4 Wonderful Years!

Today Tre and I celebrated our 4th Wedding Anniversary!! We were able to score some pretty sweet Disney tickets today! We sent Kylie off to her grandmothers to be with her grandma and Aunt Kate. Then Tre and I went to Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Epcot. We rode the best rides and had fun taking in all the sites. I can't remember how many times we looked at each other and said "We're at Disney!" We were also wearing "Happy Anniversary" buttons so everyone in the park knew what we were celebrating. Kinda corny I know, but we still had fun. It's crazy to think that 4 years have already gone by. WE know that we would not be where we are without the Lord and we are so thankful for His hands in our life and marriage! Thanks to all of you who have led the way with your example of a Godly marriage and those of you who have stood by our sides. WE love you all!

Crazy Hair

We got Internet at our house today, yea!!! This is exciting for you too, because it means we should be better about updating the blog.

These past few weeks have been wonderfully crazy. We had my parents down here for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to spend time with them. Kylie was great with them, and she earned major brownie points. She loved to smile at them, and even took naps in my dad's arms. Then we left for a trip to Nashville/Memphis for Beca (college roommate) and Trevor's wedding. In spite of the frigid temperatures that we are no longer used to, it was beautiful!! It was great to be around our closest friends from college and just enjoy each other's company. Of course we had to all stay together in one house, thank you Leah and Josh for being gracious hosts. Kylie got to meet Cecilia Boice, who will hopefully be a pen pal in the future. We returned to FL and just kept running as our church was preparing for Drive Thru Nativity. We construct these huge scenes from Modern to Bethlehem as we take people back to the true meaning of Christmas. It was a lot of hard work, but absolutely breathtaking when it was all done. Saturday and Sunday nights we dressed in our costumes and acted out our parts - Kylie was baby Jesus and did a great job!

Speaking of Kylie, she is growing and changing daily. Recently she has discovered how to grunt, kinda reminds me of Satan, but I cannot help but laugh when she makes the sound. She also started playing in one of those toys where she is in a standing position, reaching for toys that spin and make sounds . . soo cute! The biggest event was Kylie's first haircut. Her hair was seriously out of control, growing longer on all sides! We cut a little off the sides before we went to Memphis for the wedding, then in a moment of impulse I attempted to cut her bangs a week later. Her hair is now under control, but Tre referred to her as one of the three stooges after I cut her bangs. Hopefully we'll survive without therapy.



All in all, our lives are crazy . . basically like Kylie's hair. But our God is so faithful, and He is in control. I may not always understand what He is doing, but I am so thankful for His power in my weakness.

Serving Him

I woke up this morning from a crazy dream and smiled at the appreciation for where I am. Life, in all it's circumstances, is never perfect. But I live my life knowing and trusting that God is in control and knows what I need. I may not have everything I have ever wanted (I don't think Target will fit in my backyard) but I have everything I need. My belly has never known true hunger, and my heart has never lacked love. I am so grateful to work at a church that supports my family lifestyle. As I write this morning, Kylie is playing with her toy next to me.

Being a youth pastor isn't quite what I imagined, but God is showing me more and more how he created me to be here for this moment. I may not know how to write a budget and get intimidated asking people for help. But I do know that I love working with teenagers! Yesterday, I got to take some of our teens (and a few parents) to a large tent in Pinellas County. It was a place for families to come and get Thanksgiving food baskets. However, this ministry did not just meet their need for food, but also their need for love from others and from God. The teens were immediately split up into different areas - registration, kid's play area, and helping families navigate throughout the tent. I was able to be a shopper and help them pick out their food of choice! It was such a wonderful experience to meet and talk with these families. I heard about their kids and their situations, and we were able to offer them hope though these hard times. Some of the teens were able to watch the families meet pastors and be prayed for. One of them was so excited to watch someone accept Christ for the first time!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us to give thanks in all circumstances. No matter how hard things seem to get, we give thanks for we know our God still reigns. He is bigger than hunger, disease, loneliness, and anything you might be facing.

I look forward to following up with the teens and talking about their experiences yesterday afternoon! Thank you God for knowing me better than I know myself and for calling me to something greater than myself!

Priceless!

Last night after a long day, we were all sitting at the dinner table talking. Tre was able to get Kylie to giggle so much we got it on camera! Sorry about the shaking, I was laughing myself.

Too good not to share

Last night Jennifer, Kylie, and I went to watch Clearwater High School Varsity girls play soccer. We took this picture and Kylie's eyes were too awesome not to share with the world! I hate blinking in pictures, so I tend to open my eyes really wide instead. I guess Ky takes after her mom. :)

Hope you are all doing well and seeing God working all around you! I have been blessed to see Him move in so many people this week!!

What a Trooper!

This past weekend, I took Kylie to TNT (Top Nazarene Talent) a competition for teenagers in the Nazarene church. It is something that I competed in as a teen and always loved it! We had a great time together, but Kylie sure made some memorable moments. During the opening ceremonies while Pastor Ronda was praying, Kylie decided to join in. While everyone else was quiet, she talked. One of the teen girls was holding her, so I tried to put my finger in her mouth to quiet her down. All that did was cause the two of us to laugh even harder. While we were eating lunch on Saturday, Kylie took it upon herself to spit up all over Tre. He cleaned up his lap, but to his surprise he had missed a huge spot on the side of his leg. When he stood up to pay, all the teens started laughing (which only drew more attention). Before I knew it, he was showing everyone in the restaurant the white residue that remained on his pants.

Kylie was such a trooper going from event to event. Even though she had a screaming fit in the van, she was great the rest of the trip. She slept well and enjoyed the love from all of the teens. They each take their turn and were always very helpful. I couldn't have done it without them!

Busy Busy

We survived the month of October with our many visitors and busy schedules. It was GREAT to have people we know and love come visit us and see our new lives in FL. Thank you to all of you who were able to come this month!



This past weekend, Tre went to AL with the men in his family to watch a NASCAR race. They had a great time relaxing and hanging out with each other as they watched cars turn left for three hours! Evidently, it was wonderful! Not wanting to spend four days alone, I invited the girls over for some quality time. It was a great weekend of games, eating, and good conversation. My house has never seen so much dessert and I am still looking for volunteers to finish eating it :)

Kylie is officially four months old and growing every day!! She is still small and petite for her age. She can still fit in several of her newborn onsies, but at least we are getting our moneys worth. She is sleeping through the night, which is a beautiful thing. Keeping her awake until bedtime can still be a challenge, but she is such a trooper. She has started "talking" more. She moves her mouth to make different sounds and it is absolutely precious. I love this little girl so much and am so thankful that she is a part of my life!