Hello… is this thing on? Testing 1…2…3…
Posted by Chris
In the last two weeks I can personally think of at least six people who have asked us if our website is still working as they have not been getting update emails - and one person (Blaire...) who simply demanded an update.
Why has updating seemed like such a challenge the last two months? At first I wanted to blame it on Chris since he does most of the 'family blogging,' but, fact is - he taught me how to do this (several times, actually) a few months back so I guess I am the guilty party as well. I guess that the more time passes, the more behind you feel. It's like the birthday card you bought four weeks ago and never got around to sending and then sending it seemed more rude than not sending it. Anyway. Instead of trying to remember everything that has happened since Chris 'Smelled like Burnt Popcorn', I'll just tell a little of what has happened this past week. That's the most relevant part anyway.
It's been a big week at our house. It started last Sunday night when our church body, Gladeville Baptist Church, voted Chris in to be the bi-vocational minister to Young Adults age 18-35 and Webmaster. Yes, he'll still be Student Ministry Internet Producer at Lifeway. For those of you who have been a part of our faith journey the last three years or so the 'young adult' part will come as a pleasant surprise. To me (and to us) it seems a big piece of the puzzle as to why we are here. Ministering to the postmodern generation is a heart that God began in Chris about three years ago. We now believe that much of our journey to Oklahoma and being a part of Bridgeway Church there was in preparation for this. It is such an amazing (amazing is not a big enough word here) thing to see events, circumstances, changes, etc. put into some symblance of....something or other that makes sense. You always, always, always, see God's hand as you look back. So many changes over the last 2-3 years. Big changes. Huge. Some heartache. Some joy. So much deeper faith has emerged.
So - more on that as it unfolds. Chris has been doing web-type stuff for them since last summer. We've been praying about our place to serve in this church body since before that. God's up to something, as always. He is good.
More on this week: Micah is 6. Micah is 6. How on earth? That sweet toothless boy is now 6. Did I mention he lost both front teeth within a day right after Christmas? Watching him eat a rib a couple of weeks ago was a riot. Of course this means Josiah's 8th birthday is coming quickly as well. They are having a combined birthday party on Friday the 27th so that they can have part of it at 'The Jumpy Place' (indoor inflatibles, etc.). We'll do cake, ice cream and presents here at the house. We realized we'd be inviting basically the same families to both parties and the boys agreed it would be fun to have a bigger party this year if we did it together. This way, too, Allen & Cheryl will be here visiting and get to be at the party. Of course they will still each get to choose the theme of their own birthday cake. Micah wants a Rescue Heroes cake with only Al Pine, his favorite character (an avalanche rescue-type). He's also instructed me that I can use white icing for the snow. Josiah hasn't given me his request yet as he is still debating.
We celebrated on Micah's actual day on Tuesday by eating CiCi's Pizza for supper and Dairy Queen for dessert (both his choice). We were the only people in the Dairy Queen Tuesday night as it had started snowing. The only people who wanted ice cream during snow. Snow was a special present for Micah on his big day. He got to open his presents from us when we got home as well.
Wednesday I turned 35. Really. I'm not kidding. No, people do not tell me how young I look for my age. By Friday night, I felt every bit of my 35-ness.
Our homeschool co-op (Liberty Christian Academy) had an ice skating day on Friday. All 3 kids and I went and had an absolute ball. There were over a hundred students there from our co-op and I don't know how many parents. It was the first time ice skating for all 3 of them and the first time since college for me. Josiah did fantastic and was zipping all around the rink by the end. Micah did very well. He stayed closer to the edge but did it all with little to no assistance from me and was out there with his buddy most of the time. He reports he only fell seven times. Emerie hated it at first. She said her feet were 'slippery.' Later we tried again and she and I made it all around the outside edge of the rink. I was bent over holding her up under her arms and she just glided across the top of the ice. She was easily the youngest one out there. Everyone commented on her 'cute little skates.' After one lap around, my back would not allow us to go any further, but what fun we had! By last night - I felt it. My back, arms, ankles - all felt very much 35. Praise God for that! What a blessing we received yesterday. Afterwards we stopped by Lifeway to see Daddy and tell him our adventure and show him the pictures we took. I'm so grateful I did not fall down with a camera in my pocket.
Today was full of Upward Basketball games for both boys during the day. They continue to enjoy it and improve every week. Micah plays on a team with kindergarteners and first graders and Josiah plays with second and third graders. Emerie just socializes, mostly, and occasionally entertains the crowd.
Tonight - I watched... Miss America! Chris actually reminded me that it was on. I didn't know if I was going to watch this year (I can hear a few gasps from some of you). You know how much I've always loved Miss America. I know it stems from having my picture taken with Susan Powell, Miss America (and Miss Oklahoma) 1981 and with another Miss America 2 years later. I remember going to the Miss Shawnee pageants with my Dad which always brings back fond memories. (Dad - didn't you give the winner some shoes?) With all the changes to Miss America in recent years (mostly poor ones), I was skeptical of this 'new' Miss America in Las Vegas, its new host, and its new month (whoever heard of Miss America in January?!?). My skepticism quickly vanished when in the opening sequence of bygone Miss Americas a nice shot of Susan Powell accepting her crown appeared. Little did the producers know that a little later they would again be crowning a Miss Oklahoma as the new Miss America for 2006. That was fun. It truly was. They carried a theme of going back to the basics for the pageant itself (got rid of the recent changes)and it turned out well, I thought. Emerie watched the first half hour or so with me. She asked if several girls were princesses and told us when she thought someone was pretty (just about all of them). Of course she also called it 'Miss A-hair-ica' which pretty much could have summed it up in the 80s, huh?
Well, that wraps it up for tonight. Tomorrow is another really big day. "In my weakness, He is strong." Be blessed.
Why has updating seemed like such a challenge the last two months? At first I wanted to blame it on Chris since he does most of the 'family blogging,' but, fact is - he taught me how to do this (several times, actually) a few months back so I guess I am the guilty party as well. I guess that the more time passes, the more behind you feel. It's like the birthday card you bought four weeks ago and never got around to sending and then sending it seemed more rude than not sending it. Anyway. Instead of trying to remember everything that has happened since Chris 'Smelled like Burnt Popcorn', I'll just tell a little of what has happened this past week. That's the most relevant part anyway.
It's been a big week at our house. It started last Sunday night when our church body, Gladeville Baptist Church, voted Chris in to be the bi-vocational minister to Young Adults age 18-35 and Webmaster. Yes, he'll still be Student Ministry Internet Producer at Lifeway. For those of you who have been a part of our faith journey the last three years or so the 'young adult' part will come as a pleasant surprise. To me (and to us) it seems a big piece of the puzzle as to why we are here. Ministering to the postmodern generation is a heart that God began in Chris about three years ago. We now believe that much of our journey to Oklahoma and being a part of Bridgeway Church there was in preparation for this. It is such an amazing (amazing is not a big enough word here) thing to see events, circumstances, changes, etc. put into some symblance of....something or other that makes sense. You always, always, always, see God's hand as you look back. So many changes over the last 2-3 years. Big changes. Huge. Some heartache. Some joy. So much deeper faith has emerged.
So - more on that as it unfolds. Chris has been doing web-type stuff for them since last summer. We've been praying about our place to serve in this church body since before that. God's up to something, as always. He is good.
More on this week: Micah is 6. Micah is 6. How on earth? That sweet toothless boy is now 6. Did I mention he lost both front teeth within a day right after Christmas? Watching him eat a rib a couple of weeks ago was a riot. Of course this means Josiah's 8th birthday is coming quickly as well. They are having a combined birthday party on Friday the 27th so that they can have part of it at 'The Jumpy Place' (indoor inflatibles, etc.). We'll do cake, ice cream and presents here at the house. We realized we'd be inviting basically the same families to both parties and the boys agreed it would be fun to have a bigger party this year if we did it together. This way, too, Allen & Cheryl will be here visiting and get to be at the party. Of course they will still each get to choose the theme of their own birthday cake. Micah wants a Rescue Heroes cake with only Al Pine, his favorite character (an avalanche rescue-type). He's also instructed me that I can use white icing for the snow. Josiah hasn't given me his request yet as he is still debating.
We celebrated on Micah's actual day on Tuesday by eating CiCi's Pizza for supper and Dairy Queen for dessert (both his choice). We were the only people in the Dairy Queen Tuesday night as it had started snowing. The only people who wanted ice cream during snow. Snow was a special present for Micah on his big day. He got to open his presents from us when we got home as well.
Wednesday I turned 35. Really. I'm not kidding. No, people do not tell me how young I look for my age. By Friday night, I felt every bit of my 35-ness.
Our homeschool co-op (Liberty Christian Academy) had an ice skating day on Friday. All 3 kids and I went and had an absolute ball. There were over a hundred students there from our co-op and I don't know how many parents. It was the first time ice skating for all 3 of them and the first time since college for me. Josiah did fantastic and was zipping all around the rink by the end. Micah did very well. He stayed closer to the edge but did it all with little to no assistance from me and was out there with his buddy most of the time. He reports he only fell seven times. Emerie hated it at first. She said her feet were 'slippery.' Later we tried again and she and I made it all around the outside edge of the rink. I was bent over holding her up under her arms and she just glided across the top of the ice. She was easily the youngest one out there. Everyone commented on her 'cute little skates.' After one lap around, my back would not allow us to go any further, but what fun we had! By last night - I felt it. My back, arms, ankles - all felt very much 35. Praise God for that! What a blessing we received yesterday. Afterwards we stopped by Lifeway to see Daddy and tell him our adventure and show him the pictures we took. I'm so grateful I did not fall down with a camera in my pocket.
Today was full of Upward Basketball games for both boys during the day. They continue to enjoy it and improve every week. Micah plays on a team with kindergarteners and first graders and Josiah plays with second and third graders. Emerie just socializes, mostly, and occasionally entertains the crowd.
Tonight - I watched... Miss America! Chris actually reminded me that it was on. I didn't know if I was going to watch this year (I can hear a few gasps from some of you). You know how much I've always loved Miss America. I know it stems from having my picture taken with Susan Powell, Miss America (and Miss Oklahoma) 1981 and with another Miss America 2 years later. I remember going to the Miss Shawnee pageants with my Dad which always brings back fond memories. (Dad - didn't you give the winner some shoes?) With all the changes to Miss America in recent years (mostly poor ones), I was skeptical of this 'new' Miss America in Las Vegas, its new host, and its new month (whoever heard of Miss America in January?!?). My skepticism quickly vanished when in the opening sequence of bygone Miss Americas a nice shot of Susan Powell accepting her crown appeared. Little did the producers know that a little later they would again be crowning a Miss Oklahoma as the new Miss America for 2006. That was fun. It truly was. They carried a theme of going back to the basics for the pageant itself (got rid of the recent changes)and it turned out well, I thought. Emerie watched the first half hour or so with me. She asked if several girls were princesses and told us when she thought someone was pretty (just about all of them). Of course she also called it 'Miss A-hair-ica' which pretty much could have summed it up in the 80s, huh?
Well, that wraps it up for tonight. Tomorrow is another really big day. "In my weakness, He is strong." Be blessed.
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