Short Update

I am in the middle of a big project on the house, so it's kept me from blogging hardly at all. I am getting anxious for it to be over so I can post before and after photos!!!

We are in the middle of school activities...scouts, science classes, field trips, and general everyday stuff. Clayton had a birthday and we celebrated by going to Dollywood in the POURING rain! Seriously, it rained 5 inches last Saturday, so fast that they shut Dollywood down due to flooding!

Cooler weather is here, you can tell fall has arrived. The A/C units are off and the windows are open, which is a lovely feeling. We're gearing up for senior photo shoots as soon as the leaves begin to really change.

Well, that wallpaper steamer is calling my name, so I'm going to sign off here and leave you with a really neat photo (http://www.killboy.com/) of Joe, his brother Paul, and two nephews Charles and Tim on a motorcycle ride earlier this month on U.S. 129, better known as "The Dragon," 318 curves in 11 miles.

Wow...I guess I forgot

I've been so busy hanging out on facebook, that I've almost forgotten that I have a blog! If you haven't connected with me over there, please do! I love it, probably a little too much!

We are busy with school, the guys are still working very hard mowing yards, we're in the middle of refinancing so are doing some home repairs...on and on the list goes.

We just got back from a short trip to Indiana for the Labor Day weekend, and that was lots of fun. Had a chance to take Clayton to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis and met up with my friend Martha Dubbeld Lavy. That was quite a fun day!!!

Now, I'm just hanging out here at home. Our typical day is schooling in the mornings, lunch, then chores and whatever exta curricular activities are going on. Clayton is in his last year of Cub Scouts, which is twice a month, and he's also joined a Lego club, which he's really excited about. We may sign up for basketball again, not sure about that yet. All in all, we're just keeping super busy.

Please do look me up on facebook. Lots of pictures to see there. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I'm back...

After 9 long months without internet at home, I'm officially back in touch with the digital world! And as soon as I get a chance, I have so many photos to upload and tell about our fun, eventful summer! And post pictures of "the girlfriend" that is now an added member of our family! :) So be on the look out for an update real soon.

Quick Update

Just a short note to say I'm still here. We began our school year today, and it was strange to just have ONE student! It's hard to imagine that this is our 10th year of homeschooling...I never dreamed it would last this long.
Justin has decided to work this year, do an internship with the youth pastor at the church, and just stay home for a little while longer. I wonder if that pretty little girl in Maryville has anything to do with it? This whole dating thing is such a flashback to Joe and I's dating years...I can't believe I have a child that is the same age I was when I met Joe!!!
So, what are we doing these days? Work, school, church, work, family time, trying to get Justin to stay home and visit with US, work, work, work! That about sums it up! Thrilling, this thing called life, huh?

Saying Good-bye

I have been so blessed over the last 2 years to have become friends with my dear Kate. But alas, we find that she and her husband Chris are moving to New Jersey at the end of this week. I am so very sad, as is Joe. They have become like family to us in such a very short time, and the memories that we have crammed into the last couple of years have been AMAZING!

It was Kate that inspired me to learn how to ride a motorcycle, and she has been encouraging me all along the journey of getting my license. And this past weekend I finally got to live the dream of riding with her, just the two of us girls, out on our bikes!!! That was so fun, except for when I ran out of fuel! We made another memory.

There was a fun slumber party on Friday night with a few of Kate's friends from church that could come. What a great time of laughing, crying, celebrating together we had. Even more sweet memories were made in just a few short hours.

Yesterday was their last day to worship with us, and what an emotional time that was. I stood with her, both of us sobbing, and just sang about how much HOPE we have because of Christ; knowing that really, we're not saying good-bye forever, even if we never see each other in person again on this earth. We truly will have ETERNITY to spend together because of the sacrifice of Christ and His grace that He has poured out on our hearts. The people that gathered around them to pray and send them off are all such precious people. I noticed that Chris was just looking around at each one of them and I thought, "He surely is trying to hide this all in his heart." All the memories that have been made, all the work that he has done for so many of them, all the times of fellowship and ministry, YEARS of what I like to call "doing life together." Those are the things that I'm sure Chris and Kate will hang onto, as will those of us that are left behind.

We were so honored that they chose to spend their last Sunday having lunch and hanging out with us! And Kate and I were able to have a moment of exchanging letters and cards, and then had time to pray together, just thanking God for the gift of friendship, for His blessing to ME by giving me this opportunity to have known Kate...that is a moment that I will hold dear for ever!

We then made our way to the park for a church-wide send off for them. What a blessing it was to hear all the things that were said about them, their compassion for the Body of Christ, their vision for the church, their love of people, no matter where they are, and on and on the list went. Keep in mind that this couple is just in their mid-twenties! I told them in a card I gave that one of things I was grateful for was how they invested in my boys. They gave life and breath and skin to The Gospel in the form of how they ministered to my kids!!!


I know that we still have a few days left to hang out and spend a little more time together, and we do have your dog at our house (hey, we could hold him hostage!), but I wanted to go ahead and say "Thank You" to Kate for walking this road with me, for being my friend and sister in Christ, and I am so thankful for technology that will allow us to keep in touch over the next few years! I love you, Kate!

We have a baby girl!!

Just in case some of you didn't hear, after 10 weeks on her back, which included 50 days in the hospital, Karen (Joe's niece) gave birth to a healthy baby girl on July 2nd. She weighed in at a whopping 4 pounds!!! Not too bad for being 8 weeks early.

Here are a couple pictures of Katelyn:

We are all thanking God for a healthy baby, and for His protection of Karen. He is truly awesome!

Are women born this way? - Snotr

This video is too adorable! Hope it makes you giggle just a little today.


Are women born this way? - Snotr: ""