Our Weekend Getaway

This past weekend, Justin and I had the opportunity to go on a much needed overnight getaway.  Something that was stressed to us in our premarital counseling was to dialogue daily, date weekly, and depart monthly.  The dialogue daily and date weekly comes pretty easy for us since we don't have kids yet, and are big quality time and quality conversation people.  But the departing monthly can be very difficult, especially when you are on a tight budget and are very busy.  We haven't really gone anywhere since our honeymoon and knew it was time to getaway even if it was just one night.  At first we talked about just going to San Antonio for a night to relax, but then Justin started talking about a desire to do something outside and more adventurous.  Something else I learned through premarital counseling was a man's need for adventure.  And boy, is that my husband!  He loves doing something active, outside and adventurous.  So Justin came up with the idea to go horse back riding together in the hill country.  We have talked about our desire to go horse back riding before, so we decided it was the perfect weekend to do it!  So last Friday we both had the day off so we left early in the morning and drove to Bandera to go horse back riding.  The weather was perfect and the drive and scenery was absolutely beautiful.  We arrived at a dude ranch and was able to relax in the peaceful outdoors before we went riding. 

Relaxing on the porch

After we spent some time walking around and enjoying the outdoors, it was time to get on the horse.   Justin's horse was named Diablo a.k.a the "Devil", which we thought was hilarious and there was a reason for that name.  He was quite the feisty and stubborn horse! Diablo made his intentions known he was not happy about leaving the ranch by making a beeline for the stable.  Justin has experience with horses so he handled it all very well.  I on the other hand was a little more nervous when we started trotting and even galloping!  Though I hadn't been on a horse since I was very young, I thought it would be no biggie...I mean the horse does all the work anyway.  But after we started going faster, it was a little more nerve racking than I thought it would be. At the beginning, I was holding on for dear life and trying not to fall off!  During our "training" time, our wrangler basically gave us a few instructions and then said "okay, now it's your turn to trot and Gallup around all 3 of these barrels.  Say what?!?!  It looked exactly like it does at the rodeo when the women ride around the 3 barrels.  It actually looks easy at the rodeo, but when I tried it alone, I was close to freaking out.  The horse doesn't do all the work as I thought, and it was hard getting the horse to go where I was wanting him to go.  All that to say, I was more comfortable with just walking and lightly trotting than going super fast.  So off we go on our 2 hour trail ride and it was absolutely beautiful.  We went all throughout the mountains, and through the woods.  It really was great being outdoors and just enjoying God's creation.  Here are some pics from our ride:

Can you tell I'm double jointed? 

After our amazing horse back riding experience, we drove to San Antonio to check into our hotel and have a romantic dinner at the Towers of America.  Little did we know, that there was Fiesta going on in San Antonio that weekend, which apparently we were the only ones who never even heard of it.  It a big festival that goes on for 10 days in San Antonio every year, and let me tell you, it was crazy!  It took us almost an hour to drive 5 miles to the restaurant and then find parking.  But despite the craziness, we had the most romantic dinner together overlooking the city.

The tower where we ate

The next morning, we spontaneously decided to drive to Fredricksburg since San Antonio was so crazy.  It was a really fun trip since neither one of have been there before.  It was also a beautiful drive with perfect weather! 

After exploring the city and having a nice lunch at a unique tea house, we did some shopping (though didn't buy one thing).  It was fun going into all the antique shops to look around.  I know you may be thinking "poor Justin, having to go into antique shops" but please don't feel sorry for him!  Though I wouldn't say Justin is a big "shopper", as he rarely shops for himself, but he loves taking his time looking through museums, art or anything similar to that.  I on the other hand, am very fast when it comes to shopping or "looking around" at shops and especially museums.  After looking around at some stores, I was ready to move on and decided to wait for Justin outside the store because of the crowds.  After doing this a few times, I started to notice a pattern.  As I looked around me, trying to be patient waiting for my sweet husband, I noticed all these men around me, trying to be patient waiting for their sweet wives.  One by one, I would see their wife come out and the husband would be ready for the next store.  I found it quite humorous. 

All in all, it was a great weekend and definitely worth taking the time and money out to spend it together with no distractions!!

When Sinners Say "I Do"

Looking for a Gospel Centered book on marriage?   Here is a great recommendation:

I just finished this book a few weeks ago and had to share it.  This is definitely not your typical marriage book that gives you tools on how to have a great marriage.   There are few books that offer assistance with the root of all the problems we encounter in our relationships.  Few of them get to the heart of the matter, and prescribing the biblical cure.  The book actually focuses on the harsh reality of sin and the beautiful reality of grace. Too many think lightly of sin, and therefore think lightly of the Savior.  Of course most Christians believe they are sinners, and some would say reading this book is unnecessary and even depressing, but this simple, yet powerful theology can do wonders in your marriage.  As Dave Harvey says throughout the book, "when sin becomes bitter, marriage becomes sweet."  It is true that most Christians would agree that they are sinners, but there is something about marriage that draws your sinfulness out even more.  For example, I can find myself thinking, "I have never really struggled with impatience (or insert your own word here) before I got married."  But the truth of the matter is, I have always been an impatient person, but it didn't come out as much as it does now.  At times, people assume that the cause of some of their wrong behavior is their spouse.  Your spouse doesn't automatically make you more of a sinful person, it just reveals your sinful nature more than before.   I love how Dave Harvey reminds us, "We are all the worst of sinners, so anything we do that isn't sin is simply the grace of God at work." 

The book  also states the importance of studying God's Word.  "The Bible is the foundation for a thriving marriage."  "God is the most important person in marriage.  Marriage is for our good, but it is first for God's Glory."  As C.J. Mahaney says it, the book  "provides clarity in conflict, hope in despair, and points the way to a joy-filled, God glorifying marriage." 

After reading this book, I have realized even more what a sinful person I am, which has made God's Grace so much sweeter to me.  I am incredibly thankful that the Lord has chosen me, a sinner, and it is only by His grace that I can do anything good.  It's only by His grace that I can have a relationship with Him.  It is only by His grace that Justin and I can have a thriving marriage.   I am more thankful for all the times Justin has extended me mercy and grace when I didn't deserve it.  And it has also helped me to give Justin grace and mercy when I really didn't want to. 

All in all, I think this is a must read whether married or single.  So buy your copy today, and make sure you have Kleenex for the last chapter, "When sinners say goodbye"...it's a tear jerker! 

 I'll leave you with one last quote:

"A maturing marriage is one that sees all the way to the finish line and beyond. As married Christians, God bestows upon us the extraordinary honor of nurturing and celebrating the inner renewal while also caring for the outer decay. It's an adventure in irony, made possible by the gospel, the only real treasure in our brittle jars of clay. Not every married Christian sees this clearly. But joy awaits those who do."

February and March Update

I can't believe it's already April!  It seems like this year is just flying by.  Since I just started this blog a few weeks ago, I thought about giving a little update about what the Cummings have been up to over the past few months.  First of all, on February 3rd, my sweet nephew turned 2 years old.  He's getting so big and talking like crazy and just so much fun to be around!  We had a small party with Thomas the train theme. 

We gave him the "Jesus Storybook Bible" which is a great 1st Bible for small kids.  I love it!  Of course you can't give a child just a book, we added a little something from 2 of his favorite movies:  Toy Story and Cars

Then in February we celebrated our first Valentine's together as husband and wife.  We enjoyed a quiet night at home as I cooked dinner and then went out the following weekend to Fogo de Chao...great resturant!

I made a chocolate fudge cake and decorated it with M&Ms and it was AMAZING!  I will have to post the recipe at the end for anyone wanting to try it. 

Then in March we went to College Station for the last regular season Aggie Basketball game.  We got tickets for my family for christmas so it was a fun family road trip.  I always love going back to college station as I have such great memories there from college and Justin and I have made some special memories there since we've been dating.

March is also RODEO season which I absolutely love!  I'm a country girl at heart as I love country music, country dancing and love wearing my cowboy boots!  This year Justin and I went to go see Rascal Flatts, and then Karrie, Staci and I went to see Brad Paisley.  The 3 of us have a tradition of going to the rodeo every year and we always have pictures to document...

It's also a tradition to get a long corn dog on a stick every year.  I think this is the only time I ever eat corn dogs...and it's stinkin good! 



After the Rodeo and concert we decided to be a little crazy and try a fried snickers.  They have some crazy fried food at the rodeo so we thought it was worth a try..

Good thing we split it 3 ways b/c my stomach was killing me for about an hour afterwards..but it was good!!



I always have a great time with my precious lambs!  I'm so thankful for my best friends of 11 years....

And then March ends with the a friendly competition as our family put a little money in for March Madness...which actually turned into March Sadness.  I was in 2nd or 1st place after the first 3 rounds and it was really looking like I would win it!  My competitive nature was starting to come out.  My poor husband was pretty much dead last the entire time, so he didn't stand much of a chance.  But atlas, after Florida lost and Uconn won, my brother slipped in the lead and won.  Oh well, there's always next year.  And at least the Aggie Women won and are national champions...now that was a fun game to watch!!  No more sadness here!  Gig 'Em Aggies!



Here is the chocolate fudge cake recipe:

1 C Butter

5 T cocoa

1 C water

2 C flour

2 C sugar

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 C sour cream

1 tsp baking soda

Frosting:

1/2 C butter

5 T cocoa

1/3 C milk

3 1/2 C powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Bring butter, cocoa and water to boil in large pan.  Remove from heat and add the  flour, sugar and salt.  Mix together eggs, sour cream and baking soda; add to the mixture.  Pour into a greased (13X9in) cake pan and bake 30-35 minutes in 350 degrees.  While the cake is baking, make the frosting by bringing the butter, cocoa and milk to a boil.  Beat in the powdered sugar and the vanilla.  Spread on the hot cake when it comes out of the oven. 

Enjoy with a tall glass of milk!

The question that changed my life....

1 year ago from today....

...Justin asked me to be his wife...

....and I said YES...

....and I'm STILL this giddy....

....and we are still THIS happy....

....one of the most memorable nights....

....celebrated with our (sneaky) and cherished family and friends who made this night so special for us....

....followed by a romanic dinner at the melting pot....



....then, exactly 6 months later....

....we said I DO...

...and we are still this happy...

Actually, we are happier than we have ever been, all Glory to God!  I praise the Lord daily for the blessing of placing Justin in my life at His most perfect timing.  Quite honestly, I doubted if this day would ever come for me.  I have longed to be a wife and mom for so long that there were definitely some difficult days before Justin and I started dating.  I wonder why I ever doubted the Lord and just how perfect His plan is for me.  I am truly thankful that the Lord had me wait and grow and learn and enjoy my singleness before bringing Justin in my life.  After being close friends for over a year, and after Justin (finally) asked me out ( I must save that story on waiting for another post), we knew exactly what we were looking for and it didn't take us long to know the Lord was calling us to be together.  So here we are, exactly a year after getting engaged, and exactly 6 months after our wedding, and my heart is overflowing with thankfulness.  I believe that the waiting has helped me to be even more thankful for my husband and the blessing of marriage.  Of course marriage isn't always roses and butterflies, as it is a sanctifying process, by realizing just what a selfish, sinful person I can be...but I am humbled by the fact that such a godly, gentle, patient, and loving man would choose me to spend the rest of his life with here on earth.  So to Justin...thank you for choosing me, thank you for loving me the way that you do, thank you for being my best friend, my biggest supporter, encourager, and listener, and for making me a better person.  Our journey has just begun and I can't wait to see all the Lord has in store for us over the next 50 + years (or however many the Lord gives us). 

Thankful for everything the Lord has done over the past year!
Tracy

Justin and I have 8 children?

Call me crazy but for some reason I decided to take some of the kids from the children's ministry to the zoo over Spring Break.  I knew that it would be packed, but never expected how packed it would actually be!  I should have known, since the next time the kids are out of school is summer, and who really wants to walk around outside in Houston heat in the summer anyway?  But it was Spring Break, and I wanted to do something fun with the kids since they were most likely bored all week long.  I am thankful Justin had that Friday off of work so he was able to come along too--he is such a great supporter of my job!  After finally getting to the zoo and finally finding parking (okay it was really the guys who had to deal with that), we split up into groups so we could keep track of all the kids.  Justin and I had 8 kids in our group, which seems completely managable--but it was way harder than I imagined it being.  I sadly didn't get many pictures because I was too busy making sure I had all 8 kids with us at all times with crowds surrounding us constantly.  I felt like I was counting to 8 every minute.

 

 All that to say, apparently, we were acting like parents as many people mistakenly thought these 8 children were ours!  Justin played the typical Dad role, picking them up so they could see the animals over the crowd, and playing with them...the dads really do seem to have all the fun!  I was the typical mom, yelling at them to not leave my sight and kept telling them it was time to move on to the next animal. I mean,  how long can you really stay and stare at the same animal anyways? (Actually it was more of my husband I kept having to tell to move on).    So after the first person commented about our "8 children", I thought "aww so sweet, she thinks these children are ours".   You know, the typical woman thought process :)  then the 2nd time someone commented about it, I thought "wow, do we seem like we actually have 8 children?"  Then the 3rd time it happened I thought "really??  Do these children look anything like me?"  I don't have a picture of all the kids, but here are 5 out of the 8: 

Now don't get me wrong, these children are absolutely adorable and I love them dearly!  But as you can see, they don't resemble me much.  Me being as pale as they come, I just didn't see it.  But in case you may not know, Justin is in fact half hispanic.  Some people notice it right away and others don't see it at all.  When I first met Justin, I definitely noticed his tall, dark, and handsome good looks, but I had no idea he was half hispanic.  We both got a kick out of people thinking these sweet kids were ours, and now we're even more curious as to what our children will look like.  I do hope they get Justin's olive skin :) 

Our New Blog!

Well, I did it.  I finally decided to start blogging again.  For those of you who may remember, I was blogging a lot when I lived in China for 2 years about all my experiences living overseas.  Now, 3 years later, a new name and everything....it seems about time to start it up again.  After all, I have always loved journaling.  I probably have at least 30 journals under my bed right now (don't get any ideas, Justin!)  Writing and journaling has always helped me process things and I love looking back and reading my old journals and see just how far the Lord has brought me.  It's a great habit to have!  The only difference (and quite a big difference) is that all your family and friends can read all about your life online.  What in the world am I thinking?  Not that I think a lot of people will be reading my blog....except my mom of course...the way she keeps up with me on facebook, it's safe to say I have at least one reader out there!  But I realize that blogging is not just for my friends and family to read updates, but it's about me writing and processing through this life the Lord has blessed me with.  It's about having a wonderful tool to look back on and see the lessons we've learned, the things we've experienced, and the memories we make.  It almost feels like a new beginning.  Just like starting a new journal...I have always loved starting a brand new journal.  It was a time when I reflected back on my last journal, and looking forward to a fresh start.  I realize that it's not January, and there isn't anything extremely "new" that we are experiencing, but I am excited about what the Lord has in the new season in our lives.  Justin and I have been married almost 6 months (crazy!) and it feels like we are just now really getting settled into our new place, and finding a routine as we merged two lives and schedules together.  After spending months changing my name on what seemed like hundreds of documents, I am finally signing everything with Cummings without even hesitating!  It's a great accomplishment. Marriage has already brought so much joy to my life.  This truly is a wonderful season and we are enjoying every minute of it.  So..thanks for stopping by...and I hope you stay awhile!