The Amazing Race - An Amazing Event

Saturday evening was a time of fun for our High School and Middle School youth students. There were six groups of four, and a driver on each team. Based on the TV show, The Amazing Race, each team had to accomplish 12 challenges. And what a vast array of challenges there were!
Our own challenge was one that involved MENTAL skills... we are NOT a messy family. So...
Bring on Christmas just a LITTLE early.

After a morning of fixing the rest of my Halloween costume, I spent some time in the kitchen baking up a batch of Christmas cookies... and we had a list of 17 Christmas songs for the kids to name. (Yes, I was feeling a little "seasonally conflicted" by that time!) The teams were given a bit of lyric and from that they had to come up with the name of the song. There were songs AND traditional hymns... and I must say, most of the kids struggled. A few didn't do bad, and one young lady blew me away when she got the hardest one on the list with no problem at all!

Our daughter Carly, above with the bandanna and yellow shirt, was on one of the teams. I believe they ended up being dubbed Carly's Angels... and these girls cracked me up. One of the songs, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, gave them a fit. And the funniest part was the fact they kept singing that part of the song over and over again and saying, "What is the name of that song?" Their driver, Ms. Kim, said she was going to have to leave the room, she wanted to help them SO bad. But no help was allowed.

Poor Jacob was the ONLY boy on his team, but hey, if you can be surrounded by lovely young ladies, how bad can it truly be! And at the end of their challenge they were treated to a Christmas Cookie... and off they went to their next challenge.

These kids made their way through an obstacle course (which ended with making s'mores :) ), dug for $5 worth of dimes in a vat of tomato juice, macaroni and other change, and bobbed for apples in a tub of ICE WATER! They visited the "gross buffet" where I do believe some of them "tossed their cookies!" There were other stops as well, some physically challenging and some just downright gross.

The event ended at "The Ranch", a property owned by our church, Greenville Christian, where the kids and their adult leaders ate chili and hot dogs, and enjoyed some fellowship time.

A HUGE thanks to all those who opened their homes, took time to drive our kids, and put this event together. I believe that it was a huge success... and I'm ALREADY planning for next years Race... just hoping they ask us to be a host home again. It was truly an enjoyable time getting to spend a bit of our evening with the future of our church... they are an AMAZING group of kids!

God of the BIG and the small!

Today I had to make an EARLY trip to the outpatient ER for a visit with a plastic surgeon. Now, just so you know, I didn't get any type of cosmetic surgery, so don't expect a huge change when you see me next.

A couple of weeks ago I had to have a basal cell carcinoma removed from near my nose. This nasty little bugger came up over six months ago and looked like a small bump. It never changed and so I didn't worry. The one day it just began to ooze blood for no reason. So I called the dermatologist, and two weeks later out it came. Just about the time it began to heal well they called and said that it was a BCC and that they did not get it all. I would need to see a plastic surgeon, and an appoint was made.

The doctor I went to set up an appointment for removal of more tissue, and today was the day. Of course, as is my luck, it was raining cats and dogs this morning. A few things I don't like... driving in the rain, driving in the dark, and driving downtown. Today brought me in line for all three of those events.

As I was nearing the interstate, I got a text from my dear friend Rebecca, telling me goodluck and to be careful. She knows how bad I hate driving like this. So as I prepared to enter I-65 the traffic was crazy and I utter a small prayer, "God, just clear me a spot." Now you may be laughing, but that is exactly what God did!. The traffic between exit 7 and Eastern Blvd. was clear all around me. I was so relieved and so excited to see that God hears even the smallest of prayers.

My procedure went fine... I won't know if they got it all until my appt. next week to take out the stitches. And... the doctor said I will probably have a black eye by morning... but I am good with that. It is just a comfort to know that our God is willing to look after even the smallest details of our day!!!

Wonderful Weekend

kendFirst, I need to thank my sister friend Rebecca for the pictures. My camera has expired... so I don't have one that is readily available. Mickey does have a work camera, but it is kept in his work van, so I can't just grab it at a moments notice. So thanks friend for the use of the pictures!

Yes, you are seeing correctly. Ariel on a pie! Carly celebrated her 18th Birthday yesterday and her request.... a pecan pie with an Ariel candle....

She had a great day... a great weekend actually... Friday, Mickey and I went and got her a newer, improved cell phone. When we gave her first cell phone to her, it was my old one, no bells or whistles. The phone she has now is pretty cool, and she was very excited about it. Then Saturday she went bowling with friends, then they headed to Cici's Pizza. Yesterday, we had family and friends in for her official birthday dinner. All foods requested by her... sort of.

Her requests... Grilled Mesquite Chicken, potato salad and fiesta pasta salad. We added in green beans for those people who didn't was a carb day! The day was beautiful, and she had a wonderful time. Our baby girl is officially an adult now!

Michael and the grands were determined to head outside, and they asked everyone to take them. Finally they made it around to Pappy, who happily put on his jacket, bundled them all up, and headed outside to play.

I just love this picture... this is in our back yard. Mickey has the kids at the edge of the woods and Camden, Kailyn and Emma are looking to see if they can find the "bears and alligators" that apparently live there!!!!

God has truly blessed us!!!!

Fall Break???

The kids are out of school today and tomorrow for all break, but I'm wondering... WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO FALL???? Yes, the trees are turning... and it has cooled... but hey... it seems down right cold for this time of the year. And I'm not sure we'll have the leaves to enjoy long if the these rains keep happening!

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.... aside from the allergy allert that my body goes in to. I love all of the colors... Carly gets so tired of hearing me say, "Oh, look at that tree... it is beautiful". But I can't help myself.... God just really out did himself when it came to creating fall! Can't you just imagine his excitement as he brushed on all the colors that would be used in his creation. Living in the woods affords me views out both the front and the back of the house that I can enjoy.

And honestly, I don't think we spend nearly enough time thanking God for the beauty around us. I believe that there are times when we don't see it at all, we are so focused on other stuff...

So I encourge you to stop for a moment and take a look around you.... really focus on the colors... enjoy a sunrise or a sunset.... and then thank God for the beauty that you see!

Check out my Sister Friends Giveaway!

If you love to read and are searching for something worthwhile, visit my sister friend Rebecca's Book Blog for some fantastic ideas. AND...... she is having a giveaway... how awesome is that!

A long time...

It has been a long time since I last posted anything on my blog... okay not as long as some, but a long time for me. Things have been pretty hectic around here... a lot can happen in a couple of weeks time. On Monday, September 28th, Mickey's dad had bypass surgery. They finally took us back to see him around 7:30 PM... it had been a long day of waiting. We were told that the surgery went well, and that he would be in recovery overnight. On Tuesday, they were unable to rouse him sufficiently, and felt that he was still over medicated... and when he was still in that state on Wednesday, they told us that he had suffered several mini-strokes while in surgery. This was confirmed by a CT of the brain. We were also told on that day that "what you see is what you get. He won't get any better." But I have to tell you... on Thursday morning, he began to talk and things were looking much better. All I gotta say is... doctor's aren't gods... only God himself knows that plans that he has made, and apparently he wasn't done healing Bob just yet. So today, one full week since he began to talk and come around, he has been sent to rehab for treatment. We are praying for a major recovery here. God has already done a miracle... we just have to have faith that this miracle will continue. On a lighter note, between the surgery and today, we have taken care of a lot of business...
Sunday, October 4th, we held our 2nd Annual Stephanie's Hope BBQ, and it was a huge success.... our efforts will allow each of our mission teams to take $500 on their trips that will be used to bless the people of the countries they visit.

That day was also big for Michael... he got to go to his first skating party! Our wonderful friends Rebecca and Ricky hosted a skating party for their sweet little grandson, Isaac (for some cute video of him on skates click here). In anticipation of this day, they purchased Michael his first pair of roller skates for his birthday. He has been going nuts waiting to use them. He did such a good job, and he loved it. Carly and Mickey even joined in the fun... me... not so much... I just "walked" instead and held on tight... but I have to tell you... after an hour he was asking me to let go and he was just great on his own... (of course I didn't stray very far!)

So, now you know why I haven't had much time to post... I have had to fit studying in the mix as well.... so things have been busy! I'll try and do better.... I really will!