Jerri update 1

We received a call this morning from Dennis that she hasn't eaten in 4/5 days and is not taking fluids. We were advised to come as quickly as conveniently possible. Mark called at dinner and confirmed we needed to come. The girls made it to school today and we're trying to work out things for tomorrow. Haley has to turn in a biology test and Bekah has Narnia auditions. We're trying to get laundry clean from our trip to Tennessee (will blog about that later) and cover all of our bases as we had several things planned over the next couple of days. I will update as we know more. We greatly appreciate your prayers.

Speaking of birthdays - Val's 40th

We are so blessed to have a very special family of friends. They are like none other. And please don't think that because you're reading this and you're one of our friends that we don't value you - we do! Scott and Val have a friendship that has stood the test of time and distance. Of Val's 40 years, we've been blessed to know her over half of them and Scott even longer. Of course we would do everything in our power to attend her surprise birthday party. We got up early on a Sunday morning and fought strong winds from Hurricane Ike to make it there. Boy, was she surprised! Scott planned such a special time of remembering segments of her life and brought special people there to be a part of it. We especially enjoyed going back to their farm for a little R&R before getting back on the road. Val - you are a beautiful woman of God, wife, mother, and friend. We pray you are blessed in the many years ahead as you were in the first 40. We love you guys!

Happy Birthday!

Celebrating August birthdays. Tim, his mom (Jerri), his grandfather (Papa), and his grandfather's wife Maggie all had a special day to share. Guests outside of immediate family included Aunt Rosie, Dick & Carol, and George & Connie.

Hands on Government Lesson

From the time our children were born, we've been teaching them about our wonderful country, The United States of America. We've been teaching them about the election process and get them involved whenever possible. We learned about John McCain being in Dayton the weekend we were going to be there, so we decided to take the kids, and even our nephew too. You probably heard before we did that McCain asked Sarah Palin to be his running mate. However, it's a little more exciting to BE a part of history rather than just watch it on TV. We try to teach our children that it's important to be involved in choosing our leaders rather than just sit back and let it happen. Is it always exciting - NO! However, it's a right we have to make choices in how we want our government run. I was surprised when we were coming home from soccer practice that Haley and Bekah said they WANTED to watch the Vice Presidential debate. They didn't make it all the way through, but I'm proud of them for trying. We want our kids to be informed on both sides so that even though they can't vote yet, they will make decisions based on their own convictions and not just because "that's who my parents are voting for."

Save the Date!

Please add June 6, 2009 to your calendar. On that day Haley, Bekah, and Holly will perform in their dance recital. The theme this year is metamorphasis. I've already heard some of the music and seen some of the dances. The costumes are being ordered this month. It promises to be a breath taker. As I learn more about times, location, etc. I will post. We hope that you can come.

CEC Barn Blast 2008

I haven't had the opportunity yet to share how much we appreciate the Christian Educational Consortium where Haley and Bekah go part time, but I will go ahead and share about the fantastic fall party they put on. This year it was held at a new location, but they didn't miss a beat. The food was plentiful. Activities were everywhere including a bonfire, hayride, square dancing, corn hole, hilbilly golf, and bobbing for apples. It was wonderful to see the families of teens get together and have such a great time. In the top picture is Bekah with the blue sweater and white bow in her hair. Haley is in line for food with a gray sweatshirt and braids.

Getting Caught Up

I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated. I guess that's what happens when you start school. That has kept us quite busy. It may take a while to go back and pick everything up, so I'll start at the present and occasionally go back to a few things. I hope you enjoy.