Happy 19th Birthday William!

Will is having another birthday! Where does the time go? We will miss being with him on this momentous day, but we wish him from afar a very fun, happy, blessed day. We love you Will and you and Wes are the best part of our lives and you bring us such joy!

Happy Birthday!!!

Just some cute pictures of the birthday boy and friends. :)

Will, Chance and silly little brother Wes at Red River. This picture makes me laugh.
Molly McCoy and Will on a trip to Florida a long time ago.

Cutie.

Blessings on your day.

Weekend in Arkansas

We had a whirlwind weekend in Arkansas visiting Will at Harding. It was so incredible to see our boy. He has gotten a lot bigger and his neck is thicker from the football workouts and lifting. He seems pretty happy but a little more homesick than he has been letting on. I think that is very normal for the first semester of college for most all freshmen. I think he may be more homesick for Texas than for his family! ha. Anyway, he is coming home in a few weeks for fall break and we CANNOT wait! He is one wonderful kiddo and we are so blessed to have such great boys. Here are a few pictures of the weekend. I did not take as many as I had planned on taking. Just forgot and was enjoying the time.

I am not sure if this eating establishment was in Ark. or Okla. Which ever it was, it just struck us as quite funny. No, we did not pig out here. :)
This was the sign out in front of the Pig out Palace.

There must have been some huge motorcycle rally somewhere in Arkansas this weekend. I think we saw every biker in the country. Very interesting. Lots of them looked like they had been in bar room brawls also with bloody heads and noses and bandages on their heads. Wow.

Eating at one of Will's favorite places. Chicken fingers.

Harding Univ. cafeteria. Blurry picture. We were having fun.

Fountain. Just a nice pic. I think there is a lot of swimming and jumping in this attraction.

Just a pretty walkway on campus.

The crew in Will and Dylan's room. We watched Colt play UTEP in here. It was a good time.

This is Wes after one fun night in the dorm. Tired young man but he said it was great fun!

Harding football. A beautiful field.

We are home and pretty tired, but ready for a great week. Blessings on your week too! Amy

Fall...

This lovely bird was in our front yard tree just enjoying the day. I think she was trying to soak up the last sunshine and heat of the summer. These cooler temperatures are so wonderful. I will miss the flowers and robins and warmth of summer but I love fall so much!

I love...

Cold fronts that bring refreshing cool air and watching them rolling in from the north.

Being wrapped in your favorite blanket with a thermos of hot coffee and yelling for your football team

Sweatshirts and jeans weather

Cheerful fires in the fireplace

The time change which seems to allow for more evening family time at home

Yummy pumpkin and spice candles

Crunchy leaves, pumpkins, Thanksgiving and seeing family

Warm socks, snuggling with the ones you love

Large pots of soup and cornbread or homemade rolls

Hot cups of apple cider and trips out to the corn maze

Pumpkin cake, muffins, bread...soup...just the smell of spices cooking

The color of the leaves as they die. Interesting to me that something dying can be so beautiful. (There is a lesson for Christians in that I believe.)

Well, I just love fall and the changing of the seasons. Thank you God for all of the beauty around us. Help us not to ever take any of it for granted but to always have open eyes and hearts to drink it in and to be thankful.

Blessings. Amy

Our Sweet Home...up for sale

Living in this lovely home, or paying for our children to go to college? Well, maybe that statement is not completely factual, but it sure would help out. We love this house and my Mom is kinda mad at us for trying to sell it, because she loves it too. But hey, it's just a house and if we can downsize and not be so strapped while trying to put the boys through college, that would be fine with me. Home is where the heart is, or better yet, home is where my loved ones are. Any house you can make into a home. So...appreciate your prayers about it selling and...if you are interested, come on over!
Blessings. Amy

Just a few pics...for fun. :)

Freshly painted master bath.

Study

Bath before the new paint job.

Double sided fireplace. Also, see my wonderful table that my Dad built for us. So way cool!

Basement

Living

Kitchen. The hub of most all activity.

Front Porch

Looking out the master bedroom onto the back porch. Sid's meditating spot.

Front view. Flowers are so pretty right now.

Busy, FUN week ahead!

Good morning! It is a Monday all the way. Have you ever substituted for a seventh grade math class? I wouldn't advise you do so if you are menopausal and hypothyroid and even the least little bit tired. Need I say more?

Anyway, home now and bless those little busy hearts, they seem sweeter now that I have left the classroom. not.

OK, maybe I am just too old for this. ha. I am sure that is the problem.

Looking ahead, we have a great football game on tap for this Thurs. against a top rivalry. Should be a good match up. We then get to HEAD TO ARKANSAS to see our wonderful oldest son for Family Weekend at Harding. I have tried to keep really busy and just pray hard for Will and not dwell on the fact he is gone, but now that we are three or so days away from hugging his neck...I am so thrilled and cannot stop thinking about getting in the car and driving (forever) and seeing what his life is really like in person! Miss that boy! Wes even misses him and is excited about seeing him again.

Oh, on another random note, I am probably not supposed to tell this because my Dad warned me sternly not to tell anyone here in Raider country, but Colt was not feeling well at all on Sat. during the Tech game. I would say he played like Superman seeing as he had the swine flu at the time.

Oh, and Taylor Potts is for real. He is going to have a great future in football. I don't think I have seen any quarterback take any harder hits than he took and still get up to play the next series. He takes a lickin and keeps on tickin ,and accurately too.

Just a silly picture from last Halloween. Miss you Will! See you soon!

Family...

We were blessed to spend last weekend with Jan and Michael and were able to spend 24 hours at the ranch. It was so peaceful and restful. It rained nearly the whole time which is very strange, but nice. We have our open week for football this week and so Wes gets a break. Going to the ranch sure has us anticipating Thanksgiving and fellowship with everyone. I pray that your week is a blessed one.

Prov. 16:3 & 7

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.

When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies live in peace with him.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend:

Wes and sweet Kylee. There is not a more precious little girl in the world than this one!
There are several pictures in this post of Jan's house. She is just such a talented decorator and artist. Notice that their dog Sandy is looking in the window in this one. :)

I am comforted by this scripture and love the tile she has it written on. Notice that she has Will's picture on her kitchen cabinet with it. She prays for him whenever she sees it.

Will, isn't that cool?!

I love this spot in her entry.

Mom and Dad with their serious Longhorn football faces on.

The latest arrowhead that Sid found at the ranch. It is perfect.

Muddy, dirty Wes after arrowhead hunting.

I pray that everyone's week including mine will be focused on glorifying God in all we do.

Be exalted, O Lord, in Your strength; we will sing and praise Your might.

Ps. 21:13

Football Fever...

I guess my posts at the end of the week for quite some time to come will be about FOOTBALL! It is what we are living and breathing this time of year. I am not complaining...I have learned to enjoy it. I love it when our boys or their cousins are out there but love it even more when they walk off the field in one piece with no ambulance rides or doctor visits on the immediate schedule. Anyway, here are just a few pictures from our game this week. We are now three games down with no losses. Colt plays tomorrow in Wyoming, and Case beat up on Burkburnette tonight in Graham. We are all on a roll! Woo Hoo! Blessings.

You have to start with crazy looking mascots.
Love the pep rallys. Fun.

Wes with Sidney and his grandmother after beating up on Levelland.

Coach Graham.

Ahh...

Great tackle Wes!

Wes made 6 catches out of 6 passes. Not bad.

The boy is getting tall.

Deep snapper.

Have a great weekend!

Remembering...

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day?

Out in the yard with your wife and children

Working on some stage in LA

Did you stand there in shock at the site of that black smoke rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger

In fear for your neighbor

Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children

Who lost their dear loved ones

And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble

And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride

For the red white and blue

The heroes who died just doing what they do

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer

And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things He gave us

And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Teaching a class full of innocent children

Driving down some cold interstate

Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor

In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her

Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Speak with some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow

Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching

And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger

Stand in line and give your own blood

Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family

Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs

I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you

The difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God

And I remember this from when I was young

Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us

And the greatest is love

The greatest is love

The greatest is love

The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Alan Jackson

Tim Hawkins...

Wild At Heart

The start of football every year brings me around to re-reading parts of "Wild At Heart". I have to be reminded of the fact that God made my boys and all boys to be men. I have to remember that he made them with wild hearts that need battles to faced and won. I pray that I can let go even more with my boys and let them be men. Here are some good words from this book.

"We have not invited a man to know and live from his deep heart."

What makes him come alive, what stirs his heart?

"Aggression is part of the masculine design, we are hardwired for it. If we believe that man is made in the image of God, then we would do well to remember that "the Lord is a warrior, the Lord is His name." Ex. 15:3

Adventure is written into the heart of a man.
God made him that way. We try to turn him into a "nice guy". That is all fine and good, but he also wants to be the hero, the man in the battle, whatever that battle is.

I am learning to let go and let them live. With Will gone away to college I have really had to let go and let God watch over him. I do now pray for adventures for my boys. For battles to be won and for their hearts to be alive. I know that this could mean that I might be even farther away from them in the future. Will wants to be in Africa or somewhere on a mission field. Wes wants an adventure somewhere, anywhere. I understand this and pray that they will focus on not just adventure for adventure sake, but that their focus will be on the spiritual battle, the real fight.

These last words from Wild at Heart ignite even my woman heart:

Jesus is no "capon priest," no pale-faced altar boy with his hair parted in the middle, speaking softly, avoiding confrontation, who at last gets himself killed because he has no way out. He works with wood, commands the loyalty of dockworkers. He is the Lord of hosts, the captain of angel armies. And when Christ returns, He is the head of a dreadful company, mounted on a white horse, with a double-edged sword, His robe dipped in blood. (Rev. 19)
Now that sounds a lot more like William Wallace than in does Mother Teresa.

No question about it- there is something fierce in the heart of God.

I think he put something fierce in the hearts of his men also. It is good.

This beautiful moon rising picture was taken at the game last Friday night. I am amazed at how God speaks to us if we will just listen and open our ears and eyes.

I am in a struggle to be obedient , to be content or make some changes in our life right now. It is hard when God seems to be really silent in our lives. I know that we are way too impatient about things, but how do you as a child of God deal with waiting and listening and being patient in dry or silent times with God? I am sure He is waiting on me to grow and improve or change, but oh how I wish I could have a clear word or more of a direction some times.

I would love your input. Thanks and blessings! Amy

Perception: Do We Stop To See Beauty?

Perception ..something to think about...

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007.

The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes.

During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing.

He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: the violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk..

6minutes: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: The musician played continuously.

Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world.

He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The question raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it?
Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made....

How many other things are we missing?

Thank you Brad for sending this to me and thank you Lee for sending it to Brad. Blessings. Amy

Colt Video, Fishing with Alton Jones.

Great video...This is just a short clip of Colt's fishing video with ESPN, so if you want to see it all ...go to... http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing/news/story?id=4435439

Will is in an old photo of the kids when they were fishing in Red River on the video in the link above. Those were the good old days. Fun! Way to go Colt!

You will need to pause the blog music and hit play. :)

Blessings! Amy