Surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing special was going on this morning. Dad, Mom and Amanda all had to go to town. Beckisue left for work as usual and the rest of us (which was Monica, Stephanie and me) were home doing normal, run-of-the-mill kind of stuff. Since there were just three of us we didn't really fix lunch. We each just got what we wanted to eat. I got my lunch and was emailing while I ate. Monica was finished with her lunch and she called in from the sewing room and asked me what I was doing with the fabric on the cutting counter. I told her I wasn't doing anything with it and she could just fold it up and move it. Then she said "just come in here for a minute. I need you." So I walked in there... I couldn't believe my eyes. I just stared. It took a couple of seconds for it to even register in my mind what I was seeing. Or should I say "who I was seeing"? Right there in front of me was Tiffany!! She told me that she was going to surprise me one of these days. No one was going to know she was coming. She was just going to show up. I didn't know it would be so soon! And then an other surprise! Her family was here too! That is actually why they were here. Her dad had a class in Indianapolis that he had to take this week so they decided to all come along (if the company is paying all expenses why not?).
We were totally unprepared for company. I was a mess, the house was a mess, but we didn't care! I hadn't even fixed my hair yet!
My first thought when I heard her family was here was "And it is still harvest time!" After we visited here for a while we headed up to the Smith's farm so the kids could ride in the combine. They were SO cute. When I got Chase (age 5) out of the car I helped him put his jacket on and then took him over to get in. I thought he would be a little hesitant to get in at first because he didn't know Mr. Smith so I started to introduce him. He didn't need any introductions. Right up the ladder he went! He was ready to go! Mom rode with him and said he never stopped talking the whole time!
While they were riding the rest of us headed to watch the semi being unloaded. We figured the kids would enjoy that too.
When Mr. Smith started in a new field Tiffany and I rode together. That was a lot of fun. I think Tiffany is as excitable as the kids are! She kept saying "It is just like stepping into Farm and Ranch Magazine!"
The whole day was tons of fun. All the kids enjoyed the farm. The only problem with the day is it went too fast! But as Bethany says "It is so we can enjoy the memories sooner." And as Tiffany would say "We made jolly memories!"

A Long Awaited Day

Thursday was the fulfillment of a day my family has been looking forward to for a long time. I guess in order for it to make sense I have to go back in time about 6 and a half years...
A pastor friend of ours was the chaplain for the Sheriffs department in a neighboring county. He also worked with our county jail. One day he called my dad and asked him to preach that coming Sunday because he couldn't do it. Dad said he would, though he had never preached in a jail before. That was Easter Sunday. Six men made professions of faith that day.
That week we got a letter from one of them. I don't remember what all it said, I just remember thinking to myself "I wonder how long this will last?" (referring to his profession). I guess you can just say I am cynical.
Dad started talking to him and one day he said that he thought he needed to confess to something. He had robbed a local bank. He did confess and started through the long road of court appearances.
I will skip through all those details.
Some where along in there we got another letter from him saying that he wanted to be like the Apostle Paul and change his name after his conversion. He was Bill before and now he wanted to be called William. That was easy for us because we didn't know him as Bill. We soon decided that William was too long and started calling him Will. So just like Saul to Paul - it was Bill to Will. :)
Will and Dad continued to write letters and Dad tried to go see him about once or twice a year. After a couple of years we got a letter from Will that I won't forget. I don't remember the specifics but I remember the basics very well. He wrote to Dad saying that the Chaplain at the prison where he was had preached a sermon and he didn't agree with it. He told my dad what this man had preached and asked him what he thought about it. But he didn't stop there! He went on to show from Scripture where this man had been wrong and what the truth was. That was so encouraging!
The years past as we all prayed for him, talked to him on the phone, and read his letters. We looked forward to the day we would finally be able to meet him! This Summer we finally heard his release date was October 8th. He was being released to a halfway house so there are still lots of restrictions. He can't just come and see us and we can't just go see him when ever we want. Will was able to get a two hour pass (we were really hoping for a four, but we took what we could get and were *very* thankful for it) to go to lunch with us. My parents, three of my sisters and I drove up there Thursday to meet him. We were to be there at 11. We got there about 10:45 to make sure we had plenty of time. Dad went in to make sure everything was in order and then he found out that that county is on Central Time and we are on Eastern! We were an hour early. At least that is better than being an hour late. :) That was a long hour. But as time always does it passed and we saw him come walking down the street.
We enjoyed our time so much. He told us some stories and talked about the deliverance of Christ. It was a wonderful time. It was such a blessing to finally get to meet him after waiting so long. We are looking forward to getting to know him better and watching him grow in Christ.

Combine Rides

I have decided it is along past time for a post. It isn't that there haven't been plenty of things to post about, just nothing I wanted to post about. I started a few times but didn't get far.

Beckisue, Grandma, our neighbor's foreign exchange student Lisa, and I all went to visit the Smiths farm to ride in the combine. It was a beautiful day and we were all looking forward to it. The sun was shining brightly and it was warm. By the time we got to the Smiths the temperature had dropped and it was raining! Go figure.

That didn't stop us from having a good time though. Lisa and I rode with Mr. Smith first. Everything was totally  new to Lisa. She has never seen a farm before. It is fun to just ride and chat. I always enjoy getting to visit with Mr. Smith.

While we were riding Mr. Smith asked if Grandma wanted to ride, too. I said I didn't think she could get in the combine. He said (in totally his "Mr. Smith" way) "Sure she can!" So when we were done, Mr. Smith asked Grandma if she would like to ride. She lit up like a Christmas tree. She climbed the ladder with out too much difficulty. She absolutely loved her ride. Farming has changed a lot since she was on the farm in Nebraska! I am glad she had the opportunity, who knows what next year will hold.

The Excitement of the Day

What an interesting morning we had! Mom, Monica, and I left about 11:45 to go exercise.  We paused for a few seconds at the end of our drive way deciding which way to turn - whether we should go shopping first or exercise first. We decided to doing the errand running/shopping first so we turned left. We got to the end of our road (which has a yield sign) and there was a truck with a long trailer turning left. We knew he couldn't make it with us there so Monica started backing up. The man just slowed down a minute and when he saw Monica was backing up he just accelerated. It was quite obvious to those of us in the car that he still didn't have any where near enough room! Pretty soon we heard a hit and scraping all the way down the length of the trailer! The man stopped and asked if he had hit us. I wanted to say "Duh!" but, of course, I didn't. We sat there and waited for Dad to come and then the Sheriff's Deputy. We were there about twenty minutes before the deputy got there. Dad stood and chatted with the man until the deputy got there. 

So insurance stuff was exchanged and the police got their report. All that good stuff. All in all everything was very minor. Cars can always be fixed. There is always so much to be thankful for in every situation.

John Piper - The Prosperity Gospel

The True Meaning of Unity

Ephesians 4
1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Best Line of The Day

I got up this morning at 5:40 to babysit. Not my favorite time of the day to say the least. :)

Anyway, that has nothing to do with my story.

I was babysitting a five year old boy, and a three year old girl. This morning Tait asked me "Do you gots any kids?" I told him I didn't. So then he says "Why don't you gots kids?" I said I didn't have kids because I am not married. He thought about that for a minute and then said "Some people have kids when they aren't married." I then told him that I know they do but that is not how God intended things. At this point I thought the conversation was over. Wrong!

About ten minutes later he says "Why aren't you married yet?" I really don't remember at all how I answered that one. Then comes his best line... "Haven't you found anyone beautiful enough yet?"

Sleeping Beauty

We went for a walk Thanksgiving afternoon (yes, I am still posting on Thanksgiving) and we took Heather with us. She was bundled up but still got cold so Monica put her inside her coat. Once cozy and warm it didn't take her long to fall asleep! When we got home this is what she looked like. She actually stayed asleep for a very long time in that position!

Heather's Teddy Bear

I found some more pictures from last Thanks giving that I wanted to post. Uncle Rob and Aunt Chrissy got Heather a teddy bear.

Her first view of it. She doesn't look quite as excited as she really was!

She looks scared in this one, but she really wasn't!

Now you can see how much she loves it!

Thanks Uncle Rob and Aunt Chrissy!

How is this for an adoring look?

I was just looking through some pictures and found this one from last Thanksgiving. It would be really great if Stephanie's hands weren't in the way!
For anyone who doesn't know, that is my brother Rob and his wife Chrissy.