I Tip My Hat to 2015

I have done this every year, so I can't stop now. :) Here are my favorite memories from each month this year. (Each month has a link that you can click on to take you to that particular blog post!)

If you want to see previous years, here they are:
I Tip My Hat to 2011
I Tip My Hat to 2012
I Tip My Hat to 2013
I Tip My Hat to 2014

January
We got a new CAR!!!!

February
My favorite event from February was when Trevor and I took a weekend trip to Eureka Springs and had a goal setting weekend. It was really motivating and such a relaxing scene for our busy lives.
Weekend Getaway!

March
SKI TRIP with our Lifegroup

April
Trevor shot his first Turkey!

May
My favorite memory from May is always when my brother comes in town to visit.

June
Our trip to FLORIDA

July
Our tip to MEXICO!!!

August
Our trip to HARLEY, TX

September
Our trip to LAKE OUACHITA ...wow we took a lot of trips this year!

I actually had a couple great memories from September, so I want to share those as well. Another really big moment for me in September was I started being a Worship Leader at LifeChurch. Normally, I just do back ground vocals, but I was asked to take on a little more responsibility. It has truly been life changing. It has stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of, it has completely stressed me out and it has also been such a peaceful experience. I know, a bit contradicting. But, seriously, it has been a game changer for me and I am SO THANKFUL for those that believed in me to do this. I absolutely LOVE how God is working on and through me in this position.

October
Our Staycation!!! Fall Break was amazing!! We bought a Harley...I'm pretty sure we bought it the same day we got pregnant, but obviously didn't find out til a few weeks later. :)

November
Two SUPER exciting things happened in November
WE FOUND OUT WE WERE PREGNANT!!

And MY BROTHER GOT ENGAGED

December
Basically just seeing friends and family for the holidays! We have been pretty busy since the start of December and we wouldn't have it any other way!

LifeGroup Christmas
Friends Christmas
Morris Christmas

We definitely have a life changing 2016 ahead of us, but I am SO excited for it! Be safe tonight!

Better is one day in Your courts

Better is one day in Your courts than thousands elsewhere. Those are the lyrics that have gotten me through today.

One of my dearest friends passed away on Christmas Eve and her funeral service was today. Trevor got off work so he could be with me and drive me to Lawton to say goodbye. 

Here was her obituary: 

Funeral service for Emily Chambers will be 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 30, 2015, in First Baptist Church with Rev. Tom Willoughby officiating.

Burial will follow in Flower Mound Cemetery under the direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Emily died Thursday, December 24, 2015, in Omaha, Nebraska. She was born June 15, 1987 in Lawton, was a 2005 graduate of MacArthur High School and attended college for two years. Emily had worked in Branson, Missouri with the Shoji Tabuchi Show, the Red, Hot and Blue Show and the 50’s at the Hop Show. She also performed at Silver Dollar City in the Frontier Follies and A Wonderful Life. Emily then moved to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and worked at Dollywood with the Gemtones and Christmas in the Smokies. Emily became an account representative with the Tulsa Oilers and at the time of her death was the marketing and suites manager for the University of Nebraska Omaha’s Baxter Arena.

Emily is well known for her involvement with the Lawton Community Theatre and her roles include: Gladys in Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Annie in both Annie and Annie Warbucks, Brigitta in Sound of Music, Lillian in Cheaper by the Dozen, Becky in The Homecoming, Sister Mary Paul (Amnesia) in Nuncrackers, Dorothy in Wizard of Oz and Denise Sanders in Smoke on the Mountain.

Her vocal accomplishments include Women’s Chorus Oklahoma All State, Oklahoma All State-Vocalist, Junior High National Choir and NATS – Freshman Year at Oklahoma City University.

She was a member of First Baptist Church and had been involved with the Tulsa Junior League. She also had served as an intern in the Oklahoma State House of Representatives.

She is survived by her mother, Brenda Chambers, Lawton; her father and his wife, Larry and Kimi Chambers, Lawton; two brothers and sisters in law, Jerod and Jennifer Chambers, Charlotte, North Carolina and Trey and Amista Chambers, Lawton; a step brother, Johnathon Loera and a step sister, Alexandria Loera; maternal grandmother, Velta Hair, Okemeh, Oklahoma; paternal grandparents, Wayne and Rose Chambers, Beggs, Oklahoma; nieces and nephews, Felicity, Fletcher, Finley and Crash Chambers.

Her maternal grandfather, Charles Hair, preceded her in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lawton Community Theater, P.O. Box 42, Lawton, OK 73502.

Just from reading that you could tell that Emily was EXTREMELY talented and involved. Those things are all true, but it left out a few things. Emily would seriously brighten up a room when she walked in. She had an infectious laugh and a sense of humor that made you feel like you knew her for years even if you just met her. She was the best person to watch a movie with because she just laughed out loud at all of the good parts which made a movie seem better than it was at times. She was the best person to watch sports with because she would yell at the screen as much as all of the guys. She had a passion for life that was compelling. She had a heart made of gold! She always cared for others and put others before herself. She would drop anything to hang out. She put people and relationships first. She was the best puppy sitter and always cared for Winston as if he were her own. She was seriously BEAUTIFUL and had a smile that would brighten anyone's day! I could go on and on, but I will leave it at this. 

Emily, I would give anything to talk to you one last time. I would give anything to see one of your crazy Twitter posts again that make everyone laugh! Thank you for your unwavering friendship whether we lived a few miles from each other or states away. Thank you for sharing my love of McAlisters and Rib Crib sweet tea and Shania Twain...well, all country music for that matter! Your earthly time was brief, but I know that God put you in my life for a reason! You make me a better person. Thank you for the million and one laughs that we shared over who knows what! Heaven is lucky to receive an angel as beautiful as you! Winston wanted me to tell you that he loves you Auntie Em! I love you pretty girl and I will see you again one day!

How lovely is your dwelling place

Oh Lord Almighty

My soul longs and even faints for you

For here my heart is satisfied

Within your presence 

I sing beneath the shadow of your wings

Better is one day in your courts

Better is one day in your house

Better is one day in your courts

Than thousands elsewhere

One thing I ask and I would seek

To see your beauty

To find you in the place your glory dwells

My heart and flesh cry out

For You the living God

Your spirit's water for my soul

I've tasted and I've seen

Come once again to me

I will draw near to you

I will draw near to you

Better is one day in your courts

Better is one day in your house

Better is one day in your courts

Than thousands elsewhere

How We Found Out...

November 1st started off as any normal day. Trevor and I woke up and our plans were to make breakfast, go to church and then we had a laundry list of errands to run! While I was getting ready for church, Trevor made us delicious Mountain Dew Waffles (thanks Moody's for the recipe!). 

Normally Trevor comes to church the day that I'm leading worship, but I happened to be leading worship on Saturday on this particular weekend and Trevor did not want to miss the OSU vs TTU game. Plus, it was Halloween!

So we made plans to just go Sunday morning. We pulled in the parking lot and all of a sudden I started feeling really sick. I really wanted to see the message, so I told Trevor just to give me a minute. We eventually made it in and at times I felt perfectly fine and other moments I would get really hot and have to fan myself...which is weird because I am always cold and LifeChurch is normally really cold inside. I made it through the church service, thankfully. We had plans to go to lunch and then go grocery shopping, but I told Trevor that he just needed to take me home. I ended up laying on the couch all afternoon and threw up several times. I hadn't thrown up since we came down with a 12 hour bug on our honeymoon, so I really didn't know what to think. Since it lasted almost all day, I really didn't think it was morning sickness. By the end of the evening I told Trevor that I just needed some fresh air. We ended up taking a ride on the motorcycle and then ate a little dinner before going to sleep. 

The next morning I woke up pretty early and my mind kept going back and forth about whether or not to take a test. I had taken a few over the course of the previous months, and it was always really disappointing to get a negative result. So I just didn't know if I had the heart to take one. I did my bible study since I couldn't go back to sleep and by the end of reading I thought it was okay to take a test and that I would be okay either way. "Faith is facing the facts without being disheartened by them because you know God is greater than any situation." This was part of my reading plan and it really made me feel God Confident. Well, I took a test and you can guess...POSITIVE! To be completely honest, I didn't really believe it. So I laid back in bed and wrote out how I wanted to tell Trevor. I waited about 30 more minutes and then I took another test just to be certain. It said POSITIVE really fast, so I felt a little more confident. 

I decided to go ahead and start getting ready for the day, even though it was still super early. I got ready and then got everything ready for how I wanted to tell Trevor. I had written him a poem, so I just had to figure out how to present it to him. We always read from Jesus Calling in the morning, so I slipped the poem in that day's devotional. When we were eating breakfast I asked him to read, so he flipped to November 2nd and found my note. He was super excited to say the least! The whole day we were just on cloud 9! And thankfully I didn't get sick all day! I was definitely nervous about that since I was sick the whole previous day. 

Here is the poem I wrote Trevor in case you want to read it:

Since December 8th, 2004 it's been just you and me 

And I'll never forget the day you got down on one knee

It was the beginning of an amazing life

That all started June 4th, 2011 when we became husband and wife

I can't believe how quickly time has passed

But I love the memories that will forever last

I love our puppies, our home and our lives we live today

I wouldn't have it any other way 

But I know there is more in store for us this year

Because I just found out the best news, my dear 

It's time to get a gun safe and complete my ring with our savings

And get ready for some sleepless nights and midnight cravings

I promise I will try to resist

But I'm sure Häagen-Dazs will be at the top of my list 

I hope you're ready because it's time

For high chairs, cribs and bedtime story rhymes

I can't imagine my life with anyone but you

And it's exciting to think in 9 months it won't be just us two! 

Or four if you count Winston and Whiskey

I'm sure they are excited for child number three 

Congratulations DAD, and get used to this new name

It will be your new claim to fame

I can't wait to see if it's a girl or a boy

But I'm already so in love with our bundle of joy! 

I LOVE YOU TREVOR!!!

I am just so in love with this guy! He is going to make the best daddy EVER!!!

For this child I have prayed and the LORD has granted the desires of my heart. 1 Samuel 1:27

Morris Christmas

Trevor and I found out the we were expecting on November 2 - I can't wait to share more about that - and we always said we would get each other a couple gifts when that day came. 

Trevor got me a second band to go on my wedding ring...

I LOVE it!!! When Trevor and I picked out the ring, the jeweler, of course, made me try it on with both bands, so I have always wanted a second band. We always said that we would get it when we get pregnant or for our 5 year anniversary. Which ever came first. 

And I got Trevor a gun safe...

Safety first! 

Since we just got each other these large gifts, we set a very small limit for our actual Christmas presents. We just died laughing because after we both opened our gifts we realized that we got each other the SAME THING!!! We just laughed for about 15 minutes after we opened our gifts. We got each other bean bags for our phones. 

Seriously, the most bizarre gift to get anyone and we both got one for each other! Trevor also got me a really pretty batter bowl and I got him a table top foosball game. We have definitely had some fun playing it. I love that each year we set aside a little time to have Christmas just the two of us. We then watched a movie and just relaxed together. 

Friends Christmas

Every year we get together with our friends from college and do something for Christmas. This year we signed up for a cooking class at The Girl Can Cook. It was a blast. A group of 16 of us did a private class of appetizers from around the world. Seriously, the food was amazing!! And there is never a dull moment with this group!

I had to lead at church that night, so I showed up about an hour late, which was perfect for me. Smells have been a little weird for me, so I came at the perfect time; when everything was prepared and ready to eat! We made Antipasta Salad Skewers, Pan Grilled Shrimp (this is the one we were in charge of), Chinese Potstickers (these were probably my fav!), Savory Cheese and Ham Palmiers, Spanakopita and Grown Up Pigs in a Blanket. I was really excited because they gave us all of the recipes! They were all pretty labor intensive, so I don't know if I'd make any at home, but we may try some one day. 

After the cooking class, we went back to Samy and Brandon's for a game of dirty Santa. We went home pretty early that night because Trevor was hunting the next morning and I am usually ready for bed at 8! ;)

I would definitely recommend The Girl Can Cook. They create a really fun atmosphere and the food is amazing!!!