ACU Homecoming

Last weekend we headed to Abilene. It has been over 10 years since I've been back to ACU and felt it was time to make the trek and show my sweet girls the place where I have so many fond memories.

We started out at the carnival they put on every year, meeting up with friends, riding horses, and getting their faces painted. Ashlyn got hers as a puppy. Isn't it cute? Laney had a unicorn painted on her cheek but it's hard to tell in the picture. We stayed the first night at a hotel.

The next morning we went to the Homecoming parade. The girls got a ton of candy, I ran into a few people I haven't seen since graduating, and we met up with some of our favorite Wildcats right now. We have had a lot of students from Bent Tree graduate and go onto ACU. It's so great! We saw a couple of them in the parade because they are pledging and we had Annie and Jessica meet up with us. It was good to see them!

Here are Jess (holding Reese) and Annie (with Ashlyn and Laney).

Maybe I'll have at least one of them become an ACU Wildcat in the future :). Aren't they just so sweet?

I really love this family pic. I'm not

sure what Reese had in her mouth at the time

but it was a beautiful day and I simply love

having down time with my family. This year

we have been more intentional in taking some

family breaks and getting away together. I've

really enjoyed it and hope we make it a habit.

This is part of a memorial area right by a

statue on camus of Jacob's ladder. You have to

stand on a stone that says "one thing" from a

passage of Scripture in order to see this cross.

It is a beautiful area and a wonderful reminder

that the "one thing" most important is Christ.

Saturday we headed over to my friend and old roomate Karen's home. We relaxed, laughed, talked, and talked some more...until 1:30 in the morning. All 6 of our girls are weeks or months apart so we always have a great time together.

Saturday night Jason stayed home with the 2 little ones, Reese and Haven. Houston was out of town...missed you! Then Karen and I took the 4 big girls to the Homecoming Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie. I think they felt so big and grown-up.




Here are Ashlyn, Matalee, Laney and Emery before the musical.

All 6 girlies. Karen called me a couple months ago letting me know that they were surprised and expecting another little one. We've been pregnant at the same time with all of our girls and she keeps trying to talk me into doing it with her one more time... I've got baby fever bad, but I'm not sure we can join in on this one :).

My sweet friend, Karen. Love you and love your friendship. Thanks for letting us crash at your lovely home.

(I'm having spacing issues once again that I can't figure out. Sorry about that.)

Alive in Christ

"Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin." Rom. 4:7-8

The above Scripture is what Ashlyn chose on her own to have read at her baptism. I told her we needed to find a Scripture that was special to her and passed her her bright pink Bible. I turned around to do something real quick in the kitchen and figured I would come back and help her begin in Psalms to find something that stood out to her as special. Within 1 minute she called to me and said that she really liked this verse in Romans. Romans isn't the easiest book to understand but as I read the verses my heart was filled with joy. What a perfect verse to describe the priceless gift of eternal life we are given when we accept Christ as our Savior. There isn't a thing any of us can do to deserve this lavish love and gift. Yet, he makes His gift available to anyone who wants it.

Our Ashlyn Jean is young. However, God has revealed Himself to her in a very real way. She actually accepted Christ as her Savior over two years ago now. She was full of questions and we would talk about how Jesus made a way for us to have a relationship with God the Creator. How out of love for us, He chose to come and die on the cross in order to wipe our sins away, and rose again 3 days later so that we can be made alive in Christ! She got it. We had the discussion many times over and I never suggested that she pray to accept Christ. I just presented her the Truth and the Lord gave her a childlike faith to trust in Him. She asked me if she could pray and so I helped her along.

She has asked quite a few times over the last few months when she could get baptized. We wanted to make sure she understood what it meant first and on Sunday night, October 4th she took the plunge (literally). We don't believe baptism is a necessity to salvation but rather an obedient step to show the world afterwards that you have chosen Jesus and aren't ashamed. I heard an analogy once that baptism is to salvation, like a wedding ring is to marriage. Wearing a wedding ring doesn't make you married, but it does show those around you that you belong to someone. In the same way, baptism doesn't make you a Christian, but it does show those around you that you belong to Him!

Ashlyn chose to get baptized with our high school students which was special for me. The youth were so supportive and encouraging and cheered loudly for her as she followed through in baptism. My friend and the senior high pastor, Dylan, baptized her. Jason and I were given the privilege of being in the water with her as people who help her in her spiritual growth. The baptismal pool is in the center of our church lobby area. She couldn't touch the ground with her feet so we brought in a little stool for her to stand on. After we were done and changing clothes I asked if she heard everyone cheer so loud to her. She looked at me a tad confused and said "no" but grinned when I told her they did. Poor girl was just nervous with everyone looking at her(you can tell by her serious expression in all the pics)...a trait she got from her Daddy who also was nervous about being in front of everyone.

I can't describe the joy you experience when you see one of your children fall more in love with Jesus.

Oh Lord Jesus, thank you for the life and hope you have given us. Thank you for allowing Ashlyn to choose you. May she always walk closely with you and may others around her come to know you too because of her life. Praise You, my Savior and my God!

There is a white-bearded Gampa whose girls love him very, very much.

He takes them to favorites like IHOP and reads to them 'til mom says "time to stop."
He swings them real high and cheers while they ride.
He even brings lunch to their school.

He plays lots of games and tells them they're smart.

He is, by their definition, so cool.

A Gampa like you is one to adore.

Please visit us more all the girls do implore!

I wish I could tell you Ashlyn was studying poems at school and so I decided to join in her efforts just now. But no...just decided to do something different. My dad will enjoy it though. Hopefully, he won't send me any editing back on my post however...right Dad?!

As you can tell Gampa came to visit us a little over a week ago. He took Ashlyn lunch and ate with her at school a couple of times, read more books than you can count, and treated us to Mexican food a couple of times. Poor guy can't get Mexican food up in Pennsylvania. There are quite a few reasons why PA isn't where I'd want to live (sorry, but true) and that's got to be up there on my list. I'm amazed he hasn't whittled away since moving up there a few years ago. What am I saying? The man will eat anything. In fact, while he was down in Texas he ate livers and onions twice. Thankfully, not in my presence. Because, well, to term a four year old..."Eeeew!"

He started a tradition when Ashlyn was itty bitty of taking her on dates Saturday morning to IHOP. She loved it and looks forward to it every time they are together. Each granddaughter has been added to the venture and it's a special time for all of them now. Yes, the old man managed to take all three of them by himself!

Reese over the past week has said to me several times "I want Gampa." I know how she feels...I stood on the corner and cried after he drove away. We love you Dad! So glad you came!