Kids Camp 2010

Eating a popsicle!

Getting a stick out of the cold water with my toes!

Drying off feet!

Passing the marbles!

Playing ninja!

On Monday, July 5th, I left to go to kids camp with our church and our old church. We left at 12:00 and got there at 3:30. Soon as we got there we all unpacked and got on our bathing suits and went swimming in the lake. We played games, had Bible studies, sang the songs that we are doing for VBS and had some free time. When we played 2 hand touch football I made 3 touch downs and it was tied at the end of the game 35-35. I learned a new game called Ninja and it was really fun. We slept in cabins that had bunkbeds. There was a swing that you could swing out on and jump in the water and in the middle of the lake there was an inflatable ice burg that was tall that you had to climb up, if you could. I had so much fun at Camp and being with my friends!

Why do I blog...

I have asked myself this question lately. With trying to prepare for school, being a housewife, being a mom, being a friend, how do I find time to blog? I love to blog and know that about myself so I had to ask why do I blog...why do I love it. So I thought I would share with you why...

1) For a keepsake for my children

2) Because at one time I scrapbooked, but now blogging is much faster

3) To keep our family and friends informed

4) Hopefully to encourage and bless someone else (even if it is my own children)

I remember the first post I did and how nervous I was. Some of you reading this are the very ones I have called and asked questions to about blogging. I also have to admit blogging can be an encouragement to me. I love it when I see that someone has posted a comment or two. I get so excited and feel so loved. Many of you (my mom especially) have said that they would love to comment but can't figure out how since they don't have a blog...I am working on that one. I am so very thankful for each one of you that does read our family blog and thankful that you keep up with us.

Since I now realize exactly why it is that I blog, my goal is to blog more often. I want to be open and honest with our life, feelings and who we are. I want to post more about the things that God speaks to me about and the things He is doing in our lives. I want to post more pictures of the kids so you can see how they are growing. I want to post more so one day my children can look back and see the wonderful memories God has given us.

Why do you blog?

A weekend with Friends!

This past weekend some very dear friends of ours came up for a visit. We had the best time! These dear friends are the Oehrig's. We met them through homeschooling and wish now that our paths had crossed a little sooner. We have said numerous times that it is amazing how close we have become in such a short time. We actually met right before Timothy was born and our friendship has flourished ever since. We had been wanting them to come up and it worked out that they came 4th of July so it gave us a long weekend. They arrived late Friday night and so when they got here we said our "hello's" and then got to bed. On Saturday morning Bryan made pancakes and waffles for breakfast, the waffles were a hit with the kids- next time we will make more waffles. The rest of the day was just play, fellowshipping, laughter, lunch, naps and supper. After supper we all were getting ready for bed and I got really sick! I mean no stopping it. Thankfully the Oehrig's were here and they helped greatly with the kids. What a blessing they were to us. On Sunday morning I awoke to Mr. Jacob already preparing breakfast and setting everyones place. Then on Sunday afternoon the kids and the big kids (the Daddy's) went outside to play in the water, they all had a great time. After supper on Sunday night we all went to watch fireworks. It is was a really nice night. It was nice to talk and to be together with friends. We feel so comfortable around them and talk about things from family to spiritual things. On Monday morning it was time to get things ready for their departure and for Bryan and Isaac to head to Kid's Camp. After lunch we said good bye to the Oehrig's and then we took Isaac to the church to say good bye to him and Bryan. When we got back home it was very quiet and lonely. Sarah and I had our share of tears and then we all laid down to rest. What a great weekend with our friends. I can honestly say that they are some of the best friends anyone could ever have.

On the pregnancy note: I will be 12 weeks tomorrow and have finally gotten down to less than 200 days to go. I will go to the Dr. next week and will be able to hear the baby's heart beat. I am showing just a bit and my clothes are beginning not to fit. Actually I have wore a couple of maternity things the last couple of days.

Until next time....

Basketball Camp

Practicing those free throws.

Working hard on those drills.

Isaac with his trophy.

Big Sister and little brother!

Building with blocks!

This week Isaac went to basketball camp. A dear friend of ours who teaches got to sponsor a child to go to basketball camp and she asked if she could sponsor Isaac. What a blessing! Isaac had a great time. If you know anything about Isaac you know that being around people he doesn't know is a real challenge. He did really well and I am so proud that he went and even made a couple of new friends. He learned alot about techniques and did drills and even played a few "games" of basketball. The camp was Monday thru Thursday and started at 8:00 a.m and was over at 3:00 p.m. He had to take a lunch and so by the time he got home he was tired. Today was their last day and all the campers got a T-shirt and basketball. Then they also gave out trophies to some of the kids. Isaac got the Hustle Award for the Elementary boys. He had so much fun! Of coarse while Big brother was at camp Big sister got to spend time with Timothy and play with Elijah. Sarah is such a great sister and mommy's little helper.

T-Ball

Sarah is next up to bat.

She makes sure she has a good line up.

And she hits that ball!!!

Sarah is not going to let that ball get by her.

Of coarse Elijah finds a stick and Isaac is trying to stay out of the way.

Timothy is exploring.


Tonight was Sarah's first T-Ball game. Her teams name is Dodgers. We had fun and enjoyed watching her have a good time! She loves playing whatever and just has a good time. As you may know it is a challenge when we all go to the ball field. The boys think it is time to get DIRTY, and I guess they are right. Nothing that some soap and water want cleanse away. The boys had just as much fun playing as Sarah did playing in the game. We enjoyed being together as a family and watching Sarah play T-Ball.

Isaac's last day at basketball camp is Thursday and I hope to have pictures then.

On the pregnancy note...I will be 11 weeks tomorrow! I am still nauseated and running a very low fever. So when the nausea hits and the fever is on I feel like yuck!! But all is well and we are just so excited. The fever thing is nothing to worry about, I had one with Timothy too. It is about 99.2. My Dr. then told me as long as it did not get over 100 I should be ok. You know there is nothing like feeling the baby move for the first time and I am already looking forward to that and all those other great moments.

More to come.....

A Quick Post

Just wanted to post a quick update on our family. Things have been so busy here lately.

Kids: Isaac is going to a basketball camp this week and had a great time today. He actually got the "elementary boy camper of the day" award. So it was me with the other 3 kids and we played and had a good time but so missed BIG brother. Sarah was suppose to have her 1st T-Ball game tonight but it got rained out.

Pregnancy: I have been nauseated but actually today has been the best day so far. I was sooooo sick with Elijah so this is nothing compared to that. I will be 11 weeks on Wednesday and that means that in 2 weeks I will be through my first trimester!! WOW!

Family: We are anticipating a visit from some dear friends this coming weekend. We hope all goes well and they get to come. Since the move I can't seem to get in a good grove so I am hoping that by the time we start school back in August we will have some kind of rhythm. We are still needing to sell our home in Alabama, it would be great if that would happen before August too.

Up and coming: I hope to get some pictures posted soon and give more of an update.

Thanks for following!

A Special Father's Day: Our Family

Over 14 years ago I married my best friend, Bryan. Our family began in June of 1996. We said our vows before God, family and friends. Little did we know that today our marriage would be stronger and that we would love each other more. We are the best of friends! We just knew that we were ready for children right away and figured that God would give them quickly. God had different plans for us and He gave us 5 years together before blessing us with our first child.


It was not until we had been married for 4 years that we found out that baby #1 was on the way. We celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary in June of 2001 and in August Isaac arrived. "Man and a woman had a little baby, yes they did, there was three in the family"...know that song? That was us, three in our family now. We were just so excited about this baby and loved everything about him. Since it took us so long to have baby #1 we just knew that it would probably take just as long to have another baby. We left that in the Lord's hands.


Shortly after Isaac turned one we found out that baby #2 was on the way. We were so excited about having another baby and was delighted that soon there would be 4 in our family. Sarah was born in July of 2003. She was our little princess and we just loved her sooooo much. Isaac loved being a Big brother and was crazy about Sarah. I know what you are thinking and what many people have thought...what a perfect family...one boy and one girl, surely this is a stopping point. God tells us that He is the giver of life and that is something that He has taught us. See after Sarah was born we thought maybe we needed to wait to have any more children, and then in December of 2005 we lost a pregnancy. I began to wonder if God would only give us 2 children, but I look back now and see that He was teaching us something. Children are valuable, they are the future, we needed to let God dicide when and how many children we would have. I prayed that God would open my womb if His plan was for us to have more children. I remember for a year and a half Isaac and Sarah praying for a baby, I mean faithfully praying.

Then in May of 2007 Elijah was born. We were so excited to have this new blessing and what a joy he was. After Elijah was born I would look at our family picture and I was very content with 3 children and if God decided not to give us any more I would be OK with that. Little did I know that God was not finished.

WOW another baby!! In April of 2009 Timothy joined our family and now we are a family of 6!! Timothy has been a sweet joy to us and we are all crazy about him. Although Sarah was wanting a baby sister, she has been so in love with her baby brother. When I realize we have 4 children and some people think we are crazy, I am reminded of some things, 1) it took us awhile to have children, 2) we lost a pregnancy (which is proof that God is the giver of life), 3) God says in His Word that children are a reward.

Bryan and I are very blessed with wonderful fathers. They came up this weekend and we had such a great visit. Both our parents came and my two grandmothers also came.

They all arrived on Saturday and then that night we had a fish fry. They all got to spend some time with the kids and we all enjoyed every minute of their visit.

They even stayed and went to church with us this morning and came back to our house for lunch. Every time we get together we always have good eating and fellowship.


And now all this brings our story to a new chapter....(if you have made it to this point you are a faithful follower of our blog, thank you!) In January of 2011 we will be welcoming baby #5!! We are very excited and shared this news with our family after supper on Saturday night. We hope and pray that you will share in our joy with us. Praise the Lord!