Beach Time!

This weekend was Cameron's graduation in Bay City.  Congratulations Cameron!  We are proud of you!

We all enjoyed time with family. 

 The girls absolutely loved time with cousins...

 And we had a great day at the beach on Saturday...

Alaina enjoying some sand time with Cameron

  Audrey building a castle.  This girl LOVED every minute at the beach.  She couldn't get enough.  We even sent everyone else home and Mama, Audrey and Papa stayed for awhile.  She played and played deep in the water.  Audrey and mommy enjoyed playing in the waves together.  

....you don't have to twist mommy's arm to hard to stay at the beach awhile longer.  :)

 Sweet sisters enjoying some fun in the Texas sun

Happy Memorial Day 2013!

Hope you all are having a wonderful Memorial Day 2013!  We are sweating here in San Antonio, working in the yard and eating watermelon.  :)  All is well and Summer is here!

Sweet Friends

Just before the week of the move I was so happy to have a couple of hours of girl time with some sweet ladies.  These ladies have meant so much to me in the past few years and will continue to.  They have encouraged me, listened to me, prayed with me, laughed with me, camped and retreated with me, given great advice and even cried with me.  I am so thankful for their friendship and look forward to many more years of friendship.  Love you girls!

Leakey, Texas

We just returned from a nice few days with Troy's lifelong friend, Ashley, and his family.  What a great time at the families' cabin in Leakey, TX.  

The last time we went to Leakey Audrey was about 6 months old and, needless to say, there was no Laina.  Ashley and Crystal have 2 kids, Lane and Kaitlin.  They're older than our girls, but we LOVED every minute with them.  Audrey and KK never stopped playing.  

Here we are playing bubbles with Daddy.

We spent the afternoon down in the river.  We all had our fun...of course Mommy enjoyed the water AND her book right in the middle of the river.

Daddy played around in the water with the kids

Audrey and KK had a blast together!

and here's our two Lane Lane and Lain Lain

Laina stuck pretty close to her Daddy most of the time

Our evening was topped off with some smores

have to have some pics of my other girl...we all know she's part of the family...

 And last but not least, here are our sweet friends the Woffords.  Thank you guys so much for a great time.  Hope to see you again soon!

Today

It is 7:30 on Tuesday morning, May 21st.  We have been in San Antonio for about 19 days.  We've closed on both houses.  All that is done.  Thank goodness.  The boxes are unpacked.  The pictures are hung.  All is settling in. ...I know it was fast.  I'm a bit obsessive.  We all know that.  That's the way it is.

I got up early this morning.  Did my Bible study.  I'm continuing on in Precepts John.  There are several weeks in this study where we study the feasts of Israel.  Pretty amazing.  I finished the feasts today.  I am keenly aware of God's providence. His absolute Sovereignty over this world and it's days.  and...over my days.  He is always working His purposes, His plans in this world.  He is bringing all things together.  He is Victorious.  And as I pray I am so aware that He is these things in my life as well.

I sit here today feeling a sense of expectancy.  He picked up my family and brought us here.  That much was clear.  We're here now.  We're settled.  We're ready.  I don't know what He has for us.  So I pray expectantly.  God, I'm ready.  I'm pliable in Your Sovereign hands.  You know my heart.  You know my desires.  Do as You will.  We'll just rest here and live life looking for Your movement.

Grow my children.  Give them peace, stability.  Let them be more and more aware of You.  Grow my husband.  Use him.  Give him a good name at the city gates.  Use me in these things Father.
Show me where you want me.  I will not go ahead of You.  I will wait.  I will walk with you.  Serve my family.  Pray, listen and wait.  Expectantly, for YOU ARE GOOD.  YOU ARE ALWAYS VICTORIOUS.
So be it.

Ranger Game April 2013

Today the Douglas fam. enjoyed a Ranger game thanks to our friend Jennifer!

What a perfect day for a ballgame...

Happy Easter 2013!

What a wonderful Easter we had together today with our family!

We began our day opening up the last of our "Resurrection Eggs" and finding the final egg empty!  How special it has been to share the story of Easter with our girls this year through these neat eggs.

After our remembering the reason we celebrate Easter, the girls received a basket full of candy and eggs, which they loved.

Then we got all dolled up and had a very special morning at church celebrating the resurrection.

 After church we headed over to Gia and Bapa's for a sweet time with our family celebrating together.

Aren't these pretty girls?...

And lastly, we ended our afternoon with a fun egg hunt for the girls....

Happy Easter everyone, 

with love from the Douglases!

He is risen!  Risen indeed!

Preparing for Easter

We've done something new this year as we prepare for Easter and we've loved it.  

Wanted to share with all of you.

They are called Resurrection Eggs.  Each day we read a page in our book which gives a scripture in the Easter story and then we open an egg that contains an object from the story.  Then the book further explains to the kids the importance of the object. (as you can see in the pic, our last 3 eggs aren't opened yet and I just couldn't spoil it!)  

Our kids have LOVED this.  

And it has been a really neat thing for Troy and I to share with them as well. 

 A sweet daily reminder of our Savior's sacrifice.

If you don't have an Easter tradition with your kids, I encourage you to check these out.

(super cheap at Hobby Lobby!...go for the Easter sale!)

Happy Resurrection!

Amy

Happy 5th Birthday Audrey Rose!!!

Do you believe that our Audrey Rose has turned 5?! Well it's so true! Look at this big girl's birthday celebrations...

First she woke up to her birthday candle burning bright with 5...

Then she got to open some presents from her Nana...

It was Bible study day for us...and her teachers made her a neat card and sang to her.  

After Bible study she got to choose our lunch spot.  Or course she chose MacDonalds.  She and sissy had a great time eating their happy meals in the train and playing together.

On Thursday after her birthday we went to visit Gia and Bapa and got to see Cate and Caroline in their musical - Seussical!

Cate and Caroline were fabulous in the play by the way.  We LOVED it!  Great job girls!

After the play we went out to lunch with Gia, Bapa and Aunt Sarah and Cate to celebrate Audrey's birthday...

Audrey got such neat gifts from her Aunt Sarah and Gia and Bapa...and a little something from Mommy and Daddy too.  how fun!

And guess who else got some little treats?  : )

Our birthday theme as you will see at her party is Barbie.  So Audrey got a new Barbie movie and the Barbie and Prince that go with the movie.  

the yummy birthday cupcakes from Gia...

And then came Saturday...Barbie Party Day!!!

Getting their first glimpse of the cake...

And the awesome Barbie dollhouse from Gia and Bapa...wow!

(let's not forget the cute Hello Kitty outfit Audrey is wearing that came from her Aunt Jess.  She put this outfit on as soon as she got up on party day!)

the party treats for our friends...

the barbies to color (which was a big hit!)

Audrey and her sweet friend Abby coloring their barbies together...

more of the girls coloring

Jenny, Alaina, Harper and Savannah

the finished birthday barbies...(Audrey colored the one with the red and green skirt.  Alaina colored the one to the right of Audrey's.  : )

now it's cake time!

Audrey and her best friend Frankie enjoying their cake...

sweet presents from friends...

And finally all the girlies...

What an awesome birthday this 5 year old had!  Thank you everyone.
And we love you sweet Audrey.  You are a precious blessing to our family!