Bible Club

The second day of Bible Club was today. Last week we had 7 kids in attendance. This week we had two. I expected less this week, but was hoping for more than two. But we had great fun none-the-less, and the two who came are so positive and encouraging. (Kinda like K-love...) My friend Cindy has been doing the stories and she is doing such a good job. D and M made for a captive audience this morning and they were sure to go home and encourage their other siblings to come back next week. When there is such a variance in the number of kids attending, I am never sure how many to prepare for. This week I was ready for 10-15 kids, just in case all that had signed up really did come. I had to have craft and snack ready, and I guess I overdid it this week. I am not really bothered by the over-abundance of leftovers and I know Cindy and I enjoyed our morning with just M and D. I also know that God can use two simpletons like us to reach these kids with His love and salvation. I am excited for each opportunity He gives us. (Not calling you a simpleton Cindy! Only myself! Ha-ha!)

An Inspiring Crafty

I found a new favorite blog. She's crafty. I like her blog. It is inspiring. I have craftiness in there somewhere too. Once in a while it starts to come out. But not usually. I have ideas, but don't implement them. Perhaps my new favorite blog will bring out my craftiness. (I know I have craftiness because I'm related to my Grandmother and she is crafty too.) I think I will start being crafty by making the wall hangings for Joshua's room. I need your old magazines. Heap them up in a pile for me and I will collect them. You know, those magazines that you look through a few times and then recycle... Yeah, I want those. Those old, almost int he recycling bin magazines. Send 'em my way. They are going to become a wonderful wall hanging. Please.

Check out her blog. It is great. http://ashleyannphotography.com/blog

Lace-up Boots

I am going to go on an investigational search. I need some new blog friends. Not that the current ones are dull or boring... But there isn't much happening here. Maybe I should really phrase it as "more blog friends". I don't like getting rid of the old, but I do like "new". Perhaps my new blog friends will comment more and ask more random questions... Really, I don't care if they have the same names as my old blog friends, just as long as they care to tune in once in a while. They will say things like, "Oh, what a fine purple bug that was!" or "When do you plan to visit South Carolina?" Perhaps they will be from some foreign country where everyone wears lace-up boots... I like lace-up boots. Check out this pair I found while searching for a photo of lace-up boots. Wow. Talk about boots! Well, I guess that is all I have to say for now.

Bible Club

Tomorrow is an exciting day. We are hosting a Backyard Bible Club at our house Saturday mornings for four weeks. A friend of mine, Cindy, and I really wanted a way to reach our community with Jesus' love and the kids in my neighborhood have especially been on my heart. Cindy will be my teacher and I am the host. I plan on doing songs and craft too. And of course we will all play games and have snack at the end. But the most important part is the Bible story and telling the children about Jesus. I'm so glad Cindy is doing that part as she has a little more experience than I do. Last week Josh and I spent some time inviting our neighborhood kids and we got 13 kids signed up from ages 4 -13. It's a big age span, but I think we'll be okay. Some kids go to church and some do not. I'm looking forward to what God is going to do. Please keep us in your prayers as we venture into the unknown. Also pray for sunny mornings! I have a small house and fitting 14 kids and a few adults in it would be a squeeze........ Now what do I have left to do? The Kool-aid is made, cookies baked, craft is prepared, one song written on poster board... Everything will come together in the morning.

Lost Heart Pieces

It's not that I don't have anything interesting going on, it's just that my mind doesn't want to sit still long enough to blog. (Maybe it's cause of that cookie I ate...) I've taken pictures, but not uploaded them. I've started blogs in my mind nearly a dozen times. I'm full of excuses. And not nearly interesting enough. Haha, the last part was a joke. Now let's see if I have an interesting photo somewhere...
Mmmm, last year, on this day, I left these kiddos behind in El Salvador. I almost cannot believe it's been a year. The girl in the back is a sheer reminder of H1N1. But that was hardly on our minds as we hugged those little girls and boys. I still wish to go back, but that won't be happening for a while. The plans have been set in motions to go to Indonesia this coming February. I sponsor a girl there and have signed up to go on the tour. I received the okay to go from the two most important people, and so I am stepping out in faith. Don't know exactly how I'm going to get there, but am confident that God wouldn't have said to go if He wasn't going to provide. So I am sure that I will leave a piece of my heart in Indonesia with a certain 17 year old girl and then I will have two missing heart pieces. But I am sooo looking forward to meeting her face to face. (Three secret cheers for gladness! Woot-woot-woot!!)

Exerpts of Life

Some "clippets" of my life:

I have a sinus headache today. This doesn't happen very often, maybe twice before, and I don't like it. Maybe the sinus meds I just took will kick in soon.

We went for a hike/walk with my in-laws today and we lost Joanne, my mother-in-law. The guys found her after a half hour. She just wanted some extra exercise or something.

My brother Jim came home for the past week, but he left this morning. He stayed at our house and I felt like we hogged him. It was nice.

We had a campfire at our house last night with my family and some friends. We played croquet (my favorite yard game of all time) and bocce ball. Fun times. And s'mores.

I'm going to host a Backyard Bible Club this summer. It will start soon. I have no firm plans yet. Other than it is starting soon.

My current hearts' desire is to go to Indonesia on the next Compassion Sponsor Tour in February. My Compassion child asked me when I was coming to visit her. I already have me passport...

It is dinner time. Adam made dinner. I love him today.

A Camping Trip

*Hiking up Bald Mountain. Josh hiked all the way up
and half the way down before asking for a ride.*

We finally took Josh camping last weekend. He had been asking to go since April. One sunny April afternoon, while driving down the highway, something must've triggered a memory of camping. Because from that moment on, at least once weekly, Josh would ask to go camping. Last year, we had taken him up into the Adirondack's to Old Forge, and this year we returned, just one campsite over from the one we had last year. This year we had an addition to our camping party, as Adam had invited his friend Dave to come along. Dave brought his own tent and his own snacks, but other than that, did everything else with us. We did some hiking, some canoeing, mini-golfing, some cooking over the fire, some bear-hunting, and some hiding under a tarp. Yes, it rained a bit. But I'm not one to complain about the rain. It wasn't all that bad. The sun shone at least for a bit each day and our tent didn't wash away in the midnight torrential downpour. So all in all, other than me being in such a sour mood the whole time, it was a fine camping excursion. But next time, Adam is making the pancakes.*At the top of the Bald Mountain Fire Tower. Over 2, 350 ft up.*

*Dave attempting to get washed down the Moose River. I was so paranoid.*

*Mmm, mmm, good.*

Made with Love

My Daddy made us a coffee table and two end tables. I love them. They are beautiful. It makes me happy to have something my Daddy made in my house. I grew up watching him make beautiful things out of wood. The smell of sawdust always reminds me of him and I think of him every time I see a beautiful piece of handmade furniture. Thanks Daddy for my beautiful tables!

A Proactive Approach

I feel like a big zit. Well, at least lots of little zits. About a month ago, Adam started threatening to buy me Proactive. I resisted his remarks. Then he actually ordered it. I wasn't sure whether to be appreciative or offended. I opted to be appreciative, especially since it looked as if my face had exploded. Really. It was just that bad. People have commented that I looked 16 before and now I definitely had gone back a few years. It was horrible. I went whole week without cookies and allowed myself only minimal amounts of sugar. I stopped using my moisturizer. I started using the Proactive. My face started to get better. I thought it was working. But now it has been at least 10 days with a new zit each day. I am ready to give up and throw in the towel. I ate two cookies today. I expect five new zits tomorrow. (Sugar sets me off.) I am tired of being a zit. One big fat zit.