the most amazing gift!

For my little brother's 17th Birthday, my parents gave him one of the most amazing gifts ever!

Trent lives, eats, and breathe's football. Period. Anyone who knows Trent, knows this fact. It's apparent in every aspect of his life.

He went to a football camp at J.M.U this summer, and came home completely changed. He learned not only how to excel on the field, and become a better player, but more so a better competitor for Christ.

Awesome!

So, my Dad took a picture of Trent at one of his games, and worked some photo magic. The outcome is too amazing for words. The creed along the side was inscribed on the FCA Bible he recieved at camp. I'll repost the creed. It's blurry if I blow it up.

I am a Christian first and last.

I am created in the likeness of
God Almighty to bring Him glory.
I am a member of Team Jesus Christ.
I wear the colors of the cross.

 I am a Competitor now and forever.
I am made to strive, to strain,
to stretch and to succeed
in the arena of competition.
I am a Christian Competitor
and as such, I face my challenger
with the face of Christ.

 I do not trust in myself.
I do not boast in my abilities
or believe in my own strength.
I rely solely on the power of God.
I compete for the pleasure of
my Heavenly Father, the honor of Christ
and the reputation of the Holy Spirit.

 My attitude on and off
the field is above reproach -
my conduct beyond criticism.
Whether I am preparing,
practicing or playing;
I submit to God's authority
and those He has put over me.
I respect my coaches, officials,
teammates and competitors
out of respect for the Lord.

 My body is the temple of Jesus Christ.
I protect it from within and without.
Nothing enters my body that
does not honor the Living God.
My sweat is an offering to my Master.
My soreness is a sacrifice to my Savior.

 I give my all - all of the time.
I do not give up. I do not give in.
I do not give out. I am the Lord’s warrior -
a competitor by conviction
and a disciple of determination.
I am confident beyond reason
because my confidence lies in Christ.
The results of my efforts
must result in His glory.

 LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN.
LET THE GLORY BE GOD'S.

Can I get a AMEN?? Now THAT just gives me chills! I am so very proud!!









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happy birthday, baby trent

I remember the night my Mom and Dad told us 4 children, that we were getting a new baby brother. We were having spaghetti.

My Dad cried.

Chance objected, saying..."I don't want to share my room with another boy!"

I asked if another kid would possibly fit in our tiny Ford Arrow Star van?

My Mom just smiled.

And a few months later on July 25, 1994. We all welcomed a little 7 lb 4 oz baby boy named Trent Sterling into the world. Compared to the rest of us, he was the Williamson with the smallest birth weight. My Mother yelled at the Dr, "No! He's too small, put him back in!"

He slept in his pac-n-play in my parents huge walk in closet for the first two years of his life, simply because there wasn't any room in our tiny 3 bedroom home.

I loved being his "second mother", and always felt the need to carry him around on my hip. He called me Kiki.

He learned to drive the same 1995 Chevy Surburban that me, Chance, Alexa, & Austin drove. Yes, we still have that thing. Mom and Dad always said, "Once you learn to drive this big truck, you can drive anything."

Today he turns 17 years old.

He loves his Lord, serving others, family memories, scary movies, the beach, friends, football, dancing, and rap.

Baby Trent, Happy Birthday sweet brother! Thank you for bringing such joy to my life, and not being too old to still hold my hand. May today be filled with all the things you love the most. I love you so very much!

All my love,
Kiki

hello summer

I got my new Athleta catalog in the mail yesterday. Happy day :)
Check out this little number

Perfect little backyard BBQ/beachy/date night summer dress, don't you think?

I'm lovin' it.

the craziest thing i've probably ever heard

So, y'all are not even going to believe the story I am about to tell you...

But it's the truth...

The terribly painful, God's honest truth.

Two weeks ago, over the 4th of July weekend, I discovered a little black "cut" on my toe...the soft spot between my pinky and 4th toe. Random? Yes, but these things do happen, right?

It didn't hurt badly, just more annoying than anything. So, I cleaned it properly and figured it would heal quickly. As the week went on, I noticed the little black cut started to move? What began between my toe's, was now in the middle of my foot, and left a little red trail in it's path.

"Maybe it's a splinter?" After all, it's summer, and 98% of the time I'm usually in flipflops, or bare foot. But this seemed deeper than any splinter I had ever had as a kid, and it HURT like craziness. Plus, how would one get a "splinter" between one's toe?? Yeah...not so much.

By Saturday evening, I was limping, and on the verge of tears. Whatever was habitating in my foot was causing a painful infection. I sat in the bathroom floor late that night, trying to pick it out...panicked at this point that it was some kind of little creature. Nick wanted to take me to the ER, and I refused. How humiliating!

"Hi, can you please cut this "worm" out of my foot?" Fail!

So, Sunday morning, we set off for the Dr. All the while, thinking...

How did it get in there?
Is "it" alive?
Why is it moving?
Please, just get it out!

After about a million questions from the Dr...including, "Kristin, have you been to Africa recently? There are dangerous parasites/worms that dwell in damp area's, and can find their way into the body upon direct contact."

SERIOUSLY??

A few minutes later

Y'all. I was freaking out!

So, in comes the Dr. and the nurse, and a few other on lookers.

Followed by a big ol' shot of Lidocaine. That. Mess. KILLS!!!
Then he cut my foot open, and went hunting. Would you like to know what he found?

A hair.

That's right, kids. A dog hair that belongs to my little black rat terrier, Cowboy.

Your probably all wondering the same thing.

HOW????

As was I. However, I think this one just cannot be explained. Somehow, one of Cowboy's little hairs found it's way into my skin, and started movin' and groovin'. The infection began when my body could not rid itself of this little foreign hair. I stumped every single person in that office.
I even got to take my hair home. In a speciman cup.

I'm not gonna lie. I was really hoping that after going through all of that, I would have more to show than a wimpy dog hair. Come on, a worm would make me seem like a warrior.

So, word of the day, dog lovers. Beware of stray hairs. You just never know :)

Cowboy, I still love ya, buddy!

xoxo,
K

happy 4th!

Hey y'all! How was your 4th? What fun things did you do?

Lots to catch up on...but in the meantime, enjoy gazing at the cuttest, most festive cake EVER!

Seriously, in love!

http://pinterest.com/pin/52249994

More to come,
xo