Why we do what we did...

It's been a few days without photos, but we have continued to wake up, live a day and go back to sleep.  The weather has turned very warm in Texas.  Still not as hot as it could be in the beautiful state. We have yet to hit 100 and we are in July. I believe that is because the Todd Barnett family is praying.  Our central air conditioner isn't working and the repair bill will be very high, so we are praying and believing that we receive an air conditioner.  I know that my God can do this!  We have put the blow up mattress in our bedroom, where we have a window unit, we were blessed with, so everyone can sleep at night. I also am understanding the use of "running through the sprinkler" each day.  It cools off the kids and gives them some time in the sunshine.  There isn't a public pool within walking or even driving distance of our house, so the sprinkler will have to do.  Someday I'll have a pool in my yard and then they can spend the day the way I did all summer... in the water.  Until then, hanging out in our room and running through the sprinkler will do wonders.

Happy Independence Day America!

Today marks a first in a long time for our family.  The boys and Todd were all off together.  We all grouped at Kerry's house, since he has a working central air and had a great BBQ.  Tatum, Kerry and Kristin, Kayla (Kristin's sister) and Catherine (K&K's friend) all bought things to blow up. The kids were in heaven!  Kerry and Kristin's neighbor's spend hundreds, if not thousands on fire works.  It was a beautiful evening.  We didn't go  to SWBC today.

SWBC 2014 Day 3

Today was the day...the camera guy was more excited than Braeden was I think.  He had been planning on how to get him tall enough to operate the camera.  It was so fun to watch the two of them.  He gave Braeden the full controls of the camera.  He got to use the joy stick, and everything.  What a blessing!  Maybe he sparked an idea of new and different careers in the future.  How many of us really think..."hey I want to be a camera guy when I grow up"  We have those opportunities at our church, as they film every service...so maybe someday Braeden will do that at church.  It was also a great day, because Braeden won a dvd of the new SuperKid movie The Mission.  Long story, he was chosen to win it from Commander Kellie...it went to someone else, and the adults in our section were in an uproar about it and one lady gave him $20 to go and buy the movie.  This week has been his week.  He was also blessed with $10 cash to buy a toy from a lady we don't know.  What a fun week at convention for a 4 year old!

SWBC 2014 day 3

As you go to things like conventions, you seem to meet people.  I never meet people and form life long friendships, or even know their names at the end of the week. Braeden on the other hand seems to capture the hearts of people.  (He really is a cute kid)  The first day we were there, I took him over so he could see the boom camera.  The operator showed him everything.  He showed him how to move it, how it was weighted and counter balanced so it could be moved with just a finger tip nudge. How the camera is controlled with a joy stick...it was just really cool.  Braeden just ate it up!  The operator told him, he could come back anytime and he'd show him more.  Then he looked at me and said...really anytime.  I smiled, but their friendship has grown all week.  I think the camera guy looks for Braeden daily.  Today, we asked to take our picture with him and he told me he's been thinking of how to get some really great photos of Braeden operating the camera...goodness, that is a really expensive piece of equipment.  I'm sure he means to just stage a photo. We are going to try and do that one day before the end of the week.

There is a record breaking number of people here!

SWBC 2014 day 2

Again, we heard great speakers today.  We came back for the evening session. I wish we would have stayed last night, as there was a concert of one of her favorite bands.  There just wasn't anyway, I had work I had to do.  Tonight we heard Kenneth Copeland speak. We sat in the "stroller" section...never again.  It was noisy and the other kids wouldn't leave Braeden alone.  A friend went to the ER right before we arrived.  Praying for Ali.

SWBC 2014

We made it for day one.  Had lunch at the beautiful Water Gardens right next to the convention center, played Duck Duck Goose, took a nap *braeden not me* heard some wonderful speakers.  Braeden was blessed with seed from a stranger today for offering time.

He loved his new game for the Innotab

Keith Moore

courtesy of Braeden's photography skills.

Are you READY?

Next week is the Southwest Believer's Convention in Fort Worth. The kids and I plan to go as much as we can. I still have to work, and we are helping out some friends with their house and dogs...so it will be a lot of driving, but we really want to be there all the time.  Melia has volunteered in 14forty for the week.  She is thrilled to be on the volunteer crew. We have to eat while we are there, and this year eating out just isn't an option for us, so I went to the scratch and dent store to see what I could find and this is what I found. I spent just a couple dollars over $50 for all of this.  I'm pretty excited at how God blesses us!

I love living close

Moving to Texas has been such a blessing. We live close to our older kids and their kids. Grandchildren and our children are so important to us.  We are so blessed to have a close family.  I love that we can just chat with our grown children.  We will never fit into their group of friends, but we fit with them.  Alex got to come and stay with us for a few days.  He loves to help, and so Melia put him to work watering her rabbits!

And she grows up

We went out on a date tonight...we don't go often, but now that we have a built in baby sitter, hopefully it will be more and more.  She really is learning to be a great sitter. The house was clean and he was in bed when we got home. I found these photos on my camera, of what they had done while we were out.  She helped him make crayons with the crayon maker.  I love that she took her job seriously and that she was able to really connect with him.  Hopefully as she learns with Braeden, it will work into some jobs for other people.

Family

We spend time as a family reading the Word of God everyday. I love that we take time to put God first in our lives and that His Word is Final Authority in our lives.

Let it Rain!

We had another beautiful rain storm today!  It rained buckets and buckets!  Melia had to go and rescue her bunny.  One of her rabbits likes the rain and the other really hates the rain. She was drenched when she got inside, but Sherlock was thankful!  We need the rain and it sure is nice for the cooler weather.

 June 24, 2014

Texas Summer

We've been back home for a few days.  Sometimes I think a vacation from vacation is needed.  This year however, we came home with 4 days left, so we could just relax at home.  I did all the laundry at the lake, so we just had to unpack and put away luggage.  What a dream! We had some beautiful rain today and Braeden played without a hat and a coat. He may be learning!  Melia decided to try and start a Spanish class online...I don't think it will last, but she needs to do something.

Heading for home

The last day of vacation is always bitter sweet.  After 6 days away from home, it is always good to go home, but I really hate leaving my kids.  2 of them live very close, but Taylor and Kayla were heading back to Colorado today. They were the first to leave, and they had the farthest to drive. They really must just live closer...I never got a family photo the entire vacation...so guess there won't be on in the Christmas cards this year (here is your warning)  I did get Taylor and Kayla and Tatum and Breanna and Alex.  I guess I can get Kerry anytime, he is only 20 minutes away.

God Time, Family Time

I spent my Bible time on the water today. It was beautiful and so peaceful.  I love my time with God and to be in such a post card photo and see just a touch of what he has created for me, is just awesome.  The water was warm and wonderful today. The sun was shinning and of course HUGE ice cream cones were a must!  We saw a family of armadillos and watched them for quite a while. I think Dave and Gloria went out and killed them the day after we left. They are just be rodents and had gross bugs all over them.  It was fun to watch them though.

Flipping and a flying

Today, Dave and Gloria came out and hosted everyone on the big boat. All the kids and Todd went and I stayed on the dock with Gloria. It was fun to watch them all having such a wonderful time! Dave loves to knock people off, when he can, and Tatum and Kerry were his prime targets.  He knocked them off a couple of times. The last time, Tatum bruised his ribs and is still sore.  I think everyone had a wonderful time. When they all came back, everyone went into the lake for a swim.  Great relaxing day.