Road Trip!

We are heading out to Virginia Beach today. We will be traveling today and tomorrow and then I will be posting from there. Father, please watch over us as we travel. Help us all to be content and in harmony. Please keep us safe and secure in Your arms. In Jesus' name, Amen

GGGRRRRRRR!

Our adoption agency called yesterday and said that all of our documents went through state certification except one. Our physical exam forms got kicked back. This is the third time I have had to work on these forms. The Dr's notary didn't do it right the first time so I had to take them back to her. Now her number would go through. Our worker just told us to just go to a different notary if we could. She is sending them back by FedEx and they should arrive Tuesday. The only problem is that Wayne has a job that he has to go check on in Virginia Beach. He is going to be gone about 2 weeks, and the girls and I wanted to go with him for the first week or so. The company will pay our gas and lodging so, hey, you bet! So do I be a patient little girl and let the letter stay in my mailbox for a couple weeks? NOT! I may see if my daughter Hannah can take care of it. Or maybe not leave for VB until it's done. GGGGGGRRRRRR!

Prayer Request

Hello friends. I need your help again. My friend, Debra, (who had the surgury in Mexico) had to go to the hospital late last night. She was hurting and began bleeding from one of the incision sights. She has not been able to rest alot since she returned home. Don't you just wish that life could slow down when you need it to. I will post more when I hear more. Please pray.

VBS

Hi all! This week is VBS at our church. I am in charge of doing the whole youth department! That's right: crafts, rec, lesson, and anything else. It's been a bit of a challenge this week. We started off with some behavior problems. I didn't handle them well. I got frustrated and intimidated. Only a few times in ministry have I gotten "shook". This was one of them. The main "problem-child" is big. He's well over 6 feet. Wayne was outside preparing the building (crafts) part of it and I just teach better if he is in there with me. Anyway, the second night went better, but that was because they "problems" didn't come back. Please pray for me as we have the next 3 nights still to go. I want to show them Jesus, not scared frustrated Leah. I want to show them love, hope, peace, gentleness, kindness - I want to represent my Savior in a good way. Not "crazy church lady". Anyway.

I have been checking out Steven Curtis Chapman's family's blog of their trip to China! I thought you all might want to see it, too. Go to http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/asiaandbeyond/.
if you want to follow along, too.

Special Guests

This Sunday morning at church we had the honor of a missionary family visiting us. Eddie & Lori Hawkins and sons shared with us about their missionary trip to Africa. Lori sang for us with an awesome voice and a true spirit. Eddie then presented a God-inspired message that was so perfect for our church "issues" right now. Eddie grew up in this area and his father is a member of our church. Father, please bless Eddie & Lori & their sons. Let them continue to glorify your name. Help them to hear your voice and respond with faith. Thank you for the love for Africa that you have blessed them with. Thank you for the plan that you lay our for all of your children. Thank you for blessing me through them. Amen

Happy Birthday Bryce!!

Sunday was my grandson Bryce's 4th birthday. Every birthday that flies by makes me a little sad. He's growing up so fast. It seems like yesterday that he was a little baby rocking in my lap. Hannah became pregnant her Senior year of high school. I can't even imagine how that must have been for her. But I know one thing. She could have made a decision to not have him. She didn't. She took the harder road. And I will forever be grateful to her for that. Every time Bryce has a birthday, it reminds me of this. I am so proud of Hannah for the way she lived out her life. Bryce is a sweet, wild, funny, and loving boy. He told me that he was 4 years old now, so that means he's a man. He's my little man!

Celebration!

To my total and complete surprise, we received our I-171H in the mail on Thursday! We were only fingerprinted 2 weeks ago and I was told to expect at least a 4 week wait. We hadn't even gotten our last background check yet. So during Ashlyn's basketball tourney in Rolla, we shot up to Jeff City (about 50 min.) and went to the General Headquarters of the Highway Patrol and walked out with our background checks in about 30 mins.! (We were also told to expect a 3-4 week turn around time on the background checks). So we zipped back to Ash's tourney and then to the UPS Store. The last of our dossier was shipped to our agency and will arrive Monday morning! As long as something doesn't get unexpectedly kicked back, we are done with our paperchase!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lovin' the Jeep!!!

Due to crazy busy life, we have had to trade vehicles with my Mom & Dad. To make a long story short, I got to keep my Mom's Jeep for a week or so. The hard top is off and I love it. We have drove it everywhere, even to get groceries. Night driving is awesome! The girls and I have perfected Jeep-hairstyles, Jeep-dancing, and Jeep-singing! We have only gotten caught in the rain once, and that was pretty fun, too! Don't you just love the freedom of summertime!?!

Thank you, my friends, for your prayers for Debra. Her surgeon had a family emergency, so her surgery was moved up to today. She made it through fine and is now resting. Thank you, Jesus, for watching over Debra, and for loving her more than we ever could. Please give her body rest and healing. Amen

Happy Birthday Wayne

Today is Wayne's 43rd Birthday! So here are 43 of the million things I love about you:

1) I love your smile.

2) I love the way you love me.

3) I love the how you hold my hand.

4) I love how you reach for me in the middle of the night.

5) I love how you love the girls.

6) I love how you say "Bye-bye" at the end of our phone calls.

7) I love the way I feel when I see your name on the caller ID.

8) I love the sound of your laughter.

9) I love the way you lead our family.

10) I love how hard you work.

11) I love how you want to do your best at whatever job your doing.

12) I love how you love God with everything you are.

13) I love the sound of your voice when you are praying.

14) I love the way you love the kids in our youth group.

15) I love the way you treat everyone as equal.

16) I love how you love old people.

17) I love how you can have a conversation with anyone (without being nervous).

18) I love the feel of your arms around me.

19) I love the feel of your lips on mine.

20) I love taking an afternoon nap with you.

21) I love how I sleep better with you beside me (even with the snoring).

22) I love how I don't even hear you snore because I'm used to it.

23) I love the sound of your voice when your praising God.

24) I love your shoulders.

25) I love your hands.

26) I love your legs (yes I really do).

27) I love your honesty.

28) I love the fact that you gave me your last name.

29) I love your sense of humor.

30) I love how you tease me.

31) I love the sound of your footsteps in the house.

32) I love how you are always proud of me.

33) I love how you provide for me and the kids.

34) I love how you have always took care of me.

35) I love how you always know when something is bothering me.

36) I love how you reach for my hand when you know I'm feeling nervous or insecure.

37) I love how you call me just to tell me "Good Morning".

38) I love how you cook us pancakes.

39) I love it when you make coffee before you leave for work and then keep it hot for me.

40) I love it when you bring me a cup of coffee (it's always perfect).

41) I love your mind.

42) I love your body.

43) I love your soul.

Happy Birthday Sweetie! I love you!

Prayer Request

Friends, I would like to ask you for a favor. My friend, Debra, is having an elective surgery in Mexico this week. She flies out today and has the surgery on Thursday and flies back on Saturday. I want to just blanket her in prayer. We grew up together. She has such a sweet spirit. She is an adoptive Mommy-to-be too. They are in the process of adopting their 3rd child from Korea. I just love her so much and I feel fearful about this surgery. Please pray, my friends.

Happy Birthday Sarah

Sarah turned 11 on June 13th. She is getting so big so fast. It seems like yesterday she was toddling around in her diapers! She is growing up to be a beautiful girl. She has a smile that can light up the room. Her laugh is just contagious. When she gets tickled, we all end up laughing with her even though we have no clue what she's laughing at!! She has such a sweet spirit. She always wants everyone to be included and will go out of her way to reach out to someone who looks sad. I am so proud of her. We were at Super Summer on her B-day, so our friend Nancy baked a cake and then brought her and the cake to us! Thank you Nancy!

True Love Waits Date Night

We teach a True Love Waits Bible study every February. And throughout the year we have date nights. The goal is to help re-define dating for them. We want to show them that dating is not about spending alot of money & then expecting something at the end of the night. We want to encourage group dates and fun! Whenever one of them comes to me crying over a realtionship, I tell them, "Wait a minute, dating is supposed to be fun." So this month, we took them fishing! Wayne's parents have a stocked pond, so we loaded the bus and took 24 people fishing! We had so much fun! Then we roasted marshmellows and hotdogs on a fire. Good time!

Happy Birthday Ashlyn

Ashlyn turned 14 on June 3rd. Where does the time go? Her birthday was on a Sunday this year so I made a sunflower cake with her favorite snack - Twinkies! We took it to Sunday School and shared with the youth. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. She is just growing up so fast. I am so proud of the young lady she is turning out to be. She loves God with all her heart and lets her faith show. She is so kind and compassionate towards others. I am so proud of her.

Ashlyn is a FRESHMAN!!

Ashlyn is a FRESHMAN in high school now! I cannot believe it. This summer we have basketball and volleyball leagues to help prepare for the coming season. I don't particularily love the invasion into our summer time, but I know she needs this time to adjust into highschool sports. Now Ashlyn has always been one of the smallest in her class and on the Jr. High teams she was a little shorter than the others, but now she is TINY. I keep wanting to jump out on the floor and knock the big girls away from her!! We have several of our youth group out there too and I have noticed that they take up for her really well. THANK YOU!!!! One of our youth, Kristen, really watches out for Ashlyn. Kristen is a tough girl, but a real sweetie too. She gave Ashlyn the nickname "PeeWee". But I guess that got too long, because now they call her "Pee". Isn't that nice. It sounds like she needs her diaper changed. Did I mention that my baby is a FRESHMAN! I can handle this.

I'm Back

Hello! We just walked in the door from taking our youth to summer camp. We spent the last week at Southwest Baptist University at Super Summer. We had a blast and God spoke to each of us greatly. Right now we are piled up on the couch looking at the pile of luggage and laundry and bedding still to be dealt with. Ugh! I'll post more later!