Briefly

Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful men in our lives! What a blessed day of relaxation and joy we had honoring our favorite guy! To express in one day our love and adoration for this man is insufficient, but the kids did an awesome job.
J had his normal pastoral duties, but he loves being a pastor, so it never seems quite like work! And our whole family was involved in the service yesterday, lending our support and pride for who he is in Christ! :o) He came home to BBQ Bratwursts (spicy and greasy!) and chips and Tiger Woods leading the US Open. After lunch he took a nap while our landlords and I tried to figure out the mystery creature living in our wall. (I'll tell you later) Then Tof BBQ'd 1.5" thick steaks, and I made Green beans and Taaka Marsala Noodles for dinner while J opened cards and gifts. We gave J $$ for a new pair of dress/casual shoes, & Tof took us to see Kung-Fu Panda! (Totally, Freaking Funny movie!) .

Saturday we had a farewell party for some friends. Spring weather arrived Friday. I hope it decides to keep smiling upon us for more than just a day or two.

I get to cross off another accomplishment on my life list~ Friday we arrived home to find a fawn walking up our driveway. She was still damp from being born, probably an hour old. Mama watched her at a close distance while I stroked her little head and scratched under her chin. :o)

Friday we also went to a Party. This one was to celebrate with our friends, Sam and Sara, over Sam's National Title as Champion in Cycling ~ Gold Medal, baby! If you would like to read more about Sam's journey from avalanche survivor to national champion click here, here, here, or here.

This has been one of the busiest weeks I have ever experienced. God's grace and love has been so evident through it all, though. I feel strangely energized and happy. (and thankful another week like this one is not facing me in the future!)

I have a friend here who is the director's wife of the campground we spent the week at for VBS. She has not had a day since January (other than the week she spent in Africa working with patients at Bongalow Hospital.) that she hasn't had to cook for 60 - 150 people. 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. I can't even fathom the weariness that would induce. Please pray for her and for help/relief to arise.

More Power to Him

More from VBS!!

Quarentined Lepars.

Every Move I Make.

Ben is Brave!

Cheese Its!

the POWERS Christ gives

I'm photographing VBS this week, so I won't be posting a whole lot.... Bunch of Mad Science goin' on as we test out and discover the Power from Christ to be thankful, to help others, to be brave, to live forever, and to tell others about Him! Our whole family is involved and it has been a blast the past few days - except for the 6" of snow out at YAA campground where we are holding it!

Conner's Visit

We Meet At Last!

Anna, Conner, Mom and Dad drove over from Moses Lake for a short visit this week! They got in Saturday and we didn't waste anytime getting to know our little man. Sunday J preached and they all got to be a part of that! It was very poignant to have our family join us and J honored Mom & Dad by thanking them for the Godly heritage they bestowed on him.

I'm so grateful they made the 8 hour journey! Shaun had to fly back to San D to finish out his final 2 weeks in Coast Guard and we missed him, but we are so blessed that didn't stop Anna from comin' on ahead! We'll get Shaun over here yet!

We had lots of floor time. Conner army crawls everywhere. We alternated middle names with him throughout the weekend ~ Conner "Poops-like-a-man" Oliver; Conner "Danger" Oliver; ... He liked James and Tofer best. He seems to know instinctively "I'm one of them!" and he watched them with great interest. Especially if Uncle Yimmy went into one of his special Arias.

We did Frogmore ~AGAIN! It's just such a great communal meal! Mom bought a special wine (viognier from hermit crab vinters) that perfectly set off the seafood and oldbay seasonings. Later we played Apples to Apples and teased one another mercilessly.

I would go so far as to say that family has to be the greatest invention of all time. God fleshed out in love and relationship, laughter and tears, hugs and kisses...

It's just plain awesome.

Fellowship - Frogmore Style!

Ryan and Mindy's small group put on a night of food and fellowship for all the pastors. Nathan and Robin didn't make it, but the rest of us were there! Mike, Kate, Brandon, Julia, Eric, Taylor, Melissa, Eddie, Ryan and Mindy (and little Lizzie too) brought us together Wed. night, and Look What They Cooked US!!!

I find it very funny that I made Frogmore for the first time for my family just a month or two ago and here we are again! They added some things I had never tried in it. Sausage and Green Beans.

Strawberry Shortcake for dessert - River lost her tooth! (and she scored 4 goals at her soccer game!)

Mo was being such a ham ... Kelly egged him on! I always wish I would have taken more photos, but I was trying to fellowship!!
It was a great night. We felt so honored and loved.
Thanks to all of you for giving us a chance to connect and relax - You are awesome!

Album Art

Tofer had his sister and I out shooting photos of him for his "album" - whenever that happens! This is an old guitar someone gave him for stacking wood! He put on my grampa's old, wool, hunting pants with patched knees and found some other things to put him in "character" and here we are at the Hobo Shoot!
Cricket had to get in on the action too, but I think next time we might have to borrow Oat - she seems a bit more like a travelin' dog than our queen bee does!

Memorial Week

I haven't had much luck posting since I've had to work from the dinosaur desktop. It's great for email, but photo posting seems to be beyond it's realm of functionality. I'm trying again however. Our Bible Study had a fellowship night and we gorged ourselves on Mexican Food and held all the babies!!!! Scott and Sadie brought Tri-tip, beans, and rice. I brought shedded chicken enchiladas, & green salads (for those on the raw diet :o) I over indulged. On both food and baby cuddling. So did Sara!

Tof turned 17 Friday!!! You can tell he is growing up just from what he asks for for gifts. Propane tank for the bbq so he can bbq this summer. Money for the computer he is saving up for. Socks. LOL!

We had our traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls, but the only candle I had was a huge, hurkin' lump o' wax... he didn't mind as long as he got to the cinnamon roll when it was blown out! :o)

My birthday was Saturday. I got my hair butched for summer :o) It's easy, but I feel like I look more like my mother than ever! It grows so fast that it won't be long before it's back in a pony tail.
Jen took me to breakfast. That was especially sweet because I have been craving 'girl-time' lately and haven't had opportunity. We walked to Nova in the rain and chatted, then had great coffee, food, & conversation for two more hours! THANKS SO MUCH JEN!

J & the kids bought me a gorgeous bamboo salad bowl I had been wanting! It rained the whole day and the kids spoiled me by doing my dishes and building me a fire to sit next to and read all day!

Sunday afternoon we held a bbq with a bunch of friends for Tofer's party. God blessed us with a bit of SUN!

Then Sunday night the Murray's hosted us at a "Black and White" night. We had to wear only black and white, eat only black and white food and we watched a black and white movie! What a blast!

J is fighting sickness right now. He has to preach Sunday and would really like a clear head to prepare. Please pray for him.

30 hours - 31,300 dead

Tofer and Minda took part in World Vision's 30 hour famine this year. Our family pastor took several youth and joined with other youth from our city to gather for a night of learning to empathise and care about the 29,000 children that die each day as a result of hunger or hunger related illnesses. The morning after, the kids walked into service with LONG butcher paper rolls of stick figures. There were 29,000 figures, but even more had died in during the event. Each of the kids had to raise at least $35 to participate, but few raised only that amount. $35 feeds a child for a year! A YEAR?!?!

Minda raised $500, and she was sad she didn't have more time to get word out and gather more. Tofer and she led worship with another friend. It was a big step for her. Not only was it in front of people, it was in front of people she didn't know. God gave her boldness to use her talent and her knowledge of her instrument (with encouragement from her big brother and his time in teaching her to "feel" the change...) to usher kids into His presence so He could speak to their hearts.

Minda was asked several times, as she knocked on doors of friends and neighbors, if she was REALLY going to go without food for 30 hours; when it was over she said, "At least I knew there was an end in sight - they don't."
31,300 children were dead by the time she came home because they didn't have the meals her $500 will provide ~ but maybe this year there will be a few less because she chose to go without for only 30 hours just for them. We probably won't know until heaven.

Thaw

I'm still doing the raw food challenge. With the coming of sunshine there is greater desire to eat raw. When it was still snowing and 34 degrees outside for some reason I didn't crave a chilly smoothie over a hot cup of coffee! This was part of dinner last night. A 7 grain and mushroom "tortilla" (brushed with EVOO) with green onion, tomato, cucumber, orange bell pepper and avocado slivers (with pink sea salt sprinkled sparingly) and a green smoothie made of apple, peach, mango, strawberry, banana, spirulina, wheat grass, barley grass, wheat sprouts, jerusalem artichoke, lemon, and flax seed. I know it looks and sounds gross, but even my kids want some when I drink it!

The sunshine has been working it's wonders in other areas too! The woodlands are greening! We have a pair of eagles that have chosen to nest on our hillside. When the sun is warm they circle on the wind currents and call to each other. Tofer has the hoop set up and has been out there shooting baskets every shiny afternoon when school is finished. Nimbal-O and he sat and chatted with one another yesterday.

Cricket and I and Cassia had hoped to walk along the creek and get a bit of exercise, but it is still to deeply entrenched in snow.

Little by little winter is losing it's grip on the mountain. It's raining today and we are hoping it is diminishing some of that frozen depth at the creek side. I'm sitting with a cup of peppermint tea watching the drizzle. We just finished PSAT tests and have one more week of school before we are on our 3 month break! I'm going to do dishes and then work on curtains for our bedroom (they've been in process for months). Life is good.

The Recording

Tofer, Cassia and our friend James Schlender (Who stands as 8th best fiddler in the US! He was 13 when he won that title!) recorded Tof's new worship song that I blogged on! Hope you enjoy it!

I posted about this past week below.

Minding the Mission

Wow! What a week!!

J and I spent most of the week in Billings hearing about the Great Commission and building relationships with other pastors and their wives and families.

It was also some great time alone as a couple. :oD

J got to lead worship Tuesday night with some of his buds. Our prayer during the preparation week was that the pastors would feel built up and edified, and energized in their spirits as they were lead into the throneroom. God definatly did all that and more than we could have asked for. It was an evening of anointing. Both the worship and the message of what He is accomplishing throughout the world, exalted and glorified God alone! I was very proud of my guy and our friends.

Our kids stayed home and did their school work and chores! We have THE BEST kids in the universe! You can not convince me otherwise! They are simply awesome, by the grace of God!

4 days, 3 nights, and no time apart from eachother, yet we came home to a clean house, happy siblings, no broken bones, and school assignments totally completed!

They recorded the worship song that I blogged about, so as soon as I figure out how to embed an audio track onto blogger without it being a video... I'll let you know!