A Little Note. . .

Mornings are usually hectic trying to get 2 kids to 2 separate schools and get them there ON TIME.  This morning as we were rushing out the door, I got in my van and E handed me this note she had made me.

Totally made my day. She is so sweet!  As soon as I got to work I hung it up on my desk.  I thought of her every time I looked at it today.  Great way to start your morning!

Busy but Good Weekend!

This weekend was a busy one!  Fortunately, Michael was off of work and we always love it when he is with us.  We had family night on Friday night and made ICE CREAM SUNDAES!  Yum!

Then the kids and Michael went swimming! Yes it is late September but it has been hot.  I chose to hold the towels and wrap up kids when they decided it was too cold.

Saturday I went to the gym.  Yes, the gym!  My boss has been gracious enough to buy us a membership to a local gym.  I really enjoyed it and worked muscles I never knew I had. Ha! Can't wait to get in a routine of going.  This was just my intro to how to work all the machines so I worked them all! Whew!

Saturday evening Michael and I dropped the kids off at their cousins and went to a beautiful outdoor wedding for one of his friends at work.  It was very nice and got finished just in time!  A storm came up as we started eating the reception dinner.  Michael and I got to dance for the first time ever at this wedding!  That's pretty sad! We'll be married 13 years in November and that is the first time we have danced.  That shows how often we go to fancy events like that! So glad we finally got to dance and we got a good picture of just the two of us made.  Usually our pictures are one of us with the kids and the other taking the picture but never a picture with just us!  So happy!

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful, loving, caring, Godly husband!  I love him sooo much!

Sunday, we had 2 great services at church.  I sang last night at our Sing Praise Service.  I was so nervous but think I did OK.  I only sing to Him!  He gave me the strength and peace I needed to get through the song.  All Praise and Glory goes to Him!  Well, gotta go get E to dance! Have a great week!

Finally Fall!

Yesterday was the first day of fall but to tell you the truth it still feels like summer.  I am sooo ready for it to cool down and actually feel like fall.  It has been an extremely stressful week at work so when my grandfather and mom mentioned going to pick pumpkins I thought it would be a fun idea to de-stress a little.

Tonight we went to a family friend's house and picked some pumpkins.  M had to make sure he got one for his teacher. How sweet!  E  wanted a big one to make her a super-sized pumpkin pie.  She loves them!

Now I think I may pull out all my fall decorations this weekend and get in the mood for fall.  Maybe if I do that it will at least feel cooler.  Happy Fall!

A Day I Will Never Forget

Saturday, Michael and I got the blessing and honor of going with our Sunday School Class to Jenkin Jones Holler in West Virginia.  My dad went with us too.  We went up there to help out at the Kings Closet.  This is a place started by Harold Ward, a member at our church, about 5 years ago.  Harold loves these people and they love him.  This place is like a lost town that has been forgotten.  You drive up old mountain roads until you get to it.  Roads stop there.  The roads don't go any further.  The Lord has used Harold greatly up there.  God has used Harold to start a church up there and he has what is called "The King's Closet" which is a place where people can come and get clothes and different supplies they need for free.

Feeding the community at the King's Closet

This community is very poor.  There are no jobs.  This was at one time a sprawling coal mine town but when the mine shut down they had no way of making money.  The closest place around that has stores and work is about 45 minutes away in Bluefield, WV.  I do not have enough time to explain the conditions of this place.  Let's just say that if you go, you will NEVER look at things the same.

I have to say I really struggled about going.  I worry about everything and Satan uses that to beat me down.  By Wednesday I felt so beaten down I didn't even want to go to church that night.  I went and am so glad I did.  The Lord entered that place and we just testified and praised the Lord for what He has done.  I felt God convicting my heart and told the church how I was struggling with going and I realized that I wasn't the only one.  Satan was trying his hardest to keep us away.  I felt so much better after service but you know Satan isn't going to give up. To make a long story short, I ended up with a sinus infection and had a panic attack (thought I was having a heart attack).  Well I went and God blessed soooo much.  There were many obstacles as the group from the church came up the mountain.  How about 4 blowouts!  All on the vehicles carrying all of our supplies but they didn't give up and finally everyone was there around 1pm.  We had a service and God SHOWED up!  8 precious souls received Christ as their Lord and Savior.  Praise the Lord!

 I know this is a long post but I just want to catch as many details as I can.  Last night we had an amazing testimony service for us to share with the church congregation about our trip.  I can't put it all down but we were all changed.  I have cried several times today thinking about the people up there.  I am so blessed.  That could just as easily be me in that area.  I am so blessed and am so thankful that I  had the opportunity to go.  We are going back.  I don't think Harold is going to have any trouble getting help.  We are all ready to go back and see what God is going to do again.  Totally AMAZING!

Shuffle-Step!

Today was E's first day of dance.  She took for 2 years when she was younger but we took a break.  We decided to go back to this year and E wouldn't take from anyone but Ms. Treva.  She is a great dance teacher and is very well known in this area.  Now E is practicing all her new steps.  E was so excited to find out that 2 of her friends from school are in the same dance class as her!  It was great to see her so excited about dance again!

She is absolutely beautiful!  I know she will do great!

The End of a Fantastic Summer!

Well, Labor Day was yesterday and so I guess that signals the official end of summer.  I thought I would share a few pictures of our family throughout the summer.  I have to say it is sad to see summer go but Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year.  I don't know but the air just seems crisper and I just love the colors on the trees.  Check out the summer pics!

I would post more but I still have the dinosaur of internet DIAL UP and it took me an hour to just do these.  We hear rumor DSL is coming soon.  Please Lord!  All these pictures are from the beach.  Hope you all had a great summer!

Today was a GREAT day!

I really do not like to miss being at my church on Sunday's or Wednesday's either but especially Sunday mornings.  We are blessed to be a part of a wonderful SPIRIT LED and SPIRIT FILLED church and I love it but this morning we didn't go.  We did though go to my parents church to hear a very special person speak.  Keith was the pastor at my old church for many years and during the majority of those years I was a teenager.  Because of the size of our church at that time he also led the youth and made an enormous impact on my life and many others.  (For those of you who work with youth, just know that your impact on the lives of those teenagers will go further than just during their stay in youth.  It will stay with them for a lifetime.)

Keith, his precious wife Gayle and 2 of their 3 sons came up this weekend to perform a wedding and he was asked to stay and preach this morning.  Now Keith and Gayle left to go to serve the Lord in Georgia 12 years ago.  He married me and Michael and about 9 months later God called him elsewhere.  We have seen him and Gayle a few times since then but I haven't heard him preach in over 5 years when he came up for a special homecoming so I had to go hear him today.  I am glad I did.  It was so good to hear him preach and he had an awesome sermon out of John 5.

Keith, me and Michael at my parents house

Ben, Gayle, Keith and Jacob

After church service, Keith and his family and a couple other families came to lunch at my parents house.  We had a great time catching up.  Michael worked this weekend but he woke up early to come see Keith's family before they left to go back to Georgia.  It was great to see them and I hope they come visit again soon! I love you all!  Keith, you were a very important part of my life and I will never forget what you taught me and showed me by your walk with the Lord.  Thank you!

Here We Go- My First Post!

E on second day of school waiting on bus.

Well, to catch everyone up on what is going on in our house, we are back in school.  E just started her 2nd grade year (wow! hard to believe) last week.  She loves her teacher and is making new friends.  This year she is in a class where she has never been in class with any of the girls before so she is having to get out of her comfort zone and get to  know new people.  I am glad.  I want her to know as many people as she can at school.  She will be with them for 10 more years. My prayer is that she makes a true friend this year that she will be friends with for a very long time.  I know I met some of my good friends in school around this age and we are still friends to this day.  We may not see each other often but when we see each other it is like no time has passed.  We are blessed to be in a great school district.  I love her school and I pray that things stay the way they are.

M and E on M's first day of school.

Now M has begun going to preschool at a  Christian private school near my work.  He loves it and loves Mrs. Drum.  He is learning so much.  I am amazed at the things he tells me each day.  He is growing up so fast.

I am now working alot more.  I enjoy what I do and work for a great boss.  She is very understanding and works with my schedule so I can try to be at as many things I can for the kids.  I have always worked part time since E was born but I have had to start working more.  I am thankful though.  God has allowed everything to fall into place at just the right time and has always taken care of us.

Michael is still loving his job of "protecting and serving" the people.  His schedule and mine sometimes cause us to pass each other and not see each other as much as we would like but we make the most of our time when we are together as a family.  We are so thankful for how God is working and blessing in our lives.

Today we enjoyed the afternoon. Once we got home from school and work, we got in our swimsuits and jumped in the pool.  We love swimming together and it is great being able to do that anytime at home.  We blew bubbles and ended our fun with popsicles.  We have a pretty exciting weekend planned.  I will post more soon!