Eleven From 0'Eleven

I thought I'd pick out 11 things 
from 2011 that stuck out to me 
- good, bad or indifferent. 
Here are mine in no particular order.
What's yours? 


1. Youth Convention in Tallahassee. Dance Party in the foyer. Hotel desks at midnight with Cynthia demanding a room that was previously booked. Peer pressure to pass vehicles on back roads. Lunch with the Corey Evan band. Sanctuary floor bouncing and swaying. Fire pits and rapping in the parking lot. Compelled By Love. 


2. Pastors Wives Retreat in Nashville. Spending quality time with some ladies I love. Meeting other ladies I never dreamed I'd be chatting with. Hugs from Lori, Brandi & Jess. Sharing dolphin feeding stories from St Andrews State Park with Lisa Young. Crashing in a room with Steph & Liz. Feeling like dying during Mission Impossible. Leaving my babies with my husband. Flying alone for the first time ever. Created bonds that I believe will last a lifetime. Knowing as a Pastors Wife I am not alone. 


3. Launching of Show Some Love. My husband has a heart for community, plain and simple. What better way to reach our community than by showing love through selfless acts of kindness. He launched a one-week-event God laid on his heart that we will hopefully continue until our bodies won't allow. Kitchen table creative meetings. Painting parking lots of businesses. Bagging lunches for the homeless. Pregnancy Resource Center window washing. School campus lawn cleanup. Rescue Mission lunches. Blitzing neighborhoods. Thank you cards to teachers. Tallying hours: 850. 

4. Being the Camp Directors at West Florida Youth Camp for the first time, ironically during our last camp in West Florida. Popping golf cart tires at midnight. Sneaking drinks to my girls in their dorm. Watching our interns work their tails off. Mud pit belly flop judging. Room inspections. Bribes. Late nights. Early mornings. Sitting back and watching God move. Epic.


5. Announcing to our leadership team from the past 8 years that we were moving. 

Dressed up. Catered dinner. Speaking the words "There is a season for everything" ... Then the breath leaving my body as my husband proceeded with the rest of the sentence. Prayers for every person and passing of the baton to those who would entrust it. Run With It. 

6. Both My Babies Starting Public School. Easton began in January due to his speech. Half days without my mancub. Rip my heart out :( But it was an amazing move. Autumn began public school in August. She has a desire to learn way more than she ever did when I was homeschooling. I have a feeling she doesn't put up as much of a fight with her teachers at school! She lets her light shine so bright and we pray that she is a breath of fresh air to those whose don't know Christ. 


7. Buying a new home, in our new home. As we made the decision to move to South Carolina, we also decided it was time to put down some roots. No more apartment walls and rental homes. We can paint what we want, change what we want. A yard, a community with kids and friendly neighbors. Room for guest. Room to entertain. A sense of settling in.  South Carolina is now our new home :) 


8. Hearing My Husband Speak at District Council. I mean, I LOVE to hear my husband speak. He's one of my favorite preachers. But hearing him speak about honor to a room full of pastors, most of which have given the majority of their lives to the ministry, was amazing. I sat there so privileged to be married to this man. He leads well. He follows well. I love his communication skills, I love his heart, and I love his integrity. He really does practice what he preaches folks. I live with him, I know! 


9. Eastons First Big Boy Hair Cut. We had just moved to South Carolina. My sinuses were acting up and I was unable to even get out of bed. My sweet husband offered to take E for a haircut so that his bangs in his eyes didn't cause permanent damage :) Sure, no big deal; He'd had a haircut before. But before my husband left the house I vaguely remember him saying "Are you okay with anything?" I guess my answer was yes. Because all of his long, blonde locks were gone when they returned. I cried. I was upset. And now I think he's a handsome little man. He's not a baby anymore! 


10. Speaking At My First Womens Retreat. I was scared spitless. Like, seriously. I didn't think I was gonna be able to swallow because my mouth was so dry. But it ended up to be a sweet day in the Lord. There's something about empowering women to share their story. To open up and be vulnerable. You never know what someone else may be battling. Your story could unlock a whole new world for them. There is power in your story! (And getting to help my mom decorate a tea table in black & hot pink was just icing on the cake!)  

11. Autumn Got Asked For Her Phone Number. By a boy. Her response: well, there was no response. She turned and walked away from the boy and didn't even give him an answer :) Her dad & I talked with her about more appropriate responses. But honestly, I was okay with the ignoring approach at this point in life! She's ten. Sheesh! 

And ending on a serious note ... 

Our 2011 was filled with some of the best and some of the hardest moments of our lives. 

As we transitioned from Student Pastors in Panama City to Student&Young Adult Pastors in South Carolina, we left so much of our hearts in Florida. When you pour your life into something, that tends to happen. 

Our God is faithful to continually fill our hearts as we make South Carolina our new home. 

We ask for and covet your prayers as we enter into this new year with a desire to see lost souls come to Christ. To see our children be more in love with Him. And for our lives to honor Him in all that we do. 

Happy 2012!