The Heritage of ORBC

We all have a heritage from our families, however not everyone has the heritage of a Church Family like A and I have. Today was a Reunion for all the youth, our parents and the youth workers from 1979 to 1990 at ORBC. There was about 250 people there, I think, it was so hard to judge how many were actually there as kids were all over, parents were visiting away and our parents (the grandparents) were visiting away. We got to see tons of pictures and old home movies with all of the songs we sang at camp Alto Frio, mission trips and hanging out.

It was such a wonderful opportunity to pay tribute to the fearless leaders that God brought into our path as they were there also. Gary was our Youth Director and Bill was our Choir Director during those years. Man what fun, sad and meaningful times we had; we played hard, witnessed hard and prayed hard. God has worked in such an amazing way in all of us and it was so great to see everyone. So many were missed, several were missed due to recording albums, mission trips, having babies and moving.

During some of those years it was nothing to have 200 plus in the youth ministry so you can only imagine how many kids have come through that ministry over the years.

We all agreed that God did a wonder through all of us to bring us together so that we could do a wonder where God placed us as adults. It was great to see everyone! As we sang today, Our God is an Awesome God.

The State of T

For those of you who know our sweet T you know he also has a very stubborn and mischievous side. He is so cute!
When he is ready to get "UP," he’s ready, no waiting. This week we found out something; we already knew T could get out of his playpen, however, what we did not now was that he could get back INTO it unassisted. While I was taking care of a phone call A was sorting laundry A put T in the playpen and turned on Little Einstein’s. On A’s way back to the bedroom, he stopped in the kitchen to tell me something and T just walked on in. He listened to us for a minute and turned around and walked out. So after A laughed he said "I know I put him in the playpen, he got out again, oh well." A went to check out where T went and low and behold T was back IN the playpen. A came back into the kitchen to inform me that T got back IN the playpen BY HIMSELF. Apparently our conversation was boring so T wanted to go back to Little Einstein’s. We just love our little guy so much we can’t imagine life without him in it. It seems like a lifetime ago that little T entered our lives. So much has happened in the last 18 months!

BY THE WAY --- I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY I CANNOT POST PICTURES TO MY POSTS. HOPEFULLY I WILL FIGURE OUT WHY SOON.

America - Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to such a great country. This year our Nation's Birthday had a very different and emotional meaning. I was really having a hard day on Sunday as our church had a very patriotic service (a WWII vet who refused to follow his commanding officers orders to abandon ship preached, WOW). My only girl cousin (on both sides of my family) is serving our country in Afganistan! She has been there for about 3 months, her deployment was initially for 12 months, however, while she was doing her special GUN training prior to deployment she got word that her deployment was being extended 3 months.

She was deployed to Iraq for 6 months about 2 years ago. While her husband was in the Marines his Japan deployment was extended from six months to one year due to the war.

I am so proud of my heritage; my mom's side of the family has been in America since 1695. Every generation has spawned deep faith in God and service in our nations military. My cousin Lis is the only one in my generation serving due to health issues with all of us other cousins. I also have several family members on my dad's side that are serving our country in the Military or working as Civilians at Military bases.

My dad was here today and said that my 19 year old sister has decided to join the Navy, how cool is that! Also, my 16 year old brother has been thinking about the military after graduation also.

Please pray for Lis' mom, dad and husband while she's away. Lis' husband is having some eye issues; his sight is pretty limited. Lis lost her brother (her only sibling) in 2001 to Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and her parents are nervous (and proud at the same time) about her being off to war.

We serve a risen Savior and are so privileged to be able to live free in America and able to choose our service to America. I believe that we all serve America in different ways, some in the military, some training our kids to be honest citizens and some guiding us in our walk with Christ to name a few of our abilities to serve. God calls us to serve him and to be good citizens to our nation. We must remember the sacrifice that our military and their family make. I am regularly reminded that our freedoms come with such a price and our nations military does such a wonderful job. Please thank a military person and their family today.

A is 30 plus 1

Today was A's 30 plus 1 Birthday..... yes I know that is 31, however, last year for A's big 30 I wanted to throw a huge bash. My plans were sidelined by a wonderful event, T's Adoption. We were so crazed thinking that we would be able to finalize any day that A's Birthday slipped up on us. Last year we celebrated with family at my aunt's house and combined A's big day with my cousin's 28th B-day.

Today there was two 6 month olds, a 22 month old (T), two 3 year olds, a four and a six year old; A was loving it, adult conversation with the hum of kids laughing. The great part about it was that all of the kids got along great and there was no fighting for toys. Since A teaches Pre-K and is with kids all day long he was really enjoying the adult conversation and at the same time being with his hearts desire, KIDS!!!! All of the kids love Mr. A (5 of the kids here, besides T, were from the Daycare).

It was family and friends galore, I was exhausted after doing the final clean and being the social butterfly!

On a side note, A's aunt and uncle were here and they went with my mom to get T's big boy bed! A's dad and sister put it together. My goal is to have T in it by his 2nd B-day in September.

Happy Birthday A!!!!