14th Quarterly Review - Austin Church Planting Conference

Our 14th Quarterly Review (our 3 1/2 year anniversary *wink*) was celebrated in Texas' capitol. We attended a church planters/leadership conference put on by Austin Stone.

We enjoyed learning from Matt Cater, Darrin Patrick and Alan Hirsch (via video from Australia) - who wrote "Shaping of Things to Come." During the breakout sessions I joined other pastors wives for a round table discussion. It was encouraging to hear the hearts of other wives and some of the struggles and joys that we could be walking into after seminary.

We also got to reconnect with several Aggies who live in Austin and were also attending the conference.

This was a little bit different quarterly review for us (in that it wasn't focuses solely on marriage), but it fostered great conversation about both of our expectations for after seminary and Danny's goals and dreams for church planting. It also gave me more insight and understanding about some of the things Danny reads and talks about every day at school.

We couldn't hang out in Austin without stopping by the Capital and eating at fun, unique restaurants. Here's our restaurant review:

Torchey's Tacos - good, but we will always be loyal to Taco Joint here in Dallas because Corey (the owner) knows our names.

Kerby Lane - Danny was accidentally given the wrong breakfast plate, and when they brought out the correct one and whisked away the mistake he was sad. So, if you ever eat there order Eggs Francisco.

Mozarts - Coffee on the lake as we reminisced about the night I surprised Danny with dinner at the Hula Hut, which was right next door. (I drove in all the way from College Station without him knowing and took him to dinner on the lake.

Sunday was our last day in Austin and after breakfast at Kerby Lane we headed into downtown to explore the Capitol.

Following our self-guided tour of all the nooks and cranies of the Senate and House of Representatives, we plopped down at a park to rest, read and people watch.

Everyone seemed pretty fun, athletic and normal. There were runners, bikers, walkers and dog-lovers. And then up walks a man carrying A CAT! Not only were we SHOCKED to see a cat at a dog park, but we were even more amazed to see him put the cat on the ground. That little critter immediately made a bee-line for us. It must sense the people who probably dislike cats the MOST, because it settled in right next to Danny:

Isn't that HILARIOUS! Dogs were going crazy right and left, pulling on their leashes and whining, but that cat sat cool and calm right next to Danny. So, we left our new friend to fend for himself, and drove home laughing, connected and chatting about church planting all the way to Dallas. Quarterly Review History:
*1st - 12/16/05 - Raleigh, NC
*2nd - 03/25/06 - Charleston, SC
*3rd - 06/24/06 - Columbia, SC
*4th - 8/27/06 - Boston, MA
*5th - 12/1/06 - Gatlinburg, TN
*6th - 2/09/07 - Charlotte, NC
*7th - 5/26/07 - Myrtle Beach, SC
*8th - 8/27/07 - College Station, TX
*9th - 11/10/07 - Dallas, TX
*10th - 02/15/08 - Grapevine, TX
*11th - 05/17/08 - Houston, TX
*12th - 08/27/08 - St. Joseph, MI & Dallas, TX
*13th - 12/12/08 - Cartwright, OK