It's S'MORE fun when we're together!! --- (Winter Photo Session 2014)

 

Our first official picture on our land!

The view from our land! So blessed! Can't wait to be out here in quite a few years down the road.

A Hodgepodge of Happenings - Full of New Beginnings

There is just something wonderful about having something NEW! I am not just talking about material items, but having a fresh start, a new chapter, a new experience to add to our lives. While vintage items are also a favorite of mine, I just can't help but think about the excitement that comes with something NEW! 

This is exactly what Paul and I were privileged to experience a few weeks ago as two of our sweet Inner City girls excitedly asked us if we would stay after tutoring to watch their baptism. There is not a fiber within either one of us that could have turned down such an opportunity. We were so excited! We have been able to watch these sweet girls begin to grow into precious young ladies, and we wouldn't have missed this moment for anything!! We celebrated with them as they began their NEW life in Christ!!

Then, as that week progressed, I had to take on a NEW experience of my own. As I have been reminded several times, I am now a QUARTER OF A CENTURY OLD. Twenty-five has actually been great, though!! I am finally starting to feel like an adult, and others have seemingly started to treat me like one, now. Granted, the NEW hair to go along with the NEW age might have had something to do with it. I am told that I look older now, and I will take it!! Yay for no longer being mistaken as a student! (You have my permission to remind me of this when I start complaining of how old I look in the future, haha).

In celebration of my birthday, my cousin sent me this picture. I had never seen
it before, so that was a fun surprise! Looking back, 25 years sure goes by fast!

NEW hairstyle! My hairstylist is AWESOME!!

As the weather has become colder, I also tried my FIRST ( or I think it was my first) smore! Regardless, it was the first one I have ever had that I actually remember liking. This NEW discovery is probably not going to be good for my waist or jeans, though.

This past week our NEW squad for this year had their first basketball game! They brought home two trophies from camp this summer for their dance and cheer, and their hard work once again showed off as they had the crowd exciting and cheering at the game! (If you've ever been a cheerleader, you know what kind of daunting task that can be to actually get the crowd to participate at basketball games.) They did awesome, and I could not be more proud of them!

Then, we had a NEW funny at Tuesday night Bible class this past week. Paul was teaching the kindergarteners about Moses and how he told the Pharaoh that God said to let His people (the slaves) go. At the end of the class, Paul was asking questions about the lesson and giving away candy/prizes for those who knew the answers. When he asked what God told Moses to say to Pharaoh, this one little girl's hand shot up, and she was so excited to answer:

  "LET MY SLUGS GO!"

(She got a little confused between slaves/slugs, but it was a precious, funny moment nonetheless.)

Finally, last night Paul handed out candy to at least 250+ children as they braved the cold and wind to trick-or-treat. Everyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan AT ALL of Halloween or its festivities, but we have a NEW tool that made this year pretty funny. We now have security cameras around our house that we can monitor from inside our home - one of those cameras being at the front door. Paul also has a jumping spider decoration that jumps out at people as they walk up to our front door. In years past, we have always waited for the screams and doorbell to know when to open the door; this year, however, we were able to watch their priceless reactions as they were startled over and over again by this jumping spider (which is the least scary prop on our porch, by the way).  Many laughs were had, and I am very proud to report that Paul even effectively scared the terrifying 3 ft. clown that showed up for candy. (I despise clowns, and short ones are even worse!) 

Now, the scary decorations are going back in the box for another year (Hallelujah!!), and the Christmas decorations are slowly making their way out! Yay! The big stuff won't make it up until closer to Thanksgiving, but stay tuned because Paul has some very exciting and NEW features to show this year! I'll post pics and videos of those once we enter into the Christmas season. Now, I've got to start working on ideas for our Christmas cards! Man, I love this time of year!

We've had a hodgepodge of happenings lately, and I am sure that more are sure to come! We hope your days/weeks have been just as exciting, NEW, and fun as ours have been!

Until next time...