Team Tuohy

For Christmas this year we dropped our sweet little Lincoln off at the Marsh's and headed across the pond to England for some holiday cheer Tuohy style! We had such a wonderful trip spending quality time with Mike's family and enjoying the country we spent our first year as a married couple in! Nana greeted us with a cowgirl's hat, Sammi and I indulged in our favorite chips (chrips) over girl time and spark slobbered Michael with his love all while we were spoiled rotten by the wonderful parents God blessed us with! It is always fun how it seems like no time has passed since we were all together, and yet so much has! It was such a treat to get to be involved in all of their family traditions and be a part of the Tuohy family that much more! From santa bags to Pondom hugs and Christmas mass, I now can understand when Michael talks about his past holiday's and smile because I got to be a part of one... Although, I am sure they did not include sammi hurting Lady with a Range Rover!!!

After the actual holiday had passed we got to spend time trotting around the country and seeing the sites! We headed off to Knutsford for a traditional pub meal, yum! Followed by taking a trip into the Plough to pester Miss Samantha at work- then wondered around Wilmslow for a cheesy pasty and a trip into the local shops! Finally ending it all off with a fantastic meal with Mike's family and cousin Stephen to wrap up a wonderful (but fast!) trip!

It really was such a blessing we got to be there and spend time with the family and stuff our faces with our favorite English foods! It reminded us of such a special time in our lives and allowed us to share in something together with the Tuohy's we had not been able to yet as a couple. The trip was short but the memories shall last a long time! Thank you also to the Marsh's who made it all possible and dealt in a joyful manner with all my "worried parent" lists, game plans and late night calls! I know him and Gracie had a ball- you are troopers!

Below are some of the best moments from our trip!

Christmas Morning at Nana's!

Christmas morning and Santa Bags!

Oh Nana!

Tuohy's

Right at Home =)

Happy to be Home!

Sparky Lovin'!

Thank's Granny!

Michael and I were so excited to hear that my younger sister Megan would be joinging us for Thanksgiving this year! We were thrilled to show her our new home, Dallas, and get to spend some quality siblings time together! We got to show her where we live, around the city and spent plenty of time snuggled up on the couch chatting! Our favorite part of having her here was getting to celebrate a day of thanks with such an important person to us! We are so thankful for Meg and that she decided to spend this time with us! We made one heck of a meal, and of course for her - had a great hunny baked ham! On Meg's last day we decided we should go get our pictures for this year's Christmas card taken while we had an extra set of hands. Never did I think it would be so sunny and dry in a Christmas photo! The vest was thrown in for a good for prop however! Take a look below at the outcome and enjoy the "bloopers"!

Merry Christmas <3 Team Tuohy

Sister Time =)

Lincoln's Face!!!

I have this book called when God winks at you by Squire Rushnell that I absolutely am in love with. I got it at the airport years ago when waiting to pick my mom up after her flight had been delayed. It's a cute little book full of stories referred to as "God Winks." Stories of basically coincidences - if you can call them that- that give you the warm fuzzies inside. Well today I had a  God Wink myself, and I thought it was perfect to share as our first post to this lovely new site of ours :)

Last night Michael and I went to a place called Mercy Street in West Dallas. It is a mission right smack dab  in the middle of the projects. We had heard through our church, Watermark, that they had a mentoring program there where you could mentor a child. So being as we both love children we decided to check it out. We headed there having no idea that 15 minutes west of us where one road turns into another that the living conditions changed with that road in such a drastic measure. Already we knew there was a need. Then God jumped in :) - Michael and I walked into the building and  this sweet love of a little boy stood off the couch and melted my heart with his smile and shook both our hands before walking past us to continue on with what he was doing. Let me just tell you, right then and there I was a goner, my heart had been stolen by this child of God's. As Michael and I walked away he could see it written all over my face. I mentioned how much he reminded me of my baby brother who is so dear to my heart and that how could two boys look so much alike to me somehow and have the same loving mannerisms but be living in such drastically different lives. I just couldn't seem to understand- it did not seem fair.

Now, for any of you who know me well know that it is not uncommon for me to get suckered in by a child, homeless man or the elderly but this was something completely different. Never had a child been on my heart like this one. I watched as they finally sent him home late that night, as he seemed to want to stay right there forever, and my heart sank- how badly I wanted to just hug him or tell him how beautiful he was created.... but I did not get the chance. Michael and I left and headed home and before bed we did all we could and we prayed for him. The next day I sent an email to the organizer of this program about some forms we needed to send in and simply just mentioned that the boy that was there when we walked in was so sweet and how excited we were.

Here is where the wink gets cool - he sent an email back to me with a picture of him saying how much he has wanted a mentor and has not been able to find one. REALLY. I was in awe- I was positive he would have been swept up and loved on my somebody already. But no, God with a divine intention had placed this child on our hearts for a reason. We could have walked in a minute later when he was outside playing or I could have simply left that last line from my email - but no it was all orchestrated for more. Don't you just love it when that happens. We sure do.
Until Next time...



UPDATE: We officially have been mentoring Calvin and a little girl names Sydney now since the end of October. We feel so blessed that God finds us worthy of being in these children's lives and love spending some quality time with them! We will keep you posted along the way!

Calvin and Family!

Sydney and Family!