Friday's Fun Fieldtrip

A fellow homeschooling friend invited us to join her co-op group for the day.  We headed to Camp Greenville.  It was a beautiful day to be out in the mountains!!

 





The younger girls headed on a nature walk and collected "nature items" they later used to make a craft.

Meet Larry (Mackenzie's) and Bob (Haleigh's).

 During this time Sophie was with an older group discovering "Secrets of the Mountain" as they learned compass skills.

We all joined back up for a picnic lunch.  Afterward, my friend and I decided to let the littlest ones run in a field for a while as we visited.  Haleigh and her friends headed to learn about reptiles.  Sophie, get this... headed off to RIFLERY.  This may not seem like a big deal, but as soon as Sophie heard what her group was doing she became pretty fearful for her own safety, as well as mine.  She left the lunch area with her group and some very qualified staff who encouraged her it would all be ok.  When we met up with her she was in her third session, Archery.  I asked her how riflery went.  She looked at me with very shiny eyes and quietly said, "I actually like it- a LOT!"

During Archery Sophie hit the target twice and was very excited!  (And I was very excited for her ;)  It was so fun to watch her overcome some fears and gain some confidence in an area that completely out of her norm.

Haleigh wrapped up the day in an instrument making class.  

We all had a GREAT day and before we made it home they were asking when we could visit Camp Greenville again!


(Susan, thanks for inviting us along, it was an absolute blast!)

We celebrated a birthday this week!!

I can't believe our Haleigh is 7!

(This is my favorite picture of her from all year!)

As I flip through the pictures from Tuesday I realize we have some pretty funny Birthday traditions around here...

1- The cereal isle has been a repeated curse to us as we venture to do our grocery shopping.  I will only buy healthy cereal for the girls.  However, they long for the cool looking boxes filled with sugar.  One day I blurted out, "On your birthday you can pick whichever cereal you want, ANY cereal no matter how sugar packed it is, every other day I pick, with no complaints."  Let's just say the girls have held me to my promise with each passing birthday!

2- We throw in our homeschool perks card for birthdays.  Absolutely NO school on birthdays.  (Which is extremely helpful if a cake still needs to be baked and decorated before that evening;)

3-  The birthday girl gets to pick the activities of the day.  Haleigh's pick was PlayNation followed by dinner "absolutely anywhere you would like to go, anywhere you name it!"  Oh yes, we had dinner at McDonalds and she was a happy birthday girl.

4- The girl turning one number older gets to pick what she wants her cake to (hopefully) look like.  We only do a "bigger than just family" party every other year.  This was an off year.  I suggested a Lego cake since my girl is crazy about Legos.  She thought it was a great idea.  I was thinking, "How easy is this going to be, a rectangle with a few extra circles on top."  Then Haleigh came around the corner with a Lego Pizza Delivery Girl named Jamie.

Gifts were opened with a great deal of excitement.  This expression and squeals accompanied each gift.

5- Finally, perhaps the most cherished tradition in our house for birthdays, is the hanging of the streamers.  Haleigh couldn't call it a day until she had her picture taken with her new monkey slippers and her birthday streamers.

Haleigh, 
You are a priceless treasure to our family!  Your joy is contagious.  The songs of praise that float out of you as you go about your day remind me of what a special work God is doing in your heart.  I know this year will be special as you grow to love Him more and more.  You make us smile with your silliness and love.  Have a sweet year precious!  We love you!

Fall Blessings

 Have a blessed weekend with eyes wide open to His blessing that fall on us all daily!

Off He Goes

This makes his sixth trip to Barranquilla, Columbia, South America.  We were both surprised how normal this trip is beginning to feel.  The ease of packing due to knowing the routine and what to expect, the reminders of God's blessing and renewal of perspective,  experiencing the need to depend  on Him moment by moment as he functions out of his element.
Many ask if I am ok with him going.  At this point I recognize it is hard to let him go for the week, but I also know the man that walks off the plane upon return is a different man.  One who has seen worship of people who have nothing but God.  One who sees what it looks like to stand in line for hours to have an illness treated, hopeful eyes looking to him.  One who gets to talk to each of these, who have waited in line, about the Great Physician who rescued him.  One who year after year experiences walking among mentors sold out for Christ. 
I am so proud of his obedience to go, to serve.  Please join me in praying for him and the team he serves with this week.

Saturday, October 29
Team travels to the Colombia. Children’s Ministry Training. Leadership Training.
Matt 11:25-30
REST IN JESUS
 
Sunday, October 30
Worship with local churches and
believers
Eph. 4:1-6
UNITY WITH CHURCH
 
Monday, October 31
Prayer concerts and ministry of Intercession. Yo Soy Segundo Discipleship/ Church Planting Teams. Community Transformation Deaf Ministry Medical Team
Col. 4: 2-6
OPEN DOORS
 
Tuesday,  Nov 1
Prayer concerts and ministry of Intercession. Yo Soy Segundo Discipleship/ Church Planting Teams Community Transformation Deaf Ministry Praise Team Medical Team Eph. 6:19-20 BOLDNESS
 
Wednesday, Nov. 2
Deaf Ministry
Praise Team Medical Team
Eph. 1:17-20
RENEWED STRENGTH
 
Thursday, Nov. 3
Deaf Ministry
Praise Team Medical Team
Hab. 1:5
UTTERLY AMAZED
 
Friday, Nov. 4
Rest and Fellowship
Evening Rally
Psalm 95:1-7
THANK GOD. HE IS OUR ROCK
 
Saturday, Nov. 5
Team departs for home. Pray for the discipleship of the leaders and workers in the new churches.
Rom. 12:1-2
SAFE TRAVEL
 
Sunday, Nov. 6
Rejoice in what God has done!
1 Thess. 5:16
REJOICE
 
Monday, Nov. 7
Pray for leaders and workers of new churches.
Eph. 4:11-16
LEADERS
 
Tuesday, Nov. 8
Pray that God will continue to change lives of new believ- ers
Eph. 4:17-32
GROWTH
 
Wednesday, Nov. 9
Continue to pray that new believers grow strong in faith
Eph. 5:8-10
GROWTH
 
Thursday, Nov. 10
Pray that God would raise up workers for His harvest field. Ask God if He would have YOU go on a mission trip with us!
E3 Partners: 1-800-5–I-CAN- GO
Thank You For Your Prayers!
e3 Partners Ministry 214-440-1101

Boston Retreat

A few months ago Mark called and said he had an upcoming conference in Boston.  The big question was if I wanted to go with him alone, take one or all of the girls with us.  I was back and forth for several days.  We are studying American History this year and the girls would have LOVED to see first hand some of the places new to their knowledge base.  However, God knew I was really going to need a break once this trip finally arrived.  We decided to take some time away for us (ok, really it was a lot for ME;)  Mark was going to be attending the conference from 7:30 through about 6:00 each day.  I was set to take full advantage of some quiet time to sleep, read, and just be still.  

 Thursday morning, before Mark started attending the lectures,we took some time to see some of Boston.  We walked the Freedom Trail, stopped in a little coffee shop for breakfast, and then walked the wharf.  It was beautiful (and shocking how much I love history now too!) 

Once Mark started attending the conference, I started being still.

 

This is the scene I took in for hours and hours, it was GREAT!   I read an eye opening book, What Women Fear by Angela Smith.  It was a great chance to read, process my thoughts, and pray.  With  a few naps intermingled with more reading I moved onto, Loving the Little Years Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic.  My oldest sister had highly recommended this book a few months ago.  It was a sweet, lite way to evaluate this stage of mothering I am in.  The first paragraph of the book puts it this way, "...if organization and order can still be found in my attitude, we are doing well.  But if my attitude falters, even in the midst of external order,  so does everything else."

 

In the evenings we ate a lot of great food and explored sweet parts of Boston. 

(Our first evening there we had the pleasure of sharing dinner with the new doc, joining Mark's group next month, and his wife. We got to hear their adventurous story of how God has been using them.  We are looking forward to them coming to Greenville.  It will be a relief exciting for the group and great to get to know this neat family better!)

Overall, this was an absolutely needed break from the constant go go go of normal life.  It was fun to relax and think whole thoughts,  to talk to God in the quiet without interruption,  to explore a neat city and great restaurants with this guy...

 

and needless to say laugh a lot!!!

(Do you see how much he looks like that frog behind him?  Really!?)

And we were able to do all this because I knew my gals (who I'm sure needed a break from me too) were having a blast back home- thanks Mom!

The Children's Museum

 Last week we had something to celebrate...

Grandma and Megan (the oldest of my sweet nieces) came to town!

 Tuesday morning we hit the books to get school done for the day.

Then we headed to the children's museum for the afternoon. 

We all had a blast!!

The Apple Orchard

 To kick the month off to a great start, we headed to the apple orchard with some sweet friends. 

It could not have been a better day.  

There was no shortage of pumpkins, apples, animals, smiles, or laughs.  

Just pure fun, family and friends excited for fall!!!