I Love this Time of Year

Can't believe it's already Thanksgiving and this weather is absolutely beautiful!

Chris and I flew home this past weekend to meet the little man - Caeden. Only being a couple of weeks old, he doesn't do much but he's sure fun to hold. John and Cheryl are doing so well and they are truly blessed to have such a good baby. I never heard him cry and was happy as can be the entire weekend.

We drove back to Dallas yesterday with mom - that drive never gets any better. Mom and I met with her realtor yesterday afternoon and looked a couple of houses and have a few more to look at today. I LOVE house hunting even if it's not for me. I remember growing up going to the Tour of Homes with mom so I guess that's when it started for me. Mom's a little stressed because she so badly wants to live here but it's hard knowing dad won't always be here with her. He's traveling so much but will still spend some time in Amarillo so mom will travel back when he's there.

My mother-in-law will be here on Wednesday and I'm so excited to see her. Nothing better than having both sides of the family here for the holidays. We'll have 19 people over for Thanksgiving which is a little intimidating but it's always fun to be surrounded by family and friends. I hope everyone has a blessed week and enjoys this great time of year!

Caeden Lane is here!

Caeden Lane graced us with his presense on Wednesday, November 4 at 5:21am. He weighed 7 lbs, 13 oz and was 20 inches long. Everyone is healthy and overjoyed! They were able to take him home yesterday and now the fun begins. Congrats John & Cheryl - we can't wait to meet your little man!

House Hunting?

Mom and dad were here this past week and it was so good to see them. Dad's been in Mexico for 60 days so seeing him was long past due. They surprised me when they said they were in town to shop for houses - I knew they were beginning to think about the future but had no idea they were thinking about making the move this soon.

They found a condo in McKinney they really liked and will hopefully make an offer this week. I think this will be a great project for mom while dad's in Mexico. The condo is not 100% complete so she'll be able to finish things the way she wants. I'm so excited to think they might be here as soon as the first of the year!

On another note, Caeden will also soon be here and we could not be more excited for John and Cheryl. I know this journey has been a long one but it will so so worth it when they meet their first son. Everything will be perfect and they will be amazing parents! We love you guys and couldn't be more proud! Hopefully I'll have pictures to post before the week is over.

Are you a fan?

Ed Young (our pastor) spoke on Sunday about being a true fan. He defined fan as an "enthusiastic follower". We are all fans of something - typically a sports fan. We all cheer loud, wear our team colors and if we're true fans, loyal no matter the outcome of the game.

But does supporting a sports team mean anything beyond the court or field? Ed reminded us that when you cheer for the team lead by Jesus Christ, we discover more than a win on the field - we find victory in life.

Ed gave some illustrations about Jerry Jones, comparing the Cowboys new stadium to the church. Many people critisize the church for having some of the same characteristics. He said Jerry Jones would never say the following:

1. "Our new stadium is just too loud". Scripture encourages us to be vocal. Psalms 47 - "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voices of triumph".
2. "Our new stadium is too entertaining". Entertainment can be defined as "to hold the attention of". Jesus entertained people is whole life by telling stories, producing miracles, etc. I believe the church is responsible for teaching us the truths and reaching out to those who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. People are taught in different ways and using what some people may call "entertainment" can help people relate to the message.
3. "Those players just want your money". True fans are financial and invest in their team. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us - when will we start investing in His stadium?

Being a true fan is not being a "fair weather" fan. Being on God's team means holding true through the elements, staying to the end and not giving up when times get tough. Who are you a fan of? Make sure you're following the real deal - Jesus Christ!

Big game - OU/texas

The Red River Shootout is upon us and I'm hoping my Sooners can pull out a win! Several of my new co-workers are UT fans so we've been talking big all week. The spread has Texas up 3.5 points so we know it's going to be a good game.

Missing family

Mom is headed to Dallas today and I couldn't be more excited to see her! You realize just how much you take your family for granted when they're not around. I remember going off to college thinking my parents would call and check in all the time when actually, it was quite the opposite! I would call them and of course wouldn't get ahold of anybody. Mom is the last person on earth without a cell phone and takes pride in that. Dad carries his cell phone all the time but claims he never can hear it ring. There's nothing more frustrating than not being able to get ahold of someone!

Mom has turned out to be my best friend and I go through serious withdraws when she's not around. Growing up, I never thought we had much in common but I have never been more wrong. I especially love the fall and winter time - we can curl up on the couch and watch HGTV for hours!

I've always been a daddy's girl. There's something special about the relationship between father and daughter. In fact, he called last night and said he was "missing his girl" and my heart just melted. He's in Mexico for the next several months and makes it home to see mom occassionally but doesn't have the luxury of time to make it to Dallas. I love you dad and can't wait to see you - whenever that may be!

Anniversary Dinner

Chris and I went to dinner last night at Nana inside The Hilton Anatole downtown. I always enjoy getting dressed up and going to a nice dinner but once I get there, I realize how silly 7 course meals are. You sit down and your server places your napkin in your lap which is always awkward. You have so many plates, glasses and silverware in front of you, you feel cramped.

Then they bring the menu and you can barely understand it. The server starts telling you the specials and you start to wonder if they are offering anything you can recognize. After we ordered, they brought us a small glass (the size of a shot glass) with some form of lemonade and whipped cream on top. Chris and I both looked at each other wondering if we pick it up and drink it or use the tiny spoon. So, Chris used the spoon and I drank it.

We ordered the Veal Sweetbread last for appitizer. Of course, it's all about presentation and it was no bigger than 3 wheat thins with meat and garnishments on top. It was good but had a funny texture. When the waiter came to pick up the empty plate, he asked us how we liked the "cow heart". Little did he know, we had no idea what "veal sweetbread" was when we ordered it and we don't have any intentions of getting it again.

Chris ordered a spinach salad and I had a bowl of "liquid baked potato soup". Had we ordered either of these at a normal restaurant, we would have been greatly disappointed; however, it was delicious last night. ;)

Our dinner was very good - Chris had the filet and I had the salmon. The chef even prepared a special desert for our anniversary. They took our picture but unfortunately it came out quite blurry so I won't post it.

Thanks to everyone who made our anniversary special. We look forward to celebrating many more!