Five Years

Five years ago tonight, I was sitting at a table with several of my most precious friends laughing about more things than we could count and dreaming about the next day when I would walk down the aisle to marry my love. 

We had a beautiful wedding. 

...and a super fun reception. 

When I closed the door on our beautiful wedding day (before I fell asleep on the way to our hotel in Houston--ha!), I could never have imagined what life would hold. I could never have imagined what God would do, what we would learn, what we would experience, or anything in between...

Five years ago, things were a lot less complicated, and we had a lot less responsibility, but now, there is a lot more love, and a lot more life.  In fact, I hardly recognize those two people in the pictures above.  It's not just that our looks have changed (and boy have they--ha!), but it's that our insides have changed.  In the last five years... We have lived in three different apartments, bought and sold our first home and bought our second home.  We have lived in four different cities (two of them twice).  I have had two surgeries, been in the hospital five or six times, and I have been to a multitude of doctor's appointments. Brandon has taken care of me every time.  We have one precious little girl and are just a few weeks away from having baby number two. Brandon has been going to school for all but one semester of our marriage, and he will finish in December. I am so proud of him.  We have served in three different churches.  We have had many conflicts. We have resolved even more. We have learned more than I could have ever dreamed of.   We have been stretched more than I thought we could be stretched. There are so many details and private moments of joy, sorrow, growth and laughter in between, but one thing that each moment has in common is that we have never been alone.  The girl that put on a beautiful white dress and walked down the aisle to meet her groom is not the same woman that types this now. The boy that confidently sang to me as I shakily made my way down the aisle, is not the same man that offered to give up television (aka football) next semester so that we can cut our budget enough to allow me to stay home with our children next year.  I remember dreaming about our lives and wondering where we would be in five years, ten years, fifty years, etc., but in all of those dreams, I could never have put together the tapestry of events that have brought us to where we are today.  Brandon,  I am so very grateful for the last five years with you by my side. It hasn't always been easy, but it has always been part of our story. I am so very proud of and thankful for the man that you have become. Thank you for being my husband, Daddy to our children, and so many things to so many other people. I have loved falling in love with you over and over again in the last five years of our lives. I can't wait to turn the next page of our lives together. I am so proud of you and so proud to be your wife. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God made you for me. We may not be those young, carefree kids that we were before our lives together began, but I believe that those two people are still there. We still believe in miracles--and we have seen them in own lives. That makes anything possible. I am praying that God will bless us with another five, ten, and fifty years together. I love you forever and always, for better and for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer and for always.    Allison *********************************************************************************   When God made you...

He must have been thinking...

about me...

Happy Five Years!

Burning Bright: Marriage, Music, and Words...

When Brandon and I first got married, he was still the interim worship leader at Central Baptist in College Station, and we drove back and forth every weekend for a few more months before they found a full time worship pastor. Once we were settled and living in Dallas full time (in our sweet little 650 square foot apartment), we started looking for a church home, but we struggled a bit in finding one that felt like “home.” When we finally let go of the need to find something exactly like we had come from, we were able to get involved and found the place that God had been calling us toward. In the meantime; however, I noticed that something about Brandon had changed. Yes, he still had the happy newlywed countenance, but something about his soul was off. I couldn’t exactly put it into words, so I just asked him about it one day, and he agreed that something about him was off, but he wasn’t sure what it was. We agreed to pray about it, and then the very next weekend we traveled to one of our parents’ homes for the weekend. I fell asleep on the way there to Brandon singing, and I woke up an hour and a half later, to Brandon still singing. He had a smile on his face, and he was happy. That is when it hit me. His soul needed to sing. To him, worship through song was his life. I pointed out to him that his soul just needed to sing. He needed to be involved in a church music program, and he needed to sing his little heart out. I recounted this story three years later when I was meeting Brandon’s future boss and music minister and First Hurst. I can’t remember what question Mark asked me, but it was something akin to, “why do you think that the Lord has called Brandon into music ministry?” I simply said something like, “Music is a part of Brandon’s soul. Without it, his light is dimmed, but with it His light is seen.” After we got back home that weekend, God pushed me to tell Brandon that even though I had come from the tiniest town in Texas with a church where everyone knew my name, I wanted to go to Prestonwood Baptist Church. I knew in my heart that Brandon needed to be involved in that music program. I know that God uses music to draw him to Himself. What I didn’t know is that God would use that voice and that passionate desire to be whole through song to place us on the intricately woven path that we are on now. I write all of that to say that I know without a doubt that my Savior has called my husband to music ministry. It wasn’t long after his first Prestonwood choir practice that Brandon knew everyone’s name, was singing on the Praise Team, and ultimately became involved with their Student Choir. He met people that continue to pour into his life today, he eventually got an internship that led to a passion, that led to a position at First Hurst, that led to a position at LABC. There are many details in between, but I say all of that to say that I know that music not only completes the parts of my husband’s soul, but it has been involved in every aspect of our marriage—from beginning to now.

Eight years ago, I purposely walked in late to church in hopes that he would notice me from the choir loft.

Five years ago, he sang me down the aisle as my white dress was receiving a rain shower of happy tears.

Three and a half years ago, I bought a book called Dance Me, Daddy that he now reads to our precious daughter as she joyously squeals, “Sing it, Daddy, Sing it!”

Today I hear echoes of “10,000 reasons for my heart to sing…” mixed with “Reign down on me, Lord,” and a sweet little voice that asks God to play her favorite song on the radio. And then he does. And then I cry because she has seen the power of an answered prayer.

I too have seen the power of answered prayer. The punctured places of my heart have been filled by the Peace and the Power that can only come from Him.

…

The part of Brandon’s soul that is filled by music, is the same part of my soul that is filled by words. When I write, or read what others have written and then reflect upon that, I find Him. But I haven’t been writing—well, I should clarify. I haven’t been writing for my soul. I want to though. I have journals upon journals of prayers, stories from my days, letters, and thoughts from college and from the early moments of our marriage, but my soul has too been a little dimmer lately. I’m immeasurably happy, immeasurably blessed, immeasurably loved, but life (and all of its many tasks—especially in this season of our lives) has stolen my moments to write, and I have let it happen. I write lesson plans, blog updates on Avaree for the family, papers for school, to-do lists, packing lists, dates on my calendar, grocery lists, and a myriad of other things, but none of those go deeper than the surface, and that is where my soul finds freedom—beyond the immediate, beyond the everyday, and into the deep and busy streets of my soul that long to learn more about my Savoir and that more than anything desire to slow down and reflect on all that He has done in this moment, this day, this hour, this week, this month, this year, and this life.

God uses words--both lyrical and reflective--to draw me to Him. ...
I guess that it is one reason that marriage is such a gift. There are seasons when one of you is missing a little light, and there are seasons where you burn brightly together.

Here’s to another five years of burning brightly together.  

       

Our little family Christmas

We didn't get out of school this year until the 21st, so Christmas seemed to come extra fast!! After church on Sunday, we had lunch with the extended Barton family in Arlington, and then we came home and took naps (well, at least Ave and I did!!)! After naps, we made a birthday cake for Jesus and then opened presents from just our little family, since the next few days were going to be crazy!! 

 Somebody was super excited!! She really became a present-opening-professional this year too! :)

 Avaree only got one "wrapped" gift from us this year, but she loved it! We are also going to contribute to her swing set once we get a house, but she was perfectly content with just this! She LOVES to take pictures with my camera, so I thought this would be fun for her! It even has its own memory card!

 SO EXCITED about her camera!!! :)

 Helping Daddy open!!!

 Daddy got a boy and girl accessory for the baby! 

 Ave was enamored with her camera!

 Mommy got Daddy a new SEC shirt!

 I was feeling horrible, so you can see that on my face! ;)

 Ave and her camera, and Mommy with her big 'ole Kiss from Daddy! :) This was the first year that Avaree and Daddy went shopping together for Mommy, so everything seemed extra special since I knew they picked everything out together!!

 Ave opened a present for the baby! I hadn't bought a single thing for "it" yet, so I wanted to wrap something up for it!

 Avaree loved the blanket! It's chevron on one side and minky on the other--gender neutral colors, of course! ;)

 A better picture of the baby's gift to Daddy! An Aggie football beanie or an Aggie headband--we shall see!

 Eating the carrots that we set out for the reindeer! This girl LOVES carrots. :) We put cookies out too, but we couldn't put them out until after we brushed our teeth! ;)

NEXT UP: CHRISTMAS EVE!!

Christmas at the Princess Castle!!!

Christmas definitely looked different at our little place this year, but it didn't lose any spirit, emotion, or love.  I know that this will be a distant memory one day, so I want to remember out little tree. Our girl thought it was beautiful, and we didn't celebrate Jesus' birthday any less, so I think it worked out just fine! ;) 

 Don't you like my felt letter banner? ;)

 Our pretty girl!!!

Meet our elf, Charlee!!! She didn't come until four days before Christmas, but Avaree LOVED her!!! Can't wait for her to come back next year!!!

 The precious plate that Avaree made at school last week! I LOVE IT!!!!

 Thanks to my SIL and MIL, I finally have a home-made advent calendar!!! We really enjoyed it this Christmas, and I only have more plans for next year!!!!!

#christmasattheprincesscastle ;)
The decorations weren't significant, but neither was Jesus' birthplace. If the Savior of the world could be born in a lowly manger, then I think we can survive a slimly decorated apartment for Christmas. 
It reminds me of another Christmas that I had about seven years ago in Bogota, Colombia....
Let us never forget that JESUS is the true focus of Christmas. 

A New Chapter

In late Spring, Brandon received a phone call that would change our lives. He was knee and heart-deep in getting ready for our Crossroads Mission Trip to Washington D.C. in July, so we didn't expect much to come of it, but as it turns out, God knew its importance the whole time. 
Let me back up. In early June 2012, we sold our precious first home in one week. It had been on the market a year prior for over six months with only one (ridiculous) offer, and it had not even come close to selling. This time, we had prepared ourselves for at least showing it through the summer with the hope to move to the Hurst/Euless/Bedford area by the start of the school year. Yet again, God had other plans. Once we knew that we had twenty-six days to find another place to live, we immediately started looking at houses. While Brandon and I usually agree on the "big things," we could not come to an agreement on a home, and then the one that we finally agreed on had a few hiccups. The night before we were prepared to make an offer on it, Brandon was at choir practice at First Hurst, and I was putting Ave to bed at home. I was feeling restless and suddenly felt an overwhelming need to talk to Brandon about our decision. He couldn't answer his phone, so I decided to call our realtor. The realtor for the home that we wanted to buy "happened" to be out of town that day, so we "had to wait" until the next morning anyway. Brandon and I both woke up with the overwhelming peaceful feeling that we were NOT supposed to put an offer on that house, and that God was telling us to rent for a season. 
Now, when I say that I had a peace about it, please understand that I was not pleased with it, but yet I knew that it was right. Understand? Now we are in a very flexible apartment situation, and we do not have to try to sell a home before we can begin our new chapter.... #praisehimnumber3766 :)
Well, that is just one of one thousand tiny moments in our lives that we can look back on and say that God was 100% directing us to a new chapter in our lives. 
It would take a novel for me to share all of the thousands of details that have led us to this point, but let me pick back up with the story in August. 
On the first day of school for students, we found out that we were going to have baby #2,  and two weeks after that, we found out that Brandon was the final candidate for the worship pastor position at Lake Arlington Baptist Church. 
After several interviews, meetings, and lots and lots of prayer and tears, on November 11th, Brandon led worship at LABC in view of a call. After a sweet morning of worship, the congregation voted us in with 99% approval. 
We were overwhelmed with thanksgiving.
We went straight from LABC to First Hurst, and Brandon told the choir and orchestra the news, and then that evening he told his youth choir. Of all the people that he had to tell, he was the most emotional about telling his students. I could never tell you how much they mean to him, so it was a rough evening of emotions, but everyone at First Hurst was so supportive of Brandon and of our family. 
Three weeks later, Brandon led the youth choir on Sunday morning for the last time. On Saturday night, B, Ave and I had practice with Heartsong (the core leaders/praise team of Crossroads). We brought pizza, drinks, and cupcakes, and we enjoyed a hilarious time of practice and fellowship for a few hours. 
Ave thought that she should be reading music too! ;)

 Ave loves Megan!!

 kisses for Cheyenne!!!

 The next morning, Crossroads sang two songs and Heartsong and Brandon sang the offertory! It was amazing. I cried through the whole service, so my pictures stink! But at least we have the memories! :)

That night, First Hurst had a reception for our family to commission Brandon as he moves to his new position at LABC. I could never put into words how much Brandon learned and grew as a person, as a leader, as a musician, and as a minister under the leadership of Pastor Jeff, Mark, and the amazing men and women that are on staff at First Hurst. 
First Hurst was our daughter's first church. We came to First Hurst when she was only 9 months old. So, Pastor Jeff was her first pastor, and her Sunday School teachers inspired her to memorize verses, sing songs about Jesus, and I can only pray that she will remember it. Thus, it melted my heart (yet again), that she was included in the reception!!! 
Since she was about 18 months old, Avaree has been memorizing bible verses and reciting them to Pastor Jeff after church every Sunday. Pastor Jeff always keeps a bowl of suckers and other candy under his seat in the sanctuary, and he gives it out to all of the kids after church. We convinced Ave that she couldn't get a sucker until she told Pastor Jeff her verse; thus the tradition began! :) She memorized lots of verses, and he kept her in suckers! For her birthday last year, he called her and told her that she could come to his office and get TEN suckers. She went bananas, and she has been talking about it ever since. 
That story should help you understand the following pictures. :) Pastor Jeff said some precious things about Daddy, some nice things about Mommy, and then called "his girl" up and put her on a chair so that he could look in her eyes!!! 

 That's right. He gave her a TEN POUND BAG of suckers, and he told her to call him when she ran out! :) He also said that he would talk to Pastor Eric about keeping her in suckers too! ;) 

 Her little eyes LIT up, and she said, "Is this for ME?" 

 "Mommy, LOOK what Pastor Jeff gave me!!!" She could hardly even carry them!! :)

 And THEN, Mr. Mark called her up... :) You can tell that she is the true star in the family!!!

Mark, Ginger, the staff, and the worship ministry were so sweet to include Avaree and I in everything! Avaree loves Mr. Mark!!! Daddy has learned so much from him, and I am so thankful for Mark's mentorship in Brandon's life!!! I know that their friendship will continue through the years!!!
Mark and the worship ministry gave Brandon an iPad to use in his new endeavor. He was beside himself with excitement. All day he kept saying, "Can you believe that they gave me an iPad?" It was a precious gift, and Mark has taught him so many ways to use it to enhance his capabilities as a worship pastor! We are so thankful for the hearts and for the prayers of these precious people that have been our family for the last two and a half years!!

 Ave with her fan club! She loves Cheyenne and Elizabeth!!

 I love this of Brandon and sweet Noah!! The Campbells have meant the world to our family!!

 Sweet Mrs. Becky has been such a precious blessing and prayer warrior for our family!! 

 And, oh, Chris Gibbs. SO many memories with these kids on mission trips!!!

Mrs. Judy, her sweet helpers, and the worship ministry knew exactly how to decorate for Brandon! He loved the Aggie decor!!! 
Of course, he and mark also dressed alike that day! :) 

While we were so humbly thankful for this new chapter in our lives, it was hard to close this one. The benefit is that we will not have to close our relationships with so many amazing people!!!
We love our First Hurst family so much! Y'all come see us, okay? :)
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope." 
We look to the future (that still holds many question marks) with the confidence that God has brought us to this place for this season for His purposes. We are humbled by his provisions for our family. We are thankful for those that he has placed in our path. We are excited to do life in Arlington with so many people that have already welcomed us with open arms and hearts. We have been immensely blessed by their kindness, prayers, love, and support already!!!
Here's to 2013-- a future that I can only imagine will be filled with Gods amazing handiwork! :) 
We are blessed.