HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!!

Well today my Sarah Jordan turns double deuces! I can hardly believe it. She is 2 mths away from being the exact age I was when I had her! CRAZY!! Now that makes me feel OLD! Where do I begin my tribute to Sarah - there is so many different directions I could go in, so maybe I will start from the beginning (I know you are saying YIKES!). I could write novels about her but I will "try" to keep it long - (you thought I was going to say short, NOPE) long is better then SUPER long so here we go....

Sarah was my born leader - not that every single 1 of my daughters aren't leaders because they are but Sarah really came that way. It wasn't a learned thing - she commanded an audience, was a pied piper - people would just follow her. I would tell her often, "Sarah, you better always walk close to the Lord because if you turn around you have an army following you". She came into the world at 4:08am to an audience then. At her birth was my 5 sisters, my future sister-in-law, my Mother and of course her Dad. They all witnessed the birth and it was a wonderful day. Little did I know that her 1st day would resemble so many more days - with everyone watching. So we welcomed #2 daughter - we lived with Grandma at the time so she had MUCH holding.

I have several "Jesus moments" with her in my Mothering history. I will never forget the time I walked in when she was 2 and she had got onto the counter in the kitchen, scooted over the toaster and then stood on it, and THEN climbed onto the refrigerator. THE TOP OF THE FRIG is where she was perched. I would say call the CPS but I remember not having my eyes off of her for seconds - she was FAST. That was only the beginning of Ms. Sarah and her active, active self. If there was something to climb, jump, crawl, run or sprint on - she was the 1. Her gift for having NO FEAR and I mean NO FEAR got her in trouble more times then I can probably count. Much of the time she weighed out if something was worth the spanking and if it was then she tried it.

Her years of sports began at a very young age. Because you see we had to get her training in how to land or she was going to get hurt. She started gymnastics at 4 and became the best at her gym - she went on to compete all over at meets. She started her softball career at about 7 and that sport took us ALL OVER the U.S. of A.! She was a natural athlete and my oh my was it FUN to watch her use her gifts. She was a stud at really anything she did. She is VERY humble but if you ask her she will take you to our local softball field where she has her name on 3 plaques for 2 state and 1 national softball championships!! Her basketball career was just as awesome. She was a point guard that her Dad often said - she throws the ball through a team of girls like she is threading a needle (whatever that means). She had an eye that could find a teammate and then effortlessly pass it to them. Her shot was a beauty and did I say she was TOUGH! She had the wind knocked out of her so bad in a basketball game that she still suffers. Her eyeball has been so red with blood, she could hardly see. She's taken line drives at shortstop that have left stitching marks on every part of her. She was and is tough!! She was our all-star in SO MANY WAYS!! What FUN years of sports they were. Her sports didn't stay in the gyms or on the fields. Her very best friend for YEARS was Zach - Zach and Sarah would rollerblade for days. They began to get into aggressive skating and I can't count how many prayers I have prayed while I watched her skate down a 1/2 pipe, jump the tallest ramp and skate so fast I didn't think her wheels could be touching the ground. OH MY a Mother's prayer!! She was and IS my little dare-angel!! She still has MANY things that she wants to do. I asked her recently if she thought age had started her to not be as daring and she said "probably not". HA! I think she still has many years of trying new things.

Then at 14 yrs. old we thought life had ended because Sarah came to Ray and I & said the UNTHINKABLE! I want to quit sports and pursue music! WHAT!! Are you kidding me!! Our Sarah, our STAR athlete, our GOD GIFTED star!! OH MY, someone go get the smelling salt because her Dad is going down. SO, being calm and cool, and after MANY talks we agreed that her heart was NOT in sports any longer and her heart was RUNNING for the 1 that had given her the ALL STAR quality, the 1 that had given her that natural ability, the 1 that we were convinced enjoyed watching her scoop up a line drive or sink a 3 pointer! It was Jesus that she was wanting to run after. Not a ball that gave her enjoyment but had no real eternal value. She wanted to devote her time to her youth group and begin to play on the youth band at our church. I tell you, life didn't end for us as her parents and they certainly didn't end for her - HER REAL LIFE - the purpose, the call & her DESTINY in life - was JUST BEGINNING.

Her 1 desire was and is to worship her King - the King of Kings and Lord of Lords -- JESUS!! Her heart is to worship the 1 that created the stars, that gave breath to the lungs that she sings with, the 1 that saved her when she was a little, little girl and the 1 that gives her eternal life. You see, around 12 that little pre-teen that had loved Jesus discovered that it was time to serve Him as HER Lord and Savior and not the Lord and Savior of her Mom&Dad. She began her journey of serving Him with her WHOLE heart. So the Lord began to stir in her a heart of worship and for prayer that has literally taken her ALL over the world!

I really can't tell you how proud Ray and I are of this REMARKABLE young woman. She is AMAZING in SO MANY WAYS!! If I wasn't her Mother I PROMISE you that I would think WOW, she is AMAZING!! She hasn't been the easiest of my 5 to raise from a parenting point of view because of this incredible will that she has. That will had to be steered many times but I would ALWAYS tell her that that strong will was going to be used to fight the enemy 1 day and I knew that this child would NEVER shrink back and she would always have victory over the enemy. That has come true many times over. From a very little girl that rode with me in a car as I explained to her that 1 of her good friends couldn't eat peanut butter because she was allergic and having my 5 year old look up at me and say, "oh Momma we need to pray for her" and I said, "yes shugar, we will" and then 60 seconds went by and that same 5 year old saying, "well let's get in agreement" - WOW, she didn't want a minute to go by that we didn't pray for that friend. That for me, as her Mom, was the BEGINNING of Sarah becoming a prayer warrior. She prayed and then I prayed in that car and from that day on we began to stir up that gift of prayer in her. If someone or something needed prayer - Sarah was the 1 who prayed. The girl LOVES to pray!! She knows her authority, she knows her rights and she has the faith of 10,000. I could spend DAYS sharing REMARKABLE stories about this woman that I have the AWESOME privilege of parenting. She is my hero in so many ways. We have had the privilege of serving God alongside of her for many years and she always teaches me something. There has been times that we have made VERY tough decisions with her and for her - but what a testimony she is. Some of those decisions have led to heartache for her and us but ALWAYS, always, always - she has trusted the Lord with her LIFE! What a testimony to her faith in JESUS!! I tell you I am a better person because of watching her unwavering trust in the Lord!

Ray and I are on a journey with her and we don't take that lightly. She is walking out this journey that we are beyond excited to see where it takes her. I can't hardly wait to see the man of God that He brings her - he will be AMAZING!! I can't wait to see her be a Mom 1 day because she will be INCREDIBLE!!

So Ms. Sarah - You are a woman of God that brings LIGHT to the darkness - You are a woman of God that prays prayers to the heart of God - You are a woman that loves Jesus with your WHOLE heart - You are my little woman that the Lord gave me 22 years ago and I thank Him EVERY DAY for that HONOR!! I love you with my WHOLE heart - I am BEYOND PROUD of you - I think you are SO BEAUTIFUL, inside & out and I THANK GOD for YOU!!!

Sarah recently sang and played at her cousin Katie's wedding (with Austin, Megan and Allyster). I thought it was fitting and I wanted to put it here because listen to the 1st words that she sings. I am running, running after you! That is EXACTLY what she is doing! This is a song that has really been Sarah's life. Running a race with bumps and bruises, turns and twists but she is running after God. I love that about her THE MOST!!!

So here are a few pictures of her. I wanted to scan some from all her 22 years but I am being scanner challenged so I will stick to recent years.

Here is a fairly recent 1 of the birthday girl!! She is SO BEAUTIFUL!
I have MANY of the FAB 5 so I will share a few!


1 of her and her Daddy! Her Daddy's tomboy for many years!
A couple sister pictures!

A couple that I love of her!

Some travel pictures -- her in London.

Sarah in Israel
Worshipping at the House of Prayer in Jerusalem -
Another in London with Rachel in front of London Bridge (is falling down)
This is 1 of Sarah in India --

I love this picture of her and her bud/brother Emanuel

And this is the birthday girl last year, when she turned 21!

I love this of her and Grant - it was Sept. 08 -- and we are ready for the next 70 years of this walk together!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH JORDAN!!!! Our little Princess!!

Today is the day....

Today is the day that we have been waiting for!! In roughly 9 hrs. Rachel will board a plane and leave her family, her friends, her BED, her job, her car, her airconditioning, her TV, her IPHONE -- to embark on a dream that she has carried in her heart for many years. We are sending off 1 of our arrows out of our quiver and believing God that she will land EXACTLY where HE has planned. Faith we are using, trust, we are leaning on and excitement is in our bones for her!! Israel is her destination but if it was only that simple. It is really to big to understand the God that we serve in our day to day life. We go along life thinking that our life is ho-hum, not realizing that every step, every move, every decision - has such eternal consequences. As we have reflected with Rachel on what the Lord has in store for her and in store for the people that she is going to - it starts to become evident that 24 years of serving Him, are coming into play. If we only could ALL think this way every day that we wake up - we would be much more effective for HIS Kingdom!

Rach is 1 of those people that serves and serves and serves - because it's WHO she is. To tell her she couldn't serve would be like asking her to cut off her right arm. She has so many amazing qualities and I think the people that are going to be able to get to know her, be ministered to by her and loved on by her are VERY blessed. All of this process of GOING is not only hard but VERY FRIGHTENING for her. The enemy that tries to lie to her and make her feel "she can't" - is at work and trying hard!! She has already grown on her journey and at the end of this small journey of 3 months - her Spirit man will be double in size (figuratively of course)!! In the last 9 mths Rachel has had some battles that she has OVERCOME in regard to fear, anxiety, panic - she got the victory but it cost her a lot. Her peace of mind was a battlefield and her faith was tested. She didn't think she could get through it but SHE DID!! So to get on a plane in now 8 1/2 hrs. and go BY HERSELF on a 18 HOUR travel day, ALL BY HERSELF - to a country that is in turmoil - 1,000's of miles from home! It's a MIRACLE people!! A miracle that 6 to 9 mths ago I questioned could happen. BUT...our God is SO BIG!! He is SO AMAZING - He has shown Himself faithful and true beyond our wildest dreams!! This isn't for Rachel a 3 month trip to Israel and everything that will come with it - this is her MOUNTAIN that she has had to climb and will continue to climb. I think her trek up her mountain started when she made the decision she would go - then she went a few more steps up when she bought her ticket - then the last few months of believing God for the provision to go - then all the preparation - then in the last week she hit a very steep, pretty much straight up part on her mountain climb. The remembering of the pain attacks, the anxiety, the arm going numb, the fainting, the sick to her stomach - the disgusting, hideous, vile, horrible spirit of FEAR!! Because if you don't know the Word of God, fear is a spirit straight from the pit of hell! So, this last week has been a full on sprint up that steep part on her mountain. Wednesday was tough - a call to her Daddy asking, "am I really suppose to go and can I do this" was followed by I WILL NOT serve 2 masters! Either I am going to trust the Lord or I am going to believe the lies of the enemy!! Her choice was to trust in a God that is beyond trustworthy, our God that has NEVER let us down! So up and over that steep part of her mountain she went. Then yesterday came and this wonderful, glorious GRACE started to appear in her - this GRACE that truly is AMAZING! I had been reminding her that WHEN the time came she would feel that Grace come on her! But at the end of that mountain climb is a WONDERFUL MOUNTAIN TOP!! And we all know what you see at the top - you see everything - everything becomes clear. What comes clear is the why I went through that - for who I went through that - the purposes! You see I have had my fair share of mountain climbing and I can confidently look her in the eyes and tell her the Lord is your EVERYTHING through the climb!!

So we went through all the getting packed which is a blog in itself that I must blog about because she needs to remember it all the days of her life. But she is packed and her bags are both over the 50 lbs but we don't care - we will pay the money to get everything to Israel that the Benjamins need and want - and everything that she needs and wants! She will be getting up in about an hr. and we will have a last minute push for the last minute things that have kept me up all night - thinking in my head about them. We will ALL get ready and then THE MOST IMPORTANT thing that we will do as a family - we will pray over her and have communion together. We will then ALL go to the airport and send her off to her DREAMS!! Trusting her with the Lord because OH MY, He is trustworthy. We will put her in His care for the next 3 mths. and see her off to not 1 of the safest places on Earth but she WILL be in THE SAFEST place because she will be under His wing!!

To say I am proud of her is an understatement. I don't think I could do what she is doing all by myself. She is doing it afraid and the Lord is so graciously walking her through every little step!! She is such a STRONG woman of God! We are going to miss her SO MUCH! Pray for her if the Lord puts her in your thoughts or on your heart. I know she will be praying FERVENTLY for all of us!! We will be able to probably talk to her daily because of skype and the Lord provided her with an amazing computer that will keep us in touch. She will go and face SO MANY of her fears - she will own the victories - and THEN she will be able to give away to someone else, her revelations. Because you can't give away something you don't own. If I try to share with someone about marriage and children and I've never been married or had children - I wouldn't be very effective, powerful or anointed to minister on those subjects. But when someone comes to her in the future and says I am afraid, I'm dealing with this or that - she will OWN the revelation of that and she will be POWERFUL to help bring truth, revelation and victory to that person. God is SO GOOD!! It's all a wonderful but not always easy JOURNEY!! She is going to do wonderful!! I will blog about the airport trip hopefully when we get home! I LOVE YOU RACHEL, we will PRAY for you always!! -- go in PEACE and serve God well...

Goodbyes...graduation...just life!!

Well, it's getting hotter and this is NOT my favorite season of the 4. But, THANK the Lord for air-conditioning. I am a little behind so I will try to catch up on the life and times of "The Baker"! Today is Hannah's birthday but I will blog about that in another blog because I will probably have so many pic. that it will be a picture blog. It's around 2ish and she has already had an AMAZING day but I will save that for later.

Last weekend was a big weekend. I will start with Casey leaving us and going home to Mississippi - BOO HOO!! She came to Texas 5 years ago to go to Christ for the Nations in Dallas. My girls met her, her 1st or 2nd semester. About 2 years ago Casey was living close to us and we became VERY close to her and she became 1 of our own. She came and stayed every chance she got and we SO ENJOYED her!! She is 1 of those special ladies that the Lord puts in our family for so many reasons. For some she is a confidant, for others she is a shoulder, for others she is the person that makes them laugh harder then ANYONE! For me she was a person that I could sit with for hrs. and bounce things off of - she was and is someone that the Lord used to speak into my life about SO MANY things! Her knowledge of the Lord is incredible, her giving spirit is an inspiration and she IS 1 of the best friends to my girls that they have ever had!! The Lord is already revealing reasons that she needs to be home for this time and from there - the world is hers!! We love you Casey and you will ALWAYS be a part of our family - you know that!! Thank you for sharing your heart, your life and your WISDOM with us all. We are all better because you are in our lives!!
Here is a couple of pictures of the evening she left - quite sad! We had a big dinner - her sweet Momma (Ava) came to drive back home with her stuff. We prayed over Casey with the most serious prayer that this group of people could pray. Everything leads to something funny with them. Thank GOD it was light or we would have all been in shambles!! Everyone held it together in front of her but we have all had our moments since she left!! First picture is normal - then sad (all 3 of the boys are SO dramatic)!




This is the send off of her getting in the car : (!!


Saturday was Casey's send off and Sunday was Hannah and Olivia's graduation party. They also have a cousin Mason that graduated this year so we had a joint party. Hannah has been through with school since last year for the most part and Liv isn't quite done but we went ahead and killed 3 birds with 1 stone (weird saying, I know)! Liv will be done by Dec. and she will then prepare to go to hair school. Hannah is searching for a Nanny job because she feels called to do that. We are SO beyond proud of the 2 women these girls are!! I could go on FOREVER!!!! Hannah has had her challenges with school - she was mildly dyslexic and also had an eye issue that didn't help her reading challenges. She has overcome by fighting, praying and NOT stopping - till she got the victory! Now she LOVES to read and thanks the Lord all the time - something we all take for granted, she doesn't. She always loved learning and I loved teaching her. College she doesn't think is for her and I know it's not for everyone. Her desire is to minister to God's children through being a Nanny and I think that is a very important call on her life. Her main goal is to be a wife and Mother some day and minister alongside her husband. She has been a DREAM child to raise and I don't think I could think of 1 little tiny, itty bitty thing I would change about her!! SO, SO proud of her - I will talk MORE about her in her birthday blog. Ms. Olivia - she ALWAYS stumps me when I begin to write about her. Not for things to say but where to start and stop. I don't know what it is about her but my heart get's BEYOND FULL when I see her face, write about her, think about her. She has been a kid that really had no use for learning. She was a little tough to encourage that you MUST learn this and that! We did it and I'm glad it's about over! She will take her GED (which is what homeschooled kids usually do) and she will move on to making people beautiful, which is what she is PASSIONATE about doing!! Since I don't have a special blog about her till her birthday in August I will just say a few tiny things about her (yeah right)! I LOVE her love for the Lord! The #1 thing in "homeschooling" our children was JESUS!! He came before ANYTHING!! There wasn't a book, a paper, a test, research - NOTHING was or is more important then our daily walk with Jesus! What they learned in our day to day life of living could NEVER be learned in a book! I LOVE THAT about having them at home. People ALWAYS came 1st - we are here to serve and if someone needed us we would drop EVERYTHING to serve someone. SO, Liv got an A+++ in learning how to serve others. Her hospitality, desire to help, organization - just straight up SERVANT was learned - not in a book but DOING!! EVERYDAY!! If it was serving her Grandma that lives here, getting a call that a friend of mine needs her house cleaned because she was overwhelmed, babysitting kids - WHATEVER it was, Liv was right there serving!! She is AMAZING to me in so many ways! I have seriously learned SO MANY things from her. I love, love, love that I have had the honor to be her teacher and her Mom. She is such a delight! SO, congrats to Hannah and Olivia for getting through this hurdle of life. The learning NEVER stops girls!! The book stuff is usually NOT what you use out in the world!! The life lessons that we have all shared together are what is gonna help you on this journey. I love you both so much and I can't believe we are done with that chapter. What AMAZING women you both are. It's hard to think that anyone EVER will deserve the gems that you both are. What amazing men you will have the opportunity to mold with the Lord's help. THANK you for being such precious, precious daughters to Dad and I!!!

So on to the party! On my side of the family my sister Tina had the 1st grandkids. She has 5 kiddos and when my nephew Jeff graduated we all helped plan an awesome graduation party for him. Well we try to not start something for 1 that we don't do for all and we have succeeded in that. Every year that we have a graduate we try to come up with some unique and clever way for them to get their graduation money (they only get cash for gifts). It's usually a pool party with good food. Some years it's real themed - my sister Tricia's son Logan was by himself a few years ago and his Dad is Greek so the whole party was Greek themed with Greek food, we all wore the Greek outfits - he had this amazing scroll that my sister had written out this story in Greek lingo that was long and every now and then money would fall out of it. Rachel and Sarah had 6 cousins in all graduate with them and theirs was a Hawaiian theme. They got their money by all 6 of them being roped together (my idea) and then they went through my sister whole backyard, together, on a scavenger hunt that was leading them to their money. At every stop was a note/letter from their individual family to their graduate and then it led them to the next spot. At the end it led them to the pool where their treasure was in the bottom (dangerous? maybe)! So this year was AWESOME!! Emily gets SO MUCH of the credit for this and I owe her big time. Emily, my sister Tucson, sister Tricia and I got together on Friday and came up with 40ish question (like Jeopardy style) that would be FUN for a game. They weren't challenging questions - just fun stuff. Some of our categories were reality tv, funny movie quotes, more funny movie quotes, texting, random facts -- so you get the idea. Emily, her friend Whitney and my sister Tucson stayed up almost all night Saturday working on the board and it was a blessing to me because I was having the party with Casey (family is awesome!!) Anyways, we had $ amounts you will see on the game but in the end, they all got an envelope with the same amount of money in it. BUT, it didn't make them less competitive, HA!! It was a big hit and they had such a good time!! My big, extended family blessed the girls SO MUCH and I really do have the BEST family EVER!! SO, here is a bunch of pictures of the par-tay! Note - the picture of Austin and Hannah with her cap on is just for Austin. He still get's a laugh that his girlfriend is a little younger then himself! HA! I can't help it that they mature a little faster then the average kids! haha! I decided to do a slideshow because there is just to many good 1's.

But let's start with the 2 gorgeous GRADUATES!!!




ALSO!!! BIG NEWS!! This time next week Rachel will be in ISRAEL!!! We are getting every little thing READY. I will blog about that later too but it's quite exciting around here...

That's all folks. I will try to get Hannah's b'day blog done before to long but things come up... She is having such a fun day though, YAY!! I love to see my kiddos blessed. Ok, love to all!!

Summer is upon us...

Well I know it isn't officially Summer but Grant's last day of school was yesterday and he had his end of the school year party today so in my mind it is HERE!! He only goes 2 days a week and then I teach the other 3 at home so I have no room to complain, but it was WORK! Thank the Lord for Ray and my Mom because some of his 3rd grade, I couldn't help him with. But anyway - no more school till August 17th! YAY!!

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!

The Joys of getting OLDER!!

**disclaimer** -- could be TMI or too much information!

The joy's of getting older! Well today is the anniversary of my birth. 44 years ago today I was born - the 6th daughter in a family of 8 children. I have 1 sister and 1 brother younger so that makes 8. I have had a pretty good life for the most part. I was raised by a WONDERFUL Mother that is truly THE woman that I look up to the most. She had a tough life married to a man that was, lets say difficult but she did her best and I must say she raised 8 incredible children. All of us are pretty good people if I do say so myself. We all have loving spouses and 5 out of 8 of us have been married for longer then 25 years. My life really took on a very happy time when I met Ray, when I was 12. For the last 26 years of marriage I have had a DREAM of a life. Really wouldn't do-over 1 thing! NO REGRETS!!!

So what I am going to blog about is the joys of getting older. I am going to start with the "joys", when we all know that is a very sarcastic remark! If time permits I will talk about THE JOYS!! Speaking of time that will be the 1st joy that I will speak of - getting older I really have no internal time clock - it's 1:30am and I feel like my evening is just getting started. The house is STONE COLD quiet - well other then the 6 box fans running in every bedroom. I am up, alone. Hannah just went to bed because she has a big day today - her and her boyfriend are off to celebrate their 1st year together at Sea World. We personally think they have a lot to celebrate because we all know that the 1st yr. of anything is the toughest. OH HOW EXCITING and I think that is what got me reflecting on what I am going to share. So if at the end you would like to blame someone, blame Hannah and Austin.

Which by the way I would love to write a few sentences (HA) about how proud I am of both of them. Hannah waited for just the right fellow to come along, her very 1st boyfriend and the Lord brought her a very special guy, Austin. Some that know our family know that the whole boyfriend/girlfriend isn't taken lightly around here. You really must earn our daughters hand to date them. Austin has done that and then some. I have seen this young man really transform into a man before our eyes. He is the most caring, encouraging, doting, loving fellow to his girl that I have met, since Ray. Ray and I love seeing relationship grow and flourish. The wonderful thing about the Lord is our relationship with Him and with our loved 1's - never should stop growing. To see how much they have grown in just 1 year has been a testimony only to God. They also both lead each other to Jesus in so many ways. This has been the easiest year for Ray and I in being here for the 2 of them. They go to each other and to the Lord to figure out things and we just stand back and marvel. Hannah couldn't be a better girlfriend to him if she tried and I just love to see them together. They have kept a pure relationship before the Lord and HE is guiding it just the way HE wants. I don't know what the future holds but the Lord does and we will keep it in His hands. We also all ADORE him and his whole entire family!! It has been PURE JOY to get to know them all. SO, HAPPY 1st year together Hannah and Austin--it IS a big accomplishment and worth celebrating. You 2 are a true reflection of Jesus' love to each other.

So back to what I was talking about - wait, I forgot - OH THE JOY!!! HA! Anyway, I talked to my almost 79 yrs. old precious Mother today and we both, while laughing, came up with this conclusion.... WHY when we are younger/teenagers - do we want to get older? Then... comes Teddi pushing the baby carriage... those years with 5 children go on for a long time - lets talk about the pregnancies -- roughly, 1,350 days or 45 months or 3.75 YEARS of being pregnant. That's just the pregnancies - don't get me started on nursing, changing diapers, teething, training, potty training, and on and on and on. Forget that I homeschooled them ALL! SO, we came to the conclusion that we have our child hood - then we hit adulthood and family stuff comes - then they get grown or are close to it and stuff in our body starts to change. The gray hair, the unwanted hairs, the thinning hair, the unwanted spots, the unbalanced hormones, the weight gain, the wrinkles, the insomnia, the not being able to see close and all the other things that my daughters would kill me if I discussed.

These are some of the joys of getting older. I have 5 older sisters as I mentioned and they are every single 1 of them some of the most wonderful women and mothers. The great, funny, comforting thing is - we are all going through this "getting older" thing together. It's quite funny to hear our conversations now. Not so many years ago we were talking about our babies and now we are talking about what progesterone cream works for them, what vitamins we should be taking, helping each other wash that GRAY out of our hair, what strength each others bifocals are and so many other things. I am SO grateful to have them because I can call any of them and they know what I am going through even if our symptoms aren't the same. To have 8 close sisters (including my sister-in-law, even though she isn't 40 yet and probably can still do a backwards handspring, but we all still LOVE her and know her time is coming - HA!!) the most awesome thing is - what 1 hasn't experienced, the other 1 has. I love that my girls have each other and will always have each other!!

Back to the point if there is 1. My 2nd sister, "the college grad", and she is very intelligent even though for the life of me I can't teach her photoshop,(ssshh, she's over 50) HA! She has been the most help to me. We haven't had a ton of convos about it all but 1 of the wise words of advice - that I probably run through my head every other day, she said, "Teddi, you just have to laugh about it"! Simple wisdom, aah, just what I needed. I need to remember when the hot flashes come, just laugh about it. Another beauty of "getting older" is the time will come that we will have A LOT more time to learn photoshop and many other interests we all have. But of all the blessings that I wouldn't give a $1,000,000 for -- it is having the most supportive husband that will sit and read a book about women being per-menopausal. He will laugh with me and he tells me every single time I have a new thing come up in the aging process. He says - I'm gonna love you till your last breath or mine, I don't care about anything but YOU! He is a rare gem out there and I think we will do just fine through this joyous time of aging. I see now why people say your 50's are so wonderful because you have the children birthed, the children raised, the children married (maybe) and then the JOYS of grandparenting which will make ALL of this worth while!! I can't wait for those days!! I have to see that this is just part of it. I can pray for this to be an easy transition, and I do but what comes my way WILL make me stronger because I am determined for it not to get the BEST of me!!

Happy Birthday to me! I am grateful to GOD for my health, even for the changing of the "seasons of my life", for my FAMILY, for my children, for my husband but especially for Jesus - without Him I could have done nothing that I have done in the 1st 44 years of my life. I am so grateful to have been born to Christian parents that raised me to love Jesus and then to have grown up to serve that Jesus. Then to have a husband to walk this journey of life WITH, 5 amazing children that all LIVE for the LORD! It's been a wonderful, wonderful life. So the joys of my life FAR outweigh the "joys" of getting older. I have so many more things to do in this life of mine and I can hardly wait. 1 thing that comes with age is learning to be patient and I think I am doing pretty good with that 1. So today my husband will shower me with love and he will make the day ALL about me. He will plan secrets along the day and he will wait on me hand and foot. Because I expect it, nope, because he is just that wonderful, he is just that cherishing and he is just that selfless. It will be a wonderful day and I can only hope and pray that everyone will have 1/2 the great life that I have had. So daughters of mine and ALL the bonus daughters - enjoy EVERY season of your life. I've said it before, it goes SO FAST! Make every opportunity count, for eternity! See life's challenges and with God - conquer them. It is worth it ALL to serve such a great and mighty God. He created each and every 1 of us SO different and wonderful. Love yourself because He loves you SO, SO, SO much! You couldn't be any more precious in His eyes then you are this VERY second. Serve Him with EVERYTHING inside of you. It is WORTH IT!!!

If you are over 40 and have any advice or secrets to this joyous time, feel free to share - we ALL need sisters to help each other out. If your under 40, I don't want to hear it! HA, just kidding (not really)! Just enjoy your life, you single ladies and young Mothers - all the seasons are SO SPECIAL in their own right! Also, have mercy on us older people. We were as young and hip as you - once upon a time, heck I think I am still pretty hip! But we had our glory years (I tell my girls I have passed the torch to them) but now we are in our GOLDEN years!!! You will be here sooner then you think so be kind to your older parents - we are usually much wiser then you (I always am, HA!) and as for Ray he will always be much cooler then you! This is about women even though men can for sure chime in but maybe soon we will talk about the changes in men!! HA!! I will dictate some of Ray's thoughts on that because you guys aren't immune to all the fun!! It's all for FUN isn't it, it's all 1 big journey and shouldn't we all enjoy the ride with as much dignity and worth and humor that we can find?!?! Thank God He has a sense a humor - just look around - He does, trust me!!!

Thank you Lord for another WONDERFUL, AMAZING, BLESSED and JOYOUS year of LIFE!

P.S. -- 1 praise report that I didn't share is that I AM proudly 44 and I still don't need Grandma glasses. I am very PROUD of that - my arm is still long enough to stretch out for me to see things (if your over 40 you understand). The few times I have needed a little magnification - it was ONLY because the type was much to little, HA. So, I am holding out as long as I can for that 1. Oh course I need glasses to see far so...

2 Wonderful Examples...

Ray's parents and my in-laws celebrated their 59th Wedding Anniversary today!! They are Robert and Jean Baker who married on April 14, 1950. They quickly had their 1st daughter Linda, then came Bob Jr. and then Wendy, Sherri, Debbie, Brenda, Ray and then Mary. 6 daughters and 2 sons! A very big family in any culture. They had all their children but Mary in upstate New York and Ray often says they got to Texas as soon as they could (he was 2). They raised a family with very much love and good hard worker. The 60's and 70's were a hard time to parent because of all the rebellion and such that was going on but they did their best. From the children they have - I know I am going to get this wrong - 27 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. The great-grandchildren is still counting. 1 great is on the way and my gang hasn't even started so the numbers will be double that in probably 5 years. What a heritage of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren!

I wanted to share some of the amazing things that makes them so special and honor Dad and Mom Baker. They have been such an example to Ray and I for their commitment to each other for all these years. They have stuck by each other through thick and thin, through healthy and challenging times, through lack and plenty - and everything in between. Sometimes in marriages we see that people lose sight of what, why and who brought them together and those people can give up when things get tough. They never gave up on each other and their family.

I personally have so much to be grateful for because of the example Dad was and is to Ray and the model of a marriage that they have shown us. The way Dad worked for his family and still works is such a testimony to Ray and all the boys in the family. His cherishing love to his wife has been unwavering for all these years. He taught Ray how to be a man that works hard for your family and doesn't quit anything. He instilled in Ray to work hard so that if his wife wanted to stay home she could. That was the desire of both of our hearts so that is what we have done in our family. Dad gave Ray SO MUCH wisdom in SO MANY things that made him a true MAN! I love when we counsel young couples, some of Dad's advice is STILL brought up that he gave to Ray. Very wise things like, Son, never ever get into your wife's business in the kitchen - he actually told Ray that a day to late. We have a brownie story for another time and Mom&Dad shared their frying pan story! HA!! I will have to share more of them in the future. He taught him to hunt - not just to hunt but to hunt for food for the freezer. We needed that food in the early years. SO MANY life lessons were taught by this AMAZING MAN. Since Ray was the 7th he got many privileges that the older 1's didn't (he knows he was SPOILED) but 1 of those was his Dad's time. He wasn't working 3 jobs to put dinner on the table so he had A LOT of time to spend with Ray. If it was sports, teaching him to fix things, build things, hunt&fish, play horseshoes, golf, watch sports of TV - so many things Ray had the opportunity to do along side his Dad.

Ray was not only crazy about his Dad but he was and is crazy about his Momma. His Mom taught him how to cook, how to clean, how to sew, how to IRON - she didn't make him do any of those things but she would let him come beside her and he watched and learned. She was the queen of what my kids say is made up saying and Ray&I are passing them on to our kids. They think they are silly and don't make a bit of sense but they will use them....in time. Some are "a bird in the hand.." so many that I am sure Ray and her daughters can quote. It's late and I can't think - why do I blog SO LATE!!!

The best way I seem to learn is by example and she was always a living example of how a Mother serves her husband and her children. Did I say the woman can cook! OH YES!! Talk about the ultimate "daughter-in-law not ever matching up to the Mother-in-laws cooking"! Even if I never have cooked as well as his Mom - he was raised by her to NEVER let me know it. I think I could hog tie Ray and have someone beat him and he wouldn't say that his Mom cooks better then me. Smart MAN!! The special things I learned from my Mother-in-law was how to truly serve my family. She is such a great example of taking care of her children, some of her grandchildren and her husband with such a servants heart! She did things for her family when I am sure she didn't feel like it but she did it with all the love in her heart. 1 major thing that I learned from my Mother-in-law was her gift of hospitality. Her home was ALWAYS, ALWAYS welcoming to anyone and everyone. Their home was the hangout house just like ours is. The woman could whip up snacks and a meal for an army in under an hr. Their home was really my 1st example of being in a home that welcomed, loved on, listened, laughed, played and genuinely loved the people that God brought to them. Ray and I have had MANY people come through our home and there has been many times that I have had flashbacks of our days in the Baker home and random people everywhere. People, community - whatever you want to call it, it's just being there for each other. If you needed a meal, a bag of groceries - whatever it was they were the people that gave and gave and gave. I love that we are passing that on to our children and their homes will be just like that too.

It was always so wonderful to know that we had their support for me to stay home and they always supported us when we were blessed with another child. I would hear friends or sisters that would tell me of their in-laws and how disapproving they were that they didn't work too or that they had more then 2 or 3 kids. My in-laws encouraged us and ALWAYS saw children as a blessing from God.

If you were around them for a short time or often you always knew and saw their undying love for each other. They have shown us that affection to each other doesn't ever have to stop, no matter how long you have been together. I always loved seeing them steal a moment with each other - if it was a glance or a touch or a kiss, it was always so tender and sweet - such a GREAT example for me from how I was brought up.


I have regrets, many regrets that I didn't take advantage of all of my Mother-in-laws wisdom in so many things. If I had it to do over again I would be quite the different daughter-in-law to her. I have made it my prayer and my mission to have my daughters be AMAZING daughter-in-laws and they WILL learn from my mistakes! I will bring the unfortunate, to be something that my daughters will gain wisdom from! Why must we learn so many things the hard way when they are so valuable and important!?

Ray and I love you both very much!! We honor you for the love of family and love of each other that you have shown to us and everyone in this BIG family!! The VERY MOST IMPORTANT thing that I have been able to see in their lives is the 2 of them come to know Jesus as THEIR personal Lord and Savior!! We are SO GRATEFUL to God for their example now of seeking God's face and serving Him. We had many years that we prayed for them and along with a lot of others prayers. But because of God's AMAZING GRACE and mercy, they now serve the Lord with all their hearts, soul and minds. I am not sure how many years it has been but it has been over 15 years since they feel in love with Jesus. They now spend time in His word and do it together. It is so precious to us and theirs has been a testimony of HOPE to so many that you don't give up on, "you and your household WILL BE saved"!!

As the Patriarch and Matriarch of this Baker Family, your son's Family would like to speak a blessing over you... 'May the LORD bless you and protect you. May the LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you. May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.' Number 6:24-26
We love you both so much ~ Ray, Teddi, Rachel, Sarah, Hannah, Olivia and Grant

Here is a picture of the dashing and beautiful young couple!

Life should be simple...

I am up late - what else is new, but tonight is different. It's 2:32am and I have been to bed twice, trying to shut my mind and my spirit off, when I knew I was really suppose to get up and pray. So after praying I thought I would blog what the Lord is downloading to me and maybe He would release me to go to SLEEP! Funny thing is I am taking medicine for allergies that should have me OUT but OH NO!!

For the last several days the Lord has been stirring up in me simple, simple truths. Things that I don't know about you but things I need to focus my life on. It is SO simple that it would probably make my theological daughters look at me and say "really Mom?". I will get to the simple truths but 1 of the times that I tossed and turned I woke up my sweet Ray and he of course starts down the list - are the kids home, YES - have the kids out of town checked in, YES - are you feeling OK, YES. But after that I just started sharing with him and bless his heart he sat up 1/2 awake and listened then he finally got committed to the convo. and he was awake. Bless his heart!! We start talking about the simple, simple message of a follower of Jesus. Now it's going on 3am and I know the word/bible, I could give you chapter and verse but if I'm gonna do that I am going to question myself so I will need to look them up and frankly it's to late/early and my "older/healed" eyes would probably have a hard time adjusting (I haven't succumb to the Grandma glasses)! So I am just going to share my heart and you can search the Word for yourself. But back to my conversation with Ray that has been going around and around in my spirit for the last few days.

I think of when Ray and I began serving Jesus when we were 18 and 21, the years that followed were really tough in alot of ways spiritually. They were tough because we really made them tough! Let me explain, as a "Christian" we really hate to put a label on our relationship with Jesus because to us it isn't religion AT ALL and to call me a Baptist or Pentecostal or anything would just not work. So we have tried to not major on the minors as believers - just love EVERYONE, not caring about their label. Our only desire is that we ALL believe in Jesus, because He is the major and all of our differences as "Christians" are minors. SO...stay with me. We spent really our 20's and probably most of our 30's majoring on those minors. We tried and we tried and we tried not to but we did. I would like to tell you that EVERY single thing that we have learned/studied and been taught from day 1 as a Christian, is the exact way we still believe. It isn't, I think it's the same as anything in life - OH IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN - how many times have us older Mom's thought that about raising our kids? It's the same thing in all the different things that we have learned as Christians. We studied till the cows came home MANY, MANY different "things" - healing, no healing - tongues, no tongues - deliverances, no deliverances - pre trib - trib - post trib -- once saved always saved or no - how long am I "suppose" to pray - prosperity - SO MANY THINGS, the list could go on!!!! We would bog ourselves down on all of these MINORS!! It got in our way SO MANY TIMES -- in our walk. Then over the last several years things have changed --- the simple truth came back to us, the thing that meant SO MUCH to us when we were just newly saved. THE LOVE OF JESUS - the simple, redeeming LOVE OF JESUS!! The same LOVE saved me from death - that saved me from having a life with NO hope in it. You see the world has a false hope, it may last for a time but in the end it is empty. I have felt that hopeless life without Him.

You may get Ray to discuss with you his knowledge on this and that but we have finally came FULL CIRCLE back to the 1 truth - Jesus died for me, He died for me and was tortured and he took on MY horrible, disgusting, terrible sin - FOR ME!!! But He did it at the MERE CHANCE that I would LOVE Him back. Isn't that something to think about. I don't think we put enough thought into what He did for you and me. He hung on a cross and died and was beaten to a point of not being recognized as a human being. Can you imagine all the sin of the world, all the sickness and disease of every one of us? Can we only imagine... He took on MY SIN not knowing if I would give up MY life to follow Him. I love, OH HOW I LOVE that we have come full circle back to a simple message - He loves us! I don't know if you have heard many messages of the kingdom of God and that is Ray's love to preach but its SO SIMPLE people. There isn't anything hard about it. God sent His Son into the world to die so that we can LIVE - but not just live but live for Him!! Walk around not judging everyone that doesn't believe like me but just loving people the way Jesus would love if He was walking the earth still today. We have 2 commands and that is to Love the Lord our God and love our neighbor. Are we doing that today? Am I doing that every day? I fail SO, SO much but I try to get up (sometimes I am a little slower).

I just wanted to share what the Lord put on my heart and maybe it is for you too. He loves me and I am going to love Him by loving every person He brings to me. I have used the analogy before that when you bless my children you bless me or when you love my children you love me. Isn't it the same way with God - in my complicated days of "doing works for the Lord or is it GRACE", I would KNOW that the Grace of God was how the kingdom works but I would then get to thinking that I must EARN His love and EARN faith $$ so that when I needed Him I could cash them in. OH MY!! That ISN'T how we LOVE Him!! We love him by loving his creation - His children! I know some theologians would disagree and they have a million page list on "ways to love the Lord" but He said come to Him as a child. Do you think that maybe He wants us to stop being SO analytical, philosophical, theological and just come like children? I will never forget Grant when he was young and the girls had a friend over Kari and she LOVED Grant. Well she knew that Grant was a little prayer warrior and I bet he wasn't 4 years old anyway she had a bad headache and she asked Grant, would you pray for me, he said SURE and walked over to her put his hand on her head and said, "be healed in Jesus Name"! That's all, nothing long and she was SO moved by his prayer - it was as simple as that but it had so much POWER behind it!!

So as my sweet Sarah blogged about 1 time that was so profound to me - How are we loving Him today? How is our love walk today with the saved AND the LOST? I don't know about you but I want to be found faithful in the little things. Faithful in a smile to a broken heart, a nonjudgmental look when someone is struggling, a heart that breaks at the person that has no hope in Jesus. I want to be found loving Him with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind and loving everyone around me. We don't get to pick only the lovable people to love. Sometimes we are made strong by the 1 that "wants to judge us". Someone may look down on you for the color of your skin or the degree you don't have or the money you don't have. We must love them anyway - we have times that we have EVERY right in the world to be offend but as children of God we have no right to walk in offense. Remember we are gonna be persecuted for His name and that could even be by Christians. It only makes us stronger. But we have to keep on loving...we can't get weary in loving people. His mercy is new EVERY morning with ME can't my mercy be NEW every morning for someone that needs that mercy from me?

I could go on - OH MY I love to share His truths!! For all my fellow brothers and sister in Jesus - let's stop, even if it's for 1 day, Easter, and just put down ALL the things that can clutter our mind and our spirit. All the great sermons that have actually brought you to a place of - "can I follow this man, Jesus, is this too hard?" and let's remember the simple message that He came to bring, and that is He came to die for you and me so that we can now receive Him as the Lord and Savior of our lives and then we can spend eternity with Him. But after we ask Him to take over our messed up lives and we surrender our lives to Him - NOW we are called to share that same AMAZING love to everyone He brings to us!!

I close at 4:25am with such a grateful, grateful heart!! A heart that is SO grateful for a Savior that loved me in my sin, His word says "for God so loved the world!" but He didn't stop there. He gave His only Son - that whoever believes in Him will NOT perish - and the BEST news is we are promised Eternal LIFE!! And that good people is John 3:16. Thank you Jesus for loving me, thank you for forgiving me and thank you for my hope of eternal life with YOU forever!!

I pray you have such a blessed Easter Sunday - but PLEASE remember more that it is the RESURRECTION that we celebrate as believers!! I have been thinking on what He did through his death but OH MY WORD - in 1 day from now He may have me up blogging/preaching about His GLORIOUS RESURRECTION!!! Take time to remember what He did for you!! He is alive people - the only "religion" in all the world that the person that we worship, is ALIVE!! Anyone that wants to change my mind about Jesus has come WAY to late. He has walked with me and talked with me and I'm telling you He is ALIVE!! God Bless You ALL!!!

Spring has SPRUNG!

Well today is opening day of Ranger baseball (not that I really care but Ray, Grant and Austin seem to think its a big deal)! It just always marks for me the beginning of a new season. We all love Spring and it never last as long as any of us would like but we all enjoy it all the same. ***As I am finishing this blog I was informed by Grant that the Rangers kicked butt and won 9-1.

Lots going on here in our home and in our lives. Megan has been living with us since January and she has been out of town for a month with Blaire. It was way to long but she got back last week. We all love her being here!! Rachel has purchased her plane ticket to leave for Israel on June 3rd (I think) and she will be gone 88 days - she hasn't paid for the ticket but it has been purchased (credit card!). She is working her fingers to the bone to do all she can do and I know the Lord will do the rest. Soon (like yesterday) I was suppose to be finished with her support letter to help her raise money for her mission trip - I'm almost totally done RACHEL!! She is SO EXCITED!! I will post her letter soon so you can all hear her heart on Israel and what she is going to do. IT'S EXCITING!! She is going with Gary and Jerri Benjamin and their youngest son Preston. They are the parents of Austin, who is Hannah's boyfriend. It's crazy how the Lord connects people - He is SO clever... The Benjamins are leaving in 2 weeks to move there for 1 year. All of my girls are so sad because they have grown to love them so much - just like family! Hannah is SO sad but grateful that she has had over a year to really get to know them. Sarah has been at her new job for 1 week. She is back at the same job she had before she went to KC. Her same friends are there so she is loving that. She is quite under the weather right now : ( - but she is tough as nails so she will bounce back. Olivia is working her 2 jobs and really doing good. I on the other hand miss her SO MUCH!! She was my last girl to be around the house all the time and now it's just me and Grant. Liv just got offered a Nanny job for the months of June and July. She actually hasn't purchased her ticket but she is wanting to go to Israel. Her wish and prayer is to go around the 1st week in August and then fly back with Rachel. She would be there around 3 weeks so we shall see. This nanny job would actually pay for her whole trip so as soon as she knows if she got it - we will start making plans. She would have to fly alone to Israel so we will see if her Daddy will agree to that! Mr. Grant is keeping us all on our toes!! He is quite the comedian around our house.

Ray is as wonderful as ever and we are loving life together as usual. He is working very hard these days, as so many are with the wonderful world economy like it is. I am happy that we can depend on God's economy and in it there is NO LACK! Our Summer is filling up with things and Ray is marrying 2 couples this Summer and 1 of them is our sweet niece Katie and her guy Justin. The other is another daughter of ours (she just doesn't have our DNA) Bink (or Brittany) and Davi. We have been preparing for some pre-marital counseling (our most FAVORITE kind of counseling). 1 thing new I read and I thought I would share was this - Before you get married write down the 3 biggest things that bug you about the other/the things that you would want changed. Then vow to each other that these 3 things will never be talked about or even slightly brought up again in any negative way. We will give them to the Lord and have HIM change the other. What I know from being happily married for 26 years is when we do that - WE CHANGE most of the time and sometimes even the Lord changes the other. Of course we are always growing and changing - THANK GOD! I think that is something we should ALL do, no matter how long we have been married or in a relationship. In my case Ray probably had 10 things he wanted changed about me -- but I never knew 1, because he let the Lord change me...just a little nugget - for someone I am sure!

That's an update on the Baker gang. One other young lady that lived at our home for a couple of years is Emily. When she was living here she was going to Bible School at CFNI, wishing she had a boyfriend (like the rest of the girls around here) and she was a real JOY to have live here. She has been gone a few years and in that time she got MARRIED - her 1st date with Josh he actually picked her up from our home. Well this weekend we got a call that she is PREGNANT and they are so, so excited. We are all so excited because she will always be 1 of our girls and 1 of the girls sisters. Some of you know but around a month ago her Dad found out that he has cancer. He has been given no hope medically but LOTS OF HOPE by the REAL HEALER, JESUS!! His name is Bill Wells and he is Emily's Daddy and her little babies Pop - PLEASE put him on your prayer list and pass his name to anyone that you know that believes that Jesus still heals! He is an amazing man and he is AN AMAZING Daddy! I had the honor of taking her wedding pictures almost 2 years ago and here is a couple of pictures of Emily and her Daddy.

No Title - so much going on I couldn't pick 1...

ALOT going on in The Baker house and in everyones lives! CHAnge, CHANge, CHANGE is the word for the month. The Lord reminds me as I am typing this that ANYTHING that is living, is changing. ANYTHING!! SO, I am trying to embrace all the changes going on and thanking the Lord that we are LIVING, we are progressing and a better word to use would be GROWING!! Some have growing pains - well let me re-phrase that - I AM having GROWING pains with all the change!! Just as soon as you figure the Lord out, He pulls a fast 1 on you. I write this with such a GRATEFUL heart that the Lord has HIS hand on and in everything in my family and that makes me SMILE!!

1st to talk about is Rachel - she is going through change that is very EXCITING! She is trusting and believing that the time is NOW for her to fulfill a call that the Lord put in her heart and in her spirit a couple of years ago. It looks like everything is in perfect place for her to go spend the summer in Israel. She is SO EXCITED and SO ready to see what the Lord has for her there but mostly to see how the Lord GROWS her heart even more for the Jewish people and for the most blessed place on earth. It is HER time to GO and we feel 110% PEACE in this time being the right time. She will go with a family that the Lord has knitted our family with in so many different ways so she will be there with parents that will somewhat take over our covering of her. Some may say we are CRAZY for allowing her to go to probably 1 of the top 5 most dangerous countries but it wouldn't be the 1st time we have been called crazy. I think about some of the crazy things in the Bible that the Lord asked the disciples to do and I feel in very good company. We have learned and taught our children that the SAFEST place we can be is in HIS will so Rach is waiting patiently to walk in that and it is awesome to watch with her. She needs the provision to go but when the Lord calls, He provides - so that is her promise. I will blog about this more in the near future. Everything isn't 100% a done deal and the ticket hasn't been bought yet but things are MOVING QUICK!! Sidenote to the above news - she started a new job a few weeks ago that is getting her closer to Israel. It is a GREAT job that is good money and she is working SO HARD. Perfect timing OF COURSE!!

This pictures is of Rach 2 years ago standing on Mount Carmel where Elijah called down fire from heaven.


This is of the Temple Mount (the gold dome) and it's surroundings.


Ms. Sarah is doing well - change is a blowing in her hair. Her life of prayer in the night has not stopped. She is back at home from Kansas City and we are loving that. She is trusting the Lord that she will very SOON be working back at her old job that she had before she left. PLEASE GOD!! She is growing and maturing in the Lord and in life things - very exciting. I soak up every day with her home. She has been able to do some worship events with friends since she has been back. She did do something very fun and funny recently that I wouldn't have missed. She went with a buddy, Matt to her old stomping ground - Free Style Skate Park and tried her hand at aggressive skating again (essentially rollerblading). We spent MANY a days in that park when she was 9 to 12! Then she turned into a girl and didn't go again. It was a BLAST to watch. 10 years later and 22 years old and she still has it. She wasn't quite as fearless as she was, which I must admit I was happy about. So here is a silly video of that. She did other things that were awesome but I couldn't get them on video because to follow her was putting my life in danger - skateboards EVERYWHERE!!


This is outside the skate park - her and Matt


Hannah is doing awesome! Nothing really big going on. She is enjoying her relationship with Austin - it is growing and she couldn't be happier. What an easy kid! She is working hard at her coffee shop job. This reminds me that I don't have really any new pictures of her and Austin - i know, i know - most people would say they have enough pix. for a lifetime but never enough in my book. Some change coming but that will be for another blog.

Olivia - she is on the open road!! She FINALLY got her drivers license. She is a really good little driver!! I have let her go as far as Grand Prairie to youth but she is itching to go out to Dallas to see friends. That will be in a few months when she has some more miles logged. The other BIG news with Liv is she got not 1 job but 2 jobs!!! She is a working girl. She has 1 part time job at the coffee shop that Hannah works at and then she works with Rachel and the country club being a floater. She isn't enjoying getting up because she has the very early 6 in the morning shift and she hasn't gotten her 1st pay check but when the $$ comes I think she will like it somewhat better. She is being very responsible so I am proud.

Here is a picture of her with her license, outside the dmv. Her real license came about 10 days later and she is very proud of how good she looks on her DL, ha!

Here is the prizes that her 3 sisters went to get the day she got her license.


Here is a picture of her at 1 of her new jobs, the tennis shop.



And last but not least - MR. GRANT!!! He is my little angel. He is about to finish the 3rd grade and may I add he is quite the genius still. He has some great lil' buddies at school that he has really clicked with. We also have 2 boys across the street that Grant really enjoys playing with. He is pretty much the easiest kid in the house right now. NO drama in his life yet - and I pray there NEVER is!! He aggravates his big sisters whenever he thinks he can get away with it. Next week will be his 1/2 birthday, he will be 8 1/2. I really can't believe that that is possible. Time is FLYING by people!! Don't miss out on being grateful 1 minute of the day for your loved 1's.

A picture of Grant on St. Patrick DAY - green hair and all.


That's all I got for now. Till next time everyone - the Lord Bless YOU!!!