The Big 2-4!!!

That's right, I turned 24 on Monday! Of course you can't just celebrate your birthday on ONE day...so I spent the weekend celebrating as well! :) For Sunday lunch, some of our life group went to Joe T's to celebrate all of the February birthday's in our class. The sun came out long enough for us to sit outside and enjoy our fabulous meal!

I love, love, love downtown Fort Worth and had wanted to spend most my actual birthday hanging out there, at the Water Gardens, Trinity Park, and the Botanical Gardens. However, it was COLD on my birthday! So we made a family outing to the Water Gardens Sunday afternoon, which was a complete blast.

My sweet mama took Monday off of work so she could spend my birthday with me. I got to sleep in a little and then we headed to PF Chang's downtown for lunch. Our waitress was sweet and brought me out a tiny little red velvet cake...my fav! And God bless her, she did NOT sing Happy Birthday to me!!!! I'm not big on being sung too in restaurants. :)

After our delicious lunch at PF Chang's, we got birthday mani's & pedi's. I don't get to splurge on getting pampered too often, so this was a wonderful treat! I have such an amazing mom!!! I love her so much!

By the time we got home, both boys were home from school, so I got to open presents, eat dinner & birthday cake with them. Then a friend of mine took me to the Mavs game to see them play the Pacers. I've never been to a game on my birthday, so it was a really fun night. We had awesome seats right behind the Mavs goal and to top it off, they brought home a birthday victory for me! Ok, maybe not just for me... ;)

All in all, I had a perfect 24th birthday. I was so blessed by all my friends happy birthday text messages, calls and facebook posts! I think God knew that I needed to be loved on, and I certainly felt loved! Thanks to everyone who helped make my 24th so great! And here's to a new year full of new lessons to learn, new adventures to be had, and new joys to experience. God is good!

Baking My Way to Africa

A lady my mom works with said that if I would bake her a Pecan Cobbler, that she would donate towards my trip! I have no problem at all baking my way to Africa if that's what it takes. Here's a picture of the yummyness...wish I could have had a bite, it smelled sooo good!



I am so humbled and moved by all the generous donations towards this trip to Africa. I need about $1000 more in donations and I'll be all paid up...that's incredible!!! Especially considering that all this has happened within less than a month. Amazing. Still blown away at how much bigger this trip is than just me and how God is using it to reach people here even before I ever step foot in Zambia.

The mission of helping orphans in a foreign country is something that interests people. People that would not give me the time of day to talk to them about God will gladly listen, with a smile on their face, as I tell them about the work I'll be doing with orphans in Africa through children camps. My prayer is that God will receive all the glory and that He will use me as a vessel to bring glory to Him whether in Texas or Africa.

We had a missionary speak to our life group this past Sunday. He had some really good and critical things to say, not just about missions, but about our daily walks with God. I had a chance to talk with him for just a minute after life group about what I would be doing in Africa this summer. He said something that echoed in my mind all week: "I hope it ruins you." He said this with the biggest smile on his face and I knew exactly what he meant. My reply was that I hope it ruins me too. I hope and pray this trip ruins me for everyday life as I've come to know it. I pray that I would see a bigger work that God is doing and that I would not be satisfied to come "home" living the same way as I did before I left. I'm praying and feel confident that this trip will be life-changing. I'm not exactly sure how it will change me, but I know it will, and I know it will "ruin me." I can't wait.

5 Questions

I got tagged by Megan to answer these 5 questions. I'm such a sucker for these things!

Instructions: Answer 5 questions with 5 answers, and then tag 5 people.

1. Where were you 10 years ago?
>I was 14 years old, in the 8th grade.
>I had just moved to Saginaw and started at my new school, Wayside Middle.
>I missed my friends at Bluebonnet Middle and made new friends that I still love to this day.
>I sang in my first UIL solo competition.
>My Sunday School teacher guided me in my walk with Christ and taught me life lessons I still hold onto.

2. What is on your to do list for today?
>It's late today, so TOMORROW I will take Jonathan to school.
>Finish algebra homework.
>Go to classes.
>Go to praise band practice.
>Watch the new Grey's and The Office before bed. :)

3. What five snacks do you enjoy?
>Popcorn - all time fav
>Chips & queso
>Ice Cream
>Pretzels
>Goldfish crackers

4. Where are five places you have lived?
>Fort Worth, Texas
>Overton, Nevada
>Bedford, Texas
>Glen Rose, Texas
>College Station, Texas

5. Name five things you would do if you were a billionaire.
>Tithe to my church & donate to missions
>Pay back my student loans
>Pay off my car
>Make sure my mom & brothers are taken care of
>Have a really fun shopping spree!!!

Now, I tag...
1. Joanna
2. Rachel
3. Jennifer
4. Phillip
5. Christina

Latest Africa Update!

We've raised $2000 for my trip to Africa in 2 weeks!!! Half way there...you guys are awesome!!!! I am so thrilled at how God is working everything out. I made the $1000 down payment deadline last week with 1 day to spare, and less than a week later the total amount raised is at $2000! I am literally blown away. That leaves $2300 to go. I cannot say thank you enough for all the generous donations. I am physically going on this trip, but everyone who has donated, loved on me and lifted up a prayer is going on this trip too.

A few more prayer requests:
*I will need to get several immunization shots (oh joy!) before I go. The money sent to Family Legacy goes straight to the cost of the trip (as is should), so please be in prayer that God would provide money for shots, traveling expenses (meals, souvenirs, etc.) and other personal expenses as I prepare for this trip.

*Continue to be in prayer for my spiritual walk as God deepens my love for Him and grows me into a woman after His own heart. Pray that in everything, at all times, HE would be more than Enough.

*Pray that I would be protected spiritually, mentally, emotionally & physically from the enemy's attacks.

*As graduation draws near (3 months!) pray that God would direct my path to the career that He has planned for me and that my final semester would go smoothly.

The tremendous amount of donations and support I've received have showed me that this trip is bigger than just me. This is YOUR trip too! I would LOVE to hear your personal story of any way God has worked in your life through your giving, praying or hearing of this trip. Please do not hesitate to write me, call me, or tell me in person what God is going in your life!

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." ~Deuteronomy 6:5