Still Alive & Well...

It's already March and I am extremely behind on keeping you updated on our current affairs! We've even had a birthday come and go (February 6th) without recognition in a post...I feel terrible! Without further adieu, let me present to you the most special 18 year old brother in all the world...Brandon Michael!

Brandon adds a fun and unique flavor to our family. He has a personality that mirrors no one else around here and I am daily realizing how much we need and depend on his incite. Brandon thinks long and hard before speaking up and when he does open his mouth, watch out...he's got a good point to make! He is a gifted athlete, possesses a compassionate heart, loves kids and I'm going to embarrass him by saying he's down right handsome in my opinion! We can't wait to see what God is going to do with his life as he grows and matures in Christ. We love ya Brandon...Happy be-lated Birthday!




The month of February turned out to be pretty crazy. There was an awful lot of traveling going on around here. Seemed like folks were leaving left and right and coming home just in time to wash clothes, re-pack and head out again! Here are some of the "headline" events of the month...

~ Brandon enjoyed a trip to CO for skiing with some friends for a week...lots and lots of snow! YAY! and delightful Christian fellowship...alas, it was a guys trip so we only have one picture.





~ Katherine and Kristalyn made their way to Uncle Rob and Aunt Wendy's house in AL to babysit our cousins for a week so their Mommy and Daddy were able to enjoy some vacation time. (Our cousin's mommy and daddy...don't interpret that wrong!)




~ The girls then headed up to IL where they were later met by Brandon and Anthony to visit family and friends and attend the beautiful and Christ honoring wedding of Josh and Abbey Erber. According to all the stories brought home, it was a time of refreshment, encouragement, oodles of fun and the making of lasting memories! The boys got home just in time to turn around and head to AL as well...their trip wasn't for babysitting however (though they are pretty good at that) but rather to build a deck! They come home tomorrow...we are excited!




Friends from up North





Family







The Happy Couple




~ Mom and Dad headed out to FL this week for some R & R...vacation paid for by Mom's brother Mark and his wife Linda. I can't tell you how timely this trip is for them! They have needed time away. It took some convincing to get them to leave the babies behind but we did it, and from the reports so far, everything has been lovely. God is good...thank you Uncle Mark and Aunt Linda for being a channel of His love!

~ On Wednesday we will all be together again for a while! Please pray for everyone's safe return and that I survive the night shifts with the babies! I know my appreciation for Mom will sky rocket upon her return :)

~ Between all the traveling, we managed to make our way to Boerne to visit the Clarks. The evening spent at their house was fantastic! The Clarks just returned from a trip to Spain and showed us hundreds of fascinating pictures and fed us traditional Spanish Cuisine cooked over an open fire pit! It was amazingly delicious :) Thanks Clarks for a terrific evening.













~ Another chapter in our lives that has been opened last month is that of political campaign work. We had the incredible privilege of working on two campaigns for the primaries that took place last Tuesday, March 4th. We put in only about two weeks of work for Gov. Mike Huckabee's Presidential campaign but were able to be involved with the Nathan Macias campaign for State Rep. for about six weeks! The Macias family have become wonderful friends and we have been blessed to see them praise God in the good times and in the bad...they are truly a testimony of God's grace in their lives!

Gov. Huckabee did not win the Primaries in Texas and Ohio as many of you know and therefore pulled out of the Presidential race. We are sad to see him go but know that God's will is perfect and that the battle for our freedom and the moral state of our nation is not over. Our prayers are still needed! Gov. Huckabee gave us the chance to work for and support a worthy candidate and I was privileged to meet and hear him speak on three occasions. The rallies were inspiring and the chance to speak on a local radio station about the Huckabee campaign was a daunting but amazing experience! Thanks to everyone who gave their all in the last weeks of a stressful campaign...each phone call, sign wave, rally attendee, did their part and I pray that God will bless you for your efforts. Gear up for 2012...we'll be at it again!





Oh yeah, did I mention that Chuck Norris came?




All the cheering at the rally kinda makes you hungry!





Anxiously waiting for the results of the Macias election...ended up taking until 4:00 a.m...lost by 30 some votes...but God is good! Drove the hour and a half home and got to bed just as the sun was coming up.






Starting to fade in the wee hours of the morning





I think that's enough for now folks! Hope I didn't give you an overload :)
God bless...until next time...