Any suggestions?

Steven and I are wanting some "couple" time. We would like to go somewhere, maybe for a weekend, even just 1 night would be okay. The problem is.... we don't know where to go. We don't want it to be too far. Maybe a couple of hours or less. Since we can't take time off work, this getaway has to fit into our busy schedules and timeframes. That severely limits us. Also, we have limited funds. So it can't be too expensive. But we really need this. No matter how short or meager it has to be. So I am asking for suggestions. Anyone been someplace nice lately? Any ideas?

Photos of VBS

This picture is of Sage Lewis, Kalyn, and Kenzie Manning one night after bible school was over. They are having a ball dramatizing to the songs.

Here is the 7 & 8 year old group. I was the crew leader. We are doing our "aha" for the bible point of the night. This was the best group! I loved being a part of them. They "lead" me more than I did them.

This pic is of some of the members of the junior drama team. They are leading worship for the altar service. They did an amazing job!

Our group won the prize for most offering one night so they got to slime a teenager. Ariel Evett just happened to volunteer for our night ( her brother was in my group). The kids had a blast pouring slime all over her. And, Bless her heart, she was a good sport.

Vacation Bible School

Vacation Bible School is this week. Started last night actually. We had a good night with 58 children present plus workers. Please cover us in prayer. I am praying for more kids, more families. But most importantly, for seeds to be planted that these young people cannot seem to outgrow. I want what is said, experienced this week to continue to grow in their hearts until they simply can't shake it. My wish is that they will fall back on the lessons, the excitement, the positive aspects, all during their lives. That 20 years from now, they will remember how much fun it is to worship Jesus. That HE has no boundaries, no boxes, no made up set of rules. Simply that HE IS!!

Look what the Lord has done!

Steven has accepted the Lord's call and became the 5th & 6th grade Sunday School teacher. He has been battling the feeling of needing and wanting to do more for quite some time. He just could never receive an answer. So when Ashley and Josh were talking about needing more teachers and that the 5th and 6th graders were open, Steven said God spoke to his heart and told him to "take it". Steven described the feeling to me as having tremendous pressure, so much that he couldn't catch his breath....until he said to himself, "Okay, I'll take it." He made the announcement Wednesday night. And he is so excited! He has so many ideas going crazy in his head. He is going to do a great job. However, you know how the devil works and he is already planting negativity. Things like... How can I be a Sunday school teacher when I have never attended Sunday school a day in my life? What if the kids don't like me? What was I thinking, I can't teach those kids anything. I barely understand it myself? We all know how deceiving Satan can be, especially at a time like this, so please pray for him. God continually pours out His annointing on Steven. You can see it all around him. I know that he is going to do great and mighty things. This is only the beginning.

As a family, we stand in awe of the amazing things God is doing for us. Just last weekend, Kalyn had a friend spend the night. The junior drama team was doing a drama in the morning service. Haley was planning to attend church with us. I needed to get to church early in order to prepare, so we didn't have much time that morning. But Kalyn came up to me and asked "Can I show Haley our drama? She wants to do it with us." I said " Yes, Kalyn, but you will have to hurry." As I secretly watched from behind her bedroom door, Our Kalyn ministered to her friend. She had no idea I was watching and listening. She taught Haley that entire drama (that our class had been working on for weeks) in a matter of minutes. It was simply amazing. Words can not describe how I felt at that moment.

Six Flags

We had a blast at Six Flags. Haley, Kalyn's friend, went with us. They loved the water park.

Hard times for families

I am sure what I am writing about has hit each one of our families in some way. It is the economy. My father was notified around the first of year that he was gonna inevitably lose his job. No one knew the exact date, some said end of March, some speculated the end of May. But now it is official. The last day for my dad to work is August 1st. To truly understand how devastating this is to him, you have to know my dad. He has worked his whole entire life, I mean WORKED. He missed out on alot things with us kids because he was working all the time. He has been with this same company for 33 years. He is not yet old enough to retire from the company without being greatly penalized on his pension. His health will not let him hold down another job. Besides, who is going to hire a 56 year old man with tremendous health problems? Sure, he can draw unemployment for a while, but what then , and in the mean time, what about health insurance? To purchase COBRA insurance would be more money than his unemployment check. Gratefully, my mom is working presently. However, her job is not too stable either. On another note, my uncle, works at the Toyota plant in Huntsville. He is the sole provider for their family, always has been. My aunt is in ill health and takes all kinds of medicine for fibromyalgia and other things. He is the only income whatsoever. He was told today that he is losing his job August 8th. Thankfully, their children have jobs and can provide for themselves. But, there again, what about insurance? Also, Steven's job has been slow for the last couple of months. They make windshields for airplanes. Who needs a windshield when the airplanes are not flying because no one can afford to travel because they are too busy trying to put gas in the car or buy food for their family?
Sadly, it seems to be a never ending process. It will continue to trickle down until it reaches every last one of us. What happens then?

KALYN'S NEW ROOM!!

CHECK OUT KALYN'S NEW ROOM! OKAY, NOT REALLY NEW. JUST REDECORATED. ISN'T IT JUST THE CUTEST? YES, WE DID IT OURSELVES. WHEW, LOTS OF WORK. IT TOOK US ALOT LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED--ONLY 3 WHOLE DAYS. BUT IT TURNED OUT GREAT! SHE ADORES IT. WE HAVE NOW STEPPED OUT OF THE "LITTLE GIRL" STAGE. SHE IS ALREADY TESTING HER OWN IDEAS. SHE HONESTLY AMAZES ME. I AM SO PROUD TO BE HER MOM.

Huntsville Air Show

These are pics taken at the Huntsville Air Show. Kalyn is with her friend, Dillon. Luckily we decided to go on Saturday instead of Sunday, the day of the tragic accident that took the life of a 5 year old. I can't imagine those parents' grief. I am sure they took their child to the place they thought was the safest place to be during a storm. They were trying to protect their child and instead placed him in harms way. The guilt would be unbearable. I don't know this family but my heart goes out to them. Steven works with a man that attends church with them. The man said this was their only child, they had tried for years to get him. I can totally relate to their circumstance. Please pray for them during your prayer time.