We're Back!

Well, I (Jessica) have spent most of the day thus far unpacking, washing, putting away, and unpacking more! And there is more that needs to be done still!

Yes, we are all finally home from our various October travels and I'll try to find some time tomorrow morning to put up a post on just where all everyone has been. But for now, know that the scattering is over, and as of mid-morning, yesterday, everyone is back safely home again.

Tonight we're hosting a special dinner in honor of a special happening that took place during the last couple of weeks of our dispersion. Since we're all back together we thought now would be a good time to celebrate!! It'll be a fairly small gathering tonight - just family, which is just over 20 people all together. But tomorrow night our numbers will be up as we anticipate about 80 people for dinner. After this past weekend I'll feel right at home preparing for that dinner...

Josh and Abbey

Well, it's official!!!! Joshua and Abbey are engaged!!

It has been very fun to watch as God has brought them together and we are all rejoicing in the opportunity to see yet another testimony of God's goodness and grace!

Genesis 2:18

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday to our wonderful Mother. May the Lord continue to bless you, as you are a blessing to all of us. Happy Birthday!

Gone Fishin'

Well, we're not really Gone Fishin'. But, as you may have noted, there haven't been many posts up here of late (aside from the important ones required by the arrival of a new baby and a birthday). But, generally speaking, this blog's been a little quiet in recent days. I'm sure you all eagerly anticipate each new post and check back multiple times a day just waiting to get another peak into our life, but, well, you're going to have to hang in there a while longer because it's going to remain pretty slow around here for about another three weeks.

Dad, Mom, Jessica, Joshua, and Joseph will be traversing different parts of the country at different times over the next few weeks. Which means lots of coming and going and preparing and settling back in, and all that sort of stuff, on the home front. We'll try to update when we can, but we don't anticipate that being very often!

So, if you find yourself bored, and missing our fascinating updates, here are a couple of ideas of things to do:

• Look through this blog's archives...
  
• Define the words "Blob" and "Glob" without looking at a dictionary (a part of our dinner conversation last night - some of us disagreed with Webster in the end. And no, there is no deep meaning or purpose in this discussion, just an interesting exercise. Let us know what you come up with, and if you agree with the experts.)
• Drive over and rake the leaves that are piling up all over our yard.
• Come over and till our garden (although, with the ridiculously warm weather we've been having, our zucchini and tomatoes are still producing!)
• And while you're here, you could trim our trees, too.
• Oh, and... Hmmm. Do you really want more ideas?

More seriously, please:

• Pray for us as we work, serve and learn at various places and venues around the country
• Pray for us as we travel
• Pray for those of us left at home

Happy 16th Birthday, Joseph!

Joseph has reached the ripe old age of 16! Happy Birthday, brother!
God's blessings be abundant upon you today and throughout this coming year!

BTW - he hasn't always been old and serious (is he that now?). In fact, those who knew him "way back when" still recall his very wild (and unable to be tamed) hair!

One Week Old

As of Saturday, baby Camille is one week old! She had a morning visit from her Aunt Jill and Aunt Sara, and cousins Caroline and William, and then came over to Grandma's house for the afternoon. She slept almost the entire time she was here, so we couldn't get any pictures of her awake! But here are a couple from right after she arrived... unfortunately, I didn't grab the camera quick enough to catch a picture of her before they took off her pretty pink bonnet!