An Honorable 40th Birthday

We are a really fun-loving family that thrives off of joking with one another.  In our family, if we aren't picking on you there's a problem.  However, when I started thinking about Rich's 40th birthday I just couldn't stand the thought of doing the typical over-the-hill, black balloons and RIP tombstone 40th birthday party.  That was not the message I wanted to send to my sweet husband.  His life is far from over.  In fact, as I stated in his invitation, his life is just getting started.  I wanted his party to be a celebration that mirrored what God was saying about him.  I wanted everyone there to see how far he has come over his 40 years.  I wanted everyone there to recognize that "they ain't seen nothin' yet"!  The Lord is growing him, blessing him, and promoting him.  His musical abilities are still increasing.  His wisdom and knowledge continue to blow me away.  His preaching abilities are ever growing.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit continues to flow down over him.  His love for his children holds steady and he continues to refine his skills at being a Godly husband. 

Simply put...he's getting better and better and better.  Not necessarily "getting better with time".  It's just not that simple.  He's getting better because he's crucifying his flesh every day (some times multiple times a day).  He's spending time in the Word.  He's sacrificing selfish ambitions in order to serve within the Body of Christ.  He's loving me like Christ loves the church.  He's a daddy that's there for his kids and for many spiritual kids...it's not always easy when you feel like you're spread thin.  He's making intentional choices to be a man that is full of righteousness, peace and joy.  He's a warrior.  He's a friend.  He's a servant.  He's an amazing man that will not be denied the promises of God.

He is clearly NOT over-the-hill...

So we decided to celebrate his roots.  We threw a big ole' Mexican fiesta.  Sixty of our closests friends came out to honor him.  Had I opened up the party to any and everyone that loves him, I would not have been able to fit them all in the room.  I'm not kidding...he is loved by so many people!  Bryan and Kassie Atwood at The Woodshed catered some great food and I filled in with some side dishes.  I have to give a shout-out to Bryan...the food was great as always!  The sweetest part (no pun intended) is that my sister-in-law, Carolyn, made two homemade Carrot Cakes.  They were oh-so-good!  Kassie had another lady make a homemade German Chocolate Cake and I made a really yummy Blueberry Cream Cake with a Lemon Glaze.  Needless to say, I don't think anyone left the party hungry.  But that's the way we do things.  We want to feed you til you pop.

My friends were so great about chipping in and helping with decorations, serving food, clearing tables and photography.  Jenny worked her bottom off making sure the food stayed stocked on the buffet line.  She graciously helped me serve people.  She helped clean up.  All of that after fighting a 2-year-old at a high school football game for 3 hours and staying up late on Friday night to help decorate.  She's such a trooper.  Then there's Bobby and Melanie which drove 3 1/2 hours after work on Friday, attended the football game, then showed up to help decorate until after midnight.  Bobby saved me from climbing up a really tall ladder (yes, I'm afraid of heights) and Melanie did a great job directing his activities to make sure all of the decorations were just right. Ken and Jenn were also there to help put out tables after a long day at work.  They've got mad set-up and clean-up skills! (They were sooo tired, but came out anyways because they just love us that much!)   I can't forget Steve and Lisa who took pictures and I can't wait to see them!  Steves an amazing photographer and Lisa is really great at putting them together in electronic scrapbooks.  Last but not least, I cannot overlook Matthew and Chelsea.  They were in charge of the "plethura of pinatas" and they delivered!  Not only did they supply enough pinatas to fill up my backseat, they also brought in the best fake mustaches, sombreros and sarapes...oh, and I can't forget the chili pepper beaded necklace.  They showed up decked out in their Mexican costumes and passed out the little mustaches to anyone that would stand still.  All of this after driving 5 1/2 hours to be with us.

To conclude, I have to mention how honored Rich was when he was roasted and toasted by a group of men that are so special to him.  Kohlten, Jerome, Ken, Chris, Bobby, Matthew and my dad.  Every one of them has played an important role in Rich's life and they all hold a very special place in his heart.  I think one of the greatest moments for Rich was when he had the opportunity to publicly honor my grandfather for being such a Godly role model for him.  He and my dad took Rich in like their own grandson/son and loved him and taught him so much.  My children and I get to reap the benefits of them pouring into Rich.  "Thank you" will never be enough.

BTW...The day was rounded off with the first Razorback football game of the season.  It was only fitting that they won the game...in honor of Rich's birthday of course!

Grateful

I've been doing Kelly Minter's Ruth bible study with some really cool chics.  I'm really enjoying it.  Everyone brings their own thoughts and personalities to the study, and the teacher in me hangs on every word they say looking for a point or two that could be used in "growing" a message.

Ruth...what an amazing woman.  I feel as though there have been times in my life that I have walked in her shoes.  Then there are other parts of her life that I could only dream of walking as she did.  Such nobility, integrity...the true virtuous woman.

One thing covered in the study was the word "hesed" which in the Hebrew means kindness.  Some of the questions in the study made me stop and remember (once again) the amount of hesed my hubby has shown me.  According to the world, and the Old Testament, he could have/should have thrown me away.  The way I trampled on his precious heart is sickening to me.  But no matter what I said and did, that man loved me and showed me amazing kindness.  Now I'm no fool.  I know there were times he must have contemplated smothering me in the night or poisoning my soup.  (Thankfully he was far too afraid of prison!)

He has never stopped showing me kindness.  There are times I think he has a bad motive behind what he's saying or doing...when it turns out there is a really logical and selfless reason behind his actions and words. (I hate it when that happens.)  He just never stops.

I'm so grateful for his love, compassion, kindness, gentleness...the list goes on.  He's a great man....and he's MINE  :)

So Many Hats

Several years ago, one of the top 3 women in my life talked about us women wearing so many hats.  She was talking about teaching a message on that topic.  (I think she dreamed she was teaching it, and I'm believing that God-given dream is going to come to pass!)  For some reason that dream has stuck with me all these years.  She's so right.  We run from one thing to the next, all the while changing our hat as we go.  We can go from teacher to mother in 0.1 seconds.  We go from employee to wife in one phone call.  We switch from wife to friend and back to an employee all in a matter of minutes.  We are the "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer".  We are the self-elected plumber when the garbage disposal gets clogged.  We are a counselor in ministry.  We are notorious for balancing our relationships with everyone and then coming up dry in the end because we forgot about ourselves.  We always take the burned toast.

But God made us this way.  Proverbs 31 talks about a virtuous woman that truly wore many hats...and wore them well.  Of course, balance must always come into play.  God didn't call for us to run ourselves into the ground to the point that we become useless.  He makes it clear that the only way we're going to keep going (effectively) and the only way we're going to be able to balance all of those hats is to stay tapped into Him.  When I don't draw from Him on a regular basis, I find myself wanting to fight all of these responsibilities.  I dream of moving away to a private island and living peacefully and leisurely with my family.  Even a big 1,000 acre farm in the middle of nowhere seems appealing.  At least then I could limit my hat wearing to simpler, less stressful hats.  But I know that I wouldn't be fulfilled.  Running away never works anyways.  I would just be running into the arms of a whole other set of problems.  There would be a hurricane on the private island or on the farm I would be required to milk a cow or something.  If nothing else, I would be unfulfilled and fruitless if I only had one or two hats to wear.  The "simple life" comes with a price tag too.
"the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Proverbs 13:4 (NIV)


I don't want to be an ordinary-average-guy gal.  I want my life to mean something.  I want to make a difference in the world.  I want to use up everything the Lord has given me.  I don't want to arrive at the throne room on Judgment Day with my pockets full of spiritual gifts and blessings that I should have used here on Earth.  "But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." Luke 12:48 (NLT)  The Lord has clearly entrusted me with much and continues to up the ante.  So I'll just buy a bigger hat rack and continue to do what I know is right and good.


Lord...help me to balance it all.

Vacation 2010

Operation "San Antonio or Bust" 2010 started out as a typical Roberts trip. I threw myself into organizing and packing days weeks before we left. Rich mentioned to one of my friends that I had some OCD going on. (He doesn't know that she told off on him! He gets caught a lot more than he cares to admit.) I came to the conclusion that just maybe he's right he's absolutely right. I suppose that when I wrote each of our names on a post-it note and hung them on the wall over our assigned suitcase I crossed over into the OCD realm. Maybe there most definitely was a part of me that wanted to make it well known (every time you walked into the front door) who was packed and who wasn't. You see, I'm one of those people that believes in packing as early as possible to insure that I don't forget anything. I honestly don't know why I work so hard at it...there's a Wal-Mart in any town/city we may choose to visit, and we're going to be visiting that Wal-Mart regardless of my efforts because....Rich waits until 15 minutes before we're leaving to pack. This always results in him forgetting at least two items, which makes a trip to Wal-Mart necessary. Did he forget something in San Antonio? Of course. We made a trip to the store to purchase hair mousse and lotion and batteries and...you get the picture.

I say all of that from one side of my mouth and sing his praises from the other side. This was the first time that he was packed BEFORE going to bed the night before we were to leave. But that's not even the best part. We were scheduled to leave our house and be in my parent's driveway at 5 a.m. He got up, made coffee, got ready, helped get the kids up and ready, helped get everything in the car and we pulled into my parents driveway at 4:50...that's right folks...EARLY! This is nothing short of miraculous. I was so stinkin' proud of him. This ended up being a vacation that broke many molds. Rich did an excellent job driving us around in a big, unfamiliar city. In the past he preferred to "drive" from the passenger seat. I worked hard at not trying to have every minute of every day scheduled and on an itinerary. I feel like I was pretty successful. We really threw ourselves into this vacation and we all had a great time. It helped us to realize the importance of family vacations. The memories that we made are priceless. I can't wait to fill up our family memory album with many more! Of course, if all of the other places we visit are as great as San Antonio, we won't have any problems making great memories.

San Antonio is a beautiful city. We so enjoyed the architecture, the culture, the FOOD...the list goes on. It was great for our family to nestle down into Richard's family heritage. San Antonio's population is made up largely of Mexican-Americans. Their culture certainly drives so many aspects of the city and the tourism trade. I loved every minute of it. We, of course, visited the Alamo. I kept up with the kids while Tori and Rich took a good tour of the buildings and displays. The parts I saw were pretty neat. We spent half of a day at the Market Square which reminded me of a market in Guadalajara. I had so much fun going through the booths. I ended up buying more there than I did at the outlet malls in San Marcos. I got a really cute top that I can't wait to wear! I also bought a few decorations for Richard's 40th birthday fiesta. I also went crazy in the famous, Mia Terria Mexican bakery. Oh My Word...I loved the pastries. I have found that the Mexican pastries as not as sweet as other pastries, so you can better enjoy the flavors of the ingredients and you don't have to drink a gallon of water afterwards.

We did a lot considering what little time we were in San Antonio. We visited the Riverwalk area which I dream of one day spending an evening or two down there with my man. So romantic...bcbc...We took a boat tour which I was convinced was going to be "the bomb" and the kids would rave about it. Uh, no. It was hot. We were smooshed onto a boat with about 40 other people and the kids didn't care one bit about it. Oh well, one little "fail" doesn't ruin the entire trip. We took the kids to see Toy Story 3 at the IMAX. That was great. The screen was 7 stories tall. Did you just hear what I said? 7 stories tall...it ended up being a great little movie and yes, I cried. Before we left the Riverwalk we also took part in a new dinosaur display. It was pretty good I guess.

Sea World...where do I begin? It turned out to be a breezy day and temperatures were only in the mid 90s. (Can't believe I just said that using the word "only" but I guess we had prepared ourselves for very hot and humid weather that it was a pleasant surprise to not be dealing with that. I believe it was the favor of the Lord because I had prayed for good/mild weather.) It wasn't too terribly crowded so lines were extremely short. The shows were great and I have to say that the best one was the new Azul show. The look on my son's face at Sea World was worth a million bucks. And what makes it even better is that Tori seemed to really enjoy it too. She's always been an animal lover, so she had great fun...even when we tricked her into getting onto one of the water rides. Mid day it got pretty hot, so while the rest of the group took shelter in one of the cafes, I took Reid and Ember to the water park. That was so relaxing and so worth the hassle of trying to put on a bathing suit in a skinny bathroom stall...in 98 degree weather...with a 5-year-old. The day ended well with Reid carrying out his 4-foot stuffed Shamu, slung over his shoulder. He had the biggest grin on his face. Just like a man that just reeled in a 20-pound bass. (SIDE NOTE: It is hard to get a 4-foot stuffed Orca whale home in a Honda Accord.)

Our "down" time was spent at the hotel pool or a local restaurant. We stayed in a great Staybridge Hotel that was nice and clean. They served a great complimentary breakfast buffet, laundry room and very nice courtyard/pool area. We were so pleased with our stay. And we were in a location where there was plenty of good restaurants around. I have to brag again on Pappassito's Cantina. That was the best Tex-Mex food I have ever put in my mouth! It got the stamp of approval from my dad and husband too...so it's official...they are the best. We also had some great bbq at The County Line BBQ. They had the biggest ribs I've ever seen and their homemade bread is Amazing. They also serve homemade cobbler and homemade ice cream. Wow! We had a couple of "fails" in some of the other eateries, but for the most part we were extremely pleased.

San Marcos was a big fat disappointment for me. But let me be fair here...for the first several hours we had men and children with us. Big fat mistake. That put a huge damper on things. We ended up (just me, Tori and my mother)having a couple of hours alone at the mall and those hours were productive. I don't know why we thought it would be a good idea to take the men and children. We were asking for it...weren't we!?

This pretty much sums up our trip. It was great. I can't wait to go back in September for business where I will be staying in a hotel on the Riverwalk. Too bad Rich isn't going. I don't know when our family will get to return to San Antonio, but until then...we'll hold that city close to our hearts.

San Antonio 2010

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Things I've Learned Since I've Been Married

  Year 1:

A bulb of garlic is not the same thing as a clove of garlic.

Year 2:

One more dog does NOT equal one big happy family.

Year 3:

Never sit in front of an open bathtub faucet, shining a flashlight into the hole, while your husband goes out to turn on the water...he's setting you up to get very wet, very fast!

Year 4:

Nyquil quiets a sick husband.

Year 5:

The smell of garlic does not come out of drapery...see Year 1.

Year 6:

Do not purchase a new home at full asking price when the seller shows you some crystals that need to be put in the toilet every month to keep them cleared out.

Year 7:

A plumber charges a lot of money to come out and pull 10 feet of tree roots from your pipes...see Year 6.

Year 8:

Life is NOT like a box of chocolates...you get out of it exactly what you put into it.

Year 9:

Insanity is doing the same thing over expecting a different result...see Year 2.

Year 10:

Pregnancy is harder after 30...and it is possible to make a meal out of a bottle of Tums.

Year 11:

It is possible to intensely love two kids at the same time.

Year 12:

1 Jealous Kid + 1 Sick Baby + 2 Overwhelmed Parents = A multitude of problems

Year 13:

A college course can teach you a lot, but it's the life-experiences that you have during

those college days that teach you the most important things.

Year 14:

Teaching the Word of God is a tremendous responsibility, the love and support

of your husband is crucial for walking effectively in your calling. 

Year 15:

Keep friends that are younger and wittier than you and

they'll constantly remind you that they're younger and wittier.

Year 16:

Let someone hurt your daughter and it will take every angel in Heaven

 to restrain the "Momma Bear" in you.  Let your son be given a diagnosis no one understands and it will take every person around you to help you keep your eyes on Jesus.

Hurting and sick children will either

grow your faith or destroy your life.

Year 17:

God is excellent at weaving people together for purposes far greater than

they can imagine.

Marriage is a lot of work, but when you finally get on the same page

...it's one of the greatest blessings ever given to us!