Summer Fun!!

Last Friday was Cow Appreciation Day! We had the whole Bebee HERD present!! The VanCourt girls got to join us too! Love me some Chicky-fil-A!!Aburndale has been having playdates throughout the summer! Last week we visited Graeter's main location where they MAKE the ice cream!! We had so much fun and were able to sample some GREAT ice cream! Afterwards we headed to the park! Love those ABC ladies!

Brookylnn was DIVING for the grass!! She loved being outside and at the park! (Thanks Emily for hanging with her and keeping that grass out of her mouth! :o)

Girl Talk Blog

Carolyn Mahaney (C.J. Mahaney's wife) and her daughters have a blog that is extremely encouraging and informative!! I recommend all women to regularly check-out there blogs and learn from their wisdom as mothers, wives, and women of God. You will love it. I have enjoyed their love for truth, their recipes, and their humor! But especially this week, because each Friday they have the Friday funnies - and one of my close friends, Cara Croft MADE the Friday funnies this week!! So check it out here!!!

4th of July

Our 4th of July started early this year! We were out of the house and ready for our 5K by 7:45!!! Brooklynn had her first race, and even "won" a medal for being a part of it!! We live within walking distance of a huge 4th of July celebration in our neighborhood. We had a cookout and enjoyed fireworks from Michael Riedl's window!! All in all, a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of our country. We are definately reminded of the blessing it is to live in America where we have such freedom to love Christ openly and publicly. May we be more persuaded to boldly share the gospel as we reflect on our great opportunities here!

TEXAS!!!

Brooklynn and I had a Wonderful time visiting family in Texas! We spent lots of time with my mom and sister, and we had the utmost pleasure of seeing so many family members that Brooklynn and I both feel entirely loved!! Here are a few of the highlights! Enjoy!

Cousins!!!

The little cousins LOVED Brooklynn and let her know with lots of kisses! They were both SO sweet to her the whole trip!

Aunt Bambi!

Aunt Susan & Aunt Deborah

Our sweet Meme!

Brooklynn's 1st Visit to the Pool!

She was completely exhausted afterwards!! Took a little snooze!

We had a Gourmet meal at Bam's house -

with stuffed mushrooms, steaks and grilled onions! No place like Texas eh!?!

Gigi got lots of loving in and Brooklynn took it ALL in!

We were able to visit my daddy's sister and niece as well! We love Aunt Linda and Kristi! Lindy and A.J. got to meet Brooklynn too and we had a great visit!

Trip to Texas

So...Brooklynn and I are flying to Texas on WEDNESDAY! We are excited to see family and friends as we visit Canyon! We are flying in on Gigi's birthday!! As I am thinking of flying with sweet little girl alone, I have to imagine there can be nothing as long as going to Texas in the car....with a dog...

Bella did good traveling to Texas last Christmas, but things sure do change when you have a kiddo! Keep posted for some good Stephens family pictures!

Also - for those that haven't discovered skype yet...it rocks! We have LOVED talking to friends and family - and actually getting to SEE them!! Plus - everyone gets to meet the Brooky!

Womanly Dominion

I have recently finished a book called Womanly Dominion: More than a Gentle and Quiet Spirit, by Mark Chanski. After Ryan was recommended to read Chanski's book about Manly Dominion and LOVED it he picked this up for me. While many of us will quickly cast aside the thought of reading another book on how to be godly women, let me say that this is NOT like all the other books. I found it encouraging, thought provoking, convicting, and enthralling. He does a great job of debunking our cultures subtle, and yet pervasive attempts to convince even well-meaning Christians of feminism. Now I may have been more highly exposed having received a degree in science, which is not the best atmosphere to find a Christian worldview. But you might be surprised how YOU react to how Chanski presents the Bible's instructions on a woman's role in the world.

Have you wondered:

Does culture influence how I am to act as a woman?

What Biblical role models am I to follow in this pursuit?

What lies have I believed about being a godly woman? or even what it means to have a gentle and quiet spirit?

Submission?

How to approach my husband boldly and yet humbly if I don't agree with a decision or action?

What does this look like if I'm single? a wife? a mother? a single mother?

Chanski challenges women to "Play their position". But to play your position, you first have to know your position. Chanski's book is a great place to help you understand scripture and the Biblical call for womanly dominion.

Check out the Girl Talk's blog post also recommending this book!

Nonnie & Bawbaw's Visit

Don and Debbie were able to fly in from Texas on Saturday and spend a long weekend with us here in Louisville!! We loved getting to have breakfasts (Brooky's FIRST meal - see below), lunches, dinners, coffees, and desserts! It was a fun-filled and packed few days.

We spent lots of time with Aunt Boo and Uncle Cheeze! Ryan had the opportunity to preach at ABC on Sunday night, and it was a blessing having friends and family in the pews. It will be posted here later on this week. He did a great job preaching on Psalm 128. On Monday, we made the rounds to Sunergos, Nord's Bakery, and then the BOOK NOOK! All three are must visits for all Louisville tourists!

Here are a few picture highlights.

Time with Nonnie...
and Bawbaw...Brooklynn getting ready for the summer in her SWIM SUIT!! We are headed to the zoo tomorrow with the Auburndale women, and we are prepared for the splash park!And the very first rice cereal meal!!!

4 Months

Brooklynn is 4 MONTHS OLD! It is amazing how the time has gone by so quickly, and my little snuggly peanut is already growing so much!! We had our four month check-up with our doctor last week. Brooklynn weighed in at 13 lbs. 1 oz (she even has rolls on her thighs now!!) and 24 1/4 in. long! She is in the 50% of everything pretty much! Had a few shots, a few tears, and out we went!!

Updates? Well on Sarah's end - I am done with school and spending night and day at home has been Fabulous! We have been doing projects on end! I have rearranged a few rooms, and finished Brooklynn's nursery (hehe!). Kristen Booth and I worked on her artwork.

Ryan is working at Chicky-fil-A and at Auburndale each week. It has been a pleasure to serve our church! Ryan is also getting to teach a few Wednesday nights this summer on our series through 2 Corinthians. His last one a few weeks ago was awesome!!
Now for the updates Everyone is Really tuning in to this blog for: Brooklynn. In the past week she has become an official thumb sucker...

Brooklynn is all giggles and laughs now! She is super content and loves to laugh!!!

And has perpetually been rolling over! Although each time I tried to catch it on video she was mesmerized with the camera -- this is the best we could document! So cute! Soon enough she'll be mobile!

Ode to Buckner

While in Texas Ryan and I were able to visit to Buckner and see a few friends!! We had breakfast with Charlie, Rose, Peggy, Josie, Tom & Jose! What a treat! Plus, who can pass up some of Charlie's good-country cookin'! Afterwards we gave Brooklynn the royal tour of camp...and had her participate a little!












At the Ropes Course!! (gotta love that spider web!)
Getting ready for Campout!!
HEAD SHOTS COUNT!

And the look out!
We miss it terribly, but it was good to spend time with friends and share memories! Love you Bucknerites!

TEXAS!

Pictures from our week in Texas!

Brooklynn did GREAT on the plane! She slept most of the time, and took a bottle going up and down the first few times. She even got her first pair of wings!!

GREAT - Grandparents

And a generational picture: