Pictures from our Weekend

Our family had a very different vacation this year (or "staycation" as Kimberly pointed out!). We stayed home for the biggest part of it, doing fun stuff around here. Sticking it in the eye of oil companies, as it were. I'm sure they were devastated. :) We did leave for a short weekend trip to Indy where we spent time with G-Pa and Nana, as well as provided a service of music in their Sunday worship service. God really helped us with that, and we feel that we received a blessing as well as provided one. Before we did that, we had "Family Fun Splash Day" in our own back yard. Our kids are still the age that if you give anything a title and dance around saying "YAY!" about it they think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. We even have "Family Goes to Dentist Day!" and believe it or not it works. :) As a matter of fact, we did that last week too. Our kids have an AWESOME dentist that they are always very excited about going to. Anyway, I digress. The pics are basically in order. One pic of "splash day", on to Indy, Newport Aquarium on the way home (which I highly recommend to anyone who gets a chance to go), and then our local Japanese restaurant which we really love. Enjoy the pics!

Considering Blackmail

So this is supposed to be our vacation week. We had intended and planned to be in Pigeon Forge this week, but events have conspired against us to make this impossible at the moment. However, since Derek already had the time coming to him from his job, we decided to just leave it that way. We've been hanging around home, doing all sorts of productive things that don't get the necessary attention during busy times. We've played games with the kiddos. We've sung around the piano. We've watched old home movies that we haven't pulled out in eons. And we've just been together. It's been a treat to have Daddy home every day, as he will continue to be till next Wednesday!!! It' s not the traditional kind, but we're still calling it VACATION and being thankful for what we've got. We're heading to Indy over the weekend to be with Derek's family and share music in their Morning Worship Service.



But speaking of watching those old home movies.....where do I begin? Let's just say that Derek and I were up until 2:00 IN THE MORNING last night laughing our fool heads off and plotting ways that we could easily blackmail and humiliate certain long-time friends if we so chose. Yes, that's right, we uncovered that cherished old classic "Homecoming" style music performed by our old gang of cohorts in Hobe Sound. It is starring Brent Vernon who portrays several characters such as Michael W. Smith, Jake Hess, Jonathan Martin, etc. There's Jani Beardslee who does quite a number on Sherri Easter and the blonde Martin girl, and of course Julia who successfully completes the Martin Trio. Yes, even Becca makes her appearance resembling the likes of Lillie Knall complete w/hat and pearls. Derek pulls off a Michael English. I do a scary Gloria Gaither. But let's face it, the star of the show was Sonja portraying Vestal in all glory, bedsheet wrapped 'round and all. Oh, I'm sure it was a "guess you had to be there" kinda moment, but it was the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. I was gasping for breath, and trying to keep from waking the kids up while we meandered down that Memory Lane. Good times....slightly embarrassing and humiliating times.....but GOOD times all the same.

That same video had parts that Julia recorded one Sunday night when we all hung at the
Vernons singing around the piano. There was some good stuff on that one, too! (Juwah, I have two videotapes of yours that I plan to mail out to you. There's stuff from Visions' tours to Grand Canyon, etc. )

So, what do you think? Should I try to devise a way to upload some of that charming material for your viewing pleasure?!? heh,heh....that ought to show 'em, huh, Kimberly?! (yes, I have damaging evidence of Kayla too!)

On that note of ponderance I will bid you all adieu. Blessings on you and yours.

IT'S INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Some weeks ago, I was out and about town doing errands when the hunger Monster struck in the back seat. Poor little starving urchins that they were, I agreed to pull into the Wendy's drive-thru for the oh-so-healthy chicken nuggets and chocolate milk. When I got up to the window, the gal at the register said, "that will be $17.76." I smiled and replied, "hey, that was a GOOD year!". Blank stare in response. I went on, "you know, July 4th? 1776? Declaration of Independence?" She was obviously embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry; I just didn't know that. Guess I didn't learn much." As I pulled away from the window, I felt so SAD; not a 'snooty' kind of 'holier than thou' SAD; just that sadness that comes from the realization that education is so lacking these days. How can we know where we're headed if we don't understand where we've been? And how SAD that any American, working class girl or not, should miss out on the amazing story that surrounds the birth of our great nation! My kids have been studying about the Revolutionary War and right now are in the 'fact' stage of taking in all this information. Still, I try not to ever miss an opportunity to stress to them the beautiful gift that is our freedom.

Last week, we took a multi-generational Family Vacation to the Washington, D.C. area, as well as over to Gettysburg, PA. How many kids can say they toured great pieces of American history with their parents, grandparents, and Great-grandparents?!? I know this will be a treasured memory for them someday. As I endeavored to prepare them for many of the sights that we would see, particularly in Arlington Cemetery with the Changing of the Tomb Guard, etc., I saw a little bit of perplexity (is that a word?) on their faces. I can't remember which one said it first, but the question was asked, "Mommy if we won our freedom (referring to their study of the Revolutionary War), then why did all these people have to keep fighting?" I cannot begin to tell you the lump that formed in my throat! So simple a question, and yet so profound! YES! We won our freedom, but it is a fight that will never stop being fought. Our fore-fathers gave us the gift, but it is a gift that must ever be contended for, continually guarded and protected from an enemy that surely would seek to take it from us. As we looked out over those some 450,000 simple white stones of Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, Nurses, Justices, and so many more, I was reminded once again of the incredible sacrifice that has been and continues to be paid. I salute them all and I honor them on this Independence Day. How honored we were to have my Papaw, Korean War Purple Heart Veteran, along with us for this trip and to see the seriousness with which he took it all in. He gave a leg in the struggle for freedom in Korea and still the flag flies high in front of his home. No bitterness, only pride. I am so thankful that he has passed that pride on down to future generations.

So today I say with renewed appreciation: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

The day after the Declaration was signed in 1776, John Adams, wrote these words in a letter to his wife, Abigail. "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by Solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forevermore."

Was he right or what?!? Well, I have SO much more I could say about our trip, but I think I'll put that off for now and just leave you with some pics. May your July 4th Celebrations be marked with renewed gratitude for the gift of FREEDOM that is ours!