KBug's robot

While Randy & I were dating and I was living in north Dallas, we became a part of the TCAL Launch team. TCAL (our church) is in Mansfield so the delimma of distance faced me each weekend. Add to that, Randy lived in Cedar Hill and it make it even more complicated. Thankfully Paul & Shannon invited me to stay with them on the weekend in their guest room. I became their "live-in, adopted, single daughter." I spent many a Saturday morning at Kayleigh's soccer games. Each weekend was a sweet time with them. I got to be apart of TCAL, see Randy more, and not have to drive so far on Sunday mornings for church. Paul married Randy & I and Shannon was our wedding coordinator. :) So when I found out Shannon & Kayleigh were struggling with a school project - I volunteered to help. Kayleigh had to build a robot that was at least 1 foot tall. It could move, have lights, and had to use 2 & 3 dimensional shapes (still not sure what other kind we could have used, but I digress). Monday night after work, I headed over and Shannon and I started brainstorming (Kayleigh was at soccer practice). I came up with the cool idea to make it look like a book with arms and a head. Shannon thought a dog-bot would be cute. Neither made the cut with Kayleigh though. We ended up making a good-ol'fashioned robot - complete with wires, tin foil, glue and antennae. It turned out really good. After we (Shannon & I) built the body, Kayleigh pretty much did the rest. We offered ideas and helped with the contruction of it - but it was Kayleigh who make the final decision on what it looked like. Isn't it cute? It's name is PT - and no it doesn't stand for anything.

Power of prayer (& blogging)

Since I've been blogging, I have "met" some amazing people. I say "met" because I haven't really met most of the people whose blogs I follow. But reading their blogs and following their lives, gives you the feeling that you know them. One in particular needs our prayers right now - MckMama and baby Stellan. You can go here to read more about them. Their story is a story of faith and complete surrender to God's will.

Valentine's Bike Ride

So this post is a little late - but better late than never, right?!

This year Valentine's Day kind of snuck up on me. I mean, I knew it was coming (it comes every year), but with work and life, I just let it come up on me without planning for it. You see while Randy and I were dating, I would plan for a month or two for something special to do for him. I made him picture frames with pictures of us in them one year and the year before we were married, I made him a t-shirt that says "I heart Rachel." I have one that says "I heart Randy." Last year I made him a collage that listed things I love about him. Well, this year I struggled. Not because I didn't try, I just was having creativity-block. So I did the next best thing. I bought Randy books. Crazy? I know. When I met Randy he wasn't into reading for fun. I LOVE books. That all changed when me and my brother got him to read the Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker. He loved them! So I got him 2 of the Books of History Chronicles. I think he has already finished them both. lol!

We went out to eat on Friday the 13th (to avoid the crowds) and on Valentine's Day we went bike riding at a trail in Grapevine. It was supposed to be a beginner/intermediate trail. I've never been mountain bike riding with Randy before, so wanted to start off easy. I crashed within 5 minutes of starting the trail. Thankfully I landed on the rocks instead of the cacti plants on the other side of the trail. :) After letting me know that I'm never to use my front brake, and helping me get my bike back up, Randy led the way again. Yeah, I think we must have found the intermediate parts of the trail. There were several dry stream crossings that were a little challenging for this beginner. But I stuck with it and Randy encouraged me the entire way. We finally found the easier part of the trail and I was finally feeling comfortable riding. We rode for a while and then decided to turn around. I'm pleased to say there were no more major crashes, just one big bruise on the back of my calf from my pedal. We made it! It was pretty fun. I definitely want to go again. Afterwards, Randy took me to Ritzy's - a great hamburger place in Grapevine. It is really similar to Steak-n-Shake, but their shakes are twice as big. All in all, it was a great Valentine's day.