The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

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Category: Valerie (Page 2 of 17)

My New Favorite Thing

July 7, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Whitney and I took in Midland’s annual Fourth of July celebration in Centennial Park Friday night, along with thousands of other West Texas folks who love live music, food truck food, and a good fireworks show. We had a great time, of course–the Whitster and I always have a good time. But I was pleasantly surprised–no, blown away!–by the young guitar player who fronted the evening’s second act.

Leon Carrasco is my new favorite thing about Midland.

This 19-year old phenom owned the stage for his 45-minute set, wowing us with his blistering guitar, his impressive vocal range, and his unabashed joy. He’s just so much fun to watch! A local Midland kid, Carrasco played baseball at Legacy High and still lives in town. When he talks, he sounds like Chris Rock, kinda funny, in your face, not angry, just high pitched and committed. But when he plays, he sounds like Stevie Ray. Oh, man, this kid can play guitar. It’s deep Texas blues. A lot of soul. Depth. Intense and easy at the same time. And it’s infused with such joy. He’s just happy to be on that stage doing what he’s gifted to do.

Here’s a video from Friday’s show. Watch the whole two minutes. What else are you doing right now?

I don’t know anything about him yet. After three songs, I started texting people I knew who were somewhere in the park with me. “Are you watching this?” “Who is this kid?” “I don’t think the crowd knows what they’re seeing.”

Whitney and I left our seats to get closer and ran into a couple of people who’ve known Leon since he was a kid. They just gushed about Leon’s attitude, his personality, and his extraordinary gift. I was mesmerized. This guy’s good.

He hasn’t cut an album yet. I don’t know where to get his songs. But I’m on the lookout for the next time he’s playing around here.

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We’re all in Tulsa today, counting down the hours until the births of our twin grandsons in a scheduled C-section tomorrow morning. There will be a family dinner this evening with our side from Texas and David’s side from Virginia, and then I’m assuming a massive gathering at Hillcrest South tomorrow for the arrival of these two highly-anticipated boys. God bless Valerie and David with his divine comfort and peace. And God bless Elliott and Samuel with a safe delivery and good health.

Peace,

Allan

One More Week!

June 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments

The latest measurements from Friday show Elliott Walker at 6 lbs 3 oz and Samuel Heath at 5 lbs 3 oz and Valerie Nicole is ready to deliver. If not physically, certainly mentally and emotionally.

The doctors keep telling Val she’s having a textbook twins pregnancy: the boys are in great shape, she’s doing really well, all the numbers look good, and there’s nothing to worry about. That’s wonderful, but Valerie is ready for this part of the journey to be over. She’s miserable. She’s carrying nearly twelve pounds of baby inside her! She calls them her two watermelons. It makes my back hurt just to look at her pictures.

Carrie-Anne left for Tulsa early this morning to be with Valerie and David during this last week. The C-section is scheduled for July 8, one week from tomorrow. If her water holds, Whitney and I will drive up Monday for the births Tuesday morning. If something breaks before then, Whit and I will head up there as quickly as possible, but we’ll probably miss the births–it’s an eight-hour drive and a C-section won’t take that long.

I’m pulling for her to make it to the 8th, and I believe she will. There are no signs that anything is imminent. In fact, she’s worried she’ll still be pregnant in August. Or September. Like these boys are going to be born with facial hair.

I’ve landed on “Granddad.” I say “I’ve landed…” because Valerie and Carrie-Anne are not thrilled with the choice. It’s not cute enough. “Granddad” is traditional, conservative, historically Texan, and decidedly un-cute. For me, it couldn’t be more perfect.

As the countdown has reached single-digit days until our middle daughter delivers our first grandchildren, here’s a couple of favorite baby pictures of Val.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having grandkids is a lot different from having your own children. When you’re pregnant with your own kids, you fret and worry and you pray a lot. But you really don’t know anything. You’re mostly clueless. You worry about things that don’t really matter and you fret over stuff that never happens. But when you’re having grandchildren, that’s a whole different deal. Now I’ve experienced some things. We’ve been through some stuff. Now, I know a lot. I worry differently. I fret differently. I pray even more than I did then. And for very different things.

Peace,

Allan

Before You Were Born

June 2, 2025 / / 0 Comments

An update on our daughter Valerie, now entering her 34th week of carrying our two new grandsons: she’s ready to be done with this stage of parenting. She told me during our last phone conversation that in the moment between waking up and getting out of bed, she fantasizes about using a walker. The boys weigh a little over three pounds each now, and they’re getting a little more kicky. So, while she’s increasingly uncomfortable, all of Val’s numbers and readings are good and she’s hanging in there really well. I mean, just look at her! She looks so beautiful in this picture. We’ve got to be just three or four weeks away now. (!!!!!!!)

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A theme that you’ll find in Scripture is that God has been with you since before you were born. The prophets write of being called by God before they were born. The psalmist sings of being brought out of his mother’s womb by God. The apostle Paul tells the Galatians God set him apart from birth and called him by his grace.

What that means is: Your life has meaning and purpose.

And I know it doesn’t always feel that way. Things happen in your life that seem random. Things that happen don’t always make sense. Your sister never smoked a day in her life, but now she’s diagnosed with lung cancer. You wind up at a college you didn’t pick. Somebody else gets the promotion you deserve. Somebody breaks into your car. Terrible parents you know have wonderful children, but your kids have gone off the rails. You’ve been divorced. Or devastated in some other terrible way.

Those things can seem so random. But our God is ultimately turning that thing–whatever it is for you–toward a salvation goal. So, on a higher level, that awful thing does make sense. That’s faith. That’s what we believe.

And I’m not trying to give some easy surface explanation for human tragedy and pain. I’m not trying to cheaply cheer somebody up who’s suffering. Sometimes our Christian comfort and counsel can sound very casual and detached. Cheap. That’s not what I’m saying.

I’m saying the God who grabs you, the God who owns you, is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is BOTH crucified and risen! So, whatever you’re dealing with or suffering through is not meaningless. God is moving all of it and you toward his eternal salvation goal for your life.

You are a part of something. It’s going somewhere. You have a role to play. God is involved. He’s got it. And he is at work in it and in you for your ultimate good.

Even as you endure whatever it is, God is changing you and calling you. And you can trust him. He’s been paying attention to you and loving you and protecting you since before you were born.

Peace,

Allan

All the Transitions

May 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I’m posting a few pictures today from last weekend’s massive Stanglin-Richardson family celebrations in Tulsa. Our “Little Middle,” Valerie, and her husband David are in the middle of some dramatic life transitions that are changing everything for all of us. The clock’s been ticking for a while now, but it feels like things are really ramping up now!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, congratulations to Dave! Last Friday night he officially graduated from Tulsa University Law School and we were all there to holler and yell and shout his name when he received his diploma. Then it was off to the Richardsons’ Airbnb for a wonderful family dinner (I promise I’m making a Christmas tree ornament out of one of those cupcake toppers). David’s already been hired to work in the Tulsa County District Attorney’s office, where he’s interned for the past year or so. And they’re going to help him pass the bar at the end of July. The days of full-time school and two or three part-time jobs are over! Now, he just needs to study his lips off and pass the bar!

Which is not going to be easy when those twin boys are delivered in late June.

In case you forgot, Valerie is pregnant with our first grandchildren–twin boys!! The C-section delivery has been set for July 8, but everyone believes those little guys are going to demand an earlier exit. July 8 would mark 38-weeks, and I think most twins only make it to 35 or 36 weeks. So, we’re expecting these boys to be born before the end of June. And I’m trying to figure out how to retire in the next four weeks. My financial advisors, Carrie-Anne and Scottye Ratliff, both tell me it’s impossible.

 

 

 

 

 

The day after the graduation, we spent a lot of time at Val and Dave’s house, sorting through all the stuff that comes with having two babies at the same time–two car-seats, two high-chairs, two beds, two everything! I was charged with hanging bookshelves and pictures in the nursery while the rest of the crew organized closets and stored about 80-boxes of diapers (that should keep them about a week). I kept using the Texas-themed books to cover up the Arizona-themed books. Dave was born and raised in Phoenix–it’s weird. Carrie-Anne and I also installed the car-seat bases in the back seats of both their cars. Two bases in each car. Can you imagine?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Sunday afternoon following Dave’s graduation, the Jenks Church, where Val and Dave are plugged in to a wonderful faith community, threw a really nice babies shower for the boys. While the girls were at the shower, Dave’s dad, Dave, treated all the guys to an afternoon of gripping and ripping at Top Golf. And when it was all over, we gathered for a huge feast together at Los Cabos, their favorite Tex-Mex place on the Tulsa Riverwalk.

Everything’s changing for Val and Dave. They’re graduating law school, quitting three jobs, starting another job, having twins, and studying for the Oklahoma bar exam–all in about a four or five week period. Oh, and their landlord has informed them that he is selling the house they’re renting, so they’re going to have to move next spring.

It’s encouraging to know that they have a tremendous support system in place with their great friends at the Jenks Church. That group of Christians has been so good to Val and Dave. We must have had a dozen people tell us Sunday that they’re already fighting over who gets to hold those babies during church. It’s comforting to know that they’re in a place school-wise and job-wise so they can do this thing together, at home, at the same time. Mostly. And it’s wonderful to be able to rest in the knowledge that our gracious Lord has them right where he wants them, providing and protecting these four, and blessing and transforming them in divine and beautiful ways during all the transitions.

Peace,

Allan

Cory Was Not Arrested

May 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to Dextor Clinkscale…

Our GCR Worship Minister, Cory Legg, was definitely not arrested at LAX as we were leaving the Pepperdine Bible Lectures on Friday. It was a case of misplaced luggage: it was Cory’s luggage and he misplaced it. The cop was only helping Cory relocate his bag. Yes, I showed this picture to our entire church family at the beginning of yesterday’s sermon. And, no, I did not explain it. Not at all. I just said we were delayed a bit at LAX while Cory was temporarily detained by LAPD. Cory wasn’t at church–he was taking a much-deserved vacation day–so it raised a lot of questions. I think he spent most of his vacation day answering emails and texts. He was still receiving messages from concerned members today at lunch. The real story is that they found his carry-on–someone had turned it in–and everything was fine. The other truth is that I’m holding onto this awesome picture and this isn’t the last time GCR is going to see it.

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Breno and Gabriela Escobar had never heard of tater tots! Somehow, some way, our dear friends from Brazil–grown and married adults!–had never heard of tater tots until the topic came up at lunch yesterday after church. Breno is the professor of practical ministry at the Ser Cris training school in Campo Grande. He and his wife are in West Texas this week to attend a graduation of some friends at ACU, to attend his own graduation for his Masters of Biblical Studies in Lubbock, and to meet some more of us at their partner church at Golf Course Road. This is their first ever trip to the states. So, today our ministry team treated them to lunch at Michael’s Charcoal Grill here in Midland. And their first ever experience with tater tots. A travesty made right.

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Here’s the May update photo of our two grandsons. And their mom. These two boys together weigh a combined six pounds now and they’re both reportedly kicking Valerie in the ribs all the time. I don’t know how she’s going to make it to July. We’re all heading to Tulsa Friday for David’s graduation from law school at Tulsa University and the baby shower they’re throwing for Val at the Jenks Church. Lots of family, special dinners, catching up, and talking about twin babies! I can’t wait to see everybody!

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Mikko Magic. The Dallas Stars new superstar forward is scoring and assisting on almost every goal his team scores and breaking or extending his own NHL Stanley Cup playoff records almost every time he touches the puck.  Mikko Rantanen is on an historic streak–back-to-back hat tricks, gutsy put-backs, laser-precise passes–and remarkably making us forget about Luka. The Stars have an enormous opportunity to take control of this second round series at home tomorrow against Winnipeg. If the Jets don’t double-team Mikko every time he’s on the ice, the loss is on them.

Peace,

Allan

Showered in Midland

April 1, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Our daughter Valerie flew into Midland this past weekend for one of those legendary GCR showers. Donna McGraw and her incredible team of long-time friends were joined by dozens of ladies from the Golf Course Road Church to throw an unimaginably over-the-top shower for the mother of my two grandsons. It was extravagant, by any measure.

Of course, when you’re expecting twins, the shower has to be a little bigger because you need two of everything–two cribs, two car seats, two high chairs, two teething rings, two spoons, two Dallas Stars onesies, two strollers, or at least a two-seater. But this shower was almost too much. Of course, we knew it would be. Our church family at GCR has been so kind and loving and generous to my family since the day we arrived in Midland. They don’t even know Valerie; she was married and living in Tulsa before we moved here; she’s only been to GCR like three times. But they love people and they love us and they go overboard in lavishing on us their affection. And giraffes. And little tiny bathrobes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you to Donna and all the hosts and everybody who showered such blessings on our daughter and her family. We are very blessed by God to belong to this special congregation of his people.

I’ve never completely understood the obsession a lot of people have over their grandchildren. But I’m starting to. I find that we are talking about these little boys all the time. I’m thinking about them more and more. I’m constantly praying to God about these two guys. I can’t wait to meet these boys. They’re due in July, they’re living all the way up in Tulsa, and I’m trying to figure out how I could retire in June!

It’s not going to work. Not for several more Junes.

It was wonderful to have all three daughters under the same roof for a couple of days and nights. It was fabulous–all the food, all the laughing, all the stories and inside jokes, all the sarcasm, all the hugs, all of it. But, I must admit, it didn’t feel complete. It didn’t feel whole. David and Collin, the two sons-in-law, weren’t here and it felt strangely incomplete without them. They’re such a part of our family now that it doesn’t feel complete unless they’re here, too.

Please don’t tell them I said that.

Peace,

Allan

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