Sunday Sneak Peek: Thank You!

This amazing group of folks came from far and wide at their own expense to serve and bless our organization's children!  They were amazing and I am so thankful for each of them!!

Baptized

Noah has been talking about making a public confession of his faith and being baptized for over a year now.  Knowing that a group was coming from our home church I told him that this conference would be the perfect time to do it.  They have a baptism service every year and I thought it would be even more special to share it with some folks who have known us for years.  The more we talked about it the more interested Lucy became.  As we talked about it she insisted that she wanted to be baptized, too.   So Justin got to baptize both Noah and Lucy.  

(Sweet shy Callie will never do anything this public.  She wants to be baptized, but we are going to have to be a bit more creative with her.  I think later on in the summer we can do it as a family in the Sea.)

What a privilege to not only see our children choose to follow Jesus but to see their Daddy baptize them!  Praise the Lord!  May my children walk with Him all of their days in deep faith, boldness, and joy!

Talent Night

Last night we did our community talent night.  It is always such a fun time and see folks' hidden talents!

Kate, Jennie, and Josh led the kids in some songs.

The youth flash mobbed us and all ended up on stage doing a dance.  It was so fun to see Noah dancing up on stage with the youth!

Monkey Park

Probably in the fall of last year I was emailing the group of volunteers that were coming to help at our conference.  I wanted give them an idea of what the resort was like so I got on their website.  While I was going through their website I noticed that they had added an adventure park.  I made the mistake of showing the kids and that is all they have talked about since!!  They asked me constantly if the adventure park was going to be open while we were there.  I nagged the lady coordinating the facilities until she finally found the info and sent it to me.

We held the kids off until Wednesday- our free day.  Callie and her buddies agreed to meet at 10:30 and do the course together.  Of course Little Lu tagged along!

The girls did a low ropes course first.  It was pretty easy so they got through it fast.  Then they each did the climbing wall.  It was quite a challenge for my girls.

Callie made it to the top.  Then she got to zipline down tot he beach!

Lucy was the last one to go.  She was so excited to get up that wall and zipline.

The little Daredevil was waving at folks at the pool as she zipped by!

Noah waited patiently while all the "little kids" finished.  Then he flipped out when the guys announced that it was their lunch break!  He, Justin, and the other adults had to come back in the afternoon.  They did the high ropes course.  Noah loved it.  He is such an adventure guy!

I think Justin looks just like his Dad in this picture!

Noah and Justin just before they set out.

Justin and the kids had so much fun.  They are already talking about doing it again at the conference in two years time!

Serenity Stroll

When I was in St. Simons with Mindy we walked every morning.  I loved it (once I got going.)  So I made myself get up and out to walk this morning.  Things are just so beautiful and peaceful in the morning before life's hustle and bustle starts.

Praise the Lord for His glorious creation!

So glad to be here this week!

Kids Team

The team coming to serve at our organization's conference arrived yesterday!!  Four of them arrived Thursday morning and the other three arrived late on Thursday night after several difficulties.  Their luggage didn't arrive! :-(  But we made the best of things and drug them all around the city.

We started with the first group showing them the city walls and a beautiful church with really well preserved mosaics.

Jennie exploring the old city walls

Meg was brave enough to walk all along the wall.

This little guy was so happy to ham it up for the camera.

 The next day, once the whole group had arrived, we let them sleep in and then took them sightseeing.

at Hagia Sofia

Blus Mosque babes!

 We shopped it up at the Spice Market and then headed back to my house to begin making calls about the lost luggage.  Finally, after midnight we found out that the luggage would be arriving in the middle of the night.  We didn't trust the airport folks to deliver the bags before we had to fly out to the southern coast for the conference.  So Josh and I got up at the crack of dawn and went to the airport to retrieve them ourselves.  I was so nervous that the bags weren't really going to be there or there would be a glitch.  PTL all six bags were there and they even let me claim them for Nate and Kate.  Josh was so happy!

After we got the bags home we set to work getting things prepared and rearranging all the bags.  There was a lot of work to be done before our afternoon flight!

Jet-Setter

I guess I'm a bit of a jet-setter these days!  I drove back to my parents from Mindy's wedding in St. Simons yesterday.  And I'm flying out today!  My sweet Daddy got up super early to take me to the airport.  I've got to hurry up and get home... I'm getting 7 guests day after tomorrow!!

Mindy's BIG Day

Mindy's wedding is finally here!!!  Praise the Lord the weather was absolutely perfect and the wedding was absolutely beautiful!  Mindy was a radiant bride!

the bridesmaid bouquets

the reception was held in a nice open-air building just behind the wedding site

the wedding site and "Mindy's tree"

Bridesmaid's Brunch

I had been dying to do something special for Mindy since I had to miss all of her showers and other fun wedding stuff.  So, I convinced Mindy to let me do a low-key little brunch for the ladies on the morning of the wedding.  I am so glad we did it!  It was such a great way to start the day.  We had yummy food, fun and laughter, and special time to pray for and bless Mindy.  We had ladies from ages 12 to 90+ there loving on Mindy and giving her a bit of marriage advice!  It was so special!!

The Day Before the Wedding

All of the ladies in the wedding party headed out this morning to get our nails done.

The beautiful bride getting her not so beautiful feet worked on!

Weddings call for a french manicure- no doubt!

BFFs!!

Then some of the ladies went shopping, but I made Mindy give me her list of everything that needed to be done and headed out to run errands.  Then Mindy and I went to the beach for an hour.  Finally we headed back to the beach house to get ready for the rehearsal.

Pastor Brody told us, "No matter what happens just go with it!"

Bridesmaid selfie!

You couldn't wipe the smiles off Mindy and Travis's faces!

The rehearsal went really well and it made us all so much more excited for the big day!  Afterwards, Travis's family had everyone back to their beach house for a big 'ole BBQ dinner.  It was such a fun evening.