My first REAL backpacking trip!

The start of our journey

Here is the jist- Austin has ALWAYS been a spontaneous guy. We were planning this weekend to Palo Duro Canyon (outside Canyon Texas) for a week and we were excited to go out and go camping. So friday finally came and we left town, once we were in Plainview, Aust decided it would be much cooler to go to Santa Fe New MExico and climb Mountain Balde- so we drove there instead. The temperature to the two places were totally different so we didnt pack the right clothes for Santa Fe and it got in the twenties at night!! It was such a great time though, we backpacked up the mountain for seven and a half hours and the mountain seemed unreal. Gorgeous rivers flowing that looked like it was in jungles and fake they were so pretty, to climbing to the top of the mountain to a gorgeous LAKE!

My sweet husband

Our camp the first night

Lake Katherine at the top of the mountain

The (bald) mountain in the back to where we are in the picture is where we hiked to the top of.

Family Weekend in Fort Worth

This weekend was jam packed full of goodies!! When we got there on Friday we went and grabbed burritos from Chipotle to take to the game, and then we finally got to the Boston Red Sox game. It was so much fun! All of my family besides Kirsten got to go and my Aunt Donna and Celie also got to come. After extra innings the Rangers pulled off the win and then we got to stay for some awesome fireworks. The next morning we got up early and went to the Fort Worth Zoo. We had a ton of fun and it took us 4 and a half hours to get finished, it was so hot out there! After that some of us went and played golf, so a full day of being outside in Dallas...so everyone was drained! Was a great weekend with the family.

Momma and Callyn Joy

she loves baseball!

My Parents, Paige, Jarod, Callyn, Aunt Donna, and Celie

Colby & Joanna and one of their friends Sam

of course we have seen a zebra before, but how amazing is God's creation seriously

The girls (minus callyn) at family weekend..at the zoo!

Golf Tournament

This weekend Austin and I got to go to Andrews and he played with my brothers and my dad in the Father/Son golf tournament. Everybody got to come except Joanna, and it was so much fun to get to be together!

My brother Colbs and I

Me and Hubs

Callyn Joy and Auntie K

The boys!

Being Radically generous

Jesus is known by his giving. He lived a life of this. Are we known for what Jesus is known for? I want to demonstrate AND live Christianity, most people I believe don't take their Christianity beyond the walls of the church.

God calls each and every one of us to give. Sometimes this scares me to death but something that is required for us. In 2 Corinthians 8:1 " The Macedonian churches, out of their most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify they gave as much as they were able, and beyond their ability. They gave themselves to the Lord and then to us in keeping God's will. God calls us to tithe ( to give at LEAST 10% of what we make) or you are robbing God.EVERYTHING you make is because of God, and all he is asking is that you give 10% of it to someone( something) in need. And in Malachi, giving opens the floodgates of heaven and it promises in scripture that when you give, great blessings will be upon you.

Have faith, not Fear. Trust God.

Being that, God is really teaching Austin and I about this subject. And its a hard thing because obviously I still go to school so we only have one paycheck. But God has showed us to think about little things every month we can give up..such as coke. And everytime for that month that we would go get a coke, you would put $2 to give somewhere else.It can be done, it just may take a little giving up of other things.

Honeymoon in Fiji

Here are a few goodies from the Honeymoon. From the craziness of having a strike in Tahiti where we were suppost to go, to being redirected to Fiji once we got in LAX, to the BEAUTIFUL island of Fiji, right beside one of my favorite countries, Australia. This was also Austins very first time out of the country and also to a real beach! We had such a great time

The raft in "Cast Away" and Wilson

Absolute Wedding!!

Wow, seriously the best day of my life..of course! A day full of praises because God has provided such a great and solid young man that I get the pleasure of spending my life with! Everything about my special day was absolutely PERFECT. From getting to spend all night and day with my best girlfriends, to glaming up by getting our hair and makeup done ( which was SO fun), to getting a bridesmaids luncheon from my aunts, to getting to Spirit Ranch early for time to relax before it was time. The weather was perfect and the girls looked beautiful and the men looked handsome! It was more than I could ever imagine and it was so beautiful! I was so surprised that I did that good planning a wedding :). And did I mention, my groom looked so hott, I couldnt take my eyes off him!!!

The girls at the "bachelorette/swim party" so fun!!(exclude the older sisters and Ash)

and people say theres no God..ha, should have been at our wedding:)

Yeah, the one with the moves..thats my husband HOLLLAA!!

One of my most favorites!!

Lord of Lords

I have been so addicted to the song " Lord of Lords" by Hillsong, you need to check it out on youtube.

All that I long for is to worship you Jesus. Its my sole desire for this very heart that you have shaped for your pleasure- purpose to life Your name higher.

Now unto the Lamb Who sits on the throne

Be glory and honour and praise

All of creation resounds with the song

Worship and praise Him

the LORD OF LORDS

"Worship is about loving God AND loving people. Praising Him and honoring His will- and thats living a life of others."

When I think about Jesus I see a man who lived a completely selfish life, who is all about giving his life for people and the fulfillment of his fathers word- and thats how we are to live.

You know what it feels like to be at church and sing, dance and clap your hands and thats great but the word of God says true worship is Looking after theWIDOWS and the ORPHANS- thats HUGE. its all about being the hands and feet of Jesus in EVERY situation.

Worship and justice go together. when we Worship God and we encounter his presence for real, we are compelled to live a life about helping others- reaching out to the least of these and pursuing JUSTICE on the earth.

From my heart to Yours!

Most of you have probably been in the position that I have been for what seems like a few months now. The problem that no matter what I do or how many people I am with- that feeling of loneliness seems to capture me. With going so long trying to run from this feeling, I realize that feeling is from not spending time with You, Jesus. I truly miss you!! After experiencing such amazing fellowship with You, Jesus, I know that there is nothing else that can take Your place. Thank you for the promise to never leave me, thank you for loving me enough that you would do ANYTHING to get my attention to spend alone time with you.

Thank you God for demonstrating this with your Son. That Jesus frequently went off alone to spend time with just You. The fact that if Jesus, the most holy and selfless person that has ever walked on Earth, had to spend time with you- how much more do I need to spend! Thank you for the promise that being in your presence is the fullness of JOY, and thank you for letting my heart long for that when I'm not loving you like I am made to.

Meet Mali

Saturday I woke up and got to go home to Andrews to get Austins truck ( since I wrecked mine and can't drive it) and we got to go pick up our new puppy, Mali! She is a toy Australian Shepherd. We are really excited to have this opportunity together! We couldn't figure out a name and then we heard Mali- which is a country in Africa, and we thought it was perfect!

Save the date

This is our save the date! We will be getting married at Spirit Ranch in Lubbock on June 11, 2010. So excited!

Thrive New Years!

This time for new years I got to meet up with some friends that I had met in Africa! It was so awesome to be able to meet up with so many of the people I got to go do international missions with. Addy and I drove to meet the crew in Dallas. Those four days were filled with so much laughter, joy, and sweet new memories. and one even came home with a new tatoo:)!! I am so blessed to be able to call them friends and to have met them because God had called each of us to serve him in South Africa, and because of that they will always have a special place in my heart. 

After most of the crew had to leave- Addy, Erinn, and I went to Gateway church...TWICE!! It was so cool because Erinn and I had wanted to see Kari Jobe lead worship and we wanted to do it together and we totally got to!! it was awesome too..you should look her up on youtube:)

at Gatway to see Kari Jobe!

New Years!

the girls before Court and Grace left!

from Thrive!

Fellowship & the girls!

We held a college/20 something fellowship at my house after Christmas. I got to see a lot of friends that I hadn't seen in a while. We got to hang out and play games. Everybody got a kick out of the game fishbowl! We also had a little sleepover afterwards for all the group of girls from high school and had so much fun! Always a blessing to be able to all hang out together. They are so much fun!

Aust & I :)

We held a coll

Me and Em- I hadn't seen her in so long!

Me, Addison, Jenn

My beautiful roommate Paige!!

So as we were all taking our little group picture we decided to do funny faces. Well thats what I thought anyway, so after the picture was taken- all I hear was little snickering lol. They were all doing these faces because I was getting married in 5 months and for most this would be the last time I saw them until then!! 

I have been swept away in his love!

My sweet and precious niece!

 My big family Christmas day!

I can definitely say this has been the best Christmas EVER! The best gift my family and I have been given this year goes way beyond gift opening! Having baby Callyn Joy as apart of our family for her first Christmas was absolutely wonderful. Every time I see her I just get reminded of how faithful and true Christ is. He never left us when we were struggling with everything that had happen with Tatum Cate, instead He revealed Himself through that and because of that we got to experience a never changing God and the power of his will in wanting to sweep us away in his love!