I Have Never Been to Seminary....

Well, that is of course unless you count the one course I decided to take at the College of Biblical Studies. I took Old Testament in Spanish. Looking back that definetly was not the smartest idea in the world..mainly because I used my old King James Spanish Bible to read it all. If you know me you know that Spanish is not my first language so reading it is a struggle. My Spanish is probably on level with a 5th grader. That being said, I didn't quit finish all the reading I was supposed to. Don't ask me why I didn't just use my English language Bible to do the reading so that I could get all of the reading done. I think I was trying to get the full effect of being enrolled in a Spanish Bible class. The professor had us use the honor code to tell him how much we actually read of the assigned reading. Well, me with my honesty earned myself a C. Great job! So I guess I have taken 1 seminary class and I was sub par at it. You are probably wondering why I am writing about seminary. I have realized lately that I don't speak out in boldness more or write more because I am afraid that I will take something out of context or that I don't actually know enough to even write about "spiritual matters." (2 Timothy 4:2) The last thing I would want to do is mislead others or say something that I am not really sure about. However, my neighbor Dan always says that when you are silent it means that you are agreeing. I am not even sure that is biblical at all, but for some reason I always play that phrase in my head every time I hear someone say something I don't really agree with. Lately though I have found myself being quiet more than I would like to. That is of course because you know I haven't been to seminary so I probably don't know what the heck I am talking about. I know the Lord has given me boldness to speak, but I think maybe He has forgotten that I haven't been to seminary. Chalk it up to my Type A personality, but I just have a need to be right and if I am not I hate to go back and humbly correct everyone about my mistake. Is the voice that I hear at times the Holy Spirit telling me to stay quiet because what I am wanting to say is not out of love? Or is it Satan condemning me and filling my head with lies saying that I don't know what the Word of God is really saying because I don't have my masters of divinity? Shouldn't I know the difference in the two voices...?? So I just stay quiet...

Manvel vs Texas City

It has been a long time since I have posted on this blog. The last thing I posted on here were pictures of Manvel. Chad has since become the Offensive Coordinator at Texas City. Chad coached at Manvel HS with his brother for 3 years, and they will be coaching against each other on Friday. His brother still coaches on the deffensive side of the ball at Manvel. Manvel is undefeated and is ranked #6 in the state right now. They have already secured a position in the playoffs. Texas City on the other hand will need to win their last 2 games if they have any hopes of making the playoffs. TC has not made the playoffs in 3 years. Coach Finn wanted Chad to help with the offensive side of the ball which is why he hired him. The offense has actually done pretty well considering how young they are. Chad has a sophomore QB, reciever, and 2 running backs.. so the future looks good as far as all of that is concerned. They just will need to be able to get into the playoffs to be able to see these young boys grow up. We knew when Chad took the job that it would be a stressful situation... a "MUST WIN" situation. We have felt the stress of that all year...especially since we decided that I would stay home and raise the kids this year. I sit in the stands every Friday with my inlaws and children and listen to the cries of the ruthless fans every week. They lost to LaMarque last Friday and some man went to the very front of the stands and screamed at the sidelines "You guys need to be fired!" My blood boiled....the week before a different man did the same thing. It is very hard to sit quietly in the stands and listen to people bashing the coaches. As a wife you know exactly how hard they work and how they truly form relationships with the boys they coach. However, all the fans care about on Friday night is wins and losses. They aren't at all concerned with how the coaches are actually influencing these men to become great men that achieve much in life. They don't care that they are in one of the toughest districts in the state and almost beat the #5 ranked team that is Pearland Dawson the week before. They don't care that the sweet young daughter of Coach Finn who actually attends TCHS is sitting in the stands listening to them bash her hero. They just want to see their team WIN. It is the nature of the business....so we all have no choice but to suck it up.

I constantly feel like I want to pray about it, but I have had many conversations with the Lord about whether or not He really cares about who wins or loses a football game. I am sure the wives on the other team are also praying for their husbands so how does the Lord know whose prayer to answer? I have resigned to asking him to just give Chad wisdom to call the right plays at the right times...and I think He has answered that. Let's hope he continues to do that for the rest of the season!

Two-A-Days

Daddy and Linc!


My roots will be fixed on Friday, ok!

Linc and Daddy again!

Manvel Maverick Football 2010

Two a days started about a week and a half ago and Chad has been out in the blistering heat all day long. Linc and I have been enjoying our last 2 weeks together before I have to go back to work (BOOOOO!). This was the first time that we all took football pictures as a family. I hope the professional ones came out nice. Chad has been super busy preparing his 2 quarterbacks for the upcoming season. The text messages I receive from him (when I do) typically say things like "sloppy practice" or "tonight we are going to watch the practice film and evaluate the qbs ok". I am pretty sure he is just being nice and including me because he knows I can't evaluate any sort of QB. Every single Friday from now until November will be filled with a football game. This is Chad's passion. He loves it and to be honest he is really good at it. So here is hoping the Mavericks have the best football season yet.

Baby Diego and some other pics

Me, Lincoln, and Uncle Ernie (notice the drool on his shoulder courtesy of Linc)

Baby Diego Roque and Lincoln Butler (don't be fooled they are both half Pruneda)

Grandma and Grandpa!!

Sally's (my college roomie) brood came to meet Lincoln!

The original Pruneda crew...look at my dad striking a pose...somebody whistle at that man!!

Baby Diego Hector Roque was born on June 25th, 2010. He decided to be just as long as Lincoln at 21 inches, but he was a little chunkier (8lbs. 3 ozs) than Linc at his birth. He is already sprinkling his mommy and letting her know what it's like to be a mother to a boy :) The Pruneda's were up here for his birth and even Uncle Ernie made it down. He lasted for 8 long days. He has since said that he will no longer stay in Texas for longer than 6 days at a time. Can you believe that?? Please forgive him Lone Star State... he has no idea what he is saying. Clearly the New Yorkers have brainwashed him!! Nevertheless, we had fun with him and Linc enjoyed meeting him for the very first time. My baby is now 6 months old today... sniff, sniff!!

Encouragement??

I have been reading James Dobson's book for most of the summer and let me tell you I don't understand where the encouragement is. You see on the maroon line where it says, "practical advice and encouragement...??" Well, let me tell you I am still searching for that part. In its defense I have not quite finished the book, but I am pretty close. I have learned so much from this book. I do recommend it, but as a mother it has proven to me that I don't know much about raising a boy AT ALL!! Basically a lot of their raising depends on their fathers!! There is a whole chapter devoted to the negative effects of the lack of a father figure in a young boy's life. I am very blessed that Chad loves to spend lots of time with Linc, but I am wondering where my role is in all of the raising?? I hope I don't nag him to death with my comments of " well the book says you should....." I am sure he won't appreciate that too much. I think the main thing I am supposed to do is keep Linc alive because from what I can tell he will be getting into fights, jumping off of trees, playing with all kinds of unsanitary animals, and engaging in whatever risky behavior is available. One thing that I know I have to do is protect my marriage. Unfortunately for young boys when a divorce happens the father typically leaves and the boy no longer has a regular example of how to be a man. A mother can try her best, but in adolescense she doesn't really have a clue. Marriage is fragile especially if you take seriously 1 Peter 5:8 (New King James Version)
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. It sucks to know that Satan hates marriage, but I am sure that he knows that if he can destroy that he can easily get to our kids. May Christ be greater in my family and yours and may we constantly seek His face so that He can show us how to avoid life's pitfalls!

More AR Pics

Duke on his wild horse.


Victoria is getting so big. She is going to high school this year. Such a beautiful girl.

Juliet had a wild little horse and the trail guide called her fluffy. So rude!! She has such a compassionate heart.

Pawpaw with his twin. While we were in AR a random man told him that we didn't need to take a DNA test to find out if Linc was related to him. Pawpaw grinned from ear to ear all day long!!

Linc and his mommy. I love holding him. He is the sweetest little guy!

Arkansas Trip 5 months

Thanks to a very generous Pawpaw we were all able to travel up to Arkansas to meet Linc's great grandmother, Bon-bon. I had no idea that Arkansas was so beautiful. We stayed at a lodge up on Queen Wilhemenia mountain. We went horse back riding, rode the train, and went to the neatest little wildlife refuge. I would post those pictures, but Chad was in charge of the camera and instead of taking pictures he always seems to want to film everything. So I have like 20 little video snippets.


Me, Linc, and Chad at the Red River.

The Butler family on the Wilhemnia train.

Linc and Daddy at the Red River.

Memaw, Bon-bon and their grandkids.