The crowded trip home

Raleigh, Titus, and I went to Houston while Clint went to St. Louis last week.  He then flew to Houston to get some much needed rest after being gone for more than a month!!  We made the trip back today and picked up some things from our house in Tomball.  PS- please pray that it sells!!  The expedition was packed!!  We brought back stuff to make RaRa a "big girl" bed.  Raleigh and Titus were very up close and personal...I think Titus would have been o.k. without so much love from RaRa.

A chef in the making

Watch out world....here comes chef Raleigh!!!  Thank you so much to a sweet family from our church that gave Ra Ra a new kitchen, she absolutely loves it!!!  She spends so much time cooking and creating things that would make a chef drool!! Ha!!  PS- she does own more clothes than just this shirt, she just happens to be wearing it in some of these posts.

The Fish

Several weeks ago Clint took his staff to one of our church member's lake house for a planning retreat.  They got a lot done and planned, but they also had a fun time.  One of the things that Clint was determined to do before they left was catch a fish.  You're probably thinking...no big deal.  It is no big deal, except for the fact that he wanted to catch it with a bow and arrow!  You read that right, a bow and arrow!!!  Surprisingly, it didn't take very long before we started hearing men scream like girls from excitement near the water.  He actually did it!!!!  Clint Ivy, you never cease to amaze me!!!

Clint with his "manly" bow and arrow!!

Poor fish....we did throw him back....

Boston Update

Some of you know how crazy summers tend to be for us.  Clint will be gone a total of 5 weeks this summer!!!  Crazy, Crazy!!!  Right now he is in Boston with their high school mission trip.  One of the things that they do is put on concerts...seriously, they are amazing!!  I will get to fly early Tuesday morning (thanks Jess) and stay till Friday (thanks Grammy).  Here is a short video of what is going on.

Summertime and Summer haircuts

Poor Titus!!!  We couldn't get him into a groomer before Clint left for Boston, so we pulled out the clippers.  The jury is still out on how he looks, but he is quite embarrassed!!!  I tried to take a picture of him so you all could share in the humiliation, but he wouldn't even look at the camera.  Ha!!

Go Rough Riders!!!

Several weeks ago we went to a Rough Riders baseball game.  It was a blast!!  We went with some friends from church and got to sit in box seats (which was perfect for wild animal Ra Ra).  We stayed most of the game until it was to late for Raleigh and she could no longer be amused by Mr. Jim's iPhone.

Thankfully, our seats were fenced in so Raleigh could roam free.

Sweet girl caught making friends with the people in the box next to us.

Blue eyed girls!

So much fun we can hardly stand it!!!

Meeting our new friend Daisy.  Raleigh managed to avoid a freak out.

I am not afraid of anything!!

Have I mentioned that we have a wild woman on our hands?!?  Raleigh is very calculated at times, but most of the time she has a lack of fear for anything.  Sliding down huge slides...no problem.  Diving into a pool when I can't swim and don't have floaties on...piece of cake.  Jumping off of the furniture hoping someone will catch me... all in a good day's work.  I am glad that she has taken up this mentality, but I think it is taking years off of my life!  We recently went to eat at a Traildust (the steak house with the huge slide) with Clint's family.  Raleigh wanted to go down the slide...of course!!  She had a hard time letting daddy help her up the stairs, but she loved it.  Her love of adventure got the best of her when our food came and she wanted to keep sliding and not eat!  Our little daredevil keeps us on our toes!

Clint and Raleigh having fun...notice how she is pushing him away! So independent!

Check out that daredevil smile!

Scary Face!!!

Thank you to the Emmott Family for teaching Raleigh the "scary face."  She makes the funniest sound while she makes this face.  You can hear her practicing in her bed before she goes to sleep and when she wakes up.  Hopefully the straining from making the sound and face will not give her a hernia like her daddy.  What a fun and silly girl we have!!

The "Lorea" Ladies

When naming Raleigh, we had her middle name picked out before her first name.  Clint and I were decided that we wanted to name her after my mom's mom.  My Grandma is one of the most honest, caring, and strong women that I have ever met.  We wished and hoped that Raleigh would follow suit and end up with some of her wonderful attributes.  The older she gets, the more and more like a "Lorea" she is acting.  Two crazy ladies with the same name...I don't know if the world can handle it!!

Natalie's Graduation

As promised, here are the pictures and update from my sister Natalie's graduation.  We had a great (but very quick) weekend.  We are so proud of you Na Na!!

Mom, Natalie, and Dad

Natalie and J.B.

The Rice Family

Aunt Na Na and Ra Ra

Mason and Natalie

Natalie and Ellie

Moving to Dallas

This picture is the perfect representative of the wide range of emotions that our family has been going through.  We have been overwhelmed with sadness, fear, excitement, and humility.  Many of you know that we have recently made a move to the Dallas area.  We were not looking to relocate.  We were close to family and were very comfortable.  The Northwest Student Ministry was thriving.  There was no need to move.  Unless, of course, if your creator asks you to and whispers in your ear that His timing is perfect and that we are blessed to be a part of His plan.  If that had not happened, this comfortable little girl was not going anywhere!  For years we have been praying to be a part of a church where Clint could be mentored by someone that has lead a student ministry for many years and also where he could lead his own staff.  This honestly did not seem like a reality until Prestonwood called.  With heavy, sad, and excited hearts we were able to make the transition to Dallas.  There was nothing wrong with where we were, God just asked us to go.  We have to trust in that.  We have to believe that His ways are higher than our ways.  Honestly, I am still worried.  We have yet to sell our house.  This has never happened before.  Please pray that our house will sell quickly.  We have been completely humbled to be a part of a church like Prestonwood, truly the Godly people that work here are amazing.