Reflections

It was in Valliant

  ~where Wes began his first pastorate.

  ~where our TBC family loved and supported us.

  ~where Katherine & Sebastian will most likely consider their first home as they were 3yrs & 9 months when we moved here.

  ~where Katherine at three years old sat in church on a Sunday night listening to her daddy preach about Jonah and whispered to me "How does my daddy know about Jonah?"

  ~where Sebastian began walking and talking.

  ~where Katherine & Sebastian raced down the driveway in their  little tikes cars and later on tricycles & scooters.

  ~where Katherine and I made her first emergency room visit.

  ~where K & S began loosing their baby teeth.

  ~where K & S learned to swim.

  ~where God carried me (and my family) through a physically & spiritually difficult situation.

  ~where Katherine attended kindergarten & first grade at Swink Public Schools.

  ~where K & S were apart of TBC Christmas programs & Vacation Bible School.

  ~where I discovered my passion for VBS and for training VBS leaders.

  ~where God placed in us the desire and opportunity to homeschool our kids.

  ~where God provided the opportunity for Wes to finish his bachelor's degree.

  ~where my beautiful daughter, Katherine, stood before the church and confessed her need for a savior and her faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord and was baptized.

  ~where our family made many wonderful memories with  the wonderful people of Trinity Baptist Church.

The End of a Season

Since graduating from Liberty University this past spring, Wes knew God was leading him to attend seminary. The next step of his educational journey would be whether to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) or New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. God led Wes to SWBTS.

At the beginning of this process we believed Wes would continue to serve as pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Valliant and commute one day a week to SWBTS in Fort Worth; however, God would ultimately lead us in a different direction. After much prayer and a variety of circumstances we saw God leading us to step out on faith and make a move to the Fort Worth area.

On Sunday Wes announced his resignation to Trinity Baptist Church in Valliant. He will continue to serve as pastor until the end of August taking his last week of vacation the first week of September. Our official last day in Valliant will be September 7, 2011.

We are saddened to leave the many friends God brought into our lives during the nearly six years here. We've learned a great deal and will always look back with fond memories of the friends we've made.

Thank you Trinity Baptist Church members friends for loving our family. We will miss you and continue to pray that God will use you to show his love to Valliant and the surrounding areas.

The Sleepover

On Monday, August 8, 2011, Katherine invited several of her friends from our homeschool group over for her first ever birthday sleepover.  Katherine decided she wanted a big city shopping themed party, so with that we were off.  I brought part of the skyline decorations (paper covered boxes) used during this years New York themed vacation bible school to help transform the dinning room into a city full of places to shop!  Wes took care of decorating the table complete with a personalized mug for each attendee with their first initial and a party chandelier above.  Katherine was ready for her guest to arrive and the party began about 6:15pm that evening.

Katherine and her friends enjoyed a variety of activities over the next eighteen hours.  The girls ate, laughed, swam, watched movies, danced,  giggled, gave manicures & pedicures, made gift bags, played games including bible drill, and slept very little! They stayed awake until 2:30 AM, which was Katherine's time of birth nine years ago!  All but one of the girls was awake and up by 8 AM.  Sleep wasn't a high priority that night.

The first ever birthday party sleepover was a success!

Our family ended the day with Katherine's birthday dinner.  Her favorite meal is steak especially steak grilled by her dad!

Happy Birthday Katherine Grace!

June / July Recap

~TBC, Valliant Vacation Bible School.
~Katherine decided to take piano lessons through the summer.
~June summer school schedule.
~Wes attended the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.
~I began planning 2011/2012 school year.
~Kate & Sebastian attended other local bible schools with their friends.
~Sebastian decided to put his head under water in the swimming pool and now he's a little fish!
~Kate & I spent a couple days of girl time with my sister in Dallas.
~Kate, Sebastian, & I enjoyed time with my brother & sister.
~The four of us enjoyed spending July 4th at Wes's brother's house with our extended family & their friends.
~We visited the East Texas Oil Museum and Rangerette Museum in Kilgore, Texas.
~We're spending time with friends.
~I've tried to de-clutter around the house.
~Katherine attended kid's camp.
~Katherine survived her first kids camp experience & had a great time.
~Kate & I attended a Paper Doll Brunch at Trinity Baptist Church in Idabel to benefit the Oklahoma Baptist Home for Girls in Madill.  
~We attended the Valliant Watermelon Festival.
~And there's a good bit of evening time spent in the pool! :-)