Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!  Hope your day was full of shining jack-o-lanterns, cutie pa-tootie outfits (not the scary ones...eek!), and lots of trick or treats!

Tonight my hubby & I are enjoying the TREAT of cozying up in our pj's and watching movies together.  A happy and relaxing Halloween.  :0)  Last night our sweet friends had a dress-up Halloween party.  I don't think I've dressed up for Halloween since fifth grade, so it was quite exciting / daunting for my hubby & me.  Since my sweet hubster is such a big Star Wars fan, we decided to dress up as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Princess Leia.  It was such fun!!!


Princess Leia with her Obi-Wan Kenobi.
"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi.  You're my only HOPE."

"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;

my HOPE comes from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation...

He is my mighty rock, my refuge."

--Psalm 62:5-7

Our Little Pumpkin

Happy weekend!  Yay!!!  And with bea-u-ti-ful fall weather outside, it has the makings to be a GREAT weekend!

Last weekend I got such a WONDERFUL surprise!  My sweet sis called last Saturday morning and said they had made last minute plans to visit a farm-themed theme park / pumpkin patch closer to my home.  It was still an hour or so away from me, but with the chance to see my sweet baby girl, I jumped in the car and headed west!  Auntie Jilly was THRILLED!  It was an absolute JOY to get to spend some unexpected time with my sister, and sweet baby girl was just as adorable as ever!

Me, J & J (l to r) on the trailor ride out to the pumpkin patch!
Sweet J feel asleep.  (The baby...NOT the momma!)  :0)

Our little pumpkin...in her cute farm girl outfit.  :0)

It's exhausting being this cute!!!  :0)

The sweet family

J & her mommy in the sunflower patch

Sweet J playing peek-a-boo with Aunt Jilly.
Aunt Jilly is so silly!!!

Miss Blue Eyes

"Glory in His holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Look to the LORD and His strength;

seek His face always.

Remember the wonders He has done,

his miracles, and the judgments He pronounced...

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

His love endures forever."

--1 Chronicles 16:10-12,34

Birthday Fun!

Last Thursday was my sweet hubby's happy birthday!  Yay!!!  We had so much fun celebrating with family and friends.  First, on Thursday night, we went to dinner and had cake and ice cream and presents with Matt's parents and grandfather.

Friday night we met up with friends to celebrate.  Keeping in line with friends' recent activity-themed birthday celebrations (karaoke, bingo, etc), Matt wanted to go to Dave & Buster's to bowl, play shuffleboard, and play arcade/video games.  We had a blast!  First, we bowled two games.  I had many gutter balls / 1s / 2s / 3s / etc...but I also had a strike!  Woo hoo!!!  Here's what I learned...when I tried to rocket the ball down there, I had no control; but when I more slowly released the ball, I could line it up straight down the middle.  Kinda a good lesson in life too...to quit rushing and pushing and go-go-going, but to slow down, go step-by-step, and line it up right.



My Sweetie bowling...probably a strike!  He's good!!!  :0)

After two games of bowling, we played two games of shuffleboard.  My hubby & I LOVE shuffleboard...which is funny because I've probably only played five times ever!  But every time we go to this one billiard's store, we always slide (shuffle?) a few across.  :0)  Here's us playing...

After shuffleboard, we went downstairs to play games!  I don't know if I've ever really played arcade games before, but the boys LOVED it!  We had a blast!!!

Whack-a-mole

Skeeball - Matt is REALLY good at this!

Shooting baskets...one of my hubby's fav things!

They've got a need...a need for speed.

Matt wins...yay!!!

Shooting game.  Boys will be boys.

Trivia game.  Matt & I got TONS of tickets from this.

Me playing Dear or No Deal.  So fun!!!  I won 120 tickets!!!

Sweet K&L

Me & Matt at bowling alley



K&L with games




Me & Matt take a quick pic while K shuffleboards behind us. 
I was on K's team, so I guess I should have been focused and concentrating.  Waa waa.



Our loot...one plastic Texans football, one Chinese handcuffs, a 3-pack of Fun Dip, and a green plastic frog. 
The prizes of champions!!!  :0)

We had SO MUCH FUN being kids again and had a GREAT time celebrating Matt's happy day!  Luv u Sweetie!  <3

My Sweetheart's Happy Birthday!

Today is my sweet hubby's special day!

Happy Birthday Matt!!! 

I love you so, so, so much!

You know.  :0)

I Can Do ALL THINGS Through Christ

Today is October 15th.  Happy End of Busy Season!!!  :0)  I know my family and friends, and ESPECIALLY my super-sweet hubby, are THRILLED that the day is finally here.  I am too!!!  I need a good bit of life back to normal.  (Whatever that is!  Ha!)

Here is the last group of returns just before we took them to the post office yesterday. 

Happy, happy day!

"I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens me."

--Philippians 4:13

In His Hands are the Depths of the Earth

The last of the miners and rescuers were pulled to safety last night.  Hallelujah!!!  The success of the rescue and the faith of those men brought me to tears.  What an amazing example of faith and trust in God!

Here are some pictures of the successful rescue.  These "miners of faith" so greatly touch my heart!  Like I mentioned yesterday, after 69 days trapped in a dark underground mine and 10+ minutes in a confined and scary capsule, these miners didn't stretch their legs or run in the sun but, rather, dropped to their knees giving thanks and glory and honor to God.



Omar Reygadas, age 56, knelt down with a Bible in his hand and prayed after becoming the 17th miner rescued.
CNN.com - Government of Chile

  

Esteban Rojas, age 44, knelt to pray after stepping out from the Phoenix capsule and becoming the 18th miner rescued. 
Per CNN.com, in late August, he asked his wife of 25 years to renew their vows, this time in a traditional church ceremony.  So sweet!  :0)
CNN.com - Government of Chile



“I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, higher than the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth.

Save us and help us with your right hand,

that those you love may be delivered.”

-- Psalm 108:3-6



In this picture, Jorge Galleguillos, age 56, hugs the President of Bolivia Evo Morales after becoming the 11th miner rescued.
CNN.com - Government of Chile



What I LOVED about this picture were the words on his shirt.  All the miners had words, either screen-printed or hand-written, on all their hard hats, clothes, etc.  I SO BADLY wanted to know what it said...what words they had used to inspire and encourage themselves and each other.  With this picture, I took the words on the back of his shirt and translated them via an online translator and found that it is Psalm 95:4!  Love that!!!  This is what it said:

"In His hands are the depths of the earth.  And the heights of the hills are his."

To Him, is the Honor and Glory

The translator said it was "From Him, is the Honor and Glory" but I think it meant "To Him".  :0)  But isn't that amazing?!!!  CNN.com also reported that 63-year-old Mario Gomez promised his wife of 30 years a proper wedding in his "Dear Lila" letter that came up with the famous and joyful "We're all OK in the refuge, all 33" note.  Gomez was quoted as saying, "Patience and faith.  God is great and the help of my God is going to make it possible to leave this mine alive."  Also, 56 year-old miner and father of twin daughters, Jose Henriquez, formed a prayer group that met several times a day; he also asked to have 33 Bibles sent down the narrow supply passage to the miners.  These men are such inspirations of faithfulness and are bringing glory and honor to God for ALL the world to see!  Hallelujah!!!

Here are some more pictures that made my heart smile.



Rescuers hugging each other as the Phoenix rescue capsule (so named after the bird that "rises from the ashes") takes the last of the 33 trapped miners up to safety.
Yahoo AP - Government of Chile



The six rescuers hold up a sign as they celebrate "Mission Accomplished" after the Phoenix rescue capsule carrying the last of the 33 trapped miners left the underground gold and copper San Jose Mine near Copiapo, Chile.
Yahoo AP - Government of Chile

 

Manuel Gonzalez, just before his ascent, stands alone in the mine where 33 miners had been trapped for 69 days. 
Manuel was the first rescuer who bravely made the 2,034 ft descent in the Phoenix capsule to check on the condition of the miners, to talk them through their final hours down below, to encourage their spirits, and to facilitate the rescue operation.  He was the last man in the mine.  All 33 trapped miners and 6 rescuers were safely and healthily saved.
Yahoo AP - Government of Chile

 

Before ascending in the Phoenix capsule, Manuel Gonzalez takes a bow after all 33 trapped miners have been saved.
Yahoo AP - Government of Chile



"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

--John 15:13

I am SO GRATEFUL that all these men are okay,

SO MOVED by their overwhelming faith and spirit,

SO TOUCHED by the selflessness of the rescuers, and

SO OVERWHELMED by the glory, honor, thanksgiving, and praise they are giving to God for all the world to see! 

Praise You, Father, in ALL the earth!!!

Praise The Lord in ALL the Earth

"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth."
--Exodus 9:16

I have been so worried, prayful, and inspired by the Chilean miners and their rescue last night, today, and tonight.  Not only have I been moved by the tireless dedication and selflessness of the rescuers (especially those who have gone down to be with the miners), but, more importantly, I have been moved to tears on numerous occassions by the OVERWHELMING faith of the miners.  To see these men emerge from the depths not to run in the sun or even stretch their legs but to fall straight to their knees in thanksgiving and praise to God is just amazing.  Such AMAZING examples of faith!

CNN.com quoted one miner, Mario Sepulveda...the 2nd miner to be rescured, as saying, "I was with God, and I was with the devil.  They fought, and God won."  Sepulveda went on to say, "I held on to God's hand, the best hand.  At no point did I doubt that God would get me out of there."  Amazing...simply amazing.  To have such faith in such disaster.  To "be still and know that God is God" in such a helpless and scary time.  What a GREAT example of faith!!!  And what a GREAT message to share!  As they step into the light of day, they are deliving the Light of Christ to all the world.   

"He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit,
and I will live to enjoy the light."
--Job 33:28

"I will exalt You, O LORD,
for You lifted me out of the depths…
O LORD my God, I called to You for help
and You healed me.
O LORD, You brought me up from the grave;
You spared me from going down into the pit.
Sing to the LORD, you saints of His;
praise His holy name."
--Psalm 30:1-4


"Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise His holy name…
Who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion"
--Psalm 103:1,4


"I called on Your name, O LORD,
from the depths of the pit.
You heard my plea: 'Do not close Your ears
to my cry for relief.'
You came near when I called you,
and You said, 'Do not fear.'
O Lord, You took up my case;
You redeemed my life."
-- Lamentations 3:55-58

May God bring all the remaining miners and the rescuers safely and healthily back to the surface, and may He bless them, their families, and all the rescuers working hard to save them.  Praise You, Father, for saving these men!  What's "miners" is Yours!  :0)

And to celebrate this amazing rescue, these inspiring miners of faith, these dedicated and selfless rescuers, and the GLORY and THANKSGIVING to GOD seen around the world...over the next few days, I'll be posting Bible verses that really speak to my heart concerning these faithful men and the praise to God they are bringing to ALL the world. 

"Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth."

--Psalm 57:5

Busy Season Boo Boo

My busy season deadline is this Friday (woo hoo!), and I've been busy processing returns and getting them ready to be filed.  I talked to my sweet sis, J, this morning, and she asked what I had to do at work today.  I said a ridiculous amount of copying, stapling, and hole-punching.  She commented (a la previous posts) that I am "stapling for Jesus" today.  I thought that was hilarious!!!  But I guess I was!  :0)

And in my "stapling for Jesus" activities...I got a boo boo!  I decided to milk it for all it's worth and take a pic:

Note the crazy / organized piles along the wall in my office.  Here's some more of my wrapping-up-busy-season organized madness:

Federal returns and state returns and mailing envelopes...oh my!

Returns, returns everywhere!

I'm happy to say that my office was much cleaner by the time I left this afternoon, and everything is going great!  Yay!!!

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men."
--Psalm 107:8

Happy Sunday!

Happy Sunday!  I hope everyone is having a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Just wanted to share a few things this morning...

First, I wanted to share two amazing blogs that completely touched my heart this week.  :0)  First, is the WONDERFUL "Heart to Heart with Holley" blog.  Each Sunday she writes a post to encourage her readers to pray...for themselves, for each other, to our Lord.  She is simply AMAZING and SO GREATLY touches my heart with every word she writes.  Today's post, "When You Don't Know What to Pray" was simply beautiful.   In it, she writes:

Lord, Sometimes the words escape us.
Because life is too happy or too hard.
And all the syllables you've given us don't seem like enough to express what our hearts want to share. So in those moments, in those times...Make every breath a message that reaches your ears.
Make every tear we cry a portrait of our pain you see.Make every heartbeat a note in a love song to you.
Thank you that even in our silence, even in the awkward pauses, even in the uncertainty and mess we bring you...
You still know.
You know what we need.
You know how we feel.
Because you know us.

Please head over to her blog to read more.  It will ABSOLUTELY be a blessing to you!  :0)

Also, this week (through the AMAZING (in)courage website...I love (in)courage!!!), I found Emily at her Chatting at the Sky blog.  On her blog, she is posting 31 Days of Grace throughout the month of October.  Such a GREAT idea!  Stop on by for a daily reminder of God's amazing grace!  I especially loved her post on Friday, "The Escort".  In it, she wrote:

"In Him, there is life made new. There is starting over and there are new morning mercies and there are gifts poured out in abundant supply. Everyday, you are a bride. And Grace is the Daddy who walks you down the aisle."

Isn't that one of the SWEETEST metaphors you have EVER heard on God's grace?  Stop on by throughout October.  It is such a sweet blessing!  (I have added it to my favorite websites to the right.)

And finally, now that my busy season is wrapping up (yay!), exciting new changes are coming to my blog. Stay tuned these next few weeks for more! :0)

"I love you, O LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn (strength) of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, "
--Psalm 18:1-3

Other Goings On!

Now that busy season is winding down, I realized all the fun stuff that has happened that I either left off the last "Goings On" posting (sorry!) or have occurred since.  Just thought I'd share!  :0)

First, I TOTALLY forgot to mention...that Matthew went to London earlier this summer on a business trip!  He was actually really busy in meetings for most of the trip, but he did squeeze in a bit of sight seeing when he could.  They flew all Saturday night and landed Sunday morning in London.  Even though my poor sweetheart didn't sleep a wink on the plane, he drank a big coffee and forced himself to stay awake Sunday afternoon for a double-decker bus tour around London.  He said he was exhausted but knew that was the only chance he'd have to see London, and he was so glad he did!  Here are some pictures:

This is Hyde Park.  Apparently people would take actual soap boxes there on Sundays, stand on them, and preach/lecture/complain about something.  Hence, "on your soap box".  Neat, huh?

House of Parliment

Big Ben!

London Bridge...
It did NOT fall down.

House of Parliment

House of Parliment on the River Thames

The Texas Embassy Restaurant & Grill
Apparently Texas is famous half a world away!  :0)

Parliment, Big Ben and River Thames



The London Eye



Tellies...in case you need to make a call...or need Superman!  :0)

They stayed Sunday night in London (Paddington Square...like Paddington Bear!), and then left Monday morning for the country where their meetings were held.  Matt said the drive out there was beautiful!  So quant!!!

Once out there, he said it was so quiet and beautiful.  Each morning there would be rabbits out on the lawn!  So sweet!!!

Thursday afternoon their meetings ended, so they got the opportunity to tour Windsor Castle and attend Evensong at St. George's Cathedral.  Matt said it was absolutely amazing!  And because her flag was flying, that meant the Queen was in residence...apparently in town for famous horse races that week.  A real castle...how neat!!!

Windsor Castle Gardens

Matt at Windsor Castle...with the Queen's flag flying

The Queen's Flag

My sweetie at Windsor.  :0)

Royal Guard at Windsor Castle
They got to see a changing of the guard.  Matt said it was super neat!

Matt had a really neat time in London.  He was really busy and didn't get to do a lot of sight seeing and tourist-y stuff, but I figure we'll do that together some day.  :0)

He was a super sweetie and brought back Royal Guard teddy bears for me and for his precious niece.  Is he a sweetheart or what?!!!  Here's are pictures my sister took of sweet J with her sweet bear from her sweet Uncle Matt.  :0)

Also this summer, I posted that I painted pottery with Matt's cousin, and I posted her painted frog (so cute!), but I never got a chance to post a picture of my painted pottery.  Here it is!

For someone who desperately wants but has absolutely NO artistic ability, I think it didn't end up that badly!

Next, precious J went to her 1st Aggie football game a few weeks ago with her proud Aggie parents.  Whoop!!!  Isn't she adorable?!!!  Auntie Jilly is so proud!  Gig'em J!!!

And finally, Matt & I got a chance to go home this past weekend, to honor a loved one who entered Heaven's gates a year ago, to support his family, and to spend time with my family too.  It was an amazing weekend of remembrance, celebration, giving, supporting, and love.  :0)

Here are some sweet pics of precious J:

So cute!!!  I wish I would have also taken pictures of her in her Sunday church clothes and flower headband.  She was BEA-U-TI-FUL!!!  Oh, Auntie Jilly loves you so!  :0)