Arizona in January; yes please.

The last few Januaries (how do you even make a month plural???) I have been stuck in the great white north as I liked to call it. I would sometimes get stuck in our driveway due to all the stupid snow. Some of my friends really loved the snow. I am not one of those people. It's not in me. I was very grateful to move to Tennessee in November and only get to see the 1st snowfall of the winter season near Chicago. So when we got the opportunity to fly to Phoenix and spend over a week of January in Scottsdale, AZ I was ecstatic.

We got to visit a church in Scottsdale where our buddy Freddy T. Wyatt is pastor. We have know Freddy T for many many years. He introduced me to Daniel's songs my junior and senior year of high school and then introduced me to Daniel at UT Martin in 1998. The rest is history- Daniel and I got married 2 years later.

Freddy T and his wife Susan have 4 kids who played so well with our two boys. It was a lot of fun for them to get to play and hang out. Manny makes friends quickly and most of the time Oakley goes with the flow....even when he has the stomach bug....like he did this trip.

The weather was great in Scottsdale temps were warm and we even wore shorts. But it did rain a few days while we were there which is rare for Scottsdale. I was just glad it wasn't snow. I may still be recovering from those harsh Chicago winters.

We got to see lots of cacti and gorgeous mountains. We got to be a part of their church's first ever contemporary service and Daniel got to lead worship in their main service as well. It was a good trip and good to be with friends we have know in different seasons of life. To have genuine care and concern for each other and to get to see how other families live life. For 5 years our friends were church planters in New York City. For 5 years we lived away from Tennessee in "Chicago-land" (specifically Valparaiso, IN & Grayslake, IL). They took a sabbatical about 7 months ago and were here in Clarksville for a time of renewal and rest. We are now taking a sabbatical here in Clarksville. The similarities are so interesting. The calling on our lives. The work God is doing. It's fun to discuss with others who get it and are also on this same journey of full time ministry.

For fun we got to eat at D'Lish, Burger Rehab Therapy, an AMAZING upscale Mexican Restaurant. We got to go to the Butterfly Wonderland, a rain forest experience where beautiful butterflies were flying all around and some even landed on you. I'm so grateful for this season of togetherness and for these adventures we get to be a part of. God is using us and it's very exciting to be a part of His plan.