Everyday Blessings...

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.

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 ...

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 s...

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 pre...

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....

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...

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!

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 lo...

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...

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, fo...

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