Save Chickens. Eat More Cookies.

New blog maybe.

2010-07-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

So, I am pondering restarting my blog so that I'll have a nice place to write stories and snip-its of life in the Roc.

Pondering a name evolution. Either:

Save chickens. Eat more couscous.

or

Save cookies. Eat more couscous.

Thoughts??? :)

Fun goop!

2009-11-13T10:55:00.000-08:00

Liam and I made Fun Goop today and played with it for a while. You just mix cornstarch and water and it makes this cool concoction. It's a liquid but then you can clump it and it turns right back into a liquid. Toddlers will love playing with it! I bet this cute little chemistry teacher I know would have fun using it in a lab too (although she'd have to figure out what's going on "chemically" to make it happen b/c I have no clue.) You can add food coloring too to make it a fun color. The extra nice thing was that cleaning up with a wet rag was super easy and it cleaning up the metal pan and bowl was a breeze. Try it with your kids today!

Here's where I got the idea from:

~ Cornstarch Goop ~

1 box of cornstarch
a container of water
a bowl(s)
spoons(s)
measuring cup(s)
newspaper or plastic tablecloth
a large cookie sheet with sides
food coloring

Lay out the newspaper or tablecloth to protect your surface and provide a quick clean up if you want. We didn't do this and had no problems. (Ellen forgot :D ) Since this is an activity that's fun for multiple ages, you can do lots of stuff to keep them all interested. For the older children, they might have fun helping you measure bits of cornstarch and water. The younger children would also have fun measuring or they might just want to dump it all together. You can't go wrong: too watery add more cornstarch; too hard add a bit more water. You just mix until the cornstarch is all incorporated and you have a slimy consistency. You can have the kids mix their goops in bowls with their hands or spoons (my kids found it easier to use their hands). They then poured it out into the cookie sheet to play with it and experience it. Don't worry if the kids eat it. It's completely safe and non-toxic. If you want different colors, add food coloring. The kids really like that although, we didn't do that this time. They've had fun with this goop before.

So what's all the fuss about this super simple goop? It teaches cause and effect since it changes consistency so easily and if pushed to once side will usually form itself back together in a "solid" mass. It's really easy for the kids to see themselves changing things. It's also great for fine motor skills as well as sensory as they handle with oddly textured fun. Plus, who doesn't like something that's relatively easy to clean?

A little taste of Morocc!

2009-07-31T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here's a collage of just a few things we experienced during our trip in May!

Cousins!

2009-07-31T10:48:00.000-07:00

Liam and my sweet little nephew Owen!

A few pictures...

2009-03-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

Liam loves to find places to sit down. He loves sitting on the bottom of the stairs. He makes me sit beside him for long periods of time.

Doing a little cleaning on Grandma's back porch.

He loves playing with sticks.

I put my stockings on him and he walked around with them for a long time. Eventually he got mad because he couldn't get them off.

My kid is growing up fast!

2009-02-19T13:12:00.000-08:00

Here's a collage of random pictures of Liam playing around the house. He's so much fun to play with these days. He constantly cracks me up and he's also learning new things every day. It's amazing to watch how fast he's changing.

Walking Liam

2009-01-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

Liam just started walking last week. It's been cute to watch him gain confidence over the past week. He's already walking across the room. I think he's realizing he can get places faster if he walks instead of sitting down, crawling, and standing back up again.

Here's a short video of him. He walks like my 95 year old grandpa! I love his happy noises. So cute!

Christmas at the Wests!

2008-12-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

Christmas at the Wests!

2008-12-30T09:49:00.000-08:00

14 Games of Christmas - more pictures.

2008-12-26T21:13:00.000-08:00

14 Games of Christmas

2008-12-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

We decided to do things a little different this year at the Lamkins house for Christmas. We created The 14 Games of Christmas. The seven of us (not including Liam) each chose two games and purchased two giftcards for game prizes. The giftcards were purchased in various amounts from various stores to make it more of a surprize. Throughout our Christmas weekend, we played games and won prizes. If you won more than two games, you could choose a third card to swap in hopes of scoring a better card. This way, everyone still went home with two cards. It was a fun concept, but by the end we decided 14 games was about 7 games too many and it would have been better to only pick one game each.

The games included:
Yatzee
Pit
Skipbo
Dad's version of Bumparina
Chris' dice game
Wii Tennis
Nertz
A coloring contest
Mom's wacky Christmas game
Jenga
Chubby Bunny
Reindeer vs Elf vs Santa
Racko
One more that I can't remember!

Here are some pictures of my silly family.

Liam's 1st Birthday - At the Lamkins House

2008-12-26T20:12:00.000-08:00

2008-12-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

Wonder what's going on in my world?

Tune in here to find out.

Geocaching around Lake Medina

2008-12-01T19:56:00.000-08:00

Corey and I love geocaching but we haven't done it in over a year. We finally introduced my family to it, and Dad and Cole LOVED it!

Here are a few pictures from our hunts.

Dad, Corey, Cole, and Radco looking for the first cache.

Here's Dad sifting through the loot.

Dad, Cole, and Radco showing off the travel bug they found. This travel bug is from Hawaii and it's goal is to make it's way back there. We found two other travel bugs and a geocoin too. (Radco is from Germany and he was a foreign exchange student who lived with my brother in law several years ago.)

Dad, me, Coley Moley, and Corey enjoying our hunt.

Thanksgiving in Round Rock

2008-11-25T20:34:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving early with the West side of the family.

Here is Liam, eating his first official Thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, and a roll. He loved it.

And here are some other pictures. I was trying to play panoramic tricks on the camera.

Working from home...

2008-11-25T20:25:00.000-08:00

Corey talked his boss into letting him work from home on occasion. Here he is with his GIANT monitor. We live in a furnished place and Brooks so generously allows us to use his flatscreen t.v. so Corey hooked the laptop up to it.

It's been a while.

2008-11-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

There was a time in my life when I blogged almost every day. I guess I had a lot more free time then.

Things have been pretty good lately, just sort of busy. I think I am continuously adjusting to being a mom. It seems like life is always changing with Liam. He goes through so many different phases. Some weeks I feel like I'm doing great, like I have things figured out. Then other weeks I feel completely overwhelmed, and those weeks I feel like a complete failure. Thankfully Corey and Jesus are working to help me make it through those weeks.

Liam happenings:

This week we're working hard to get Liam to wean from co-sleeping and breastfeeding at night. It's been a tiresome week, but it's working pretty well. Liam hasn't nursed at all the last three nights and he's learning that it's ok for him to sleep alone. Hopefully we'll all get to sleep through the night soon. (clarification: we loved co-sleeping and didn't regret doing it at all but our wiggle-worm takes up too much space now and wants to eat all night when he sleep with us)

Taking risks:
Corey and I have gone on a few treasure hunts with some folks from church.

Treasure hunting 101: In a group or alone you wait on the Lord for a few minutes, asking Him to give you clues to find people to pray for/minister to. Clues might be names, descriptions of people, physical ailments, or clues to locations. Then, you split up in small groups and go out to look for treasure. You find people who fit your clues and ask if you can pray with them about something on the list or something they are needing prayer for.

It's been really good for Corey and I to take risks and step WAY out of our comfort zones. The first hunt was really hard. The second was a bit easier. This is a practical way for us to practice hearing from God and it gives us opportunities to love people. On our second hunt our clues led us to downtown Austin where we actually found some treasure! We ran into some old neighbors and found out that the wife's mom had recently lost her mom and that their whole family was mourning the loss. We got to pray for them and it really encouraged them.

These were the 'clues' that led us to them.

From Corey's list:
The husband was wearing white pants
The mom was a widow
The husband had a history of elbow pain

From my list:
They were all experiencing sadness
Their daughter had a yellow flower in her hair

From another friend's list:
The neighbors were in downtown celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and had been in a parade. Their faces were painted like skeletons. Our friend had the word x-rays on his list.

Preparing for Indonesia:

We've gone to two required counseling sessions for our HFN applications. They have been SO GOOD. I like Jim Walter a lot. He makes me feel like Jesus is in the room with us (in a really practical, personal way). He responds with so much empathy and grace like Jesus would (and does).

Preparing to move overseas is an emotional rollercoaster for sure. Somedays I feel like I'm on the slow, upward part, inching my way up to the first dip, and sometimes I feel like I'm in mid loop with my stomach in my throat.

We've deemed Wednesday nights Indonesia night and Corey and I are trying to spend some time on these nights thinking about, learning about, and praying for Indonesia. It's been a good time to try to focus on that. It's really hard to keep it at the front of our minds and this is a way for us to make that happen.

P.S. Congrats Steph and Greg on the birth of your new baby!!!! Wooo-hooo!

I love Austin in the Fall.

2008-10-13T13:46:00.000-07:00

Seriously.

This town rocks during this beautiful season. I bet Beverly is missing A-town, no matter how cool DC-town is right now.

We've been spending lots and lots of time walking around Town Lake (sorry Ladybird Johnson lake is just too long to type). We purchased a used jogging stroller on craigslist and so now we're cool like all the other Mamas and Papas.

I love stepping outside to the beautiful breeze and gentle rustling of leaves. This weather really uplifts my spirit. When I walk or drive around I can't help but think of how much I'll miss this place when we move away.

Global Breastfeeding Challenge 2008

2008-10-13T07:46:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Corey, Liam, and I did something fun and definitely out of the ordinary. It was a typical Austin-ite event though.

We participated in the 2008 Global Breastfeeding Challenge. The basic jist is that all over the world women and babies gathered together to breastfeed at exactly the same time. The contest was to count the number of women & babies nursing at the same time and whoever had the most gathered together won.

The Austin section of the contest was held at a Saturday morning Farmer's Market in downtown Austin. We sat on a hill with 133 other mom/baby pairs and all nursed together. It was for sure one of the oddest things the Wests had been a part of but it was fun to join with others from around the world to support something I'm so thankful for and such an advocate for.

The bonus was that we got to see three of the most significant women from Liam's birth and early weeks of life. We saw Bridget, the most awesome Bradley birth class teacher ever, Mary, our loving, supportive midwife, and Cheryl, our sweet, helpful lactation consultant. They were all there helping with the event.

Austin did well in the event, but we didn't win. Montreal won with 515 nursing babies! Can you imagine that? Austin came in ninth globally, and first for America. I know the event sounds weird to many people, but I love thinking of all the babies across the world receiving the very best nutrition possible.

Cheers to being a crazy Austin-ite!

Caterpillar!

2008-10-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

We bought a jogging stroller on Craigslist this week, and as we were walking along a park trail....we looked down and found a green caterpillar. He was glorious!!!

Corey and I sat and watched him for a few minutes, wishing Liam was a little older so he could enjoy the find as much as we did. We decided neither of us had actually seen a caterpillar like that in person before.

I didn't have my camera with me, but this is what he looked like.

Ready, Set...

2008-09-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Crawl!!!

Liam figured out how to crawl forwards yesterday. Here's a super cute video of him chasing after his new animal train. He's so cute but he's already proving to be quite the handful now that he can move almost anywhere he wants. He's also pulling himself up on furniture.

Almost 9 months old!

2008-09-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

My little Liam is almost nine months old. I love this little boy. He's the best.

He's been up to a lot lately. He had fun playing with the moving boxes during our move a few weeks ago.

He's been eating solid foods for about a month. He's tried bananas, avocado, peaches, rice cereal, peas, pears, and sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are his favorite!

And he's been working hard at trying to crawl. He's had the backwards scoot mastered for a while, and he's been able to maneuver his way around on his butt. Today, he finally mastered real crawling! His grandma bought his a new toy animal train that drives around, and he started trying to chase it around and voila, crawling has begun! Luckily, we just moved into a new place so hopefully we can babyproof things a little easier.

We're working hard on making the new place feel like home, so hopefully we'll have pictures up soon. I didn't think of taking "before" pictures though, so you'll have to use your imagination. (Unless you're Rebecca, then you'll know what it looked like before)

Moving...

2008-09-04T11:29:00.001-07:00

We moved again. We've moved every year of our marriage. It's kind of annoying, but at the same time, kind of freeing because we always get rid of more stuff. I'm really excited about moving to Indo and having practically all of our possession fit into a handful of suitcases. I know that's sort of weird, and most people like to have nice treasures and keep them forever, but Corey and I aren't really like that.

Anyway, we moved to East Riverside...hopefully we like it here. There's a library close by and a cool park and I feel like it will be fun to sit outside under the tree with Liam. Of course, I will spend most of the time trying to convince him to not eat grass and dirt, but it will still be nice.

Enough rambling, back to unpacking boxes.

Oh, random side note.

I asked Corey to buy me a book to read at the airport (we went to Tucson this weekend - read Liam's blog for more info) and he bought me a Nicholas Sparks book. I teased him and said it looked really cheesy and thought it was such a funny book for him to buy. But, as I started reading it, I got hooked. It's really good. It's called A Bend in the Road. I sort of predicted what would happen, but still I've really enjoyed it. It's no Jane Austen, that's for sure, but at least I understand all the words!

Back in the game...

2008-08-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

After three weeks of traveling across the world to Indonesia...

A week of jet lag...

And a week of camping at the Frio River with my family...

We're back to "normal" life!

What's next?

Well, we're moving to a new place in two weeks, starting a new cell group to reach out to neighbors in our new place, and working on getting approved to move to Indonesia next year!!!!! We're super excited about our next big step in life and we're looking forward to this next year as a time of enjoying family and friends here, plugging into what God has for us here in Austin, and preparing for what He has for us overseas.

P.S. I finally updated pictures on picasa but I still need to upload the Indo pictures.
http://picasaweb.google.com/CoreyRWest

Hopefully Liam will get his act together and update his blog soon. ;)

Can't sleep...

2008-07-11T00:28:00.000-07:00

It's 2:30 am.

I leave for Indonesia in 13 hours and I should be sleeping.

But I can't.

This has happened the last few nights.

Is it excitement bubbling up from within? Is it too much Diet Coke after three weeks of none? Is it God preparing my body for the twelve hour time difference across the sea?

I'm not sure, but I'm tired nonetheless.

This is a big trip for TeamWest. It could begin our next adventure. Exciting. Scary. Crazy. Awesome. Help me remain close to you Father. Speak gently to me and let me recognize Your Voice in the crowd.

Me and my OTHER birthday buddy

2008-07-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Me and my birthday buddy.

2008-07-04T21:28:00.001-07:00

Just because...

2008-06-26T20:38:00.001-07:00

I'm getting lots of practice sitting up.

Candid camera.

If only I could grab that cup out of Rebecca's hand!

He's starting to enjoy having his picture taken.

My Liam is six months old today!

2008-06-25T08:08:00.001-07:00

He's growing so fast, I can't believe it! In hopes of winning the cheesiest Mom award of 2008, I put together a video of pictures from Liam's first six months of life. It's sort of long, so kudos to you if you make it to the end.

Here it is. Enjoy!

At the Wedding.

2008-06-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

The cute West family, all dressed up!

Matron of Honor (me!) and Groomsman (Cole!) with the Beautiful Bride (Leslie!)

And the cutest Honorary Ring Bearer that ever was....asleep!

The Wedding!

2008-06-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

Here's my Dad, walking Leslie down the aisle. She's so pretty!

And here's Leslie and Chris during the ceremony.

The Bride to Be!

2008-06-12T20:52:00.001-07:00

Leslie, enjoying a ride on the bike on Friday morning,
before we headed off to have pedicures!

The day before the wedding...

2008-06-12T20:50:00.001-07:00

Up, up, up and away!!!

The day before the wedding...

2008-06-12T20:49:00.001-07:00

Lining up for the kamakazi balloon race!

The day before the wedding...

2008-06-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

Cole with his balloon.

The day before the wedding...

2008-06-12T20:43:00.001-07:00

Mom blowing up her balloon.

An Update

2008-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in a while. So, here are some highlights from the last month or so.

1. April 24th- Corey's birthday

Thanks to everyone who mailed cards. He received like 45 birthday cards in the mail!

2. April 25th - Date Night (without a little Liam)

We dropped Liam off in Round Rock with Grandma and Grandpa West. Corey and I ate dinner at La Margarita (Corey's favorite Mexican restaurant in RR) and then watched a movie called Vantage Point at the movie theater.

3. April 26-27th - Tommy and Marybeth came to visit

T&M came to visit for Corey's birthday. We ate at Hula Hut on Lake Austin and then stayed up late talking. It was lots of fun to see them!

4. May 4th - Leslie and Chris's Wedding Shower

We threw a couples shower for my sister Leslie and her fiance Chris Weil. The shower was in San Antonio.

Motherhood

2008-04-18T20:19:00.000-07:00

I love, love, love being a mom. I love baby Liam. He's such a delight to be around. It is different though. I was just reading an old friend's blog and looking at all the adventures she and her husband have and I had a twinge of missing the old days. The days of freedom, no diapers, no breastfeeding, no lugging around a baby...and the chance for Corey and I to do whatever we feel like doing at the moment. Life sure is different nowadays. It seems to take so long to get the day started with Liam around, nights fly by, and going anywhere always takes much longer than it used to. That is, if we actually go places. Going places happens less and less these days (except for training school and other church related places). We're too busy with these places anyway, so if we ever have a free night, it's much easier and more relaxing to just stay home. Staying home is fine most of the time, but I'm sort of a busybody.

I'm sort of just rambling. Oh well.

A new blog

2008-04-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

So crazy new mom started a blog just for Liam, so that I can eventually reclaim my own blog.

http://landofliam.blogspot.com

Enjoy,

Sommer

New pictures.

2008-03-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

The day we dyed Liam orange.

At the airport in Oklahoma.

In the air on the way to Austin.

Check out more at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/CoreyRWest

2008-03-11T12:29:00.000-07:00

Bear booty!!

2008-03-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

Grumpy Bear!

2008-03-11T12:27:00.000-07:00

Our Little Oso

Baby Liam

2008-02-27T11:53:00.001-08:00

I love this picture of Liam. He sort of looks like a baby alien. He makes this face when he's confused or when he's trying to poop.

Any day now.

2007-12-19T07:51:00.000-08:00

Well, this Saturday is the "day" - according to the standard pregnancy wheel that docs use to predict when a baby is coming. It's not accurate at all and assumes every woman has a 28 day period with ovulation on day 14.

So, really, Liam could come any day now! Crazy, exciting...and we have no idea what we are getting ourselves into. Seriously. But, he'll be adorable, and it'll be worth it.

Hope Group prayed for us last night and that was really nice because the group is made up of many moms and dads who've been through the birthing process at least once before, two pregnant gals who are just a few weeks behind me, and a few other folks that just love God a lot and love asking God to meet our earthly needs. So it was encouraging for sure.

Yesterday was my last day at the accounting firm. It will be weird not working for a while (or as Corey thinks a long while - we'll see!). I'm excited to have a few days to relax and finish up a few random items before Liam arrives - unless of course he comes today or tomorrow!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Little Liam, we're excited for you to come meet us. We love you so much already and we can't wait to love you even more. What a gift God is entrusting us with. A tiny tiny person to call our own, to love and guide and point towards a Heavenly Father that will love so much more intensely and deeply than we ever could. The world isn't always easy, little one, but there is so much beauty to be seen and felt and experienced. I pray that you can drink up the beauty and receive deeply of all that is good in the world.

Come soon little one. Many many friends and family are ready to receive you with love and joy and gladness!!!

2007-10-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

behold...!

4 new posts, in honor of miss pratt!

Update - Austin Life

2007-10-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

We've been in Austin for 10 weeks now! Wow, time flies.

It's been a great 10 weeks. Full of learning new highways, new people, new lifestyle, new stores and restaurants, new ways to trust, new ways to doubt...lots and lots of new!

Sorry readers for such a long delay. Life is busy, and when I think about writing an update...I just haven't felt like it! So, finally, here are a few updates for you!

We are really enjoying living in Austin. The area is great, the parks are great, the people are great. It's doesn't have the small town feel like College Station, but it doesn't feel HUGE and overwhelming like Houston either.

We love, love, love Hope in the City. Ron and Janine, the pastors, are such caring, authentic people and we have such a priviledge of living out community with them. The school has been a wonderful experience. I enjoy the relaxed, supportive environment of the school - for me it helps for more learning and growing to happen.

We're starting to feel that we know more people and are forming more friendships, which feels really great. Yesterday, I had coffee at a cool coffee shop on Lake Austin called Mozarts (not so good coffee, but there's a huge deck on the lake which is really cool). It was fun and refreshing to have a friend to hang out with. I miss all my girls in College Station (and other parts of Texas and the world) that I used to hang out with one-on-one... I really need that close interaction to keep my heart feeling alive and connected.

I'm super duper excited to see many beautiful friends on November 10th at our shower in College Station! I miss all of you dearly!

Update - Corey's new job

2007-10-29T09:37:00.001-07:00

Corey got a job!

This is great, b/c he's been trying for many months with no luck. And finally, our prayers are answered. He'll be working for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, assisting and training small businesses on current enviro standards to help keep them out of trouble. We're hoping he really enjoys this job...his new boss sounds really nice and supportive!

It'll be a 20 mile commute to North Austin, which is pretty sad, but at this point we decided it's better than no job!

A really big "Way to Go" to God who has been so faithful to provide for us during the two months of Corey's unemployment...We received lots of random, unexpected help along the way - the kind of help that only God could provide!

Update - Baby Liam

2007-10-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Mr. Liam Reed West is planning his arrival very very soon. I am now in week 33 of 40! How fast 9+ months fly by. Corey and I (as well as the new aunts, uncles, and grandparents to be) are very excited to finally meet this special little guy! I already think the world of him...and all he does so far is kick me, punch me in the ribs, keep me from sleeping, and take away all my energy!

We're getting more excited...and a bit nervous about the upcoming home birth. We're taking Bradley birthing classes (12 weeks of class that focuses on how to have a natural birth). The classes are helping us to feel more and more confident about choosing to have a natural birth.

We're working to get everything ready for Liam's arrival. We're definitely trying to keep it simple - we probably won't even do much decorating in the front room.

I'm so excited and ready to meet Liam. I'm sure we're not ready to be parents, but we're ready to give it a shot.

We took some new belly shots, so I'll try to remember to post them soon.

Class Picture!

2007-10-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the 2007-2008 SCP class!

From Left: Dave Allen, Yama & Deb Ploskonka, Ryan Walker, Jim Camolile (not in the class, just helping out), Sommer & Baby Liam West, Corey West, Kelly and Josh Proctor, Josie (helping out), Lane Mears (the director of SCP)

Austin, Texas!!

2007-08-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

Well, this is our fourth day living in Austin and it's going well so far...

--We really like our apartment (much spacier than Spruce)

--We live in a GREAT location! There are more stores than you could ever imagine within like 2 miles of us.

--We're really excited about the church. We had a warm welcome on Sunday and lots of people already knew about us since we're starting the school. They seemed really excited to have us there, which felt good.

--We met with our midwife...it's going to be a challenge for sure but I think it's going to be a really great experience (but honestly probably the hardest thing I'll ever experience in my life)

--We live so so close to fun parks and lakes and springs and super cool places!

--We've been having fun taking it a little easy, unpacking running errands, swimming at the pool. Having a break is nice.

--Corey is still searching hard for a job. Please please please pray for us if you think about it. We're confident that God's going to take care of us but the impatient side of us gets a little worried sometimes. So, maybe just pray for us to continue to trust Him, knowing that He'll provide anyway.

We miss you guys but we'll see lots of you at this weekend's wedding. Cheers!!!

9 days left.....

2007-08-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

Only nine days remaining in the town I've called home for eight years. Wow, that's pretty crazy. Austin is approaching so fast! I'm definitely excited about the move, but it will be hard to leave this place and these people. Okay, mainly the people...the place isn't really all that glamorous.

It's sad that the last two weeks here seem so busy for Corey and I, and also for our friends. Practicums to finish, last days of work, training replacements for our jobs, husbands coming home from Japan, new teachers preparing classrooms, packing, cleaning, etc. etc. I am someone who takes a while to process goodbyes, and I need a lot of closure. I think I've spent a great deal of time imagining how I would want my last days to be spent here. So far I haven't really done all the things I imagined, but probably those things would just make the separation worse.

I'm not sure what the future holds. That's crazy and exciting to me. Who will we make friends with? What will our days and nights look like? Where will we end up in two years? What job will Corey get (Lord please give Corey a job!)? The Lord knows the future and so I suppose it's in the best hands possible.

I think the last week here is going to be painfully hard. Slowly we're having to say goodbye to people. It was even weird for me to say goodbye to my doctor the other day. The goodbyes are going to come fast and furious and I'm not exactly looking forward to them. I know they aren't really goodbyes - we're only moving an hour and a half away, but after living here for eight years and always being the one on the receiving end of the goodbye - I know that far away friendships are never exactly what they start as...time and distance always changes things.

But, Corey and I are determined to maintain the beautiful friendships we have in College Station. We have quite a history in this place and we aren't going to let it go.

Oh, enough melodrama....I hope you (my one beloved reader whose name starts with a B) are having a beautiful day, as you prepare for an adventure to a beautiful city that I love!

Blessings my friends!

Who started the fireworks show in my belly???

2007-07-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Ever since Saturday, things have started feeling a little funny inside. I guess Baby West finally decided to start his debut performance. And he/she's been going non-stop ever since.

Yes, it feels like someone is constantly setting off fireworks inside of me. It's a pretty weird feeling and I'm not so sure I like it quite yet. I mean, yes it's cool that something is growing inside of me - but it's also kind of a crazy feeling. And it's been making it a challenge to fall asleep at night.

Tomorrow is THE day. The day we find out whether we're having an Emma or a Liam (or an Elliot the final vote is still out). Let's hope this kid's not to shy to show off their goods.

Get excited!

Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby!

2007-06-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Ms. Beverly Pratt. The world is lucky to have had 26 beautiful years with you!

Have a most excellent day!

SOMMER

Life inside of Life

2007-05-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard yet, there's a baby growing inside my belly. No, I didn't eat it.

It's crazy being pregnant. It's crazy that a) I am pregnant (what in the world have we gotten ourselves into) and b) it's just crazy being pregnant.

I feel sick lots of the time. I had a crazy reaction yesterday that sent me to Scott & White Urgent Care wondering what the heck was wrong with my throat and tongue and why the heck I could no longer talk normally.

All is better now. But sadly, I can't take my nausua medicine anymore. I'll just hope for grace to flow throughout me for the next few weeks.

I get sort of sick if I don't eat, but then when I do get eat I get sick. Or if I eat too much or too little I get sick. Yes, it's complicated.

And I'm tired all the time. Corey does so much to help, it's amazing.

I go to sleep at like 9pm every night and still beg to sleep longer in the mornings. Mornings are always interesting...which makes work interesting too.

But somehow, through all the chaos, there's a small, tiny, helpless life growing inside of me. And everytime I stare into the toilet, or my best friend Mr. Trash Can, the thought of "sacrificial love" runs through my brain and I get a very very tiny glimpse of what it is to love another even when it causes you pain and suffering. And sometimes thankfully it gets my mind off me and onto the Greater One who brings me life...and creates life inside of me.

That's what's going on with me, in case you were wondering.

2007-05-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

An engagement!

My little sister got engaged last night. Crazy. I'm still getting used to the idea of her being married (I got a head's up about it over Easter from a family member).

The Lamkins family is changing so much. It was weird over Easter to have 7 of us drive to church instead of the old Fabulous 5....(Not that I don't love #6...He's my favorite of course). I guess now I'm learning what it felt like for my sister and my sister in-law when they heard the news about Corey and I. Excited but also thinking..."hey, I think our family was good just the way it is."

Anyway, welcome to the family Chris. You'll make a nice #7.

cEleBrAtiOnS!!!

2007-05-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

My last final ever is Tuesday, May 8th!

I graduate on May 19th!!

We celebrate our 1st year anniversary on May 20th!!!

Our new purchase...!

2007-04-14T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's a 2005 Hyundai Sonata.

Things they are a changing...

2007-04-09T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hello folks.

Well, a lot of things are about to change in our lives. And, boy are we excited!

Austin
Corey and I have decided to move to Austin after we finish school in August. We have a much better chance of finding public health jobs there and we're going to join Hope in the City. Assuming we get accepted in the program, we'll start a year of training at Hope in the City's School of Church Planting. We're really excited about this opportunity! The school starts in September and goes through June-July. It ends with a 2-4 week mission trip to "practice" what you've spent a year learning how to do.

Apartment to House
We had already resigned our lease for another year at Spruce Apartments...but somehow God's helped us turn the situation around and now we've found subleasers and we're moving to a house for the summer that some of our friends just purchased.

New positions at work
For my practicum (internship type thing) I'll be organizing and teaching the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management class in a rural county near Brazos County. I have the opportunity of switching my graduate assistantship over to a new department within the school so for the last 3 months here I'll get some new, different experience in community health development. I'm excited about this new change.

Corey has been offered an assistantship for the summer to help with a research project on the Texas Border. He's really excited because he gets to work with two brilliant professors and he'll get paid to do it!

New jobs
We'll be starting the job search in Austin soon. If you hear of any amazing public health jobs, let us know!

Graduation
I graduate May 19th!!!! Finally!

Update

2007-03-29T09:42:00.000-07:00

1. I passed COMPS! Woohoo!
2. I cut my hair and dyed it Auburn - it's fun I think.
3. I only have 6-7 weeks left in my graduate school career (actual classes that is)
4. For lifegroup, we made our people play ridiculous games in which Corey and I blindfolded them and made them walk through a course being led only by silly sounds like "click, tick, cheech". I have some funny pictures I might post sometime.
5. We are thinking about plans for the future...and we are actually getting excited about stuff. I think it's actually been a while since we've agreed on something, felt peace about, and gotten excited. That says something I think.
6. My best friend Carson is about to move away...to North Bryan. How sad.
7. I made a turkey meatloaf and it was pretty tasty.
8. I'm getting really hungry....where is Corey?

That's all for now. Since like one person reads this these days, it doesn't really matter anyway.

ugh, it's finally over.

2007-03-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

COMPS is finally over. halleuah!

It is pretty crazy to think that grad school is so close to being over now. About two months left - all I have is a handful of class assignments and three finals and I'll be done with school forever (again).

For a while there's been a big question mark about what lies next in our future. We know the general idea of where we're headed...but nothing about how to get there. Lately, there seems to be even more of the big question mark and now lots of small question marks are popping up too.
I guess the Lord is always willing to take us for a ride though, isn't He? All we can do is hang on tight to His coattails. Or His mane if you like to think of him as Aslan.

My best friend Carson

2007-03-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

This is my best friend Carson. He lives next door to me. We like to play together. Mostly, we play a game where he jumps really high and I laugh at him. We also like to eat snacks together. His favorite snack is almost rotten carrots from my refridgerator. Boy are those yummy. Carson has a talent for peeing. Sometimes he pees as soon as he sees me, other times he waits to pee on my leg. It's great fun.

Isn't my friend cute? I'm sure going to miss him when he moves to Russia (aka North Bryan).

Behold, Our Fridge

2007-03-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

So this is a photo of our fridge from around a week ago. I don't know what exactly we have been eating, but somehow we have survived. The two cokes are from lifegroup. We don't drink those. The bag of carrots is from about 3 weeks ago. We just haven't bothered to take them out. I am not sure if half and half goes bad, but it is still in there from who knows how long ago.

This photo is from today. Now notice in this photo we have added some corn on the second shelf. The top shelf looks pretty much the same. The orange juice turned into rasberry tea, but the old half and half, and by now flat cokes are still there. The bag of carrots is gone now. The neighbors started a food fight with their leftover brocolli so we retaliated with our bag of carrots. They are now all over the yard and the dogs are snacking on them.

Funny article from The Onion

2007-03-01T09:11:00.000-08:00

Giant Cockroach In Bathroom 'A Harrowing,Kafkaesque Experience,' Grad Student Says

This made me laugh...reminds me of our apartment.

2007-02-20T06:02:00.000-08:00

This crazy world.

This crazy messed up world.

This crazy messed up world that has separation pains because it was ripped from the cord of its Maker long ago.

Jesus is the light of the world. This is what we must hold onto. Even if King Uzziah is dead, even if King Uzziah lied and cheated and stole like a bad Aggie, still the whole world is filled with the glory of the Lord.

Fill me with your glory Lord. Fill your church, your beloved Bride with your glory Lord.

"My Dear Country" by Norah Jones

2007-02-14T14:39:00.000-08:00

"My Dear Country"
'Twas Halloween and the ghosts were out,
And everywhere they'd go, they shout,
And though I covered my eyes I knew,
They'd go away.

But fear's the only thing I saw,
And three days later 'twas clear to all,
That nothing is as scary as election day.

But the day after is darker,
And darker and darker it goes,
Who knows, maybe the plans will change,
Who knows, maybe he's not deranged.

The news men know what they know, but they,
Know even less than what they say,
And I don't know who I can trust,
For they come what may.
'cause we believed in our candidate,
But even more it's the one we hate,
I needed someone I could shake,
On election day.

But the day after is darker,
And deeper and deeper we go,Who knows,
maybe it's all a dream,
Who knows if I'll wake up and scream.

I love the things that you've given me,
I cherish you my dear country,
But sometimes I don't understand,
The way we play.

I love the things that you've given me,
And most of all that I am free,
To have a song that I can sing,
On election day.

-- Corey and I really like this song. It's funny, and musically, it's really cool sounding. It's on Norah's new c.d.

The saga of the rat

2007-02-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

We still have a rat living in our walls!

We keep trying to trap him, but we're always unsuccessful.

1. We put peanut butter on a sticky trap.
It took him two weeks to come out and find it, but once he did...he came back 4 times that day looking for more. I came out one morning and found the trap way across the kitchen, with half the peanut butter gone. Later, when I came home for lunch, more gone, and still later...more gone! But, no trapped rat!

2. Then, Saturday night, we had some friends stay the night. One friend was sleeping on the couch and said he heard the rat (or mouse) dragging something across the floor. In the morning we found a ziplock bag of trail mix drug across the kitchen, near the suspected entrance spot. The trail mix was stored on a shelf over a foot high - how did he get to it! But still, no rat.

3. We bought these special little rat traps this weekend that are little containers that the rat goes inside, grabs the bait, and the container door closes him in. He came out last night sniffing around..but didn't go inside the container....maybe we'll go home at lunch to find him trapped.

If not...then the saga will continue.

No focus

2007-02-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

For some reason lately, I'm lacking so much focus.

When I'm at work-

I want to read Emma by Jane Austen
I want to check my email a thousand times
I want to sign up for things like my calorie counter
I want to look for plays and books to read on Amazon and Ebay
I want to do my school work

But I don't at all want to do my actual work.

When I'm at home-

I want to read Emma
I want to lay around
I want to eat Andrie's most amazing in the whole work Indonesian cookies
I want to sleep

But I don't at all want to do my schoolwork.

I think I'm just excited about graduation and other upcoming events.

2007-01-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

Things have been good lately.

I'm thankful that God can work through our prideful, broken, hurting hearts to bring restoration. Thank you, my friend, for joining me to let God mend us. I don't think we are nearly as good at mending ourselves as we let on.

I love my husband. A lot. A lot. At the risk of being mushy, he's wonderful. And we've been really in love lately. And love is beautiful, because it binds everything together in perfect unity.

My dad had a surgery today, and Mom just called and said it went well. Good, I hope he won't hurt so bad after the recovery. I love my dad a whole bunch and I don't like to see him hurting.

For Beverly

2007-01-10T11:48:00.000-08:00

This morning a man named Sonny came to our apartment to set rat traps. He put six rat traps in various places throughout the kitchen.

I'm not too excited about finding the rat when he (or she) gets caught. This will be Corey's job. Or Sonny's, if Corey isn't up for the challenge.

Hope you enjoyed Beverly.

Tangible Provision

2006-11-30T18:05:00.000-08:00

Corey got a new job today! He starts training on Monday. The pay is way better, he'll get more hours, and he'll most likely get a full time position with the company next December when he finishes his masters!

He also got a $500 scholarship from school. This is good, since we have a $4000 tuition bill to pay in January.

God's been tangibly taking care of our needs and it's really cool to experience. He cares so much for His children.

That's all for now.

Enjoy the cold, if that's possible.

2006-11-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

If I lived in a glass house,

People could see me and Corey laughing inside, especially about silly things like stepping into dog poop. People could see me typing silly posts on my blog page..not to slander my husband, but to give my online friends something funny to laugh at.

People would see how wonderful my husband is and how much he loves and supports me, the same Jesus does with the church.

People would see the way I love and support him the same way Jesus loves and supports the church.

If people could see inside our house, it would probably look a little messy but they would see a beautiful family inside...a father named God and his two beautiful children enjoying their unity as a family.

friday

2006-11-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

Instead of having a "wow, it's Friday!" kind of day...

I'm having a:

power outage during corey's online test and the internet won't come back on

rushing out the door 12 minutes before corey's class to get him to a computer lab while my hair is still wet and no makeup yet

corey steps in dog crap and we have to drive to school smelling it in our compact car

boring boring boring excel work

corey and i get mad at each other b/c of stupid coffee and miscommunication

me still being mad at corey but having to wait like 3 hours to talk to him about it

feeling tired and grumpy

Kind of Friday...

disclaimer: I figure since this is my personal page, and pretty much noone reads this anymore, then I have a right to whine and complain with a ridiculous post.

Redemptive community.

2006-09-22T06:23:00.000-07:00

I've heard this term before and not really felt the meaning of it.
But lately, it's becoming more real to me.

I've had a really beautiful week. Thankfully when good things are happening around me, the goodness tends to creep into all parts of life (i.e. school and work have been not so bad this week).

Lifegroup - These people love me and enjoy me. I get to help make them laugh and smile as they do for me.

Fajitas - These little bundle of tortilla joy bring people together; I think Jesus would have had so much fun at our cookout on tuesday. It was beautiful to see so many different people having fun together. This was definitely a chin lifter for me.

Book club - I enjoyed wednesday night so very much. It was deep, it was real, and we are all searching together which makes it even better.

Fall - I love the outdoors more than almost anything and I find every excuse I can to be outside. I've had many opportunities this week - 3 days to bike ride, several times of sitting outside reading, and early mornings with me and my cereal bowl. This refreshes me and makes me feel at home.

Ouch.

2006-08-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

My head really hurts today and I'm so tired feeling. Probably because i stayed up until midnight to finish reading "Sense and Sensibility." Jane Austen gets me every time. For the last several days, I've spent hours at a time sitting on my couch, emersed in the glory of that book, completely negligent of all that surrounded me, including my poor husband.

I've told myself that I'm only allowed to read such a book once a year, because it really does make me so addicted and so unaware of the life that surrounds me that it's probably not good for me to indulge in such a way.

Today I will have lunch with Ms. Erin Castillo. It will be the only time I'll see her for the next year, because she spent the whole summer in Hong Kong and will now spend the next year in Japan. Yay for her, super world traveler. Then, this weekend we're headed to Lake Jackson for my cousin's wedding and to visit the familia.

Shall be fun.

Wedding pictures are on the web - Finally!

2006-08-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Hey folks.

If interested, you can view our wedding pictures online at:

http://coreyandsommer.shutterfly.com

Enjoy!

2006-08-08T07:21:00.001-07:00

Something horrible happened!!!

I've had my email address....you know "sunnybunny16" for 9 years...NINE years. That's a long time. There's a lot of history in that inbox. And so, to my dismay...some evil perpetrator (or something else in cyberworld) changed my password so I can't get into my own email account. How Dare!

So, I haven't been able to get into my account since friday morning. It's really frustrating...and that means, as of now, there's no way to access the account to get all the info stored inside (email addresses, phone #s, etc).

All this, after NINE years! Grrrrrrrr!

I've tried going through the YAHOO system to get it fixed..and there's all this info they want me to fax to them, which I'll do this afternoon. But so far, all the questions they've asked me are pretty much impossible to answer. For example, how in the world and I supposed to know what security question and answer I wrote down when I was 16??? Or what is my alternate email account...I didn't have another account when I was 16! Geez people..what do you want from me.

I'm starting up a new account...and as soon as I get it all figured out I'll let ya know. Until then, if you've tried to email me...sorry about the no response!

GEOCACHING!!!

2006-07-30T21:12:00.000-07:00

Friday Night Date

Corey and I shared a monster freebird on the northgate back porch, and then went geocaching. Geocaching is a cool treasure hunt-type game that GPS users do all around the world. The deal is...you get a username, and then you can select certain geocache sites that you want to go hunting for. The online site gives you a GPS coordinates of a geocache "treasure spot" and then you go try to hunt for the spot and find the "treasure". Sometimes the treasure is a little trinket, sometimes just a log sheet, or in some places around the world there might even be money. If you take something though, you have to put something in. So this game is played around the entire world - there are even spots in Nepal miles deep into trails of the Himalayas. And the spots could be anywhere...(such as the College Station cemetary, Research disc golf course, or maybe behind Best Buy)...not speaking from experience or anything. They are hidden and you have to find them based on clues and the coordinates.

Corey and I found three of them -- at the above mentioned places...and the funniest part was the last one. At about 9:30pm on friday night, Corey and I were decked out in our REI headlamps looking around the back of the cemetary for a little pill box somewhere within about 10 feet of the mentioned coordinate. It was fun and we must have looked crazy.

Anyway, it's fun to act like a pirate and hunt for treasures. I hope we get to do it again soon!

2006-07-27T13:00:00.001-07:00

today something doesn't feel right inside.

i feel sad, tired, hurt, frustrated, and trapped in side.

i don't want to finish my homework, i don't want to be in our messy house, i don't want to be staring at the computer screen at work, i don't want to do anything.

except maybe be outside laying in the grass under a tree looking up at the roots. and i want to hear the wind blowing and the birds chirping, and i want to know that jesus is laying down beside me.

that doesn't happen these days. what i'm doing in life seems pointless. i don't feel like my classes are worth much unless i want to follow the yellow brick road of academia (which i don't). and i feel like it will leave me unprepared and lacking in the end.

i wish i could feel like i was making a difference these days. instead i feel burrowed tightly in a little hole with no way of connecting to anyone else.

along with dreams and hopes come lots of crap that holds me back...

fear

insecurity

hopelessness

why these chains.

freedom come.

i know GOD make me smart. i know GOD gave me this heart and this brain and these hands to work some beautiful something that will free men and women's hearts.

how and when and why not know.

why can't i just do these things and not sit and complain in my little nailed up box.

through the walls of the box i see people who've some how made it outside.

and you know what?

they're dancing.

2006-07-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

today something doesn't feel right inside.

i feel sad, tired, frustrated, and lazy in side.

i don't want to finish my homework, i don't want to be in our messy house, i don't want to be staring at the computer screen at work, i don't want to do anything.

except maybe be outside laying in the grass under a tree looking up at the roots. and i want to hear the wind blowing and the birds chirping, and i want to know that jesus is laying down beside me.

that doesn't happen these days. what i'm doing in life seems pointless. i don't feel like my classes are worth much unless i want to follow the yellow brick road of academia (which i don't). and i feel like it will leave me unprepared and lacking in the end.

i wish i could feel like i was making a difference these days. instead i feel burrowed tightly in a little hole with no way of connecting to anyone else.

along with dreams and hopes come lots of crap that holds me back...

fear

insecurity

hopelessness

why these chains.

freedom come.

i know GOD make me smart. i know GOD gave me this heart and this brain and these hands to work some beautiful something that will free men and women's hearts.

how and when and why not know.

why can't i just do these things and not sit and complain in my little nailed up box.

through the walls of the box i see people who've some how made it outside.

and you know what?

they're dancing.

the girls at school.

2006-07-14T08:41:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to really share Jesus with people? None of that churchy crap, but really sharing something with them that they are missing....some kind of truth, something that reaches far into their souls and touches them and leaves them different than before.

I think it starts with getting past your crap.

And getting past their crap.

And trying to love them with unmerited favor.

Really hard to do.

but worth it?

We'll see anyway. I have these friends at school. They're nice girls just living life. But they don't really know what it means to be loved by God. They know of church and churchy people. But I think they'd really like it if they experienced being loved by God. Wouldn't we all?

So, how am I to help in that process. I have no idea. But, with courage that didn't come from me, I mentioned to one that Corey's always smiling because he really loves Jesus. And the statement really impacted one of the girls. She made comments about wanting that, but not pursuing it, and not knowing how. And of course, I didn't have a great answer for her. But maybe over time, an answer might come. Who knows.

2006-06-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BEVERLY!!!!

IF YOU KNOW HER, MAKE SURE YOU TELL HER "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" TODAY. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HER, THEN YOU SHOULD MEET HER BECAUSE SHE'S GREAT!!!!

I LOVE YA BEV ! ! ! ! ! !

Weddings, being married, and llamas

2006-06-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's all over, and it is all such a big happy blur.

Wedding
I had a really really fun time at my wedding. It was just what I could have wanted. Lots of family and lots of dear, dear friends to surround me and Corey. If anything went wrong, i didn't really care. The whole week before I never really got stressed...I just kept remembering the words of my awesome photgrapher "Weddings are supposed to be a blast! Just have fun, no matter what happens." He's right...and it was a blast.

I keep telling Corey I miss the wedding. I want it to come back. Not really for the sake of the wedding, but for just how good everything surrounding the wedding was. Having all my friends so close! Even Elaine and Chris, which was completely amazing and wonderful to have them there. It made me miss them much more than I had before. And of course, it would be fun to get to wear a pretty white dress and have lots of beautifully bright, wonderful flowers around you everyday!

Married Life
It's great. I love it. It hasn't been weird or awkward. Just fun. I like having a friend around me, to eat with, to cook with, to clean with, to just sit and laugh with. The only bad thing about being married is that Corey never lets me sleep after the alarm goes off. He annoys me until I get up because he thinks I need to learn that sort of discipline. It's sort of funny though.

Almost 25
The big day is fast approaching. 25, who'd of thought. When I was a kid, I remember riding the school bus and looking at all the high school kids and thinking..wow, they are OLD. And anyone beyond high school was not even comprehendable (is that a word?). And now, I'm turning a quarter of a century old.

No solid ground but mine and the two feet beside me
Life is doing that crazy whirlwind thing it does again. The thing where all my friends vanish into the world that exists outside of college station. I'm happy for them...going off to see the wonders of the world, to meet new exciting people, and all that. But it's just sad, because when friends leave, they remain as friends, but the relationship changes. A friend is always better when you can see them..see their smiling faces, give them hugs, talk to them in person. Distance is crappy I think. I'm really terrible at distance.

Llamas, Weddings, New Apartment
We went on a hike with llamas during our honeymoon. It was fun. Mine was named Azul. He was lazy like me. I liked him. Someday hopefully soon I'll post pictures of him and the wedding and our new apartment.

Cheers!, from Sommer West

2006-05-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

type type type. pass the time, pass the time. type type type. pass the time, pass the time.

The BIG day is only 5 small days away. I'm ready for it. But it doesn't really seem that BIG. It seems so natural, and so the right time.

Corey West makes me a very happy person. I never knew anyone could love me so much. And believe me, even though somehow tucked inside all the mess is a lot to love (I say this not out of pride, but out of believing the truth that if God created me then there must be some God-made beauty), there is still quite a lot of mess to dig through. And Corey has to do a lot of digging sometimes.

I really appreciate the fact that he digs. And ignores the junk he has to dig through. Because, I believe that somehow, in some really cool way, Corey is getting to partner with God to restore and rebuild something that's been in some ways destroyed by the world. I like that God uses people to help him restore and refine. Sure it's really hard, and a whole lot slower, and of course painful at times, but it's a great picture of who God is and how God works.

So Father, please keep bringing me back to a place of believing that I am your Beloved. And please keep using my favorite person in the world to help you do it.

Marry me Corey West and make me the most beloved girl in the whole world.

2006-03-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

The wedding website...

http://sommerandcorey.blogspot.com

Have a happy day kids.

elderly

2006-03-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

Elderly (adj., n.) entered the English
language in 1611. Webster’s Dictionary
defines this word as meaning “rather old,
especially beyond middle age.”

Haha, so this means that middle aged folks could
sometimes fall into the category of "elderly." Are
you reading this mom and dad? hehe.

two posts in one night...

2006-02-18T19:15:00.000-08:00

I title this the "making fun of Beverly Pratt picture."
(i hope you know i love you bev, and you look much sexier in big glasses than i do!)

2006-02-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

T I M E g o e s b y s o s l o w l y.........................................................

seriously, did someone push pause on the life clock. I just want to be married. Right now. No more wishing, and hoping, and w a i t i n g !!!!!!

Hehe, on a more serious note.

I can't really go into many details, and they wouldn't matter much to you anyway. But the Lord, the almighty, the one and only protector and provider for my soul...has been really really good and really really faithful in the last few days. So much freedom. So much openness and honesty and love has flowed directly into my heart and it feels so good to experience such freedom. And I know that even greater joy will come directly from that later on.

And for that I can hardly wait!

Thank you, lover of my soul, for giving me the desires of my heart. And for placing them there.

New...and Newest!

2006-02-03T13:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been over a month since I've posted on here. But, sadly, that seems to be the trend of all my bloggin amigos. Too busy, or maybe too boring are our lives...hehe.

Well, a little over a month ago I got a new job at an Accounting firm working with CPA's sort of as their admin assistant. It's been a great job and I've really enjoyed it.

Then, like a week ago, some folks from the Center for Community Health Development (part of my school of Rural Public Health at TAMU) came recruiting for 2 opening Graduate Assistantships. If I had a GA, this would be where I'd want to work, b/c it sounds really cool and I think it'd be super beneficial for my future (whatever it may be). Well, I got an interview...and guess what??

I got the job. It pays super duper well and has really good health benefits (which I need once I get hitched in May). I completely felt the Lord's hand in providing this too, which is always a good thing. So, sadly, I have to quit my new job, in order to accept my newest job. So, for like the third year in a row, I will have four W2's to fill out for taxes. I seem to go through jobs like loaves of bread (I'm really not that bad).

In other news...Corey and I bought our wedding rings. It was weird seeing his hand with a practice ring on. I have bridesmaids dresses picked out, and we've gotten tons of other things taken care of so far. We're truckin along...and I'm up to TWO bridal breakdowns (not too bad I guess).

School is good, I'm diggin the classes a little more this semester and meeting more friends. Life is fast approaching heightened stress levels with school, work, church, wedding crap all combined, but in the words of Gloria Gayner...

"I will survive."

Cheers, my online amigos...Have a most excellent weekend!!!

Howdy Folks!

2005-12-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

So, I think my blog has slowly become lame over the last few months due to boring posts and extended breaks between posts. I apologize to all my "readers" - I use this term lightly because I'm pretty sure the audience has dwindled -- the size being proportionate to the boringness of posts! haha. Anyway, a recap of a few fun things going down in Sommerland.

1. The 2005 Christmas Extravaganza hosted by Beverly Pratt and Sommer Lamkins.

If you missed out, then you missed out big because it was beautiful and fun and I really enjoyed it! I really enjoyed sitting around the fire worshipping through carols and questions with friends.

2. Christmas 2005

Although there was no snow in Lake Jackson this year, it was still a nice time with the family. I ate lots of yummy food, got lots of fun presents and did fun stuff with the fam (including riding around on my bro's electric scooter)

3. Presents at the nursing home

My grandma lives in a nursing home, so my mom bought presents for all 70+ residents and our family passed them out to all the ladies and gents.

One of my favorite stories from the event. I gave a present to this cute little old man. It happened to be a new bright red hat and I put it on his head and told him how handsome he looked and he smiled really big and was really excited! It was great!

4. I got my wedding dress

It is so beautiful!!! I'm excited and relieved to have that taken care of.

5. New job so no more driving buses. It's at an accounting firm in bryan. I'm doing random stuff to help each of the accountants. It's fun and the people are really nice.

I think those are the highlights. Maybe someday I'll post some pictures but don't count on it cuz I'm forgetful about that sort of thing.

2005-12-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

Oh well. I cannot express the feeling of relief that is creeping up inside of me.

The hardest, most frustrating, most crappy semester of my life is now complete. I'm not sure that my grades will prove how hard it was, but if you were to examine my heart, I think you'd see all the wrinkles and bruises from it.

"you are my strength. my very great reward."

Oh how I'd love to hear those words flow from the lips of my Creator. Abraham was a lucky man. But these words are what has lifted a dying heart the last two weeks. Gratefully.

Semester 1 down. 5 to go.

Grad school, beware, because you may have kicked my butt this past semester, but next semester...

your mine.

Going to the chapel...

2005-12-03T10:13:00.000-08:00

So I've been trying to keep something an internet secret so that I could surprise my good friend Stacy with the news instead of her finding out through a silly blog...but I just found out that she already knows. kinda sad but oh well.

I'm engaged to Corey West! He asked me to marry him at our special spot at Lost Maples (the place where he first awkwardly told me of his affections towards me). The funny thing is that when he asked me, I said "are you sure you want to do this?" Not the words a young boy in love wants to hear. I most certainly wanted to marry him, but I asked because for a while he's been making up all kinds of stories about wanting to live with his roommate Beau for another year or two to try to keep the engagement a surprise. (hmm, analogy here sommer:: stacy as corey:: sommer)

Here's a picture of the happiest couple in the world...

Thanksgiving!

2005-11-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

This is where I'll be spending my Thanksgiving....finally, my long awaited camping trip! These pictures were taken at Lost Maples and right now is the perfect time of year for the park because all the Maple trees have turned to glorious colors! We are camping at Garner State Park and heading over to Lost Maples once or twice for some fun hiking.

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving Holiday my friends.

2005-11-16T18:56:00.000-08:00

as of today, i freaking hate left turns...

insert really angry face here.

The Ultimate G-Night

2005-11-12T12:44:00.000-08:00

So my last 18 hours with two very special Gs (and one super cool VIP G) was so much fun and so needed.

Activities may or may not have included:

1. Amazing pizza!!!
2. Kidnapping one VIP G
3. Getting our funky groove on
4. Taking over the world one roll of TP at a time
5. A late into the morning heart talk
6. Cookies and milk for breakfast
7. Reading and discussion about a crazy crazy man and a crazy crazy church
8. Honorary G Alanis Morissette
9. Meeting Senora G Pratt
10. Leaving with the feeling of having really really great friends

2005-11-09T12:05:00.000-08:00

On the whole, human beings want to be good, but not too good; and not all of the time.
-George Orwell

Class of 2003, still loud and proud!

2005-11-08T11:27:00.000-08:00

Hoorah for the fightin Texas aggie class of 2003! One very special aggie "Christy Martin" finally got her ring. You Rock Christy Martin!

Me, Christy, and Kerri whoopin at Christy's surprise 25th birthday party. These are longtime pals of mine from the good ole Wesley Foundation!

A new day

2005-11-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

So me and the G-dawg haven't been as close as I'd like lately. My heart really misses Him like crazy. Last night I asked that He'd help my soul to desire nothing but Him and to want nothing other than to follow His ways. I think it'd be cool if I longed for His laws the way that David did.

So, today that's what I'm hoping for.

In other news, I've been really missing some of my old friends who have moved away lately. Not in the "wow, I sad and depressed" way (which I've for sure been through before) but just in the way that things remind me of them and make me really thankful to have had them so close to me and to be so honored to know them and to be able to trust that the Lord is taking them and me to new places in life. I know that was a terrible run on but oh well.

Ok, time to work on my wretched research paper.

Oklahoma!

2005-11-02T14:55:00.000-08:00

Woohoo, Corey is taking me to see Oklahoma tonight....I'm excited!

2005-10-28T22:52:00.000-07:00

Stacy May G --- Oh, how I love thee!