Living Proof Live and The Siesta Fiesta

Last month, my mom and I went to see Beth Moore in San Antonio and had such an absolute blast! First of all, I LOVED getting to spend time with my Mom. We are very close and it was so much fun getting to have her all to myself for an extended period of time. We got to talk on the way there, spend the night in a nice hotel, and visit family too. The coolest part was getting to stand next to her as we worshipped Jesus! We also learned a ton and got into God's Word together. My Mom is amazing and a so much fun to be with. She is seriously one of my best friends! I am so thankful she went with me. It will be a memory I will forever cherish!

Second, Jesus, Beth and Travis Cottrell rocked my socks off! The worship was amazing. There is just nothing like worshipping Him with 10,000 other women! My Mom said it was like being in Heaven! Amazing! Beth taught on our inheritance as believers.

Psalm 16:5-6" Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!"

One of my nuggets from the weekend is not only is God and His presence part of my inheritance, but I am His. Wow!! God Himself sees me as His inheritance. Eph 1:18 "I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." Also, that I am an heir of God and I can be secure. If I truly understand that I am an heiress, I don't need affirmation or acceptance from others. She told us that Satan uses insecurity to make us fools! SPEAK IT PLAIN SISTER! I just love Bethy! She is my all time favorite Bible teacher. She is so genuine and funny and just loves Him so passionately! I want to be her BFF! :)

Finally, I got to meet up with some of the blogging girls or SIESTAS at the first Siest Fiesta. We had a little gathering after the event with The Moore Girls and it was such a blast. They are all 3 so precious and hillarious. I also had the privledge of meeting some of the other Siestas in person! It was like a little blogging family reunion!

Here are a few pics from our weekend:

Tiffany and I

Patty, Kim and I-these girls were amazing! They volunteered their time and hard work to help make the Siesta Fiesta happen.

First Day of School

Today I woke my little muffins (well I guess not so little anymore- they are 10 and8!) bright and early for their first day of school. Up until today I have homeschooled exclusively so 6:15 was REALLY early for them! I had eggs, bacon and toast waiting for them as they stumbled into the kitchen squinting their eyes and scratching their head. Wasn't it just yesterday that they were toddling around and waking ME up in the wee hours of the morning? When older moms told me how fast the time goes by I just couldn't fathom it. Now I am experiencing it! It really does.

We are very excited about our new school partner, Coram Deo! The kids will go two days a week and then school at home the other 3 days. It is truly a collaborative effort between the school and the family. The name of the school means "In the presence of God." We have loved the family atmosphere they promote as well as the excellent education they provide.

It is a 31 minute drive there, so on our way we had a blast praying, singing and laughing! It was fun to send them off with a smile, some pictures (that embarrassed Hannah a little) and a hug!

Here are a few pictures from this morning:

Here is a picture of Joseph holding his 110 lb backpack! Not really but the sucker is heavy!

Hannah and Joseph, I love you dearly and am so proud God picked me to be your Mom!

A little more about the school-
This is from the headmaster, Rodney Marshall:
"At Coram Deo Academy professional educators and parents collaborate to educate Christian youth to live all of life before God and to prepare for roles as ethical leaders and wise thinkers that will shape culture for the glory of God. We accomplish this by educating youth in an historic Christian worldview through a rigorous classical curriculum. Since we agree with Augustine, that all truth comes from God, our learning programs teach students to discover truth in the book of God's Word and in the book of God's works (creation and providence). We engage each other in discussion and debate over historical, political, religious and literary issues; we delve into scientific theories and experimentation; we enjoy theatre, music and fine art; and we revel in athletic competition -- all to help each student prepare for his or her God-given purpose in all of life. Parents and students that share this passion to serve God may apply for admission. We would consider it a privilege to co-labor with you and the Holy Spirit in this pursuit."

PINE COVE

For the last 4 years we have gone to family camp at Pine Cove for our vacation. Some friends of ours told us about it and what convinced us to go was how excited their 17 year old son was about going back. So we tried it out in the summer of 2004 when Sarah was a baby wondering if it could compare to Hawaii and Florida. It far surpassed both! Though the scenery and weather was not quite the same :), it was the first vacation where we felt refreshed when we came home and not utterly exhausted! There are several reasons for this. First of all, the focus of the week is on God and His Word. We have awesome teachings interspersed through out our time there. The adults have a speaker and our kids memorize scripture and go through a devotional with their counselor. Second, it is the perfect balance of time together and time on our own. There is adult teachings, a banquet and a time set apart for you and your spouse. However, there is also family time, a family devotional each day, theme nights and a ton of fun activites to do with your kids. Crafts, horse back riding, and water sports are just a few. Finally, you are totally served by their awesome staff! They welcome you with cheering, unload your car, help with your kids, serve you your meals and won't even let you pour your own drink while you are there! We love getting to know the college-aged counselors that are such amazing men and women of God. Each year, God knits our hearts together with a few of them ! It is so fun to see some of the same counselors the following summer and hear all God has done in their lives. Our family loves this place and we have already pre-paid for next summer. We truly feel like it is an investment in our familiy's spiritual life! Pine Cove's motto is: "Pine Cove exists to be used by God to transform the lives of people for His purposes and His glory." Each time we come home, we see the fruit of this in ourselves and our kids! It is an awesome vacation! Here are a few pics from this summer: