Gotcha Day!

Jonah is ours. Well, honestly, we knew he was ours from the time we began praying for Justin and Chelsea's child. But as of July 15, he is in every way--legal speak-- my grandchild, their son, and a loved cousin. He was surrounded by Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, etc. as we all stood alongside of his parents and welcomed him into this big, crazy family. What a joyful moment. It brought back sweet memories of Jordan's and Christian's "Gotcha Days".

Jordan- My Son, My Brother

July 8, 2011. A day we have prayed about for many years. At 1 AM Jordan called us from Tuscaloosa where he had been working with friends helping with tornado clean up. His friend, Grant, was up late working on a Bible lesson he would be presenting on an upcoming missions trip. Jordan decided that he no longer wanted to wait to put his Lord on in baptism. He did not want to wait until morning. So he called us and told us of his decision. As much as we would have loved to share the moment with him, we knew the timing was perfect. It was God's timing. It was a decision that only he could make, and it was the first of many decisions he would be called upon to make alone. He has been blessed with friends who share the same values as him, and examples for him to follow. He is a part of a youth group that is more than a social group to hang out with. It is a group that will help us, help him, as his walk in Christ begins.

The Fourth of July Celebration

We had a wonderful Fourth of July together with family. Good food, a beautiful cake compliments of Katie-followed by a magnificent fireworks display at Gold Park in Wetumpka. We assumed it would be cancelled because of afternoon showers, and by the time we arrived cars lined the road for miles. We drove right to the center of town- found two parking spots (using a bit of Terry's Italian parking skills:) and sat down on a grassy slope. And at that moment the show began! It was perfect. And as the last fireworks were exploding there was a beautiful voice singing "The Star Spangled Banner". It was a beautiful moment for me. I have spent many Fourth of July's on foreign soil. I have attempted to decorate a cake without red food coloring, made flags out of construction paper-and ALWAYS been grateful for the blessing of being a citizen of the United States. I have seen Bush burned in effigy in London, Rome, and Athens. After Sept. 11 it was hard to hear the people around me make disparaging remarks about my country, and how we had asked for the troubles we were experiencing. So, on a beautiful July night, in Wetumpka, AL, God allowed me to just sit and enjoy the gift of life in small town America.

A Visit from Great Grandpa and Grandma

June 15, Earl was asked to speak at Dalraida as a part of their Summer series. Terry was already scheduled to speak the same evening for the Pelham congregation, and really hated to miss hearing him. I have always appreciated Earl's lessons because I am aware of how many hours of Bible study take place while preparing for each lesson. He spoke on "By Faith- Joseph". I am so grateful that God blessed me many years ago with a father-in-law who serves God wholeheartedly. I am also grateful that almost 24 years ago, after the death of Terry's sweet mother, Gwen, that the Lord sent Lora to be his helpmeet. She is such a joy to spend time with..and boy, can she cook! Tim and Katie brought the children down to visit, and for once I had batteries in my camera. I had just finished new sun dresses for the girls so they were sweet "models" in the swing for me. What a blessing of faithfulness..to play with your great grandchildren on a beautiful summer day.

Dalraida and Wetumpka VBS

June 6-9 the boys attended VBS at the Wetumpka Church of Christ. They had gotten to know several of the kids from this congregation during the school year, as our homeschool co-op meets there twice a month. They had also met several additional children that had attended camp with them. VBS was like the VBS's of my childhood. Lots of singing, crafts, Bible Bowl, and t-shirts. The boys had a great time. Later in the month they attended Dalraida's VBS which was the 20-23. Terry and I both taught, Christian attended class, and Jordan was a helper, now that he has moved up to the youth group. I have enjoyed these unrushed days of Bible Camp, VBS's, and evenings eating outdoors while the boys swam in the pool. Summer as it was meant to be!

Indian Creek Christian Camp 2011

Where has this summer gone? A friend mentioned to me in passing about how long it had been since I had written, and I honestly believed it had been a few weeks. I wanted to keep this blog so I could remember the daily gifts I am blessed with. Looking back over previous posts has helped remind me of how good life is, and how very much I have to be thankful for. At the end of May the boys and I attended Indian Creek Christian Camp/ Apologetics Press Week. It was a wonderful experience. I was a counselor for 12-13 year old girls and they were delightful. The speakers each day were intelligent, articulate and knowledgeable about Science and evidences of God. I learned more than anyone! The mornings were spent in class, and the afternoon was spent doing sports or crafts. There was an evening lesson,followed by a devotional. I was appreciative that the boys were able to be surrounded by some really fine young people.