that I am under the authority of God. I answer to no one else....and in that I seek only His approval and serve and worship Him and him alone! How can I be self righteous if I am walking in that?

So let my life be more than talk! I want to be bold for Christ! I want to dance in the streets bc I have wailed before the Lord, He has heard my cries and pulled me from the pit I put myself in...

PPL why are we here? I wish it was to lie on our faces daily before the throne of Christ, to dance in the courts of the King, to be blinded by the light of the world..........wait...........it is! It is that.....granted that will come full circle when one day heaven comes to earth and we will forever live lives in eternity filled with worship and glory. But we are also here for another reason...one of the main reasons I learned tonight. I was in worship with a group of believers from OC a lot of whom I don't know. And during that time I realized the great commandment...LOVE MY PPL AS YOU WOULD LOVE YOURSELF! Be my hands and feet to them allow your touch to be my hand reaching out to them from heaven....allowing them to feel accepted, loved.....forgiven!

I know I am all over the place.....

We need to be time warriors! Not so wrapped up in our own lives that we aren't taking time for 1-JESUS and 2-others! And yes if you figure this out....CALL ME! But I want to strive to find this balance....bc we live in a world where relationships take time and we live messy lives. How do we have an intimate personal relationship with Jesus Christ--and I mean INTIMATE and DEVOUT....yet take care of our families and created KINGDOM relationships with the ppl around us and those we are yet to come into contact with?

OK, so if you are still with me that is my heart....Idon't have answers but I am now on the journey to seek them out. The journey is starting with refinement. I am a broken daughter of the king....a king who longs for the restoration of HIS ppl....PRAISE JESUS! I am choosing to begin the restoration.......