We met with Pastor Josh yesterday and we both were very happy with our time. His theology, mission, and vision are all biblical and he is very open to change and suggestions. It sounds like there are plenty of opportunities to volunteer, as with any church, and now we're praying about where God wants us. With our passion and experience it would be really easy to jump into youth ministry again, especially since this group is about the same size and makeup as our last two groups were, but we don't want to do it just because it's comfy. It would be amazing to be able to just be volunteers though.
Another thing that we were very happy to hear, is that the church is open to possibly integrating contemporary music into their existing service, or starting a new service, maybe in the evening. We would really like to see some of the college students in the area get involved with a church. We also learned about the Sunday school classes that the church offers. We're going to try out the "young" (mostly under age 50) couples class. I miss being in a small group, it feels like I'm missing a toe (was going to say leg, but I don't think it's that severe).
Abby also had a wonderful time in the pastor's office, as she always does when we are someplace new. She wandered around the office, pulling books off the shelf, poking the ceramic lion, spilling snacks EVERYWHERE, and trying to squeeze between the couch and coffee table. She's just not as small as she used to be, and I don't think she realizes that yet. On Tuesday she was digging through her "too small" clothes and found her old favorite shoes and brought them out for me to put on her. We tried and tried, but her little foot wouldn't fit and she just didn't understand. The same thing happened when we were trying on sandals today at the store. She insisted on jamming her foot into this tiny sandal, silly girl!
There are a few coming events that we're really looking forward to at church. The Saturday before Easter there is some sort of fun kid's day and I'm not sure, but I think there will be an Easter egg hunt, which should be very fun this year, with Abby at her current age. Then, on Easter Sunday, there will be a graveside sunrise service, breakfast, Sunday School, and church. I so miss the sunrise services that we used to be a part of when growing up. There was always something exciting about waking up while it was still dark, putting on warm, grubbyish clothes, and heading out into the cold to hear about Jesus! Breakfast always tasted so much better when we ate after such a celebration with family and friends. I'm excited about this Easter, because the church has a grave yard directly behind it, which is where the service will be. This is especially meaningful since the very first Easter took place in a grave :)
"They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they acclaim the Lord's majesty. Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: "Glory to the Righteous One."
-Isaiah 24:15-16
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Spring
Mat and I discovered a new playground the other day, which is amazing considering how tiny our town is. It is within walking distance and has a sandbox, which Abby loves. It was behind what we thought was a children's program building, so we weren't quite sure if we were supposed to be using it, but you try telling Abby she can't play on the playground that we're walking right past when she's pointing and saying, "ohh, oh"! Needless to say, we went and played and had a wonderful time.
Last Tuesday a friend and I took our chillens to the same park and apparently the children's program no longer occupies the building and we even have access to the trikes that are in the shed, Yay! The fence around the park was recently removed, opening it up to the public. i guess we never noticed the fence before.
Last week it was warm enough to go out to the park and on other outdoor adventures, but now that it's officially spring, it's been cold and rainy. It's supposed to clear up by tomorrow, just in time for kids soccer practice :)
Last Tuesday a friend and I took our chillens to the same park and apparently the children's program no longer occupies the building and we even have access to the trikes that are in the shed, Yay! The fence around the park was recently removed, opening it up to the public. i guess we never noticed the fence before.
Last week it was warm enough to go out to the park and on other outdoor adventures, but now that it's officially spring, it's been cold and rainy. It's supposed to clear up by tomorrow, just in time for kids soccer practice :)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Potty Training
We began potty training the little munchkin about three weeks ago and she is doing fabulous! She has her own little potty chair, but prefers to use the "big girl toilet". She calls both #1 and #2 Bopo and raises her brows and squints her eyes when saying it. She also wears "big girl panties" whenever we are home. She still has #1 accidents but has only gone #2 in the potty chair for the last two days. We've taken her out of the house without a diaper twice and one of the times she peed on the Men's Soccer locker room floor, te he he. Daddy and Mommy are so proud of our little girl who is growing up too fast!
Friday, March 12, 2010
19 Month Abby photos
We have 12 new Abby photos. Sorry it's only 12, but the good news is, I've already started taking pics. for next month. Click here to view her 19 month photos. Below is one of my favorites.
We are headed to a beach city on Saturday and Mat will be going to north on Sunday. It will be Abby's and my first time to the beach city and we are taking the car in to have a recall fixed, couldn't be more exciting, huh? I was going to take her to the park while we were waiting, but there is a 100% chance of rain, bummer. While on our mini adventure we will also be going to AAA, the mall, and Mat will be recruiting. All of the things we don't get to do in our po-dunk town. If we're lucky, we might even make it over to a Target or Trader Joes.
Abby is currently trying to dress squirt in her pants that she recently removed from her legs, and succeeded in getting them to stay on his back. He has become the most crotchety old dog since Abby has become mobile.
Mat is at a short day of work today, Spring break starts today for students, so that means no practice! We had a small turnout for our first day of the youth indoor soccer program, so he's in the office working with the city trying to get the dates pushed back to allow more time for registration. I'm hoping that will go quickly, then he can come home and we'll finally be able to fill in the writing on the support letter shell that's been stowed away in our computer.
We are headed to a beach city on Saturday and Mat will be going to north on Sunday. It will be Abby's and my first time to the beach city and we are taking the car in to have a recall fixed, couldn't be more exciting, huh? I was going to take her to the park while we were waiting, but there is a 100% chance of rain, bummer. While on our mini adventure we will also be going to AAA, the mall, and Mat will be recruiting. All of the things we don't get to do in our po-dunk town. If we're lucky, we might even make it over to a Target or Trader Joes.
Abby is currently trying to dress squirt in her pants that she recently removed from her legs, and succeeded in getting them to stay on his back. He has become the most crotchety old dog since Abby has become mobile.
Mat is at a short day of work today, Spring break starts today for students, so that means no practice! We had a small turnout for our first day of the youth indoor soccer program, so he's in the office working with the city trying to get the dates pushed back to allow more time for registration. I'm hoping that will go quickly, then he can come home and we'll finally be able to fill in the writing on the support letter shell that's been stowed away in our computer.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Another Excuse
This time my lack of posting is my fault, not hubby's. I've been spending all of my computer time helping Mat type soccer addresses and creating a fund-raising letter, Yay! I actually really do like doing that kind of work, weird, I know. He's hoping to raise enough money to buy game day shirts, warm-ups, and more! I don't know much about soccer (even though I'm married to the coach) or athletics in general (even though I work in the department), but I wanted to do something to help him out, because he's so busy. After all, the guy is making lunch for us right now. Grilled tuna, yummmm. Squirt is getting so excited, because for some reason he thinks he's getting food, that he's started barking, and Abby's napping. Oh, that dog!
Friday, February 26, 2010
The past week
So much has happened in the last week, I don't even know where to begin. I guess I could start with Mat's new favorite sport, curling, which is currently on the tube (yes, we still have one). During this Olympics a new love has blossomed between curling and my husband. I actually don't mind watching it as much as some sports, but I prefer ice skating. Mat has finally finished his two classes and is on his way to a 4.0 in his graduate program. He is going to be taking an additional soccer class, outside of school, in Florida. The class is a week long and he will earn his National Diploma from the NSCAA. This is thankfully during the same time that my parents will be here visiting. Mat's new class begin on March first, but he will only be taking one class the next quarter.
Abby has mostly conquered her bow-bow (pacifier) addiction, which we began weaning her off of about a week ago. She still uses it during naps and at night, and I must say that I don't see this ending any time soon. She struggled and really missed her bow-bow for about the first four days, but now she hardly asks for it at all. We were hoping that without it constantly being in her mouth, she would begin to talk more. She now babbles non stop, and is saying more words, more frequently. Her favorite word is Uh-oh. Sometimes she throws her cup on the ground just so she can say uh-oh. I think she's really begun to enjoy her English words and sometimes she'll say a string of as many words as she can think of and in no particular order. "Mama dada Bubu hi uh-oh." Or, she'll just walk up to Squirt's face, "Bubu, Bubu, bubu, bubu." Abby calls Squirt Bubu, it is much easier to say, and it's what Mat and I call him the majority of the time. As well as she is doing learning her new words, there are some words where she's stuck in her ways and won't even try to say them correctly. Mama has four meanings, depending where she puts the emphasis, Mommy, Grandma, All done, and one other word I can't think of right now. I've tried having her say, "all" and she says, "Ma", then I'll say, "done" and she'll say, "Ma". We've also been working on potty training, but I'll save that for another day.
The pets are all hanging in there. Garfield is more annoying than ever, that cat just doesn't know how to shut his little kitty mouth. He is constantly meowing. We do love having him around though, because he is the only of the three pets who lets Abby maul him. Skeeter sleeps next to my head every night and has developed the new habit of drinking out of the sink, I guess it's an improvement from the toilet. Squirt is still terrified of life in general. Besides his normal issues of rotting teeth, no hair, old age, and low thyroid, he is constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. Flying objects and Abigail's body gravitate toward him. He spends as much time as possible sleeping and has even been know to sleep in until noon.
I've been busy trying to save all the money I can using coupons and shopping strategically. We're on a very strict budget trying to get all of our debts paid off. I'm enjoying my job in the Athletic Department, someplace I would've never in a million years, imagined myself. It involves time on the computer, organization, and numbers, three things I enjoy. Abby and I are still going to our weekly coffee group, where we've made some new friends. I'm especially enjoying having Mat back, since his classes have ended. It seemed like for two or three weeks I never saw him, because he was always drowning in school work. God has been so good to us in providing for all of our needs, some of our wants, and allowing us the privilege of caring for his child.
Abby has mostly conquered her bow-bow (pacifier) addiction, which we began weaning her off of about a week ago. She still uses it during naps and at night, and I must say that I don't see this ending any time soon. She struggled and really missed her bow-bow for about the first four days, but now she hardly asks for it at all. We were hoping that without it constantly being in her mouth, she would begin to talk more. She now babbles non stop, and is saying more words, more frequently. Her favorite word is Uh-oh. Sometimes she throws her cup on the ground just so she can say uh-oh. I think she's really begun to enjoy her English words and sometimes she'll say a string of as many words as she can think of and in no particular order. "Mama dada Bubu hi uh-oh." Or, she'll just walk up to Squirt's face, "Bubu, Bubu, bubu, bubu." Abby calls Squirt Bubu, it is much easier to say, and it's what Mat and I call him the majority of the time. As well as she is doing learning her new words, there are some words where she's stuck in her ways and won't even try to say them correctly. Mama has four meanings, depending where she puts the emphasis, Mommy, Grandma, All done, and one other word I can't think of right now. I've tried having her say, "all" and she says, "Ma", then I'll say, "done" and she'll say, "Ma". We've also been working on potty training, but I'll save that for another day.
The pets are all hanging in there. Garfield is more annoying than ever, that cat just doesn't know how to shut his little kitty mouth. He is constantly meowing. We do love having him around though, because he is the only of the three pets who lets Abby maul him. Skeeter sleeps next to my head every night and has developed the new habit of drinking out of the sink, I guess it's an improvement from the toilet. Squirt is still terrified of life in general. Besides his normal issues of rotting teeth, no hair, old age, and low thyroid, he is constantly in the wrong place at the wrong time. Flying objects and Abigail's body gravitate toward him. He spends as much time as possible sleeping and has even been know to sleep in until noon.
I've been busy trying to save all the money I can using coupons and shopping strategically. We're on a very strict budget trying to get all of our debts paid off. I'm enjoying my job in the Athletic Department, someplace I would've never in a million years, imagined myself. It involves time on the computer, organization, and numbers, three things I enjoy. Abby and I are still going to our weekly coffee group, where we've made some new friends. I'm especially enjoying having Mat back, since his classes have ended. It seemed like for two or three weeks I never saw him, because he was always drowning in school work. God has been so good to us in providing for all of our needs, some of our wants, and allowing us the privilege of caring for his child.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Mat's life
Mat is finishing up his final papers and presentations for his online classes, thus I have not had much access to the computer. As soon as he is finished, and hopefully when his new class starts, I'll be able to post more often. He is only taking one class next semester, instead of two. He's been quite the busy guy. He's a student, a husband, dad, in the process of starting up an indoor youth soccer program, and soccer coach. Many have asked what he does in the off season. He has weightlifting four times a week, study hall twice a week, miscellaneous tests and compliance paperwork, recruiting, scheduling games for next season, and much, much more! In between all of this, he's trying to squeeze in watching the Olympics. We love our busy guy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
