The Stanphill Family

Full of Thanks

2010-11-24T11:32:00.005-06:00

I am in a thankfulness mood, I guess I am in the spirit of it all...so here goes!

My God, My Savior, My Lord, I can not make this life without you!
My Wife, "She is the wind beneath my wings"...ha ha to me she is more than that!
My family, so diverse and abundant. I am rich in Mothers, Fathers, Brothers, Sisters some of which I have never even lived in your homes! Some of you don't even have the same skin color, that's what I love about family! You mean the world to me!
My Friends, and your recipes to make my face hurt from the smiles and laughs!
The Churches, that have given me the road map to be used by God to reach his kingdom, and the students and leaders that you have allowed me to invest my life!
My Daughter, for puking and peeing on me yesterday, I could not have been happier!
My Mentors, thank you for showing me what it means to be Godly.
Steve Jobs for making my whole life a soundtrack!
Bill Gates for allowing me to leave this world momentarily through video games like Call of Duty and Halo!
Soldiers now and then, for going to distant lands to sweat, bleed, work, and endure for my freedom!

What Have You Been Seeing?

2010-11-05T15:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I took my precious family of three(!!!) to Memphis to see family and friends. It was our first outing with Lyla Pate, and guess what...we forgot to take a camera or take any pictures with our camera phones. We didn't even notice until we were driving home for the evening, and we survived. OK, if you are on Facebook you can see one that I posted of the stroller in the mall.

It was awesome because we didn't have any distractions from living the moment and building memories (versus snapping moments). Susan and I often catch ourselves living life through a camera lens. I am not bashing the camera lens life, but we loose a lot of peripherals when that is all we look through.

I am reminded of the rich young ruler in Matthew 10. He had it all, but was unable to see the peripherals around him. He stood in front of the creator and was unable to recognize the potential of it all. I know you are not the rich young ruler, but like living life through a camera lens we miss peripheral things, what spiritual things are we missing in the peripherals of life? Have you looked for the creator outside of the camera lens?

Fall is here!

2010-10-26T12:10:00.012-05:00

Well it has been a REALLY long time since a member of the Stanphill family has update this blog. So here we go I, Russell, have been inspired to begin writing more often, but a word of warning it may only last a week!

We recently went to a pumpkin patch with miss Lyla Pate. We got some great pictures and had some great memories. She is currently four weeks old and doing a great job at three things, messing her diaper, eating her mother's milk, and crying. She is so beautiful!

It's been a fast, but terribly forever four weeks; I have a fine longing for slumber and silence! She is beginning to hold her head up and smile a bit, but is still totally dependent on her mom and I for everything.

Her dependency on us, is a quick reminder of how I am so dependent on my Lord and Savior, Jesus. The unfortunate side of my life is that it is more of an interdependence rather than the much needed dependency. So I ask, how is your dependency on our Lord Jesus, are you living your independence, interdependence, or are you dependent on Jesus? I like the words of David in Psalm 63, "Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you!" Who are you glorifying today?

IN MEMORY OF BAUER STANPHILL

Week 8

2010-02-10T21:41:00.003-06:00

Our sweet baby is now the size of a raspberry - about 1/2 inch long. Baby Stanphill's heart is formed and beats at 150 beats per minute! The baby is growing about a millimeter a day and making me tired and nauseous. Thank goodness for snow days - although I wish I had made better use of these days! We have begun clearing out areas and organizing to make room for the nursury. This whole thing is still pretty surreal. Next Thursday (2/18) we go to the doctor for my 1st checkup. We'll get to listen to the heartbeat, so we're nervous and excited.

This past weekend we had our 2nd Thrive weekend (like a D-now) since moving to Humboldt. It was great. Two students accepted Christ for the first time and many more are more ready to get serious about their faith. We really feel connected to the church and are so thankful!

We're Pregnant!

2010-01-31T09:26:00.006-06:00

Yes, that's right: we are having our first baby (boy?/girl?) in late September. We're very excited and have already begun making our home ready to welcome a new baby. I am six weeks pregnant and the baby is the size of a sweet pea. So many changes are happening for our little baby - in fact, he's 10,000 times larger than he was 4 weeks ago!

Fortunately, we haven't grown quite that much. I am worried about looking like a beached whale this summer, but have been told multiple times not to worry...ok, ok!

In other news, I am enjoying (finally) teaching Spanish at the high school - the hormones are really helping me to be "mean". Russell is busy planning Thrive Student Weekend scheduled for February 4-7. There are diets to consider, organizing of closets, rearranging of furiture, classes to prepare for, lessons to plan, messages to write, a dog to walk, and so much more! We're busy to say the least, which is why we've so enjoyed these last few days. We've been snowed in since Friday and are hoping that school is closed on Monday, too!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2009-12-18T14:59:00.004-06:00

From

Russell, Susan, and Bauer Stanphill

Sergeant Bauer Stanphill-The Puppy

2009-10-30T12:28:00.004-05:00

The month of October has been a fun month for us as a family. We bought a puppy!!! He is a German Shorthaired Pointer, and is one heck of a lot of fun. We got him at 4.5 pounds six weeks old, and tomorrow he will turn 11 weeks old and way close to 14 pounds. He is a growing wonder dog. Here are some pictures!

The car ride home asleep!

Awake and almost home!
Home with Susan

An afternoon of playing

Sleepy puppy

Random Acts of Kindness

2009-05-13T15:30:00.003-05:00

Towards the end of April the whole church had a mission invovlement day for the community here in Humboldt. The student ministry served the community through random acts of kindness. They were given 20 random things to do for others; it was an absolute blast. Here are a few pictures of the day.

Scooping Poop in someone's yard...

They made me hold it!

Pick weeds from a staff members home! Senior Pastor's home.

The tough senior high boys.

The tough boys acting as if they were picking our flowers.

Thrive Student Weekend

2009-04-28T15:14:00.004-05:00

We had our first Thrive Student Weekend back in Febraury. I know it is late, but I lost our camera in November and we just got some pictures from a youth leader. We are currently in talks about buying a new camera. Any suggestions?

We had an incredible weekend with 45 students, and many many leaders. We brough Joey Hill and Fatal Formality as our speaker and band. The students were brought the word of God from both. It was an amazing weekend, and I am looking forward to next years event. Here are a few pictures of the weekend.

Smoky Mountains

2008-10-18T14:13:00.009-05:00

This past weekend we went to the Smoky Mountains to camp in the forest! It was a blast for both of us! We stayed two nights and had a great time. It was a great first time trip for both of us! It was so beautiful seeing fall for the first time in Tennessee.

We had a great opportunity to hike three miles into the mountains and back on Friday and see some beautiful country. We had a great time waling in the mountains and hanging out together. Next time we go we will hike into the mountains and camp.

This was the end of our big long hike into the mountains. We climbed to the top of two mountains on our trip! Here are some more for you!

Yard of the Weekend!!!

2008-10-03T11:17:00.012-05:00

There is a Dogwood!

This weekend we spent it with Russell's Mom and Jim landscaping the house. It was a lot of fun molding and shaping the house into what we wanted it to look like. When we bought the house we opted out of the landscape so that we could later do it ourselves. It was a lot of fun and we made some good purchases. It is a great thing to get connections! Here is what we did! You can go back earlier in the blogs and see the before.

The other side of the front door!

A Pin Oak Tree-Susan's pick

Red Maple-Russell's Pick

We were even able to put in a mailbox-we stained it and everything else!!

Hydrangeas

Knock Out Roses

Pansies-or as Russell likes to call them Dannies!

Russell was nice and postponed Russellpalooza for one night!

2008-09-19T12:28:00.009-05:00

This week we went out with our good friends Lyle and Melissa and Warner and Hannah for Hannah's birthday. It was a lot of fun as you can tell. We went to the Olive Garden and had some good times. Russell usually celebrates his birthday all month long in September, but was nice enough to share a night of celebration with someone else!

Some of you have been worried about us connecting and surviving way out by ourselves. Hopefully these pictures will give you an understanding that we are making it. We have had an interesting time starting the Stanphill family. We are just glad that in West Tennessee there are two couples that will be seen on the town with us!

In all honesty it is going really well for both of us and we are enjoying life in West Tennessee. We thought we would put just a few pictures up to show how we are enjoying life. Hopefully you are having as much fun as we are where ever you are!!!

Here Comes the Bride

2008-09-04T10:35:00.008-05:00

Yesterday we received the first of 600 (yikes!) wedding pictures from our photographer. Here are a few that he emailed directly to us. The rest will be posted online for viewing shortly. Enjoy!

Russ and the groomsmen...don't they look handsome?

All my beautiful bridesmaids!! Thank you all for making our day so special!

It was such a joy to be married at Cottonwood Creek. We both made so many friends and memories during our four years at the church.

The first visitors to our home!

2008-08-30T22:33:00.005-05:00

Susan's family came to see us this weekend for Labor Day. They came in late last night, and we have had a wonderful time seeing the nieces, and everyone else! Today we drove around Humboldt and just relaxed around our home. Olivia (the oldest), Susan, and I played in the water sprinkler. That was a blast!

The other highlight was walking around with Susan's younger sister in walmart. Some of our students walked half way across wal-mart to say hello to Susan and I and Susan wasn't there! I find that funny. It is amazing how much the three of them really look like! Check it out!

Welcome to Our Humboldt Home!!!

2008-08-25T16:09:00.010-05:00

As promised, and early, our Humboldt home! We are taking registration for people to come and visit. Sign up fast!! It has been about a month since we have been here, and things are coming together! We have planted a crape myrtle, given to us by my momz.

Come up the steps into our home, and check out the myrtle to the right. Our yard is taking hold, and growing. We are enjoying mowing it twice a week, and if you come we will let you join in that fun too! We will feed you a good meal, and make you drink lots of good Humboldt water.

We have lots of room and lots of smiles in our home. Enough of the bed and breakfast talk. Our house is awesome and we are loving being in it. We miss our Texas people, but are loving Tennessee. Come see us for real, we enjoy the visits! Here is our porch where we hang out! If you would like to see more pictures of our Honeymoon you can see them here.

A major update!

2008-08-22T12:05:00.001-05:00

I am currently in my office working (thinking about the football game I am going to tonight), on a friday, and Susan is filling out insurance papers (health, life, and dental, YIPPEY)! It is weird being an adult, but we are both long overdue! I think that is the biggest shock of marriage and moving. We are no longer in the young culture of the Dallas area.

Humboldt has been good to us, and we are beginning to get our house in order. Susan's mother and sisters are coming labor day, and you can bet it will be fixed up then. When they are here we plan to take better pictures of the house and will post them, and we have not recieved our wedding pictures.

Susan and I were fortunate enough to be able to go to Oahu, Hawaii, and it was incredible! We stayed in the Makaha Valley. on the northwest side of the island. We did as much as we possibly could on the island, drove around the thing, surfed, hiked up two mountains, eat a lot of fish tacos, enjoy the beach, went to pearl harbor, and many more. We had a great start to our marriage!