Fun with "old" Friends

When James and I met, we were part of an incredible youth group. We were both Air Force "brats", so having somewhere to belong was really a unique experience. Both of our fathers ended up stationed around the St. Louis area and our families resided in O'Fallon, IL. If you have never lived in a small town in the midwest, you are missing a treat.

We ended up at First Baptist Church, O'Fallon, IL. James had been there for 2 years and I was just a part of the group for my senior year (having 3 high schools and moving between your junior and senior year does not kill you!). The youth group at this church was VERY active and accepted me and my sister right away - practically dragging us to every activity. We got there in the summer, and there seemed to be something going on every night. It could have been extrememly overwhelming, but God used it in a powerful way to draw me closer to Him.

For many years, several of us that were in the youth group together, began to talk about having a reunion. Just a time to get together and catch up. This last year, James and I took the bull by the horns and dove in to get it done. So, after lots of help and some hard work, several weekends ago we had a reunion. What a blessing to our lives this was. We got to see friends we had not been in touch with in years. One of the highlights was seeing all of our kids playing together as if they were long time friends!!!!

Our schedule for the weekend went something like this - Friday was family day - each kind of made their own plans and several families did activities together. We ended up at the City Museum in St Louis and then the boys went up in the arch. We went with Sheila and her family and Chip and his family. What a blast!



Friday evening, many ladies of the church provided dinner for us and we had a casual gathering at the church. Tim L. brought up the tractor and gave the kids tractor rides around the church property.



Saturday, a great couple from the church offered their home and pool to us to have a pool party. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and swam for 4 hours. The "show" came with several of the dads, James included, decided to join the kids and show off on the diving board. Chants of belly-flop, belly-flop could be heard for blocks followed by splashing and cheers!



Saturday evening was the "adults only" dinner with childcare provided by the church (thanks FBC for all you did for us). We spent 2 1/2 hours sharing the impact the youth group had on our lives and what God is doing in our lives now. What a powerful evening it was! I really believe God ordained this time. We had people who have continued to serve faithfully to those who had fallen away from church attendance. But I believe both were impacted in a life changing way and were reminded how important it is to be in God's Word and to be in fellowship with other believers. I give God all the praise and glory for the work He did that weekend. We continue to hear stories about how families were changed! Thank you God!



Sunday we attended church together and had "leftovers" and pizza for lunch. What a blessing to be together for this great time of worship. Sunday evening, about a dozen of us had the opportunity to share with the current youth group about our experiences. We had a great time worshipping with them and answering their questions. It was great to see so many youth interested in what God has done and will do. Again, thank you to FBC for providing us with that opportunity. We ended the weekend eating at Red Robin with a big group of friends.





I cannot think of the weekend without giving God the glory and credit for making a difference in our lives. These truly are friends that will be forever friends, because we have a God that bonds us for eternity.

Summer Time Fun

I hardly know where to begin. Our summer has been so full of so many things - all different from our "normal" school year routine. We started off the summer with James, G, and I going to Children's Camp at Falls Creek. This is where I got hurt (btw, still going to PT for that and wearing an oh so fashionable black brace on my knee)- see my previous post.

G then went with a friend to CrossTimbers camp - also in OK. He was away from home for a week with no family - a 1st for him. We heard from him every night and had a couple of "I want to come home" conversations. He did stay all week, had a great time, and is looking forward to going again sometime.

We also got a brief visit from my sister, Anji, and her family as they were traveling across the country, moving from Virginia to California. It was the first time we got to meet our niece/cousin and she is a cutie pie. Here are the cousins all together.


In between the two camps, G tested for his orange belt in Karate. He was so nervous, but did a fantastic job. I was so proud of him - he has worked really hard to get to this point. We have taken a break for a couple of weeks, but will hit it hard again soon.



After coming home from that, both boys went to spend a week with my parents in Texas. This was their cousins camp week - or as my parents like to call it, Cousin's Concentration Camp. They have a blast with the cousins - the highlights being going to Schittlerbahn(twice) and tubing the river.
While the boys were gone, I spent my time preparing for VBS at our church. I was the director for 2nd - 6th grade for the 2nd year (I had directed preschool for the previous 5 years). This is always quite the undertaking and the week before VBS is usually just as busy as the week of, so I was grateful the boys had someplace to be and something to do while I "lived" at the church. The boys returned the Monday VBS started and what a week it was!!!! Our enrollement ended at about 1600 and our average attendace for the week was about 1250. I give God all the glory for the week and how smoothly it ran. No major problems! We also had 80 kids make decisions for Christ as well as 20 others who wanted more information. Praise the Lord!!!!!!

The 4th of July was filled with watching fireworks and hanging out with friends and family. Friday the 3rd, we went to Yukon to listen to Tony(brother in law) play with a group out there and watched a fantastic fireworks show. Saturday the 4th, we were at Liz and Randy's house for a cookout and to set off some of our own fireworks. Believe it or not, it stormed on us, but the kids had a great time anyway and we were able to go inside after dinner. The following are pictures you get when the teenagers get a hold of the camera!!



We have just returned from a great youth group reunion in Illinois. I will post on this later. Just suffice it to say WOW!
We are looking forward to another Cousins camp next week and in the meantime are camping and swimming as much as possible.
Hope your summer is full of fun and laughter!

"Falls" Creek

Okay, so James and I decided to go to Falls Creek with G for his first Children's Camp. James had only been one other time and I had never been to Falls Creek, so we thought this would be a great time. We went with our church - 95 of us in all - about 75 campers (4th and 5th graders). Overall the camp was fabulous. We didn't have any problems with the kids - no complaining, they were all where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there, no arguing - really great kids. I thought since it was my first time, that I really would try to see all the Falls Creek things there are to see - prayer garden, outdoor ampitheater, Devil's Bathtub (now called Boulder Springs), etc. So on Thursday, our first full day there, my sister in law, Mary Jane and I set out for Boulder Springs. It is pretty hilly at Falls Creek, if you have never been, and the trip to Boulder Springs is up a steep paved hill then down a steep gravel hill, past a lake to the Springs area. We made it up the paved hill just fine (after getting lost and directions several times). As we started down the gravel hill (slowly mind you), the gravel gave way out from under me and down I went. I almost took out the girls waiting in line for the water slide - I at least scared them all half to death. The problem with the fall was most of my body went with the gravel down the hill. My left knee, however, stayed behind and I am still not sure where it was when I landed. UUGGGHHHH! This was not how I pictured my trip to Falls Creek (does the name have significance?). I decided I would be okay and we continued - albeit much slower - on to Boulder Springs. Big mistake. By the time we made it down there, I was not doing well - my knee HURT! They ended up calling a golf cart to come and rescue me and take me back to the cabin. The interesting part was getting back up the hill in the golf cart with 3 people in it. You kind of have to get a running start.
I ended up going to the First Aid hut on Friday morning, just for them to wrap it in an ace bandage and give me crutches. Great! First time on crutches and I am trying to go up and down hills and stairs at Falls Creek. By the way - you might want to see your doctor when you get home. Thanks.
So here I wait. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon. Still hoping for the best, but I am not sure there are great options when it is your knee. I'll keep you posted.

Recognitions

We went up to school today to G class for a "recognition" time. His teacher, Mrs Sawyer, has been a blessing to us this year and G has thrived under her leadership. It really is a great class and they have all matured a great deal this year. G has one classmate from Korea, who will be returning to Korea when school is over. The class has grown very fond of her and they took this time to tell her good bye. Mrs Sawyer also recognized the kids for different things she has seen in them this year. G was rewarded for reading (believe it or not, he made many goals this year - despite not wanting to read!). She also recognized him for the character qualitites of joyfulness and enthusiasm. But probably the one I am most proud of for him and the one I think deserves the most recognition for is the one he got for being a prayer warrior. Mrs Sawyer is herself a great prayer warrior and for her to see those quailities in him was very special. I myself could take notes from him and need to quit being so impatient when his bedtime prayers last for a while! What a blessing! Thank you Lord for developing qualities in my child that I have not nurtured very well.

Pioneer days, Track and Field, Music and Teeth

I wanted to post about some recent events in our house. I had written in a previous post about Noah Webster Day. M and his class had a great time attending school like Noah Webster would have had, making pioneer crafts, and doing pioneer chores.



Then I went on a field trip with G and his class to the Gant Pioneer School in Kingfisher, OK. They actually "did" pioneer school all day - they did math with slates, had a spelling bee, wrote with quill pens, and ate their lunches out of their pails. It was just like being on Little House on the Prairie!!!!



Track and Field Day was last Friday and although we had a threat of rain all day (it has rained 17 of the last 18 days I think), it held off and the kids had a great day. G took 2nd in the broad jump and M was 3rd in the frisbee throw.



At the Children's Choir program at church, G got to play handbells. He has been practicing with the handbell choir for several months. They played at the program and then again in church on Mother's Day. He seemed to really enjoy himself -although take note of the concentration on his face! :)



M biggest news is the loss of his FIRST tooth. Yes, he is 8 and this is the first one. We were at church last night and of all things, he was eating a sopapilla. It had been loose, but not too loose. I guess it was just time. The tooth fairy showed up last night as well, despite the tornado threat and the sirens going off!



We are looking forward to the last few days of school and doing some fun things for the summer. Will post some more later!

Have a great one!

Check out this post...

I just wanted to share this link with you. This lady is an aquaintance I have met through Once Upon a Family and she has a powerful message to share. When you get to her blog www.inpassionatepursuit.blogspot.com, you are looking for the "What are you worth?" post. The video is worth your time!

Busy Times

Things are starting to slow down for us on the school front. Not as many activities this week. We are all doing well. I went with G class to Kingfisher today. They attended a Pioneer school. I think all of the kids are very appreciative of their school and don't think it is quite as hard as they originally did. They really attended pioneer school - did work from then, were called on with no choice and were disciplined as well. There were several boys who tried to get in trouble - throwing spit wads. The consequences were standing at the board on your tiptoes with your nose in a circle or sitting on the stool with the dunce cap on. G did comment this evening that he was glad he didn't have to go to pioneer school all the time, although they had a good time today.
On another note, we are now in the second season of the day in OK. It was warm and humid this morning - felt kind of like a rainforest. About mid day, it rained for a while and then the cool (cold) weather moved in. We'll see what tomorrow holds.
M still has a loose tooth - a little looser each day. He is excited to lose his 1st tooth (at 8 yrs). I am thinking several more with follow shortly and he will have nothing for a while. I'll post pics when the actual event happens!
Have a great weekend!