Be ThankFALL!

Coincidentally, it is Friday! And that's awesome, as always! 

But I definitely meant...

THANK GOD IT'S...FALL!!

Before we get started, just want to take a minute to thank Him for another year of life, health and happiness. It has been quite the journey, and we are so grateful to you for that, God! 

On that note, let's get started with our October update! A lot has happened this month, which is evident from my lack of blog posts, so I wanted to take a few minutes to catch y'all up! 

We started the month off in the best way possible, I can think of NO BETTER WAY to show our love for Jesus Christ and his mercy and unconditional love in our life, than the one we started with! 

October 4, 2015- WE WERE BORN AGAIN! Yep, My husband and I were baptized! Justin has been baptized, but after the year we have had, he did not hesitate to join me for my first, and his second time being made new! It started out like a pretty normal Sunday, got up, late as usual. Why is it that we are up at the crack of dawn Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and OF COURSE, Saturday, but without fail, EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY, we are scramblin' faster than eggs in a hot cast iron skillet!? 

The first thing I usually do, is thank God for bringing us into a congregation of REAL folks who know that without that later service, half of us would be late or not make it at all! Lol. Anyways, we made it to service, with no time to spare, and no coffee either, for that matter. It was a great service, as they all are. But I couldn't help but chase after my brain as it wandered off to the excitement and nervousness building inside of me. The only way to help you understand why that was happening, is to explain it simply as the reason. It took me 27 years to be baptized, on purpose. It wasn't for lack of opportunity. I have been to more churches of more faiths than most people you will meet in your lifetime, I've had too many pastors to count offer me a chance to "save my soul". I have even had one attempt to "slay me in the spirit", to no avail. It was my personal convictions, or until recently, lack thereof, that kept me from making the choice sooner. Let me explain.

I wasn't raised religious, didn't go to church on Sundays. At least not with my own family. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't raised AGAINST religion either. My mother just wasn't sure where her faith stood during my childhood, so she didn't feel it was right to force that upon us, when she wasn't even sure what exactly she believed. In some ways, I resented that as my faith grew, but in most ways, I appreciated her for allowing me to find my way to God's plan for me. I have experienced a lot of Christians who had experienced much confusion and even more resentment because they built their beliefs around their parents beliefs, rather than building their own spiritual foundation. Ya know, the good ol' saying, "road in on their coattails"? That's what I mean. I never went through that phase. I had no coattails to ride in on. My hunger had to be filled by my own choice to eat. And if my mother ever taught me anything about religion and being saved, it was that being baptized was NOT to be taken lightly. It wasn't some little show of faith, or a gesture to impress anyone or meet their expectations. It was a PERSONAL commitment to God to clean your act up. To forgive yourself and accept Him as the savior of your life, and to ACT accordingly, forever. So, I ate. Sometimes, I grazed, somedays I snacked, sometimes I endulged in a full course meal. Whatever form those "meals" came in, by the end of my "first" life, my belly was full. And when I realized that I could finally taste the familiarity of the flavors crossing my palette, I knew that MY moment was coming, and very soon. A few more months of studying, note taking, and the defining touch, the restoration of my marriage through the Big man himself, and I realized I was finally aching, even BURNING inside to take that step. I was on fire. More than ever, I needed to let go of my mistakes, forgive myself for my sins, and truly show God that I trusted that He had done the same, as His word promises he already has. On October 4th, with my best friend and life partner by my side, the man God hand picked just for me, that's just what I did...

I'd like to say that those pictures were good enough to show you how powerful that moment was for me. But they aren't. They are a good second, though! Fortunately, I was ALSO blessed with an incredible friend who appreciated the magnitude of that decision, and caught it on video, too...

Thank you, Kaci! I appreciate ya! 

Pastor Stephen asked me that question, "have you accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life?" With NO hesistation, I was READY and I excitedly responded, "I HAVE!" and I did, with complete understanding of why, what and who it was for! As you can see, I was overwhelmed stepping out of that water, I can't say I've ever felt so clean, in my life! And I had a lot of life and bad decisions to wash away, so trust me when I say, I felt brand new in that moment, and every moment since! 

Once I dried off, I sent my mom the pictures. Believe it or not, though she hadn't raised me in church, in the last year, she has played a HUGE role in the development of my faith. It was only in the last year, she started to share her own journey of faith with me and it has become some of the powerful testimony in my own walk with God. Matter of fact, we credit the restoration of OUR relationship to God, after years of trying to find a common ground, He was it. I could never understand why I didn't understand my mom and why I felt like she never understood me. These days, I don't have to wonder anymore. Because we finally have that understanding, that trust, that bond, that friendship we lost along the way. When she finally felt like I was listening, she finally started talking. And now, my ears are completely open to all the lessons and experiences she can and wants to share with me. It has been life changing to say the least! So, to experience being reborn without her by my side, was bittersweet. And that emotion was only confirmed when I sent those pictures above to her after the big moment...

I can't explain how that felt. More testimony is all that comes to mind. My mom doesn't use abbreviations, LOL. <You like how I did that? :) But really, she doesn't. It was heart warming knowing that she was so proud of the journey I am on, and that she knew that I had heeded her advice to wait until I KNEW that I was ready, and that she KNEW that I was finally ready, also. Needless to say, I am beyond that moon excited to see her for Thanksgiving next month. And all the days I get to spend with her after. The pleasure has been worth every ounce of the pain, Mom! I am honored to be your daughter! I am humbled God used you the way He did and continues to do so, in my life. I see nothing but an incredible future for our relationship!

GOD IS SO GOOD! 

I'd say I'm finally headed in the right direction!!

Like I said, it was an incredible way to start the month! And that was ONLY the beginning! 

Justin and I have been craving a trip to the zoo, now that the Princesses are old enough to really appreciate the animals (and walk most of the way, lol). Well, we picked a winner when we finally got the chance to take them this month, and a winner it was! The Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, is, BY FAR, the most beautiful, well taken care of, large spanning park we have ever visited, and we have seen a few! We spent less than fourty bucks on the whole afternoon, gas included. It took us the good part of the day to walk the whole park and the best part was how content each of the animals looked in their HUGE exhibits. It was like walking through different parts of the world! Not only did the each have ample room to play and live, they had the coolest interactive areas for us to enjoy, too! There was an otter slide, a giraffe feed, an alligator cave and ironically, the orangutan was the sweetest guy in the park! We would have taken him home with us, if it was possible and I think he gladly would have obliged! ;)

Oh, and we even squeezed in lunch & a break basket refill at my favorite bakery of all, 

 Collin Street!!!

It was a great day, and that's an understatement! 

Another highlight of the month...

#OperationChristmasChild has begun at church! The goal is to fill as many boxes as possible with little gifts, and learning tools, and hygiene items and then ship them off to the children around the world in need! They set a goal for 200 boxes...and the congregation wiped those out on day 1! It is great to give at Christmas, but it's even more wonderful to teach our children the importance of helping those who cannot help themselves...that is a lesson life doesn't always teach us, and it's our job as parents to teach our babies to be the change they want to see in the world! So, we grabbed our first two boxes on our way out of service and headed on our way!

After coming home for a nap, which is almost always necessary for these two after Sunday service, we started on their friends' boxes. We started by circling a "friend" on the program for each of them...and then we headed to the store and they each got to pick out two gifts for their boxes. In the following days, we have been adding to them little by little, and it's just about time to turn them in and pick up two more. It has produced many proud moments for us as parents to see our babies getting so excited to help put smiles on the face of children they have never even met and help them build strong faith in God, He is after all, the REASON for the season!! That's a gift that just keeps on giving, if you ask me! 

Just to touch base, I mean, the endzone...the Broncos are STILL undefeated! Can't say it's been an easy road, but it's been intense and fun for sure! Beat the Browns in overtime this last week, and fortunately we have a Bye week ahead to regroup and keep working on that offensive line! We are gonna pull it together and take it all the way to that ring, I feel it in my soul! Our excitement after we spanked that Cleveland booty...and yes, that's what we are callin' it...

and for those of you who don't know, I take the undefeated #AndStill pictures BEFORE the game...so all you Denver fans can thank me for the UNDYING FAITH IN OUR BOYS that keeps us with that right side ZERO! You're welcome :)

6-0, BABY!!!! #DENVERFOREVER

So, with the month coming to an end, there has to be something missing from this post...

OH YEAH...!!! THE PUMPKINS! :) 

We never miss the chance to go to the pumpkin patch! It's tradition! 

So, we decided to support another local church in town and try their pumpkin patch this year...and man did they hit the nail on the head! It was the best one we have been to, ever! We told the girls they had to pick out one they could pick up on their own. I don't know why we thought that would work! Two hours and twenty "favorite" pumpkins later...we decided to give that idea up. They each finally picked out one smaller one for their room and one bigger one to carve. It was a leg workout...an arm workout, too. But it was a blast! 

Winner, winner...pumpkin pie for dinner...

Then, we carved them up! The girls were just as grossed out as their mama gets cleaning out the insides...if I had it my way, we'd just paint them every year. But my babies wanted to carve them, so carve we did! 

They turned out so cute! I mean, SCARY!! :) 

(And in case you were wondering, we got their awesome teeth in a kit at Wal-Mart!!)

I cannot end this post without sharing the most recent LIFE CHANGING, wonderfully, beautiful event that occurred in our life...

Adeleigh & Charlee's God parents, James and Colleen became first time parents! That's right! Baby Jaxson Foreman was born around noon on October 20th, just in time for his mama's favorite holiday, Halloween! 

8 lbs. 6 oz. & 20 inches long: 

He is one handsome little man! We could not be happier for them, they have been incredible role models for our babies while they waited patiently, and tried for years, to have one of their own. God has finally blessed them with the most beautiful little boy! And yesterday, we got to meet him! 

LOOK AT THOSE FACES! BABY FEVER WRITTEN ALL OVER THEM BOTH!

Possibly a few symptoms below too!! ;)

We are so excited to have you all in our life, babies are the greatest blessing on Earth! And God worked extra hard on your little bundle of joy! Congratulations to the Foreman family...oh and here's the first family photo...compliments of yours truly :)

Beautiful! On that incredible note, I think that about wraps up the first half of the month, Halloween is just around the corner! Vintage is having an incredible Trunk or Treat event to celebrate and offer an entirely safe place to take your kiddos this year! Come join, we won't bite...or maybe we will! ;)

But, before I go...here's a little #FlashbackFriday to remind you all how fast the time goes...

Nemo and the Cookie Monster, Halloween 2013!

Happppppppy Fall, Y'all! 

Love, 

The Peterson Family