Sunday, April 25, 2010

So...

As promised, the continuation of our story.

I know that some of you will be randomly coming to this blog from Facebook or wherever else and don't really know everything that happened leading up to this point, but let's suffice it to say that God has been crafting, forming, and aligning things behind the scenes over these past several months as only He can do. And we've been patiently (um, well most of the time!) allowing Him to do just that. It's been quite a process, but to make a long story short, here's what you're wanting to know:

The Pates are moving to Houston, Texas, to join the work of City Life Church as Lead Pastors.


Wow. The official-ness of typing that felt really heavy. In a good kind of way. Are we excited? Beyond. Feeling the weight of it? Oh yeah. Sad to leave Abilene? Abilene is the past eight years of our story and represents the beginning of our family and people we love and cherish. Of course we're sad. But it's bittersweet because even though we're leaving what we know and love, there are some awesome people in Houston waiting to write a new story with us. The story that is City Life Church, and the setting being one massive (and I do mean massive), amazing, beautiful city full of people that are waiting to be found. Waiting to find purpose. Needing to be connected to God. And God got this crazy notion that we were going to be a part of that. And sometimes I do think He's crazy, but you know what? We're a little crazy, too :) Crazy enough to do what He says to do, believe He's with us and know that there's plans we can't even imagine. So here we are. Actually, there we'll be- in a month exactly. Yep, a month.

I'm sure you'll be hearing lots more from us along the way, but that's enough major life news for now :) Peace out from the Pate house.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

(BEEEEEP)..........We interrupt your local broadcasting for a special announcement...

The Pate family is currently working on some technical issues, such as their entire future, and is experiencing the inability to put one single cohesive thought together worthy of cyberspace at the moment. They are unavailable to make comments at this time, but they wanted to assure the four (okay, we have more family than that I guess) people that read this blog that they will be back soon to unveil the season premiere of the next chapter of the Pate Family Chronicles.

It's a good one. You will want to stay tuned.

Until that time, please enjoy the momentary reruns and mindless time fillers which will be randomly provided to keep your interest. Thank you. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming...

and of course peace out from the Pate house.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Pate Children Musings

Well I guess my kids are just on a kick of good material, because they have been constantly making us laugh/think this week! Here's just a few things from the week:

We were leaving the gym Monday morning, and I was asking a question to Cadence that she wasn't answering. Addison looks at her and says, "Cadence, if you don't answer Mommy, God will reveal our deepest darkest secrets. And if He doesn't reveal it on earth, when we get to heaven all the deepest darkest secrets will be revealed." Is this guy intense or what???

Another funny car story- yesterday Addison helped Cadence with her seatbelt without asking him first. I thanked him for helping with his sister and he says, "Oh you know, just being like Jesus." Priceless.

Cadence got a couple of barbies this week from Nana, and she picked out an African American barbie of her own choosing. That's my girl! Glad to see that she is already embracing diversity! But why wouldn't she- it's a reflection of her real world and what she already sees around her. But the greatest part was her reaction when she saw it for the first time. Her little eyes lit up and she said (in a very excited voice), "Ohhh, she's brown! She's so beautiful!"

Perhaps the sweetest moment this week came from Addison having a conversation with Chris last night. They were talking about spiritual matters, and Addison brought up the subject of baptism. He had mentioned to me a while back that he wanted to be baptized, but at the time it was when we were watching others doing that and wasn't sure if he really understood what was happening. It hadn't been brought up in a while, but last night he spoke of it with Chris. So Chris asks him if he knew what it meant to be baptized. He responds, "Well, it's dying with Christ and being resurrected to walk with him in new life."

Um, yeah son. That's a good answer.

So we are in the works of trying to make this very special thing happen. Addison mentioned that he wanted his entire family there with him, and we told him we didn't know how possible it was to be able to get everyone here, but we're certainly going to put the word out there. So, family, we all need to get together and see what we can work out! We'll be in touch...

It was just so touching to hear Chris relaying this conversation that I got tears in my eyes. At six years old, my son has such a desire to know God more and to follow Him. His heart is tender to the things of God. I wish I could credit it to good parenting to make us feel better about ourselves, but it's not. It's mostly just the sheer proof that God has written the things of the Kingdom in our hearts when we were in our mother's womb, and we are the ones that talk and reason ourselves out of it the further away from pure, childlike faith we get. We have to work much harder to be convinced and tell ourselves that there is no God than to believe that there is. It is such a joy and blessing to see this journey unfolding in Addison's life, and it puts the fear of God in me to do everything I can to guard his innocence (in the right way, not an unrealistic sheltering from real life kind of way) and continue to try to point him to the Kingdom and the King.

I'm telling ya- all the money in the world cannot buy the kind of entertainment you get in the Pate house!! I always have so many things to talk about with them that I hardly talk about the things that are floating around in my mind and heart. But it's a balance- and I do feel a season approaching that more of that is going to come. And some of that comes with what this next season is going to bring- and the fact that I really can't say much about it yet!! But make no mistake- as the Word said Mary did, I'm pondering some things in my heart........ Peace out from the Pate house, yo.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Easter Weekend

Well of course you would expect a traditional post following a major holiday, now wouldn't you? We certainly did a lot of traditional things that go along with Easter. Did the hunt. Dyed the eggs. Took the pics. Had a fabulous Easter lunch at the Country Club with family (there was actually lamb, complete with the green jelly and everything- tried it for the first time!)

But we really don't place a lot of emphasis on the egg and easter bunny part of the holiday. What we really want our children to understand and embrace is why the holiday exists in the first place. So this year we tried out the resurrection eggs. We enjoyed doing that. For those that don't know, there's twelve eggs each with an object inside that help explain the story of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection and a coordinating verse and little devo for each one. After doing it this year we know that for next year we need to tweak a couple of things. 1) 12 eggs in one night= too much information! Next year we will split it up more. 2) Probably not right before bedtime. Cadence actually did not last for the entire presentation. She was already tired, some of it was over her head, and she ended up being banished to bedtime before it was over!! But it was still a good experience.

Enjoy our pics! I was actually thrilled at our little photo shoot this year. For those that know, it's like pulling teeth to photograph my children- they've both been in that awkward fake smile phase and it's been hard! Daddy still had to turn on his charm and humor to entertain them, but we sure did end up with some precious pictures. Gosh, they're growing up though.

As long as Cadence was in her dress, we had to refer to her as "Easter Cadence". Kinda like Barbie, I guess... I don't know!!



To view the rest of this album, click here


A few with mommy that weren't in the Facebook album
(Daddy didn't want to put his Easter clothes on, so we had to go with what we had! And didn't get a family shot the next day, either!! He was perfectly coordinated in an aqua shirt, though :)





Starting with this...
A little bit of "magic" crayon
Some of this...

Some waiting- Boring!


And Voila- masterpiece!

Posing with their treats.
The Resurrection Eggs- we will continue to do this in some form. It's a great thing.