Embracing This Texas Summer

This summer, in dreaded anticipation of the disgusting heat, our saying & mindset is embrace the summer. Instead of being miserable, we've decided to enjoy the wonderful parts of summer (fruits in season, swimming, snowcones) & doing what we can to live with the not-so-fun parts(grilling as much as possible & using other methods other than the oven to not heat our already hot house, traveling out of texas during the hottest months) It's amazing how much ones outlook can impact their experiences. So far, so good-Here's to embracing the summer!

Both Skylar & Piper have been taking swimming lessons since they were 6 months old. They love swimming-so we've been very excited about the weather being warm enough to "show off their mad skills".
Another wonderful activity that comes with summer is Camp Thurman. Skylar loves going to camp. Stephen was a camp counselor at Camp Thurman-I love watching them bond over camp activities & songs!
Pacifier amputation date set-June 22nd. Start praying now(seriously).
Sweet Stella is always smiles.....
I love the way that Skylar is holding Stella's hand!
Good Morning! This is what morning looks like at the Burks House. The girls slowly awake & make their way to the living where they plop down on the couch & watch a show while I make breakfast & do dishes. Regardless of who wakes up first or the hour, the girls are all smiles, which in turn makes me smile!

Promises, Programs, Blackberries & Baths

Recently we made a promise to the Lord-that we would raise our children to know Him & according to His ways. It was a wonderful day! & we have been having a lot of those lately-wonderful days that is! Now that we are working the kinks out & functioning as our family of 5. I think that this is the first picture that we're taken together of all 5-as crazy as everyone looks here, one thing I know for sure-we LOVE each other & are having FUN!

Skylar and Piper's school year is coming to an end & with that comes Spring Program. The girls were so entertaining to watch. Skylar's program was at night & close to bed time-I stopped counting her yawn at 20 yawns!

We have wild blackberries that grow in the backyard and they are finally ripe. Skylar and Piper have shown such patience in watching the flower bloom, petals fall, and blackberries to then change from green to red and finally to black. With bowls in hand, we picked & picked-Piper snacked on one for every two that she put in her bowl. It was awesome!

Bath time at the Burks House is never dull. Regardless of the bath products that we purchase that help to make bath a calming & soothing time where our sweet little ones wind down, it never works. As crazy as it can be, we all love it. It is our time to talk about our day & read our devotional all together- the girls especially love it because the usually get their dessert in bath.

When two became one

(alaska 2003 & 2009)

exactly seven years ago, i was practicing walking down the aisle. how can a moment in time feel like a lifetime ago but also just like it was yesterday? Precious skylar, piper, & stella would have never been without that magical & blessed may 3, 2003. they are just one of the many, many reasons why i love my sweet stephen b, my garage band king. it amazes me how much we've grown together & how so many things have remained the same. i think back to all our first encounters & how all of them had gone awry...until we finally got on the same page :) oh am i ever blessed! he loves me so! as do I! with all the wonderful things that my husband has done for me, the greatest was before i was his wife...before i was even promised to be his some day...my prince lead me to my King! i love his passion for me, the girls, & especially Christ! here's to the next seven years....

The Beginning

on loan from Him~who? might you ask. well...sweet skylar, piper, & stella aren't really mine. i mean, stephen & i conceived them, i carried them to term & even birthed them. I've nursed them, changed countless diapers, soothed them, taught them, disciplined them but they aren't mine-they are His. God's children that we have been entrusted with while on this earth to train up, to raise, to love. so these precious ones are on loan for the time being. ours for now. i hope that we make Him proud with how we raise His children.