Forrest Gump's Mom Really Was Smart...

"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get. That's what my momma always said..." I'm beginning to the think that truer words have never been spoken. I've been reflecting on our big move lately, and it's amazing how moving into a different part can completely up-end your life!

The move in and of itself was a great move for us. Tyron and I both LOVE our jobs. The kids are going to amazing schools. We are slowly but surely beginning to make new friends. It's all sweet and good, but there are some things that just jump out and shock you. I'm still trying to rebound from some of the shock!

Adjusting to a new place is exciting and hard at the same time. While most of the things that have shocked me are pretty petty and inconsequential (except my #1), they are clearly not deal breakers or regrets. I guess I'm just realizing how spoiled I am and how set in my Dallas ways I am. So without further adieu...drum roll please...

Melanie's Top 5 Move Shockers:

5.I miss the open fields and lack of Oil Refineries. Can I just say eeeewwww on so many levels? They stink and clutter up the landscape. Not to mention, they are U-G-L-Y. They. Ugly. Period.

4. I miss clean towns. I like new. I like clean. Baytown is not new or clean. Still adjusting. Having to fight myself on a daily basis because of the nasty. I feel like the entire town needs a giant bottle of Germ X dumped on it.

3. Stonebriar Mall. It's new. It's clean. It's safe. It's BIG. Need I say more?

2. Grocery Stores. I like lots of variety and quality produce. If they make their own tortillas, even better! I like to walk in and have a myriad of choices. It's also a plus if the store is clean and logically organized.

1. One of the things that has shocked me most is just how badly I miss my friends in Dallas. I knew that I would miss them. How could I not miss the women that shared their lives with me? I miss the frequent deep conversations about the Lord and having someone to pray with that knew all the deepest, darkest, ugliest parts of me and loved me through it and despite it. These ladies aren't just my friends, they are my soul sisters. It's not shocking that I miss them. It's shocking that I miss them like I would miss my right arm. I love you girls! Don't make any plans for June 2011 because our weekend trip is gonna happen come Hell or high water!

King of ALL Days...

"Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness. Open my eyes let me see..."

I think it's fair to say that God opened my eyes to let me see him a little better tonight. I was winding down for the night when Chris Tomlin's "Here I Am To Worship" starts playing in my head. I have always known (in my head) that God will meet us right where we are no matter where we are physically, emotionally, or spiritually, but for some reason God decided to write that knowledge on my heart tonight.

"King of all days, oh so highly exalted. Glorious in Heaven above! Humbly you came to the earth you created. All for love's sake became poor."

As I was singing this song in my head tonight, the lyrics "Humbly you came to the earth you created. All for love's sake became poor" really struck a chord in my heart. It hit me that God could have come as a king, a rich man, or an important person with influential ties. He could have come to earth as a high ranking priest within the Jewish Church, but he didn't. He came as a poor carpenter. Jesus was/is fully man and fully God. He experienced infancy, toddler hood, childhood, puberty, betrayal by his closest friends, hunger, thirst, anger, joy, and pain. I could list a million things that Christ experienced in his 33 years, but it would take a really, really long time. The point is this: God can and will meet you wherever you are. If you are experiencing life, God has been there. He KNOWS how you feel because he's been there.

Right. Where. You. Are.

I needed to hear and know that in the depths of my soul.

I'm not really a hyper-spiritual person, but I do love God. Jesus lives in my heart, and anything in me that is good is really just Jesus shining through all the nasty, dark yucky parts of my sinful soul. I want to be Jesus' hands and feet. I want to know God instead of just knowing about him, and I am thankful that he opens my eyes to who he is a little more every single day. I am beyond thankful for his mercy and his timing because this part of the year is sad and joyful for me all at the same time, and I know that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

"Here I am to worship. Here I am to bow down. Here I am to say that you're my God. You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me."

I Am Officially Out of Space...

...for books. Y'all, I have stacks and stacks and stacks of books. I think besides my family and friends, books are my favorite thing in the world. First of all, you have to give it up to God for creating people who have enough talent to create entire worlds, people, events, and relationships through their writing. I know that I am a nerd, and I am in no way bragging, but even with working and having a family, I read around 5,000 pages a month. Seriously. (And I do sleep...when I'm not reading! :-) ) I can read freakishly fast, so that helps me move through books in a hurry.

I read some research a month or so ago that said if everyone read 1-1.5 hours a day, we would not only be a more literate society, but that reading also helps our children process, learn, and cope with things more easily. That is a huge statement! By the way, the school I teach at subscribes to this philosophy, and it is truly amazing at what great readers these kids are. They are fluent, smart readers with opinions and high test scores. That's why we are a Texas Honor School. Sorry, I digress...

I am not a particularly picky reader. If it's written, I will read it. I finished the Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon a couple of weeks ago. These books are not for the faint at heart. They are thick books that average about 800-900 pages per book (with 7 books currently published), but they are well worth the effort of reading. I just finished the Blue Bloods Series (super quick and easy to read), and I started Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett yesterday. To put a few minds at ease, I don't just read fluff. I LOVE classics like Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice. I also really enjoy Christian fiction. Anything by Francine Rivers is amazing.

So, all this to say, I am out of room for books. I had to stop buying books because I officially have no where to put them. I love to buy books. I know buying books is a waste of money to most people, especially when you have a public library at your disposal; however, I love to buy books because I will re-read books over and over again. So for now, I am now a loyal library patron. As a matter of face I have been 3 times in the last week because I blew through everything I had checked out. Tyron asked me if they knew me by name yet, and I laughed. Now that I think of it though, it's probably only a matter of time before they do know me.

So, in case anyone is out there that wants to get me an over the top birthday present, I need another book case. :-) Because the library is great, but I like to own books too...and I need a place to put them!

The Power of Blue

Yesterday was the 2010 Barbers Hill ISD Tailgate Party. The Tailgate Party is basically a giant booster club event that brings in the pretty much the entire community. There were at least 2,000 people there! It was absolutely crazy, but we had a ton of fun. Each school campus designs and builds a float which people vote for by dropping tickets into a designated box. My campus didn't win, but we put up a good fight! After the tailgate party (which included dinner and treats for the kids, carnival games, and a pep rally), we went to the football game where the BH Eagles defeated the Nederland Bulldogs 28-21. It was a great game! Here are a few pictures from the tailgate party. Please excuse the quality of the photos...I was practically dead on my feet when I took them. :-)

Plinko "Eagle Style"

Daddy and Hannah

This is the outside of the arena where the Eagles play their home basketball games. Pretty awesome!!!

Family Fun

Our family came to visit over the Labor Day Weekend, and we had so much fun! On Saturday we went to the Kemah Boardwalk and let the kids ride the amusement rides and ate at Landry's. Then on Sunday, we went down to Galveston to the beach. The word "fun" doesn't even cover it. It was an adventure, to be sure! The weather was perfect, and the water was nice and cool. My kids had their first run in with marine life while we were in Galvest. Luke got attacked by a crab and ended up with a little gash on his foot, and Faith got stung by a jellyfish on her neck. To my surprise, they all jumped right back into the ocean! I can't believe how brave they were because, to be perfectly honest, I was a nervous wreck the rest of the trip! Tyron also got stabbed by some small animal, but we weren't sure what it was. It didn't phase him much though! Not to mention me and Kara's sunburns! Ouch! Here are a few pictures from the weekend! We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family!

Stewart Beach - Galveston Island

Sunday, September 5, 2010

The Cousins - MaKayla, Hannah, Kyler, Luke, and Faith

Kara and Me

Faith and Hannah showing their sandy hands.


The kids digging for seashells.

Hannah eating sand. Yum!

Luke's foot after his little run-in with a crab.

KEMAH BOARDWALK

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Faith, MaKayla, Hannah, Luke, and Kyler - The Lee Cousins

Having so much fun!

Tyron and Kara.

Kara and me...again. This time with make-up!

Tyron and me.

Hello Old Friend...

I know, I know. You've been on pins and needles right? Just waiting for the day that I resurrect my blog...I've been waiting too. Hoping that someone is going to do it for me...just kidding! Well, the only excuse I can give is that I have been truly busy.

A lot has changed in the past 4ish months. Tyron and I got new jobs! In Houston! It's been a crazy whirl wind to say the least. We are both now part of Barbers Hill ISD. It's an amazing school district that has extremely high standards that has welcomed us with open arms. Tyron is the Head Boys Basketball Coach, and I will be teaching 5th and 6th grade. It's an exciting time for us. Luke will start Kindergarten on Monday. I can't believe it! I am so excited for him. BHISD is an Honor School, so the academic standards are unbelievably high (which I LOVE). Luke is going to fit right in. Plus, he got the best teacher! I can't wait to tell you all about her, but I will leave that for another post.

As usual, God has taken care of us beyond any measure of our imagination. Not only did He deliver us into this amazing school district, but he also delivered us into a church that we know is our new home. Clear Creek Community Church is exactly what we needed, and God sent us there without having to weed through other churches. Clearly God knows my limits! We are also renting a house from a pastor and his family. It's been a huge blessing. Over the past week we have gotten to know them quite well through deep discussions about our God. We are even praying about joining their small group. :-) It's been a month of knowing that we are right in the middle of God's will for our family. That security is better than any insurance you can buy!

At church on Sunday, our pastor was talking about community. It's amazing what that topic did to me! I boo-hooed my way through the entire sermon! It's amazing what community does for a Believer. I can honestly say that I know there are times in my life that God marked me for purposes that are still unraveling. However, during those times of great joy and great suffering, God sent special women to walk through them with me. The funny thing is that it isn't even who I would have marked down on paper if someone asked me who those women were. During that sermon, God gave me specific memories of times in me and Tyron's lives that our small groups and God driven friendships carried us when we didn't think we could walk anymore. I am so thankful for those memories! It gives me hope that I will have deep, God driven relationships with women here in the Houston area. It gives me hope that the relationships I built in Dallas won't diminish because of the miles between us. It gives me hope because God proves himself to be more than faithful over and over and over. He has blessed me abundantly, and I am beyond humbled and thankful.

"Therefore, confess your sins to each other so that you may be healed. " James 5:16

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

HE is Risen...HE is Risen INDEED!

I am so thankful for all that happened on the cross. Jesus was substituted for me on the cross. I KNOW that. The penalty for my wicked and sinful heart was paid in full by the ONE who was sinless. Now that I have kids of my own, I can't come close to even imagining what God felt as his one and only son was nailed to a cross, terrorized by wicked men, and spat upon by those who passed by. Instead of taking Jesus down and allowing him to be saved from the humiliation and pain, God allowed it. Even more, He ORCHESTRATED it. That is how much my God loves us. He ORCHESTRATED the death of his only son so we could know Him. As I sit here and reflect on that love, I have tears in my eyes. A love so deep, wide, long, high, and complete is beyond what my human mind can comprehend; however, I get to taste a small portion of it daily. One day when I am in Heaven, I will fully know God. Then and only then, will I truly know the full love of God. There I won't be limited by my wicked heart and human mind. Until then, I know that He is risen. He will come again, and I know Him.

This is the song that has been in my heart all week:

Savior I come.

I Quiet my soul, remember.

Redemption's hill,

Where Your blood was spilled.

For my ransom.

Everything I once held dear,

I count it all as lost.

Lead me to the cross.

Where Your love poured out.

Bring me to my knees,

Lord I lay me down.

Rid me of myself,

I belong to You!

Lead me, lead me to the cross.

You were as I,

Tempted and tried.

Human.

The word became flesh,

Bore my sin and death.

Now you're risen.

Oh and everything I once held dear I count it all as lost.

Lead me to the cross .

Where Your love poured out.

Bring me to my knees,

Lord I lay me down.

Rid me of myself.

I belong to You.

Lead me, lead me to your heart.

Lead me to your heart.

Lead me to your heart.

Lead me to your heart.

Lead me to the cross.

Where Your love poured out.

Bring me to my knees,

Lord I lay me down.

Rid me of myself.

I belong to You.

Lead me, lead me, lead me, lead me Lead me to the Cross Lead me to the cross!

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!