Off to a Great Start

Here is this year's men's soccer team at University of the Cumberlands.

The men's soccer team is off to a good start!  They are 5-1-1.  And I believe they are ranked 33 in the country for NAIA.  Either way, I'm proud of the guys.  They are working hard and the have a great coach.  Love you babe.

Season Has Begun!

The University of the Cumberland's Men's Soccer Team has started season.  Yeah!  The first game was away and we beat Bryan College 2-1.  To follow soccer updates, just as last year, you can follow the soccerball updates to the right side of the blog.  As season gets into swing, I'll try to update the "Soccer Team" page, you can find this by clicking on their tab, just under the blog title.

The next game is a home game tomorrow.  Cheer us on!

Also, I added a Riley update on the "Mom Blog" for church.  To catch up on our handful you can click here. 

Help Us Vote!

Please go to the "Mom" blog and vote on your favorite "Awkward Mom Moment".  We are having a contest with a few of the moms from our group for a bag of baby food.  We need your unbaised votes!

www.masteringmomhood.blogspot.com

We are doing well.  Brenton's team comes in this week for pre-season training and he is beginning to get sleepless!  That's when I know it's soccer time. 

Riley and I are having fun times too.  Riley is starting to say her name and all the other animal sounds I thought she never really took in.  She is saying new words right and left these days. 

She has also taken on crawling onto things and jumping; she is her dad's child.  The latest was when she belly flopped off the couch onto the bumbo seat without warning.  We have a daredevil on our hands! (This is a bumbo seat, below, incase you were wondering!)

New Blog

Hey moms & family.  I've started a new blog for moms as I've been asked to help begin a mom's program at church.  I'll be updating the following blog more frequently than our personal blog.  Please become a "FOLLOWER" of a new blog!  We'd love input and involvement from others.
(What to Expect:  Coupons, Crafts, Stories, Give-Aways, & Reciples)

http://www.masteringmomhood.blogspot.com/

Gibberish

Gibberish, baby talk, call it what you want!  All I know is that this is the most precious child ever.

Growing Like a Weed

We are loving spring and this beautiful weather, though it seems more like summer since it has been warm for a while now.  Riley is growing like a week, nearing a year and a half.  Brenton has kept busy with soccer, one of his great loves.  And the college guys are nearing graduation.  Poor Brenton, very soon he is going to loose some of his volleyball teammates until Fall.  Really not much new to share.  We are living fully and doing well.  Happy spring.

A Walk at the Park

Warm weather is here!  Riley is getting a tan with all this sun, though you can't tell by these pictures.

Pigtails and Little Sicky

Our happy-go-lucky gal got truly sick for the first time this week.  We came home after church to a baby that slept all afternoon, until we left for dinner at small group.  The normal, curious smiley face, was a mellow, cuddly baby all night and ended up with a fever.  After reaching a 105.2 temp on Tuesday morn, the doctor said they would see her.  We found out she has the flu and an ear infection.  Poor little gal!

She is so sleepy and cuddly, which we love.  But I wish it could all be a result of a healthy, sick-free child.

We are doing well and we are busy.  We have been entertaining or helping entertain quite a bit lately.  About every weekend for the last month, I've spent time baking for church.  And, at the end of last week, we were able to host a meal for the men's soccer team.  It's always a pleasure to get to know them guys better and Riles loves the extra attention.  We even stopped by a few of Daddy's practices this last week; Riley was enthralled with the ball bouncing around and guys running every which way.  After practice, she went crazy walking around the indoor gym, having never seen a space so large to run in.  That's about all on our end... we are still here!

 

Another 1st...

This is Riley's first piece of artwork, from Sunday School.  I'm glad I'm not the one who had to clean up the finger paint with this wiggle monster!  Riley is walking like crazy.  She has a pair of squeaky shoes given to us by a neighbor and she walks around stomping.  Our church is so small that Brenton and I heard her stomping downstairs at the end of our church service today... I'm assuming during clean up duty after finger painting.

Baby girl is just about a year and two months.  She loves dancing, music and is still a pretty happy girl, aside from the molar trying to break through her gum.  Poor girl is out of sorts and without much of a schedule these days.  The normal sippy of milk is no good, rather used for a teething excercise.

Riley is learning things almost daily.  She loves all her toys with special features, her favorite being electronics.  We can now unlock daddy's droid by dragging the screen down and move icons to locations even daddy has trouble finding.  It is all too precious.  

Valentine's Photo Shoot

 We began our Valentine photo shoot as a nurse.  Something along the lines of "I hear you're in need of a little something sweet, just as the doctor ordered..." 

and ended the shoot with a sweet, girly picture.  The perfect solution for any card! 

Happy Valentines Day.

We are doing well.  Everyone is keeping busy in our family and Lexi is currently snoring.  Life is pleasant and we are content.  I don't have much of an update but that we are good, and that we are staying up too late before church tomorrow morning.  But, thankfully, Sunday's are for naps; right?!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

Believe it or not, our little gal is 1 year old!  We love her more each day and are so proud of our family.  Our little cookie monster is walking, falling, bruising, laughing, and getting back up again for the next round!  She is full of joy and the delight of our day, the center of our conversations.  Yes, we need to be care to not let her take the Lord's place, but we are just so grateful for our gift that came to us one year ago.

God is continuing to show Himself to us in many ways, though continuing to stretch us greatly; our life story.  We are thankful and blessed starting 2012.  Riley Grace and the Lord's faithfulness has given me a new outlook on the drab start of each new year.  I like focusing on the blessings rather than resolutions.  Not so daunting and MUCH more motivating. 

Mission Impossible 4

Brenton's and my favorite movie currently.  If you like action, it's a must see.  B has seen it twice in theaters already and can't wait to buy it.  Just sayin'...

Merry Christmas from the Benwares

Eucharisteo

Burdened by my weary soul, a few tears fell from my face to my winter sweater.  A whispered cry for a miracle, so faint probably not audible, to the Creator of the Universe.  Does my heart trust and believe that God wants what is best?

Blurred by my vision, I ignored the 11 month old daughter teetering toward me.  Just awake, fed, alert, and jovial, she stopped infront of me smiling ear to ear.  I picked her up and hugged her tight.  She popped her thumb in her mouth and laid on my chest.  Five minutes went by with eyes still open, ten minutes, eleven, twelve, and eyes shut.  Eucharisteo; the Lord knows and is here.  Thankfulness in the moment for what I do have; a moment so rare it must have been created by the Creator. 

And then He speaks, "Thanks comes before the miracle."

A simple reminder repeated over and over in the book I've been reading, "A Thousand Gifts".  Will I see my Christmas miracle?  I pray I will a bit more fervently and live in the moment with eucharisteo, my only daughter nestled on my chest.

This is all I want; to be a "Mommy".  Thank you Jesus.

A Few Questions

Any insight is appreciate:

• How does one pronounce "Worcestershire" sauce?

• Is it normal to wait at the Pediatritian's office 1hr and 45minutes, as seems to be the norm for Riley's pediatrician?

• Will Riley really notice Christmas lights in her room at 11 months or should I just wait for next year?

• Why was "Drew" taken off of X-Factor?  (She is the one I'd buy a cd from.)

• Does anyone know the perfect room temp to keep one's place warm enough for the baby but not so hot you can't sleep at night?

Holiday Family Fun

Riley with her cousin Bethany (Benware side), who is 5 1/2 months older.  She is loving her play pals!

A mimic photo shoot by our awesome bro-in-law, Jeremiah.  All inspired by a picture that I saw last Christmas and dreamed of re-enacting when Riley could sit.  And thanks to the Santa hat found in the dollar section at Target that made the pictures possible!

Looking Back

Riley at Daddy's practice field.

The 2011 soccer season has come to a close, at least for the University of the Cumberlands.  The Patriots played the #4 team in the nation, Rio Grande, in the semi-final conference tournament game.  The Patriots out shot and out played Rio the entire game but lost 1-2.  The Rio commentators said they were lucky to have won and that the only other game that made them nervous, this season, was against the #1 team in the nation, Lindsey Wilson.  As disappointing as it was to lose, the Cumberland men's team played truly well.  Their final regular season record was 9-5-2 and their post-season record was 1-1.

On another note, I find it interesting that the other men's teams Brenton has coached, Oklahoma Wesleyan University and Montreat College, both won their conference tournaments.  This means that those teams now advance to the national tournament.  I'm proud of my husand and his ability to help build successful soccer programs.  Though we have moved on, I know a good deal of Brenton's commitment and work made these programs what they are today.  As humble as he is, he may never admit this; but I know it to be true.

Raw but Real

Dare I say it?  "Hope; it's paralyzing."  I heard this phrase on tv.  I have been living under this lie, numbly responding to each new day.  Not feeling, seems to make functioning easier.  I have thought it now for the past month and the Lord knows my every thought.  Why keep it from Him, you; it's real.  It is how I feel.

Dare I face it?  "...Awakening to joy awakens to pain... they are but two arteries of the one heart that pumps through all those who don't numb themselves to really living."  Last night, in my dimly lit room; alone I sat, there.  Again, I am just here; I feel little, not wanting to feel, hope, or be disappointed more.  My mother-in-law recently gave me the book, A Thousand Gifts.  It is about finding thankfulness in every moment, eucharisteo.  I read the first few chapters wanting to put it down and not feel.  Hope seems false, and reading the Word only creates hope.  And, how can I not feel hope when I read His Word?  Yes, I confess, I have been avoiding God for the past few weeks.  Silly and ridiculous, as one cannot avoid the omnipresent God of the universe.  However, feeling is painful.  Finally; someone understood and I don't feel condemned for my thoughts.  Reality; I just want to face it and move on.

The difference, I want to face reality and move on, not having to feel; but eucharisteo calls for feeling pain which means I have to face disappointment.  How does one choose eucharisteo?  I know; I grew up in church.  I must choose to be content.  But, having someone else identify and recognize this hard reality is comfort.  We will all face pain; the question is when.  Everyone will die, people will disappoint us, our world is fallen; it's only a matter of time until we face this harsh reality.  It was late and I didn't finishing reading, but I will.  Eucharisteo calls.

Dare I believe it?  "Hope against hope... there is no shame in hope."  Dare I hope to find I am disappointed again?  Will I choose to hope and take the chance that the answer is not what I want or need?  God is faithful and always provides; His Word says those very words (above) that sustain me, though my heart wants to run the other way.  Ironically, I am unable to run cause the very depths of my heart know God is able.  That is why the walls.

However, they will not stand for long.  He is able and He is everywhere.  Garland twirls up the lampposts in our small downtown, netted lights tangle with the pine trees across the street, and jolly holiday songs play in Walmart.  Yes, even before Thanksgiving!  Christmas lifts my spirits; and I remember that Christmas is only because of the Savior, His birth.  Hope.  He came as a Savior, but not as expected.  He wants me to hope, though knowing His way is often not as expected.  I cannot run and I cannot hide; He is omnipresent and omniscient, so here I am... raw but real.

Fall Refresher

As the weather cools and a few last leaves hold onto life, fall speaks loudly.  Winter is coming and times are changing.  Regular season has come to an end and the boys are preparing for conference tournament.  Their first game is home this Saturday.  Remember you can follow live stats by clicking on the soccerball to the right.

Last week, Brenton's parents came for their annual fall visit and were able to make the team's last three regular season games.  All wins; the final score posted below!  We had a wonderful time enjoying cool weather, taking walks and visiting Cumberland Falls.  Thanks for the fun times Mama and Daddy B.

Oh yes, and Riley was a cow for Halloween.  Thanks for your votes!

Riley's Halloween Costume Contest

Which is your favorite?  Help us choose Riley's costume for Halloween in the poll above...