AWANA Closing Ceremony 2013

It was kind of sad during the AWANA closing ceremony this year.  We knew that this would be our last year participating in the AWANA program at TLBC.  We will be taking the kids to the program at our new church, Northwest Bible Church, next year.  I am so eternally thankful for all of the men and ladies that have taught our kids the importance of hiding God's Word in our hearts.  I am also so thankful for the friends that have loved my kids as much as they loved me when I went through the entire AWANA program at this same church.  Brooklyn finished her second Sparks book and her review for it, and Colson finished his second Cubbie book and will be moving on to the Sparks club with Brooklyn next year!

Colson sitting next to Maddie and his buddy Levi!

Thank you ladies for working with this great group of babes!

2nd book award!

She said her verses to LoLo all year!  We love our Lolo!

Ms. Billie and Brooklyn have a special bond that no one can mess with!  She LOVES Ms. Billie!

Toby's Special Day

I feel so blessed to be dear friends with people that I have known for most of my life.  I feel so blessed to call Lorie one that I have been friends with since I was born.  When she came to tell me that Toby accepted Christ as his Savior, I was so thrilled.  She asked us to attend his baptism and we were truly honored and blessed to have been there to see his Poppy baptize him.  So special, so proud, so memorable!

Mother's Day 2013

The Saturday of Mother's Day weekend, we got to spoil my mom and take her out for a day out of the house.  It has been very busy with my Granny living with them, and it was a great day for her to enjoy some time away!  Kristin, Brooklyn and I took her to lunch at Cheesecake Factory, we went shopping for some shoes, maternity clothes for Kristin and just enjoyed each other tons!
On Mother's Day, we went to church, shared cards, and went with the Alford family to Lasagna House which is one of Julia's top picks!

Colson's Kindergarten Round-Up

It is now Colson's turn to enter into public schooling!  He is so thrilled to join Brooklyn at Lemm.  We really struggled with the consideration of holding him back a year because he is a July birthday and a boy, but his teacher firmly believes he needs to start.  She said there was no grey area at all for her and she taught kindergarten for 14 years!  So, off to kindergarten round-up we go!  Lemm does it at night and the kids go do a few diagnostic tests and have fun with the teachers and we go listen to the principal and fill out paperwork!  He is so thrilled!!!!

Change of schools

It is amazing how God changes your heart and thoughts on certain things.  When I was hired at BWE, I knew that they were rezoning at the end of this year.  I knew that being the last hired, I would likely have to move to a new school once again.  The thought of moving made me sick!  I did not want to move again and get used to another new system again!  Things started happening with plans for the new school and principal was announced.  I had had a conversation a few months earlier with our assistant principal who is a friend of ours and loved our connection we had professionally as much as our connection as friends.  When she was named principal of the new school, I knew that this was a place I was supposed to move.  We talked a lot through the process, got to be in on interviews, and attend the job fair!  I am happy to say that I am a Snyder Elementary Stallion!  I hope to be there for a LONG TIME!  This packing of 56 boxes is for the birds!

Job Fair 2013

We had lines for 4 hours straight!  Wow!

My current team minus Jenni

The Snyder group at the job fair!

Northwest Bible Church

After learning, serving, getting married in, having my babies in, and loving Timber Lakes Baptist Church for 28 years, we had started to feel God carry our hearts to another place of worship.  We started to visit around periodically in the fall and then told our pastor in January that we would be looking to find where God wanted us to be.  It was so hard.  The ladies of that church raised me and loved me and they have raised and loved my own children also.  We visited about 4 churches to find where we needed to be.  We walked in to Northwest Bible, knowing only 2 people and knew from week 1 that this is where we all needed to be.  It would have been so convenient and easy to go where we had friends attending, but there was something about the people, the pastor, and the atmosphere that drew us in immediately.  We visited regularly from mid-February until April and then went through the new member classes at the end of April.  So, as of April 28, 2013, we are members of NWBC and are thrilled to see our children grow in Christ there while we do the same and serve where we can!
They had a picnic after church in April that was a blast and that is where these pictures are from!

Pie eating contest

Face paint by Mrs. Rains...Colson's teacher at school

Relay for Life 2013

I was proud to be a part of the Rebels with a Cause team from my elementary school Birnham Woods!  I was able to raise money for cancer research to help find a cure for this disease.  After losing my good friend Missy at the end of January, this really was so meaningful to us and the kids this year.  It was very fresh on their minds after going through the experience so recently.  Love this night of family, friends, and fun but with a clear focus.

Brooklyn made this bag for Mrs. Missy

Colson playing with Hayden

The walk starts with the survivors walking

Face paint time

Part of our BWE team in black and pink

Brooklyn line dancing

During the remembrance ceremony