Holiday Tour of The Landes Home

Welcome to our home! I got this idea from Boo Mama's Tour of Homes It is the coolest thing, you have to check it out. But I'm warning you now, it's addicting!


Now for our tour.


This is our tree which we've had since our first Christmas together. It's funny how the first year you have like 3 ornaments and you gradually get more. Matt had a huge surprise this year when he got the tree down. I had my own idea of creating a "pre-lit" tree and at the end of last year I just left all the lights on and put the tree away. I was nicely told not to ever do that again. Sorry babe!


















This is Sarabeth's first ornament and the other is my favorite ornament which was given as a gift at my sister-in-laws wedding.














This year I splurged on stockings and had all of our names embroidered. I even bought one extra just in case one year we need 4!















Roscoe and Rowdy even got their own. Yes, I know Santa filled the stockings early this year since we are leaving on Friday. They can't wait to see what's inside.

Roscoe is upset because he thinks his stocking is smaller. He's always the drama king.

Here's our attempt at being festive for the neighbors and those that choose to drive down the street with 2 houses lit. I have to say it really was a lot of hard work to put all of these lights out and we have the LEAST amount on the block. Our neighbors had to show off and have their lights dance to the rhythm of Frosty The Snowman. It's pretty awesome actually. I stop by every night to listen and watch.

This house we are renting had the perfect place for our giant wreath. And it already had a hook ready for us to hang. Matt and I made this our first Christmas. I'm surprised it's still together!

Thanks for stopping by!

He Sees You When You're Sleeping...

I don't think I could have planned a better picture of Sarabeth with Santa. All the other kids were screaming and running away and my little girl just laid there and slept...with a smile on her face. I guess the key is to dress up like Santa??? It's not the best picture because I had to scan it in, but if you look close you can see her sweet little smile.

The Mom

Today I put my shirt on backwards and inside out and didn't even notice. Today I took a short nap on the edge of bed, fully clothed including shoes, with my glasses on, with Sarabeth in her bouncy within arms reach of the bed..just in case her binky fell out-that would mean a burst of crying so loud your ears would ring. Now who can take a nap with that.

Today I actually brushed my hair, for fear of having to get out of the house for anything and seeing someone I thought looked familiar.

Today I didn't take a shower, usually that comes at 7 pm when Matt gets home, granted he's not working too late. In that case I skip the shower and go straight to bed. I wouldn't want the shower to wake me up when I'm so close to passing out.

Today I called the pediatrician 3 times hoping to get a different person from the time before to answer the question "why won't my child stop crying". The same lady answered all 3 times and gave me the same answer...she'll get better.

I know my life sounds so exciting, you want to be me. Well sorry people, unless you want to attempt to function on 4-5 hours of sleep per day, feed a child 8 times (including 2am and 5 am), change about 12 diapers-some of which are very stinky-do laundry, wash bottles (all 12 of them), make dinner, make at least one trip to Wal-Mart where you forget to buy at least 2 things that weren't on your list but you are in desperate need of, come home and leave your child in the car seat because she is sleeping for the first time in 5 hours, and attempt to take a nap-ATTEMPT because she will wake up as soon as you put your head down...I promise-unless this sounds appealing then I suggest you be happy with who you are and not to envy me.

I have to admit I'm not the person I was 5 weeks ago. I can't explain how it happens but becoming a mother changes you into a someone you would have never guessed was inside. Some days are like today, actually most days are. But some days I look down at my baby girl while she is sleeping and weep. While motherhood is a mostly thankless job with no paycheck, nothing can be more rewarding than the love I feel for my child. She smiles every time I change her diaper, even if she's in mid cry. She loves to take a bath. She gets so excited and kicks her legs when she plays on her tummy. She hates for people to touch her feet. She falls asleep every time I hold her in my arms and rock and sing to her. She's so innocent and I can't help but look at her and fall in love with who she already is. And best of all, she's mine. God gave me this one chance to raise one of His own. What a job!

So what if I may wear spit up on my shoulder all day, and leave the house fashionably in sweats and tennis shoes, wear my hair in a ponytail and carry a diaper bag instead of my favorite Fossil purse. So what if I only get to shower on the weekends (just kidding!), and I feel like I do dishes all day, in the end, I'm a mom. I'm THE MOM and she loves me no matter what.

Santa Baby

Brotherly Love

I was so moved by the following email. I first have to preface that this email was prompted by the inevitable Christmas Chaos in the Landes Family. We draw names each Thanksgiving for who we will buy a Christmas gift for that year. This year someone forgot who they drew so the "secret" was out on who had who. Now comes the first email from Matt's mom to clarify the names:

Hey Dears, Since there are two family members who do not remember whose name they drew for Christmas, I checked around and this is my best guess.

Don - Tarah

Betty - Phyl

Phyl - Betty

Billie - Don

Gabe - Jake

Cheryl - Matt

Matt - Gabe

April - Cheryl

Jake - Billie

Tarah - April

If this is not accurate, PLEASE let me know ASAP.

Dear Matt,

Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you as a brother. Of all my family members I have always thought especially highly of you. Your generosity and the liberal way that you love those around you is wonderful. I just felt moved today to express this to you in a completely unmotivated way. You're swell!

Love, your brother that doesn't own a 40" flatscreen TV,

Gabe

Matt's response:

Dear Gabe,
As I sit here trying my best to choke back the tears welling up in my eyes, I can't help but be amazed by the irony of this situation. I myself was ,just this second, contemplating how your lovely wife exemplifies these same characteristics. Her generosity is surpassed only by her beauty! Let's face it, big brother, you married WAAAYYYY up! You should consider a career in sales. I digress... Anyway, as I was saying, I was just about to email this heartfelt, sincere, and, also, unmotivated ,byselfish motives sentiment to your wife, however, since I felt it polite to respond to you and say thank you for the compliment, I will simply ask that you pass my feelings on to your, again BEAUTIFUL, wife.

Love, your brother (and brother-in-law) that does not have a Browning 7mm A-Bolt Rifle
Matt

P.S. Seriously, though!!!! I was completely and utterly moved (almost a little bit but not quite to tears) by your email,Gabe... Then I scrolled down. Funny!!

P.S.S. I dare someone to diagram that last sentence!!!!! Thanks Ms. Phelan!!!

Then today I get this email:

I kinda feel like we all need a big group hug now. Gabe, your words were so beautiful and moving that they reminded me of why I love you so much, brother. You are a pillar, a rock, a steadfast and ever present standard of brotherly love for me to emulate and look up to. I have always admired you and your unselfish, giving nature. You have always inspired me by your lavish generosity. Can't wait to see ya at Christmas time....

Love, the little brother who does not have an F-150 King Ranch edition crew cab truck (sage green color with tan trim),

Jake

What a great family! :) Oh, and Tarah, I don't have a pair of Jessica Simpson shoes in every color. Here's a picture just in case you need help. You know, you always were my favorite sister -in-law!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Matt and I decided to try our hand at cooking Thanksgiving this year. Because Sarabeth is so little, we didn't want to travel far so we decided to stay close to home and visit with friends. Matt fried the best turkey ever! Here he is with his masterpiece:

I made homemade dressing, Paula Deen style, giblet gravy, and a few sides. I also made Paula's Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding. Notice the small hole in the pudding...there was a crooked cookie so I tried to fix it and it broke-poor cookie met it's end and it was sooo good!

Here's the rest of the spread:

Matt and I were so excited to have our first real Thanksgiving together as a family. Just the 3 of us. Neither of us had ever tried to cook Thanksgiving before and it turned out wonderful. It took all day to make and about 20 mintues to eat! It was well worth all the effort.

Sarabeth just sat in her swing and slept while we ate.

For dinner we went to visit Bonnie and Brandon and ate again. Matt watched the Dallas game and then we went home and Erin and Mike came over with the girls...and we ate again! It was a great day to relax with friends and family and think about all the things we are thankful for.

Happy Turkey Day!

My Baby Girl!

More Pictures

Her First Bath

Leaving the hospital

Matt calls her his "opening day" baby. He thinks her birthdays from now on will be trips to the deer lease...

No One Told Me

That motherhood would be this hard.

That 12 days after giving birth I would look down and still not see my feet.

That right about the time I closed my eyes, she would open hers.

That I would be tempted to scroll through my phone to find someone to call to watch her while I went to the bathroom.

That the thought of a pedicure and manicure seemed so far away.

That such a tiny little being could have such explosive diapers!

That the lady at Walmart would ask me when my baby was due...5 days post partum.

No one ever told me what it would be like to be a mom. Yet, despite these things no one could have told me the joy that motherhood brings. Even in the middle of the night when I'm switching her from the cradle to the swing to the bouncy seat, just to get a few more minutes sleep, all I have to do is look at her sweet little face, and it all goes away.

I hear all of these things in my head "wait as long as you can to have kids, they change your life forever" "Your life will never be the same" " just wait, you'll never sleep right again".

The truth hurts.

Matt and I are trying hard to settle in, but it hasn't been easy. Sarabeth is such a great baby, rarely cries, but we are still up every 2-3 hours feeding, burping, entertaining, pumping milk (well me, not Matt :) The days and nights start to run together and soon your forget what day it is altogether. I know this time is temporary and I am enjoying her infancy. It's just hard adjusting, knowing that your comfy, soft bed is calling your name and you have to ignore it for the time being. Maybe one day, I'll sleep. Until then, I'll just keep depending on my daughters sweet face and uncontrollable smiles in the middle of the night to keep my mind off the rest.

More Pictures of Sarabeth

We have the most beautiful baby girl! We've all enjoyed taking pictures of her sweet little face! Here are some my dad took today.

She's Finally Here!

Sarabeth Rose Landes was born Thursday, Nov.1 at 3:50 pm. It was a very looooong day and after several hours of pushing, she came via C-section. We both had some minor complications so we'll be here for a few days but all in all, she is healthy and beautiful. Here are a few pictures and we'll blog more when we get home. We are all going to try to get some sleep tonight. Enjoy!

Sarabeth and Daddy.

7lbs, 15oz 20 1/2 inches long

My little baby girl. She has a splint on her arm that is holding her IV straight. Poor thing!

I'll have a lot more pictures to post tomorrow. Look for some updates later this weekend. We'll be home on Sunday. Thank you to all that have come to visit and check on us. We appreciate it!

We Made It!

We arrived at Memorial Hermann last night about 7:30 pm. Matt left and went to Chili's to get me my "last meal". I had chicken crispers...my favorite! The doctor started me on something to start softening my cervix. I also have an IV with glucose since I'm not allowed to eat after 12. I have a fetal monitor, contraction monitor, and a blood pressure cuff! It is an act of congress to go to the ladies room which is only 4 steps from my bed. It was a very long night. Neither Matt nor I slept at all. OF course I started contractions right away and the medicine didn't help. I had the sweetest nurse on call last night, Kristi! She gave me 2 different kinds of sleeping medicine, neither of which worked. The contractions were getting stronger and closer together so she called the doc and had the medicine stopped for an hour while I could get some rest. At 6:45 Nurse Kristi started to Pitocin and informed me that I was 2cm dilated and 100% effaced, finally! Progress! I ordered for my epidural right away, the contractions were making me physically ill, I was throwing up! They made Matt leave for this part :( The anesthesiologist had to poke me 2 times to get the needle in and then once he threaded the tube, I could here it pop between my spine!! It was much better than the pain of the 18 gauge needle that is in my arm however!

So now I am completely numb from the waist down and loving every minute of it! I don't know how I ever thought I could be super woman and go without. Kudos to those of you that can! So we are are playing the waiting game again. She should be delivered sometime around 3pm we are guessing. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted. Time for a nap before the real work gets here!

Trick or Treat...

Treat, for sure! Yes it is 4:00 a.m. on Halloween morning. I couldn't sleep so I decided to balance the check book...what a weirdo I am. Actually, I have this problem with leaving anything undone when I know I'm about to be gone for any length of time. Kind of like when we go out of town for something I have to have the entire house cleaned and organized. I am hoping the birth of my child will calm me down some. Speaking of, today we will be making our debut at the Woodlands Memorial Hermann Hospital at 7pm. Here is where we will be if you'd like to come visit us over the next few days. I am anticipating nothing so that I'm not disappointed when what was in my head doesn't happen. I've already been there, done that!

I am nervous and anxious but overjoyed when I think about holding that little baby girl in my arms. I never dreamed of being a mom. Matter of fact, Matt and I butted heads during the first few years of marriage because I was unsure I even wanted kids. I guess watching my family grow up and seeing how tough it was, I never wanted the stress or liability that comes with motherhood. However, God changed my heart one day and filled me with a huge desire to be nothing more that a great mom. Matt would ask me what I really wanted out of life and all I could say was I wanted to leave this earth with my kids saying, "my mom was the best mom in the world". That to me, would be enough. To leave a legacy like no other for my children. I never imagined I would actually have the chance to prove that, but now I will. As I sit here and think about the next 24-48 hours, I am overwhelmed by the idea that I soon will be responsible for taking care of a precious little life that God has sent especially for us. Wow! What a job to have. I wonder how I ever passed the interview for this one! I'm sure I will be filled with all sorts of emotions over the next few days. I'll try to post as much as I can and of course post a picture of our new baby girl as soon as she arrives. Stay tuned, and keep praying.

Happy Fall Y'all!

I had been wanting to do this all week and Matt finally agreed. Friday night we sat in the garage and Matt used my tummy as a palate for his masterpiece! We had so much fun and he did such an awesome job! I couldn't believe how much it really looked like a pumpkin! We took a lot of pictures but these were the best ones.

We are finding it harder and harder to make something of the downtime we have while we wait for baby Landes to get here, obviously! We are enjoying our last few days together as DINKS. We will have our own little pumpkin in less than a week!

Still No Baby....

Our doc appointment yesterday revealed 2 things, one: my baby is 8lbs already! two: she's still not here!

After an ultrasound, our doc met with us and let us know the baby is head down but not "engaged" which means she's really not in position low enough to come out. Also, my cervix is still closed and because of a previous surgery I may have too much scar tissue for my cervix to dilate at all! Soo.... Matt and I had the option of waiting until she comes on her own, up to Nov 6 (yikes!!!) or my doc could schedule a medical induction for us next week. Our doc suggested the induction because of the baby's weight and we agreed.

We will be admitted to the hospital on Wed night at 7 p.m.-Trick or Treat! They will start me on something to start the process but I will not be given any drugs to start contractions until Thursday so I should sleep Wednesday night.

Please be praying for us. I'm really nervous and especially because most of the time, inductions that have to be started with no dilation lead to C-Sections and I really don't want to go that route. My doc did say to anticipate a harder labor than if I was to go in on my own. I will be having an epidural at this point, knowing that I could be in labor for a very long time, this will help me be able to conserve some energy for active labor.

All in all we are excited to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This time next week, baby Landes will be making her debut....and she'll finally have a name!

Stay tuned for some pics tonight...

Forever Pregnant

OK, so no belly pictures for fear of an early Halloween scare, however I do have some baby news. Looks like I could possibly carry this stubborn baby until November! At my appointment today, my dr. informed me that I was not ready (physically) to deliver this child. Apparently I am not effaced yet, which is where your cervix thins out before dilation even begins. So...at my next appointment on Thursday I will be 40 weeks and a few days. My dr. will do an ultrasound and IF the baby is measuring over 8 lbs AND I am dilated beyond a 2, she will admit me to be induced. If not, then I will just have to wait until this baby decides to come on her own, which my dr. informed me could be a week after my due date-Halloween. I did inform her that I was not interested in having a Halloween baby and she understood, therefore letting me know it's perfectly ok to go a few days past and have her on the 1st or 2nd. What?? Are you kidding me? Lady, have you seen my feet? Not to mention I feel handicapped because I can't even shut my car door when I get in. I have to put the car in reverse and slam on the brakes so the door will come far enough back where I can grab it and shut it! I know, you wish you were my next door neighbor. Anyway, so here I sit, just waiting. I wish baby Landes knew how much we are anticipating her arrival. I have 4 outfits for her all packed ready for her to pick out and come home in. Her car seat is installed, stroller and swing are put together and her cradle is so cute with the new sheets on it and a new mobile I just bought her that plays "You are my sunshine" I mean, come on. Who wouldn't want to come out and meet US! Her daddy has been working overtime all week just in case she comes soon, he will be caught up at work. Baby Landes, you are putting a kink in our well planned out delivery of your arrival and making mommy feel like she'll be pregnant forever!

More Sweet Friends

Wednesday last week was our 3rd baby shower! This one was hosted my some of my longest and dearest friends here in Houston. These girls mean the world to me, and although I don't get to see some of them as much as I'd like, our friendship doesn't suffer. I have to tell the stories about each of them because it's not just coincidence that each are part of my life.

I'll start with Erin who I met about 3 1/2 years ago. (far right) She was a desperate soul searching for someone to relieve her from her over stressful job! Actually she was my sales partner when I first started selling new homes and the day before I started I let her know that I would be gone on vacation for the next week and would start work officially when I got back. I had no idea that she had not had a day off in over 3 months and her last partner had just quit after being gone to Hawaii for 2 weeks! After she hated me for a few weeks, we became the best of friends and still are to this day.

Keisha came with the package when I met Erin. She was in a sales office not to far from us and came to visit often. It just goes to say, if you are friends with Erin, you are friends with Keisha. She has the best fashion sense of anyone I know and likes for her friends to be dressed to a T as well. She'll even go as far to buy them clothes (see example here). She also hates scary movies and will spend the night with you if you make her watch one. (back row, right)

Next would have to be Penny. We have a strange history. At one point I couldn't stand her. I'll never forget the day she waltzed into one of our Monday morning meetings at work and I kept thinking "great another bubbly blonde dumb girl coming to work here". Not to mention it was September and she was already wearing Ugs. What was she thinking. I had no reason but I had this "junior high" dislike for her. I wanted to spit my gum in her hair at the meetings. And if I would have, she wouldn't know because she never brushed it...never! I think my boss played a cruel joke on me about 8 months later when he sent Penny to cover my office while I was out with my sister's funeral. She was so sweet and compassionate and called to ask if there was anything she could do. When I returned she was still there...as my temporary sales partner. She and I have been best buds since. She still doesn't usually brush her hair but she did for my shower and she looked great (she's the one on the far left).

Now for Ms. Merri (left of me). Sweet as can be and feisty! She's barely 5 foot and you'd never know because she wears 3 inch heels with everything-even pj's! JK :) Merri was my sales partner for a few months while she trained for a bigger and better place. She taught me a lot while she was there, especially what it means to be a friend. Merri is the easiest person to talk to and is a vault. I don't know if it's because she forgets or if she really does keep secrets! Merri has taught me how to live life and keep your true friends close. She's a trooper and she's a little mama, always taking care of everyone.

After Merri left, I thought I would have my own sales office. And, I did for a few weeks. One night I was at a realtor event our company was hosting and in walks Penny (pre-friendship) with these 2 other blonde girls that didn't work for our company. Not yet anyway. All I could think was ugh! I tried to check them out without being obvious but one of the girls never said a word! I thought, how in the world is she ever going to work here! Well, Monday morning at our meeting one of the girls from the function, Christie (back row left) walks up to me and announces that she will be a little late getting to OUR office today. That's just what I wanted to hear. Howeve, it didn't take long for my heart to soften for this one. Before the day was over I realized how much she was just like me. On the outside people think she's a snob and some never give her a chance. I'm glad I did. Christie has been one of the funnest people to get to know, probably because I think we are so much alike! Except for she runs 6 miles every morning and eats healthy. Honestly, she taught me a really tough lesson on pre-judging. Something, obviously I've had a problem with! We've since become the best of friends and she even gave me the honor of being a part of her wedding last year.

Last, but not least is Jackie (right of me). I met Jackie in a Monday meeting as well. I don't have any funny stories about how we met, but I have tons of others! Jackie has a true servants heart. Although she has extreme OCD when it comes to planning and organizing, she does it well. She was the mastermind behind the shower and took on most of the duties. Not because the other girls didn't want to but because she didn't let them! :) Jackie has taught me about prioritizing and family. Something I know will come in handy in just a few weeks. She is a great mom to her son and a great friend to me.

The best thing about all these girls is how selfless they are and how much they love me and each other. We are a tight knit group and although we don't work together anymore, we are very much a part of each other's lives. I'm so honored to have these girls call me friend.

Ok, no more gushy stuff. The shower was great-obviously and the hostesses (all pictured above) went in together and purchased the baby's bedding. You can see it here. These girls way out did themselves. It was a night filled with tons of friends and lots of goodies for baby Landes. Here's the rest of the crew:

nancy, me, kim and liz

lynda and penny

arlene, maria, erin

merri and sara

Husbands Say the Darndest Things

So on Saturday I drug Matt to the first of 3 child birth classes we will attempt to attend before baby Landes gets here. It was kind of weird to be in a room with 11 other couples talking about female anatomy and strange things your body does when you are pregnant. Kind of like 6th grade sex ed but for adults. Matt did well, of course he laughed a lot and fell asleep during the "relaxation" exercise...the exercise was for me :) Toward the end of class the instruction asked us to walk through about 5 contractions and for each one our "coach" was to help us through with a different tactic. The first one was to talk to your spouse. "Tell her how well she is doing, how beautiful she looks....blah blah blah". So, in the darkness of the room with the elevator music playing in the background, in the midst of my "contraction", my sweet husband leans over and says "Honey you are doing a great job and you look great doing it. I'm headed down to the cafeteria, do you want anything?" We both busted out laughing, disturbing the rest of the group who were actually taking it serious. Our instructor walked over and said, "and if you can laugh through your labor, you've got it made!" I can only hope!

My New Invention

As I progressively become larger, it is mildly painful to perform most household duties. Every time the laundry builds up, I cringe! Knowing that I have to bend over to pick up clothes and then bend over to load them, and put them in the dryer just makes my stomach hurt...literally. A stomach this large does not bend easily and when it does, it is really painful. Not only that, but how in the world am I supposed to carry this basket to the laundry room? So...I had to find a new efficient way to make sure my sweet hubby had clean clothes for work. Here it is:





Ta da! Now all I have to do is get the laundry into the basket and I can drag it wherever I want! It works grand! The only other thing is to find a way to get the clothes in the washer without bending over...I guess that is called "help from my husband".

Making Room

Matt and I have been busy over the past few weeks, making room for baby girl Landes! We've been blessed to have had a couple of baby showers where we received some awesome gifts. Now, just finding a place for everything!

Here's Matt putting together the baby's car seat and stroller that his mom and dad bought for us. Thank you Mom and Dad Landes!

We are also the proud new owners (really borrowers) of "the cradle". This piece of furniture is a family heirloom and has been passed down for 3 generations now. Matt and his brothers slept in it as have all of the grand kids so far. It's ours until the next one comes along..who will it be??

Here's a picture of the changing table I got such a great deal on. It was a floor model and they had marked it down. I haggled with the lady and she took another $20 off plus I had a coupon for $25 off. They almost paid me to buy it!

For now, that's all we have room for. We still have her swing in a box, hopefully we can make room for it soon. Matt also bought us a rocker/recliner last weekend. It's the greatest thing ever! It goes great in the living room and will be perfect to rock baby girl in!

Baby Shower and Blessings

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Matt and I went to Longview this weekend for our first baby shower. My girlfriends Callie and Ashley from high school hosted it. I had a wonderful time getting to visit with tons of people, some I had not seen in years! Matt played golf with an old friend from college and his wife came and brought their baby girl. My cousins Sarah and Paula came from Arkansas, a huge surprise! I also had a chance to visit with my longest friend, Michelle. She and I met the summer before kindergarten and have been friends ever since. She's one of those friends that you can lose touch with for a few months or even a year and pick back up where you left off. I was so blessed to have her there with her mom too! Michelle is expecting a baby soon as well. I just wish we lived closer so our babies could grow up together like we did.

The baby was showered with tons of gifts, mostly pink things! The shower was beautiful, Callie and Ash did a great job and the food was wonderful! Thanks girls!

On another note, Matt and I left to come back to Houston on Sunday morning. Because we left early, we had a little time to spare so as we drove through Nacogdoches, we took the road through town instead of taking the loop around. It was really cool to go by where we went to college together, lots of memories. The place has changed so much, it's hard to believe it was 10 years ago that we were there. After our stroll down memory lane, we headed home but not before stopping at The Cotton Patch in Lufkin. Matt and I had our first date at the Cotton Patch in Nac in April of 1997 and I don't think we've been there since. I thought it would be fun to eat there again and of course, I'm always up for food! The place was crowded with church goers from the morning and I walked in feeling a little underdressed in my comfy traveling clothes. You have to really know this town and the surrounding areas. It's filled with true southern hospitality. The people were so nice and it reminded me so much of home. As we finished up lunch the waitress asked us what we would like for dessert. I'm not one to pass up a dessert but I had just inhaled a chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes! She mentioned that someone else was buying our lunch so we should take advantage of a free dessert....??? Remember we are out of town so who in the world was buying our lunch? Matt and I talked for a minute and felt kind of weird, like someone was watching us, so we asked her who it was-she later brought this to us

Wow! A random person from Lufkin 1st Assembly bought our lunch. I can say, I've never had that happen. Matt and I started talking about how this gesture was truly an act of kindness and an example of how Christ calls us to love each other. A moment of guilt rose in me and I thought to myself "why haven't you been this kind to someone before". We were very honored and thankful for the gift of the free lunch and left thinking about how something so small could impact someone in a huge way. It was the topic of our converstaion for the next few miles.