aglimpseintoourlives

School Activities

2010-03-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

Ms. Jenkins with her class as they present her with an album about love (before her wedding)

the Thanksgiving feast, my sweet Indian

the Christmas party

Texas Day!!!

Farm and Cowboy Day!

Since the beginning of the year, William has experienced numerous firsts with activities from school. He has enjoyed participating in each event with great enthusiasm for learning and being involved. He enjoys having his mom visit and continues to amaze me at how smart he is.

Here's to a year full of memories!!!

Snow Days

2010-02-20T08:50:00.000-08:00

These are some of our pictures we took during our snow days. It was so much fun!!!

I'll Be Home for Christmas

2009-12-17T13:20:00.000-08:00

Imagine the excitement and hustle and bustle on that day. Jesus was coming to Mary and Martha's house. I wonder what thoughts went through their heads..." Is everything clean?...Did I make the bed?...Do I have enough food?" I hate to admit it but I tend to be more of a Martha. Busy with preparations, almost never sitting down to enjoy the company. Wondering when should I offer dessert. I was reminded through an amazing word from Pastor Nathan last week that all of that does not matter. We should be comfortable, like Mary, to welcome Jesus in our home at any and all times. He is there whether we believe it or not. He sees the dirty laundry both literally and figurately. Nathan also reminded us of the passage where Jesus is the gardener and prunes the vines in our lives. I want to look at my own life, especially during this time of year, and know that Jesus is pruning away at things in my life so that He can feel more comfortable. Is Jesus comfortable at my home? Will He be home for Christmas? I pray He is for Christmas and every day.

Thru the Lens

2009-11-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

Rhyming Words

2009-09-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

here is the setting: William and I are driving in the Jeep to Target. I am asking numerous questions about his day at school and what he had learned. This is the conversation that happened next:

William: " Mommy, I got in trouble for saying a bad word."

Me: " What was the bad word? You are not going to get in trouble; I just need to know what was said."

William: " I said shack, Mommy."

Me: " William, that isn't a bad word"

William: " Oh, I mean I said shit"

Me: trying very hard not to laugh or drive off the road " Tell me what your rhyming words were"

William: " Sit...Hit..."

Me: " Yes that does rhyme with those words but that is a word that we don't say"

William: " Okay Mommy"

Needless to say, I didn't think that 3 weeks into Kindergarten I would be confronted with a bad word situation. I emailed his teacher to tell her that we do not use that word in our home and that it was purely accidental. She emailed me back and said she completely understood and that another child had done it in her afternoon class. I think she is going to change her rhyming words for that lesson!

Starting Kindergarten

2009-08-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

The emotions were at an all-time high at the begining of this week. It was the first day of Kindergarten. I awoke to the sound of William saying " It's the first day of school" It was 6:40AM! We have had a great week experiencing the excitement of walking to school, backpack in tow. The nervousness of having to leave him at school and him saying "I will have a great day!" The wonder of learning where to go in the mornings before class starts. Where to be to pick-up at 11:00 AM. The tired and weary feelings of having to do this EVERY morning except Saturday and Sunday. We have survived with flying colors and I am so proud of him. He is enjoying learning about so many different and unique things about Miss Jenkins' classroom. The rules, following directions, listening to the teacher, understanding the color charts for discipline, making sure he doesn't lose any "teeth" for talking when the teacher is talking. I have prayed for this for a long time and I have had such comfort in knowing that Miss Jenkins was hand selected for our boy. What a great way to start off the year!

DisneyWorld

2009-08-21T16:09:00.000-07:00

there are so many things to say about our trip but this sums it up...William had a blast and thought it was really cool to meet Jack Sparrow. Watch his face...it is priceless!

Jedi William turns 6

2009-08-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

the invitation reads: In a galaxy far, far away on the 28th of August a baby was born. The Jedi Council named him William. During his 6 years, Young Jedi William has learned the ways of the Force. He requests the presence of Young Jedi to complete their training...

In the Pyle household right now, it is all about Star Wars. Can you picture it? Light sabers in tow, boys (one 6 year old and one well let's just say 30 something year old) fighting everywhere. One is the good guy. The other the bad guy. The Princess is trying to cook dinner with all the battling going on. It seemed only fitting to have a Star Wars party for William's 6th birthday. I looked up some things on-line and we decided to decorate his room as the dark side. Dark curtains covered the windows. Glowing stars hung on the ceiling reminding us we were in a galaxy far, far away. As on all planets, you must have rocks. The rocks on the dark side were special rocks that glow in the dark so that you can find them better.

As each guest arrived, the Jedi-in-training had their picture made in front of a Star Wars poster, light sabers, and with the Chosen One for the day. The guest received Star Wars coloring sheets as they made their way into the galaxy. Once all the Jedi trainees were here, we tested their skills so that they could move on to be successful Jedi. They needed to test their hearing, their sight, and their smell. They had to guess what each sound was: a gun being released, a toy kitty saying meow very softly, a bell. They were given objects to identify: a picture of a chair, an oval, handcuffs. Lastly, they had to test their sense of smell. They had to identify dog food, coffee, and cinnamon. Each Jedi passed and were awarded for their skills and talent.

William enjoyed opening his gifts from his friends and family. Much to his liking he received lots and lots of Legos, Star Wars ones at that! After opening gifts, we had lunch and cake. Mawmaw and I had prepared a big cake to be a planet and then smaller cupcakes to resemble other planets like Earth. He was so proud to blow out his one, big Darth Vader candle and everyone sing Happy Birthday. We had a very successful party and remember...May the Force be with you!

Growing Up

2009-08-10T13:29:00.000-07:00

Rewind back to the spring of this year. The staff of our church (my palms still get a little sweaty when I say that because I am actually included in the staff) had our monthly face-to-face meeting. Nathan wanted to do something a little different than we normally do. As a church we had a lot coming up in the spring and summer that needed prayer. We started the meeting off by going to each area that was represented and praying for the people in that area. For example, we went into the worship center and prayed over Robby and the youth, Tim and the band, Nathan and his leadership over the church. We headed over to the brick building and started praying for Heather, Christy, and myself. Each time of prayer had been very meaningful and purposeful. Praying not only for the spiritual needs but also the physical, emotional, and mental. Each person had specific needs and I was no exception. As it came my turn, I asked for prayer for William as he starts school in the fall. I will never forget the prayers that were offered up on his behalf (and mine as well). His teacher was prayed for. His friends. His attitude. His learning. His salvation. His heart. My attitude. My learning and letting go. My peace.

Fast-forward to the middle of August and whether I want to believe it or not, school is just around the corner. I am struggling with so many emotions. The excitement of buying his new backpack and lunch box. The anxiety of the unknown. The heart of a mother that wants her child to know that everything will be okay. He will make friends. He will succeed. He will learn how to handle himself in unusual situations. The thought of him being in an environment that is not as "safe" as I would like. With all the struggles, come more and more prayers. With the prayers, comes confidence that he is going to be okay. He is going to do well.

He has grown in so many ways this past year. In his education, he has surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. He is writing his letters very well. He is spelling words and remembering them. He is reading. He knows around 40-45 sight words. When he starts a task, he wants to finish it to the end. He is motivated. He is a self-starter. He is determined. He is a caring, loving boy that thinks of others before himself.

I am proud to say that my son is starting Kindergarten in two weeks and I am sure this is just the beginning of him growing up...

Famous Quotes by William...#1

2009-08-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Tim was working out in the gargage and he asked William "Is my face red?" William proudly said "Yes...it is red, red like a pepparoni."

William is always talking about what he wants to be when he grows up. This conversation usually takes place in the Jeep as we are running errands and he continues to change his mind on what he wants to be. On this particular day, he says he wants to be a chef. "Mommy, do you want to find me a restaurant to work at? What about Saltgrass? Olive Garden?" I said " Well, William, you could have your own restaurant and call it Willy's" He said " No mommy. I will call it the Treehouse Panini Grill. The kids can play in the tree house while the adults talk." Genius!!!

Costa Rica

2009-05-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

There is so much to say about our trip and time spent there that I wanted to share my "favorites"...

* William's first plane ride and him putting his hands in the air and saying "Wow this is fun" as we took off

* Seeing Jake, Dodie, and Hannah at the airport

* the local travel accomodations and traffic

* the blue, aqua water so clear that you can see for miles

* the cool breeze as we layed out on the beach

* breakfast and lunch with the 'monos' or monkeys

* being in a rainforest

* special bonding time with family

Our time spent there will forever be in our minds and hearts...

the 100 club

2009-05-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago as I approached William's classroom where he spends Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, there was a big board outside the door. The board read " Congratulations to our 100 club members!" Below was the name of 8 boys and William's name was one of them. He proudly presented me with his sheet of numbers from 1-100. He very enthusiastically told me that he had done it all my himself...with no help...and everything was correct. The order in which they go. The way the were written. Perfect! I was so proud of him and what he had accomplished.

The Face of Change Part 2

2009-04-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

There have been alot of things happening in the Pyle house since I last posted. The biggest change keeps coming with William. He has lost a total of 7 teeth! Can you believe it? His current diet is yogurt and ice cream! (just kidding) He is keeping a record of who is pulling the teeth: the dentist=1; daddy=3; mommy=3; and William=0. It has been a joy to watch him grow and change over the past several months. Don't you just love that smile?! I know I do!

Holiday Pictures

2009-01-20T11:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2009-01-16T08:49:00.000-08:00

The Pyle family has a tradition of getting together at New Year's and this year was our year to host. We had a great time! William was so excited Uncle Billy was coming to his house. (and the others of course) We all came together on Tuesday of that week and were able to spend some enjoyable times visiting, laughing, and playing games like UNO. The guys spent hours visiting Cabelas and Bass Pro while the girls went to the mall and did some shopping of our own. The greatest times were gathering around our dining room table and getting down and dirty playing UNO. William was the funniest of all...wanting to play his draw 2's and draw 4's. We always knew when he had those cards because he would start laughing. His primary victim was Aunt Vivian but she took it in stride. Another family tradition is the funny underwear that get passed around each year (don't ask!). Last year, Tim had received them and we decided to change things up a little this year. Instead of just the guys getting them, we decided it was the girls turn. I cautiously and carefully hid it in my gift and who got the pleasure of opening it up...none other than my mother-in-law! It was hilarious! (pictures will follow) We had a wonderful time bringing in the new year and only wish more of the 'young' people were here. We missed you terribly.

Happy New Year!

the Christmas Season (Part 2)

2009-01-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

The excitment and anticipation had finally come to an all time high on Christmas eve. Mawmaw and Pawpaw were with us and we were buzzing around the house getting everything ready. We all got dressed for our first Christmas eve service and were very delighted to see all our friends and especially the decorations...it was a Charlie Brown Christmas. What a unique service for children and the young at heart. There was music (courtesy of Tim Bach) and what a great time had by all. Jingle Bells...Rocking around the Christmas Tree...Santa Claus is Coming to Town...Away in the Manager. These are all William's favorites. After the service and the very long dinner (according to William), it was finally time to open our presents. William went first and was excited and joyful about each one. My favorite moment was when he opened his chef's hat and apron and said "this is what I have always wanted." The presents included computer games for his LeapPad computer, soccer goals, pajamas, books, and a new bicycle helmet. As it was our turn to open presents, he was such a gentleman and helped each of us tear into ours and with the same anticipation of his own gifts, could not wait until we opened them and found out what they were. He specifically picked out a great spatula for his mommy with a snowflake on it! I love it! As we prepared for bed, the questions kept coming "Are we going to hear the reindeer? Do we have the milk for the cookies? (which he wanted to put out at 9:00 that morning!) Will he know which stocking is mine?" It was great to experience his excitment and even more sweet to watch him write a note to Santa and then to see that Santa wrote him back. (aka pawpaw) Christmas morning we awoke to hear his voice saying " it's morning, it's morning...let's look in our stockings." He found a big tool box with all the tools inside, a huge box of legos that make a truck, trailer, and boat. We had such a special time and it is forever in my memory.

the Christmas Season (Part 1)

2009-01-06T17:37:00.000-08:00

Luke 2:11 says " Today a Savior is born to you, Christ the Lord." This was our focus verse for the month of December. On one particular day while doing errands and Christmas shopping, William said to me "Mommy, I know what Christmas really means. It's not about the presents...it about Jesus' birthday! How old is Jesus?" What a great opportunity to talk about Jesus, His birth, His life and what He means to me and what He can mean to William.

We celebrated many different ways throughout the month. William helped me as we decorated the house with the great colors of red, green, and white. He took such joy in helping me adorn the chandelier in the dining room with ornaments or set out the nativity scene. He specifically and gently placed each ornament on the tree in just the right spot all the while advising his daddy and I where ours should go. As a family we had several movie nights, lighting the fire, and enjoying fresh popcorn to the sounds of the Polar Express or Charlie Brown Christmas. We took our decorating skills to a new level as we put together our first gingerbread house. It was a very labor intensive project with the icing (keeping it damp, setting it up, and then drying for hours), the trimmings, and deciding which side was his and which side was mine. William did a great job with his side of the roof but kept telling me "your side is prettier mommy." He is my 'little chef' as I like to call him and we couldn't get to the baking and assembly of all the goodies quick enough. He helped me bake 3 batches of pumpkin bread (each time breaking all the eggs) and putting together his Christmas trail mix of peanuts, m&m's, honeycombs, marshmallows, and raisins for his teachers. His excitement about giving was truly contagious! We also had the opportunity to see Santa and Mrs. Claus as they dropped by the Gaylord Texan. What a great experience! William decided to write Santa a letter and it read:
"Merry Christmas Santa! I want: webkins, airplanes, legos and a gold flute. from: William Pyle" His list wasn't that long but I still don't know where the gold flute came from! (surprisingly, he received one from mawmaw from costa rica but that's another post!) We made some great memories and we had a very special, relaxed holiday season.

Faith in a Crisis

2008-11-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

Genesis 22:2 "Take your son, your only son Isaac, who you love, and go to the region Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." As a parent, I can not begin to think or imagine how Abraham must have felt. Abraham did not question or doubt God. He did as he was told. The walk up the mountain must have been excruciating. "Please God, not my son." "Is there any other way?" With each step Abraham and Isacc made up that mountain, the thoughts of a parent and then the thoughts of the child run through my mind. They get to the mountain, sacrifice going to be made, and look what happens...verse 12 says "do not lay a hand on the boy. Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught up in its horns. He went over, took the ram, and sacrificed it as a burnt offering." Now I am looking at the mountain from a different perspective. As Abraham and Isacc were making the long, agonizing walk up the mountain, the walk of faith to the very top, the walk of no sight...there was sight on the other side. Coming up that same mountain was the ram. How many times have I not even had the faith to climb the mountain? Now I realize what I have missed on the other side. My mountain of faith right now may be God providing direction and provision in our own finances. Another persons mountain may be the healing of a marriage or another ones may be physical healing of disease. Whatever my struggle with faith is, I can always know that God's ram is going to be on the other side.

Is Jesus Worth It?

2008-10-21T12:11:00.001-07:00

The last few days, weeks, and months have been leading up to this time around my living room Sunday night. My sister began to share some things on her and Jake's heart; things that they had learned and experienced during their time in Virginia. One particular discussion really stuck out to them. They heard a story of a man that had been persecuted for the Gospel. During an interview, someone asked the man, "Is Jesus Worth It?" As Dodie shared her heart, she had to say, with the utmost conviction, that yes Jesus is worth it. Worth living in a foreign country. Worth sacrificing the finer things we enjoy. Worth sacrificing even your life for Jesus. Then the challenge came to us, her family. Is Jesus Worth It? Is Jesus worth being from your daughter and your sister for years at a time? Is Jesus worth not seeing your granddaughter or niece? Worth you taking a stand and vocalizing to your own family, friends, and neighbors that He is the Son of God. Dodie reminded us of the verses in Luke 18:29-30 that say "I tell you the truth..."Jesus said. "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come, eternal life." What a promise to hold on to! It brings me such comfort when my heart is heavy. I am challenged and I want to look at my own life and say "Is Jesus Worth It?"

Is Jesus Worth It...to you?

the Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last monday William had a school holiday and we visited the pumpkin patch with his friends from school. What a fun day! Jumping in bounce houses, climbing pumpkins, going on a hay ride, and walking through the pumpkin/hay maze. It was alot of fun to see him with his friends.

the State Fair of Texas

2008-10-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago on a beautiful Thursday afternoon, Tim, William, and I went to the State Fair of Texas. It was such a great day! We found out it was senior adult day so William had most of the rides to himself. Here are the pictures from our fun day!

William before the ferris wheel ride!

His favorite thing to do-ride in cars!

the famous Ferris Wheel

the Face of Change

2008-09-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a first in our house...William lost a tooth! He had told me several weeks ago that his teeth were wiggly. At first, it startled me. I thought 'oh no what is wrong.' Then it hit me, they are suppose to be lose! I came home from my moms group Monday night to find the tooth barely hanging on. As the day progressed Tuesday, he wanted it out!...and he wanted his daddy to pull it! Tim came by the house and tried several ways to pull it. His fingers were too big and he couldn't get a grip on it. So...it was my turn. We were in the bathroom...I asked William 'are you ready?...(the whole time I am thinking to myself, No I'm not ready! I am scared! This isn't happening! He was just crawling yesterday! But that's another post! ) with one good tug, it was out! I could not believe it! William could not believe it! He didn't cry... he just kept saying "it's out Mommy!" This was a very exciting and emotional thing to experience. He was ready for bed sooner than normal (knowing that the tooth fairy was coming) and the next morning woke us up saying "she brought me cash; I have cash to spend!" What a great day and look at that beautiful face!

the First of Many

2008-09-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday William had his first soccer game. He was so excited. We had a 10:00am game and he hardly could stand it. He ate a good breakfast ( so I will have lots of energy mommy!) and had his uniform on before I could brush my teeth, let alone get dressed. As the game started, you could tell the kids were getting the hang of it. Which kids were on their team. What goal was theirs and where the 'hot' zone was. When the whistle blows, we freeze. It was the first time most of them had played ,so for obvious reasons, they will only get better with time. As I (and William's Grumpy and Granny Lou) cheered him on from our side and his dad did the same, with a little bit of coaching too, from the other side, I started to observe something in my boy. To look at him, to know him, he is an outgoing, never meet a stranger, type of guy. Yet...as the game progressed, I saw a somewhat timid, non-aggressive, concerned boy on the field. As I thought more about his actions, it made me aware of what a special boy I have. He liked the game and wanted to go after the ball, but when another player was hurt (on the opposite team) he stopped to make sure he was alright. I know this is only the beginning of probably many sporting events for William. I was glad to observe this all-boy, new athlete in action and realize that some of this is not taught, it is just seen and learned.

Ahoy Mateys...William is 5!

2008-09-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

Last week my baby, my little boy turned 5 yrs.old. On August 28th, 2003 at 3 something in the afternoon, our precious miracle entered the world. When I think back about that day, his personality shown through immediately. He had a vigor, a determination, and also a raw sweetness that encaptured you. Fast forward five years, and that same vigor, determination, and sweetness abounds in him. All he could talk about was a pirate party when he turned 5. Well...fellow mateys...we had a great pirate party. He and his friends (all 14 of them!) walked the plank like pirates from long ago. They hunted for treasure...and found some in our own back yard! All the pirates had a pirate snack and drink and then it was time to look at all the loot. What fun it was to see his face. We all had a great time!

William, I can not believe you are 5. I am so proud of the boy you are becoming. You are strong, determined, and you truly care about others. I pray that God will daily bless your life. You will always be my baby, my special boy. Love your first-mate, mommy

Women of Faith and Grace

2008-08-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

A couple of weekends ago, I had the opportunity to experience God's amazing love and grace through the Women of Faith conference. I had always heard about it but it was my very first time to attend. There are so many things that encouraged me and warmed my heart. It is so hard to pick just one thing that stood out. Patsy Clairmont completely blew me away with her firecracker personality, her wonderful humor, and great insight to God's word and to what is relevant to women today. She spoke of the woman in the Bible that had been stooped over, crippled for many years. ( see Luke 13: 10-17) She related to us as women we sometimes live our life like that. We live stooped over lives; carrying our burdens as wives, mothers, sisters, and friends. We finally come to the point where we meet Jesus and He heals us of being 'crippled' and we have the opportunity to stand up and shout and thank Him for what He has done and what do we do? We continue to live stooped over and unthankful. What words of wisdom and relativety to my own life.

Another aspect of the weekend was the wonderful music. I would go back just for that. I am a singer just waiting to come out any chance I can get so it was such a blessing to hear these women praise God with their voices. Natalie Grant, Sandi Patty, and Nicole C. Mullen each spoke of the grace of God in their own lives. What inspiring words. As I attended the conference, I had been carrying in the back of my mind some words from our worship leader that really struck a chord with me. He had said that the more you and I are around the Word, the more 'churched' we are, the less aware we become of how God's grace touched our lives. We lose that excitement and wonder at God's grace that was once there when we first came to know Him. As I thought of his words and experienced God's grace, I was very humbled. I do not ever want to take that for granted. I want to always remember what God's grace looks like in my life. Nicole spoke of the woman in the Bible who was bleeding and she wanted to just touch Jesus. To be made whole. I want to daily remember when I was first touched by Jesus and my life was made whole.

This weekend encouraged me in ways that I never thought possible. To God be the glory!

the concert

2008-08-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

Those who know me know that I am a huge Keith Urban fan to the very core. Tim's cousins wives (my cousin-in-laws, I guess that is what you call them!) and I went to a Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban concert. What a fun time! We got to know a little more about each other and enjoy some great music...not to mention great seats! I would not trade it for the world. I had a blast and realized these women are not just family, they are my friends.

p.s. more pics of Kenny to follow :)

A Lesson

2008-08-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those weeks that you feel completely overwhelmed and such a mess? Well...it happened to me a couple weeks ago. It started off great. A wonderful and beautiful time spent with my sister and her family. A time of connecting and sharing. Another beautiful moment happened that monday night at a restaurant in Ft.Worth. Moments shared. Experiences heard. Wisdom given. Then...all of sudden it happened. The moment where I could not breathe and everything started staring me in the face. As I took a breath and started to make sense of it all, the tears started to come . In that moment of despair I realized that the peace, the peace that I have spoken about before, was becoming more real to me. This had been a hard week for me yet I finally caught a glimpse of the here and now and knew that God was growing me to be more like Him. Each day I am learning this...one breath at a time.

the beach

2008-08-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun at the beach this year. William had an amazing time- boogie boarding, body surfing, and jumping off a 15ft. diving platform into a spring that is 68 degrees year round. There were lots of firsts for this trip to Florida and we look forward to many more!

At Peace

2008-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered that as you grow older you are becoming the worst case of yourself? Those little annoying things that someone in your family does or that one friend that gets on your nerves and then all of sudden, you are becoming those things...displaying attitudes or little annoyances in your own life that you always thought, 'oh, I will never do that'. God has been slowly and painfully working on my heart about those things. Whether it is an annoying behavior or something that is not Christ-like, I need to come to terms with who I am. I need to daily give my whole self over to Him and walk in His ways. I know that each day brings new 'things' but I also know that they are never going to go away if I never take them to Christ. I have been looking through the scripture tonight trying to find an application, something to make this make sense and these are what I found. Colossians 3:15 says " Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts...you were called to peace and be thankful." Instead of focusing on all those things that I do not want to be or do, I need to break free from them and be at peace. At peace with myself. At peace with who I am. The annoying and the not-so annoying. And then I need to be thankful. This leads into the other verse. Colossians 4:6 says "Let your conversation be always full of grace...so that you know how to answer everyone." When I look at the worst case of myself, I am not thankful. My words are not filled with grace. So...do you see the worst case of yourself? or Are you at peace? That is where I want to be.

My View Point

2008-06-18T06:38:00.000-07:00

Last week William attended the Central Charger soccer camp. He was so excited to get all the gear: the cleats, the shin guards, and socks. As he was appointed to his team, I observed a sense of excitement and of hestitation. Each day became a little easier and familiar. Throughout the week he learned skills such as dribbling, passing, and blocking. The view from the side of the track was heartwarming as he listened with such intensity to his coaches. He thrived on seeing and talking to Coach Mahr and Coach Melissa. His desire to do good and be able to kick the ball was evident; his frustation and disappointment when he didn't get to the ball was also evident. I am proud of his dedication; his desire to learn and I look forward to watching many games this fall.

A Hope and a Future

2008-06-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Tim, William, and I have been a part of a new church plant for almost four years now. We have seen many trials and growth pains come our way as a church and as individuals. As I look back at where we have come from and where we are going, I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11. " For I know the plans I have for you" says the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future." I see that hope and our future in the lives of our small group every week. I am encouraged by our growth and humbled by how God is using the lives of these men and women. We had no idea of the plans for our family...for our church. God did. He knew that we would prosper and for His ultimate glory. What an amazing thing to experience and be a part of.

Dondra

2008-04-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

Words can not express how much joy and fun we had last week during our time with sweet Hannah. She is growing and changing so much; developing her own little personality. She loves her cousin William and whenever he would leave the room and come back, she would squeal with delight. (her arms and legs moving as fast as they can!) We will cherish this time together. We love you Hannah!

your aunt Dondra

History

2008-04-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

On wednesday night of this week, I experienced history in the making. It wasn't a cure for cancer. It wasn't the latest and greatest addition to the IPOD. It was seeing 92 people (2 of them are my sister and brother-in-law) be commissioned to be foreign missionaries around the world. As the praise team sang "He Reigns", each of the missionaries filed in with the presentation of the flags from each country and with an excitement I have never seen before. Dodie and Jake gave their testimonies of how God brought each of them to this point of surrender and obedience. They will take their family of three and be missionaries, be Jesus, to the people of Peru. As the speaker challenged each of us to be our own missionaries, I am reminded of the words in Acts 1:8 "You shall recieve power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you shall be my witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth." How exciting it is to know that they are going to a part of something great. As the day ended, I was forever changed. I am proud that I caught a glimpse of history...the history of lives being changed through Jesus Christ.

Dondra

Celebrating Easter

2008-03-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

As the Easter season approached, I knew early on that I wanted to share the true meaning of Easter with William. This would be the year that we discussed everything from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection. With the help of some great research (via the internet), helpful advice from friends, and wonderful books, we discussed at length the meaning of this special day. We read the books entitled The Legend of the Easter Egg and the Legend of the Three Trees. What amazing words and illustrations to show him that this isn't about the eggs or the candy but about the love of Jesus and what He did for us. As each day came and went, the closer Easter was. As we prepared for our egg hunt at church, we made a cake for the cake walk. William asked me "who is the cake for?" and before I could answer he said "it's for God and Jesus!" This is what it is all about. :)

Dondra

p.s. the pictures below are of him showing off his decorated egg and his cross we made on Good Friday

2008-03-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Teachable Moments

2008-03-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

Last night as we were getting ready for bed, William wanted to read some books. As he looked through his bookshelf and decided what to read, I reminded him only 1 or 2 books. Much to my amazement, out of all his books, he brings me this small book from a Bible story collection called 'the First Easter.' (It is one of those books you get with all the others at showers and you forget what you have.) I was blown away and thanking God in my heart for this precious moment. Of all the books he could have picked, he picked this one. As we began reading, I was praying for God to truly speak thru those words and that in some small way William would understand what the true meaning of Easter is. I have spoken in other posts about those teachable moments and what a wonderful blessing it was for me to experience one. I look forward to many more...

Dondra

the season of Spring

2008-02-19T06:31:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I attended a mother's conference hosted by Sally Clarkson. The discussion all weekend was about the seasons of a woman's and mother's heart. As I have thought and prayed about the different seasons, God has revealed that I am entering the season of spring in my own life as a mother. A time to reflect and start anew. A time to know and be content as a wife and William's mother. God layed some things on my heart about truly making Him known to William and I want to start fresh. Just like we get to start a new season of spring with new grass, flowers, and a new feeling in the air. To be mindful of those teachable moments and to let William know of God's beauty and love; to be proud of the season of my life and be joyful in doing and going in that season. I need to be excited about what God is going to do thru this time in my life and how each of us will grow. I was also reminded that teaching my child how to know God is one of the most important things I can do. All of my focus should be on revealing God to William thru his education, his play, his activities, his discipline. This is a very humbling thought to know that God has entrusted me with this challenge. I look forward to the days ahead and the season of spring. I look forward to growing and becoming like David and having a dancing heart. A season of spring is just around the corner.

Dondra

Life Lessons

2008-02-04T12:18:00.000-08:00

We have been busy the last couple of weeks with various activities. As I look back at those weeks gone by, we have all been learning some lessons along the way. William has really been testing the patience of his mom and dad at bed time. For several nights it turned into this game (a game that I don't like to lose!) of him needing several things before actually settling down and going to sleep. Back and forth this went night after night. The rules were laid down and again this one-sided game would unfold. William (finally!) learned that these rules need to be followed or there will be consequences. I (finally!) learned that these rules need to be followed or there will be consequences. These life lessons do remind us that we need to be proud of what we are trying to teach William. Whether it is about obeying, telling the truth, and/or forgiving, these are the lessons he will remember forever.

Dondra

Celebrating the Sabbath

2008-01-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

Last night we started a new celebration in the Pyle house. We are celebrating the Sabbath or as William kept calling it "special family time and family dinner." A dear friend of mine (thank-you Krista!) gave me a book about making your home a true place of worship. One of the key points that really convicted me was the act of celebrating and honoring the Sabbath. Each family can decide on how they want to do this. Ours went something like this: we had some commitments early in the day yesterday and afterwards we went to see the new Veggietale Pirate movie. We came home and had our dinner with candlelight and great conversation. We talked to William about what he is learning in his group time at church and this week was the Great Commission. What an amazing opportunity to witness God's love and see that His Word makes an impact and is relevant to all of us. We discussed how we can see Jesus in other people and it was truly rewarding and humbling how much William can see and take notice of. The act of celebrating the Sabbath is going to be a time of teaching and reflecting and setting aside our saturdays and sundays as a family to honor God. To rest in Him and know that we are daily growing and becoming more like Him.

Dondra

Cousins

2008-01-12T17:44:00.000-08:00

Over the past week, I have had the priviledge of spending time with my niece Hannah. As I watched William interact with her, I was truly amazed at how they understood each other. He is this very sweet, loving boy yet he is all boy. He likes being loud and running around. A boy. She is this very sweet, special little girl and each time they looked at each other it was like "I get you; you are my cousin." We spent monday and tuesday together and William was my little helper. He talked to her when I needed to get her bottles ready. He played with her and would say "Hannah, this is your cousin. Hannah banana...this is William. I love you." He even decided he was the 'big brother' as he helped me put her in the jeep and then helped (on his own I might add) take her out of her swing! It is neat to be a "fly on the wall" as you observe kids intereacting with each other and the special bond that can form. I look forward to the many times that they can share as cousins and know that they will always 'get' each other.

Dondra

the new year

2008-01-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

Isn't it amazing that as the new year approaches we always start thinking about the things we are going to change and things we are definitely going to 'stick to' and on and on it goes. I have been thinking a lot this week about the way my new year can be different and I have decided it needs to start with me and then the rest will just follow. As it follows, I hope and pray that it won't be just something I did one year but it will become a lifestyle. Our speaker and friend at church said last sunday that consistency is always good unless whatever you are being consistent at is well...bad. That statement really struck me and as I have pondered that and other things this week I have said to myself "Am I being consistent at the good things? The things that matter?" I will admit there are things I want to change this year but like I have said earlier, I hope that whatever I do change it will be for the good and not just this year but for years to come.

Dondra

the excitement of Christmas

2007-12-30T18:49:00.000-08:00

It all started on friday morning. "Are we going to open our presents today mommy?" "Is Santa coming down the chimney tonight?" Our plans were to have our family Christmas on friday night and Santa was visiting our house early saturday morning. The excitement grew and grew all day long and we could hardly contain ourselves! It is truly amazing to experience this thru the eyes and ears of a child. We had a precious dinner with candlelight, a time of sharing stories and discussing Christmas' when mommy and daddy were kids. At last, the time was here. We had studied throughout the month that the wise men came to the baby Jesus and they brought three gifts to him as a sign of worship. We each had three gifts like baby Jesus. William went first and was so excited to see his CARS race track mountain/CARS game. He also received a book about a cowboy named Gideon (from the Bible) and a puzzle that helps him spell words like cat, fish, and boat. The excitement didn't stop there. He was so overwhelmed about seeing us open our gifts that it truly warmed my heart. As the night drew to a close, the questions and comments about santa started coming. "Will we hear his reindeer?" "I hope he likes his cookies." "He won't come unless I am asleep mommy." This was the ONLY time I have ever seen him ready for bed before 9:00pm! Needless to say, the excitement hit an all time high on saturday morning. We went in to wake him up and William says "did he come?" "Let's go look at our stockings." We hurried into the living room to find more goodies in our stockings and then the surprise under the tree. A bicycle! Santa brought me a bicycle were the words coming out of his mouth over and over. He was so pleased and wanted to ride it down the hall and he kept saying "thank you santa; thank you" I will cherish this excitment forever. The anticipation, the true happiness in his eyes. What a great Christmas!

Dondra

Daily Reflections

2007-12-20T10:23:00.000-08:00

As each day of december has come and gone, there has been this little voice asking "Mommy, when is Christmas? When is Santa going to be here? Have we done our paper chain today?" I wanted to reflect every day on something new and different to make each day special for William ,Tim, and I. We made a paper chain at the beginning of the month and we have been anxiously counting the days. Each day brought a new adventure like putting up the tree, decorating it with countless ornaments, and making cookies for his teachers at school. I hope as the holiday comes (and goes) that he will be able to remember all the little celebrations we did and keep them in his mind as new Christmas' are promised. What a joy it has been to celebrate and share with him about the meaning of Christmas.

Dondra

this has been our verse all month "For unto us a child is born..." Isaiah 9:6

Every Day

2007-12-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

On tuesday of this week, Tim and I had a milestone; we have been together for 15 years. Yes, on that special day in 1992, we went on our first date. As I look back at all these years and how I really can not imagine my life without him, I am drawn to this song. It is a new song by Rascal Flatts and as I listened to it on the way home, tears starting streaming down my face. This is so true of my relationship with him and I am thankful for everyday we spend together.

"...my secrets are safe, the only one who gets me, you get me , it's amazing to me how every day every day...every day , you save my life."

to every day, I love you Tim!

Dondra

a Weekend Away

2007-12-06T09:04:00.000-08:00

This past weekend William had the opportunity to go and stay with his Grumpy and Granny Lou. He always has such a great time and was looking forward to it. Each time as I checked in on him, he sounded like such a big boy on the phone. He told me about riding the tractor (a john deere riding lawn mower), about throwing rocks at the pond, and of course going to wal-mart. While he was at their house, Tim and I attended our leadership retreat for the church during the first part of the weekend and then we had some time to ourselves. It is amazing how quite the house is when William is gone. It is nice to have those weekends; you can enjoy being together as a husband and wife (and not answer a million questions at dinner) and really have time to focus on yourself and get some things done. As the week has progressed, it is uplifting that God knew that we all would need a weekend away. A time to prepare for the busyness and craziness of our days and weeks. Whether we all get away as a family or we do something like this past weekend...we need to remember that those are the times that keep us going.

Music to my ears

2007-11-28T18:46:00.001-08:00

Most of our family and friends know this, but I am pretty sure we have an up-n-coming musician in our home. William has liked drums and the guitar for awhile now and absolutely loves listening to music. He often talks about 'his band' and tells me stories of them playing and of course Tim Bach is always there. As I am taking a break to write, I hear him strumming on his guitar making up another song. The song that brought a smile to my face is"I will obey my mom....or I will get into trouble". Picture him singing at the top of his lungs and in the most rock-n-roll way a four year old can sing. Sometimes I really feel like he never listens to me and he never obeys (like today!) and then he breaks out singing this great song. What a wonderful thing to hear! :)

Dondra

What Day is It?

2007-11-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

As the thanksgiving holiday has come and gone, I can not help but take a moment to truly be thankful for the blessings of the year and the special time we had last week. We started the week off right with a long trip to target to get all the last minute necessities for making dressing, pies, and all the other once a year food. Wednesday was a day to prepare and to answer William's unending question of 'when are grumpy and granny lou going to be here?' Thanksgiving day brought about such a warmth and a delight for me. I enjoyed being able to get everything ready and especially enjoyed watching Tim carve the smoked turkey I purchased so I wouldn't mess it all up. After we had all gathered around the table, had a prayer of thanksgiving, and dug into the great food, my sweet boy says "what day is it mommy?" I told him again that it was thanksgiving and what this day meant and he says to me "you know what tomorrow is?" "It's Christmas!" You guessed it! Earlier in the week, I had told William that after thanksgiving, it was Christmas. So...as I take that moment and offer up thanksgiving, I want to remember what day it is and that every day gets closer to celebrating Jesus' birthday.

Dondra

Being an Aunt

2007-11-19T12:37:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we celebrated our thanksgiving meal with mawmaw, pawpaw, Dodie, Jake and Hannah. This was our first holiday to be together with the new addition of baby Hannah. I so enjoyed being around everyone and getting to spend some special time with my niece. We laughed our heads off as Dodie passes Hannah over to mawmaw, going across the table, and with the best timing ever, Hannah drops drool on the pumpkin pie. Or what about helping her take a bath and seeing William play with his cousin and trying to be ever so careful and gentle. As I thought about being an aunt on the way home I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with a bittersweet emotion. These are some of the firsts of many holidays with her but not really with her. Next year, my sister, brother-in-law, and niece will go to peru to serve as God has led them. It will be different; it will be hard; it will be challenging; it will be rewarding. So...as time will allow these coming months, I look forward to spending time with this precious one, my little niece. I will cherish every minute with her and hope she will always know that she has a special place in my heart.

Dondra

Brave

2007-11-16T19:34:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me at how resilient kids can be especially my own. We started out having a good week but William's cough just wasn't getting better. As a cautious mom, I called the doctor just to make sure because I noticed he was wheezing more and more. After almost 2 hours in the doctors office, we had a breathing treatment and were being diagnosed with a small case of pneumonia in his chest. To add to the long wait, we go to the pharmacy for another hour to get all his medication. Luckily, he took a nap during this time. We had a hard and trying day tuesday and yet he never really complained. He took everything in stride and spoke of how brave he was. As he finished his breathing treatment, with mommy covering his ears, he says "that sounded like a train and I am glad it's over." We had to go have an xray on wednesday and yet another case of a big boy being very brave. He went in, did exactly what the tech asked (I need her secret!) and came out yelling "mommy, I did it! I did it! I was soooo brave." The tech bragged on him and he was happy to have his bone picture taken. He reminds me that I need to be brave and resilient; he has truly amazed me this week and I am so proud of him.

Dondra

Lost

2007-11-08T18:49:00.000-08:00

I have started reading a book entitled "Lost Women of the Bible" and I have come to find out that God has purposely deteremined for me to read this book at this particular time in my life. It's amazing how God does that! :) There are some days that I do feel lost...lost in my purpose when it seems all I do is the laundry, pick up hot wheels for a hundred times a day, and the countless other responsiblities a stay-at-home mom faces. Here recently I have felt lost more in my place. My place in the home as a wife and mother, my place in the church, my place in relationships and wondering okay God, why do I feel lost and without purpose or a place? I know this sounds crazy but there are days that these questions just get me down. As i was reading about Sarah the author brought out an amazing part of Sarah's life that I had never really thought about. I am fond of Sarah because her promise of a child was answered and I can truly relate to that (though I am glad I wasn't 90 years old!). The amazing part of Sarah's life was the long part, almost 89 years, of her waiting on God. Thinking that He had left her. That He wasn't going to bless her. These were the silent years. The years were she had to question every day what is my purpose and place. So...as I look at my own life and the waiting or wondering of the silent times (maybe days, maybe months or years) I find a comfort in knowing that God will forever keep His promises and there will be answers. There will be a time of hearing from God and the silence will disapper and I will know my small purpose and place in His perfect Will.

Dondra

Traditions

2007-11-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

As the holidays get closer and closer, I look forward to the many things we do as a family that have become little traditions. I was thinking the other day that I would like to document these and that way we can continue to share them as our family grows and gets older. I was also thinking of the little 'traditions' that William and I do just the two of us. As they come to my mind, I want to remember them as special moments too. Some of them are...

*when we go shopping at Target we get popcorn and drink
*when Tim is out of town we usually have a special dinner, like tonight, at Chipotle on the patio
*he is my shopping buddy; he may not want to admit it later, but he normally does well if we need to go to Kohl's or Hobby Lobby or Michaels
*we watch special movies together
*we say our verses together at breakfast or lunch or even in the car
*we all play a game in the car...to see if each person can recognize who is singing on the radio; he is quite good at this game. He knows Keith Urban (of course), Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, and he is learning more and more. He is definitely a music man!

There are others that as we do them and make new ones I will need to record. I look forward to this holiday season and sharing more and more traditions with him and enjoying this season.

Dondra

Happy Halloween

2007-11-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

As yesterday progressed, the same question came over and over again. "When are we going trick or treatin'? "I am going to be a good pirate mommy." He had a great time getting dressed with his pirate jeans and shirt, his tattoos, hat, eye patch and sword. The best thing I will remember is how he got into pirate mode outside waiting for it to get dark. He would chase his daddy around the yard and play swords and 'pretend' to get the bad guys or bad pirates. He definitely got into character and as he did mommy got some great pictures of our 'good' pirate.

A Legacy

2007-10-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Every year since Tim and I have been together I remember going to Karnes City and having our bird hunt and shopping trip. It is interesting how as the years have passed some things still stay the same and some things change. The things that stay the same are what make it unique to the Pyle hunt. There will always be barbeque involved; there will almost always be games of uno (although with kids running around it is getting harder) and there will always be the legacy of Bill and Joyce Pyle. They had three boys; each of them had boys and now each of those boys have boys. What is truly amazing is that for us younger girls in the family we only know that legacy on what we see right now and the stories we have heard. I truly picture William, Jed, and Nathan to be one huge mix of both Papa and Nana. What I wish I could see would be Papa and Nana with William, Jed, and Nathan. It is really neat to see how a family can come together (sometimes just once a year) and just pick up where you last were. How exciting to see all the 'little' boys running around, feeding cows, riding tractors and 6wheelers, and wondering does anything else truly matter? A legacy emcompasses so much love, faith, and prayers and I truly have never been more proud to be a part of something so great!

Dondra

Another year

2007-10-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

This week I celebrated my birthday and it seems impossible that another year has come and gone. I think about all that I want to do or that I have done and it reminds me that yes I am getting a little older (and hopefully a little wiser). I am proud of where I have come and grown this year. There have been several milestones in my own life of finding out that God loves me just the way I am and created me to be beautiful. I also learned to take a stand for myself and my family and forgive those that hurt me and my family. I will always remember a time of prayer that we had at our church called 21 days of prayer. God intervened at a time that I needed Him desparately and He radically changed my life through prayer. I often forget to record or focus on the milestones in my own life as I want to record every little and big thing that is going on in William's life. I need to remember that these milestones, big or small, are changing and growing me into the woman (wife, mother, daughter, friend) that I need to be. I look forward to another year and what it has to offer.

Dondra
p.s. I have to mention this about William- we woke up yesterday and he didn't realize it was my birthday just yet. Tim was gone out of town and we went into the kitchen to have breakfast. I got him his usual (scooby doo yogurt and cherrios) and then went to restroom. I came out and he said 'mommy, come here; I need to show you something.' I went into the kitchen and he had got the bread and the peanut butter out so I could make me some toast. 'Everything is ready for you mommy'. What a sweet birthday present (and he didn't even know it at the time!) :)

A Child's Perspective

2007-10-18T16:28:00.000-07:00

This week we have been talking about the excitement of today and that William is (was suppose to be) line leader at school. This involves taking a snack for his class, sharing one of his favorite books, and pictures of his family. As the evening progressed last night, what we thought was a little cough got worse and worse. Then came the fever and the throwing up. During all of this mess and him feeling so bad, he looks at me with such sad eyes and says "Mommy, I don't think I can go to school tomorrow. I can't be line leader." It broke my heart knowing that he had looked forward to this day where he was "extra special" in his class and really got to shine. Sometimes we take those small little moments for granted and I so want to remember those. I have reassured him all day that he will have another chance at being the line leader and that today he got to have some extra special time and attention from mommy.

Dondra

the "What If s"...

2007-10-13T12:17:00.000-07:00

Due to some unusual circumstances this week, I have had a lot on my mind about William and the 'what ifs' of life. What if...he doesn't really understand talking to strangers can get him into trouble. What if...he were to get kidnapped. What if...we as parents fail to teach him about things like safety, being a good person, and on and on. As my mind has been racing, I remembered the book I just read by Linda Dillow. The name of it is "Calm My Anxious Heart" and there is a chapter dedicated especially to the 'What If s" that life throws at you. She encourages readers to truly give those over to God and to not let your mind race and worry about the things we have no control over. She says that God is the Blessed Controller of all things and we can put these circumstances and things at His feet and know that we don't need to worry about them anymore. Throughout the week, God has given me a peace that He knows my heart. A mother's heart that longs to know that nothing bad will happen to my child. He has also started giving me insight and wisdom on how to approach some of these hard topics that you really don't want to discuss with your child but you have to. What happened to the innocence of life and not having to worry about all these things? There are still moments of innocence that I will cherish everyday but I know that at other times we need to teach, be prepared, and to continue to pray for God's protection around William and each other. The 'What If's ' can get you down; we must believe that they are taken care of by God and treasure the here and now.

Dondra

My favorite time of year

2007-10-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy october and the rest of the year with the holidays, family, and friends. This week we have been getting ready for our halloween party and William is so excited. We picked out a 'pumkin' (he says it so cute!) today and he can not wait to dress up like a pirate. He did tell me the other day "You know what month it is mommy? " and I said "what?" He said "it is october and your birthday is coming up. I promise I will buy you the remote control car you like at toys-r-us." I smiled and knew that he meant what he had said. You see, he knows all kinds of cars and especially remembers which one mommy likes such as my new jeep or the fj landcruisers and on and on. He makes me so proud when I see who he is. He is caring, giving, loving, and a little adventurous. These are the times I will remember always.

Dondra

Verse of the Week

2007-10-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have always been one who really struggles with memorizing scripture verses. I would remember the verse but not the reference or vice versa. I have wanted to start teaching William scripture verses and relating them to the stories of the Bible. A friend of mine gave me the idea to start a memory verse box and have a card for each day of the week. I am amazed at how much he remembers and knows about the stories we have been reading. He is so cute when he wants to read me the story. He read them to me this afternoon and he mixes them all up...adam and eve in the boat with noah and all the animals; he loves the story of Abraham and Sarah and little Isaac. I am so excited to see how he is learning God's Word and it is also helping me (in small ways) remember those stories again. The next time you see him, you will definitely have to ask him about them. What a blessing it is!

Genesis 21:6 "God has brought me (or us) laughter!"

enjoy-dondra

A Daily Journal

2007-10-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

I have recently seen some friends of mine create blogs and I decided it would be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends that are away. I also want to use it as a daily journal for myself and William. Ever since he was born, I have kept a journal or calendar of what we did each day. Well...as you would guess, the days get busy and sometimes I don't get a chance to record what fun thing we did that day or what amazing thing he said to me. I hope you enjoy this...here is a glimpse into our lives.

Dondra