Year in review

Usually we send out letters to our friends and family who we don't keep in close touch with. This year, I decided to just write it on here to save some paper and to include more people. If you are visiting for the first time...welcome! I am not a great blogger, but I love sitting down to reflect on something God is teaching me or just log memories for us to remember. I invite you to check back from time to time to catch up with our busy family. There is also a prayer request page at the top which I try to keep updated. We covet your prayers as we walk this journey of parenthood, marriage and so much more!

Ok, now for our annual "Christmas letter"...

This year is no different than the last few...Christmas is upon us and time is flying even faster. We have had a really good year together as a family! Hector had a lot of time off early in the year, and we thoroughly enjoyed just doing life together. Even if many days were spent in our p.j.s until noon or with routine trips to Barnes & Noble or the park.

We started out the year with lots of snow! We actually had a white Christmas for the first time. It was beautiful! Cohen made his first snow man and had his first, although unsuccessful, sleigh ride. We even had some friends literally hike to our house for a day of games, hot chocolate and snow fun because the streets were covered. Go here for more on the snow & last Christmas.

In February, Hector and I escaped for a week on a cruise with the band. We felt a little guilty but were thankful we didn't bring our 2-yr.-old to brave the crazy schedule and tight living quarters. It was a nice break from the cold and a great opportunity to hang out with a few of the other band wives who I love but rarely get to see. I travelled down memory lane as we spent a day at The Atlantis Hotel where I had visited with a good friend in middle school. Most of all, I reflected on the incredible journey God has brought me on since then and who He has shaped me into. Here are the guys enjoying a beautiful beach day.

And here are us girls dressed up for dinner one night.

We also celebrated Cohen's second birthday in February. I couldn't believe he was turing 2, and now he's almost 3. I planned for weeks, ok maybe months, for his train-themed party. I was pleased and he loved every minute of it. He's a blessed little boy with so many who love him!

HERE is a short post about his birthday.

In March, Hector's schedule began to pick up a little, although not bad. During this time, after several months of weaning off steroids for my eye condition, I was able to come off completely! Praise the Lord! I felt and saw myself return to normal within a few weeks. I have continued the eye drops on varying intervals, but I'm SO thankful to not have to use steroids any longer. We are continuing to pray for healing over my eye completely. I have not had any problems since April. I truly give God all the glory!

In April, Rome and surrounding areas were ripped apart by tornadoes and strong winds. It was a scary time, especially for those like me who have a strong fear of tornadoes. We watched storms tear apart homes and destroy lives on the news all around us. We were blessed to have no damage to our home! We were out of power for 4 days but protected from any physical harm to our home or those we love. I love the freshness of Spring but could definitely do without the violent storms it brings to this area from time to time. In between storms, Hector found a few weeks to play soccer with a local men's league. He loves it and is good at it, but often forgets he isn't in the condition he was in high school. Therefore, he tore his ACL one night and was laid up for a couple weeks before surgery and a few more weeks of crutches and little walking. This was a trying time for us mainly because he is such an integral part of our family when he's home. He is such a HUGE help to me! So having to play Mommy and nurse for a month or so was tough emotionally and physically. Cohen wasn't sure how to handle it, but we made it through and are thankful he has made a complete recovery!

In May, Hector began to travel quite a bit with a trip to Brazil and a week-long missions cruise to Jamaica. Cohen and I missed Daddy, and I began mentally preparing and praying for the Fall tour that was approaching. He was blessed and was able to serve on both trips. We had a low-key celebration of our 6-year anniversary in May also. I'm more and more grateful each year to partner with Hector in marriage, parenthood and ministry.

In June, Hector and I went with our youth group to Summer Camp. This was the first year in a long time Hector has been able to go the whole time! We went to Global Youth Camp in Chattsworth, Ga. and had an incredible time of serving teenagers we love and watching their lives change as they encountered God and His word in a fresh way. We love camp and love that we have the opportunity to keep going.

In July & August, Hector was traveling all over and we were savoring the little time we did have with him. One weekend we decided to board the bus and go along with him. It was good for Cohen to see where Daddy goes when he leaves, but a moving, sleeper bus is not the easiest place to bring a 2-yr.-old who isn't concerned with respecting others' space and sleep. It wasn't awful just a little hectic for Mommy. Thankfully, at the end of August he had some time off. We filled most of it with things we wanted to do and people we wanted to visit.

In September, we kicked off Fall with a Fall Retreat with our students which included Hector's first rafting trip since falling out a few years ago. All was well this time, and he enjoyed being with the students. The following week we headed to Florida for our bi-annual Universal trip with the band. We decided to take a few extra days to take Cohen to the beach and visit my brother and sister-in-law in Sarasota. It was a short trip but we enjoyed seeing their new home, new town, the beach and just relaxing! We spent 3 days in Orlando swimming, riding rides and eating some good food. It was definitely a treat for Cohen. For more about this trip and a very funny video go HERE.

At the end of September, the Come to the Well fall tour began, and Hector hit the road for almost three weeks. Cohen and I survived but were very anxious for his return. Unfortunately, his days home were fewer than those away from then on. Cohen was not sure what to think about Daddy coming home and leaving so often. It has been tough watching his little mind and heart process this crazy schedule. We pray for him daily to feel the security and peace of the Lord and trust that Daddy will always be back.

In October & November, we enjoyed Hector when he was home and tried to stay busy while he was away. Cohen and I frequented the library, Barnes & Nobles' train table, the mall's playground, the park, and the YMCA. It has been a sweet time of bonding for the two of us, but reserved special times for when Daddy was home, like visiting the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, and Cohen's first real hike. We savored the crisp, cool air, beautiful colors and scents of Fall. We even got to host both of our families for Thanksgiving at our house this year since Hector had to leave that night. It was a sweet time of family fun and lots of food! We are thankful for their flexibility. Here are a few pictures from our celebration:

A little family competition...

My first turkey!!

And I guess that brings us to December...the highlight of our month so far has been the end of the tour!! Hector finished on the 4th and is home until late January. The tour went really well and he thoroughly enjoyed traveling with The Afters and Sanctus Real. We are so thankful for him being home to enjoy the Christmas season together. Cohen keeps asking if Daddy has to go bye-bye, and we joyfully get to reassure him he doesn't. We are praying this time off is sweet especially for Cohen and Hector and that God prepares us all for January and the Spring tour.

Although this season of life can be hard and trying, we believe God is walking each step beside us. We praise Him for his blessings and protection along with the trials which bring perseverance, proven character, and HOPE! (Rom. 5:3-4) We pray we are taking advantage of opportunities along the way to love and serve those around us and always return glory to Him! If you have made it this far...thank you for reading and walking through our last year with us. We pray this Christmas season finds you savoring the joy of knowing our Savior who is Christ the Lord!! And if you lack that life-giving relationship that you would seek Him and find Him waiting for you to accept his precious gift of forgiveness, grace and love. It's the greatest gift you could receive this Christmas!

Overflowing with Thankfulness

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7

I wanted to take some time this year and make a list of all I'm thankful for. May God receive the Glory in the blessings he has given our family! Here it goes...in no particular order.

1. A God who directs my steps and patiently loves me

2. The health of our family

3. Continued healing for my eye

4. My parents who constantly love, support, & do life with me

5. A faithful, loving friend through every season of my life

6. A patient, God-fearing, humble husband

7. The joys of seeing Cohen grow and mature

8. Hearing an unprompted, "thank you for lunch Mommy," "I love you Mommy," or "Bless you Mommy" (from the backseat)

9. A warm, comfortable home

10. God's protection over my Dad during his motorcycle accident

11. My brother's marriage to a woman who loves the Lord and who influenced my niece to give her life to the Lord

12. Provision for my brother and sister-in-law (jobs, new location)

13. A group of high school students I love to serve and teach

14. The colors, crisp air, and refreshment of Fall

15. Protection over Hector as he has travelled so much

16. A husband who leads our son in generosity, humility, fun, and the fear of God

17. Hector's time off earlier this year! Many cherished memories!

18. Quiet moments when my Lord speaks gentle reminders of His love and sufficiency in my heart

19. God's provision for our family

20. An awesome set of in-laws who make me laugh and help me enjoy life

Now for a few silly things:

Pinterest.com

Scents of cinnamon and pumpkin

Chick-fil-A

Pizza

Veggie Tales

I could go on and on but just wanted to name a few.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

A heart of thanks

My mouth begins to water when I think about pumpkin pie and how close it is to Thanksgiving. However, when I'm at the grocery store or our local craft store, it appears as if I've missed it all together. I won't harp on the ridiculousness of Christmas decorations and music adorning stores on November 1st, but it's rather frustrating! Thanks to retailers' money-hungry tactics to breeze through Thanksgiving, I'm finding it difficult to teach Cohen what Thanksgiving is and the importance of stopping and thanking our Lord for "every good and perfect gift that comes from Him." (James 1:17)

So we have begun the journey of teaching our selfish-by-nature two-year-old to stop and look around at all God has given him and give Him thanks. We are reading books about it, doing crafts to emphasize it, and helping him think about what it means to be thankful. I pray these early efforts help him to develop a thankful heart! Today we shopped for our Operation Christmas Child box for a "little boy who doesn't get Christmas presents." He really got into picking things out for him. It was sweet! However, we got home and he wanted to play with a little car we got for the box. I let him, only after reminding him it wasn't his and he would have to put it in the box tonight before bed. He got rather attached, most likely because he knew it was a temporary toy, and had a melt down before his nap. Realizing just before naptime wasn't the time to discuss it, I waited until later to readdress the issue. To my surprise, just before bedtime he wanted to go find the car and put it in the box "for the little boy." I was humbled by his concern for the car and pray this was just the beginning of him having a heart to give! I tell this story, not to brag on me or him, but as a first memory of him willingly giving something for someone he doesn't even know. May the Lord draw Cohen into a relationship with Himself that he recognizes all he has as blessings and desires to give out of the abundance God has given him. And may Hector and I model that before him and lead him to generously give.

Shane & Shane w/Bethany Dillon

Over 3 months ago I heard Bethany Dillon would be in concert with Shane and Shane at a local church. I love Bethany Dillon. She is an amazing young woman who at 16 was writing songs that told of her incredibly mature and deep relationship with the Lord. I have been challenged and encouraged by her music for years. Her songs truly put so many of my own struggles, emotions and thoughts to music. Although she is several years younger than me, I admire her walk with Jesus and her artistic ability! So...I was excited! I was introduced to Shane and Shane in college and like them also, just not quite as much as Bethany Dillon. So I got my ticket and recruited some girls to go with me. Here we are! Love them!

Bethany opened for Shane and Shane and was her usual, humble and witty self. She played a couple new songs and a few old...but definitely not enough for me! I was kinda bummed, but thankful to hear a few.

Shane and Shane followed with an awesome night of worship. They have a gift of putting on a unique, fun, light hearted show lavished with truth and scripture. The are so talented! It was a great concert!

By about half way through we were all rather hungry. However, Rebecca came more prepared than the rest of us. Just had to include this picture of her eating her Starbuck's sandwich in the middle of S&S's set. If you knew her, you would expect nothing less! I love her, and I'm so thankful she keeps me spontaneous, flexible and laughing!

Meeting Curious George

Cohen and I frequent Barnes and Noble for some good train time. For those who don't know, they have a train table with all the trains, bridges and tunnels we don't have at home. It's a great place to go when it's crazy hot, bitter cold, or Mommy needs to go to Pier 1 next door. We stopped in one day last week and the story time lady told us Curious George would be there Satruday. I immediately made plans in my head to come back! Cohen had seen CG a few times on t.v. and would love to see him in real life. We invited Cohen's best friend Reid along for the ride. He was so excited and when CG walked in, he not so quietly repeated how "BIG" he was. He was mesmerized by him for a little bit, but by book #2 he was ready to meet him and play with Reid.

Thankfully, they offered for us to take a picture with him. After meeting Cat in the Hat in Florida he's much more comfortable with oversized cartoon characters and was not scared...as long as Mommy was with him. Reid's mommy and my sweet friend, Pam, was gracious enough to take our picture.

Next it was Pam and Reid's turn. So cute! It was definitely a memorable moment!

After CG left, the boys played with the trains before heading to lunch at Panera. Cohen was right at home with this familiar train table and his best friend. He held nothing back including loud banging of the trains. Thankfully, Reid was not intimidated and played along. However, I had to remind him several times we were in a bookstore not at the park, to which he was unconcerned. Pam and I did get some catch up time at lunch while the boys ate their yogurt and sandwiches. It was a sweet time of fellowship and making memories.

First signs of Fall

Fall has arrived and I love every cool, crisp day. Our house is littered with pumpkins and fall flowers. I have made my first batch of pumpkin bread and adorned our front entryway with straw, scarecrows, and mums. I have been soaking up the season the best I can but one thing has been missing...Daddy! Hector's three-weeks away wrapped up just in time for him to lead worship for our college ministry Fall Retreat. He was blessed to have the opportunity but having it begin the day he arrived home after 3 weeks, meant we went with him. We were thankful for awesome college minister and his wife made that possible! So we headed up to the mountains for a quick "retreat" with about 40 college students. So, this was our first Fall event as a family. The weather was rainy, but the colors were beautiful. It was fun to just get away for a day or so and stay in a little cabin. Cohen did great! He and I would listen to the music and then leave for the message. They had a HUGE couch he loved playing on. (See his "cheesy" smile below.) We hung out during the services playing with an assortment of balls or trucks. Here he is braving the rain and the mud.

Hector loves to lead worship any chance he can and especially for our college students! It was a treat for him. We took a "hay ride" (15 min, ride going 50 mph in a trailer lined with hay) up to an overlook where Hector joined the students in some caving. Cohen was anxious to go along, but instead he sat with me and waited...not so patiently at the end. It was quite the experience from what I heard.

We also tagged along to Desoto Falls. We had been here once before with some friends but it was about 20 degrees and freezing. It was beautiful to see them this time of year. Cohen was not intimidated at all by the height.

(They look a lot closer to the edge than they are...)

It was a quick trip, but the highlight was just having Daddy around again! I also got to spend some time with the college minister's wife and sweet twins. They only live around the corner but we don't spend enough time together. This was a great excuse to hang out and catch up, even if it was cold and dark on the porch of our little cabin while we waited for our babies to fall asleep. I so wish I had a picture of this! She's a sweet friend, huge encouragement and awesome example of a godly wife and mother! We were grateful for a 24-hr. escape and a chance to be a part of a weekend where God moved in the hearts of students!

.MOM Conference aka Girls Weekend!

About 7 months ago I saw an ad for Lifeway's .MOM conference in Birmingham, AL. After noticing a couple of the speakers, who were women I respect, and that it fell on Hector's first weekend away during this 3-week stint that he would be gone. I contacted my friend, Leslie. She lived in Nashville at the time, and it would be a perfect spot for us to meet, get away without our kiddos, and spend time together!

Her friendship is such a huge blessing in my life! It begin about 4 years ago when her husband, Carl, became Hector's guitar tech on the "Altar and the Door" tour. He and Hector hit it off immediately and quickly developed a strong friendship. I was able to meet Leslie and hang out a couple times during that tour and it felt like we had been friends for years even though we had just met. Since then we have spent weekends at each other's houses a few times, talked on the phone for hours, and text each other endless times just to vent. When Hector called Carl to tell him I was pregnant, Carl had been planning to call us to tell us they were pregnant. We were both so excited! Hallie Kay was born exactly one month after Cohen.

Leslie and I's friendship continued to deepen as we journeyed into motherhood together with husbands who traveled regularly. About a year later, Carl worked the "Until the Whole World Hears" Tour. So, Leslie and I spent many texts and phone calls trying to encourage each other to persevere until they would be home. We were both stay-at-home Babywise mamas which meant many days of shared frustration over non-napping children and what we were doing wrong/right. We also both used homemade baby food so our freezers were full of multicolored food cubes. Her recipe suggestions were lifesavers from time to time. The similarities go on and on. It wasn't long before I realized God had given me an incredible friendship that was life-giving and encouraging! He has never failed to provide just that for me in whatever season I am in. Leslie has been the perfect balance to encouraging and challenging both spiritually and emotionally.

Shortly after that last tour, Carl and Leslie began really praying about how he could be home more with them and end the road life. God began to answer their prayers early this year. He is a gifted worship leader and was offered a job in Fresno, CA. They were reluctant at first but God began changing their hearts. In the Spring they accepted the offer, sold their house and moved within about 6 weeks. She took a little bit of my heart with her as she moved 2 more time zones away, but I'm so happy for this incredible opportunity to be closer to her family, have more time together and to be a part of a great community of believers.

I wanted to share all that to honor her, to give glory to God for our friendship and to explain why this weekend was such an exciting time!! There was a few months of uncertainty whether or not she could make it now that a plane ticket was involved. But with some gentle prodding and well begging from me...she came! I picked her up from the airport Thursday evening and we headed to Birmingham. It was a ROUGH drive. We drove through torrential rain the entire way! I'm not usually that uptight when I'm driving, but this was awful. About 3 hours later we got to our hotel. We settled in, and it was past my bedtime so I was out in no time. The next day we had a relaxing morning and headed to the conference around 12. The first day we heard Angela Thomas and Angie Smith speak and were led in worship by Avalon's Melissa Greene. It was a sweet time of worship, encouragement and being challenged with about 1400 other moms. There were women with children ranging from 1 to 11, from all over the country and with all sizes of diamond rings. We also had two breakout sessions that day which we could pick from a variety of topics. The next day we got an early start and heard Vicki Courtney and Priscilla Shirer speak as well as more great worship with Melissa and two more breakout sessions. It was truly a blessing to be a part of this event and receive such encouragement in being a mom. It ended that evening, but I couldn't leave Birmingham without making a trip to the Summit (an outdoor shopping area) for a little browsing and dinner. Not to mention, the weather was amazing! We took our time in Pottery Barn Kids and a few other stores before eating dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. Yum! Then we began the trip home. The next morning I took her back to the airport so she could fly home to her sweet family that she missed so much. It was tough to have the weekend come to an end, but I am so grateful for a weekend of sweet worship and fellowship with an amazing friend and blessing from the Lord. I returned home refreshed, re-eneregized and reignited with a passion to love Cohen and lead him in the ways of the Lord.

If I were to sum up the weekend in what God challenged me with it would be this: motherhood is not my highest calling; I'm first a child of God called to glorify Him and motherhood is only part of that. God had been working on my heart leading up to this conference about being more intentional during my day and seeking more opportunities to get outside myself and my child to love on people around me. Well, He clearly confirmed that all I had been thinking was from Him. A recurrent theme from the speaking and breakout sessions was that we are called to be a light to our home and to all we come in contact with, and our children will not have a heart for people and for the world if we aren't living that out in front of them. I was overwhelmed with tons of practical information, but spiritually God was beating on my heart to get outside my routine and my obsession about being the "perfect" mom and love on people! I'm a working progress for sure. So, today I'm taking it one day at a time and praying for eyes to see opportunities and the courage to take them.

Finally on vacation

I had been anxiously awaiting and planning our Florida vacation for months. I clung to it as I saw other's beach pictures on Facebook and watched everyone return throughout the summer with beautiful tans. I was dreading the drive but really excited about taking C to the beach, visiting my brother, taking C to meet "Cat in the Hat" and spend some time relaxing in a beautiful resort pool. We hit a few bumps along the way with C being off schedule and in so many new places, but he really did great! The drive was, as expected, the worst part. God so cleverly decided to give us a child who will not sleep in the car. Or maybe he's a product of his Mommy's crazy routine and determination to have him sleep well in his crib. Either way, we got about 40 minutes max out of him on both trips. We stopped 6 times on the way down and drove through rain most of the way, which lengthened our should-have-been-9-hour-trip to 11!! Hector and I were exhausted due to coming off a no-sleep weekend retreat with the youth group. I never thought we would see my brother's house that night. But we did, and C was so exhausted he fell asleep rather well.

Our first day there, and my brother's only day off, we were hoping to make it to the beach. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and rainy most of the day. So, we sucked it up and relaxed that morning. After C's nap he and Hector and my brother went for a swim. They have a little backyard pool that was perfect for C. It took him a little while to warm up to the water, but before long he was jumping in to Daddy. Here are a few pictures:

The next day my brother and my sister-in-law both had to work but the sun was shining so we packed up and headed about 30 min. east to the beach in Sarasota. We just wanted to let C experience it since he was about 1 when he last saw the beach and didn't remember it at all. God blessed us with beautiful weather for the 2 hours we were there. However, we forgot our camera at the house. We did take a few pictures on Hector's phone but since he is in CA as I write this, I won't be able to include those. C was a little unsure of the waves, but loved it. It's kind of funny how the beach was such a regular part of life as Hector and I grew up and he will not have much opportunity to enjoy it.

The next day we had to drive to Orlando, where we finished off our vacation, to meet up with the band. We stopped by my brother's workplace, Sports Authority, to take advantage of his discount on some shoes and say our good-byes. It was a short visit but we are thankful for the time we had with them. We arrived in Orlando with enough time to get checked in and settled before Hector had to leave for a day of media responsibilities. We decided to splurge a little and get a "kids suite" so C would have his own space. He absolutely loved it!

It was well-worth the money considering the sensitive sleeper we are blessed with. That night we went to dinner with the other band spouses and their kids. It was fun to see them all together. C was a little stand-offish for a while but eventually loosened up. I enjoyed a good meal and good fellowship with friends and C left with a balloon made into a dog and a glittery baseball painted on his arm.

The next day was our day at Universal and Islands of Adventure. Dr. Suess land was our main attraction since Cat in the Hat has recently become his favorite book. We rode every ride and some twice and got our picture with Cat in the Hat. He had so much fun! Hector and I might have had more fun just watching him take it all in...or try to.

Universal didn't have as much to offer for Cohen but it did have a huge "ball factory." I don't even know how to explain it other than it was full of soft balls that you could shoot across the room with vacuumed air. Other than that he played for a few minutes in Fival's Playland where he found a big ball pit. We would have stayed longer but a major storm was about to unload buckets of rain so we made a mad dash to Bubba Gump's Shrimp for shelter and dinner.

It was a very full day! The next day we played in the hotel pool while Hector was soundchecking for their show that night at Universal. It was a great pool with plenty of space for him to play without a float! We had lunch by the pool and soaked up lots of sun. The hotel was beautiful and Italian inspired. Here are a couple pictures:

Hector came back after C's nap and we swam a little more before dinner. That night Hector played for Rock the Universe and I would have been alone in the hotel while C slept but I was pleasantly surprised to have a sweet girl I hadn't seen in a long time come visit. She was in a group of girls I discipled while I was in college...and now she's married and working her first job out of college. Crazy! It was so good to catch up and have company. The next morning we packed up and headed back home. This time the drive was only 9 hours...which made it so much better. We got home that evening and I think we all took a deep breath! It was a great vacation and busy two months, and we were SO thankful to be home.

There will be lots more pictures on Facebook, but I did have to end with this rather hilarious video! (This is the "harbor plaza" in the hotel where they had an opera singer each night.)

September Mayhem

September has flown by mostly due to the fact that we have been all over the place! The end of August marked the first and last chunk of time off for Hector for a while. Therefore, we filled every day to the brim to do things and see people we don't routinely get to do and see. We kicked this time off with a visit to Hector's side of the family in Buford, Ga. We don't get the luxury of weekends off to visit very often so this is always a treat. We spent Thursday night through Sunday morning with them. Hector and I even escaped for Friday night to see the movie premier of "Courageous" at The Fox in Atlanta. It was a fun night to dress up and a great excuse for a date. The movie was incredible and you should definitely make plans to see it...THIS WEEKEND!! It opens in select theaters this weekend. Go here to find out the closest theater to you! It will challenge and renew your passion to lead your families as God intended, especially if you are a man. Ok, moving on from the movie. Saturday morning we got up and ate breakfast with some of our best friends in the world who we rarely get to see. They happened to be in town for a wedding and it worked out for us to meet for breakfast. It was a great time of catching up and encouragement. I wish they lived closer, but they are pursuing God's incredible call of their lives to plant a church in TX. I'm so thankful for that time. After that we headed back to Hector's parents to enjoy the rest of our time there until we had to leave Sunday for Hector to be home in time to lead worship that night. Here are a couple pictures from that weekend:

The following Tuesday, Hector and I redeemed his very early Father's Day gift of tickets to a Braves game. It was a great night for baseball and we had great seats. Unfortunately, the Braves did not care that it was the only game of the season we would be able to make, and they lost terribly! It was fun regardless. Here we are enjoying our great seats and each others company despite the crappy performance.

We enjoyed the rest of the week together at home with our little man, who is growing up so fast these days. We did lots of laundry, cleaning and packing for the craziness that was ahead. The following Saturday, Hector left with our youth group to head to Tennessee for a Fall Retreat. He spent the day rafting with them. I joined them that night after my mom got off work and was able to keep Cohen for about 36 hours. Fall Retreat was a good time of being with the students and being challenged in the Word about encounters people had with Jesus. It was a quick trip for me as we headed home late Sunday night. But not before I had my first s'more of the year, of which I shared with my sweet friend Rebecca. We share a love for s'mores but have not actually had one together. Here are a couple pictures from that weekend:

We had to be home that night because we were leaving for our family vacation Monday morning. Crazy, I know!! And that we did...we finished the packing we had begun the week before, loaded up the car, picked up Cohen from my parents and hit the road for Florida. I'm running out of time for now and exhausted already just recapping our month. So, I will continue in another post on our vacation!

On 'da big bus with Daddy

This post is over a month late, but I am catching up on the wild ride we have been on the past couple months. It started when Hector asked me only about 3 days ahead of time if we would like to go out on the road with the band for the weekend. He had been gone about a week at this point, and we were missing Daddy. I also knew he would be gone a lot this Fall with the start of a new tour, so I agreed and began making lists and washing clothes. This would be the first time Cohen had been on the bus for over a year. Therefore, we weren't sure what we were in for. On prior trips, he was able to sleep in a pack-n-play in the back. This time he would need to sleep in a bunk. I was optimistic that he would adjust pretty well. So, we packed as light as possible and headed to Atl on a Wednesday afternoon. The bus was scheduled to leave early because it was a long drive that night to Iowa. This was actually good because it gave Cohen a chance to get acclimated to the bus and the excitement sort of die down before we attempted sleep. The bus began to roll about 3 p.m...and C had already run the length of the bus several times, played in Daddy's bunk and acquired a playmate for the weekend, Megan's sweet little girl Lillie. We decided to attempt a nap and much to both of our surprise he fell asleep and took a pretty good nap! Good start!! That evening we stopped for dinner, watched some t.v., played with Lillie and then settled in for the night. Again, he did great and the noisy vibration of the bus put him right to sleep. I was a happy Mama and thankful the Lord had granted us favor thus far!

Well, I will try not to bore you with too many details, but C really did pretty well the rest of the weekend. He did not understand that the "bunk area" of the bus was quiet area. Therefore, if he was hurt, upset or mad he wasn't afraid to let everyone know even if they were sleeping. I was mortified a couple times and frustrated with the feeling of being "stuck" without our own space to discipline and let him play. He was excited to be in a new place and was not accustomed to the "rules" of the bus as are the other kids who travel all the time. This was a challenge but the other band members were gracious!!

Our first day we were at the Iowa State Fair. C rode the Ferris Wheel and a pony for the first time! He also got to experience a kids exhibit called "Little Hands on the Farm," where he got to "plant" seeds and walk through the process of harvesting, reaping and selling. It was really cute!! Here are a few pictures:

The next day we played catch up on sleep after a very full day at the fair...not to mention the fireworks that went off only a few feet from the bus right as C was going to sleep. And our last day on the road C got his first taste of a water park. We were at Crystal Falls in Hot Springs, AR. It was a cloudy, rainy morning but we braved the kiddie pool anyway. He sure didn't care about the light rain. We took a break for lunch and a nap, and then we headed back into the water for a little longer that afternoon with some welcomed sunshine. It was fun although lots of stuff that was too big for him. We finished off our night with dinner and watching Daddy play a few songs on stage before heading to bed. I settled in and was thankful for a weekend full of memories but also to be headed home that night. I fell asleep about 11:30 and only about an hour later I was awakened by a whimpering cry from C. I quickly scurried to his bunk to find a faint fowl smell. Upon asking what was wrong, he very pitifully cried, "I spilled out." (Translation: I threw up in my bunk). I took him to the front lounge where Daddy was playing video games with the guys. C informed him again in a very sad voice, "I'm sick." I frantically asked for help as I tried to aim him towards the sink before he continued. Well, I will spare you the morbid details here, but let me just say that he threw up two more times. We spent the next 30 minutes figuring out how to get myself and the floor cleaned up, clean PJs for C, stripping his bed and scrounging to find something to act as a sheet since there were no extras. Thankfully, he fell back to sleep quickly and slept through the rest of the night. As I laid back down I thought for sure I wouldn't be sleeping that night. But, God is gracious and granted us a restful night. Whew...I think I can say with confidence that was the worst-case scenerio on a moving bus 10-hrs. away from home. We dealt with a sick little guys for the next couple days but at least we were at home. I'm pretty sure the water park was the culprit, but we are thankful it didn't turn out to be any major bacterial infection.

It was a sweet weekend with Daddy! Although there were rough spots, it was worth it and we were thankful for the opportunity!