Happy Saturday!! :)

I thought this was cute :)

Not much going on...my husband, who just had hand surgery this past Wednesday, went on a men's campout retreat yesterday...

MEN!!

I think it's silly, but whatever :) I know he'll have a good time (if he doesn't hurt his arm/wrist/hand) being with the fellas, but seriously...

Anyways, I'll talk to ya'll later!! :)

LOVE this new website...

If you're reading my blog, then you see what a neat-o look I've got going on!! I can't take credit for designing it, but you can follow the link & get your own!! I had to fiddle with the template some to get the background colors off & stuff, but it wasn't too hard...

Anyways!! LOL I'm such a techno geek!!

I don't think I shared with you all, Abbey started taking dance classes!! This past Monday was her 3rd class, and she loves it...Unfortunately, though, we might have to start using that as "currency" because new sibling rivalry has started in, we think...It's been a rough couple of weeks...

In other news, Night in Bethlehem is off...again... After reading all the materials & getting the message "this is a great way to show new people how much you have going in your children's ministry" it just didn't settle right with me. I don't get into it too much here, but our church is in trouble...financial, low attendance, big mortgage, you name it, we're going through it!! We've had a need for Sunday School teachers ever since we started going there, and there still hasn't been anyone to step up to take over my old class & I've been gone since Easter... So, after praying about it (A LOT) & going to my 2 sisters who are also Elders, we made the very hard decision to cancel/post-pone this until further notice. I didn't want to have a Children's Ministry Wonderland set up only for people to find out that it's not... It's pretty depressing, actually...

I have decided, on the other hand, to start bi-monthly "Family Day" programs. These will, hopefully, give us a starting point to get everyone excited about welcoming families & children into our church, and DO something!! :) Not very expensive to put together (Always a plus), Not too involved teaching-wise, but still informative & encourages family togetherness. Now, don't misunderstand me, I love VBS!! I really do!! And, Awana is pretty awesome, too!! But there isn't a whole lot out there for whole families to come together & do things together as a family. This would discourage "drop 'em off, pick 'em up" & hopefully not be a turn-off because of that...Again, not that there's anything wrong with that, I've just felt that, my church in particular, has a bad habit of departmentalizing families instead of bringing them all together every once in a while...

Am I being boring so far? LOL

Steve had carpal tunnel surgery on his right hand yesterday. He's doing very well with his vicadin!! LOL He took off today, gets a new bandage put on it tomorrow, but he's been doing very well. Soon, he'll probably have to schedule to have the other one done, but since it's not as bad as his right one, they'll wait a while for it...

I'd better go. I need to get to bed at a decent hour tonight. Steve has it in his head that he's going on the Men's Camping Retreat this weekend, not having the use of his right hand, and I think he's crazy...but we'll see...The dr. or whoever that sees him tomorrow will be able to tell him yay or nay...

Love you all & prayers for Missy & Jodi's family...

Vacation, The FlyLady, and The House Fairy...

Wow, I can't believe I haven't posted on here in so long!! Vacation was almost a month ago, now, and I haven't been on here much at all!! Facebook is quite addicting, and I have a few things to share with you...

First off, Jodi already shared with you about the "towel" incident at the hotel...That lady...ARGH!! My Dad was ready to pick up & leave that night, and I did in my principles, but we had basically moved in...we had a pack n' play, 4,000 suitcases, a cooler & our snackies...practicality won out over principles...But my Dad was HOT about it, and even spoke with the officers that night while they were there, and also, while they were there, he walked up to the counter & asked (in front of the police, mind you) for some towels...and got them!! I don't think this was lost on the officers. Dad said all they told him was, "Hey, we're just the messengers..." I don't think they really believed her, either...

Anyways, we had fun...Reunion was great, although my very easy-going baby boy got very overheated right after dinnertime & was basically DONE being outside...He was crying inconsolabely, and we just had to go back to town...Abbey & Steve went to the pool, and I gotta tell you, I wasn't hating that air conditioning!! LOL Eli was a different baby after a good nap & laying down in a cool room :) We headed back out around 5/6ish & he was good the rest of the time :) Abbey LOVED digging in the dirt with all her cousins!! I think she dug in the dirt more than anything else, actually...

Vacation was SOOOO nice!! :) We had a great time, except for wanting to beat the tar out of Abbey!! (don't call child services, we did not actually beat our child!! Actually, we probably went too easy on her during vacation, because, God love her, she was a spoiled little Diva that week...There's something to be said for nap times & low blood sugar levels...). Anyways, Monday night we ate at Calhoun's (which was pretty good) & settled into the condo, then went for a night drive in Gatlinburg...it's so pretty & vacationy looking at nighttime :) We always remember Dad telling us a story of when he & his family took a rare vacation down there once after a reunion. You have to drive through part of the National Park between Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg & it's so neat...well, Dad's always told us that when he was little, he always wanted to stay in that little hotel/motel right as you enter Gatlinburg because when he was little he always thought it was so neat to come straight out of a forest & then POW!! there's a neato swimming pool!! I'm sure that when he was little, it was a pretty neato hotel, but I'd be afraid to guess at what's inside that place now!! LOL :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

Tuesday was a little bit of shopping...We did eat at a new (to me) breakfast place called Flapjack's...Pretty yummy :) We hit Lil' Dolly's, then dropped the girls off to Dad & Steve (who went golfing) to swim, then we took Baby Boy shopping...I have to say, Eli was the best behaved child we had along with us!! LOL :)

That night we ate at Huck Finn's fish place...YUMO!! We also took Katie & Abbey to this little tykes amusement park thingy...SO cute!! You can really start to see Abbey & Katie's different personalities...Abbey was afraid to go on much more than the train, the merry-go-round, and the swings, and Katie would've done every ride there if we had enough tickets!! LOL Just neat to watch them, ya know? :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

Wednesday, we all went to The Pancake Pantry for breakfast (YYYUUUMMMMOOOOO!!!), then met up with Jodi & the rest (LOL) @ The Aquarium...But she told you about that already!! :)

After that, Steve kept Eli, and Dad took the girls to the pool, and me, Mom & Chelle got to actually shop by ourselves for a while!! :) It was heavenly!! LOL We met up with them at the Applebarn for dinner (AGAIN, YYYYUUUMMMMMOOOOOO!!)...Here's something a little funny...We wanted to shop at the Applebarn before the gift shop closed, and then head to the farmhouse to eat...Well, to get to the Christmas store there, it's easier to walk through their Winery...And this lady at their wine-tasting bar stopped me (I really tried to walk fast & not make eye contact, but I wasn't about to be rude!! LOL) I told her I didn't really like wine...She says, "Oh, yes you do!" LOL That was a new one!! LOL I told her I was more of a frozen daqari kind of girl, and she says, "Then, you like wine!!" She got this frozen daqari mix they had & they mix it with their Apple Strawberry wine, and boy, it's yummy!! I almost bought me some!! She said, "See? I told you you like wine!!" LOL So, I kept walking & caught up with Mom & Chelle at the Christmas store...we browsed there a bit, then walked back through the winery & this guy stops us (the lady who had previously served us wasn't there anymore). So, we all 3 tasted enough wine to relax us a bit...he was very generous, and we tasted, like, 6 wines!! Chelle did buy her mil a bottle for Christmas, and if I had it to do over again, I would've bought a bottle & that daquari mix...It was delish!! :) We were laughing at ourselves because we are obviously not big drinkers, and I think the guy knew that...Actually, I think anyone who glanced our way would've known that!! LOL :)

We ate a very nice dinner, went to THE Incredible Christmas Store & got our ornaments that we get every year...Abbey & Katie loved that store!! :) I LOVE that store!! :)

Then, we went to Krispie Kremes...

We came home Thursday, just like Jodi & Jimmie, and have decided that next year we're going to try & stay through Friday or Saturday because we're tired of just hitting the highlights & not being able to do those "what we'd like to try sometime" things, ya know?

Anyways...we've been home for a few weeks now, and I just put away our last suitcase today!! LOL I've been getting back in touch with the FlyLady...and she introduced me to The House Fairy (www.housefairy.org). Abbey was pretty impressed with her!! :) So, we're having her start to visit our house...

I'm sure I've left LOTS out, but then you would be unbelievably bored instead of just bored!! LOL :) I'm sure this is a long post, but I had a lot to catch you up on!! LOL :) I'll have to share more about church, & other stuff like that next time, I guess...

Love you all, and am thinking about you!! :)

I just got word yesterday evening that my friend (I might've mentioned her earlier) is miscarrying a surprise & very wanted baby...My heart aches for her.

That, and reading Jodi's blog, brought this song to mind, and heart.

Like I commented on her blog, it's funny what God uses to touch, heal, speak, love, move us. When I first heard this song, I was at a pretty dark place after our 1st miscarriage...I was mad at God. He's bigger!! And, He's compassionate... He is just awesome...Anyways, I hope this song blesses you like it did me, and if you're not at that place to hear & let the message wash over you, that's okay, I'm not posting it to be "holier than thou" or insensitive to wherever you are...It was just laid on my heart to share...



When Steve & I started attending COTC (that's our church) we took a "Finding Your Spiritual Gifts" small group study...and I learned a lot!! Great study!! I'll have to find the "official" name of it to pass on to you all...ANYWAYS, through that study, I "found out" that one of my top 3 strongest gifts is faith...And I have to tell you, that's no lie!! Through everything I've experienced, the good, the bad & the ugly, I've never doubted that God is who He says He is, and that Jesus is always there for me, that He loves me... Not that I've always understood the depth of His love & grace (I don't think anyone can really comprehend that this side of heaven), but I've never doubted Him...

But sometimes knowing who God is, and that He is who He says He is can be confusing in the midst of heartache & despair...Because knowing He is and was and is to come, has the power of life everlasting, and knowing that He loves us so much, it just doesn't jive with the heartache & despair...I forget that He isn't heartache & despair, but the enemy is...Sometimes I mix up who to blame, who is really responsible for the heartache. I don't understand why God lets him, but I know heartache isn't of God...I know He grieves with us...He cries with us...He ministers to us any way He can (and that's a lot!! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for working through an animated movie about Joseph!!).

I've still got a TON to learn, a ton to work through here, and like my Dad says, the more I read the Bible, the more I realize I don't know diddley squat!! LOL :) But take this little grain of rice (actually smaller than that) that I do know, in the Spirit in which it was meant...Just to love ya, girlies!! :)

Christmas in July, a funeral, Pennsylvania & REUNION/Vacation

That is what has been, and what is to come!! :) First of all, July was fun!! We actually "celebrate" Christmas in July, and this year Abbey invited her friends Mackenzie & Maguire, & her cousin Katie. Well, okay, so we Mommy's wanted to get together to "celebrate," too :) We had a GREAT time!! :) I pulled my little Christmas tree that I keep up all year round by my front door & put some ornaments that I bought last year for Abbey's room tree on it. I baked Christmas cookies (sugar cookie snowmen & hearts), made special sandwiches (YUMMO!! cream cheese, sliced strawberries, & strawberry preserves...DELISH!!) Anyways, I also made hotdogs in crescent rolls. We played Christmas music, had Christmas movies on for the kiddos, but they mostly played outside & in Abbey's room, and we Mommy's mostly talked about this & that...It was really nice!! :)

Then, the following Monday we had a family funeral. Maybe some of you locals have heard the 2 brothers shot in Trotwood... Those brothers are my, Jodi & Missy's cousins... I never really knew Jimmie (the one who was shot & died) that well, or at all, really, but Tommy (was wounded...shot in the chest & "just" nicked his lung...he's since been released & is healing). This whole situation is weird & I'm not even sure if I could repeat the story without confusing all the details...Anyways, VERY VERY sad...What struck me, though, while at the funeral was how many people don't know Jesus...The preacher did an excellent job, I thought. They also played the song, "Cry out to Jesus" by Third Day & I thought that was an awesome pick, whoever picked it...That's all the preaching some people hear, and to hear the truth in a loving, caring way was a breath of fresh air. Anyways, as I was standing there during the service I just prayed & prayed that hearts would be receptive to Jesus...I just felt this urgency to pray that, so I went with it...

After that, it was nice spending time with some of my family at Lone Star Steakhouse!! :) Jodi & Jimmie were having lunch on their way back to KY, so a few of us joined them...It was nice to be with everyone, since, like Jodi says, we don't really do that very much anymore, and I miss my family, sometimes...But, reunion's coming!!!!

Before Reunion, though, we're heading to PA. We thought Steve's parent's feelings might be hurt if we went on vacation (after Reunion we're going to the Smokies!! :)) before we brought Eli to their place, so the last weekend in August was the only weekend that worked...We're going up on Friday, back on Sunday... Then, I'll have a week to do our laundry, then re-pack everything, then some, and we're off to Somerset, KY on Saturday. We like to get there a little early on Saturday so Abbey can swim some before we head out to the shelter (where the pre-reunion is on Saturday nights before THE Reunion on Sunday). We were going to leave Sunday and head down to the Smokies, but the price of the room on Sunday night compared to the rest of the week was OUTRAGEOUS!! Sickeningly so, actually. So, we're going to stay the night in Somerset again on Sunday night, as usual, then leave for the Smokies early on Monday.

We're staying at the same condo place that we stayed last year...it's SUPER nice...Steve's coming this year, too, but Matt's not...Matt's mom & dad aren't coming this year, either...WOOHOO!! Bless their hearts... It's just more stressful, more work, more awkward when they come...So, we're looking forward to vacation!! :)

Our VBS was last week...and I wasn't in charge!! I missed it a little bit, but it was nice to not have to answer any questions!! LOL :) Although, the first night, everybody came up to me like I was in charge & asking questions!! LOL I thought that was pretty funny...I kept saying, "I seriously don't know...All I'm doing this year is the painting!!" LOL Abbey loved it...They did Power Lab & it was very cute...

Anyways...that's it for me right now...Eli's crying...he's fighting sleep already...I hate when babies do that!! It's hard on their Mommy's!! :)

Love you all!! :)