Today I found out that Judah, my little brother, has a court date to finalize his adoption! When I found out I was so overwhelmed because we have been jumping through legal hoops for the past 3 1/2 years. It has been a long journey with much prayer, frustration, and not being able to do anything but trust in God.
Today I am so thankful for the blessing of Judah, and especially that I will be home for his court date!
Today I went with a group of ConocoPhillips employees to volunteer at the Houston food bank. We loaded up boxes assembly-line style that would provide food for the elderly and pregnant women who have a hard time providing for themselves. I had a great time and we ended up filling up over 22,000 lb of food into boxes.
Being there made me thankful that I am able to help, that I have the ability at this point in my life to provide for myself, and that I have food everyday and don’t have to worry about where my next meal is coming from.
Tonight I got to play soccer for the first time (minus one scrimmage) since ending my college career with Marietta. I am in a league with work and we play 5 V 5 on Monday nights.
Soccer has been such a huge part of my life ever since I was much smaller than I am now. Not having it for the past year has made me realize how much I loved it. And although it was fun to play again tonight, there is nothing like being on a competitive team.
So today I am thankful for the gift of soccer and for the many wonderful memories I have, for the lessons learned, for the character developed, and most importantly, for the relationships gained from it.
I miss my team so much it is hard to put into words. And I will always cherish the time I got to spend on the field.
This morning I went to church with the Bartholomews (which just so happens to also be the highest point in Dallas). There were some guest speakers in from Justice House of Prayer in DC. It was so encouraging to hear reports about the fight for LIFE and the progress that is being made. Texas is also just a really cool place to live right now (check this out).
So today I am thankful for those who have stood, fought, and cried out for life. This includes those from Justice House of Prayer, The Hall family, Generation Life, Stand True ministries, and so many countless others. May we continue to fight until we see abortion ended in America.
Jesus I plead Your blood over my sins and the sins of my nation. God end abortion and sent revival to America.
http://www.generationlife.org/
Today I am thankful for……(The classic answer I know) Families!
So I have been super blessed with an amazing family that I love and cherish and even for the most part get along with, and I am always thankful for them. But today I would like to express how much it means to have a family away from family. When I went to college I was welcomed by the Lord and Hickey families (and many others) and would often hang out with them after church on Sundays or even random weekdays. They would cook for me, play with me, encourage me, and love me even though I may have made it difficult at times.
In New Mexico I met another amazing family that allowed me to come over to their home on a regular basis. I originally said that it was to get my “kid fix” but in reality I needed family and have come to love these people so much. So a super shout out to the Myers family for taking me in during that time.
Since I came to Texas I haven’t really met any families. Although there are many families and children at the Vineyard, and I have volunteered in the nursery, I mostly hang out with people who are couples or singles. It has been awesome and I really have enjoyed getting to know some people and look forward to many more great adventures but…..
So I drove to Dallas yesterday to visit our dear family friends the Bartholomews. I was welcomed with hugs and high fives and food that I didn’t have to cook or buy. I got to play sword fights and give piggy back rides and have a dance party in the front yard. I had little people come in my room to wake me up in the morning. It was GLORIOUS. (I’m sure Jordan would agree).
Families are so essential and I am overwhelmingly grateful for the ones in my life.
I know this is a little late but I decided that I want to start the whole November thankfulness deal because I think it is good to remember what you are thankful for…and because I haven’t written a post in awhile. These will be in no particular order of importance, but here goes.
So, Friday, November 1st.
On this day I am particularly thankful for the way God has provided transportation for me. When I first arrived in Houston a gentleman I met at church allowed me to borrow his car for the first month until I bought a new one. Another especially kind and mechanically minded man went with me numerous times to test drive cars until I finally found one I liked. Not only that, but God has blessed me with the money to buy a car and not go into debt.
Not only does this purchase provide the necessary transportation to and from work on a daily basis, but it also provides me a means to adventure and explore this great state of Texas. Two weekends ago I got to visit San Antonio to see Uncle Michael and Aunt Melissa as they were in town. Today I will go to Dallas for the weekend. Next on the list, Austin. I love to drive and go places.
So yes, today I am thankful for Jehovah Jireh, John McCormick, Andrew Copeland, and Cleopatra (which is what I named my car).
So the past three weeks I have been very busy and I know it is time for an update. It is hard to keep up with writing when I am doing so much! So here is the run-down of the past three weeks.
On Tuesday September 17th I bought a new car! I went from very gratefully driving this manual Ford Escort…
To driving this automatic Honda C-RV
That weekend Friday I was sick and but when Saturday rolled around I was feeling much better. So I called my friend James and we ended up spontaneously driving downtown and visiting the aquarium, which apparently had more than fish.
On Sundays after church I have had to adjust my family tradition of a big spaghetti dinner with one of going out to eat with a large group at a local restaurant. It has been great to get to know people and learn about Houston from the very best. That particular Sunday during lunch I was invited to go on a bike ride that evening and of course I accepted. So I got a tour of Houston on a leisurely bike ride with a few friends.
I also got into a baking mode that weekend.
The next week I was in Laredo for lease reviews, where basically our team is in the field office and we meet with the field guys to go over our wells and discuss what needs to be done. All. Week. Long. It really wasn’t that bad, but by the end of four days straight of meetings and going out to eat every meal I was ready to be done. On Friday we drove back to Houston for….Critical Mass!
Critical Mass is a bike ride that they do one Friday a month. The ride starts and ends at the same place downtown but the route changes each time and only a few people know where it will be. So basically, you have over a thousand people riding around the streets of Houston (about 20 miles) with lights and music and people cheering and taking pictures and it is really awesome!
Saturday was a chill day and in the evening I went over to a friend’s house for her birthday and we played bingo. There were a some people from Mexico who were amazed that we Americans had free spaces on our cards.
Sunday after church we ate at a burger place, then we went to a theatre downtown to watch Rush, a movie about racing. As far as movies go it told a good story, but I don’t think I would watch it again if given the opportunity.
The following week I went out to Laredo again, this time on my own. So basically, I got to drive around the Texas ranches in this…
wearing this….
and I got paid to do it. I love my job.
This is where I get to run when I am in Laredo.
I came back to my apartment on Friday and the pest control people had sprayed so I found a few of these.
On Saturday I went to the Grand Prix IndyCar race with Ruchika. (My phone died so I don’t have a picture with the car but someone did take one so it is out there, somewhere).
Finally, today after church I went to a Malaysian restaurant with these lovely people and had a wonderful lunch. I do love the diversity here.
Whew, I think that should be all the highlights of the past three weeks. I hope y’all enjoyed the update.
