Fall is in the air...

School is off to a great start. All four kids are enjoying their classes and teachers and have settled into the school routine. Hannah is half way through her first volleyball season and has really learned a lot! Malachi is just hanging loose and enjoying being one of the "top dogs" at the elementary school in 5th grade. Kestra has decided to be in the choir this year and is really enjoying that. Tyler is doing well in 2nd grade and really likes his resource teacher Ms. King.

I have enjoyed not working full-time at the hospital although there are those days that I do miss it! Right now I am subbing at the schools and working for my Dad one or two days a week. The biggest change that has come about is that after 40 years, my Dad is retiring from the Real Estate business. He will remain in the appraisal business but will not be selling real estate. It is a huge change for our family and yet I am excited about it as well. I will continue to work for him in the appraisal portion by helping with some research and typing reports as well as inspecting property with him. All in all, I am EXCITED about the opportunity to earn money, work with my Dad and still have the flexibility for ministry and my family!

Joel continues to enjoy his time at the church as he enters his third year as Youth/Children's pastor. He is also driving a school bus route - this is a little trying at times and yet it has open the door for him to be in the school system and get to know students and teachers better. The youth ministry is maturing spiritually in many ways and we are excited to see the students grow in their walk with the Lord!

The church as a whole has grown a lot and is anxioulsy awaiting the time when we will be moved into our new building. As fast as the building progressed this summer - we have hit a lull while waiting on inspections and permits etc. However, God is STILL in this project and we know that in HIS timing we will be in our new building worshipping Him! In the meantime, lives are being touched, things are growing and changing and it is SO amazing to see the Hand of the Lord in the lives of those around us!

As I type this, I am in the Jr. High library and so very thankful that the Lord has allowed me to work in the schools near my children (although Hannah has carefully avoided the library today- ha ha). God is so good and we are so blessed!!!

Update on house

Thank you for your prayers in regards to the house. I talked to the owner today and they have someone actively looking for financing to buy it but if that falls through then they will contact us and let us know. Either way - I am praying for the Lord's will. I am trusting Him - He knows that what our needs are and He is faithful to provide!

Praying that just maybe.....

For quite sometime now, we have been praying for the opportunity to move to a bigger home. We truly have been blessed to be in the one we are in now but it is only a 1008 sq ft 3 br 1 ba home for a GROWING family of six!

The biggest issue by far has been the one bathroom - with the kids getting older, taking more time in the bathroom, it is time to have a two bath home. However - the living room has also been an issue as many times as we love to have company but when we have ANYONE with kids - it's just amazingly crowded.

So anyway - today came a possibility of a 3 Br 2 Ba 1774 Sq Ft home on five acres that we could possibly rent or even do a lease/option on. We don't know a lot of details yet as they were showing it to someonelse tonight - BUT hopefully we will know more tomorrow. This is different in the respect that I wasn't even looking for this - in fact the owners were asking for prayer to either rent or sell it. So - perhaps this one is the Lord's timing?

I am trying not to get my hopes up as we really don't know if we can even afford it but this has been a huge prayer request for me. Anyway - I will post more, when we know more!!!!

Two Year Anniversary!!!!

Today is a GREAT day for many reasons. First of all, it is another day that I can be alive, I have the freedom to praise the Lord openly, I have breath and life, I have a wonderful husband, four AWESOME kids, great family, wonderful friends....

However another reason it is great is that today marks two years since our family joined First Baptist Church in Bayfield in ministry!!! We have been SOOO blessed for the past two years. I can't tell you how many ways our church family has blessed us: They have taken us in and made us feel at home, they have brought food by, they have helped get us two much needed vehicles, they have embraced our children and helped us train them in the way of the Lord, they have encouraged us when it was hard and they have come along side us in ministry numerous times!

The past two years have taught us so much! We have seen what it is to TRULY be a part of a body of believers that prays together, works together, worships together, loves together, mourns together, and rejoices together... In ministry, often times those who are on staff feel that they give and give and don't receive much - First Baptist Bayfield has taught us the opposite! We have received as much if not more than we have given!!!!

Thank you to our WONDERFUL church family here in Bayfield! You truly have made ministry a joy once again for us! We love you more than words will ever say and pray that we will be here for MANY more years to serve alongside each of you as we reach our neighborhoods, our community, our town, our county, our state, our country and our world!!! You all truly are the BEST church family we could ever have come to!!!!

Joel, Ronnie, Hannah, Malachi, Kestra and Tyler!