Europe, here we come

Please pray for Wes and I. We will be flying out Tuesday going to Germany. Then on Sunday we will be flying into Rome. We are super-duper excited and can't wait to share with all our lovely friends and family our exciting adventure. I still can't believe that we are going there. We will return on Friday, Sept 12. Pray that this Gustav character will not keep us from being delayed. I feel like I've been delayed for 25 years!!!

Doctor's Appointment

We had our second Dr.'s Appointment yesterday. Everything went great! What a relief?! We heard the baby's heart beat. We didn't get to see the baby. Man, I had my heart set on seeing too. But hearing the heart beat was awesome. We even heard the baby move! What an incredible sound. I can't believe we are having a baby! We made it through the first trimester!
It was really emotional for me yesterday. I was crying. It was so good to hear the little heart beat. The essence of life. My first baby's heart stopped beating...but God has such a way to bring beauty from ashes. The same place where fire was found and ashes remained, is the same place where beauty and pearls where found. God is so good. He is so perfect with His redemption and His restoration. He has restored my womb to carry and protect my little one. He does it time and time again. Not just in my natural womb, but in my spiritual womb. The place where my godly character is being developed. The place where who I am in Christ is being carried out and protected. The Lord brings restoration to every area that we allow Him access too. I love the work of the Holy Spirit. What a comforter and a revealer of truth.
My final thoughts and encouragement:
Allow the Holy One of Israel to come into a place of "spiritual death" and bring restoration there. Allow Him to bring life, abundant life, to places where you thought would forever be dead. Constantly bear fruit. But we can't bear fruit in areas that are dead. Let Him prune His Bride to where we are spotless and blameless in His sight.

Day at the Beach

yesterday, wes and i decided to pack up the truck and head to the beach. and that's just what we did. we packed a great lunch and snacks and took off. we had the best time. it was needed. wes has been working 12-13 hours a day and comes home extremely exhausted. i'm not working right now so i am completely bored. i wanted to treat him to a relaxing day. first thing we see when we get there is a dead jellyfish on the beach. then we took for the water and i found another one 5 feet from me. let's just say, wes had to do some convincing to get me in the water again. i've never seen one so close before. let me say that again. i've never seen a jellyfish before.
what is it about the beach that you get so tan? i can lay out at my house for 1 hour and get barely anything, but at the beach...i lay out for 30 and get dark. i love it. we love being together and it was the perfect day!

Missing Kerrville

I think everyone knows how we feel about Kerrville. We were only there for a year, but it felt more like home than anything we were use to. My friend told me the reason for us missing it so much is because it fit our personalities. She was right. Kerrville is a place to let yourself be yourself. It's a place to experience nature and the great outdoors with vulnerability. I remember the weekends were our favorite. We would pack the truck up and head somewhere. It didn't matter where. We knew the road would lead to somewhere adventurous. One of our favorite places we loved to go to was the Holcomb's Ranch. Located right outside Junction, a 800-acre ranch with the Llano River running through it. This picture was taken there right before Christmas 07. We went out there a couple of times. It's hard not to get jealous, but we were just thankful that the Holcomb's were one of our good friends. They are elders at a local church in Kerrville and the sweetest people who will ever meet. They love the Lord and are called to set captives free. They set Wes and I free. Not just spiritually, but also free to enjoy life.
Houston is getting a little better for me. Yesterday, I wanted to go to Walmart to get somethings. Traffic was so bad that I literally turned my car around and went right back home! I just laughed because I didn't even want to fight it. Besides, I've been really short-tempered lately due to the pregnancy hormones. Which by the way I am 11 weeks and 1 day today. Almost done with the first trimester.

TRANSITION TIME

Transition. What a word. Wes and I have recently been in a transition period. I think at some point we all have. It’s never easy, but it’s worth it. I know in my own life’s experiences that when I go through a period of transition, going from one state to another, I realize it is God’s work at play here. I will admit, some transitions are not so bad. When Wes and I moved to Kerrville, a place so different than what we were use to, it would of seemed that it would be hard for us. But actually, it was a smooth start. We did have some rocky places, but not a lot.

Now, we’ve moved to Houston. Another place that is different than what we are use to. And even though we are still in God’s will like we were moving to Kerrville, it’s just a different season. That is the best word to describe transition, seasons. In each phase of our life, we can God is trying to teach us things. Not only teach us, but to maybe show us areas in our lives that do not line up with the Word of God, so we must go through things that will refine and define our character.

Wes and I are here fulfilling God's will in our lives. Until we walk it out, it will be a little miserable and uncomfortable. But we must keep persevering and pressing in.