Full Days!

I am dusting off my blog today and hoping to visit more regularly to capture moments and thoughts I don't want to forget! I had a broken camera for awhile and this past week I was able to replace it! Not a moment too soon, with Tyler coming home for a few days and another most exciting visitor coming today...GRANDMA! To my knowledge our sweet 4 have never experienced grandma lovin' and there's excitement all around! 

It's been a very busy month. The younger kids had a blast at their first VBS ever! The theme was the wild west. I just love to see American culture through someone's fresh eyes! "Mom, what do cowboys have to do with Moses??" "They said we were having beans for snack but they didn't taste like beans!!" (Chocolate covered raisins!) They had heard of cowboys from seeing it on "Dora the Explorer" (another interesting connection) but didn't really know about tumble weeds and cactus and such having anything to do with horses and cowboy boots!

Christian has been serving with our church as much as he can this summer. He just finished serving with a missions team in a nearby, small city (Westbrook, ME). He just had a blast getting to know the team (from Raleigh, N.C.) and getting to know new people in Westbrook. I haven't had too much of a chance to talk over the whole experience, but I do think he has discovered it is much easier to talk to people about their faith than he might have thought. I am thankful he has inherited his father's gift of "never having met a stranger!" No pictures yet either...soon they'll start popping up!

Speaking of ministry, we're so happy Tyler is here so we can see him before he heads off for 10 weeks of church planting! 

He's waiting to hear what city he is going to. He'll go for 10 weeks as a intern for NAMB (N. American Mission Board). He's excited and we're excited for him!! It'll mean either time off from college or a very light course load but it's so worth it! 

Rachel's job right now is to learn how to use my camera and teach ME! I don't know what I'd do without that brain of hers!! She got quite a bit of knowledge stored up there!! She also kind of makes sure I'm keeping it together. I can tell when I'm looking stressed because she'll say, "Do you need a hug?" 

Well that's my update! It's time to get the house ready to bring grandma home!! 10 people, 1 shower!! We can do it!! haha!! This morning I'll be spit shining the house so my mom can see it ONCE nice and clean! Then, all bets are OFF and she sees how we REALLY live!! I've warned her about the noise and she says she's ready!! 

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." 1 Timothy 6:17-19