A few more pictures!

Here are the "four generations". Great-nanny, Lolli, Daddy, and Eli. Also, notice how he is holding on to my finger! He loves me so much already! Thank you Jesus! As you can tell with all the aunts and uncles, the holidays are going to be wonderful. We are already getting our house ready for Eli's first visit.

He is here!

Have you ever seen a baby more beautiful? Elijah Ryan was born to Kyle and Jade on Friday, October 19th about 2:30 p.m. He is so sweet. On Thursday the little fella wasn't moving at all, even with "encouragement" from the doctor. He gave us a pretty good scare, but all is well, and he is absolutely amazing. He loves to eat, just like his daddy! Uncle Adam drove up from Lubbock, Aunt Kayla and Uncle Kevin were there, and Lolli (me) and Aunt Hannah, Aunt Leah, and Aunt Rachel left at 4 a.m. to be there for Eli's arrival. Poppa (Michael) didn't get to come until Sunday after a funeral. Great-nanny and Great-aunt Christy surprised us all and showed up on Saturday morning. The little guy got the majority of the family in the first 24 hours of living! Oh my, there are really no words to describe the emotion of holding such a precious one. The sweetness of seeing your first-born hold his first-born and look at him with eyes full of joy and undeniable love, is something I reflect on often. The heaviness of wondering if I showed him well-enough how to be a loving, supportive, patient parent is something on which I also often reflect. My prayer is that Kyle will be so sensitive to the Father, and listen to His teaching, nudging, and guidance, so that all the places I fell short, he can still do it right.

Welcome to the family, little Eli. You are beautiful. Father, set this child apart to be a warrior for You. Teach him through his sweet daddy and mommy how to love You and fear You. I'm thankful that Kyle and Jade will train him up in the way he should go. Give them strength and rest and prepare them for the many years of training ahead. Hedge them up with Your protection, Lord. Thank You, Jesus for this precious one. We love him alot. Oh yeah, and I would like to put my order in for a lot more just like him. Just to give You a "heads up"! I love you, Lord. Thanks again.

If you are ever driving down I-45 on a Sunday morning and decide you want to go to Cowboy Church, this man will meet you at the door. Don and Lucy, along with their daughter and son-in-law, grandkids, and a couple of great grandkids, were members here when we came. They all are so sweet and have the lightest, prettiest blue eyes you've ever seen. When we first came, anytime Michael would tell me about one of them, he would say, "They are part of the "blue-eyed family". That's how I knew who he was talking about.
Lucy has a precious heart, and the best way for me to describe Don is that he is a gentle man with a servant's heart. They have walked through many storms as a family and just keep getting stronger and loving the Lord more every day. It wasn't until the death of their one month old great grandson that Lucy told me she hadn't been a Christian but a couple of years. I was very surprised because she seemed so strong. We stood in that hospital corridor and she shared with me that Don had prayed for her for years, wanting her to go to church with him. Finally, she went with him to Cowboy Church and she accepted Jesus. God has grown her fast and she is a comfort to so many others with her faith.
One day I noticed a hand mirror wired up on the pole right outside the front door of the church. I went to see what it was and it didn't take long for me to know exactly what it was being used for. After the service starts, Don stands right inside the door. He can see when someone comes from the south but wasn't able to see if someone was walking up from the north. He wired the mirror up so he could make sure EVERYONE would have an open door when they came up. I was driving the other day and the song "Softly and Tenderly" came on. It reminded me of Don. You see, every Sunday morning Don gives us a picture of God. We know that God is our "El Roi" - our "God Who sees". If He wasn't, I believe He would have mirrors wired to poles all over the place because He wants to miss no-one. In the song it says, "See on the portals He's waiting and watching, Watching for you and for me. Come home, Come home. Ye who are weary, come home. Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling. Calling, Oh Sinner, come home."
Don, this gentle man, will meet you at our door. This gentle man who prayed his wife and family through the door. He wants you to meet Jesus too.
Thank you Father for having them in this place. Thank you for their precious hearts and willing hands.