Losing My Shadow

Grab your tissues, moms.

Here we are on the threshold of a big first door.
You and me.
It's been years now since I first knew of your presence in me and we were one.
You needed me for everything then and, though unsure and scared, I gave you all I could!
But even since then you've been on a mission. A mission of independence.
Some of the steps I revelled in: Yea, no more diapers!!
Other steps I marvelled at: She read what all by herself?
I was always there, always taking pictures, always cheering, always whispering of God's love.
I've been the guiding voice, the correcting voice, the teaching voice.
And you've been my shadow.
You're always there. Always tugging, asking, talking, singing, laughing, crying.
Your hugs are indescribable and the sudden kisses, ah, what can I say.
Your prayers to Jesus are real and faith-filled.
And now, little shadow, He is to be your voice.
Where you're going, I can't go anymore. Now you're on your own.
The voice needs to come from your heart.
You have to listen to Him yourself.
He's been preparing me for this and I've been preparing you.
I'll kiss you and pray for you and say goodbye in the morning
but He will stay with you and He will stay with me.
And I'll be the first in that long line of cars at 3pm eagerly waiting to see
my little shadow.

The Lesson of Waiting

Through recent events (small ones, nothing big) I've realized that I can be rather impatient. Impatient to hear the whole long, detailed story. Impatient to be the next in line. Impatient to wait for a friend to finish one thing before I move on to the other. I was blessed by a friend and her toddler girl a couple of days ago who waited for me and my daughter to finish our lunch before moving on to the next thing. I would not really have thought anything of her going on ahead and taking her active little girl to do what she wanted while we finished our lunch, but she did not. She sat at our table and waited. She taught her daughter the value of waiting on friends, no matter how badly you wish to move on. As I said, I was blessed by it and realized how little it needed to affect me to wait on people. But what a big reward it might yield for my prideful soul. What it would teach Evy in the process. And how much it spoke to me of our friendship. Valuable lesson.
I have since tried to be more aware of this type of situation and the urge I feel to justify moving on...disengaging to get to the part that actually interests me. How egotistic! Then I take a deep breath, ask myself, "Does it really matter?" and remind myself of Philippians 2 to look to the interests of others. Sometimes I have to pray to allow God to do this in me when I really don't want to! I'm learning a lot and, hopefully, so is Evy!

Evy and I are in the Chronicle (online, anyways)

So, we went to Bethel today to help sack supplies for kids who need them and it turned out that the Chronicle was there (actually to take publicity pics for Wal-Mart) and they took some pics of Evy and I (as well as Sarah and Owen) doing our small part. There should be an article in the Fort Bend Neigborhood paper soon!
P.S. I'll sign your copy, if you want. ;-)
Check us out here! Our friends are on the next page.

Fifth Birthday Interview!

Thanks to Monique for this great annual idea!! Love it!

Fifth Birthday Interview from E Cutshall on Vimeo.

Number Five

This was by far my favorite party that I organized for Evy. Here's why:

1. She was able to pick out a lot of what she wanted and had input.

2. She was also able to help set-up, plan, and organize.

3. Small number of invitees!! I think this was KEY!

4. Lots of help. From my mom, to Aunt Holly, to Monique, to Reed, even Mr. Mark! Thank you SO MUCH!

5. I got to relax and enjoy large moments of the party. I wasn't having to set up, fix and fetch, and stress out! I enjoyed and participated.

6. I didn't stress out nor did I go on a huge buying binge. A lot of the stuff I already had or borrowed.

7. The clean-up was very minimal. I'm one of those that can't relax unless things are clean so as soon as guests are out the door, my floormate comes out to play and we go at it! Also, because of #4, I had VERY few dishes to clean and there was no scrubbing involved. Perfect!

8. Because of #3, there wasn't the gift bonanza that makes a momma's head spin!

9. Evy loved it and so did her friends! Super fun!

10. The cutest pictures of the girls in those super cute hats we made!

Here are some pictures of the day:

Okay, no, this is actually the night before. Such fun!

Holly's nail station. I wanted to have mine done!

Goody bags!

I found these great brushes with jewelled mirrors on the backs at the dollar store!

The foot spa. Ok...I did buy this item for the party,

but I've wanted one for a while. It will get more use!!

The dressing screen is $2/yd. fabric velcroed aroung the rungs of

a quilt rack my dad made me a long time ago!

The tea party set up!

My chandelier. This was my favorite part to do!

Mmmm! My mom knows how to do a tea party right!

Annie gobbling up our funfetti cupcakes whilst (just for you Holls) modelling
our tea party hats that we made out of wrapping paper!

Make-up artist Monique at work!

No cake here...cupcakes with - count 'em - FIVE candles up top!
(and a broken off "E" cookie that looks like an upside down F because

MaryEvyn took matters into her own hands!

We still used it b/c she said, "Moooom [in her best teenage voice], everyone

will know what it really means!")

A scrumptious day I will never forget!

Happy Birthday, Pumpkin!

Got Another One For You

Check this guy out. Eddie Ross!
Have you heard of him? Wow! I just discovered this "blog" last night and it's amazing. He used to work for Martha (you know, THE Martha!) and on Food Network. Now, though, he's doing this amazing blog with several other projects on the side and has a TV show in the works.
You'll probably recognize his work.
When you go to his site, be sure and click on the "Before and Afters" label on the sidebar and read some of the amazing things he's done with stuff from Goodwill! Goodwill!! and the dollar store! Crazy.
Go. It's like a flippin' magazine. And guess where he's gonna be on September 27th? That's right....

Reed

God always gives me new reasons to love my husband, and recently there's been more added to the list. What better time to share it with him, and brag to you about him, than today, his birthday!

Many of the things I love are really just extensions of God's grace in his life that cause me and others to glorify God, so feel free to join in!



* He is awesome at his job. Reed is such a cool combination of a people person and problem solver that he can relate the two seamlessly. He can smooth over relations between a client who just wants what they want, and engineers who want to do it the way it's supposed to be done. He knows how to train up newbies to be well-rounded and prepared for anything they'll encounter.



* He's a great dad, patient teacher. Reed is the one teaching Evy about soccer, how to ride her bike, tie her shoelaces. I would LOSE IT! She can be a tough nut to crack when it comes to learning physical things, but Reed hangs in there, encourages her and thinks of new ways to help her.

A spontaneous dancing moment with Evy. (He has on denim shorts.)

* Through this infertility and adoption stuff, we have always been completely on the same page. I know this is really more of God's work on both of us, but it's so amazing. Reed has not been dragging his feet or complained about any of the stuff we've been asked to do. There have been books to read, very thought provoking questions to answer and write out, discussions innumerable, and, of course, the tears. Reed's been with me through it all, not just by my side, but experiencing it, too. It's just been awesome.

Picture taken recently to send to our agency.

* He loves people. Everyone he meets. You're never a stranger for long. Every single Sunday I'm introduced to someone at church and the introducer usually says something like, "...this is Reed's wife..." and the person says, "Oh, yeah, I met Reed the first time I came here!" I just nod my head. He's so good at meeting people and discovering their passion and just getting them talking. It's fascinating. I usually get to the topic of weather and I'm done. He truly cares about everyone he meets and is so energized by people. It inspires me.

* He loves the church. He loves Chuck. He loves the kids. He loves community groups. He loves using his computer skills to help the advisory team make wise decisions. He loves shepherding and taking care of people. He loves to hear how he can help others and loves to do it. There are very few ministries in our church that Reed doesn't have a hand in. (Maybe women's ministry!)

* He loves to serve. In the past months he has hung curtains, two chandeliers (for which he had to take down a beloved ceiling fan), scraped and resurfaced a ceiling, painted walls (even an extra coat that he didn't think it needed), and replaced baseboards. All a labor of love.

Reed emerging from the dining room after sanding. Scary!

* He loves me. He loves me well. He knows me, can anticipate my moods (sometimes), and encourages me. He plans dates, willingly does stuff I love. He talks and listens. He's just so perfect for me.

Happy Birthday, Puppy!!

It's Done...sort of...

Well, the curtain for MaryEvyn's room is done. It's been in the works for so long!!



But, as with most of my sewing projects, there is the up side of sewing it yourself. And then there's the down side.
First, the up side.
I picked the exact fabric and colors I wanted. I made it look the way I wanted. I coordinated the way I wanted. I got to design it myself and there is a lot of pride in making your ideas come to life.
Also, the hanging of the curtain turned out to be a family affair. Evy loved helping Reed! Especially since it meant climbing up to that ledge in front of her window!



But then there's a down side. The re-stringing of the little plastic rings, for one thing! Grrrr!
The ingenuity and discussion and all it took to figure out how to mount this sucker of a curtain rod as an inside mount!
And now, when I thought it was all done...yet another problem...


While I'm very proud of the overall look and the scallops (though they still need to be fussed with a bit to get them even) and as excited as I was to see it up, there is now a GLARING problem. (I'm hoping it's one of those situations where it is glaring to me, but maybe, maybe, not to others.)
Do you see that gap of light shining above the curtain? It's much more noticeable in reality. The ruffled top above the rod is just too short. I thought I had allowed enough at the top to cover all of that, but apparently not!
So there's yet more measuring and figuring to do. Especially since my hubby who lovingly hung the silly thing is, um, reluctant (to say the least) to take it down so that I can modify it!
I have a plan in mind but am open. Suggestions?

Just a Question

Why is it that when I am getting sewing done, no cleaning gets done and when I'm up on my cleaning, no sewing gets done? Does anyone else have this dilemma?
In case that leaves you wondering...lately my house is a wreck! And tonight here I am up at 10:30pm finishing RE-sewing on twenty-three little plastic rings. Humph!
But I hope to have pictures to show you soon!
And...Erin W. and Sarah, I'm all about your crafty/sewing get togethers!!!

For Laughs

Last night at our Youth group party, the students were asked, "What website do you go to the most for entertainment?" The #2 answer (after Facebook, if you really had to ask...) was Failblog.org Have you seen this? I had to go on last night and check it out.
It's a blog of pictures and videos of failings. A failed dump truck, failed instructions, signs, and, well, just plain dumb people. But, admittedly....It's funny!
A few of them really had me rolling. A few I scrolled quickly past (inappropriate) but, man, it is really funny! I did just notice that there is a place you can click to see only G-rated pics and videos. The link I put in above is g-rated.
HERE is my favorite one I've seen/heard! What a heck of a slip of the tongue!!!

Cooking Fun

Okay, gals, I gotta idea! But everyone has to play! The other day as I was menu planning and ruminating over my cookbooks, I got to wondering, "Hmmm...I wonder what Steph is making tonight." And then, "Ooohh, I wonder what Sarah H. (you stalker, you!) is making tonight! Probably something delicious with lots of veggies that her kids will devour!" And then, "Oh, and I'd love to go to Jenny's house and see what wonderfulness she is whipping up over there! Although it probably has nothing whatsoever to do with a recipe or much less a cookbook!"

SOOO...Let's share.

Tell me, tell us all,

1. What is your favorite, go-to, never fail, use it all the time cookbook (or magazine)?

2. Why?

3. Where do you keep your cookbooks/recipes?

4. Do you menu plan? If so, what gets made every week?

Fun, right? You can tell us on your own blog (Karen M. this is a great excuse to get back onto that bloggie of yours!) or you can leave a comment (for the wusses!).

Here's mine!

1. and 2. Well, lately it's been my Kraft magazines (sign up for them on Kraftfoods.com - you get one per quarter) though I'm actually beginning to aquiesce to Reed's suggestion that most of their recipes are really just a base and need some extra ooomph to be really good. But they're always easy (a *must*) and have few ingredients (another *must*).
However, for a nicer, not so ho-hum dinner, I've been getting into Cooking Light magazines and Better Homes and Gardens. The CL issue I just got was a real winner! Lots of terrific summer yumminess! I'm all about salads in the summer! No oven!!

My Kraft and Cooking Light magazines are here next to my notebook with all of my mother's and grandmother's best recipes and the box chock full of all my favorites so far!

3. I keep it all in this fabulous (well, I think it's fabulous) iron baker's rack that I snatched up at some antiques store or other - oh, wait, yes! It was from McKinney when we were visiting Reed's grandmother who lives down the street from some of the best antiquing! Ummm...anyway...the point is that I got it for $15! Here they are:

Who's that hiding behind the cookie jar on the bottom shelf?

4. Yep, I have to menu plan or dinner just won't get made. I am not creative in the least about what to make, so if there's no plan or recipe, I just get stalled out and make nothing so Reed comes home and I say, "Well, either you get to cook tonight (cuz he's a great improvisor) or it's Italian (read: pizza) or Chinese (read: Panda Garden)".

As for every week, well, usually spaghetti (most of the summertime without meat) and tacos or taco salad. Boring, I know. Some variant of a BLT salad has been making a pretty regular appearance, too. This is what I made tonight. YUM!

So, there you are. I hope you other girls play cuz I really do want to know!

Oh! It's Skippy! "Hi, Skippyjon!"

Page 1 in Babybook #2

Dear Baby,
Oh, how much I love you. And I don’t mean the idea of you. I mean I love you. I love your littleness. I love your helplessness. I love that God made you just exactly the way you are and that He already has a plan for you. I praise God that that plan includes me and Reed and MaryEvyn. It includes Mamaw and Pawpaw and Gram and Grampa. It includes cousins and aunts and uncles that love you, too.
It includes happy times and sad times, for every life must have both in our fallen world. I’m so very sad that yours begins with sadness and a wound. I will do my best to be filled with God and His Spirit in order to teach you, love you and show you how to help heal that wound and trust not only your perfect Father, but other people as well. But what Satan means for evil, God will redeem as so very good. He will show you how He has provided not just an earthly family for you, but a heavenly one as well. That you are showered in a cloud of witnesses saying, “Here is the way! Walk in it!”
You are an amazing little one and I can’t wait to hold you. To rock you. To shush you to sleep in my arms. To take a myriad of pictures of you with all the ones who love you. To adore you as you fall asleep in Dada’s arms. To read you books and brag about how smart and beautiful you are.
I don’t know what you’ll look like or who your birthmom will be, but God does and He’s making a way to bring us together. He will weave our hearts and lives together and make a breathtaking life for you that will display His glory for all those who see it.
Oh, how much I love you already!
Love,
Mommy

Great, Easy Cookies!

BH&G has been giving me some great recipes lately! I made these cookies today to take to a splashy party and they were quite the hit. So, if you like peanut butter and chocolate as much as my hubby does, you definitely need to give these a try!

Flourless Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cookies

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
parchment paper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in chocolate morsels.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350 for 12 to 14 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely.

Notes:
* This recipe will yield about 2 dozen cookies.
* I used milk chocolate morsels and they were great!
* Not sure the parchment paper is necessary but it sure made cleanup easy! Actually, it may be necessary since there's no actual butter in the recipe...?
* Do be sure to keep them on the cookie sheet for the 5 minutes after baking, otherwise they kinda fall apart on your spatula. But after that, they came off perfectly!

Behavior Modification vs. Heart Change

I recently had a conversation with a mommy mentor and a dear friend about how we discipline and guide our children towards obedience and respect. A major theme of our discussion involved how we wanted to not just teach our children the moral, right thing to do because that would really only get us, and them, so far before that would be easily questioned and resisted. I mean, why do I want Evy to obey me? For my ease and comfort? So that she is a "sweet girl"? So others will think she's pleasant? To please others? To be an honorable, upstanding woman? Well, I guess those things maybe aren't all bad, but it seems to fall a little short of what God expects which is what I ultimately want her to understand. I want to not just change and manage her behavior, I want to reach and guide her heart into seeking and seeing the heart of our righteous and loving God. So we were discussing how easy it is to slip back into the managing side of things where I'm willing to do just about anything to just make the undesired behavior stop! Now while we agreed that there is definitely a place for behavior charts and even rewards especially at their young age where they need the concrete reinforcement, there is a time for going deeper. Helping her to see that there is more to her disobedience and "bad" attitude. She is a sinner and that sin in her heart which she can't control, causes her to sin and to reject God as her authority. No, I don't quite use those words, but I'm guiding her slowly but surely to that truth. She is learning that she can't make herself stop, she won't ever stop sinning. She needs a Savior and she needs to be with him regularly and depend on Him to change her heart in order to change her behavior.
But, honestly, this isn't a post about child discipline strategy, though that's what our discussion was about. But even as we were discussing our children in this way, my dear friend and I both quickly realized that we could just as easily have been discussing ourselves.
How easily do I just want to manage my own behavior and just will myself to be a "good, Christian". But isn't that only on the outside? And do I not really just stifle it only to have it come out in another way?
I need a Savior, too. I need to realize (again and again) my dependence on the Holy Spirit to point out and bring to light the sin (and the sin behind the sin) in my heart first and then I'll see behavior change (hello, fruits of the spirit). I won't ever stop sinning, but because of this I love Jesus more and know my need for Him. I know what He's done for me in saving me from a life trapped in sin.
So just like I take the time (mostly) with my daughter after the time-out and after the apology to talk with her about why she did or said what she did or said so that she can see her heart's condition, I also need to take the time to let my sin sink in. To realize the relationship with God that I jeopardized by my selfish attitude. Take the time to let the Holy Spirit show me the attitude or the lie or the idol that is in my heart in order to affect true change.
So, um, there's my light and breezy blog reading for you today! See why I don't blog so often lately...this-this is what's on my brain lately. Heavy stuff. Maybe I'll have some easy, breezy stuff soon... ;-)

When God Changes a Dream

Have you ever mourned the loss of a dream? As you stared at the reality of what God was bringing (or not bringing) into your life, have you had to face and accept the truth that the thing you thought you really wanted or needed just wasn't going to be granted? Do you know the feeling?
As I've walked this strange, surreal road of second child infertility, God's done some unexpected, often painful work on my heart. Lately it's been harder, but better. Huh? ok...
Reed and I have taken some steps toward adoption. God has continued to open our hearts and minds to the idea of adoption. The more I've learned about it, the more I regret that I hadn't pursued it before now. But I'll get to that later.
See, my controlling, selfish little heart wanted a soft, perfect, healthy, expected birth of a baby who looked just like his mommy and daddy. One that we would nurture perfectly in it's infancy, keep anything harmful or potentially dangerous away. One that would be ours. One that would not draw any undesired attention to himself (or us). Then we had dinner with some friends who adopted and what they told us scared the pants off of us. We went to bed that night a little shell-shocked. But that's because they're real friends and they were really open which is just what we needed. That's when the dream smashing began.
So I had already given up the "looking like mommy and daddy" part of the dream when the reality of infertility really set in and I began to even allow myself to think of adoption. But that night I realized that the "being ours" part was going to have to be given up as well. Our friends told us that adoptions now were all "open" or at least "semi-open" which means that you know the birthmom and she is a part of the process. They described to us how particularly as Christians, they were faithfully pursuing the birthmom in order to help minister to her and show her Jesus as well as keep that connection there for their child. Whoa. I have to share my baby? Can I even call him/her my baby? But then, God started asking if I thought Evy was MY baby? No, she's not. She belongs to God and He allows me to teach her about Him, raise her and love her, but ultimately I'll answer to Him about how I did with His kiddo. And how is that different from sharing a baby I decide to bless you with through adoption? sigh.
To gain even more insight, Reed and I attended an adoption conference with a ministry called Abba's Heart. It was so good! There were three breakout sessions we attended. The first was just sort of a roadmap of adoption which we kinda already knew from our friends. The second was about trans-racial adoption. Man, that couple was amazing! I'll have to write a whole other post about that... The third one was led by a staff person with the agency we've decided to use. Her name is Cindy Seay with New Life. She was fantastic! She talked very openly and personally about relating to the birthparents. Reed and I both had tears in our eyes. Now that "not drawing any undesired attention" part is being challenged. The more God speaks to me about this next baby of ours, the more I seem to be unable to answer this question: "How can I say no to any child that needs a family?" Because of it's race? Because of it's health? Because of it's ethnicity? sigh. God values the little ones that He so carefully knits together in the womb. And whichever child He chooses for us, how could I say no?
But here's the real point of it all so far for me. The point of all of this that I'm telling you. It's that I'm not just giving up a dream. It's not disappearing into thin air leaving me broken and bitter. It's getting bigger. My heart and my compassion and my view of a Christian's purpose for life are growing dramatically! Even more so my faith. Because, as each Christian adoptive parent has told us thus far, I'm not just "giving up" each piece of this fleshly dream of mine. Though not without pain and tears, I'm giving it to God and trusting Him to take me farther and deeper and wider than I thought my heart could go. Trusting Him to be enough to fulfill every dream. So with each step I am seeing my way to trust Him, to give my all for Him, to tell others what He can do, to allow Him to change me to be more like Him.
And I know that if He can do that for this dream of mine, God can take any of our dreams and do the same. Watch, submit, and see.

Made me laugh

Moms, go read this quick little post - it's too funny!
Click here.

Our Newest Addition

Skippyjon Jones, formerly Jilly Boo Puff.

We picked her up on Saturday from the Garcia's who were tipped off by Julie that the Cutshalls might just be interested. This is when Evy first saw her.

Taking her home (in Reed's new car)! She purred the whole time and the closer you held her, the happier she was.

Little ball of fur!

Not so much fur after a good bath!

Well, we took her to the vet this morning and Dr. Good-Ol'-Ag promptly informed us that she is a HE.
Oh, I see.
"But, Mommy, I want it to be a girl!"
"Well, Sweetie..."
So, she's finally come around that kitty is a boy and maybe Jilly Boo isn't the best name for HIM. So, now it's Skippy as in Skippyjon Jones (the children's books).
I guess we'll get around to changing her - oops, his - tag later...
Stop laughing, Julie!

What they don't tell you about being a mom.

1. It is incredibly hard. Harder than you think it will be. And then even harder than that.


2. You will cry.


3. At least once a day you will wonder how God ever saw fit to give you a child and if you even have what it takes.


4. The harder it is, the more rewarding it is.


5. You will sacrifice. Then you'll sacrifice some more. Um...and then some more!


6. The lines are never as black and white as you once thought. Wrong sometimes seems very right or maybe just not so wrong or maybe just not wrong yet...


7. Take any and all appreciation however and whenever it comes. Sometimes it's big (flowers and breakfast in bed kind of stuff) but most of the time it's just a little smile, or a hug, or a "Thanks, Mom," in passing. It all counts. Treasure it.


8. Don't always count on a nap. Take them if they come but don't be surprised or upset if/when they don't. (see number 5)


9. The doctor doesn't think your child has a fever until it's over 100 degrees. (Didn't know that until my baby had one!)


10. The best parenting books in the world aren't always the best. Your mom and your friends aren't always right. Your heart might even steer you wrong, but God will always come through and He knows and loves you and your child best. Really.


11. You are NOT alone. Your child is NOT the first one to ____________. No mother worth her weight in salt will judge you for your child's temper tantrum OR for dragging your child out to "have a talk". (If they do, you shouldn't care or listen to them, anyway!)


12. Pray. A lot. Often. In detail. For big and small things. Out loud and silently. With your child and without them. On your knees and while driving. For them and for yourself. For the present and the future.


13. When your child is in a "stage" and everyone tells you it gets better, it does.


14. When your child is in a "stage" and everyone tells you it gets worse, it does.


15. I've often wondered if my child is in a stage or if I am.


16. They don't always cry because they're sad or because they need you. Sometimes when they cry the wisest thing to do is to shut the door and let them have it out.


17. Your husband really can do some things you can't with your child - and that's good! Let him.
Show him how you do it, then let him do it his own way and don't say anything.


18. Having a child is probably the best accountability you'll ever have. Everything you say and do, they say and do. And they'll call you on it every time!

Do you have any to add?

Happy Mother's Day to all the past moms, present moms, and future moms!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Viva Mexico!

Y gracias a mi mama para los vestidos! Estan perfectos!

Serendipity!

I have many of those days where I quickly begin to wonder if I really should have even gotten out of bed because things just go from bad to worse! This past Saturday, however, was not one of them! What a terrific day that I had not planned for whatsoever!

The only thing I had planned on doing that day was going super early to a garage sale at St. Laurence Catholic church. I am on the hunt for a small upholstered chair for my bedroom. Anyway, I did not find my chair but I did spend two dollars. Two! Two very well spent bucks, mind you! One dollar was for this:

Who doesn't love Lite Brite?! I knew she would. Score!
The other dollar was for a little purple car for her Polly Pockets. It has gotten a lot of play time, too!!
As I was coming home from the garage sale I saw a little sign that said, "Dragon Boats" and an arrow. I followed the arrows and subsequent signs (and cars) to find that there was a Dragon Boat Festival going on at Lake Pointe that day. I stopped and asked a man directing traffic what time it all started. He said at about 8:30 or 9 and to bring a lunch! Great!
So I went home to my snoozing hubby who reluctantly got up and made us some biscuits for breakfast and then Evy and I went out (umm...Reed got to work more on the dining room ceiling. He's a good man.) As I pulled into to a parking place I saw a familiar van! Friends!


And here they are watching the dragon boats. It was really cool! Apparently, it has been held every year downtown but with the recent rains and flooding, they moved the festival to Sugar Land this year! Total happenstance! There was origami, bubbles, coloring, games, freezy fruit and an entertainment stage where we were front and center to see this:

For some reason, Evy really liked the girl on the front row, so when it was over we got her picture taken with her and she says she wants to do that now, too! Uh...ok!

A very fun, serendipitous morning...if you believe in that sort of thing, I guess! ;-)