Are we crazy?

I've come to realize that our life is anything from what most would consider normal.  Let me explain.
Two years ago (while I was pregnant with our third son), Jonathan left a great job at a big established church to move to Magnolia where he would help our friend, Casey Cease, plant Christ Community Church (C3) Magnolia.  I very distinctly remember driving down Beltway 8 in Houston as we were talking about what God was doing in our lives and I laughed out loud and said "God's going to call us to plant a church, huh?"  Ha!  Little did I know. 
God provided in amazing ways, and we moved from predictable and established to the new and unknown.  And I wouldn't change one part of it!  We have been privileged to see God move and work in awesome ways, as well as grow our faith in ways that would not have happened otherwise.  In my mind, we would be here for years growing in and helping to grow the work at C3, but God had another plan...
Towards the end of last year/beginning of this year Jonathan really began feeling called to be a lead pastor and plant a new church.  (See told you, little did I know!)  After much prayer, discussion, and time in the Word, Jonathan talked to our lead pastor, Casey.   He affirmed Jonathan's calling and was eager to send us out with blessing from C3.  So our plan was to plant Restoration Church Bryan in January 2014.  Our plan was to move to Bryan towards the end of the year. 
A couple of weeks ago, we attended the Acts 29 Boot camp.  As we were driving to drop the kids off with grandparents we began discussing our time frame.  Both of us felt like God may be calling us to move sooner.  In our training sessions with a panel of church planters, one of the men was asked "If you could go back and do it again, what would you change as you were starting the plant?"  His words pierced Jonathan's heart.  He basically said, he wouldn't parachute into the city, but get there and begin building community quickly.  The final affirmation for us came Friday morning during our assessment.  One of the recommendations of the pastors assessing us was to move sooner than the end of the year.  To quote my very wise husband (from when I found out we were having twins), "When does God ever work according to our plans!"
While I thought we had months to prepare to move, at this point we are looking at weeks!  Today we are having an open house for our home in Magnolia.  Yesterday we were in Bryan house hunting.  The "real-ness" of it all is very much settling in.  And oh, my what a range of thoughts and emotions!
I am a so proud of my husband!  He is so diligently and humbly seeking the Lord, and following His call on our life.  His trust and faith in who God is and His faithfulness challenges me in so many ways.
I am so proud of our boys!  Levi has recently added quite a bit of detail to his prayers (must be his Baptist roots).  Love seeing him learn to talk to God.  One of the regular parts of his prayer has become "God, I will trust your heart in love.  God I will obey you and move to Bryan."  The twins are a little timid about leaving friends and making new ones, but they are excited too.  We have had great opportunities to discuss with them the importance of obeying God and trusting in Him.
I am extremely excited.  I have always wanted to be a part of a multicultural church and be in a context where we can truly impact a community.  God has confirmed Bryan and this church to us in many ways. 
I am also terrified beyond all measure.  Last night before going to bed, Jonathan and I had a very frank conversation.  We both recognize if this work is completely on us, IT WILL FAIL!  While that brings about great fear, it is also one of the most freeing realizations I could have.  My trust is not in me, it's not even on my husband who will be a fantastic pastor, my trust is in the God who has called us to this work! 

Bluebonnets!

I almost missed the bluebonnets this year.  With everyone sick in March, we scheduled pics with a friend and this mom completely forgot her memory card for the camera!  Mom=fail!!  :(
So last week after school, we snuck over to Montgomery where I think I found the only remaining patch in all of Texas.  Hooray!!

 

 Love my silly Luke!

 

Less than thrilled at this point! 

Titus bug hunting!

I think the bugs found him.  Poor guy!

My attempt at getting a picture of all three in one spot.  Believe it or not, this was the best one! 

 

What's the best way to end bluebonnet pictures with three boys?  Snow cones, always snow cones!!

So long March...

I have officially been on this journey of motherhood for 50 months now, and hands down March 2013 will go down as the most difficult yet!  It seemed like it would start well, Jonathan and I had a fun date night planned for his birthday at the Rocket's game (which they won).  But then, we got home only to hear a terrible seal sounding cough...
By Monday, (our first dr. appt of the month) Titus and Levi both had croup.  Within a few days I caught a cold too.  We all seemed to recover okay, but by the following week Levi's had settled in again this time in the ears!!  After dr. trip #2 double ear infection confirmed, and antibiotics had begun. 
The very day after he finished his medicine, Luke and Titus both caught a bug which, you guessed it, settled in their ears.  So, dr. trip #3 revealed, 3 out of 4 of those precious little ears also had infections.  So....2 more rounds of antibiotics. 
Then, just 2 days later Levi caught the absolute worst virus I have ever seen.  Sudden onset, HIGH (104+) fever, vomiting, and sore throat that looked like, but as confirmed by dr. visit #4 was not, strep. 
As I confessed to Jonathan last night, I am mentally and physically worn out.  I hate seeing my little ones sick, and then on top of MANY sleepless nights, fussy kids (and a fussy mom), and keeping track of temperatures & medicine dosages I have simply described our state as "survival mode!"
Several times over the course of the month, God has put Matt. 11:28 on my heart "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  While I was pulling for that to mean that my kids would sleep better at night, that hasn't been the case.  Instead, it has been a constant reminder where my hope and strength actually can be found. 
Today, things are looking up.  No one is running fever and SO FAR no one else has caught Levi's virus.  To make things even sweeter, in my time with the Lord this afternoon, God showed me this passage from Ps. 73:23-26.
"Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.  You guide me with wise counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
My heart and my flesh WILL fail (often), but I'm so grateful that I don't have the strength to persevere in my own flesh.  What gives my heart the desire to keep going, even in rough months, is so not me!  Hear me loud and clear, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!!

So...hello April, we at the Brooks house are so glad you are here!!

P.S.  I promise cute kid pictures next post! ;)

Twins @ 4, T @ 18 months

Ok, so I realized it has been 3 months since my last post.  We'll just say life has been happening at warp speed and I have not been good about updating.  Back in February, we took the kids to the park to try and catch a few pictures marking the twins at 4 and Titus at 18 months.  Here are some pictures from our day...

Luke, the oldest (by one minute, but oldest!)

Love this one!

 

 

 Levi, my mini-me.

I think he was checking out an awesome bug.

 

 

Titus- my not so little baby! 

My three loves!



 

 

They're 4!?!?

Last week the twins hit a new milestone, 4 years old!  I absolutely refused to look at NICU pictures this year because I knew it would bring tears.  God was (and continues) to be so gracious to us.  Our little NICU babies have grown into rambunctious, energetic, and loving boys! 
Over the weekend we had a train birthday party for them.  They had a great time playing with their friends and family. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a cupcake train to celebrate the occasion.  (In my mind cupcakes have always been easier for twins than a cake!)

 

 

Train Painting at the Repair Shed- Look how serious my little Picasso's are.

 

 

The Train Depot where we built what the twins call "Mega Track."

 

 

Their gifts from Dad & Mom this year were bikes!  After a little coaching from the pro (Dad), they have been cruising away on them. 

Disclaimer: We have gotten them helmets even though they are not pictured here.  Jonathan likes to remind me that in the 80s none of us wore helmets and we all turned out ok.  However, the twins are now wearing helmets! ;)

 

 

At 4, Luke loves to learn and explore.  He is independent, quirky, and loves to laugh and make others laugh.  He is becoming quite the artist, and is a great Lego architect.

At 4, Levi loves to be outside and play.  He is rough and wild, but loving and cuddly (on his terms)!  He loves to race his matchbox cars on everything and play trains, and is an excellent puzzle solver.

People ask me often if they get along pretty well. These two absolutely love each other. I remind them often how special it is to have a twin. Not everyone gets to have their best friend grow up right beside them.  They do such a great job of loving one another well without being exclusive of their little brother (unless he's destroying their latest Lego building). 
I am so looking forward to what this year has in store for them.  Thanks to all who made their birthday so special!