Our Best Is Yet To Be...

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

my Joy, growing up.

October 2012

Joy 16 months old

There was something different about this morning with my Joy.

I just bought her this new shirt, kinda a "big girl" shirt in a way...we got her dressed and she began to

just give me that look. It was a look like, "wow I feel more grown up today."

I loved it and hated it all at the same time.

I love my girl, not sure about the growing up...it goes too fast.

Game days and Sooner Football.

September 2012

We loved game days....although we usually didn't have tickets,

we'd still take our walks to enjoy the Sooner spirit, throw some football and wear our sooner red.

This was our only game we made it to, but we went in style. Box seats with one of our best friends Beau Egert, watching Baylor and OU!

Although it may not seem...we are still Baylor grads and baylor bears at heart!

We are just giving our lives away for the city of Norman to see His Kingdom come....so we have become Sooner fans at heart too!!

Tailgating with the college group!

Monday, February 4, 2013

7 years old. lover of football. loves the actual football. loves to sleep with his football. only present he ever wants is a new football. loves Landry Jones. loves to do his own football drills for fun. loves to wear his #12 sooner jersey(would ever day if I didn't have to wash it periodically). loves people. loves to show kindness. loves to hear the voice of God. loves to share Jesus with his friends at school. authentically loves Jesus above all else.

Bold. competitive. smart. hard worker. tender heart. man of faith. fears the Lord.

favorite cereal-mini wheats. favorite color-red.

eats cheese like we are about to have a shortage soon. obsessed with his cousin Oak.

still my biggest cuddle bug. so open and honest. laid back. content.

No one like our Naters.

Naters woke up to his favorite bday breakfast--bacon and blueberry muffins.

First present was one his Daddy was quite excited about...Nate and Landry side by side.

Nate received special bday wishes all day from some of his heroes.

First ones were Landry and Whitney Jones.

Birthday lunch at school

Celebrating Naters at school with his class.

Almost the whole class went around and encouraged Nate, it was precious.

Such a sweet group of first graders!!

Nate chose a movie night in mom and dad's room.

We celebrated with Annie and Pops in Edmomd

This gift was one of his favorites-- a WHITE #12 jersey.

Boomer Sooner.

NATE'S FOOTBALL BIRTHDAY PARTY!!

coolest dads ever!

Such sweet friends God has given Nate.

Joy was smitten with Mr. Brian, she didn't want him to put her down.

Port, Dax and Sutton.

Jade Noles talking strategy

best cheerleader ever.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

First day of school!

August 2013

We have always asked the Lord each year what He is speaking for our kiddos and where for school. This year through a crazy serious of events, scripture, words and dreams, God was leading to put the boys in public school this year. We have been blown away by the faithfulness and kindness of God. Beau and Nate have been given Godly teachers who are constantly blessing and spurring them on towards the Lord. We walked in to back to school night and both Chris and I begin to cry because the presence of God was so evident, especially in their classroom the Lord placed them in. The day before school started a bunch of moms gathered, representing different churches, and begin to pray for the fire of God to be released at Monroe and throughout all the schools in Norman. Each child of both the boys classes received a prophetic word from the Lord. It was so powerful. It is now the beginning of February and they have seen 5 boys and 2 girls give their lives to Jesus!

It has been such a sweet reminder that God cares more about obedience than sacrifice, a heart willing and ready to respond to what is on His heart, according to His plans and purposes. In our obedience He lavishes grace upon grace to do what is in front of us. I know He daily releases a bubble of protection around my children, He clothes them with favor and pours out an abundance of His love.

God is good, all the time. Revival is here, our school system will host HIS PRESENCE, because His light through the children of God will overcome the darkness.

Nate, Port and Dax= BFF.
These are mighty first graders who are radically bringing

the Kingdom of God to their classroom. So proud of them all!

My Naters, he melts my heart daily.

My big 3rd grader with his cool hair. So blessed to have Laura Waggoner as Beau's teacher, once in our college ministry years ago. She is so amazing.

I wish I could freeze these boys at this age, it's such a fun time in life.

Brooks and Joy showing each other some love as they head into their first day of MDO.

Brooks still doesn't understand why he can't go everyday like his big brothers. He is my social one to the extreme!

This was our official first night at the house....we of course celebrated with a Bennett family dance party and cuddle time.

Monday, December 31, 2012

Hoover house. staff retreat. cousin time. end of summer.

These are a few pics of our last couple days in the Hoover house. We were so grateful for the provision God gave us through this home. So thankful for 2 1/2 sweet and memorable years there.

Game days. stellar play room. superhero hideouts. lots of leaf clean up. my garage laundry room. (won't miss that). going from 3 to 4 loves. becoming a family of 6. gutting half a house and remodeling when you don't know how. lots of forts. arts and crafts. game nights. dance parties. lego building. Brooks animals everywhere, all the time...probably still being found in hidden places. Joy's first steps.breakfast nights. the vintage booth. my awesome built in porch planter. so close to campus. watching boys learn to ride bikes, skateboard, throw the football. Brooks accepting Jesus as his Savior. Brooks crazy encounters with the Lord. Beau's amazing revelations and wisdom from the Word. Nate's prophetic dreams and shepherd's heart evolving. much new identity for us all as a family happened over those days and nights in the Hoover house. we are all forever blessed by all that happened and was released.

Thank you Lord!

laundry basket rides by Beau or Daddy was always a highlight.

Brooks painting in this exact spot on the kitchen floor happened everyday if not every other.

Last family meal around the vintage booth. miss her.

last after dinner kitchen dance party.

STAFF RETREAT

didn't really take many pics, but was our sweetest and most authentic time as a staff since we planted the church. Thank you Lord for all of our growth together and individually. Grateful for fresh vision!

You can't tell in this pic but Kourtney Hartsock had to brave and attack the million and one crazy bug/horse fly things having a family union at the dock. It was crazy. They didn't mess with Kourt though :)