So I left Alabama to head back to Nashville for one night and then Cameron & David (Daniel’s younger brothers) arrived to spend the 4th of July weekend with us! I was mainly challenged to keep enough food in the house while the men dug in the dirt and blew things up. It was their first time to visit us in Nashville by themselves so we were really excited to have them out. And 4th of July is a perfect holiday to have teenage guys visit because as long as there is a firework around, they are extremely content.

They were a huge help to us with finishing out our fence and landscaping, too. I’m particularly grateful because if they did not help, guess who would be out there trying to dig 20+ holes in the ground? Yours truly. So thanks guys!

We had a BBQ on the 4th with some friends complete with Texas brisket, potato salad, beans, watermelon and Blue Bell, a nice speech about Courage from Amy, tons of fireworks (so many that the guys got tired of shooting them off and didn’t finish them), and a skeet shooting contest with Daniel’s shotgun. Sounds a little out of control, doesn’t it?

So we dropped Cameron & David off at the airport and picked up Kristi & Bre (Daniel’s sisters) 48 hours later. This was their 4th or 5th time I believe to come out by themselves so we were all looking forward to their time in Nashville. We spent days doing girl stuff and nights and weekends hanging out with Daniel. Of course we shopped (although rather unsuccessfully this time) and they also helped me price stuff for a consignment sale, organize our childhood stuff that has been in deteriorating cardboard boxes for years (and ended up being quite a comical experience), and generally hung out with us with whatever we had going on. Bre and Daniel pressure washed and sealed the driveway together while Kristi and I read and got a tan on a few occasions too. We also watched more movies than I think I have watched in the last two years combined and of course stayed up late and slept late.

Bre had to head back to Texas for Driver’s Ed but Kristi ended up staying another week. The last afternoon Bre was there, they both helped me get ready for my surprise anniversary date. Daniel and I celebrated 7 years of marriage this year and he managed to plan a very nice surprise evening for us complete with coordinating a place for Kristi to hang out with some friends. I felt very beautiful after they were done straightening my hair and Kristi had a lot of fun hanging out with my friends that night. I am more and more grateful for Daniel every year that goes by and feel very blessed to have such an incredible husband.

So the last full week of July, Kristi, along with some other amazing women, helped me pull off a wedding shower for Paige. She gets married August 30 and I can’t wait! We also dyed Kristi’s hair, had a few more successful shopping adventures, movie nights, and one very comical but not so comical night where Kristi got to drive me home. It was a really fun month!

The end of July also marked one year since I left my “job” at the church in student ministry. I was telling a friend that I feel like God used a lot of this summer to basically tie a bow around this last year for me. A lot of the year was wondering and waiting and simply being obedient and faithful to what he had called us to without knowing how he was going to work or what of my dreams for this last year was he going to fulfill. I found myself time and again thinking of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3:17-18 where they said to Nebuchadnezzar “..our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” I don’t face many fiery furnaces and even my “big” problems are really not that big. But I also believe the same principle applies…God can do anything. But if not, He is still faithful and worthy of all glory and I desire to continue to serve Him alone and not turn aside to my fears, insecurities or what the world tells me. A lot of things that I was hopeful God would do this year, did happen. Not everything, but significant things and as I look back on even these last two months (2 posts!), I am amazed at what God wrapped together in my heart and in the lives of people I love. Thank you Lord Jesus!