To the love of my life, Happy Belated 31st Birthday!

My sweet Toby, I hold you in the highest respect. I trust you and I believe in you. I love you more today than I did the day I met you. I still remember the first time I saw you at Greg McAlister's house playing volleyball and wearing that cute yellow t-shirt! You are still that boy to me! You are an amazing husband, incredible daddy and your Faith in the Lord is courageous. Thank you for sweeping me up and allowing me the opportunity to join in the adventures that the Lord is taking us on!!

From the one that adores and admires you most!
Cari

Happy Birthday Momma/Mimi!!

Happy Birthday Special Momma/Mimi! I love you so much and cannot tell you how special you are to me, to us. You give so much of yourself to so many and support, love, and join in everything! Thank you for all you do! I am so very thankful for you and am so glad you were born!!!!

Love,
Cari

Celebrating New Things!

Thought I would share a few photos from our most recent celebrations! Toby had some work to do with finalizing the details of his new job with Southwestern so the kids and I ran to Mimi and Boompa's house for a fun get-a-way! When we arrived Mike and LeAnna had the house decorated in SWOSU colors (blue, gray and white) and in Neosho colors, which is the Jr. College my brothers will be playing baseball at this next year. We had a great time celebrating!!! Thank you so much Mike,LeAnna and Cora, it meant so much!!!

Dear Friends and Family

As we start this New Year, Cari and I are so excited to share with you a new door that has been opened to us. I have accepted a position as Assistant Football Coach/Football Recruiting Coordinator at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (Div. II). We are honored and speechless with the opportunity and new territory God has blessed us with and are so excited to “cross this Jordan” into a new challenge.

This opportunity is nothing less than the realization of a longtime calling on our lives that started with my first coaching job 9 years ago. When we left coaching to sports representation in 2003, we laid it down as a couple knowing that through obedience, if the Lord chose to bring it back, he would do it. In early 2006, the Lord spoke through Cari to remind me of our “quiet” calling of influence. We began to pray then and the chain of events from there will forever shape our lives. Since that point, we left the agency in the fall of 2006 to step out to FCA. In January of last year, we were presented with another opportunity in college football. To our surprise, God asked us to say no to that opportunity. He mandated our work in FCA and promised us continued steps into larger territory. We have seen God reap returns in FCA in ministry and influence all the way. This fall, he again began to quietly lead our focus to be ready for an unknown step of faith. Time after time, trusted mentors and the Word spoke truth into our lives preparing us to receive this opportunity. One friend dubbed this season, “Christmas is coming.” He challenged us that God was moving and to be ready for a new blessing and challenge.

“I see what you've done. Now see what I've done. I've opened a door before you that no one can slam shut.”-Rev.3:8” God confirmed this “open door” opportunity and years of prayer at a 3-night conference we attended at Gateway Church. The second night: “And he said to me, Son of Man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord God you know.”-Ez.37:3 the challenge was to raise your expectation to your calling. The third night-“I have been anointed with fresh oil…Ps. 92:10 At the end of a season, there is a refreshing new anointing for a new season. Your anointing validates the authority of your position and the presence of God, and there is no end to His anointing and wisdom. Needless to say, we were confirmed on our path and new step of faith.

As we leave, we are so thankful for the time we have had here in Texas. This has truly been our “home” and we have been blessed with strong friendships and memories. We ask that you pray for us in our transition as we sell a house, move a family, and start a new life in calling and relationships. Pray that God has gone before us in every step and detail. As you do, we pray for all of you in the steps God is leading you in and that you would know that we thank the Lord for your influence and blessing.

All our love,

Toby, Cari, Cade and Ainsley

The Diva.

Had to add this photo because this is pretty much what my bells is doing all the time. She is such a reach-er, and usually swiping things from you left and right!!! So if you are around the bells with Honey Nut Cheerios, Graham crackers, or the camera watch out because she will try to take a swipe at it. What a little Diva!

Ainsley's new favorite toy!! She loves it so much she starts clapping for herself! Thank you Mamaw and Pawpa!!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday Mamaw!!!

Happy Birthday Mom/Mamaw! We all know how special you are to us but we want to say it anyway. Mamaw, you are a Godly woman who is so caring and thoughtful. We all love you so much and we are so glad that we have you in our lives. Happy birthday and please know we love you!

We love you,
Toby, Cari, Cade and Ainsley

Yummy!! Ainsley's new favorite meal!!!

The girl scarfed down some spagettii!! It was hilarious, we could not get it on her tray fast enough! She was gobbling it by the handfuls!! This will be a great pic to pull out when she is about 16!!! LOVE MY GIRL BABY!!!

Shavin' His Wiskers!

Well, we can hardly believe it but Cade is already shaving! If you have missed a few years between his birth and this most recent moment of him growing facial hair, so have we. Cade got a Cars shaving kit this Christmas from his Aunt Mangie. The complete kit included Lighting McQueen shaving cream, a water gun shaver and Action Apple Shampoo. We blinked and he became a man :)

Extreme Home Makeover House

Toby got the opportunity to work on one of the Extreme Home Makeover Homes right before Christmas..pretty cool.
They were making a home for a family here in Keller, I think the air date is sometime in February..I have actually had to take a break from that show because it would just tear me up and I would think about those precious families for days, bless their hearts...but I think I am ready to get back on it, I love shows like that!
Anyway, cool house and pretty neat operation according to Toby...He was able to volunteer with some of our local coaches and area FCA kids. The next day we thought about how cool it was for that family that was just chillin' in their new house, so awesome......MOVE THAT BUS!!!

A little bit of this and that from our 2008 Christmas Season!

The Honest Scrap Award

Well, as I was thinking of how to start off the 2009 year on this little blog I became aware of an award that I had been given by my beautiful and hilariously funny friend Kelli Jones! Perfect! I am honored to be given this award, and feel a little humbled to be considered worthy of Honest Scrap!! But I love it and thought it was a perfect way to start out a new year...honest!! So thank you my sweet friend Kelli, you are so precious to me and I am honored to share in this award with you!!!

Okay so 10 honest things about me....hmmmmmm....
10. I don't know if anyone will know what I mean when I say Yogi Bearisms, but I do those all the time. For example we saw a man with a dog in Southlake over the summer...the man had one arm and was walking a dog...what did I say? "Look Toby, it's like a not seeing eye, seeing eye dog!" I have know idea what I meant when I said that, so if you don't either - that's the point!!! :) I'm so corky!
9. I love Disney movies! I mean I could win anytime, anywhere playing the Disney version of Scene It. Some of my favorites include Sleeping Beauty, The Apple Dumplin' Gang movies (not animated), Polyanna, Summer Magic, The Little Mermaid, The Incredibles, Toy Story...I could probably go on but those give you an idea. My family and I went to Disney World when I was younger and it was seriously one of the greatest trips my family has ever been on! It really was magically!
8.Okay so honest scrap right here...My biggest pet peeve is bad customer service. That is something that can really send me sailing. I try not to let it overtake me anymore, but I have a huge problem with the way the retail/service industry handles it's customers. Not that I feel I am always right, but I do expect help. My grandpa spent years in the upper management of TG&Y stores and has expert opinions on retail stores, and on top of that I received my degree in Apparel Design and Merchandising with a minor in Marketing....so I guess I have history and feel justified in having an opinion on the fact that no one wants to work anymore! And the worst part about it is that I have started to feel sorry for the individuals that give me horrible service convincing myself they must just hate their jobs...it makes me feel a little more gracious when I am about to pull my hair out!!!!
7. I love a good book. I love Nickolaus Sparks books, Richard Paul Evans and any motivational/self help book...I need a lot of advice, so I feel like I can never make enough deposits on how to help myself have a better life! :) But seriously nothing is better than curling up and getting lost in a good book, it is probably how I unwind best.
6. Coffee. It has become an experience for me. I actually have become what my husband refers to as the "master of the reheat". On average, I will work a cup of coffee and reheat it for 45 seconds at a time in our microwave at least 20 times a morning. Enjoying it to the last drop, even if it takes me until 11 in the morning! I'm a mom, I get distracted and then because I have to drink my coffee hot I do the reheat! I cannot tell you how many times Toby will open the microwave to a cup of coffee sitting in there post reheat that has just been forgotten about. :) Coffee is definitely an experience for me and I have many special moments in my life that have happened while sharing a cup of coffee with my Toby, precious family, sweet friends or just between myself and the Lord. There is just nothing like a good strong pot of coffee and hazelnut creamer! Yum!
5. I still wear my retainer. Only at night, but yes I still wear my retainer. I have an obsessive fear that I will wake up one morning and my teeth will have moved and I will have a quarter size gap in between my two front teeth. Boring and so dorky, but none the less honest scrap!!!
4. I have a huge fear of semi-trucks...I mean if I am not driving I have to close my eyes when we drive past them. I literally close my eyes, and say some sort of rosary and will not open my eyes until Toby says that we have past the truck! If I am driving I don't close my eyes but my steering wheel grip gets a little tighter!
3. I love a good story about someone overcoming the odds. Especially in sports. Even just thinking about some of my favorites gives me inspiration. Team Hoyt is the most incredible story www.teamhoyt.com check it out. The story of Adam Bender the little boy that only has one leg and plays baseball, football and soccer. I love the movie Chariots of Fire, the story of Eric Liddell and how his faith propelled his speed. The numerous stories that come out of the Olympics, The Iron Man Triathlon, all the stories that ESPN runs on student athletes that have overcome obstacles to make a difference for their families, communities or themselves.
2. I LOVE being a stay at home mom. It is such a precious gift from the Lord and I absolutely love it. My kids are grace gifts from the Lord that every day remind me of how merciful God is to me. It is hard work and just like everyone else I have my "days", but the time spent with them in Joy overwhelms the few "days" that I have. Cade Everett and Ainsley Belle add laughter, joy, challenges, tears both happy and sad, inspiration, fulfillment, creativity, love, and the list could go on and on....I love my precious Cade and Ainsley!
1. I have an adventurous life with my love, my Toby. He is the love of my life and I am honored to be his wife. I still laugh at all his jokes, and think he is the funniest man ever. He can still sweep me off my feet with a look, a laugh or a song. I am so very proud to be his wife and the pilgrimage that the Lord has us on together.

***BONUS, an honest scrap about me that gets it's own moment outside 10 honest points about me, because truth be told this is what it is really about***

I am passionately in love with Jesus. Honest scrap - I desire a gritty, no bull faith that is driving hard after the Lord. The Lord has and is constantly working me in to His image. In the past year the Lord met with me over so many things and has firmly established this life mission statement as the goal and I have it written in the front of my Bible so I won't forget - I am here to love the Lord with my whole heart, my whole soul and my whole mind but I have a broken heart, a broken soul and a broken mind. So I have to take those before the Father so that He can appropriate the blood of His Son and grow a tenacity, a strength, a steadiness on the inside so that I can withstand the overwhelming requirement of my outside calling.-

So there it is, Cari's Honest Scrap! In following with the rules of the Honest Scrap award I am to nominate 5 others to do the same, offering the blogging world a honest look into your lives! Drum roll please......

1. Jennah Gassid
2. Jafaar Gassid
3. Missy Pennington
4. Lisa Farden
5. Toby Trotter

And so I have passed on this prestigious award and you are to offer 10 honest things about yourself and add 5 more people including me as having passed it on to you! Have fun!!!

God Bless and Happy New Year!!!!!!!!