Happy Sunday!

I am trying to lay low today. I had a mild case of food poisoning last night that at 3 in the morning felt anything but mild!!!!!! At least I think it was food related. Whatever it is or was, I felt horrible. Today is somewhat better, I am at least functioning more than a sack of taters on the sofa.

That meant I missed church today. Greg shared that it was a great service, communion and everything. I have to share a funny. The boys have been asking to take communion for some time now. I told them they needed to make an appointment with Greg to discuss it so they understood what it was and what it meant. Since we only take communion once a month, the appointment seems to get forgotten. Greg pulled both boys out of Sunday School a bit early so they could talk it over before service. Greg asked the boys why they were interested in taking communion. Kaleb' answer cracks me up....he said, "because I get thirsty." Guess who didn't take communion today??!~!! Oh the honesty of children!

As promised, here is a photo of the latest project around the house. We were originally going to remodel our bathroom--a new vanity, lights, tile on the floor, trim, basically everything but the toilet and shower. Now that the kitchen is on our list we decided to scale back the bathroom to just a fresh coat of paint. That hideous metallic wallpaper had to come down!! I can live with the rest for now as long as the wall paper goes. Here's proof of it's ugliness. Greg has stripped it all off, patched all the holes and now it sits idle until after Thanksgiving.

Here are also a couple of photos of Veterans Day. The lady I job share with lives on a small farm with quite the assortment of animals. She used to do animal education through the 4-H and other venues. She is the one who brought her animals to the Pigapaloozaa the church had in September. This is not a complete list but she has a llama (Fernando), a cow, a pig (Arnold), a horse, donkey, chickens, geese and goats. She invited a few folks over for pizza and a chance to see the animals. I had to be in Rochester for the day so Greg took them. From the pictures, they had a fun time. They rode the horse and got a chance to see the chores that a farm requires. I just have to comment on this green hat of Josh's. His 4th grade teacher made hats for all of her students and he insists on wearing it even if it squishes his head now. Someday I know we'll hear about it when he looks back on these photos but at least I will be able to say it was all his idea, LOL!!!

Greg had his first hunting experience this weekend. He and Pastor Bill left Friday to go to the Jamestown area and hunted Saturday morning, the first day of gun season. He saw several deer but didn't get a shot off. Bill got some shots off but alas they both came home empty handed. Although I wanted them both to have a successful hunting time, I am not really upset that a deer isn't hanging in my garage today!

Maybe it is my stomach issues today...but I feel a bit like I am in the Twilight Zone these days. All kinds of strange things are happening to my family members since we moved to Ransomville. Greg is now hunting, Kaleb is acing math and Joshua has a speaking part in the upcoming church play. My kid, who refused all previous attempts by us to put him in the children's musicals and plays, has a sizable part!! He is so excited and has memorized most of his lines already. There is something in the water making them do strange things, unexpected things, they are freaking me out!!!!!! I am on my guard for what could be next. Perhaps it will be .........stay tuned!

ZOOM, ZOOM

Boys and their toys, or in this case, Uncle Chris' toys. We were able to get down to see Chris, Melissa and Ethan this weekend. One of the sad things about our moving to Ransomville is that we are now further away from them. I mapped out a new route and we made the trip in just over 2 1/2 hours. That makes it a bit too much for a day trip but due to church we can't stay more than a day and a half. But it was a good trip none the less. The guys all went out to Trumansburg to do a little shooting on the Agard Road property. Did I mention Greg has a shotgun now?? Another side effect of moving to the country, LOL! He and Pastor Bill have plans to go hunting on opening day of deer season this Saturday so he wanted to have a chance to sight in his new purchase. Then they went to a gun club and had a chance to shoot at some clay pigeons. Josh even hit one, I was impressed and a little nervous. Success at the range means he is further encouraged at this sport I am not altogether thrilled about! But I do know he is learning respect for firearms as well as safety issues. When they returned it was time to ride. Chris has a mini motorcycle and a junior size 4 wheeler that they boys love to ride. They have gotten quite speedy. Chris and Greg raced the boys several times, it is quite the sight to see 2 grown men on that little bike. I am not entirely sure who won but I know they had a blast. Ethan is missing from our pictures since he was napping while the camera was out. He had his ride time later as a passenger.
Melissa and I went to the Mennonite market in Seneca Falls. I miss shopping there, they have the best bacon and several other items that can only be found there. I stocked up on a few things before we headed back to have dinner. Melissa cooked up a pot of split pea soup which most of us enjoyed. It was hard not to laugh when Ethan gagged on his no-thank you portion! I thought it was the perfect fall meal. It was also good to chat with Melissa for the day. They are only about 4 weeks away from baby #2 coming. Ethan is trying to transition out of the crib to make room for the baby and the final nesting is underway. What a fun time.

Greg and I had our first parent teacher conference this last week. We met with Kaleb's teacher to get his first quarter report card. He is doing really well. He actually had his highest grade in math which was a total shocker. I guess all those hours of doing homework together are paying off! Kaleb is much more geared in the writing department and his teacher even said he takes joy in writing paragraphs for her most days. He is adjusting well, making friends and is very well behaved. He got straight 4's (on a scale of 1-4) for his "life skills and character development". Way to go!! We have an open house on the 19th where we will meet Josh's teacher and see his first report card.

I will post in a few days on some of Greg's doings. He has started a project around the house.

Thanks for stopping by!

A Cini Family Visit

We had a very brief visit on Saturday from the Cini family from Romania. Who are the Cini's?? It is a very long and incredible story. I will just give you the brief version today since I have to work in half an hour! We have come to know them because of the Pearce mission trips to Romania. Greg went to Romania on the very first scouting trip when the church was trying to determine where the Lord wanted them to serve. They met several people there who were doing incredible ministry. One of the things was a church being built in the village of Tsigmandru. We learned that the church was the hearts desire of this woman, Magda Cini. The Lord set it in her heart so there was no stopping her! There is more really cool stuff to that story but maybe another day. Greg led the first team to go over, a team of teens. They met Paula Cini, Magda's daughter, at that time. I think she may have been working with the Romanian teens. When I went to Romania I stayed with the Cini family during my visit. And to keep it all in the family, when Dad returned on his second visit he also stayed with the Cini's. God is so cool! The church is the same one that Mom, Dad, Greg and I all have worked on but at different times. It is now operational and ministry is alive there everyday. Magda and her family are a critical force in that church and village.
Magda and Nelu's daughter Paula married a youth pastor from PA, another story for another time. They recently had their first child. Magda and Nelu are in the States for the first time so they can be with their new grandson. As God's timing would have it, the Pearce Mission Conference was taking place while they are visiting. Mom and Dad helped to get them up from PA so they could share at the conference. I am so glad that the folks from the church were able to hear some of her story from her mouth, to see her with their own eyes, to touch physically a part of what they have participated in with their giving and prayers. They had a wee bit of time left and drove our way so they could take the Cini's to Niagara Falls. Magda told us that years ago she had seen the movie Superman and after seeing the Falls in the movie, has had a dream to see it for herself. For a Romanian woman this is indeed a tall order, but not one too big for God! I have been to Niagara Falls countless times and I don't have that sense of awe and wonder much anymore, but it was so great to see it through her eyes. To see yet another hearts desire fulfilled. It was a wonderful, yet short visit.

I had to include this funny picture that Greg took of Dad in his usual place behind the camera.

Have a great week!

It's Sunday!

And, I'm posting!! I actually wrote a post last Sunday and the Lord nudged me to delete it. He knows best!

I did want to share what I got last week at church. Aren't these roses beautiful?? The church presented Linda, Pastor Bill's wife, and I flowers in honor of pastor appreciation month. Now there was a first for me! It was a wonderful thought and gesture, and quite appreciated.

Did you hear yet??? The BoSox are one game from winning the World Series!! I am behind on my sleep from staying up late to watch the games. Greg, on the other hand, can't really watch. He gets so worked up he can't sleep, even if they are winning. On occasion he will come into the room to catch a glimpse and you can hear his breathing change. He cracks me up! I have quite enjoyed the games, it is always fun when there is activity at the plate and on the bases.

I did some blog maintenance last week, not sure you noticed. I added links to some blogs we try to keep up with. The Hopkins are a family we know from Pearce and they are in Romania for a year as missionaries. Mel is a former youth group kid who is there with them. She is there partly to help with the two young boys and partly to do her own mission work. She has her own blog and provides a different view of things. I find it so interesting to follow their journey. The Vieles are friends from North Chili, I watched their daughter for a couple of years when Elissa went back to work. Seeing the photos and reading about them helps us to not feel so far away.

You will also find a link to my other blog. You did know I have a stamping blog didn't you?? That is how this whole blog thing got started. I have had it for over a year now and use it as a way to document some of my stamping ideas and share with others. I tend to post there more often than here and include photos of what I am working on. For those who don't know much about my stamping life, in July I was asked to be a design team member for Splitcoaststampers.com, and on-line stamping community. The #1 on-line site as a matter of fact. I am serving a six month term with the Dirty Dozen gals. Here is a direct link to the page of designers http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/about/design . This has been a huge privilege for me, very exciting and very challenging as well. Since the monthly gallery is only open to subscribers I can't give you a link to any of the cool stuff in there but the quality of work these ladies do is nothing short of amazing. It is better than any stamping magazine subscription. There is plenty to see on my blog though so visit when you have a chance.

I am teaching a basic stamping class at church on Wednesday nights. We've been having 12 women come and it has been fun to get to know some of them better.

The boys are doing well although a cold bug seems to be knocking on our door. Joshua has been going in to school early to play basketball and stays late on Wednesday to play chess. Kaleb is all geared up to wear his costume on Wednesday, his school has a costume parade.

Greg is doing well. He is anxious to do some projects around the house so I am working on my "Honey Do" list. Things at church are going well and he is getting into a regular routine. On Thursday mornings he and Pastor Bill take turns sharing a Bible story with the preschoolers. They love when he brings in his guitar.

We hope you are doing well!
Blessings to you this week.

Whoops!

So, my every Sunday idea was a good one, my execution just stinks!! I will keep trying! I have enough to write today to make up for it. You better grab a cup of coffee or a bowl of ice cream.

We have been enjoying some incredible weather of late. It has been lovely to be outdoors so much and I appreciate that we have not had to turn on our heat yet. The leaves are at peak and trees are a fantastic sight. Greg is still having to mow the lawn and I think this is the latest ever for mowing in NY. Last year about this time there was a record snowstorm and parts of Buffalo were buried under 2 feet of snow. Believe me, I am giving thanks for our weather everyday!

The boys are doing well. I think we are finally in a grove with the school routine. Homework is still brutal but since there is little we can do about it I have little to say. Joshua stayed after school on Wednesday for a Read a Thon and when Greg went to pick him up one of the teachers greeted him and told him several times what a great job we were doing and what a wonderful boy and student Joshua is. He said Josh was helpful without being asked. As a parent, those are treasured words and we appreciate them very much. We love our boys and try hard to raise them in a Godly home, instilling values and building character. It is nice to hear we are on the right track. I do not want to diminish what the teacher said. I appreciate that he took the time to say those words. It does strike me as sad however that his words seemed to carry the idea that Josh is a rare case. There are so many students who come from homes that do not instill values or build character. I know this is not news but some days it is a reality that really bothers and saddens me. Honestly, it causes me concern. How can teach my boys how to have the courage to be a light in the darkness rather than be taken over by it?? I know not except to pray that God protects them.

Today was Greg's day off and we had an appointment with a man about a kitchen. Last week this man came out to the house and spoke to us about what we could do to make our space one that meets our needs. We needed to know if this was a project we could even afford to do. We are in discussion at church about starting small groups and opening our homes to people. I know there are people that will not come to church but would consider a meal in someones home. Greg and I really believe this is so much more than a desire to have a "nicer" kitchen, it is a desire to have a space that allows us to do more, share more with others. The "nicer" part is icing on the cake. Well, in talking to Tom, the man from Kitchen World, we found out he is a Christian. God is so good. We were able to explain what we wanted and that our desire was to have a space that would allow us to host people from church and the community. He gets it and he gets our financial situation. He gets that a $40K kitchen in a house in Ransomville isn't going to work. Today's meeting was to look at his design and talk details. He designed a great space. It involves taking down the wall between the kitchen and the 4th bedroom to create a large eat-in kitchen. He planned a large island that would seat people in addition to the dining table. As soon as I saw the island I could see the life that would happen around it!! The boys doing homework, me cooking, people standing around chatting. We also talked about cabinets and such that are reasonable in price. I love that he didn't try to sell us on fancy upgrades or details. It was a functional design with all the elements we asked for. I was nervous before the appointment but I walked out thinking it was a delightful time. Now we have a vision and the goal is to figure out how to make it a reality. We can keep costs down by doing most of the demolition and prep ourselves as well as installing the flooring after the kitchen goes in. We will keep our appliances so all we would need to purchase is a dishwasher and a microwave. As lovely as granite counter tops are we again talked practical and cost effective. They are doing amazing things with laminates these days. Are you wondering what he quoted us?? I was certainly waiting for the bomb to drop and have to say I was not as shocked as I thought I'd be. I think I have been watching way too much HGTV, LOL!! Should I tell you?? For the cabinets, counters, installation of the cabinets and counters, and hardware it came to just under 10K. What do you think?? Even though I don't know how yet, it seems do able, attainable, reasonable. Now we begin finding people who can help with various projects. We wasted no time in talking with Dad, we will definitely need his skills and expertise. We start selling off unneeded items on Ebay, we rent out our boys (kidding). We pare back on things as best we can. In part I am writing all of this down because it will become a great way to look back and see how God provided specifically and mightily. I'm just hoping it doesn't take as long as it took the Israelites to cross the desert!!

I will post again soon, I have other things to share. But this seems enough for now.
Thanks for stopping in!

Sunday Notes

Maybe if I start a Sunday Notes section I will be better at posting more consistently. Sometimes I am not sure you really want to hear all my boring ramblings!! I did realize that I never shared about Pigapalooza!

Ransomville Free Methodist Church, hereafter referred to as RFMC, had it's 3rd annual community event called Pigapalooza a couple of weeks ago. It is an event sponsored by the church primarily as a means of outreach. From what we have heard, each year has grown a little bit and they have added new features. This year we had a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce house, an archery station, live bands, hayrides, games for kids, face painting, fireworks and more. We served 330 BBQ chicken dinners. Yes, I know, it is called PIGapalooza and we served CHICKEN dinners. Here's the story...3 years ago the event started with someone donating a whole pig that they roasted. Last year they did shredded pork on buns. Pork apparently is more pricey so they went with BBQ chicken instead. In all fairness, we did have a pig holding a sign that read "Eat more Chicken" so pig was represented!!

The weather was not great that day and I think our numbers could have been higher had it not been so cold and windy. But despite the weather we had 3X's the number of people we get on a Sunday morning so it was a success.

I spent my time behind the camera taking photos of the event. Here are just a few....

This is Pastor Bill....

This is not!!!!

This llama was one of the animals at the petting zoo. He had major attitude that animal, I thought I might get spit upon!





This was the line of people getting their dinners. If you click on the picture you can see Greg serving folks; he's wearing a green jacket.


It was a fun event and we already have ideas for doing more next year.

Yesterday our friends the Bala's came from Rochester to have dinner with us. Today is Teressa's birthday so we set the china and crystal out to make it a special meal. I cooked another batch of spaghetti sauce and meatballs. Rajiv baked an apple cake that was soooo delish! It was good to be with friends again.

I started working in the church office on a part time basis but last week filled in full time while the lady I job share with was needed at home. I will normally work full days Tuesdays and Thursdays. I think I am holding my own learning all the new stuff and trying not to bombard them with all of my ideas at once.

The boys are getting into the school routine now and doing well. Kaleb is into all things football these days. Josh is slowly making new friends but please continue to pray for that. He is on the reserved side so it is taking him a bit to open up and talk to other kids. It is so hard to sit back and let him wade through this on his own. I can't go into school and force kids to talk to him. I can pack cool things in his lunch box that may spur someone to want to trade! Just kidding, that isn't allowed. I have traumatic memories of my mom packing me German bread (read:VERY dark, dense rye bread) sandwiches, carrots and apples for my lunch while my friends got Fluffer Nutters, chips and Twinkies. No one wanted to ever trade with me at lunch time, LOL!! We try to go healthy and cool in the lunch arena.

Thanks for checkin' in with us!

Jumping Beans!

Before we moved Melanie Roorda offered her trampoline to our boys. At first we said "no thank you" but quickly realized that was a mistake. We figured since they were giving up their swimming pool, it only seemed fair. Well, life at the Roorda house is busier than here so we just got around to getting the trampoline out to our house this week. The boys are so thrilled. They jump on it before school in the morning and at night after the sun has gone down they are still bouncing away. Of course there is school and homework in between, much to their dismay. Check out Josh in the picture holding a cup. They can't even stop long enough to quench their thirst!!

Thanks Mel, it was a generous gift and they LOVE it!!!