Austin Continues

We are enjoying our time with the Texas family. It has been really nice for ME to get a bit of a vacation, too! :) I'm glad we've come out for several days this time- we don't go home til Tuesday morning- because it gives me a real chance to relax (a little :)). But we miss our husband and Daddy so we'll be glad to get home, too.


The day started out rainy yesterday, but we went outside anyway- Carolyn was just dying to try on her new raincoat- even though I bought it for next spring and I had to roll up the sleeves about 4 times so you could see her little hands. :)
We went to visit Granny and Papa at Grace House. I like this picture of Granny because this smile reminds me more of the Granny I knew than most of the ones I see in pictures- it doesn't look quite so "vacant" as some pictures I've seen of her. She didn't know who we were, but I didn't expect her to, so I wasn't disappointed. She seemed really very contented and smiled a lot, so I think she was glad we were there. We will probably go back tomorrow.
Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jack, in addition to the aforementioned Goat and two "outside" (wild :)) dogs, also has a small lap dog named Jessie. Carolyn loves Jessie very much. She wishes we could take her home. I'm pretty sure Aunt Nancy wouldn't trade Jessie for Baggins. ;) She's a very sweet little doggie.
Here Carolyn has just enjoyed her very first Blue Bell ice cream sandwich. It was a very moving experience for her- one she is anxious to repeat! :)
I just love how bright the colors are here- and how precious Carolyn looks just standing there with her hair blowing in the breeze.
We did go visit the bluebonnets yesterday. Carolyn wasn't so much into having a romp through the flowers- she almost immediately started yelling "All done!" as soon as we put her in them, so we only got a few shots and this is the best one. Next time we will bring cookies with us. :) I love how she looks next to the brightly colored flowers! :)

After we saw the bluebonnets we let the kids walk over to the park. They had a great time playing Ow-Side! :)
Erica brought bubble blower, much to the delight of the Toddlers. :)

Last night, I got a Night Out! My cousin Mark (Peyton's daddy) got tickets from work for us all to go to the Casting Crowns concert. It was a wonderful concert and I enjoyed myself very much. I felt a little "old" because concerts have changed a bit since the last time I went to one! This picture is of all the lights of the cell phones and cameras in the audience! Throughout the whole concert, you could look around and see people "texting" others! At the end, they asked everyone to get out their cell phones and shine them in the air- I seem to remember they used to do this with cigarette lighters! Now it's LCD screens. :)


I knew it would be fun, but I was surprised at how truly worshipful an experience the concert was. I feel like God is teaching me small lessons along the way lately as I've been struggling to learn to release control and trust Him. It's not like I ever have a moment when I just "get it," figure it out, and never have to learn the lesson all over again. It would be so much easier if I learned that way! But it's like I'm such a slow learner that He has to teach me in little bits- a piece here, a piece there- then back to the beginning to learn it all again! The Casting Crowns concert became another of those moments for me.


I especially love that song they sing that goes like this "The waves, they call my name out and they laugh at me, reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed. The waves they keep on telling me, time and time, again, boy, you'll never win... but the Voice of Truth tells me a different story, the Voice of Truth says 'do NOT be afraid,' the Voice of Truth says 'this is for My glory.' Out of all the voice calling out to me, I will CHOOSE to listen and believe the Voice of Truth."


And the Voice of Truth reminded me last night of the simple truth that all I have in this world already belongs to Him. Brad is His. Carolyn is His. Every egg in my ovaries is His. Every child we may one day have is already His. It may not seem so profound, but once I begin to stop fighting this Voice of Truth, I can begin to step out, baby steps at a time, in faith. Faith that God can protect my husband and my daughter. Faith that this baby I so long to hold in my arms and not just in wishful thinking is NOT late; I am NOT lagging behind just because so many of my friends are pregnant and I am not.


This struggle of faith and control is really no different from the struggle I had years ago when I finished high school and decided I wanted a chance to try life away from the faith I had held since I was a child. I wanted to have my fun and then go back to Jesus later. But He wouldn't let me go then, and He won't let me go now. Even if I want to turn away and do things my way because I think I have a better idea of what would make me happy- I can feel Him, even still, refusing to let me go my own way, gently (but sometimes painfully) guiding me back into the path He has chosen for me.