Jumpy Places, a Wedding, and Camping

The Webbies, Apadocas, and Burdell kids at the the Jumpy Place!

Hurrah for Jumpy places! Those are awesome places to go in the morning (no grimy kids...besides ours), have kids burn energy (without being attacked by mosquitoes and heat stroke), and all in one room. Also, it is such an amazing spark for me kids to use your imagination. We celebrated Mia birthday with going to the Jumpy Place and having pizza and cupcakes with the fam.

That evening we all attended Emily and Nathan's Celidah. Everyone had a lovely time dancing. Bedtime that night was usual (which is somewhere close to, or past, twelve).

All the lovely sweets!

At 6:00 am I woke up and convinced myself that taking a shower would make me happy and awake. It didn't. I could still have gone to bed just as well. 

But once we went to the church I woke up.

Many people had come two hours early, thinking we would be short on time to prepare. But (thankfully) we finished everything with plenty of time to spare.

And yes, if you were wondering, I am aware that the "N and E" picture is upside down.

Dear Elizabeth Knippa with (some) of her faithful work on the table

The Reception.

As we sat around the the table and talked, the girls requested Eva's presence, and being the youngest at the table, I brought the baby over. :P

Eva can be quite the catch! She was making everyone work for her smile. Sarah was able to get a smile, after a cell phone was given to Eva, and then Eva was transferred to Anna and Eva gave another smile. 

As the reception came to a natural close (everyone was getting hungry for dinner), Nathan and Emily began to make their escape.

Becca, after a long day of attending a wedding. :)

The new and fresh, Mr and Mrs. Nathan Serven! 

One of my favorite family's.

Mia took a little, unintentional, dip into the lake

Eva and I stole a quick footsie shot (my toes compliments of Aunt Gaby and Eva's are compliments from mommy).

Dom with Grandma's eye shades and Grandpa with Dom's sunglasses!

The Girls. A little side note is that Elena did Emmy's hair in this style.

So, on Thursday after Emily's wedding we geared up and went camping to Pedenales falls. I'm afraid I didn't take too many pictures besides these :(. But other more dedicated bloggers captured some photos.

This is the third or fourth recommendation from our dear friends the Loyd's, and I'm a little bit hooked.

I gobbled read this book in five days. I always forget how much I like fantasy/ adventure/ fiction books, till I read one. Haven't decided if I completely like this one, so I'm reading the series. 

If you've read it tell me what you think.

I told Mica this looks like the place for some really artsy person to make an inde-music video. Can't you see some artsy people coming down the hill with their guitars?

Down at the splendidly cool creek (or river depends where you're from).  This song came to mind almost every single time we came down to the river.

Love, 

            Caro :)

stay calm and go camping

In the case that you haven't kept up with my wedding planning venture, I've been a wee busy lately.
The past few months have been quite the roller coaster, having a full mental plate while having a hand in planning three different weddings has made for one pretty tired, petite person; with everything going on right now, I can sense that a good, salty cry is in order (along with a hot bath and a glass of wine!), if only I could spare the time... I feel as if my to-do list is continually growing and I'm continually scurrying around trying to get things done; no sooner is one item completed than another unfinished item appears. It goes without saying that I'm tired. and discouraged. Quite a few things are weighing heavy on my mind and I have a long to-do list to boot. As much as I love and appreciate things to be in ship shape and Bristol fashion, I just don't have the energy or strength to do them. Tired and discouraged, I tell you.

The above has pretty much been my current petition before the Lord recently; I suppose that starting off the morning with this mindset can be dangerous. While I have been bringing these things and more before my Faithful Father, I am keenly aware of my finite state; there are so many things that I don't know, but after all, it's His will that shall come to pass and all for His glory. Our God is so kind to bring such comfort and peace with His sovereignty; it is cliche but maintaining the focus on Him and His will truly does do the soul good. While I may be swirling in a sea of confusion and discouragements, I can lean on His everlasting arms, knowing that His purposes will come to pass and for His glory; that whatever events or things that come to pass in my life, I can rest in the fact that the Lord has been preparing me for just that situation, I truly have all that I need in Him (here's a great reminder of this). There's also a merciful peace in looking back at God's past mercies, how He's provided for my every need, how He has brought His will to pass. What can I truly dread or fear (or be stressed out about or lose sleep over or...) when trusting in His sovereignty and goodness?

So, my family and I will be heading out tomorrow to go camping. Not as a result of my looming to-do list, it just so happens that while I'm struggling to get things done, we're going on a family camping trip! Nothing could be more timely, truly. While it's not relaxing to pack and prepare for the trip (more lists!!), I can imagine the rest that will be there once we set up camp, very timely indeed. Yes, ladies and gents, I'll be taking a knitting project (honestly, how can one not knit in chilly weather??) and my journal (I have a certain ideal about writing while on a camping trip, it just seems fitting somehow). After more scurrying around tomorrow, packing up the car, and finalizing a few things at home, we'll be off for the Central Texas hillcountry until Sunday. Quite fitting indeed.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

               (Psalm 91:1-2 ESV)

(it's an old one but here is my favorite rendition of this wonderful hymn, enjoy :)

A Wedding and a Birthday...

Well as many of you know tomorrow will be the wedding of two very dear people in our church:

Katie and Ray.

Over the past months it has been such a blessing to see the courtship, engagement, and now marriage of these two godly people. In our church they have "set the standard", so to speak, on this season in a unmarried persons life. Naturally a courtship will be quite different for each individual person but I have appreciated how they have been so untraditional in their planning.

Tomorrows wedding will be my first wedding in which the couple have not been living together, have no children, and have a firm relationship with the Lord.

I and my entire family are very excited to be participating in their precious wedding.

Oh, and tomorrow I will be eighteen.