i love my job!

please allow me to introduce to you two of the most important people in my life...

caroline is 4 years old going on like, 14. she LOVES cinderella, (and wishes to be called "cinderella"), tea parties, pippi longstocking, and drawing. she also enjoys bike races, and playing soccer. she's just beginning to learn how to write her abc's and could sit and watch movies or tv for hours, literally. she has a way of telling it like it is. she loves me when i wear my hair "blonde" (meaning straight), but only likes me when it's curly. but she also tells me all the time at random points throughout the day, "katey, i love you. you're my best friend." here she is in her new fancy hat sipping tea (water from the bathroom faucet.)

jack will be 2 at the end of january. he LOVES baab, his soft lamb blanket thingy. baab is his best friend and truly part of the family...won't go to sleep without him. (he's holding baab in the bottom picture.) jack enjoys reading LOTS of stories and pointing to the objects that he recognizes and can say. he didn't say any words at all until about 2 or 3 months ago. now he learns 5 new words a day. he loves to play chase and watch the wiggles and do everythng little thing his big sister does...which of course, drives her crazy. he loves me so much even though he can't quite say it. but i know it when he climbs up in my lap, gives me a kiss and snuggles close. oh, and he is soooo handsome in his glasses. this picture doesn't quite capture the handsome, but it does capture the cute.


i love these kids so much. i've only known them for about 8 months, but i could tell you just about anything about them. and if you're ever around me for longer then 5 minutes, i probably have a cute story or a funny picture to share. they don't realize it, but they teach me about life and about unconditional, self-sacrificing love. i get to be part of their lives...and they're not even my kids! how much more could i love my own?!
i just wanted to share with you about two of the most amazing people on the planet.

a year of lessons...

just a few things i've learned in the past year...from being married.

1. i'm really not that great of a cook. :( thankfully, my husband is.
2. marriage really is like a huge magnified mirror. i learned so much about myself.
3. not everyone is completely awake and ready to talk first thing in the morning.
4. a budget is never perfect the first few (or many) times you do it.
5. if i want to pull off a surprise, i've gotta lie and hide things like mad!
6. guys do enjoy surprises. and the occasional flowers.
7. things are probably gonna be pretty bad if you don't pray TOGETHER on a consistent basis.
8. if we don't both do our part to keep a tidy place, it ain't gonna be tidy.
9. laughing at ourselves is one of the best things to do in a sticky situation.
10. he needs "guy" time and i need "girl" time...regularly. and it's okay.
11. the good LORD put us together for detailed reasons we can't even yet imagine.
12. it's not a good idea to point out flaws or to argue in front of other people.
13. it's okay to not always agree on everything...but there is compromise and understanding.
14. thorough and honest communication is vital.
15. i never thought i could love anyone like this.

uhxa thanksgiving dinner

the coolest thing happened this past thursday evening. okay...2 cool things happened.

the first cool thing:

matt and i cooked our very first ever turkey! and he was a big guy too! we were both so nervous (and a little stressed) that it wouldn't be cooked all the way or that it would be too dry or taste horrible. and since our turkey was the main event for about 40 people, there was a lot of pressure. but it turned out GREAT...or at least that's what people said. i mean, it was almost all gone buy the end of the night, so it couldn't have been that bad, right?

the other cool (and way more important) thing:

the university of houston chi alpha got together with another Christian group on campus called, the Upper Room, for a thanksiving dinner celebration. it was so awesome! we worshipped together, ate (a lot of food!) together and met many new friends. only the LORD, in His infinite wisdom and grace, could orchestrate something like this. we are so grateful to begin ministry on this campus with steps toward unity with other believers. it really is a priceless gift.

last night matt and i were at a missions banquet for a church that supports us out in katy. we're getting ready to go back for their sunday morning services, including sunday school, where matt and i will be able to share a little bit about what we do. (i haven't been to sunday school since i was in high school or longer.)

basically, every year a certain church will organize a whole missions weekend in order for their church members to see who they are supporting and to encourage them to keep giving and praying for the missionaries.

the pastor of this church is one of those truly amazing people who really is all about getting his congregation focused on missions. and the cool part is that only a few of the missionaries that were there last night were "AG" missionaries. this pastor really has a vision for the whole city of katy and has his church supporting and praying for many wonderful outreaches and ministries.

matt and i got a chance to talk with a few of the other missionaries and their families, and i left just feeling so encouraged to hear how some of these were led into the ministry. these are really just normal, ordinary people who said "yes" when GOD called their names.

it's really easy for us, myself included, to look at the lives of some of these "heroes" of the mission field, and think, "wow! they are super spiritual and GOD called them because they are super holy and humble about it. and i'll never be that awesome."

but the truth is that they really are people who were living life just like anyone else...for themselves. some even have dark and sordid pasts. but when GOD Almighty whispered dreams into their hearts, they listened, took ownership of those dreams and said "yes."

simple as that...

it is such a lovely day outside.

it's cold enough for a sweater or light jacket. the golden sun is shining. the leaves are mostly still green against the bright blue sky, but are beginning to turn shades of orange, red and brown. families are running together or walking the dog(s) along the jogging trail outside. cars are zooming past on their way to garage sales, maybe, or birthday parties...who knows? my amazing husband is still sleeping solidly in the back. and i just had a peaceful time with the Creator of the Universe with a fine cup of glorious Jesus juice (coffee).

it's definitely important to never forget where we've been and where we've come from, but i don't want to ever live in the past. and it's always easier to be looking toward what's ahead and straining for our hopes and dreams (whatever they may be), but i never want to take up residence in the future. i want to enjoy every bit of my life in this very moment. the beauty that is constantly surrounding me. the richness of relationships. the lessons that i am currently learning from the LORD. there are too many things or events or situations that happened yesterday or are happening tomorrow, or are happening even later this evening that demand to occupy my thoughts.

but for right now, i just want to feel the cold winds against my skin, and watch the majestically crowned trees waving back and forth in worship to the KING, and feel the warmth of coffee running down my throat, and sing praises of my own to the Creator.

it is such a lovely day.

thank you, sir isenhower!

yes...we have survived the wonderful mr. ike-monster. the LORD has been so good to us throughout the whole experience. no windows were busted, no trees fell on our cars or house, no leaks, etc. we have been without power since friday evening, and have therefore not been home since then. but we have such amazing friends and family who have been gracious enough to let us invade their space for large amounts of time. we stayed with steve and jen cuttino in montgomery thursday night until sunday night. and we've been with my parents for more than a week now. of course, it's been great to spend time with them and take a week to relax, but boy, are we ready to get back home and in the swing of things!

we sure do miss the students and have unfortunately, lost a considerable amount of time with them. when we left houston last thursday to escape the ike-monster, we were forced to cancel our first meeting on campus and our first week of small groups. :( it's going to be a challenge to get the students back on track and regain focus. please pray that the LORD will show HIS favor and that everything would be smooth.

please also pray that we would get power back in our house SOON! we love all of you!

WE'RE GONNA BE ON CAMPUS!!

A.D. Bruce Religion Center

it's true...we had a meeting yesterday with the director of the A.D. Bruce Religion Center (which is where any religious organization can meet if they don't already have a place) and she hooked us up!!!

matt and i prayed the whole way there that we would have favor with them. we prayed that there would be a space available soon and that it wouldn't be too expensive to rent the room. so guess what...we're meeting on campus for the first time next thursday and it won't cost us a dime!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!!! and thanks so much for those of you who have been praying.

we love having the students meet in our home, but we always knew that it couldn't stay that way if we were ever gonna grow (our living room is big, but not that big). and new students are way more likely to come to the meetings and get involved if we meet on campus vs. 15 minutes away.

anyway...we're totally excited about this and we're so grateful for your shared excitement.

1st uhxa meeting of 08-09

our first meeting was so much fun! our living room was packed out with students. some students we've seen all summer long, some we haven't seen since school ended in may, and some we'd never even met before. one of the students, kevin, shared a little of what's been on his heart lately then, we spent time in worship to the LORD. it was such a sweet time together and we are all excited about what the LORD has in store for us this year!
here are a few photos from the first meeting:

everybody was munching on yummy chips and queso and cookies and just catching up.

some of us played an exciting game of catch phrase while some of the guys went to play football in the mud.

new things for us

so, i thought maybe we'd give this blogging thing a try. here goes...

well...here we are at the very beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. we have our first meeting of the semester on thursday and we simply cannot wait til then. we are so excited about what the LORD is already cooking up in our humble little group. the students are already beginning to meet new friends in their classes and in the dorms and it's only day 2!! matt and i have just been covering them in prayer.
we can't wait to share all the amazing stories with you...and hopefully some pictures as well.
we love you.
keep praying!