Happy Veteran's Day!....and more....

Did your kids go to school today? Mine did and they even had an assembly with a guest who talked about his trip across several continents on a bicycle....???? On Veteran's Day? Where is the honor that the veterans deserve? Thank you to all those who have sacrificed their time, bodies, mental, and emotional well-being to serve our great country! We honor you and please know that your sacrifice was not in vain!

Mike and I did some thrift store shopping today.....thank God for thrift stores!! (some of you may be saying ewwww!) As much as I thought that we were prepared for snow, no one mentioned the term WATERPROOF to me! Mike would say to people, "we've got to get some warm clothes to get ready for winter" and I would always reply "we have plenty of warm clothes." However, a few days in the snow helped me realize that everything you have on while playing in the snow needs to be waterproof. As you can tell in the pictures posted from Saturday's trip, Mason and Landon had sweat clothes on and they were drenched after an hour! So today we saved tons of money by finding some snow bibs (one piece snow pants that are kind of like waders), waterproof coats, and boots at the thrift stores. We still need to find those "perfect" gloves for everyone. I am also finding that it is better to "play" in thin waterproof jackets with layered clothes underneath than to put on the big, bulky coats. So now, everyone has a light weight waterproof jacket, a cloth jacket, and a big bulky jacket. I need another house to put all these jackets in!!

I am very blessed to be staying at home with Haven now but am finding myself to be a little stir crazy already. There is nothing really going on in the valley to do during the week so to prevent myself from becoming very lazy, I've got to guard myself with activity. In December, I am starting a play group for the Stay-at-home Moms in the valley as a way to meet other young moms and for Haven to meet some friends. For those of you who may not know, there are no families under the age of 45 or so in the church. Pray for that ministry that God will begin to prepare the hearts of the women HE wants to be there! It is a way to get them in the door and eventually introduce them to the love of Christ.....

Our church is sponsoring a community wide Thanksgiving meal on Thanksgiving Day and we had a supper meeting with the Outreach Committee to plan it last Friday night. I personally thought everyone got together with their family or families for Thanksgiving..........but not in the valley. Most residents here have family far away like we do and are planning to see them Christmas. So I guess this is a good thing and will help us take our minds off of the fact that we are not with our families on Thanksgiving. On Saturday night, we ate supper with Pat and Burt Armstrong who own Bear Paw Lodge. I've never seen Haven eat so much! She had three helpings of Mrs. Pat's chicken spagetti and fruit salad!

Sunday went good but no guests yet from all those we've invited. But....we are not giving up on them. God has sent us here to reach someone! We then went to The Market for lunch which is about 1/2 mile up the road. (mom, they told me Sunday that they are open all the time...even when the power goes out so don't worry....we'll have food!!). So far, every trip to The Market has been free because a member of the church slips up and pays for it......blessings!!

On Monday, we woke up with about 4 inches of snow. Haven got to play in it some...she loves sledding down hills over and over and over and over and over again! There was still about half an inch or so when the boys came home so the boys decided to make a snowman........

A dirty snowman that is! Lots of depris added.....we'll have plenty of time to perfect it and send you a picture Jacque S.!

For all of you that knew how much I didn't want to make this move, I want you to know that God has given me the "peace of God, which passes all understanding" (Phil 4:7), mainly because of you and your prayers. Thank you and Praise God! (I would move back to Alabama in a heartbeat though!). So all of you who needs peace about something going in your life, pray this scripture repeatedly and allow God to meet your needs.

By the way, Thursday is Mike's 40th birthday! Yep, it's a BIG one so try to send him an interesting email or e-card if you think about it. (He'll kill me when he reads this!)

I love you all and there's only 6 weeks until Christmas!
Lori

(PS>I know you all like to see pictures so I am going to post a couple of pictures from the past )that I thought were cute!Isn't this adorable! Mason and Landon with Devyn Tankersley and Chandler Wisener!Haven playing with her cousins Sydney and Carter with Cole, Caleb, and Morgan in the back ground!

Leave us a comment to let us know you have stopped in!