Finally

Ok so once again it has been a long while since I have written a blog! So let me try to think of a good place to begin……. Let’s start with the dog.

My 16 month old Rottweiler, Hercules had a big lump show up on his side. We took him into the vet and they told us it was cancer. Not only was it cancer, but it was a very rare cancer and it was VERY aggressive. He would have to be chemo several times and there was no guarantee that it would ever go away. Eli & decided that was no way for him to live so we but him to sleep. He was just a puppy!!! That was very hard for both of us. It has been about 2 weeks now & I thought I could live with out a dog, but I was wrong!!! I don’t think I can. I have always had a dog or dogs & I miss coming home to one!

We went on Youth Choir Tour with the youth choir this summer! That was sooo much fun & the kids were amazing. We went to Plainview, TX, Pueblo, NM, Santa Fe, NM, Colorado Springs, Amarillo, Groom & Wichita Falls!!! The kids sang their little hearts out. We chartered a bus and we all pilled in. It was an amazing trip. I can’t wait to start planning next years.

We also went on a Youth Mission trip. It was a great trip as well. We went to Eureka Springs, AR and help fix this lady’s house up for her. We did a ton of work for her and her 9 grandchildren. She was a very nice lady. The only thing that I would have changed would have been the people running the camp. They were not very organized! They must have never heard Eli’s saying, “Work smarter, not harder.” It all worked out fine and we managed to bring a pet toad home. It is now the youth group’s pet!

I have been going back to my fertility doctor and things there are great! She uped my clomid dosage and it worked, because everything on the inside looks GREAT! So, about a week ago, I had a procedure done called an IUI, which is the cheaper version of invetro. I won’t go into details on here because some of the youth kids may read this. Just look it up. We have to wait another week to see if it took and to see if I am prego. If it didn’t work, we can do the procedure again and I am sure we will. If it didn’t work, we are also going to try the adoption thing again.

Speaking of adoption, I have switched agency!! I found an adoption agency that DOES NOT have a 2 year waiting list for babies! This agency told me that have babies born all the time that need a good home. So, we will see what happens first!!!

Let me leave you with these words….. God is good and God is always there!

What is happing at the Moreno house...

Last weekend my dad bought a boat! WOOO HOOO!!! So the family went to Tater Rock Ranch to test it out. We all loved it. I had a blast. Oh, and by the way...I am the fishing champion!! I caught like 5 fish, even though 2 of them were babies. Back to my story..... We played all day long. Caitlynn and I threw the baseball, played bubbles, played playdoh, fishes, played in the sand at the fake beach, you name it, we did it! Eli and I got back home around 9:30 that night. I took a ashore and went to bed. At about 2:30 in the mooring I woke up and my arm was in a ton a pain. The kind of pain that makes you sick. I got up and went to the kitchen to get some medicine and next thing know, I woke up on the kitchen floor with the dog licking my face! I passed out. I am not sure how long I was out, but I do know that if I would fell any other way, I would of hit my head on a piece of furniture! My dad made me go to the doctor on Monday, because I could have passed out from anything; heat stroke, stroke, heart attach, etc... The doctor checked me out and he said he thinks I passed out due the pain in my arm!!! WEENIE!!! I am! Oh well, at least I am ok.

Baby news.....

I talked to my doctor last week and I am going to go see her at the end of April to talk about our options. She is most likely going to recommend IUI, which is her version of inverto, but we will do it in her office and doesn't cost as much as invert0!!! I will let you know when I go what happens!!

Once again it has been a long while since I have blogged!

We received a call from the adoption agency in January. They informed us that the waiting list for a newborn baby is 2 years!! We have decided to keep our name on the list and to go back to the fertility doctor. We will see what comes first. I have been to the doctor a couple and time and so has Eli. We are moving along on the process and just keep waiting. That’s the name of the game…WAITING!!!

In the meantime, my sister had her baby!!! I went and stayed the whole weekend at her house to watch her other 3 kids. I had the best time ever. We went to the hospital everyday to visit and then we played the rest of the time. It was so much fun and a great bonding time for us, since they live so far away. On the last day we were at the hospital we found a playground at the hospital….that was amazing! Every hospital needs a playground. Meegan Lynn Talley was born on January 21, 2011. She is beautiful!!! It so funny who kids look like…..by that I mean, Caitlynn looks JUST like Heather, a twin almost & Meegan looks JUST like her daddy!

About 3 weeks ago I took some pictures of Meegan. She was not too happy with me taking her pictures, so I didn’t get to take some of the ones I wanted to, but I did get some good ones. She is so cute & tiny & wonderful!

To today…I don’t even know where to begin. My life is non-stop right now. That is not a bad thing, but it is a tiring thing. It seems like the only time I am home is to do laundry, sleep and wash dishes! Eli and I are both gone all the time. We have gotten really involved with the Youth and that keeps us busy a bunch and trying to start a business is a load too. Over spring Break with did an Amazing Race with the youth. It was 3 days and we went to Fort Worth, Dallas and Irving. I think everyone involved had a BLAST!!! Now, Eli & I are helping plan Youth Choir Tour. We are going to Colorado Springs…FUN!!!

I think that is it in a nutshell!!! I will check back you guys later.

It has been a long while....so were do I start?

In November, my grandma, Rocky went to the doctor and next thing we know she was put in the hospital for pneumonia. She has been in and out of the hospital and nursing home ever since. We found out that she has stage 4 of COPD and dementia. It is so hard to see her just lying in a hospital bed. I don’t think the 74 year old woman has EVER set still! She was always on the go. She means the world to me. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding!!! (ignore the blobs) She is getting better by the day, but she still can’t walk and get around by herself. She will probably have to live in the nursing home, which stinks, because I have always said that she will never live in a nursing home, because I will take care of her, but physically I can’t and no one else can. My aunt, Vicki, has been with her non-stop! She had basically given up her life to sit with Rocky everyday and then she goes home at night. My aunt is AWESOME! She is a trooper.

In December, Eli and I got to Las Vegas for the first time, thanks to CarMax!!! Eli works for CarMax and every year they have an awards banquet for the best CarMax’s. Eli’s has worked for this CarMax for about 3 years and we have gone somewhere every year. The first year we went to the Gaylord, the second year we went to San Antonio and stayed on the River Walk and this year was VEGAS! We had a blast and tried to see everything, but didn’t get to. We were there for 4 days and didn’t see everything, which means…we have to go back! I recommend everyone going once. I thought it was going to bad and the slums, but it wasn’t. It was really nice. I can’t wait to see where next year takes us.

The holidays were good. It just wasn’t the same because Rocky wasn’t around. So after we did our thing we all went up the nursing home to visit with her.

Now, we are at the first of 2011! WOW, that’s weird! This is going to be a GOOD year! I just know it! While Eli and I were in Vegas, I got an email from our adoption lady. She was telling me that in January we would be moved up on the waiting list. She said that basically our names would be on the table for the birth parents, because they get to pick the adopted parents. So, we are waiting. We have a bunch to do while we are waiting!!! We have to read books, put together a life book, and get home inspections, fire inspection and much more. Prayers are appreciated!

I guess that is it for now. I am going to try to keep up with this blog updated! Thanks for reading! J

Christmas Photos

This is a photo blog!

I am actually thinking ahead this year! Can you believe that? I am thinking CHRISTMAS!

I asked my sister if I could borrow her family and take some promo pictures of them. Of course she said yes, because she awesome! So last weekend I went to her house and set up my Christmas scene. Here are a few shots I got and some information about how you can get your family Christmas pictures made!

Check out my Facebook Page and my website - www.clicktasticphoto.com

Project 434

I was going to write a blog about Project 434, but I just haven't had the time. So, instead I am going to "steal" the Youth Pastor's Newsletter article. So, thank you, Sean Cawthon for your amazing words about this event.............

This past Sunday, October 3, the Youth department hosted a Purity Ring Ceremony in the sanctuary. Twenty-six students and their parents, all total about sixty-five, met at 5:30 pm for a final session before entering the service at 6:30 pm. The event was well attended by the church body and I am incredibly grateful for the turn out. We have awesome members here at First and I for one love you all.


Following the service, the Youth department escorted the entire group of youth and parents to the Fellowship Hall for a banquet style dinner. We set up the tables in one long line right down the middle and then formed a T on the end to accommodate all guests. We set out the church china, silverware, glasses, decorations, and set up some nice music for background ambiance. The first item on the menu was Caesar salad, which was prepared by my parents, Sonny and Shirley Cawthon who drove in from Tyler just to help with this event. They actually made the salad and the desserts. We filled the glasses with water and tea and as soon as the salad course was finished, we began bringing out the main course. Handmade chicken cordon bleu with a red wine shallot sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and Italian cut green beans were the main course. And finally, we had our “just” desserts. We served two options for this course and prepared individual chocolate pudding tarts and coconut-cream pudding tarts, both served with ripe strawberries and plump grapes. Hot tea and coffee helped to complete the evening meal.


Keri Moreno set up a professional backdrop and used her very nice camera to take family pictures and a great shot of the whole group of youth. Additionally, several other key people helped to make this event an awesome night. Keri and Eli Moreno, Eric Shipp, Bob and Carole Bogart (my awesome in-laws) and myself made sure that the tables were served, bussed, glasses full, and needs attended. You can imagine a service of seventy hungry folks, there is a lot to stay on top of and this incredible team rose to the occasion and performed beautifully for our Lord and the families. None of us realized the extent of what we would need to do to make this happen. And when the dishwasher broke, we rallied one last time around our two huge sinks and hand washed each item. Now that’s love! I am so proud of those who selflessly serve these youth and their families. I could never thank them enough.


Finally, I want to introduce you to our chef for the evening. Jason Gray is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Cooking school of Dallas and currently works at Lone Star Park as the pasta chef. However, his handiwork has been seen recently on Wednesday nights at Oasis dinner. He has recently started a catering business. He is highly recommended. His number is 972-822-9932. If you have a dinner party or family event and want to have someone else take on the task of preparation, then Chef Jason Gray is your man.


The service itself was incredible. The church body stood and applauded as the youth and their parents made there way into the sanctuary. It was a majestic moment followed by O, Worship the King. Sammy gave the opening prayer and it was very graciously given. Eric and Eli read Scripture. Steven Turner played a wonderful song. The parents and the youth stood up at the altar and made their vows of purity before God, each other and the church. We closed with All Hail the Power of Jesus Name, presented the youth and parents to the church with a special charge for the body of believers and then David Turner spoke a message of truth to the youth and then closed us in prayer.


I have to say that I am humbled by all parts of this event. There was extensive planning and preparation. Many worked tirelessly for this moment. Many supported us throughout the entire process. I thank all of the parents for allowing us to work with your young men and young women. I thank you parents for your efforts to diligently work hard for your children and to raise them in the way of the Lord. We love our youth and we love serving our King of kings and Lord of lords.