Roadtrip, Turkeys & Christmas Trees

So, we took a road trip this Thanksgiving. The first in a long time. Some friends of ours recently moved to Harbor Beach, MI (in the thumb- right on Lake Huron) and we thought it would be fun to join them for turkey and shopping this year. A 6 hour drive. Okay, if you don't miss the interchange and end up on the other side of the state! Not to mention that I almost felt like I was in Chicago for part of the journey the way the traffic was creeping along. Part of our trip should have took a mere hour and 45 minutes to get to- yeah. Well, 2 and a half hours later we get there....now moving along at a speedy 45 miles an hour. I don't feel too bad about missing the interchange- cursed Google directions didn't tell me that the road I was following N changes E! Yes, I did read them. It said to follow the road N to my next road......not follow my road N, watch for a switch to head E before finding the next road! AAAAHHHHH!!!! So, the 6 hour drive was truly a 9 hour drive. My kids were fabulous though- which I was a little worried would become World War III before we actually got to our destination. I must admit though, the dvd player that we got as a gift a few years ago came in mighty handy!
We had a great time! We enjoyed the visit, met some of their new friends, checked out their church (my friend is the new children's minister there), and shopped on Black Friday. And shopped. And, shopped. Did I mention that we shopped? We left the house at 6:30am- late for B.F. shopping, but, sleeping in was great. It takes an hour to get to Port Huron from Harbor Beach, so we started at about 7:30am, and stopped about 7:30pm. It was so great though! I love Black Friday shopping! Money or not, good sales or not, I usually am in the throngs of people out there at 5am. My mom and I enjoy the fun of the people (most of the time), seeing what bargains there are, and just the energy of it all. (Mom went with my brother this year.)
The trip home only took about 5 1/2 hours. It helps when you know to make that road change! Oh what a difference!It will not be a trip soon forgotten!
Sunday, after church we put the tree up. The kids were helpful carrying everything up the stairs and helping move furniture so the tree would fit, and even helping carry boxes back downstairs. I think they were so excited to do it this year because it has been 3 years since we have had our own tree, own decorations, and own house to put them up in! It was quite a treasure hunt looking at all the things that had been in storage! The bummer of the evening is that tree lights apparently don't like being unused for that long and so did not work. We only had a few that did, borrowed 2 from mom and we had enough. Praise God! I did find that, the day after Christmas if we go shopping (another fun shopping day for me!), I don't need ornaments or Christmas plates. Apparently though, I need lights!!!
So, did any one out there have an interesting story about this Thanksgiving that will be part of your memory for years? Even getting lost in your hometown counts!! (not me, but someone else qualifies that story!)

Fall is falling

Football is over and Jordan is done assitant coaching Upwards soccer for the season. And, I am finding that homeownership also requires rake ownership. So, out we went to buy a couple. Though, I do have a leaf blower...which Josiah has found is a lot of fun to use! He uses his imagination quite well, I might add while using it! He has been comical to watch. Then, Jordan realized how easy the leafblower is to use (and fun) and so they split the time between rakes and leaf blower. Fine with me as I have been able to do other things and leave that chore to them! :)
This weekend we had one of my extended family nieces stay with us. They have recently moved and she came back for a visit. We carved pumpkins. She got a bit confused and carved a snowman. Yes, we were listening to Christmas music while carving. We did start later than normal this year, and it was Jordan that pulled it out first. It did make for a cute jack-o-lantern though! I am amazed that it is almost November. This year has just flown by. Only7 months until my nieces come back form their Philippine adventure. And if you want a really scary thought, only 59 days until Christmas!

August already?!?!

I realize I have a day yet until August, but wow! this summer has FLOWN by! I had to see what my last entry talked about and when it was to even know where to begin! Kris and I enjoyed a totally fun overnight in Chicago at the end of June watching our boys in concert. No "face time" encounters with any of them this time, but we met two other fans and hung with them all day. They live not too far from here, so we are hoping to meet up with them another time.
Jordan and my parents flew to the Philippines and spent time with my brother and his family for two weeks after my last entry. All went well, the trip (at least on their side) went smoothly....my brother and one of my nieces 12 hour trip to meet them at the airplane ended up being quite a bit longer with some mudslides and other issues to deal with, but everyone arrived safe. They arrived home at the end of the journey with many beautiful pictures, lots of memories and a desire to not eat rice again for quite a while!
Jordan was just getting back on a regular sleep schedule when her and 17 other kids from our church went to a local neighborhood and helped with a work project there. It was a Thursday through Sunday trip and they stayed at our Missionary church campground. It was a lot of hard work (not too mention poison ivy!) but they all really enjoyed it and are looking forward to whatever may come next summer! I had to work, but went down and served dinner on Thurday and Friday and spent most of the day there Saturday. Okay, I really didn't serve dinner Friday- I ended up showing up after they were all served after a long wait on the freeway somewhere between here and there with a blown out tire and 2 bolts broken off because they were so rusty. A bit of frustration, but I got to the campground and hung with the kids and did devotions with them. The next morning (because of course it was closing time at the repair shop by the time the tow truck driver got there and we made it to the place), I drove back down (in a borrowed car from one of the adults that stayed with the kids) and picked up my car (with a bit lighter of a wallet!) It was so awesome though to be around these kids, watch them work hard and laugh, and just get to know them better.
Then, last Thursday we took the youth to Cedar Point and had so much fun! It has been quite a long time since I have been there and I love that kind of stuff! We ended up getting rained on most of the day, but they kept the rides open, at least until there was thunder and lightning. That didn't last very long though. I did have one ride that I almost chickened out on, but I went! I made it, screaming all the way!!!!! The ride was the Millennium Force. The initial hill takes you up 310 feet and then the first downhill takes you at an 80* drop down 300 feet! I kept my eyes closed!!! (and SCREAMED!!!) (did I say that already?!!) You can cehck it out if you want to here. Just click on the "point of view"- watch link.
So, now we are winding down on summer. Still lots to do as we start to think about redecorating the youth room and Pulse Fest and.....whatever else may come up.

I thought you fell off the face of the earth....

.....not quite, though it feels as though my world has been spinning fast enough to throw me into orbit!
Soccer season and school are both done! Soccer season this year kept me plenty busy, but I enjoy every moment of it! Jordan's team (though a different coach- miss you Tom!) was undefeated again this year and Jordan did make a goal! She had a lot of assists and that is usually her part in the team. Josiah's team was not quite so lucky, but he did score a goal, blocked quite a few when he was goalie and even had an assist or two. They both had fun, and Josiah is now gearing up for football in the fall!
We are revamping our youth program at church. We don't have a youth pastor, but we do have an associate pastor that oversees our youth program and sponsors (like me) that help, teach, mentor and whatever. There are some new sponsor faces in the program (like me again) and that has kept me busy! So far we have had some long meetings almost every 2 weeks, but it is exciting! For the first time in a few years the youth program will continue through the summer instead of stopping and picking back up in the fall. We are also doing a very short short-term mission project to a local neighborhood that is buying foreclosed houses and rebuilding them and placing Christian families in the houses to give the kids in the neighborhood that have no where to go a sense of family, while learning life skills in the home. ( sonnyvilla) On top of that we are revamping the youth rooms and will have a big reveal at the end of the summer.
Next on the list would be my little girl turning 12 and getting ready to fly far, far away! Jordan will be leaving for the Philippines Saturday to do some missions work and visit her aunt, uncle and cousins for 2 weeks! (Garden of Grace; Dancing with Daddy) I am a bit anxious, but know that she is in God's hands. Her uncle is looking forward to harassing her as it has been over a year and he needs someone new to pick on besides his daughters!
I would like to say this is last on the list, but it isn't.....my computer died about a month ago. Dead. Deceased. Not gonna ever work again type of thing. The motherboard (sounds a bit UFO-ish to me) was fried. We finally hooked up my brothers (the one not in the Philippines), but I just haven't had the time to worry about it! (If you aren't sure why, just reread this post from the beginning, then skip to the next paragraph....)
So, I think this is the last, except for the everyday things like work and kids and church and yadda, yadda, yadda. Okay, so here we go...
I GOT A HOUSE!!! It is a rental, but it has 3 bedrooms and a basement and it is ours!!! It was kind of a quick thing and we had to get moving (literally!). It is so cool that when we get irritated with each other we can go into our room and close the door! Or, I can send a kid to their room when there is a bit too much attitude coming my way! It is a nice little house with a yard just big enough for me to take care of. Something I can handle. It is in the city limits though, so I am still getting used to the noise, but it is a house! It is ours!
I just thought I should drop in. Not sure when I will be back, but I will be back!

soccer, seems so soon, seats- so crazy

What a week. One of those kind that you run out of the door after work screaming. Okay, it's in your head, not out loud, but you know what I mean. Soccer has started, so we dropped Jordan's piano lessons for now. So, between the strange hours at work, and practices and church, and soon to be games, I will be amazed if I don't pass out from not being able to catch my breath. Another shocking thing is that school will be out in less than 8 weeks!!! Crazy. Jordan will be heading to the Philippines for a much awaited visit to her cousins...aunt and uncle too. It will be strange to have her gone for two weeks and with the knowledge that I can't just go drive and pick her up if need be. Josiah and I will be hanging out together in the hours I am off work. I will have to think of some fun stuff to do. He probably would be thrilled if I spent my time playing on the PS2 with him! Well, Kris and I have decided that another NKOTB concert is in order, so April 10th when they go on sale, we will be one of the masses calling to reserve our seats! This time we are praying for no flat tires!! But, we would certainly take meeting a (or all the) guy(s) again and getting hugs!! ~smile~

Life and famine

I know it has been quite a long time since I have been on here. Most nights I have absolutely no desire to go near the computer, and in the off night I do find myself drawn to it's glow, I have other things on my mind to do than a post of the comings and goings of my life. Tonight however I am drawn to the keys and the slight glow of the screen. There is a mystery of the words that are jumbled in my head that I am wanting to send into cyberspace for any and all that happen by to read that is calling me.
Wow, quite philosophical sounding considering I have nothing real deep to say. Just that normal day to day life....stuff....that seems to keep one going.
Work has been busy and for that I suppose I am grateful because it means that I continue to have a job. Some days I have to pray more than others that my attitude will adjust or that I can make it through without saying something I may later regret. I am a pretty laid back person and that is sometimes what gets me into trouble. That coupled with the fact that I do not like confrontation so will often do whatever I can to avoid it. (Yes, I realize all the bad things about that- but sometimes you are who you are.) I also am afraid that if I started to become one of those people that said what was on their mind I would inflict much unnecessary hurt. I figure if it gets to the point I need to say something, it has gotten bad.
Enough about that.
Last week, I was home sick with strep throat. Not my idea of fun, nor a way I really wanted to use my personal time, but what can you do. I slept a lot, and though I often thought of jumping on here and catching up with my cyber life, I didn't feel like it. I felt like...sleeping. The bummer part of this was that our youth group at church had a 30 hour famine for World Vision this weekend. I was to help out. I did get to help, but not like I had hoped. I stayed home Friday night and also missed the service project, but I hung out Saturday afternoon to evening with them. I also could not participate in the fast because I needed food to take my medicine. (I know that may sound like a better deal, but I was truly looking forward to all of it!)
We had 15 youth participate, raising around $900 to go towards World Vision. They quit eating at 12:30pm on Friday and didn't eat again until 6:30pm Saturday. They played tribe games while learning about communities without food or drinkable water. They did an outdoor service project in a local community early Saturday morning until around "lunchtime". They even had some blisters to prove it! With devotional times and some free time in between, it was a good thing. I realize they had not even an inkling of what it is like to starve or live in an area that has no running water or drinkable water for that matter, for 30 hours, a new thought was put into their heads. An inkling of what life may be like elsewhere. Hopefully a seed or two was planted. Isn't that what the idea of something like that is anyway? To put a thought that there is someone besides themselves- to put a thought that perhaps there is SOMETHING they can do?
What are you doing to improve the world around you?
Who are you touching with the love and light of Christ?
You don't have to go far. Maybe just next door. Maybe through a phone call. Maybe through a donation wisely made. You don't even have to give up food for 30 hours to do it.


Interested in World Vision? visit World Vision
Interested in 30 hour famine? visit 30 hour famine

Winter or Spring?

It is February 11th, and it is 51* outside this morning. Talk about a heat wave! The snow is gone and the fog has rolled in because it is raining. Yesterday we hit a high in the 60's. Of course, jackets were mostly forgotten. Today won't be much different. We are to drop again overnight after a day of thunderstorms, so we will see what happens. They are calling for snow by week's end. People always say, "If you don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes." That's about sums this week up!