Blogging Blah's

Well, it has been far too long since our last post. I think that we both have had a case of the blogging blah's...

"So," you ask, "what have the West's been up to since the pandemonium that erupted with the Peterson's?" Plenty actually...but, in order to keep the post from getting too long too quick, consider this the highlight reel with more to come:

~Erin attended the Christ the King women's retreat
~Brian spent time in Orlando helping to plan the next National Youth Gathering
~Erin celebrated her 28th birthday...yeah!
~A 30 year roof was put onto the house
~Brian's parents came for a visit which included a honky tonk and dolphins
~Kairos (the young adult ministry @ CTK) has expanded into downtown Houston.
~Panera (St. Louis Bread Co. for all those at home) opened a store 15 minutes from our house...bagels were had by all
~We ate a wonderful pub in downtown called "The Flying Saucer" complete with golf tees (we'll explain later)
~Brian gathered again to plan the National Youth Gathering while Erin visited Kari in San Antonio
~Hurricane Salte came through town (Ryan, KerriAnn and Anna got to experience it first hand)
~The first of many weddings commenced last night

There are many others...many of which will come to you in soon to be posts. But until then, know that we think of you often and look forward to hearing from y'all (we're working on the southern thing).

2+2=Mass Chaos

This Christmas we were blessed with the arrival of...not a little one...not a red-suited man...but two of our closest friends, Ryan and Kristy Peterson.

In order to escape the rather cold, blustery state of Missouri, Ryan and Kristy quickly sought refuge in a warmer climate. They said to themselves, "who do we know that lives in a warm place?" Ryan, being the mastermind that he is said, "Brian and Erin live in Texas!" Kristy, hesitant to venture to the Lone Star State for fear of tumble-weed attacks, consented only after assurance of beaches and 80 degree weather.

Upon their arrival, chaos erupted in the Greater Houston area as two sets of friends reunited at long last (hear the music)! Our time together was short, but filled with infinite smiles and loads of laughter. Below are a few pictures of the rauckus time had here in H-town!

Merry CHRISTmas

"For the Mighty One has done great things for me: and holy is His name." (Luke 1.40)

Merry Christmas to all our friends and family! We hope and pray that your holiday is one filled with an unsurpassing peace and an abounding joy! We pray that the coming year brings smiles, hugs, laughter and good cheer; for God has done great things and holy is His name.

Where Do Christmas Trees Come From?

Apparently Christmas Trees sprout through the floors of people's living rooms here in Texas. They say everything is bigger and better here in the Lone Star State...including the tree picking process!

About a week ago, Brian and I arrived home from a night at Bill's with our Kairos group to a soft glow in the back corner of our living room. No, we hadn't been visited by aliens, although we did begin to wonder. In fact, a Christmas Tree, lights ornamnets, garland and all, had literally appeared out of thin air in our absence. (Thus the pondering of alien presence in our home!)

There were only two realisitc conclusions one could come to after experiencing such an event... 1. Christmas Trees sprout through the floors of people's living rooms here in Texas - trimmings and all, or 2. Someone had been tracking our every move for months in order to commit a perfectly timed drive-by Christmas Tree deposit.

Ultimately, we are blessed to have parishioners who enjoy spreading Christmas cheer and spirit. Since the appearance of our tree, we have been blessed by the gifting of a variety of beautiful and memorable ornaments from numerous members who have touched our lives in the past 5 months. We pray you also may experience the shock and awe of Christ's action in your lives this Christmas season. That God would send his only Son, born in a manger, made man, only to die for the sins of a lost and fallen world. Amen!

(Disclaimer: We did not purchase this ornament...it was given to us. But, we admit that we have a little chuckle every time we see it.)

Tea Time

This past weekend I was priviledged to act as a co-hostess at our church's Christmas Tea. Thanks to Stephanie, my co-hostess, our table had a wonderful time! Having never been to a Christmas Tea, Stephanie was my window into how the whole thing comes together. If you're like me and have never been to a Christmas Tea before, let me explain what this means...

The Christmas Tea is designed to be an evening of fellowship for women based around hot drinks, yummy desserts, fellowship, and the story of Christmas. This year our church was able to reach out to approximately 350 women from the community! How exciting!

Each year women from the congregation are asked to host a table for 8. This means making a dessert (or buying ones for those who are in a time crunch...or can't bake), decorating a table (dishes, decorations, and inexpensive favors), and being willing to serve those who sit with them. The exciting aspect to this women's event is outreach. Many women invite friends and neighbors who either don't have a church home or may not know Christ as their Savior.

Below I've posted a few pictures. You'll see the table Stephanie and I decorated, the yummy dessert we ate (chocolate cheesecake...mmmm), and the women who sat at our table. Two of whom I didn't previously know, so that was fun!

Stephanie, if you're reading this, thanks again for your hard work and help. We made a superb team and I really enjoyed this opportunity to become closer friends.

Reunited at Last

This past weekend I was priviledged to see my good friend Ryan. We were so happy to see each other that he made the face you see...

He's obviously happy to see you too!

Chili Cook-Off

This past Saturday was the Chili Cook-Off... something we think only exists in the state of Texas. Needless to say, it was a barrel of fun.

We were entertained by a band while tasting 16 different chilis of varying degrees of hot"ness". In order to counter-act the effect from all the chili (which was swirling around in the stomach), tums were placed on every tables so that those in attendance wouldn't pass out, blow up, or run to the bathroom in despair.

Below are only a few picture of the chilis that we preferred. Use the comments link or chatterbox to describe your favorite chili!

Thanks for Coming!!!

Thanks for coming Nora! We had a great time...

Love you!