We had so much fun in Vegas, and it was nice to be able to have some one on one time with my best friend. So many funny stories and moments that I wouldn't even know what to share. Our time was filled with so much laughter. A few of our high points:

  Definitely the Phantom of the Opera! We were able to find a super good deal and I wasn't even sure where we were sitting, turns out we were in the FRONT ROW! The show in itself was amazing and then to be that close made it even better.

  We had a lot of laughs at the wax museum as well. There was a haunted section and I didn't want to go in but there was this other fun couple there that convinced us to go. Travis was at the end and I was in front of him. I am a total scaredy cat anyway, but it was kinda funny...well freaky, but funny for the fact that these people would always chase after the last person (who was Travis) and he would push me forward saying hurry up. hahaha Then at the end of the wax museum there were more wax people, one of them being this guy sitting in a chair. So I was telling Travis man some of these look so real. I got in closer to take a look at his face and touched his arm and he turned and looked at me. OH MY GOSH!! I felt so absolutely retarded. Hahaha

  Another moment I thought was absolutely hilarious even though Travis didn't.. we were shopping in this store and there was a guy who was just staring at Travis. He was getting irritated so he tried to give him the evil eye which obviously didn't look to evil because he started flirting with Travis. LOL Travis didn't think it was to funny but man I sure did.

  One of the greatest things was just doing whatever we wanted to do whenever we wanted to do it. Lounging by the pool was wonderful. (Travis looks like a tomato) ;-) It was a great time! Anyway, here are a few pictures.

Travis being bored followed by me being retarded. We're a great combination. :p

This is the man I grew to love, he's so suave. ;-)

Travis tried sushi for the first time...not a fan. That's ok, I think I would rather shoot myself in the foot then try raw fish, or fish of any kind for that matter. He did convince me to try some but I am just not a fish girl I thought it tasted like sawdust mixed with....I don't know something nasty. To each his own.

It seems to always be in the late hours of the night that I feel compelled to spill my guts on this blog these days. Maybe it's because it's one of few times when I am without the distraction of little kids and can really just sit down and reflect on what has been happening in my life these days.

As a believer who has chosen to submit my life to Christ I know that for as long as I live I will always be a work in progress. I know that I am not perfect, and I never will be! Yet I still strive for perfection and will inevitably always be disappointed when I fall short. This life is filled with so many different challenges.

These past couple weeks I have been praying that God would fill my days with whatever he chooses. It has really been an amazing thing. People I haven't seen in years have called me up and asked to get together. The outcome of meeting with some of these wonderful women was truly humbling. Sometimes I can get so stuck on my struggles and desires that I just plain forget to focus on others. I get consumed in a world of self pity where it's all about me. Meeting with some of these women has opened my eyes to the fact that we live in a broken world where pain and dissatisfaction are thriving. Hearing some of their stories has been so challenging for me. I came home one day and I sat in a room absolutely broken hearted and wept before God. I serve the most loving and compassionate God, but the truth is just because we choose to follow him in no way guarantees that we will live an easy life. We can't separate ourselves from suffering. Our choice is how we're going to respond to it. Every believer will have to undergo trials, testing, suffering, pain, sorrow, abuse, reviling, ordeals, and persecution. Sometimes we bring suffering on ourselves because of our own sinful attitudes and behavior, and other times we are handed an awful hand of cards and we have to learn to roll with it. As Christians we were called to suffering (1 Peter 2:21) it is to remind us of the suffering and great sacrifice that God endured on our behalf. The truth, no matter how devastating it may be, is that God is always faithful. He knows what he's doing even when we don't.

In some of life's challenges all we can do is take it one day at a time, sometimes even minutes at a time. It may simply be waking up in the morning and choosing to cling to Christs promises. The truth is that God uses us in our weaknesses. He uses the weak to lead the strong and he allows us to be completely broken to remind us that we are worthless without him. We all have struggles and do things that grieve our heavenly father. No matter who we are able to hide our sin from we are naked before God and he sees everything, and he loves us anyway!

Just another random thought from the late night mind of Darci.

I know that am sometimes perceived as being a little eccentric. Not necessarily crazy but a little bit out of the norm. I may tend to say the silly thing (which in my head makes perfect sense, but in reality is way off). I dream big, always get these extravagant ideas about something. I play the entire thing out in my head down to every last detail, then when it comes time to put it all into action I get easily stressed and discouraged and then ultimately disappointed and convince myself that the whole thing as the stupidest idea in the first place. I look at things sometimes in a completely different point of view then most. I feel like I have these passions inside of me, these hopes and desires for myself, my family, my marriage and no one understands them but me. I feel people look at me with such disdain and it causes me to doubt everything I feel inside of me.

The other day I was thinking about that. Why would God give me all of these thoughts and feelings and then have them brushed off by others as just another crazy Darci moment. I try to justify myself to others in attempts that they may at least pretend to understand but when they don't I take it personally against myself.

 I was watching my sweet little Avery and all of a sudden I just got it. Avery is me, she it totally a little me. She is such an adorable and loving little space case. She is often running into walls and falling down. She will carry on a conversation with herself that only she can understand and then laugh. She looks at me and says the simplest little sentence about absolutely nothing but she does it with these eyes that are big and innocent filled with made up adventure. She is often off in her one little world, but I look at her and all I can see is this unique little girl full of wonder. I know that God has a special purpose for her, something that just not anyone could do. I was reminded that this indescribable love that I have for her is the same love that God has for me. I look at all of my girls and see these distinct things about them that make them special. These traits that I am so proud of and the thought of someone causing them to doubt them or themselves breaks my heart. It makes me want to constantly affirm and encourage growth in those areas. Thinking of my children in that way is what caused me to realize that that is exactly how my precious heavenly father views me. He watches me in heaven and he sees this stumbly and imaginative little girl and says oh Darci how I love your creativity and your zeal for life and parenthood. Please don't let my other children steal that away from you because it was my gift to you.

I encourage you to not feel pressured to conform into who you think you are supposed to be, but instead find joy in who you were created to be.

Happy 30th Birthday to my handsome man!! He may be 30 but he sure doesn't act it. haha I love his so much!!

Avery will always be at the party if there's cake! She is a little cake monster, all you have to do is mention the word birthday and the first thing she says is CAKE!!!

Some of our wonderful friends that came over to make Travs day special.

SURPRISE!!! Travis thought we were just going to go out for dinner but little did he know if was time for another birthday celebration. My parents were so wonderful to come and watch the girls so we could have a weekend to ourselves. We ended up staying at the reef and hanging out at the indoor waterslides the next day. =)

He really is an old man... but I love him sooo much!!

This last year was a hard year for Travis and I. Lots of tough stuff going on. Even though it was challenging at times it also allowed us to grow together so much and really rely on God and completely trust that he has our back no matter what. Through it all we realized what amazing friends we have and truly blessed we are by them. For my birthday this last year a bunch of my girlfriends went together to make sure it was extra special for me. They planned an amazing day for me that I so didn't deserve. They had a bunch of clues for me all day to follow, so when I woke up in the morning I got to meet a couple friends for coffee. After that I met my amazing husband for lunch, and then went to get a wonderful massage. Then I went home and showered quick and met my friend Sherry and she took some amazing maternity pictures for me. Then I got to meet about 10 or 12 of my girlfriends at the Olive Garden for dinner and we all went to a movie after. I must say that it was definitely a day that I felt completely loved and honored. These are a few of those great pictures Sherry took.