More Texas Wildlife in the Backyard

Okay, for those of you who haven't visited us in Dallas yet, please note before you read this that we do not live in the slums.  It will be hard to convince yourself of that after reading this post, but please believe.

So Steve and I have been homeowners for 7 years now.  And in the past 3 weeks we've had to deal with things we've NEVER had to deal with before.  And it's not even our own home. Everyone's telling us that it's just Texas and the summer.  I don't care what it is, I'm ready to move back to Springdale TODAY.  Our first visitor, if you remember the post a couple of months ago, was a snake in the pool.  It was gross, creepy - but I got over it, that happens in pools.  Next was the ant invasion.  Started a couple of weeks ago.  They were everywhere. Inside the house.  We've had the pest control people out multiple times - today was the 5th.  We're bff with the service man now.  One night I was laying there in bed and felt my hand hurting.  Turns out the fire ants were in our BED, on MY side - lots of them.  I haven't gotten over that yet.

Then, construction began on a new home right behind us.  Always count on that to stir things up.  We've got a great colony of ear wigs outside among the rocks, but that I can handle as long as they're outside.  Then on Saturday Lowery and Steve were swimming in the pool - I heard him yelling for Lowery to get out "NOW" - I assumed it was another snake.  Wrong.  Way wrong.  Just take a little look at the pic.  I can't handle it.  I'm done.  Packing up and moving back today.  See you all soon.  

And just in case you want to tell yourself it's a cute raccoon, it's not.   Positively, 100% RAT.

Please Pray...

For our friends the Kennedys.  They are en route now to Malawi, Africa on an exciting mission from God.  Please look to the right at my blog links and go to the Kenendys for more information on their amazing journey.  Erin, Zach and their four children - twins Catherine and Easton, Sophie and Addis - need your prayers on this journey.  They will be fulfilling God's instructions to care for orphans in Malawi.  Their life will be much different than here in the states and they will have many obstacles.  But their reward will be life-changing.  Those you who know us know we love this family and they are so special to us.  Please keep them on your prayer list for the next two months, until we bring them safely home.  Catherine and Easton, Lowery misses you (see pic of Lowery with Catherine - front - and their friend Estella Dru).  Thanks, friends!

1st Day of K

And here we are to join the masses for the first day of school picture craze - Lowery in all of her uniform splendor.  Uniform plus hot pink nails and a Hannah Montana backpack.  She was very excited and had an awesome first day - she was completely wired when I picked her up.  I thought for sure she would crash when she got home, but somehow she made it through some Wii bowling and some swimming before her meltdown during dinner.  All in all a good day.  Her favorite part of the day?  Designing teddy bear outfits with "curdoy" - took me a while to figure out it was corduroy.  Least favorite part - playing outside in 98 degree weather.  Said her "neck got hot" (get used to it honey, it's Dallas).  Hope everyone had a great day!  

Last Girls Day Before School

I'm WAY behind on blogging - sorry!  We've been around the world the past two weeks - all over Arkansas and back several times, had company almost every night we've been here in Texas (which we've loved by the way) and are frantically getting ready for school.  Thank goodness my Mom has been here for support the last week or so, it's been absolutely hectic.

But we are getting ready for the 1st big day tomorrow - still wondering how in the world we are starting Kindergarten, much less in Texas at a school where we don't know a soul.  But it's all a part of this journey God has us on and we're enjoying the ride (for the most part).

Now that we're settled a bit, I will do my best to keep up a little better with the blog.  I've already missed so much that I should have shared - Lowery's birthday festivities, our rent house "challenges" (if you haven't heard the ants story, just call and ask - it's better in person), additional trips to Six Flags, new dance place, etc.  But I've got to get back into it somewhere, so I'll share some pics of our last "girls day" before school. 

We thought there was no better way to begin our first day of an ultra-conservative private school than with a brand new layer of flashy hot-pink fingernail polish - so we headed to Sweet & Sassy for Lowery's first mini manicure/pedicure.  My Mom and I joined her and we had a blast - the only downer is that we couldn't finish off the mani/pedi with the glitter dust in the hair.  Thought that would be beyond the legal limits for school.  We then did a little shopping and had a great day together, just the girls.  I was looking at at Lowery's little feet during her pedi today - I used to have such horrible time finding shoes for her because of her little "pork chop" feet.  They were so fat and roly-poly, and we thought one of the reasons she walked so late was because her feet were just to short and stubby to hold her up.  Now, as the purple polish complete with white flowers was being applied, I looked at her long, slender feet.  I still think she's 2 or 3, not 5!  I can't believe how big she is and how she has grown into a little girl.  We're so thankful for her, and I have no idea what I'm going to do for 5 days a week with no baby girl!  Thank goodness there's the "Boohoo/Yahoo breakfast" tomorrow for other Moms like me, I will need reinforcement!  I will post pics tomorrow of our big first day!