White Family Reunion and other news

Oh my, these pictures are all out of order! Oh well. The first two are updated pics of my garden. There are several peppers, tomatoes and squash visibly growing. Everything else is still just leafy and green.

Here we are at the annual White Family Reunion. This year it was in Lockhart, where my grandpa and his family grew up, 5 brothers and one sister. This is probably half of the White family descendent from them. Such a neat group of folks. Randy and Donald set us up with some famous Kruez sausage and brisket - there just isn't anything better!

Evan has been officially walking more than crawling! He's so fun.

On the way to the family reunion with Grandpa Wilbur and Linda. This kid LOVES his Aunt Amanda!!!

Playing with Daddy.

Papa and Aunt Amanda feasting on Kruez!

Visit from the Hami Fami

Mark and Alora and their family came to visit this last week. We had so much fun with them and were sad to see them leave! Evan loved playing with Hudson and Elliott and I loved holding sweet Nathaniel AND getting to spend time with Alora. We love you guys! The "Taste of San Antonio" coffee never tasted better than at breakfast together... if only Kenan could have joined us!

Hudson and Ryan above, and Evan below, mowing the grass in his jammies. Thanks Mimi and Papa for the mower!

Hudson playing football with Mark.

Alora and Nathaniel chilling on the porch.

Mark and Elliott playing soccer (notice the growing garden in the background). :o)

Beneath the Cross of Jesus

Quite possibly one of the most beautiful hymns I have heard.  

Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken have a 

beautiful version recorded!  

Check it out on iTunes.

Beneath the cross of Jesus 

I fain would take my stand 

The shadow of a mighty Rock 

Within a weary land; 

A home within the wilderness, 

A rest upon the way, 

From the burning of the noontide heat, 

And the burden of the day.

Upon that cross of Jesus 

Mine eye at times can see 

The very dying form of One 

Who suffered there for me; 

And from my smitten heart with tears 

Two wonders I confess 

The wonders of redeeming love 

And my unworthiness.  

I take, O cross, thy shadow 

For my abiding place; 

I ask no other sunshine than 

The sunshine of His face; 

Content to let the world go by, 

To know no gain nor loss, 

My sinful self my only shame, 

My glory all the cross.

~ Elizabeth Cecelia Douglas Clephane

Sandboxes

This is Evan's sandbox.  These are the only toys allowed in there according to him.  Anything else gets tossed out in a hurry.  Guess a bucket, shovel, rake, and tractor are really all you need for "dirt work".  Thank you, Daddy!

This is my sandbox!  With the soaker hose it's not so pretty looking, I know.  But the container is really nice, it's pretty big, and just the sight of all those little sprouts is just so fun!  It's like having all these little babies on a MUCH smaller scale.  It's fun though!  

I like to look at them and watch them grow.  When I do get to admire them, my hands are usually frantically pulling out the grass that grows up in the garden.  As I pull I think about my own child and how I desperately want to keep him away from the things in life that spring up and "choke us out".  I want him to grow in the Lord, unhindered and with everything he needs to be a mighty and fruitful man of God.  Father, may it be so.

East Mountain South

Thanks to Erin Kearn (whom I rarely check her blog, because we don't know each other well.... but today my surfing was fruitful).  I LOVE this band.  They sound a lot like Caedmon's Call to me.  

Once upon a time, I vowed not to lose myself becoming a wife and mother, when each of those moments came.  Yet, it has become entirely too easy to neglect the deepest parts of myself for more pressing things on my list.  I resent that I have let myself go in some respects.  It is important to feed my soul.  I think probably for everyone it's different... maybe reading scripture, a cup of coffee with a dear friend, a dig in the garden, a trip to the market, conversation with a friend, a good pedicure.  For me, it's many of these things and more.  I need to be inspired to be a better wife and mother.  Sometimes I believe I can just press on, doing the things that have to be done without doing those things I enjoy and that infuse me with life and energy and joy.  And I neglect my time in the Word, and I pay for it.  Lord, give me a fresh desire for Your Word in my life.  

Some of the songs by East Mountain South have been a rain to my soul with their depth and soul.  Thank you Kat and Peter for writing your hearts.  Though at times dark, my melancholy self is refreshed and pointed again to the Savior.

Ryan made me a little garden this spring (along with Evan's sandbox).  I have several things planted and that is a joy to me.  I hope something will grow and bear "fruit".  Growth has always been a mystery to me.  We plant, we water, we weed.... yet God causes the growth.  It's a daily reminder to me of God's sovereignty.  I understand more each day why my grandmother always enjoyed having something growing.  I now have a big sand box next to Evan's for me to dig in, cultivate, and enjoy.  Thank you, baby!

If anyone reads this, I hope you are encouraged to look to Christ for your hope, find your roots, seek encouragement for the deepest part of yourself, and know that you are not alone.  We journey together, friends.  And I love you.

Crafts

Here are two great ideas for those of you who are craftier than me.  ;o)  I cannot take credit for either the idea or the final product.  

The first three pics are of a table cloth that I made and then had embroidered for Evan's first birthday.  I give the credit for this project to my Grandy who is always coming up with great ideas!  My plan is to trace and then embroider his hand prints on the tablecloth each year on his birthday, making a little keepsake.

These are pictures of this really cute wipes container that our friend Haley made for Evan at a baby shower.  I love it, and get compliments every time we pull it out!  Amanda Isaacs is launching this awesome new website of all the things she is making, and I'm hoping this makes the list!  We all get those plain ugly ones in the boxes of wipes, why not make it cute?!

Also, it was so fun having breakfast with Amanda, Danielle, Jackson, and Julie today!  I love you girls.  And Jackson was so sweet to fall asleep while I was holding him... precious boy!  We were really missing Stacy, Leslie and Mindy though.  

Update

Things have been crazy around our place lately.  I took two trips to Texas in the last week to be with family.  My great aunt Alta Lee passed away Saturday morning.  God showed great mercy in taking her peacefully and quickly.  She had been married over 70 years to Harlon, and they are just the most precious people you could ever meet.  We will all miss her very much.  While on the road, I got to meet up with Becca for breakfast in Austin.  It was a short visit, but always such a treat to see her.  

Evan is talking up a storm and is super curious about everything.  He's so much fun!  This is an outfit from Leslie that is one of my favorites.

Then last night I started having a terrible problem with my right eye.  Turns out I have a nasty corneal abrasion.  Dr. Yadon scraped around on my eye to clean it up and installed a contact bandage.  It's pretty uncomfortable, but should hopefully be cleared up by the end of the weekend.

One year pics

Birthday Party

Saturday, Evan woke up from his morning nap to a houseful of family.  He had a blast!  He played outside with his cousins, opened presents, ate cake, and played with a bunch of new toys and lots of family.  He was so much fun and never fussed.  

This is usually the picture people want to see of a first birthday, so here you go!

Evan got a mower from Papa and Mimi, which he loved!  He likes to turn the key to start it.  He seriously got so many great toys and clothes.  We are so blessed to have such a great family that loves to spend time together!

Aunt Sheri swung Lily and Evan in the hammock!  They laid there this still for five minutes at least!  Too cute.  Sheri painted Evan this little stool with his name on it with farm animals... a lot like the one she made for me when I was a baby (and I still have it!)

Evan Ray, mommy, Papa (Lloyd Ray), Mimi and Grandpa Wilbur (Ray) - 4 generations.

Evan's birthday cake.  My mom and I worked on it several hours on Friday.  Not perfect, but cute, and very tasty.

Happy Birthday Evan!

Ryan and I were just thinking it feels like yesterday when we were heading home from the hospital with Evan for the first time.  So new, so scared to be responsible for this tiny person.  Here we are a year later and loving it!  

Evan, you have been such a blessing to your dad and I.  We say all the time we can't imagine life without you.  We pray you grow to be a man after God's heart, wise, strong, and kind.