"Baby, What a Big Surprise"

SUMMER IS HERE!!! Who said the summer was more laid back?!? Kyle and I have still been on the go, and out of town, which explains my lack of posting. We are back home now for several weeks until my sister has her baby, so I should catch up in the blogging world. Stay tuned because there is much to come! I will start with a quick adventure that Kyle and I took with my parents down to the coast of MS. Can anyone guess what band we went to see? The title of this post was one of their hits. CHICAGO!! I grew up listening to Chicago, and after a few road trips with the family, I could sing every one of their songs by heart. I absolutely love Chicago, and when we heard they were coming to the Beau Rivage, we jumped on the opportunity. It was such a fun concert, and I was so thankful to have shared it with my father because he is definitely the reason I developed such a fondness for their music. For those of you who do not know who Chicago is, I will give you a brief background. What set Chicago apart was they were a rock 'n' roll band with horns....and, boy can they play!

"Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois The band began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had a steady stream of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Second only to the Beach Boys in terms of singles and albums, Chicago is one of the longest running and most successful U.S. pop/rock and roll groups. According to Billboard, Chicago was the leading U.S. singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 120 million albums worldwide, scoring 22 Gold, 18 Platinum, and 8 Multi-Platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have charted five No. 1 albums, and have had twenty-one top ten hits."

Click here if you would like to read the full story.

If you ever get the opportunity to see Chicago, you must go. And if not, then go get one of their albums! It will be music to your ears!

Kyle, Me, and Dad

Mom and Me

The Four Original of Chicago

So Happy Together!

On May 6th, Kyle and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary! I cannot believe I am just now posting about this...we have obviously been very busy lately! We drove back from the beach on our anniversary, and we were exhausted from playing hard with our niece and nephew. So, we decided to stay in that night! We ordered a pizza, watched It's Complicated, and enjoyed a fun, relaxing evening at home! The following Tuesday, we celebrated again with dinner at City Grocery! It was also a fun evening, and I got my present from Kyle that day...a beach cruiser! I have been wanting one of these for several years now, and Kyle surprised me with one. I happen to think its really cute. I just need to get a straw basket, and I will be ready for my ride to the farmers market!

These four years have definitely flown by, but I can say with much joy that each year our marriage has gotten better and stronger, especially this year. Although we have suffered through a major trial this past year, it has taken our marriage to a depth we probably would not have experienced otherwise, and for this I rejoice. Oh how grateful I am to the Lord for the gift of marriage! Last year I posted ten things that I love about my sweet husband! I decided I would add one to the list each year we celebrate our anniversary. I could certainly add ten more, but I want it to be relevant for that year. Happy 4 Years Kyle! Love you to pieces!

1. His love for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and his desire to make the gospel known among college students and around the world.

2. His desire to always have fun...Kyle plans the best road trips ever!

3. His kindness towards others.

4. His patience with me, which is a lot!

5. His servant heart.

6. His positivity...Kyle is the most optimistic person I know!

7. His love for family.

8. His humility.

9. His passion for sports, especially Ole Miss...I know this is crazy, but I do love that he loves it so much!

10. His LOVE for ME!!!!!

11. He is so gentle and caring, yet very strong too. This year has had its share of ups and downs, and I am so thankful that I have been able to walk through it with my dear husband beside me.

This Chapter Comes to An End..

I have posted about these girls hundred times now, but this will probably be the last one for a while being that my senior girls are now ALUMNI of The University of Mississippi! Each of them graduated from Ole Miss last Saturday, and their days as a college student have come to an end! I attended the ceremony in The Grove, and it was an honor to be a part of this momentous occasion. It was definitely bittersweet. I know that the Lord is going to do amazing things in and through these young women, so I am very excited for them and their future! However, as I have said many times, it is still so sad to see them go. That is the not so fun part of ministry...sending students off! What a privilege it was though to have them at Ole Miss for four years, and what an asset they were to Campus Crusade. Love you girls! You are very dear to me, and you will be deeply missed!

Chelsea, Morgan, Callie, Christie,

Carmen Rae, and Meg

The Girls and Me

Carmen Rae and Me

Chelsea and Me

Morgan and Me

Christie and Me

Sunshiny Days

Kyle and I had a very action-packed, fun-filled week at the beach with my family! We had been in Destin for our regional conference with Crusade, so from there we met my family in Orange Beach for a few days. It was a great beach trip, and I really enjoyed having all my family in one place (we missed you Kevin)! This was Kyle's first time to meet Mikias so that was very exciting too! I'm not sure who had more fun on the trip...Kyle and I or the kids!?! The kids definitely preferred the pool over the beach, but we made sure to get in some time at both. We also took a trip to the outlet mall, and Lambert's before we left town. We had a blast spending time with Molly Kate and Mikias, and it definitely brought us much joy! We are so looking forward to having them in Oxford for a week in July!

Etta Catherine Balducci

My dear friend Ellen finally got to meet her daughter on Thursday morning! The Balduccis chose not to find out the sex of their baby, but we now know Baby Balducci is a GIRL!!! Etta Catherine was born on Thursday at 9:14 am and she weighed 6 pounds and 13 ounces, and was 19 1/2 inches long. We dropped by the hospital on Friday on our way to Sea Grove, and got to meet precious Etta Catherine! She is a beautiful baby girl, and quite cuddly! I do believe she has already taken a liken to us. We are so thankful the Balduccis will be in Oxford one more year, not only so we can spend some more time with them, but also with sweet Etta Catherine!

If Words Were Only Enough

Yes, I am fully aware that I have already posted about my precious Senior girls, but I must do it again! Tuesday night was our last Crusade weekly meeting of the semester because the students have exams next week. Christie, Chelsea, and Morgan, three of my disciples, took me to dinner at Old Venice before the meeting. It was such a sweet and honoring time. The girls brought me a gorgeous flower arrangement in a McCarty bowl! And to top that off, they each wrote me a letter! I waited until I got home that evening to read them, and I just sat in the chair and sobbed. These girls are so dear to me, and I truly feel like Paul did when he left Titus. I feel like these girls are my spiritual daughters, and each of them hold a special place in my heart. Words truly are not enough to describe what they mean to me. I wish I could just stop time for a few weeks, so I could grab a little more time with them. The reality is though they will be Ole Miss alumni come next Saturday, and my heart is filled with joy as I ponder upon what the Lord has in store for them. I am just incredibly grateful for the time He gave me with them. What a blessing!

Morgan, Me, Christie, Chelsea

Morgan, Christie, Me, Chelsea, Carmen Rae

My lovely flowers!