Happy Father's Day...2014!!

Dear dad,

First of all, your my favorite dad!  Just wanted to say thank you for being a wonderful dad.  You've taught me so many wonderful things over the past year.  Here's a thank you for what you've taught me....

You taught me how to ride my bike and how to stay safe...

You encourage me to swim farther....

We have the best tickle fights while mom is shopping.....that's one of my favorites!

You taught me how important it is to workout and to be strong.....

You gave me a need for speed....

You've taught me that super hero's help mom in the kitchen....

You taught me that's its ok to be a beast on the field...haha!

I have my very own personal travel pillow....

You teach me knew things like shooting a bow and hopefully one day I will get to go hunting with you!

You've taught me how important family is and how we support each other....(Quinn's softball game playoffs).

You've taught me how to slow down and stop and watch it rain....

And that it's fun to dance in the rain....

You are always willing to let me sit beside you when you are busy working....

You've taught me how important my education is and to always do my best....

You support me when it comes to something you have no idea about like my dancing....

You are the hardest working man I know!  You've taught me that it's ok to work hard and get dirty....

You do a great job of loving mommy!

But my favorite part of you being my dad is our daily wrestling fights we have!  I love hearing you laugh and that you "let" me win sometimes!

Thank you for always loving me!  Thank you for always being there when I need you the most.  Thank you for letting me be me and always encouraging me to be my best.  I will always be your little girl and your biggest fan!

Love Farrah

Here is my interview with Farrah about dad.

My dad is funny because....I like to wrestle with him.
My dad thinks I'm funny when.....I jump on him.
My dad is 28 years old.
His favorite thing to do is....love on me!
His favorite color is red.
My dad's job is.....work at Chevron.
He loves to eat.....broccoli
He is really good at working for money for us.
My dad loves when I......steal all of his kisses.
My dad always says....I love you baby girl!
My favorite thing about dad is....when I don't want to eat my veggies my dad will eat his with me.

Rainbow Ballerina

Last night Farrah had her first dance recital!  It was the sweetest thing to watch!  Her song was Rainbow Ballerina and it was a ballet.  To be honest Farrah wasn't very excited to do ballet, she wanted to do tap...haha!  I think after she did her rehearsal she was excited to just be on stage.

This dance thing was fun but a little stressful!  The doors opened at 5:30 pm so I got there at 5:15 not knowing what to expect and OH MY GOODNESS!  This place was a madhouse!  Once the doors opened it was every man for themselves.  People were running and fighting over seats.  I have never seen anything like this in my life!

Thankfully I had some really good seats and spent an hour guarding them...Haha!!  At one point Farrah tells me she needed to go potty and I looked at her and had no idea what to do.  Do I leave my seats and take the chance of getting them taken?  Do I let her go potty by herself? (I only thought this for a quick second....I promise!)  I got the guts up to ask a (what I thought was a sweet little lady and quickly realized I was wrong) lady in front of me.  I told her that my daughter needed to go potty and if she minded looking after my seats (because I would do this for someone else.)  She looked at me and said "It's against the rules to save seats!!"  My look of horror was all over my face I'm sure so I nodded my head and said "Your absolutely right!"  She grabbed my arm and said she was just joking but I knew better!  I turned to Farrah who at the time is doing the potty dance and found a friend who offered to take Farrah to the restroom....thank you Ms. Heather!!  Needless to say these dance people mean business when it comes to saving seats!!

After I looked at the program to see where Farrah would dance I realized we were smack dab in the middle of the program.  I think there were 32 dances in front of Farrah and she was AFTER the intermission.  James was so happy....haha!!  Once the show began I took Farrah back to get dressed and she was so excited!  In the past, I had helped my niece get ready for dance recitals so I knew what to expect.  This was a little different in the fact that there was no A/C in the backstage area.  We were melting and these poor little girls were whining and crying about being so hot and sweating their makeup off.  Luckily I found a box fan and had Farrah stand in front of it so she wouldn't pass out.

After I checked her in I went back to the show and watched my baby girl sing and dance her little heart out!  It was truly a moment I will never forget!  After all the years of heartache of infertility I sat there watching my precious daughter.  All the heartache went away and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.  To sit there and watch her was priceless!

I hope I will always watch her in a way that makes me enjoy the moment.  All the stress, dance lessons and hard work Farrah has put into this dance makes it all worth it.  After I picked her up she ran into my arms and gave me a great big hug and asked "How did I do mommy?"  My response "Baby, I'm so proud of you!!  You dance and sang so loud!!"  After that she ran into her daddy's arms and he gave her a big bouquet of flowers and she gave him a great big hug and said "Thank you daddy!  Can I do this again next year?"  Of course baby!!

Lined up and ready to dance!!

Farrah LOVED being on stage!  (second from the left)

A very proud mommy and daddy!!

Texas Tech soccer camp

This week Farrah attended her very first soccer camp!  It was a Monday through Wednesday camp which I was glad for.  She was so excited and we both didn't know what to expect.  On Monday she had to be there by 7:45am so that was interesting but we made it.

I loved watching this experience through her eyes.  I could tell she was kinda nervous when we first got there but she quickly found some friends and started playing soccer with them.  When it was time for her to go with her group she smiled at me and said "Bye mom!"  So I left.....haha!

Everyday, the last thirty minutes of the camp they put the girls onto teams and they play against each other like a World Cup game.  Farrah was on team China all week.  She loved playing all the games and it was good for her to play against girls that were older then her.  She got pushed and shoved a lot but it was good for her!

Farrah's China team actually made it to the championship game.  They had all the girls to sit and watch them and cheer on a team.  Farrah's little team actually won the World Cup finals!!  She was pretty excited and she scored some goals.

Water day at KDO!!!

After Farrah's graduation, her KDO had a fun last day of school by having a water day.  For the last three years they have done this and Farrah loves this water day very much!  I love watching Farrah play with her friends....they act so big.

Such a fun way to end a great year!

Preschool Graduation!

I can't believe Farrah is officially going to Kindergarten!  For the last three years she has attended KDO at our church and she loves it!  Farrah has had some wonderful teachers there and has learned so much.  She has also made such good friends.

Farrah had her little graduation on Wednesday and it was so cute! Over the past nine months of school Farrah has learned a memory verse for every letter....that makes 32 memory verses!  I am so proud of her!  My favorite verse she says is the E verse.  It says "Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17.  When Farrah says this verse she always ends it with Daddy 1:17.  I asked her why she won't say James and she told me, "I'm not suppose to call daddy by his name."

At Farrah's graduation her teacher, Ms. Margaret, asked every one to recite a verse and Mrs. Kelsey talked about each child and told us their favorite thing about KDO and what she wanted to do when they grew up.  Farrah nailed her verse and Mrs. Kesley read to us that Farrah's favorite thing about KDO was reading and she wants to wash cars when she grows up.....haha!!

Front row: Tyler, Natalia and Kaleb.  Middle row: Hope, Zander and Myer.  Back row: Farrah, Jack and Molly Kate.  Teachers Miss Heather and Ms. Margaret

Farrah love her friends from KDO and we are so thankful for them!

Farrah and Jack

Farrah and Natalia

Molly Kate and Farrah

We are so proud of Farrah and all that she's learned this year.  I can't believe our baby is going to Kindergarten!

Spring Soccer 2014

Today Farrah finished her last soccer game for the Spring season.  I'm always surprised by Farrah and her athletic ability.  It amazes me that she has such a competitive drive like James and me. 

This was Farrah's third year to play with these same girls and I'm so thankful for this group of girls and Coach Chad.  For the past three years they have all learned so much and grown so much. I don't think there's a day that goes by that Farrah's not playing soccer.  

My favorite thing that Farrah does is play soccer in the house.  Ok, maybe not the soccer inside the house part but what she says while playing is pretty funny.  All I hear is "Keep it close!" "Good kick!"  "Set it up and push it!" "Good Good!"  "Dribble to the goal!"  "Shoot!"  She plays like she's Coach Chad and it makes me laugh.  

Like I said, Farrah had a great season but I can tell that all the teams are growing up and getting better.  This is the first year since Farrah has played that her team lost a game.  I read a blog recently that put Farrah's sport in perspective.  This blog talked about all the parents screaming and yelling at their kids, and yes I'm guilty of this.  This blog went on to explain the most important thing is that your child should have fun.  First and foremost I want Farrah to have fun.  After every game I tell her that she did great.  Then I ask her a question.  I ask her "Do you know what my favorite part of your game was?"  She asks what and I say "My favorite part is watching you play soccer and having fun!"  She gets a big smile on her face and tells me all about her game.  

Farrah scored 20 goals this season!

I LOVE this picture of Farrah!  It is pure joy on her face!

Such a great little team....Dynamos!  Coach Chad, Caitlyn, Tatum, London, Paisley, Farrah, Harper and Hannah.

What is Easter?

This year our family observed Lent for the first time.  I've often wondered why people observe Lent.  For me this year was different.  I wanted a change.....that simple but so hard at the same time.  I wanted to let go of my past and look toward the future.  I have a wonderful and relativity easy life.  We have been blessed with a home, food, clothes and a wonderful daughter but I wanted more.  Wanted more but not in the physical but in the spiritual.  

There are so many times when I pray that its about me...my wants, my needs and me crying out that it's not fair.  Not fair that we've spent fourteen years trying to have a baby of our own.  Not fair that so and so gets so many blessings, not fair that their business is thriving and ours is struggling.  Then I discovered this is not a fair world.  This world is fallen and that's why God sent his son, Jesus.  Not that our world or our life would ever be perfect but that we would have a relationship with the Son who is perfect.  

There's not a day that goes by that I don't fail at something.  I fail my family, my home, my husband, my daughter but you know what....that's ok.  You know why?  Because I serve a God who knows my heart.  I'm NOT perfect.  God didn't call me to be perfect he called me to be me.  Over the years I've had to learn that not everyone is going to like me and accept me.  It's been hard but God truly blessed me with an incredible husband, family and friends that get me.  

This morning I felt God wake me up early and asked me to just be in His presence and you know what....God showed up!  Of course He did.  It wasn't anything special, just me sitting at my kitchen table with a cup of hot tea, my bible and some praise music.  I've cried and I have praised Him.  God is doing so many things in our lives that sometimes it hurts and sometimes its lonely but getting into the word makes everything alright.  

Today is Good Friday and my heart is so heavy!  Heavy in the fact that now that I have a child of my own I can't fathom what Jesus was thinking.  To know that your father has called you to be sacrificed.  Sacrificed for people that HATED him.  Sacrificed for people who spat and beat him.  Sacrificed for sins that he never committed.  To carry that cross for miles after being beaten and ripped of your dignity in front of the whole world.  All Jesus wanted was to love his people and show them the truth.  

Then to see God's side of things.  To put your only son on the cross to die for so many sins and people who hated your son and didn't believe him.  Now that I have a daughter, I can't fathom the idea much less the action.  Easter became very real to me the year Farrah was born.  I will spend my whole life protecting Farrah. To even think that I would have to have my only child die for people's sins.  I can only imagine Mary, Jesus' mother, at the foot of his cross.  A mother will protect her child at any cost.  Mary knew what Jesus' purpose was here on earth and watching it all happen must have been traumatic.  I know God gave her grace to watch her son be sacrificed.

Now I'm rambling...sorry!  The one thing I prayed for and fasted for was that I would have a true encounter with God this season and I have.  This afternoon I'm doing this workout called the Jesus WOD.  From what I understand and have been told is to be ready to get emotional.  This WOD represents what Jesus went through when he carried his cross.  Here's the workout.....

14 Rounds for time with 65 pound barbell

10 Deadlifts

10 Squat cleans

10 Push press

50 feet of Walking Lunges with barbell on back

Walk back to start point

Barbell should only touch the ground on rounds 3, 7 & 9

Rounds 3, 7 & 9 - Turkish Get Up with a kettlebell

The WOD represents 14 stations of the Cross

with the three times Jesus fell to the ground

I'll speak for myself but I really needed to get a glimpse for me to see what Jesus went through.  This WOD is NOTHING of what Jesus went through but for me I need to do this.  

I am so thankful for this Easter season!  I have so many things to be thankful for.  I pray that you would all find your Jesus encounter this Easter.