Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet boy, Bradley!

Today we celebrated my baby boy's 8th birthday. What a fun day it was for him, one he will never forget. He started his day with his best friend Austin. John took them to Austin's Park and Pizza where they played mini golf, rode bumper boats, rock climbed, played video games, hit in the batting cage, ate pizza, etc., etc., etc. What an awesome time they had together. Then, John took Bradley to Build-A-Bear, which has become a birthday tradition for our girls and now for our boys. This was Bradley's 1st time to go so it was extra special. He's been planning since January which animal he would get and how he would be dressed.

After that, they came home for supper. Bradley chose chicken-n-dumplings for his birthday meal, Yum!! We ate, opened some gifts, sang Happy Birthday, and then enjoyed birthday cake. Hope you enjoy the photos of Bradley's Big day. Oh yes, he also got a new Longhorn t-shirt from Papa John, some new swim goggles from his brother, and an MP3 player from his dad, sisters, and I.

Bradley and Austin cooling down on a bumper boat ride!

Soaked!!

Bradley dressing his puppy in a Dallas Cowboy uniform. It even had a helmet and cleats! Too cute!

Bradley and John at Build-A-Bear with his football dog "Max".

This year, Bradley wanted a simple cake that he could put his Lego creations on top of. I thought that would definately be easy for me. He built this pirate ship, shark, and treasure chest. They made great cake decorations!

Happy Birthday Bradley! I love you and I'm very proud of you! I'm so thankful God gave you to me.

The Young, The Old, and Between

My day started with a 10 a.m. appointment with 7-year old Kacey Stewart. This beautiful 2nd Grader to be wanted to visit with me about becoming a Christian. (What a great job I have to be able to get to visit with children about the most important decision they'll ever make in their life). After about 45 minutes, Kacey left my office with a helpful book to help her continue on the journey to becoming a Christian. It won't be long, Kacey. God is working in your life.
Immediately following that appointment, I had to go make an unexpected hospital visit to another beautiful child. This one; however, is only 2 years old and has cancerous tumors on her brain and brain stem that are terminal. Unless God miraculously intervenes (and I know He can), little Amber Rendon will leave this earth for her eternal home very, very soon. Would you please pray for God's best for Amber and for God's sufficiency and strength for parents Virginia and Art and the extended family? Thanks.
I made it back to the church just after 2 p.m. for our first "Seize the Summer Service Project" with our pre-teens. After some team-building activities, we went to DQ for a quick blizzard fix and then on to the Pflugerville Care Center to play bingo with the residents there. All of them elderly and many of them hurting, it was a time to love, encourage, teach, learn, and play. What a blast it was to help these beautiful senior adults in an afternoon game of bingo. We were able to escort them from their room and back to their room. My 'tweens did a great job as did my Children's Ministry Assistant Kristie LaGrone.
Here are a few life lessons God reminded me of today: (1) Children are precious to God. (2) Life is valuable to God. (3) Life begins and ends with God. (4) I am very blessed and have much to be thankful for. (5) I am not in control. (6) When all I can do is pray, praying is enough because God is enough. (7) Pre-teens love ice-cream (and other assorted DQ treats). (8) Senior adults are serious about BINGO! (9) People all around me are in great need. (10) A person's greatest need - young, old, or in between, is Jesus. (11) I am helpless to help people in need on my own; but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. (12) It is more blessed to give than to receive. posted by John

Happy Father's Day!

We had a great Father's Day! We started our day with a Celebration service at our church. We've been anticipating the completion of our new Worship Center, and Sunday was our 1st service in our new building. What an amazing time of Worship it was.

We came home to a yummy lunch that was waiting for us! Gotta love Crock Pots!!! After lunch, the kids gave their Daddy some new board games that he loves! One of them, he's not played since he sas a kid. It's fun getting to teach our children the games we played when we were little!

Here's the proud Daddy before church!

I love this photo! Look at the smiles on all their faces!!!

Daddy with his new gifts!

We also had John's dad here with us on Father's Day! John got him this football magazine and a big box of Coca-Cola!

Father's Day reminds me how thankful I am for several people. First, I'm so thankful for my Dad, Don Brown! Thank you Dad, for the investments you've made in my life. I love you!

I'm also thankful for my husband, John. I'm so glad you're the father of our children. You are a great daddy and I thank God for you! I love you!

Vacation Bible School - Boomerang Express

Last week, we travelled on the Boomerang Express to Australia and had some VBS fun!!! We didn't really travel to Australia, but that was our theme for VBS this year. What a great week we had together as a church family. We had lots and lots of children come (close to 300 I think). We also had about 8 children come to know Jesus as their Savior for the 1st time. We serve a BIG God and we thank Him for an amazing week of Vacation Bible School!

Here is one of the extremely handsome guys we had in crafts! And yes, I'm proud to call him mine!

And here's another handsome young man who came to crafts. I'm also proud to call this one mine too!

Brenna is posing for the camera at the closing worship ralley!

Bathany coloring her boomerang during preschool crafts!

My "Goofy" children after family night!

Catching up with Brandon & Bradley

John posted earlier this month about Brandon & Bradley's 5 year anniversary of being in our home. Here is a photo of them with their balloons their Daddy brought home on June 1st. They were so surprised to get these. John found this huge #5 at the party store and knew it would be perfect for this occasion. He also got blue balloons and a baseball balloon for Brandon, and red balloons with a soccer balloon for Bradley. We are blessed to call them our sons. I still find it hard to believe that they have been mine for 5 years! They are growing up so fast!

Here is Bradley participating in Reader's Theatre on the day of his awards assembly.

Bradley with his sweet teacher Ms. Wilson. This is his certificate that he received at his 2nd grade awards assembly.

Brandon receiving his certificates from Ms. Ballew, his 3rd grade teacher.

Brandon drew this hippo picture for a contest the 3rd grade students had at their school. In case you don't know, the hippo is our school mascot. The winners of the contest, got their pictures on the cover of the yearbook. Brandon's drawing came in 2nd place and was placed on the back cover of this year's yearbook. Pretty cool, huh?? Brandon is very detailed and particular about his work, and I guess it paid off. We are extremely proud of him! I was a very excited Momma when he came home and told me his picture won!!! Way to go Brandon!

Brenna's Preschool Graduation

Well, it's hard to believe that Brenna is already old enough to graduate from preschool. Her graduation from WeeOnes was the end of May. What an amazing little girl she is and we are so proud of her. She had a great year with a great teacher. Ms. Robin, Ms. Sonya, and Ms. Kim were so good for Brenna and I think she is more prepared for Kindergarten because of her time in preschool. Thank you Lord for Godly teachers who take their time to invest in the lives of my children.

Brenna receiving her diploma from Ms. Carrie (our preschool director)!

Here is Brenna marching in.

Brenna with her sweet friend Lauren!

Here are Brenna's certificates, photos, etc. Lots of great memories!!!

Splash Day

Well, I'm a bit behind on my blogging, so I'm going to back-track a bit and catch you up on a few fun things that have happened in the lives of the Woods'. The girls finished their preschool year with Splash Day. What fun it was! Here are a few photos of Brenna and Bethany playing on the water slide.

Weeeeeeeeeeeee!

Cute Bethany sitting on the edge of the slide!

What FUN!!!

Brenna with her sweet friends waiting to slide!