Monday, August 29, 2011

Its ALL new, but it is Good

A new home~
A new city~
A new school for my girls~
A new school time (8:20-3:40)~
A new school district with a lot of school pride~
A new grocery store~
A new hair stylist~
A new favorite local eat~
New neighbors~
New church~
New friends~

And so the list could go!!! Its funny how my IPhone map has become my best friend as I learn all the new places and how to get around Katy. ;)
So life in Katy has been about a month, and my home is finally feeling like home. Everything is up on the walls and in place. One of the newest things I almost love best..... is the long bar and tall bar stools where 3 beautiful girls sit every morning before school as I scurry around in the kitchen.
We have already had some really good conversations. It is good! :)

Thursday, August 25, 2011

A man and a dog

Because men and women fight for my freedom every.single.day....and because I'm an animal lover...you have to see this!

(you might want to you tube it, you can't see all of the dog)
The photo showing the bond between felled Navy SEAL Jon Tomlinson and his dog Hawkeye has captured the attention of the Web.

The soldier was one of 38 killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 6 when a rocket-propelled grenade took out a U.S. Chinook helicopter. He was mourned at a service in Rockford, Iowa, attended by 1,500 family members and friends, and Tomlinson's loyal canine companion.

The Labrador retriever was such an important part of Tomlinson's life that the San Diego resident called his dog "son."

When Tomlinson's friend Scott Nichols walked to the front of the room to give his eulogy, Hawkeye followed. As Nichols spoke, Hawkeye dropped to the ground at the foot of the casket and, according to observers, heaved a big sigh. The loyal pooch would not leave his owner's casket during the funeral.

The video clip of the mourning dog seen here has already received more than 113,000 views.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

And then there was 3!!!!

Yes, all 3 girls in school!! I can't believe it. The year 2005 seems like yesterday and now the last Prater girl is going to big school. Wow!

4th, 2nd, Kindergarten....my girls! So here they are, one of my greatest joys and blessings. I come to this year thankful and grateful for the 9 years I've been home with them. The huge sacrifices made, the time, the endless memories. Thank you Lord for the time with my girls. :)

First day of school 2011-2012



(Grammy always makes it to first day of Kindergarten-Annalise's turn now!!)





Thursday, August 18, 2011

What my soul craves this very moment.....

~ A routine....
~ early mornings in my bible again....
~ Cooler weather~ Fall~ a very BIG hope its a cold winter....
~ a date night with my hubby....
~ instant friendships for my girls as they start a new year at a new school....

These past 3 weeks of this summer have been incredible busy, non-stop, and truly just hard work as we packed up a house in League City and moved across Houston to Katy and unpacked into our new home. And along with that, life didn't stop like church world and seeing family and registering your girls for a new school district. My days have been filled with A LOT. I'm tired, but I'm incredible thankful and grateful for all that has happened in these weeks.
So right now, I find some peace and rest writing on my blog and reading some blogs.
This is nice.... :)

Thursday, August 4, 2011

House Update

Wow, I've never intended my summer to be consumed with trying to sell a home but it sure was! Wow, so glad it is over....no we didn't sell our home but we did lease it out for a year. Praise God! My prayer through all this transition into church planting world has been that my girls would start school in Katy. Such a HUGE answer to prayer~ we just needed to start life in Katy. All summer, we have been commuting on Sunday for Cross Community because well, the church plant has begun and we are in the process of building the "core team". So, life in 2 cities as pretty much consumed a lot of our time. So, I am excited to tell you that someone put an offer of lease on our home last week and we signed on a lease home there in Katy yesterday.
Back at the end of June, we had someone put an offer on our home to buy but they wanted A LOT of money to be brought to the table. We knew with the crazy market and type of loan we had on the house we needed to have quite a bit saved and we did, it's just they needed so much help that we would of ended up in an apartment over in Katy because we emptied our entire savings. We were not at peace with that decision, so we declined the offer that was presented. Another continued blessing came again in 4 weeks, we had this offer to lease. We took it! It lined up and was perfect in many ways. God is good~always! :)
So, now we press forward and move out of our League City home this Saturday...Yes! I will have packed this home in 4 days...yes a 4 bedroom, 2100 sq ft home but I am thankful we have lived simple. It pays off now! ;) Seriously though, I am just thankful to be packing a home so we can at least get one year under us and continue to work hard in starting the church in Katy. Thank You Lord! :)