Grant is very excited - he will be going to college for kids this summer for 3 weeks - he will go to a week of day camp at Camp Thurman - he will also go to a vacation bible school or 2 with cousins. I am debating on getting Hawaiian Fall passes but we will get the standard Six Flags pass for him and Ray. He is quite the bookworm so we will take exciting visits to the library where I will sit with a magazine and he will spend HOURS looking at books. A couple of cousins have pools so we will venture to those. So, congrats Mr. Grant - YOU are a BIG 4th grader now!
This is a pix. right after awards night at school where he was awarded to be on the Honor Roll.
This is our 1st trip of the Summer to the library!
Over the past week or two we have had Rachel's birthday and Mother's Day. Rachel turned the big 24 - I can't believe it - mostly because it makes me 44, YIKES! She had a great day but she kinda shared it with me because it was Mother's Day. Actually 24 years ago I had her on the Friday before Mother's Day and brought her home on MD. Every now and then her birthday falls on that Sunday - so we have to share the day. It was wonderful and I was VERY blessed with all the kids here with me. I don't know how lucky I will be in the coming years to have them all around the table but this year, I was blessed. Ray started the day with serving us both breakfast in bed, that's a great way to start the day. We didn't go to church anywhere but had our own time with the Lord at home. Rachel went out for a lunch and shopping with the sisters and a few friends. I enjoyed a beautiful, lazy day with my boys. Oh, I forgot to mention that Ray had gotten up EARLY that morning to go shopping for breakfast stuff, flowers for us and stuff for an AWESOME birthday/mother's day dinner. So, while the girls were out he began to prepare a feast for dinner. We had steak, shrimp and ALL the fixins! Austin was here because his sweet Momma is in Israel - so I was blessed to stand in her place for the day. He grilled the steaks and did a FAB job! Megan came back a bit early and did her famous salad and helped with everything. It was truly a PERFECT day. We went around the table in Baker fashion and said things that we truly treasure about Rachel and they did the same for me. It was funny, sweet, unlifting, touching and glorious to be sitting there with my gifts from God. Another GIFT from God is that my sweet, precious, angelic Mother was here with me on our Mother's Day! She also enjoyed her day and LOVED the dinner (even if she like shoe leather steak)! She is 1 of the biggest blessings and joys in my life and everyone around her! I FOR REAL couldn't have asked God for a BETTER MOMMA!! So that covers the most recent Birthdays/Holidays!
Rachel's birthday outing with her buddies!
Random pix of Rach with Casey!
Rachel --- she is in the news at our house!! Boy oh boy, it's getting exciting around here awaiting her departure for Jerusalem, Israel on June 8th (I was wrong - she leaves ON THE 5th of June, the 8th is Megans b'day)!! She is beyond excited and we are ALL beyond excited for her! She is such a hard worker and she has been working SO HARD at her job and the Lord has blessed her with so many people that have wanted to sow into her trip! It has been quite overwhelming - like it always is. I love to see how the Lord leads peoples hearts to help fulfill His call for other peoples lives. It's such a testimony to the body of Christ and how we all work together to spread the Word of God. She also has had people get in touch with her and say, please give me your address - I must give! 1 person is supporting her by paying all her bills here while she is gone. This woman said that the Lord had put it on her heart that she was partnering with her like she was actually going herself. 1 older couple said that they had ALWAYS wanted to go and knew that they couldn't, so they felt that they were fulfilling their dream, through her! It is very humbling to see people give to your children! If we ever have any doubt about giving to help advance the Kingdom of God in Israel, God always reminds us of His words about Israel - “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3) Isn't that awesome that He will bless those that bless Israel! Rachel actually had a wonderful prayer time that some amazing friends and her sisters prayed over her about her trip. 1 of the friends felt VERY impressed while praying that 1 of the reasons that Rachel was going and working in Israel was to fulfill a dream and a PRAYER that had been prayed - for generations in our family. The prayer is on video and I played it for my Mother and she began to cry. She shared with us and I already knew that she had ALWAYS wanted to go to the Land where our Jesus had walked. She said that she planned trips, saved for trips, prayed about trips and dreamed of trips but she never went.... She also shared that who knows how many other generations had prayed that 1 day they would be able to go to the Holy Land. SO - we feel she is fulfilling her dream, prayers and call but also fulfilling generations before her, prayers!! Isn't that awesome how our prayers are NEVER discounted? We just don't know exactly how they will be answered or when!!
So Rach is buying things to get ready, she's seeing the dentist and the Dr. for last minute check ups. She actually went to our family Dr. today and he was SO excited for her. He gave her many precaution prescription and set her mind at ease that Israel has some of the most advanced and very well equipped hospitals in the world. Her only need now, that if you could join us to pray, is a computer. She doesn't have a laptop and it would be VERY useful for her to have 1 to take. Since the internet will be her only way to keep in touch with home, she needs to be able to take 1 with her. She is believing God and we know it will happen somehow. She is SO prepared - she is my list maker, crosses every "t" and dots every "i"! I love that about her (and she gets it from me) so we are trying to not forget anything that will make her trip, THE BEST!
Olivia will be flying to meet her there on August 8th (i'm thinking now I don't have either date right, HA) and she will be flying by herself from Dallas to Atlanta with a 3 or 4 hr. layover and then from Atlanta to Tel Aviv! YIKES, my almost 17 year old flying by herself. She will do amazing and we have NOT a worry in the world about it.
Olivia is working hard too and will pay for ALL of her trip herself from working other then a bit of graduation and birthday money. She is SO, SO, SO excited and as her time gets closer we may have to lock her in a room because she will be so excited, she will drive us all CRAZY, HA!! But Liv will be there about 3 1/2 weeks and she will fly home with Rachel at the end of August.
So that is the updates on the world travelers! Ray, Sarah and I are going to Florida in a couple of weeks to go to Brittany and Davi's wedding - Ray will be marrying them and Sarah will be a bridesmaid. That will be a nice/busy 5 day getaway. We are very excited for Bink and Davi. We finished up counseling and the ceremony details last night. They are an AMAZING couple that we LOVE so much! They are no doubt my children! Here is a picture of the soon to be married couple!
A week before Brittany and Davi's wedding Ray will marry my NIECE, Katie. Her and Justin are a PRECIOUS couple too and we are excited to see their journey start. Here is a picture on the day of her wedding shower. The girl cousins (missing 6)! Not an ugly 1 in the bunch!! The bride-to-be is the 3rd 1 on the right, on the back row.
Thought I might better put a few random 1's of Sarah and Liv - don't want to leave anyone out! This is Sarah and our new harp!
Liv bowling at Casey's birthday party!
Hannah and Austin are working and enjoying LIFE! They are 2 of the cutest people together. They have SO MUCH FUN together and are always doing something. They are constantly going - concerts, movies, plays, sporting events - they are very busy enjoying each other and building a wonderful relationship together. My last blog told about their 1 year festivities so here is a few pictures of their day in San Antonio.
This is of them EARLY that morning making the day drive to San Antonio
Hannah surprised Austin with "Lunch with Shamu" - it was great food and they loved it!
This is after a water ride! OH I love PICTURES!!
Them at a Ranger game - OK, I'm done with them. They just do so good taking pictures!
It will be a busy Summer for us all - it will go fast - it will be TEXAS HOT - it will be Summer 2009 - it will be a Summer to remember...
Stay cool, stay safe, stay sunscreened up, stay BLESSED! love to all!
2 comments:
I love all you Bakers!
YAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!
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