Part 1 of the Saga of the Canfields

This was our bedroom...lots of privacy...haha

This was after a MAJOR 3 year old, long day, no nap MELTDOWN!


Dinner cafeteria style

Tate thought this was a slide

FLC the boys enjoying a PSP we borrowed....video games are VERY limited at our house so this was a treat!

This was Casey's bed, which he fell out of once in the middle of the night....he just got back up though as if it never happened
For the soda alone they thought it was worth a hurricane...we do not buy soda
After a very long day!

I finally sat down for the 2 hours that my children have rest time, and blogged the entire time, yesterday. I filled in all the details about the hurricane and life after Ike.....it took the entire time and then.......dun dun dun......I lost the connection as well as my hard work! So I have deceided to change my approach to the blog....to fill you in I will start our mini series...

So here we begin......

Life was going along quite normally, as normal as can be with 4 VERY active boys in a house 1664 sq ft, homeschooling, husband is a basketball coach and me trying to run a photography business out of my home on the side. Anyway, we had our schedule planned as usual, school during the days, working out afternoons, family time in the evenings, 2 photography sessions on Saturday October 13th. But as Saturday moved closer the realization that a hurricane was on its way became a fact, a FACT that it would hit US!

So...what to do........do we stay or do we leave.....? We went back and forth all of Thursday whether we should drive to SA or Austin to stay with family. David and I both wanted to ride out the storm at home. But we had more than ourselves to think about, we have 4 children and their lives as well the lives of their parents to think about. It was decided we would leave the next morning....then we found out Second Baptist, our Church was opening its doors, as it does with any major hurricane, to employees for refuge. That immediately became our best option. We wouldn't have to sit in traffic with 4 boys, did I mention they are active? We wouldn't waste gas in travel, we would be here directly after the storm to check on our house...we would have food provided all while enjoying electricity!!!

So friday evening we packed for the weekend, enough clothes for a few days, just in case, as well as our bedding. We arrrived at the church and it was very organized. They had wristbands for every person, they kept track of all the people staying and even assigned places to sleep. We were sent to the 3rd floor near our sanctuary, it is like a giant hallway. About 75 other people on the same level, but it is so huge it didn't feel like that many people. About 350 people altogether took shelter at Second. Again the Church's size you would not have know there were that many people.

After assigments we had dinner and David had a meeting for several men that were given nightly walk through duty. They were to go in pairs of 3 and check on people as well as potential damage to the church. Then we watched Fox news in our FLC, the church's work out gym, until almost 11:00 when we lost power. But we had a generator so no sweat. LITERALLY....it was still houston after all, we are known for our humidity.....The boys had a great time playing in the gym with some other children, oh I forgot to mention my husband led the playtime...you would have guessed that though I am sure! I was able to work out for a little while during that time as well.

Everyone went to bed about 11:00 knowing it would be a LONG night. But I actually slept....about 2 hours anyway! Whether it was the roaring of the storm outside, David getting up for 2-4 am duty, or OH YEAH the ladies who decided 2-6 am in the morning is a great time to have a conversation at a normal voice level on the floor where others are trying to sleep ...FYI just because the storm is keeping you awake do you need to ruin everyone else's sleep????? AGGHHHHHH Okay now I feel better!

Anyway...during the walk throughs it was discovered the Church received significant damage. The side of town we were in received tough winds. Just about some of the worst for the city. It was later discovered it will be about 9 months before services will be held in the sanctuary.

After a grueling nights sleep, we had our breakfast and were prepared to stay another night since we knew electricity was out in the entire city for who knows how long. We went to see our house about 1:00 in the afternoon and all looked well, at first. Then David opened Tate's room where upon entering the room the door frame dropped water on his head and the floor was soaking wet. The wall had a huge bubble and the ceiling covered in water spots.

Checking the roof we discovered a limb had fallen, from one of our 20 pine trees, and landed on our roof making a huge hole over Tate's room and allowing all the water from the rain to come in.

End of part 1..........TO BE CONTINUED!

It is the cry of my heart!

I love that song, "It is the cry of my heart to follow You...It is the cry of my heart to know You..." I can't remember the rest but I guess that is the important part of the song.
I have been longing to get back to my "God time!" I mean that with complete sincerity and not as religious time reading to "feel" good. It has taken me awhile but I over the last month I have begun again to sacrifice my sleep and become committed to getting up early during the week, before my boys get up to have a quiet time. Not only to spend with the Lord but to have a LITERAL QUIET before the troops arise. It has been such a necessity. I have already noticed a peace enveloping me more and more throughout my day. Obviously not perfect, I still lose it occassionally. I know hard to imagine....LOL

I can remember times in my life where I woke up and could hardly wait to read the word of God. Which takes me to another song, it is a woman, "Where did the passion go..." Again that is all I remember.....my brain has all but been fried with 4 children. Anyway, I love that song because it is such a reminder that we have seasons in our life where we truly desire Him and Long for His presence and then seasons where we abide so we do not die on the vine. I am so in Love with Him and He surrounds my thoughts and invades my life in every area, but I can't say that every morning I long to read His word. I love communing with Him through prayer and often I read words that jump out at me and sit throughout the day.....but what about the longing to just sit and read His word....
Junior High and High school age...yep about 5 years ago hahah...I remember my Dad sharing with me that the Bible is like a puzzle. It all connects....I began to find great pleasure in connecting the dots. Reading a scripture in one part and realizing how it coincided with another one. That is when the bible became alive to me. Since that time when I go through droughts I always think back to then. I know I can always find His pleasure again.

I have been crying out to the Lord, it has been a delight reading His word, but I wanted more....I wanted LONGING again. Today I asked the Lord for the thousandth time..."to make me a student of His word." It is amazing how when you pray His will He answers!

I am reading through Corinthians, and I read a psalm and proverb each day.
Proverbs 2:21-22
"For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it."

WOW, yesterday if I had read that I probably would have just seen how God blesses the righteous and cuts off the wicked...yet today I immediately saw it as history! When has God shown that to be true? It would take me an entire day to list every example...but here are a few...
1. Noah was upright and he inhabited the land, but those who were wicked were washed away in the flood, they were uprooted.
2. The tower of Babel they were uprooted and scattered across the earth....
3. The Israelites were given the land time and again from their enemies even though the enemy was much stronger;
4. Of course we know that one day the righteous will rain and the wisked will be uprooted forever

Oh I could probably go on and on....here is why this was so powerful to me....besides the fact that it is God's word.
I am the prayer coordinator for MOPS, and I was asked to give a short talk on praying God's word. Many people do not understand the importance or even think about doing that.
I was praying about that event this morning writing down some things I wanted to share, such as.....
Instead of the question behind the question...what is the prayer behind the prayer...?
When you ask for your children to have wisdom and knowledge, do you know "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge"?
Proverbs 28:14
Proverbs 19:23
Psalms 111:10
Proverbs 1:7
Psalms 128:1

Pray that you and your family will have the fear of the Lord

When you ask for safety remember, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runs into and they are saved"
"The children of Your servants shall dwell secure, their offspring shall be established before You." Ps 102:28

Pray you and your family will know the name of the Lord, and you will become His servants

Prayer to succed or prosper in your way..(not to be confused with getting rich) ""How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates day and night, and he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither and whatever he does he prospers." Psalms 1

Pray you will seek Godly counsel, delight and meditate in God's word.

Prayer over sin in you or your family; ""How can a young many keep his way pure? by keeping it according to Gods word" Ps 119:9
"Your word I have hidden in my heart so I might not sin against You."

Pray you and your family will walk according to God's word, delighting in it and hiding it in your heart.

It also hit me because I am teaching my children, I have the sole responsibility to teach my kids everything from their ABC's, math, laundry, cooking, as well as God's word. I am constantly asking God how I am going to teach them everything.....HAHA like I will accomplish the EVERYTHING! But you know what I mean, there is so much......but if they learn nothing else I want them to know God's word. When we study history I want them to know why a country failed, why their religion failed, why our ccomplishments without Christ are for nothing....
That verse was one more LOVE note from God, a personal history lesson to share with my boys when we study the fall of Rome, and every other country that has failed because the wicked ruled.
Okay, okay.....that is it! I know long enough! What a beautiful morning ~ it was such a joy to "stumble" upon that word from the Lord!

The wait is over!

I have been keeping y'all waiting on too many things....but it is just as hard for me! I have been wanting to finish something. I have had too many beginnings lately...I wanted to see completion. I have not finished the Wedding, maybe never....haha.
But I have finally completed the LEES family session! The family I used to work for and shot (don't worry they are okay...hope y'all got that) in Boerne while I was visiting SA. I really loved working with them because they are so special, of course they are a beautiful family and their home is GORGEOUS! But besides the point. I have really been wanting to see how their pictures came out. So FINALLY........here is a preview and the rest are on my FLICKR



















The complete set ~

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24007605@N07/sets/72157606878845699/

I will hopefully be able to complete the Mom's session soon. She is the singer/songwriter. We spent s few hours going through Boerne capturing her for her latest CD and website! I am SO excited....She is GORGEOUS so it really wasn't too hard capturing her, and as I said before the camera loves her and the feeling is mutual. I love how her session came out but I have not been able to begin editing so again I leave you waiting....but just like a cliffhanger it makes you come back for more! (at least I hope)

Call me a freak!

Well I know this sounds crazy but I LOVE to work out! I have always been active, playing basketball Junior high through High school, running track, riding horses....for those who do not think this is a physical activity go try it....if you have not ridden before or in awhile you will be very sore....well let me clarify if you are riding one of those "near the glue factory" horses you can "rent and ride" on a trip that doesn't count.....but I would race bareback, (no saddle) through the fields as fast as I could get my horse to go which takes a tlot of muscle strength as well as NO brains ... lol I participated in several rodeo's racing barrel's, goat tying, and pole bending. I also roamed our 300 acre ranch all through my growing up years, on foot and my bike...since I do not even own an acre of land, they do not allow horses in teh city limits, and I am too old to go out for the basketball and track team..... I have found a passion in weights!

After I had Brayden I had a friend encourage me to run a 5k with her, it was just what I needed to get off that lingering baby weight...after a year....So I began running 4 miles a day and doing intense weight training. I LOVED IT! In fact I became addicted. I had never liked running before, long distance that is, but I found pleasure in it as I began and even missed it when I took off a day. But my real passion is doing weight training. It is so much fun! But right now the gym is not really fitting into my schedule, and we know with everything in my life right now I NEED my schedule.

So after putting it off for long enough, and with a cruise in sight, I decided to start running again I need to get that cruise body. Running has definitely been the best fat burner. So even outside in the Houston humidity I got started! Which has been a blesssing in disguise. I began a few weeks ago running outside 2 miles, then last week bumped it up to 4 miles everyday. So yesterday I was able to go to the gym and run in Air Conditioning....YEAH and i didn't even start sweating until after the 2 mile mark, AMAZING. I couldn't believe how much easier it is running in cool air....so I just kept on running...(Forest said)

Running and running and running.... until I had run 5 miles! Today I decided to stretch it a little more....so I made it 6 miles! I am so excited! I think I may be training soon to run in a mini triathalon.......what fun! But even if that doesn't work I may run a half marathon...not really up for running 28 miles so I will wait until I go completely insane to take that on.

School is going GREAT! We are loving it! We have adapted quite well to our new scheduled life so different for my Type B personality! But instead of the day happening to me we are now making things happen! It is so nice. And we can flexible when we need to be....last night I had to stay up very late to try and make a dent on all these pictures I have so we slept in today, and then played monopoly, which teaches math and life skills, and then we started real school.

I guess it is time to let the cat out of the bag....

I am so sorry friends...it was kind of fun though! But I just have not had any time to blog, this story deserved some thought... and I really do not have time now either, but I will put you out of your misery.

But I have to lead up to the story, so here I go....
You all know my husband is a basketball coach, has been for going on 9 year's this year. When we were engaged he was looking for a coaching position and we found it in Nacogdoches Texas. Where we met some GREAT friends...I know you are reading!!!! As a beginnger coach he started out as a JV coach, and assistant to Varsity. As an asssitant you are also pretty much required to help another sport, so he coached middle school and assisted Varsity football. I know being from Texas y'all understand what that means....

High School Football, especially in a Texas small town, THE god!!!! Practice and game films on Saturdays, and many schools even go on Sunday. It is a serious endeavor. Not a choice my husband made of his own volition, but with a great attitude nonetheless. He is admired by me for his several years of dedication to a sport he is not only not familiar with coaching, but not as crazy about either. But he did all things as unto the Lord, for which I praise him.

When he got the job it was July of '99. Our wedding was scheduled for September of '99, just a couple of months away, we were excited about his new job and our new adventure after the wedding....I was even able to drive to "Nac-a-no-where" to sit through part of his interview and meet the administration and see where we would live and work. At the meeting he mentioned our upcoming wedding and explained our plans.....

Now flash back: My husband is from Oregon, his Mom's parents and all of her family, including 6 brothers and sisters remain there. His grandparents have a lakehouse where he had made plans to go for the week of our honeymoon. The plane tickets were purchased, arrangments made for us to use the lakehouse.....we were so excited! We were borke, I do not know if you have heard but my Dad required him to be completely debt free before we could be engaged...so we had nothing at engagement b/c we had dumped it all on the rest of his school loans. So the trip to Oregon was quite a saacrifice for his tiny budget, which was even less then at the facility he worked at.

Flash forward to meeting: The administration finds out we have a week planned and they say "No way! Not during football season!" OUCH.....hind sight I think I would have asked my soon to be husband to be more assertive and state that plans are made, and to appeal the process...! But we sucked it up. The repurcussions however, we tried to change the dates of our airfare for another time and lost almost complete value. We also had to use them within one year....let me explain the first year of marriage we had $30 in the bank, we were not going anywhere!!!! Thus we ate the tickets....well not literally...haha

Okay now present day! We are so blessed....my husband is a hard worker. He works all summer as you all know, when he could be resting and enjoying time off. He also sacrifices finances to do what he loves...coach! It is not a glorified or financially successful line of work, but he is satisfied, therefore so am I. I feel so sorry for the husbands who are married to women who push there husbands to go into jobs they hate simply to make more money! My husband is Happy! Our jobs should be a reflection of our gifts and talents, and should meet a need in us. But too many people go into professions they hate just to "provide".

My husband also sacrifices by working in a private school verses coaching for a public school. But we are where God has led us. There are far greater benefits to being in His will than making money.
With all of that said, we have not gone on vacations aside from 2 years going to Padre to stay at my in-laws condo. They were great times to get away, and we are grateful for the experience.

Recently my husband was talking and asked me if I liked surprises...? HELLO!!! Who doesn't like surprises....except when you now know there is a surprise coming but you can't know what it is.....I told him they were much better if someone didn't give away the fact that there was a surprise....LOL So I asked him anyway to keep it to himself, at least for awhile. A few months later, he mentioned I was really going to like what he had planned for our 10th anniversary....

10th????? I said, "You know this is our 9th right?" You should have seen the look on his face HAHAHA Oh so funny! He really lost track of time, I guess living with me seems like an eternity! That could be good or bad~ He thought for sure it was our 10th, and now he is worried because he will have to top 9!

He left me hanging for a couple more months and finally the other night pulled up the computer and showed me his plans...............................................

A CRUISE, 5 night to cozumel!!!!! I am SO pumped. I am excited about seeing a new place, about the boat and all the free food, being out in the sun...and mainly I am SO excited to spend 5 days alone with my MAN! After 9 years he is still the joy of my life. It is the highlight of my day when he comes home, my favorite days are when he is here...my heart pounds when I think of him or see him.....I still have feelings for him...it isn't just that commited love, yes it has been at times. And I have had to go through seasons of asking God to renew the passion.....But it is here! I have to share, I have been reading

"Created to be his helpmeet" by Debi Pearl (teaching Titus 2)

It is a strong book, she doesn't mess around or beat around the bush. She tells it like it is, and let's us women have it about our role. Through reading it and putting the principles into practice I have definitely seen God bring back the fire we had at the beginning of our relationship. Only it is 9 x's better, because we also have history and commitment now that we didn't have before. I am so glad to know that you truly can feel in love with your spouse after 9 years. I had someone tell me several years back that after 10 years it is really hard, and you don't really like each other anymore....She really believed it had to do with the amount of time, and that it had to be that way......What a lie she bought into. She had no idea all that she was missing~!

So we leave September 20th, my birthday! And we are gone for 5 days. We have been doing Dave Ramsey as well...and I mean gazelle like intensity! Staying on budget, all extra money to the goal.....which to let you know was our 2nd mortgage that was at $18,000 give or take a little....So this year has been total abandon getting that knocked out. We used our old car payment and dumped that on it, ALL extra money not going to a bill went to it. We did NOT eat out, except with GFcards, and we both took on many extra jobs. I worked nursery Sundays and Wednesdays, and I watch a little girl 3 days a week. David gives up his summers and does private lessons when he can.

It is now PAID off!!!!!! FREEDOM !!!!! We are done. So we got our tax refund which is funding our second honeymoon! God is so good!

On top of all that, another God story! We have been borrowing a truck, which was called ours. Although it was ours to drive and keep as long as needed it really was not ours. It went into the shop pre-summer. When we got back, last week we were told to come and let's discuss it. It was in bad shape....someone found out we were driving that truck which seats 3 people and knew with us having 4 kids it can be difficult and a '97 Expedition was donated to us!!!! And it only has 60K.....Yes I am serious it is over 10 years old with only 60K, less than our '03 trailblazer!

This is a constant reminder to me....When you live by faith He is able to show His Power! If we had all the resources to get what we want, when we want it we would not witness as greatly the miracles of the Lord!

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

"Whom have I in Heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

My heart and my strength may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and portion forever.

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

That I may tell of his works."

Psalms 73:23-28

Life is going too fast......

We started school today, just to get ahead of the curve ball....right?!?!?! Well at least try anyway! I know life will bring many obstacles (like 1000's of pics to edit) to slow us down so I thought it best to get a head start!

Also GRAND news.....my hubby has been planning quite a surprise.......

are you in suspense yet??????????? Well just for the fun of it, and to see if you all are reading HAHAHAHA (evil laugh) I am going to wait to continue!!!!! Yawn....so tired,

TO BE CONTINUED.......................................

Thanks for all the LOVE

Friends thank you so much for your sweet and encouraging words. I needed them, even though I got them after the fact, but never the less itwas important to me! What a great group of people I have in my life!

I am home!!! Back again with over 1000 pictures to edit and get ready for clients, not to mention my schedule is getting jam packed. I had a session a few weeks ago, and the day before I left I photographed my second birthday party, of course that was over 500 pics....then to SA where I did a HUGE session as well as the wedding...back home to 5 sessions in the next 40 days, not to mention we are starting homeschooling this month, David goes back to work....whew I am tired!!!

Now for an update: I use to nanny, I use that term lightly as I was almost a paid companion and friend to Mom.....HAHAHA, no I was the nanny to their 2 sons, 8 and 2 at the time, but the Mother and I bonded and continue to be great friends. On days when she was home we would always find ourselves enjoying one another's company, crying, praying and singing together....which leads into the story. She is a singer/songwriter/musician. She has at least 4 CD's out right now, leads praise and worship at my old church, has a couple of video's as well as very well known around the Boerne area. Her husband, who has made quite a name for himself as a business man, used to be one of the top, I believe CEO's for Nabisco, and now is in charge of the food department for Mission City managment in San Antonio. One of the companies he runs is Promised Land Dairy, a very pure and rich milk from jersey cows and they use no hormones to produce it.
After viewing some of my recent work they scheduled me for a session while I was in SA, not only for the family..... I was scheduled to take her photograph's for her most recent CD and her website. So after completing the family, the boys are now 18 & 12 I believe, we went around the town of Boerne where there are some really fun places, old town stuff her and her guitar.....she really loves the camera ...and BOY DOES THE CAMERA LOVE HER!!!!

I wish I could give you a sneak peek but unfortunately I will have to torture you for a few days.....they are locked up tight on my "trusty" laptop whose cord is now broken, the battery dead and my desktop's CD-rom is broken...so no luck on getting the pics edited or uploaded tonight! SNIFFLE SNIFFLE...I am so anxious my small preview I was excited at how well some of them turned out! It was so much fun, although I am completely spoiled now because she was the best client I have ever had, I never had to tell her anything, she worked the camera like a PRO and so my job was that much easier!


Because I can't get those to you here are a few pics from a recent family session I had.....hope that will suffice for now......