July...in pictures...via Pikaw...

July disappeared.
It started with a nice week in H-town with the hubs and my little one. We had fun spending time with family and some out of town friends.  It's hard when friends live states away, but always nice when things immediately fall into place when you see them again.
Then, the hubs are I were off to Barbados.  I was going for work, the hubs went for vacay.  We had a great time.  We swam with turtles, drove around and got seriously lost, visited a cave on the edge of the ocean and took some serious pictures at the wildlife sanctuary.  We planned to make an animal photo book for the little one. We looked at the pictures that night and loved them.  Then, the EVIL digital camera fairy came and stole all of our pictures. The hubs took the card to a camera store in hopes that he could find them.  It didn't work. So, no pictures from Barbados.
evil, evil camera fairy.   
But, I'm very thankful for great memories.
I flew home, met my sister and little one at DFW, changed planes and headed to Cali.
I went to Cali for work, the sister and little one went for vacay.   
Are you seeing a trend yet?
I was working at a new account and it was a stressful week to say the least.
But, one of my dear friends lives in Cali and my sister and little one were with me, so it really was an amazingly great 10 days! We were able to spend time with our wonderful friend and the little one fell in love with his Aunt Kiki!  Not that she needed help, but the toys from Toygaroo definitely sealed the deal! We roamed around Santa Monica, Venice, the mall and Jubie's favorite - Knott's Berry Farms. It was her favorite part of the trip.  She's quite the thrill seeker.
My sister Jubie is unbelievably talented.  She is the most wonderful watcher of all things little one and the most talented photographer I know.  We have lots of pictures, but here are some of my favorites.
Enjoy!

Not so secret anymore, now is it?

Best $10 spent in California

He needed the iPad to rest his iPhone on...kids these days.

Barbados...

Wow, the week has flown by!
We arrived last Saturday and head back to the states tomorrow.  The wifi has been a little sketchy, so no pictures - as of yet.
Today, I am not working.  (yea!)
We are going to go swim with some turtles and we have rented a car - going to tour the island a bit this afternoon.  Should be fun, since they drive on a different side of the road here.
Hopefully, we will get some pics up next week.

Oh - and my sister had her little one...and my little one is obsessed with him.  I hear he's trying to snag him...

the little one's 2nd Astros game

Last night, we were blessed to go to the Astros game with some amazing friends!  It was great to be able to hang out with them and we all enjoyed watching the little one mimic the ball players.  

During a break, the ball girls were throwing {soft} baseballs into the stands.  

The little one got on his daddy's shoulders and waved and waved, hoping to get a baseball. They threw some around our section, but not near us. Then, they moved on...but, one kind guy on the field noticed the little one and he pointed him out to another guy.  

They went and got a baseball from the girls and threw it directly to us!  

The little one couldn't have been happier!

Around the 4th inning, the little one wanted to roam...so we went on a stroll.  The stroll involved some shopping and we left with a {soft} bat, ball and glove.  For the next hour, we watched the little one play baseball while the boys watched the Astros score some runs.

It was a winning night for time with friends, the little one...and the 'stros! Yea!

A new week begins tomorrow

I was blessed to be able to attend the In the Image of The Maker retreat this weekend.  It was great!

I met so many lovely ladies...godly ladies, who shared their stories...their hearts.  

It was such a gift.

It was needed to springboard me into the coming week.  

Twice a year, my employer conducts national sales meetings. As one of the corporate educators, I'm involved in educating at these meetings. Needless to say, they are stressful. I'd much prefer to be at home taking silly pictures and splashing in puddles with my little one.

But, this retreat fed me in a way that many things do not.  It has helped to ground me in The One who can get me through this next week. The fact that the retreat was this weekend was beautiful. 

Only He could arrange something so perfect.

Tomorrow morning, I will board a plane and head back to Texas.  Once I arrive, I will get my expenses ready to turn in on Monday and I will take a Theology mid-term.  I will get to see my husband and my little one. 

And then, things will start moving really fast. (they will probably start moving fast around the time I hit "start" on my mid-term, but that's a whole different story...) 

When things get too fast, I will make an effort to slow down and recognize the gifts that He gives me each moment.  

If {when} things get too crazy, I will remember to fight feeling with feeling.

I will remember that for right now, my crazy work provides money for schooling for the hubs and myself...it provides food and shelter for our little family and helps to provide for our 3 Compassion kids.  Yep - over the weekend our Compassion kids went from 1 to 3.  Listening to Ann share about her experience in Guatemala was quite moving.  I love that when you sponsor a child with Compassion, you aren't just helping to provide food, shelter and education, but you are helping them to hear about Jesus' love.  I want the little one to grow up writing and praying for the kids we sponsor. 

Friday night, when I saw the cards of 2 little boys just a couple of years older than my little one, I couldn't help but pick them up...Today, we sponsored them and I tucked their cards inside my Bible to carry home. I can't wait to write them! If you haven't sponsored a child with Compassion, you should go read Ann's story...and Kristen's story...and then, help a child out of poverty. 

Speaking of Kristen - she and her family were scheduled to leave today for Africa...for The Mercy House.  But, due to some unexpected health issues for Kristen, they were not able to leave.  Please keep them in your prayers.

tonight

Tonight I am in North Carolina at a retreat hosted by Christa Wells, Nicole Witt and Ann Voskamp. I'm pretty excited about being here - even if I did come to the retreat all by myself!
I'm also excited that I was able to see my little sister Jenia last night and that we will be able to sneak in a little shopping tomorrow night before I head back home.
The trees here in North Carolina are REALLY tall. I like it. It seems to make the nighttime animal noises just that much cooler. That, or I'm crazy. Either options are totally plausible.
I so enjoyed getting to hear Ann speak...she is such an encourager, and I love that! I realized tonight that she is pretty much my virtual mentor - if that is even possible... :)
And the music session tonight with Christa and Nicole was great. They are both blessed with some pretty amazing talents. It was such fun to be in the room and sing along all of the awesome ladies who were able to come to the retreat.
I know that tomorrow is going to be even better!

Thankful for:
encouraging words (505)
praise songs (506)
tall {really tall} trees (507)
crickets and bullfrogs at night (508)
junebugs (509)
the way the moon sneaks through the trees (510)
fellowship with Godly women (511)
My "tart and sweet Island treat" from Trader Joes - Green Mango (512)
The USB plug that charges my iPhone in my attention grabbing rental. (513)
The obvious reminder from God to not speed - a bright red mustang as a rental. (I reserved a compact car, but there weren't any clean ones readily available, so the kind young man was excited to upgrade me to the mustang. I smiled and said thank you, while I cringed inside.) (514)
The mere fact that I have finally recorded more than 500 gifts - Obviously, I'm still learning to recognize and write them down... (515)