Off and running!

Kids singing, "shine from the inside out, all the world will see you live in me."

"know me, love me, fill me, send me - to shine"

Jesse and Preslee waiting on God in "soaking time" and drawing what He said to them!

We officially have 2 weeks of service under our belts at Antioch Norman.  It has truly been all hands on deck and we have been blessed and amazed at the way people have served.  People are experiencing the presence of God, walking in community and being radically transformed by the living God!  I haven't been able to be in service the first few weeks b/c I am getting to teach elementary age kids - I love it!  Here are a few pics I snapped during worshiping.  

Not a scripture but song lyrics, "Greater things are yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city!" 

If Jesus did it we will too!

Kooper washing Dax and Braxton's feet - I think Aggie is waiting to have her paw washed!

Dax, the Meldrum kids and my kids were outside playing Friday afternoon when I heard Kooper telling the boys, "let me wash your feet.  If Jesus did it, we need to also".  May our kids grow up knowing it is truly better to serve than to be served.  Plus who doesn't love water! 

Mark 10:45  The son of man did not come to be served, but to serve.  And to give His life as a ransom for many.

Baptism!

Bad pic from my phone - but oh well!

My good friend Shelly was baptized Saturday night and it was so powerful.  One b/c it was Shelly and I love her dearly, and it has been amazing to see what God has done in them.  But also b/c there were about 30 people baptized - daddy's getting dunked and you could see new life in their eyes and then they would turn around and help baptize their kid and they would exit the pool together; couples getting baptized together.  Well, I cried through the entire thing!  So excited for you guys Shelly and Garrett.  Every time I pray for you I feel God wants to use you in a mighty way for His kingdom!

Matthew 28:18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

She's 2 1/2 already!

That's our girl!

Waiting for candy at the parade!

Pulling the wagon at the zoo!

Waiting for her turn on the slip and slide!

Swinging at the park!

Big corn at the arts festival!

Hugging her big brother at the zoo!

We can truly say it has been two-and-one half amazing years watching her grow into a beautiful, funny and sweet woman of God.  We are enjoying every day with Preslee and know God has some amazing plans for this little girl.  What can Preslee do at 2.5 years = sing her abc's, identifies her abc's and all the sounds they make, she can count to 20, remembers anything you say, tell you the easter story (including - that's sad - when she tells you Jesus died on the cross), say her days of the week, spell her name, spell Braxton's name, climb on things she isn't supposed to be on, fix her own hair (she told me her flower I put into her hair the other day didn't match), pick out her own clothes, read the book Pinkalicious to you by memory, but the thing she has mastered most is making us all smile!  We love you little girl!  Here are some pics of our girl from this week!

Our prayer is that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength.  (Mark 12:30)

Our week with the Meldrum's

Annie and Koop saying, "goodbye" - so sad for us all - tears!

Riding bikes

Watching movies

Kristi, me, Janet and Julie (sutton sleeping)

Beau's 5th birthday party

The art's festival in OKC

At the park!

Rolling down the hill at the festival - probably their favorite part!

Muddy slip and slides!

At the zoo!

Preslee and Jesse love each other!

Sutton and Jesse made a new bond this week!

Kristi and me at Hey Day!

Annie and Brax playing at Hey Day!

Annie and Koop at last soccer game!

The kindergarteners - Koop, Traci and Annie 

The parade came right in front of the church on Saturday - lots of fun!

Our sweet friends the Meldrum's spent a week with us before moving to N. Iraq next month to fulfill the call of God on their lives.  Seven kids 6 years-old and under - who would of guessed it could have been so great!  We got really close while in Waco and are so excited to see all God is going to use them to do in the Kurdish people.  While it is so exciting to see God make someone's call so clear we are going to miss them sooo much!  Though we can't say we took a week of rest and relaxation we had lots of fun and made many more memories to be added to the one's God has let us make over the past almost 2 years.  We love you guys and can't wait to see you (let's just say soon) b/c years seem so long.    

Hoppy!

Hoppy and the boys!

Brax making sure Preslee doesn't squeeze the bunny!

That's my girl and her rodent!

She said, "I'm going to take hoppy to show-n-tell!"

Juju got us a pocket bunny for Easter and the kids named it Hoppy.  Well, hoppy 1 made it only about an hour.  The kids were great with her, they just didn't know that if she fell off the ottoman in the bathroom she would die.  So she was replaced with hoppy 2.  She is cute and the kids really are great with her - but she is a rodent!  

Bri-Bri's birthday!

Haynes and Preslee shooting hoops - nice follow through girl friend!

Happy Birthday!

Grandad and two of his girls - Ella and Preslee!

Port and Dax playing air hockey

Braxton played this game about 10 times and I told him no one ever wins...

guess who won?  Good job Braxton!

We celebrated Brian's birthday with family at Hey Day this past week.  So much fun!  Our kids love being with their cousins, they love pizza and love playing games - great party!  Kooper loved playing laser tag again with daddy, grandad and bri-bri.

Egg Hunt!

Egg hunters to your mark!

Beau and his eggs!

Rachel helped Preslee hunt eggs - she really only wanted the pink ones!

We looked for Brax and couldn't find him during the hunt - we found him inside looking in his eggs.  When I asked what he was doing he said no more eggs would fit in my basket:)

Lilly great egg hunting technique - fill your basket and then your dress!

Ready for the start!

The cousins having lunch

Sweet Bennett waving his palm branch!

That's my Sutton - God's little warrior - palm branch in one hand and sword in the other!

Preslee and the sweet Stover kids

Hosanna - God save us!

Our sweet college girls and friends Katie, Brooke and Deanna helping with craft and sharing the story of Easter with the kids!  You girls are the best!

Koop and Ty - Peace - stop getting so big boys!

Braxton and Jake - we love our cousin!

When Jake and all his cousins were growing up they had a big egg hunt each year open to anyone who wanted to come.  Well, they all grew up and we are multiplying like "Rabbits" so last year we brought it back.  My sister-in-law Sarah has done a great job heading it up.  We all met across the street from our home at Dan and Nancy's for the big hunt Saturday afternoon.  Praise God, it was perfect weather!  Lots of great conversations with friends we haven't seen in too long - so great to see you guys!