New Chapter

We have been living here in Abilene for 6 months now, we have found a Church home, some of our favorite places to eat, we have a set date once a week to go to laundry mat to wash clothes, and we are learning to cook for two again.
There are days we miss working at the Children's Home we miss Ms Sharon who is the glue that holds everything together, we miss the view, we miss the kids (at times) we miss knowing what was needed of us.
Charles is doing something that is near and dear to his heart and something that matches his personality , he gets to let the compassion he has for hurting people shine through his Love for God.
Charles is one of a Kind and I am Thankful that I get to spend a my life with this Kind, compassionate, trusting, patient, gentle man.
There is so much Joy when you serve God above.

Updating

Well nine months have gone by since we started working as House parents. We thought our days of having teenagers were over when our youngest turned 20, Haha, God showed us. I love his Humor.

When God closes one door he opens an other, this statement is so true. We just shifted our ministry to being House parents right now to 9 very unique girls. Yes Girls, Charles is out numbered !!!!

There have been some days I wasn't sure what God has in store for us and then after reflecting I see God everywhere..

This is my brother, Darrel and Me. He brought this moose to me from Alaska (I think because I called his wife a moose....not intentionally, of course!) We were trying to figure out where the moose poop candy comes out..............

Change

What does Change Mean? -

Synonyms:
1. transmute, transform; vary, mutate; amend, modify. Change, alter both mean to make a difference in the state or condition of a thing or to substitute another state or condition. To change is to make a material difference so that the thing is distinctly different from what it was: to change one's opinion. To alter is to make some partial change, as in appearance, but usually to preserve the identity: to alter a dress (to change a dress would mean to put on a different one). 3. replace, trade. 4. trade. 7. convert. 10. vary, mutate, amend. 18. transmutation, mutation, conversion, vicissitude. 21. exchange. 25, 26. replacement.

Change to us means: New Job, New Town, Leaving, God opening a new door, a new Chapter.!

While we were on vacation some "Influential Families" went to the Elders and told them they wanted change, so when we got back from vacation the Elders met with Charles and ask him to resign.
So for us Change means something different than it does for the members of the Mainland Church of Christ.
We have been very blessed to have worked at Mainland for almost 9 years. We have met many people over those 9 years, many have either moved or died and we are thankful for each and every one of them.

Being a Grandma

I have decided I like being a grandma, you get to play, hug, feed and even change diapers during the day and at night I get to go to my room and sleep all night while they are just next door waking up and having to feed her every two to three hours. Sometimes life is good. I do let Leanna take a nap when ever she feels the need and babysit.
During the day while Leanna is being Mommy I can come and work on my scrapbooking and cards or I can hold her for as long as I want, but I also know she needs her down time.
I think life as a grandma will suit me just fine, I can be a good support system, and when she is old enough I will have lots of things for her and I to do.
Even though this is our 5th grandchild many know the circumstances of why we don't get to see the others, we don't have to like the reasons we just keep praying for them to find the way back. And our one grandchild will always be in our hearts even though she is very much loved by another very special loving family.
Many prayers for my children may you find the peace you are looking for and for their children may they always know MIMI and PAPAW love them.

These are pictures of our New Grand Baby !!
Bridget Leann Fink her mother is Leanna Goodnight Fink. Bridget was born 6-25-09 at 12:34 p.m. by way of a c-section. It didn't take them long once they got Leanna in the operating room. The picture with mouth wide open was our first meeting, she was not happy at all, but now she is quiet.
She is so cute and has hair and likes to play peek a boo,(not really but you have to catch her opening her eyes ). Bridget came home last night around 7:00, By the way Leanna and her husband Chris have been living here since March.
Well I have taken enough time away from Bridget I think she needs to wake up and play with MIMI.

I am doing a Challenge on Live, Imagine, Create ..http://liveimaginecreate.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=esp
So here are pics from Week one and Week two

I want to welcome my SIL to the world of Blogging. (She who is Me) She is going to showcasing some of her scrapbooking and other crafty things. Check her out every now and then.

Things are getting in to high gear for camp, this year there will be some changes, as most of you know Leanna is due to have her c-section on the 24th right in the middle of camp. Part of the changes are that I will not be able to stay the whole week,(Charles you will be able to handle it) but will have the crafts all taken care of and ready for the new helper. We are also going to try Bible Bowl just a little dfferent, more along the line of LTC with the award system. Should be a good thing!!

Till next time!

Scrapping an addiction or an outlet?

I went scrapping at my SIL house yesterday. We try to get together at least once a month and make a day of it. Sometimes I think I am addicted to this outlet but then I remind myself the reason for doing the scrapbooks 1. to relive the lives spent with my kids and grandkids, 2. To have something for my kids and grandkids to remember the times we spent together were not always bad, 3. So one day when the grans are grown and look back they can say to their mom and Dad "Did you really do that or laugh because of how they dressed" 4. So they will know the other people(great grandparents and on down the line) that helped make this family a family.
One LO is of Leanna when she was 3 (shows how far behind I am on some of the pictures)(gem/red)
And the other LO is of Harmony when she was 3.(Black and white)
Gann, Lucy and I have started the book 52 Scrapbooking Challenges by Elsie Flannigan, these are the first two so I am now 6 weeks behind on this project.
So is Scrapbooking an adiction or is it an outlet.
They say you have to first admit an addiction so .....
I have to admit I am addicted to buying the paper and embellishment to fuel my outlet of scrapbooking.

CHILI COOKOFF

Well, she did it again.. Shelly took first place for the 8th straight year at the Mainland Church of Christ Chili Cook Off. Even after tweaking her recipe a bit and convinced she would not win.. she pulled it off.  Congratulations!

Happy 5th Birthday Harmony. We love you and miss you! One day you will understand.

WOW!

Now, I really don't why I put that word "Wow" up there as the title of this blog... I just thought it might get my attention. Time flies so quickly and it's been a while since updating. Things are going good in our household. Since it is just Shelly and I, not much can wrong as long as she does everything I say.. Ha! Everyone knows better than that. We are beginning to spend more and more of our time planning and strategizing for the girls retreat, the PVCYC Golf Tournament and our wonderful Camp Session at Peach Valley. NOW is the time. Pray for wisdom and success.

Oh.. Shelly just reminded me. You'll never believe what she discovered! You see, we had wondered why there was so much cat food left on the front porch when we went to camp a couple of weeks ago. Well, it seems the neighborhood possum had decided to climb up the telephone pole in the back yard and become connected to the transformer. He got fried.. and he is still up there! I'm not getting it down! And it surely won't stink, since it has been cooked real good. Shelly took a picture and hopefully she can get it on here. What a story! I find it very hard to believe.. but it is the truth!

So much for now...

Its that time to start thinking about camp! Can you believe it is only 5 months away!


Things have been happening around the old camp ground this winter. The tables have been painted, we will be installing new windows so we can see out this next weekend. The boys dorm has a fresh coat of paint on the inside also. There have been several people coming out and working, and looking forward to many more joining in on all the fun.
Charles will be sending out the postcards and letters this next week so look for them and send them back

Heaven is the Better

Wow... Death is really an enemy and a thief. I find it hard to believe that Joshua T. is no longer with us. He was a good friend. He was good to Peach Valley  Christian YOuth Camp. He was energetic.. He loved the Lord.. He loved serving God... He loved Preaching. But it just proves that we must all be prepared to meet our Lord. We never know... I will miss him... so much! 

Vacation Over!!!

Yes, it is over... almost a week of vacation time is spent along with three days out of town. The week began last Tuesday doing some shopping.... on Wednesday we conducted a special worship program at the Carole Young Medical Facility(TDCJ) for the Female Offenders... Thursday, we had Christmas day with the Templeton clan... and on FRiday, we left for Abilene to see our daughter and son-in-law. They did not know we were coming, so it was a surprise, even though Leanna said she had a "feeling" we were coming. I assured her that the "feeling" was just "gas pains"... We had lunch with them at Scheswan Restaurant in ABilene before going over to Abilene to spend the night with the Batteas family.... ON Saturday, After going with my brother and his wife over to Roby to see the "Flower Shop" and Fisher County Museem, we went to the cemetery to visit my parents' graves. Haven't been there for a few years, so it was special. On Saturday afternoon, Shelly and i went back over to Abilene again to see Leanna and Chris, ate lunch at Dairy Queen and then visited Jacob's Ladder at Abilene Christian. it is a sight to behold.. Took a lot of pictures... Spent Saturday night back in Sweetwater after meeting up and having supper with some very dear friends.... At the Batteas home, we played 42 and and few hands of Aces... and on Sunday morning, we went back to Abilene for church at Southern Hills with Leanna and Chris. AFter lunch with them at Cracker barrel, we left for home... It was a long drive... and we now are tired. But I will tell you, it was good to "get away".. It was a nice visit with all.. NOw to get ready for the New Year!

creative Friday

So I thought I would try to create something with some polymer clay I had left over from a project a couple of Christmas' ago. My first attempt for a flower flopped, it didn't smell like a flower, so I thought I would make beads out of them so this is what I came up with a Matching Necklace and Bracelet set.(picture on bottom)

So my second attempt I decided that I needed directions. They look more like a flower but now I just need to string them into designs. (picture on top)

Totally Cool Tuesday

Well, here it is Tuesday morning.. Got to the office.. getting ready to do some fierce studying for my sermon Sunday on the Necessity of the Cross. Yesterday was our anniversary.. 29 years. Some of those years were tough.... some easy.... but I realize more and more how blessed I am to have Shelly as my wife of 29 years. She stands by me... encourages me... loves me... You get the picture.

She probably needs a sympathy card for putting up with me... but I am so blessed because she did put up with me. She is the best. I love her so much and I am not ashamed to say that! Yesterday, for our anniversary, we went to Mardel's to do some Christmas shopping and then to Pappasitos for a wonderful anniversary dinner. . . then, to Sam's club to do some "window shopping" before returning home to watch a movie together on TV - "Christmas with the Kranks".  Thank you Lord for giving me one special person to share my life with! Until next time....

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for our friends and family, God has truly blessed us. I am also thankful for the "SNOW"  I thank God for letting me hear the Laughing Children and Adults late at night around the neighborhood playing in the snow.  I thank God for the sight to see the flakes falling and for the sense of touch and feeling the wet hit my face. I am thankful to God for allowing me to see yet another beautiful wonder of His Glory. 

Sending Lots of Love

Shelly

teasing tuesday

Well the invite went out to the kids for Christmas

For some who don't know our kids blame us for adopting them and screwing up their lives! They say we were to strict and wouldn't let them have everything they wanted. One told their daddy they didn't want to be a preachers kid anymore! So what  do you do, you keep them in your prayers and maybe one day they will understand that we love them and we have no regrets in adopting them.

Now the Leanna and her husband Chris live in Abilene and are expecting in July.

Andrew and his wife Tina(she has 3 kids and are not raising) are raising Harmony (Dianna's daughter)

Dianna and William got married in Sept. have one daughter Elizabeth who will be 1 this month.

Christopher is still trying to deal with his medical discharge from the Marines.

They all live in Angleton or Clute

O.k. now the invites went out and to my hope that I would see Harmony for Christmas, it is not happening.  So what to do now! Go to Disney World? NO we don't have the money LOL. No we are toying with the idea of going to Sweetwater to visit Charle's mom and dad's graves(who passed away in 2000  and then stop by Abilene to see Leanna and Chris.

So this Tuesday has been teasing us with the possabilty of seeing the grandkids to traveling who knows what we will actually be doing.

One thing that is certian is that we have each other! I love you Charles.

Super Sunday

One day we will miss having services on one half of the auditorium, but this Sunday will be remembered for one young man for years to come as he was baptized into the Lord this morning. 

This Sunday night will be the first full fellowship dinner since Ike, I can't believe how busy things have been over the last couple of months, just this week Ron and Christine painted the Nursery and toddlers room, Christine, Mary and Myself painted room 6(classroom and Children's worship room). Charles and I moved bookcases and supplies around. Pictures will follow soon. Charles, Alicen (one of our teenagers) and I went to Impact Church of Christ for their Christmas party with the kids and face painted, I was told there were 182 that were there.  There were six of painting anything from candy canes to presents and Santa Clause. We had a blast!

This next week the ceiling tiles will go in and then we will just need to wait on carpet! !  The playground will have to wait so for awhile the kids will have just the metal swing set but they can handle that. We  have so much to be thankful for.

Darrel and Joyce just dropped Charles' birthday off, we have bombarded him with Texas Longhorns this year, they brought him a rocker, Gann and David gave him towels,(to go in his longhorn bathroom), Lucie and the kids gave him a stadium seat, mug and key chain and candy.

Until next time lots of love and prayers for our family and friends. Shelly