Easter 2012

Kev and I had quite the Easter weekend.

One for the memory books!

We had so much going on Easter Sunday that we opted to do the Saturday evening Easter service, just the two of us, before both of our families were under one roof for the first time.

Exciting stuff!

So we put on our Saturday best and off to church we went.

and that would be our new memory wall in the background. full of pics of strangers. it's a work in progress.

though if you look closely there is a baby bailey pic on the wall ;-)

That evening Kev's parents came to town with pizza and fresh salad in hand.

We spent Saturday night in with them on the couch watching a movie and enjoying each other's company.

My parent's drove up early Sunday morning for our Easter lunch/dinner.

My mama and my future MIL helped me out in the kitchen and we made enough food for an army!

Deviled Eggs, hashbrown casserole, broccoli casserole, my special green bean bundles, daddy's smoked ham, coleslaw, mama's baked beans and oreo/dirt pudding cake. Delish!!

My future MIL and her baby boy

KR and baby bro

Uggie Sue in her normal state of mind

It was so nice to have everyone under the same roof for such a special holiday.

Everything went perfect!!!!

The doggies loved it too.

This pic was taken moments before uggie decided to jump up in my spot and try to steal a piece of my ham.

little rascal!

We pigged out

and i think after our feast Charlie had already read all of our minds.....

We had around an hour before we needed to leave for the baptism.

So we put on a pot of coffee and sat around on the back patio enjoying the beautiful day in KY and talking all things wedding.

Please look at Uggie's face in this pic.

(kev had an outfit change for the baptism)

Of course I had to have a group photo :-)

And look who decided to get in on the action all on their own....precious doggies.

We then headed over to our church for the pond baptism.

Kev signed up

look out how many people were there for support.

there were over 300 people signed up to baptized in the pond that day.

it was amazing and so powerful!

Prayer circle involving our pastor and associate pastors performing the baptisms.

lines of people ready to wash away their sins on Easter Sunday

No matter where we go, those tattoos are already a source of conversation. Even if you are getting baptized :-)

Kev was baptized by one of the main youth pastor's at our Church, Nate.

Discussing Kev's "journey"

Praying

These pics speak for themselves

This one is my favorite, the one of him coming back up from the water.

Every time I look at it I am so emotionally overwhelmed and so proud of him.

So blessed that Kev's parents and my parents were able to be part of such a special day.

I can not even begin to describe the emotions i had last Sunday.

I am so in love with this man and I am so thankful that God put us in each other's lives.

So blessed that we were able to share this holiday with the most important people in our lives and remember what Easter is all about.

And for Kev to be baptized....just made this Easter even more special.

To God Be the Glory :)

A very special Easter Weekend

It's going to be an Easter weekend full of very special memories around my neck of the woods.

For starters, both of our parents are all meeting for the first time and I am hosting Easter dinner.

Stressful? Yes! But exciting? Even bigger YESSSSSS!

We have been trying to make this work for a while now and it has been tough to coordinate schedules.

Kevin Rex and I are huge on family and we are both looking forward to the whole clan spending time together.

I have been coordinating the menu all week. My momma and my future MIL will both be helping me in the kitchen this Easter. Oddly enough, I have always sorta daydreamed about this, about two families becoming one.

It's such a special time in both mine and KR's lives.

Even more exciting news regarding the weekend is that this Easter Sunday, the man of my dreams is getting baptized.

:-)

Kev and I were so fortunate to find our church and  call it home in December of 2010.

I was always raised in a very christian home and church. In my family you went every sunday rain, snow or shine.

However, even through college and since I have lived in Lexington I never found the church I called home. I felt that my relationship with the man upstairs was distant and I needed a church to help with reconnecting my spiritual relationship and faith.

Now Kev, his mother is the sweetest woman you will ever meet, but his house growing up wasn't as involved in church as mine was.

Yet, when we first started dating he was so open to helping me find a Church and building a relationship with God of his own.

Enter Southland, our church!

From the moment we walked in the doors our relationship with God and with each other was forever changed.

Have you ever got to witness a grown man become a Christian and develop his relationship with God from the ground up?

It is something so beautiful I can not do it justice with words.

For Kev, he hadn't went to sunday school Ike I had and heard all the stories of the bible.

I got to witness him read the book of Genesis and learn about Adam and Eve.

I watched read about Kane and Abel, Noah and the Arc and

 the birth, death, and resurrection of our Savior.

He was so intrigued and just yearned to learn more and more.

Christmas 2010 I got him his first bible and to this day the man always has it out in a different place in our home because he is always reading it 

It's special.

Then, Kev got really into christian authors that were mentioned at church.

He would literally read books by the week and the day.

I highly HIGHLY recommend the book by John Eldredge titled Wild at Heart.

Parts of the book changed KR's life.

I watched him struggle with his questions about Christianity. Questions I could not answer, but I turned him toward the man above.

At times it was like watching a little boy learn about the bible and Jesus for the first time.

His childlike innocence and faith has literally melted my heart so many times.

Most males I know have had some exposure to the church and religion and have made a decision about how they choose to follow in their adult life.

But for me to really be able to witness Kev's Christianity from birth to now is something so precious to me.

Watching A MAN develop such a strong and powerful faith and relationship was life changing.

So after thinking about it for over a year, KR decided that this very special Sunday he would be baptized.

What better way for our parents to meet than over such a wonderful holiday and such a special moment in mine and Kev' life.

Our church does a big Easter celebration every sunday at their pond where the baptize anybody who wants to make this confession of faith public. Last year there were hundreds.

(that water sure is gonna be freeezing after the chilly nights we have been having in the bluegrass)

I am sure I will be a big bawl bag because this is all so emotional for me in a very positive light.

I always knew that i wanted a Christian man in my life.

However, I had no idea how blessed I would be to have it be Kev.

He challenges me everyday to be a better person. Everyday!

He has turned into our spiritual leader in our household and has taught me things about my faith that I never could imagine.

His faith is SOOO childlike.

At times, I envy it because that is exactly how it is supposed to be.

I can say in our relationship we are striving to put the man upstairs first.

It isn't always easy. There are days when we fail, but that is why we have grace.

I know that if we continue to do this our relationship can survive anything.

I swear I can't wait to tell our kids about this day in the future.

It's going to be such a special weekend around here.

I'm so looking forward to it.

Happy Easter everyone.

May you take the time to remember what this holiday is all about.

I hope you are surrounded by the love of family and friends

Merry Christmas Ya'll

It's so easy to get caught up in the wish lists, the presents, the wrapping, the decorations, the cooking, the holiday stress, the baking, the traditions, the Christmas cards and the parties. 

And all of that does make this time of the year so special, but......

I hope each of you can take a moment to reflect on what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.

Sometimes it is so easy to forget and not take a moment to truly understand the reason for the season.

When I was a little girl, I would scour the Bible searching for the Christmas story.

I have always been so fascinated by it and all the details of the story.

It is amazing.

When i was in grade school I got to play Mary at the local church play.

Even though I had not a single speaking line, I was so excited about carrying that baby doll and laying him in a manger.

If I really sit down and think about it and all the miracle circumstances that go with the biblical passages about the Christmas story, I am left in awe of the mighty man above that connects us all.

Just wanted to share with each of you my favorite Bible Story.

The Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph,, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us."
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. -King James Version

Luke 2:1-14
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
 -King James Versions

Luke 2:15-20
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
 -King James Version

 Merry Christmas Ya'll!

I pray many blessings to you and your families where ever you may be this season.