Our Fun Family

It’s no secret that we like to do a lot of cooking in our house.  What can I say, we like to eat!  One thing that I am a little sad about is that I have not been very good about keeping the girls in the kitchen with me lately.  We get so busy, and I get in such a rush, that it is just easier to not have them underfoot.  Or, it’s the rare time when Brenda and I are able to talk undisturbed for a few minutes while we are working on making dinner.  I really need to figure out a way to strike that balance better.  While Grace and I were away for the weekend on our Father Daughter Camp Out, Gram gave Brenda a wonderful gift by keeping Hailey overnight on Friday.  This gave Brenda a blissful, kid-free night on Friday and a Saturday morning to sleep in and do whatever her heart desired.  I was so pleased that Gram shared these pictures with me, because it really did make me proud to see Hailey (at the ripe old age of 3) helping Gram make pigs in a blanket.  For those who may be unfamiliar

This past weekend, the Men’s Ministry from our church, Hill Country Bible Church – Austin , sponsored the first of 2 weekends that make up the annual Father Daughter Camp Out.  I have been looking forward to Grace reaching the right age for this opportunity and we were both really excited to go this year.  Camp Peniel , in nearby Marble Falls was our host as somewhere around 230-250 men and daughters descended on camp for a fantastic weekend.  We could not have been more blessed.  Everything from the weather to the campsites to the food to the activities were all beyond our expectations.  Our family took a weekend camping trip last weekend, and with a favorable weather forecast for our father daughter campout, I had decided to break out the tent and forego the travel trailer.  Since the camp was providing the food, and it was going to be just Grace and I, I just couldn’t justify all the work of packing, hauling and setting up the trailer.  I am so glad we took our tent, the nights we

We had a busy summer and are settling back into the routine of school.  Grace started back to school as a first grader this week, and Hailey started at Round Rock Christian Academy in their 3 day per week preschool.  The last couple of weeks have been all about meeting teachers, getting the first day outfits ready, getting school supplies labeled and coordinating backpacks and lunchboxes.  We did sneak in one last weekend camping trip before school started, and we will wrap up the summer this weekend celebrating Grace’s 6th birthday!  As has become customary in our family, our summer was filled with Shamu and his SeaWorld friends, and a 4th of July of fireworks and blueberries at Gramma and Grampa’s.  The girls spent their days at Gram and Granddad’s, at various Vacation Bible Schools, Backyard Bible Clubs and swim lessons.  Both girls were enthralled with the Olympics in London, especially swimming, gymnastics and women’s beach volleyball.  By watching the games, Grace learned how t

She is her daddy’s Sweet Pea, her Gram and Momma’s Lady Bug, and her Grandma’s littlest Dolly.  She is our girlie girl, with eyes for sparkly shoes, jeweled sunglasses and bright colored earrings.  She is up for playing in the sandbox, as long as she can wear her party dress and a tiara.  She loves Elmo, the Little People and all things Minnie Mouse. She is anxious to start school, and loves riding her bike. And she chose salad as her meal to celebrate her big day. Tonight at the Y, she makes her big move.  No more babies and toddlers, it’s to the Kid’s Zone for her! Evidently all your dreams come true when you turn 3!  Happy Birthday, Hailey!

To be able to glimpse into the future envisioned by Mission of Hope, you have to start by understanding the vision, resolutions and principle tenets that they have adopted.  I am going to paraphrase it here for the purpose of context for my trip to Haiti, but if you would like to read more about MOH and their vision, you can see it here: Mission of Hope Haiti - Vision and Resolution Their vision statement is relatively simple, “As an organization following Jesus Christ, we exist to bring life transformation to every man, woman, and child in Haiti.”   Mission of Hope was established in 1998 as a small mission, reaching into the surrounding community. What became most evident at the start was the need for better education for the children in Haiti.  In 2010, the literacy rate in Haiti was 45%.  This is a tragically low percentage especially if you consider the fact that Haiti has a relatively young population.  Sadly, only 50% of kids from rural villages, like those around Mission of H

I had the chance to join 7 other men from my church on a mission trip Haiti.  Our church has a fantastic relationship with Mission of Hope, an organization that has been doing some amazing work in Haiti for many, many years.  Since the earthquake in January of 2010, the vision for Mission of Hope has expanded greatly, and the answer from the executive team down to the hard working volunteers on the ground has been enormous.  Teams of students from high school and the college level, along with professionals with a heart for missions have joined the locals in villages around Mission of Hope to provide for the educational, clinical, nutritional, and spiritual needs of the people. I experienced so much in the time I spent in Haiti.  It’s too much to try to convey in a single blog post, so I will start with our travel day and arrival at MOH.  Over the next several days, as I get back into my routine at work, I will post more about the things I saw, the projects we took part in, and the ta

On January 12, 2010 an earthquake literally shook an entire nation to pieces.  The outpour of support, aid and assistance from all over the world has been awe-inspiring, but 2 years later, the Haitian people are still rebuilding.  While buildings and man-made creations remain scarred and damaged, the true foundation, the spirit of the Haitians is stronger today than ever.  Over the last 2 years, my church community at Hill Country Bible Church has forged an amazing relationship with Mission of Hope, partnering to provide medical services and orphan care.  As time has carried us further from the disaster of 2010, we now have the opportunity to move beyond crisis care, and into a place where we can help Mission of Hope expand their services, and to provide more fully for the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of an entire generation of Haitians.  I am excited to join in this mission as well.  On March 31st, 2012, I will join a team from our Men’s Ministry ( www.hcbc.com ) for a sh