SNOW DAY!!!!!

This post doesn't warrent many words. I'll let the pics do the talking:). 

We had a rare treat on Thursday and had between 2-3 inches of snow.  So I made Jeff come home early and check the big kids out of school so we could enjoy it! It was beautiful thick big flakes and we were sooooo excited! Snow in Tuscaloosa is a BIG deal!

One Last Christmas Post

With all the craziness from Passion and the coming home and getting back into the swing of our normal schedule, I never got a chance to post about Christmas with my family.   I don't want to neglect that as we had a wonderful time as usual celebrating with my parents, brother and sister in law.  We didn't go to Atlanta until a few days after Christmas.  We have now realized that we really NEED to stay home as much as possible over the holidays.  It is stressful enough with 4 children and school parties and everything else that goes on.  Traveling with children is tough.  Thankfully our families understand this:). 

I totally have Silhouette Cameo envy now.  How cute are these tags Erin made with her Cameo?!

In addition to exchanging presents, we ate lots of yummy food, played a lot and more.  Mom and I also got to finally take the girls to the American Girl doll store.  I think I had more fun than they did though!  Thanks to our sweet grandmothers Christmas generosity, the girls picked out a set of Itty Bitty Baby twins to bring home.  They are so in love with their dolls! 

 A few phone pics...

playing on their new leap pads from my parents

riding around with Uncle Ryan

cooking with Aunt Erin

We also got in a quick visit with my Uncle Mickey and Aunt Susie who had not met the baby yet. 

I think that does it.  Not pictured is that my camera broke in the midst of all this.  My Nikon D60 was so good to me.  I was able to get a new one with my Christmas money and I'm still learning about it.  I'm excited about it but sort of missing my first DSLR:).   I better figure it out because we have a certain someones FIRST BIRTHDAY party this weekend!!! 

Passion 2013

January 1-4, Jeff and I had the privilege of serving at Passion 2013 in Atlanta. 

If you have never heard of Passion, you can read more about it at www.268generation.com

Our ministry, Cru, partnered with Passion for the second year in a row and it was great! 

60,000 college students rocking in the Georgia Dome is not too shabby. 

We have so much respect for Louie Giglio and all the musicians and team who help run this great organization...all for God's glory!

 The way Passion is set up is that they have large group meetings with worship and great teaching in the dome to worship Jesus.  Then the 60,000 students split up into community groups which are smaller groups of about 1000-3000 to really let all the teaching sink in.  Even within these groups, the students split up into smaller little circles to discuss and pray.   This is is such an important time for really letting the Lord work. 

Jeff was one of the 20 community group leaders.  What a privilege!  He did this last year too, but I wasn't able to go because I was about to have a baby:).  I am so blessed that I got to go this year.  Passion started when I was in college but I never got to go to one of their conferences.  So here I was 15 years later, getting to go!  So much fun!  

The community group Jeff led was made up of about 1200 Cru students from around the southeast

Rocking in the Georgia Dome.  Seriously good for my soul to worship here with some of my favorite Christian artists!

The Passion people treat community group leaders like VIPs, even though we aren't.  It was so cool though because we got to hang out among the ranks of the true VIP's like...Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, Beth Moore, John Piper, David Crowder, Matt Redman, Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, and more.  We also had hosts for the week who were kind of like personal assistants.  They just so happened to be fellow Tuscaloosans:).  So fun to make new friends!

Kyle and Laura served us so well and it was just fun to have another mama to hang out with:).

Seriously though, we got to meet Beth Moore...not long after she gave one of the best talks I've ever heard.  She talked about the Last Supper and I learned so many new things that I can't wait to study  more in my personal times with the Lord.  Beth Moore is so gifted and meeting her was a highlight.  She's beautiful and so sweet! 

I mean really, how cute is she? 

The community group times were great.  Jeff taught a few times from Ephesians and then the other times we split up into our campus times so we got to be specifically with just folks from Bama.  I think God really used those times to work on some hearts.  

These students just kept on praying even after we were done one morning...

Some of our Bama girls praying during campus time...

Most of our group from Alabama (although some were still sleeping...this was our last morning)

Speaking of the last morning, Jeff actually got to go down on the stage! Whoa was that cool! Louie asked all the community group leaders down to be introduced.  We even got a big Roll Tide from him which is a big deal since he's an Auburn guy. 

Besides getting to hear from speakers like Louie, Beth Moore, John Piper, and Francis Chan, the best thing about Passion 2013 was the amount of awareness and money that was raised for slavery/human trafficking.  Did you know there are more than 27 million slaves in the world TODAY??? That is more than at any other time in history.  That is sad.  It needs to end.  We need to help.  

Passion 2013 helped raise over 3 million dollars for this very cause.  3 MILLION DOLLARS from college students??? How awesome is that!!!  Passion is partnering with several organizations who are on the ground around the U.S and the world who help get people out of slavery and the sex trade.  It's amazing to hear the stories.  Many of them come to a saving faith in Jesus.  Now that is true freedom! 

If you want to know more about helping with slavery and human trafficking go to the website www.enditmovement.com

Truly, these 4 days I got to be a part of Passion were so wonderful.  I feel like God used it to renew my heart for Him and His word.  He also used it to just give me a few days to not have to fix any meals or change any diapers or break up any fights or give any baths or do any bedtime routines.  I actually got ready and dressed 3 days in a row:)!!! As much as I love love love my kiddos, it's just nice to have a break!  And how awesome it was to have a break to truly worship Jesus and make much of HIM! 

  A big thanks to my parents for putting up with our crew to make it possible!!!