Grandma Frances

This week Erin, Violet and I made a whirlwind trip to Minneapolis so that my Grandma Frances could meet Violet. My grandma is 98 years old and still lives on her own!! We went so we could get get a picture of my Grandma, my Mom, myself, Erin and Violet. Five generations still living! We had a professional picture taken, which we will get back in 2 weeks. It was fun to see Grandma holding Violet and finding such delight in her. I also enjoyed being home with my parents and spending time with them as they got to know Violet. We had dinner at my sister Barb's house on Tuesday night and had fun with her cute kids. I was once again aware of God's kindness in giving me such a great family. I missed my other siblings and wished we could have all been together. (We will be in 6 weeks!!)

Minnesota was lush and green and beautiful. Wednesday morning we walked around a pond and enjoy the 70 degree day. I miss the cool mornings we used to have when we lived in northern climates. I didn't get many photos, but Erin will have more I am sure.

Wedding Memories!!!

They are here...the wedding pictures. Mindy sent me a text today saying she got the pictures. There are a ton to go through and it is so wonderful to look at them and reflect on how kind the Lord has been to give my son such a wonderful wife! The pictures bring back all the feelings of that blessed day!! I will post more after I get through them all!!

A Favorite Psalm

This morning one of my readings was Psalm 16. This is one of my favorite Psalms. I know it by heart, but love reading it aloud anyway. As I read, an unusual portion of the Psalm hit me. Verse 4 reads "The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply." "Hmm...I think that is true" I said in my head. (I know you are saying "of course it is true, it is scripture.") That became my meditation of the morning. What gods do I RUN after, not look at, not dabble in, RUN after. Sadly, the answer is the same as it has been for a long time. Two idols I often cling to are the idols of food and other people. I seek comfort from these two things regularly and I can testify that the Word is true, my sorrows increase, (so does my backside, he he) because this things cannot truly satisfy. Though both are good gifts from God, neither was meant to become the place I go to when something is out of line. I have a Strong Tower that I am to run to. He never fails and my sorrows will decrease as I gaze upon Him and am reminded that with God as "my chosen portion" (v. 5) there is nothing more I could desire.

Godspeed Dear Friends

This morning we stood in the darkness waving goodbye to some friends. We met them just a year ago, and yet, they nuzzled their way into our hearts and made us love them in that short time!! Rob and Michelle are on their way to the Sovereign Grace Pastor's College. They will return to Frisco next June. They lead our care group this year and we so enjoyed them. We drove together to care group each week which entails 8 of us piling in our Honda Pilot (and I mean piling) and driving anywhere from 45minutes to an hour and 45 minutes to where our group met. Though care group was always so good, the drives were a blast. We laugh and talked and became friends. It is amazing how friendship blooms in the mundane. Had we just been it their group, it would have been great, but in adding the driving together, care group night became an event!! They spent their last 2 days at our house just hanging, eating ice cream and cookies, having Chinese with cheap wine, watching the movie "Signs" and laying on the patio looking for meteorites. The mundane and yet treasured memories. We will miss them and their 2 little Bubbas, but we look forward to seeing all the Lord has for them this year, I am convinced it will be life changing. Godspeed Rob and Michelle, we will see you in October for lunch!! :)

So much to catch up on, July was a blur. The highlight of my summer was Tyler and Mindy's wedding. I was hoping I would have a picture or two from the wedding to show you, but I lent my camera to a friend that day so pictures will be forthcoming when we get then from the photographer.

The wedding was delightful. Tyler and Mindy's personalities shown through and we all had a blast. The Lawler's backyard was transformed into a romantic park with huge white tents and lights. It was so peaceful and elegant. It was so comforting to me, a mom 800 miles from her favorite boy, to see him united to a loving woman who will keep him company and take care of him. God surely has blessed that boy. Their apartment is so wonderful, fresh and new, just like this season they have entered. I loved seeing where they live and now I can picture them when I talk with them.

We also enjoyed seeing some of our family and having all our kids together. Violet made her Denver debut and the great grandparents got to meet her for the first time. So precious. We also enjoyed seeing old friends that still live in Denver and a few that made a long trip to join in our day with Tyler. The Lord has made our lives very rich by giving us such a wonderful family and such dear friends.

Right after we got back Janis came to visit for 24 hours. We chatted and then, of course, shopped at the Outlet Mall. No bargains were to be had, except for a cute outfit for Violet.

Then we were off to our Sovereign Grace Regional Conference, Fusion '07. It was a great conference in so many ways. It was weird to be at a conference where you hardly even know the people from your own church, let alone the people from the other churches. But, it was great! It really helped to dorm with others from our care group and get to know them better as we sat in the hall eating junk food (the guys were in a room discussing theology!) I love our church so much.

Summers always go so fast, but as least this has been a good one! So much to be grateful for and so many memories made with old friends and new. Ciao for now..