Redneck swimming

Avery (who is freezing cold), Sport and Austyn

Avery and her buddy

You know you are a redneck when you let your dog swim with your girls. This evening we filled up the pool in the backyard and let the girls go crazy. Tripp and I got in but the water was a bit cold so basically only our ankles got wet. The girls decided our dog Sport needed to cool off. I don't believe he appreciated it all that much but he was a trooper and hang out for a little while before bailing on us all. If you are wondering what kind of dog he might be...you aren't alone ;-) We believe he is half Chihuahua and half Rat Terrior but we're not forsure.

Thumb sucking tackled by prayers

Hello, family and friends. We want to ask y'all for your help in something very special with Austyn. We have been working with her for about a year now on not sucking her thumb anymore. At times she does really well. But then we have days we are not certain it ever comes out ;-) Austyn's comment to us at times has been that she doesn't have the strength and it's so hard to stop. She's also said after our family prayer time at bedtime that God hasn't yet given her the strength to stop yet. So, here's what we are proposing. We'd love to tell her that family and friends are praying for God to give her the strength to stop. And we'll definiately continue to pray as well. We told her last night that when she stops that we will throw her a big pool party. Daddy even said he would grill some hamburgers and hot dogs. It would be a HUGE celebration!!! We want to really make a huge deal out of this when God lays it on her heart to completely stop. Please join us in praying and supporting our baby girl. We know this cannot be an easy thing to stop but we believe in her and our Father to work as a team to help Austyn.

Catching a moment everyday!

Our moment with Avery!

Have you ever tried to truly catch a God moment everyday? Some of you may or may not know the Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman, but our family loves him. If you've never heard any songs of his please take a moment to listen to one on itunes or anyway that you can. He has a song called Miracle of a Moment. We've loved this song since the first time we heard it. The message he writes is very clear...God gives us the miracle of "RIGHT NOW." This moment today...not tomorrow, not next week, next month, or next year. He has given us the blessing of "RIGHT NOW." We were so challenged by this song. Anything can happen at any moment! Well, the Chapman family on May 21st found themselves in a moment they won't soon forget. This precious family lost their youngest daughter who had just turned 5 ten days prior to the 21st. It was a horrible accident in their driveway that took this precious child home to our Father. The moments just before this were of celebration. They were celebrating the graduation of their oldest son from high school and the engagement of their oldest daughter. The very man that wrote a song about challenging us to live and soak up every moment was now trying desperately to remember those of his youngest daugther Maria Sue. What's even more incredible about Maria Sue's influence on her daddy was a song called Cinderalla he just released about 3 to 4 months ago. This song was written by Steven after a bath time with Maria Sue and another daughter Stevey Joy. Steven was rushing through bath time and Maria Sue asked her daddy if he could slow down and play a little while longer. If you haven't heard this song, especially if you have daughters, please take a moment to really listen to the words of it. I can only imagine how extra special that song is to the Chapman family now. If you want to read more about Maria Sue and the Chapman family, visit www.stevencurtischapman.com and you can see pictures and watch a really cute video of Maria and her daddy together. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that we should be challenged by events like this. If there is good to come from horrible accidents like these, it might be yet another lesson that it is so important to truly live within every moment. And at the end of the day to stop and give God the praise for giving us those moments and that day to live. Because you just never know when God's going to call any one of us home to be with Him. The day we recorded this video of Avery reading to herself was such an awesome moment and I'm so thankful it was got on tape. And later that night when I carried Avery into her bedroom for bedtime, she happen to lay her head on my shoulder and before I knew it we were dancing to the music that was playing on her cd player in her bedroom. We danced an entire song and then I kissed her goodnight. Isn't God so awesome!!! That moment will stick with me forever. Have you experienced the miracle of a moment yet today?

Memorial Day at Inks Lake

Inks Lake Family Adventure

Well, we've returned from our wild and crazy Memorial Weekend adventure. We had a ton of fun but were ready to come home. Two nights in the tent was almost enough to put the girls over the edge. By the time we left this morning they both were crying and I fully believe they had no idea why ;-) But it was so worth all the packing, crying and bathroom runs we had to do. We did lots of swimming, walking, jet skiing, eating and hiking. The pictures of the area full of rocks is called Devil's Hole and you have to do some serious climbing to get to the top of this place but once you get up there it's so beauitful. You can truly see God's work right before your eyes. It's truly amazing. We even saw a snake (not rattler) and a beautiful lizard along the journey to the top. The lizard are in some of the pictures. They do cliff diving up there too. Which the last time our Lifecare group went to this lake a bunch of us did the cliff diving but I choose not to do it this time because once was enough for me and it was crazy busy out there this weekend as you can imagine. But at least I can say that I did it once! We pray that each of you and your families have had a great and blessed weekend together. Take care and God bless you and yours.

Austyn's Graduation

The Hamby family celebrating Austyn's big day

Austyn's teacher Ms. Alyshia giving her certificate to her with a bible

Austyn singing one of their school songs

Austyn and some of her girlfriends doing a silly part during another one of their school songs

Well, it's official...Austyn is going to Kindergarden. We cannot believe it. Our baby girl is not a baby anymore. She's talking so much like an adult and says things that just blow our mind away. It was a wonderful graduation. All of the kids were so cute and excited. We tried so hard to just soak it up and place it in our precious memory bank. Of course, I took a ton of pictures but didn't want to fill up this space with nothing but pictures. And the photo music video went great as well. We are so proud of the girl Austyn is becoming. She's so creative with art and has a huge love of music. We're not forsure where she got either of those ;-) It was a little sad though because she didn't want to leave her room because she didn't want to say goodbye to her teacher Ms. Alyshia. This teacher was absolutely amazing with these kids. We can only pray that God continues to put people in our childrens life that are just like her first teacher Ms. Alyshia.

Texas Spring Fun

Momma making me pose for a picture!

But I did love every minute of it ;-)

Austyn making a move so quickly her opponents didn't even see it ;-)

Tripp's cousins Danielle and Danae on a visit to San Antonio's Riverwalk

We did a lot of fun things this Spring and just thought I would share some of the moments with y'all. Austyn just finished playing soccer for the 3rd year and absolutely loves it. I think we might try tee ball though next time around. Avery continues to amaze us with her language and smarts. Well, and to be honest she has an attitude the size of Texas, but on the same token the biggest heart we've ever since too. So I guess she's got a great balance. In March we enjoyed a visit from Tripp's cousins Danielle and Danae from Kansas. We took them on a quick trip to San Antonio and did the Riverwalk and the Giant Ball which goes like 750 ft in the air. You'll have to ask them how I handled that one ;-) We had an absolute ball with them every minute and can't wait until the next visit. This the business time of the year for Tripp's job through the summer months so our time with Daddy everyday is so precious. We really try to soak it up!!! God has been so good to us it continues to blow our mind away on just how amazing He really is. He never stops showing us His grace, forgiveness, strength through everyday life and above all us His unfailing love for all of us.

Blessing filled week...

This week is going to be really neat for the Hamby Family. Tomorrow I get to spend the morning taking photos at Austyn's school of each of the classes and then a HUGE group photo outside of every teacher, staff and student attending her school. I'm beyond excited. I love hanging out up at Austyn's school. And then on Thursday is her GRADUATION. That's right...Austyn is graduating from Pre-K. We are still in shock over it all. I don't think it will truly hit us just how old and grown up she really is until Thursday. They are putting together a big program and I was blessed with the chance to make a Photo Music Video for the day as well. I promise to put pictures up from the day afterwards. I'm hoping to be able to put a little video clip of the graduation ceremonies up as well. I hope this finds y'all feeling God's love, strength, peace, forgiveness and guidance on a daily basis. We love you all!

Splash Day for Austyn

Gettin' some air!

Gettin' some zzzzzzz or not!

Today was an awesome day for Austyn. We celebrated Splash Day at her Pre-K school. It was a blast although nobody survived in the water more than about 5 minutes because it was pretty chilly and still wet from the storms last night. And what made it even better is that I was able to hang out with her at school for most of the day. We got tatoos, painted our faces, ate a really yummy lunch, jumped around in a huge bounce house and topped it off by snuggling up together watching a movie with the rest of her friends in class. What a God send of a day! Thank Father for this entire day full of your amazing blessings.

And some more rain...

Texas Thunderstorms

We got to enjoy some more thunderstorms and lots of rain last night. There were a few funnel clouds but nothing ever came from it. They are so funny about storms down here...it was all they talked about on the news and throughout the evening. Very, very dramatic. We even had to listen to a journalist broadcast from one of the storms going crazy over 60 mph winds. It was hiliarious. He was so goofy about it. Tripp and I just laughed talking about him in a KANSAS storm. Austyn is suppose to have her Splash Day today at school, but I'm not forsure they are going to be able to do it since everything is so wet and it's pretty cool today. Maybe they'll postpone it until next Tuesday. We'll just have to see. Tripp did have to go ahead and go to work, but it should be a pretty low maintance day and home early...hopefully ;-)

Bring the rain...

We were awakened early this morning to awesome rain and thunderstorms. It was bright, loud and way too early ;-) BUT out of that craziness...Daddy got to hang out with us girls today. YEAH!!! He has been able to work from home and spend time with the girls and it's been great. I even got to watch a movie just a few minutes ago while everyone was sleeping. It was so nice. The movie was Untracable. Good movie...predictable...but good. I don't recommend watching it at night though. Avery is doing much better today and is doing awesome with potty training. YEAH, big girl!!! Lots of skittles being given out today to little miss. Well, I have to sign off from here and starting jamming on a video for a friend of mine so we'll do more catching up laters. Love to all!

Just another Tuesday...

Avery has been running fever since last night but seems to be pushing through it without any other symptoms...thank Godness. She's still being so funny about everything even though we can totally tell she really doesn't feel good. We are potty training her right now and even this morning when I offered to put a pull up on instead of panies she said, "No mommy, Avery big girl panies." Of course, we are using good ol' Skittles as a potty reward so I'm pretty sure she's more concerned about what she would be missing if she would choose to wear the pull up ;-) Austyn had school today so we are getting ready for that. This is one of her biggest weeks in school this year. On Thursday they are having their Splash Day which is water fun all day long. She is so excited about that. I'll be putting pictures up from that on Thursday or Friday. Next week will be her last as a Pre-K kiddo. We are still in shock that she will be starting Kindergarden next year. She asks me almost everyday when she's starting Kinder. I want to tell her never because I'm not ready for her to go. Know what I mean, Vern? But we are so blessed that she's beyond excited about school. Her graduation ceremoies is next Thursday. I've been asked to put together the video for it this year and am so honored to be doing that for those kiddos. I hope y'all are enjoying the start to your morning and feel God's love and protection shining around you.

Mother's Day 2008

Hamby Family Self portrait!

What moms do for their kiddos ;-)

Yesterday we had a great day! We went to church for our Mother's Day celebration which was awesome. Great music, great sermon from our Pastor and his wife, a video of all of the moms within the church about our legacies and awesome friends. We put together an insert in our bulletin of all of legacies of our mother's in the church and wanted to share what mine said...I hope my girls live every minute like it's their last expressing their love through words and actions shining the face of Jesus upon their family, friends and perfect strangers alike. Of course, I hope they party like rock stars everyday and thanking God that He has given them that day to live! That's my hope and legacy. After church we went out to eat and had a great time their as well. We took my sister in law and her boys out for dinner along with some friends of ours from church. It was a memorable time. I think Chilli's was so reliefed after we left because their were 6 of us adults, BUT 8 kiddos. I promise we tipped good!!! The rest of the day we spent just simply hanging out. It was awesome! Here are a few pictures from our weekend celebrating Mother's Day 2008. Oh, let me explain the tutu I'm wearing. Our church did a Mother/Daughter Tea and I volunteered to play a character named Gigi...God's Little Princess. I promise this outfit will never be worn again ;-) Austyn and I had a blast at the tea but I was completely out of my element as I'm sure y'all know. Pink and tutu's isn't exactly my thing ;-) But it was WELL worth it for all the little girls there.

Just more from Kansas...

My Aunt Jenn and Me

Avery just being her!

Austyn is really starting to be our little adventurous princess!

Kansas Trip

Me and My girls

My Grandma and Grandpa Beck

Here are just a few images from our recent trip back home to Kansas. We took a ton of pictures and we may put more up later but here are two quickies. We went back home to visit family and a friend of mine from college. I'd love to put a picture of her and her daughter up here but I'm going to ask first.

Welcome!!!

Hey, family and friends. We are trying to jump into the new age of internet and publish our families first blog page. We may not have much up for a couple of days or so but stay tuned. We love you all!