Day 259 - Saturday, Sept 15

Saturday

 We are having a blast keeping our Youth pastor's foster baby for the weekend while they host a youth retreat.  She has stolen my heart and I can't wait to do this on a regular basis!! She is so sweet and inquisitive, but as I watch her it makes me very sad to think that her mama is missing all this....praying for her parents tonight, that they can successfully do what is required of them to get their children back.

Day 258 - Friday, Sept 14

Friday

spent some porch time with friends tonight.  It was so good and much needed.  It was raining and cool and the conversation was great.

Day 257 - Thursday, Sept 13

Thursday

 Getting ready for fostering!

Got some great items at a friend's garage sale!

Day 256 - Wednesday, Sept 12

Wednesday

 Large prints of our family pictures came in today!!!

Can't wait to hang them!

Day 255 - Tuesday, Sept 11

Tuesday

 Today started with a prayer time at our church as we remembered 9/11 and prayed for our country and it's leaders.

Tonight was our monthly Women's ministries, Apples of Gold.

 We each brought a tea cup from home and shared the story that went along with it.  Then we had a woman from Teavana, a local tea shop, teach us all about tea.  It was so interesting!!!

Every one took home a "tea ball"

 It's peached tea woven to look like a nut when it's put in hot water to steep, it turns into a flower.  How cool is that?!!

Day 254 - Monday, Sept 10

Monday

 I have found another great benefit to empty nest.....when your day is crazy and you didn't have time to cook dinner, you and your husband can just decide to go have sushi!!!  I think I may be doing this a lot!  :)

Day 253 - Sunday, Sept 9

Sunday

 Yes, this is the same picture as Saturday, but after church we spent 7 more hours in foster care training.  Today was pretty tough.  Not just because of the length, but the content....very hard.

Day 252 - Saturday, Sept 8

Saturday

We spent the day today at our first foster care training....my mind is swimming.  We will be going back after church tomorrow for 7 more hours, yep....7.

Day 251 - Friday, Sept 7

Friday

 A sweet family in our church had a new baby girl!  Tonight I took a meal to them and got to meet her and see how excited big sister is!!

Day 250 - Thursday, Sept 6

Thursday

One of the first pluses to empty nest....I can fix fish or seafood every night if I want to!!!!

Day 249 - Wednesday, Sept 5

Wednesday

 I spent most of today working at the church on our children's program, we start our new curriculum on Sunday.  This picture actually happened on Friday when a fast and furious storm came through...Lily was just a bit nervous!

Day 248 - Tuesday, Sept 4

Tuesday

 On the road again, bright and early. 

I am sad to leave my friends and also a bit leery of going home to an empty house.

Day 247 - Monday, Sept 3

Monday

 We had a great day on the lake with our friends.  These are their girls tubing.  These tubes actually spin as they are pulled....made me nauseous just watching them.  But what a fun and relaxing day we had!!!

Day 246 - Sunday, Sept 2

Sunday

 I miss these Indiana sunsets!

Day 245 - Saturday, Sept 1

Saturday

What a great way to start a day!!!

coffee, beautiful scenery, time with God and time with friends....perfect!

We were so excited to be here when our friend Mark was having a party.  It was great to see him and all our old friends.  Hurricane Isaac rained on our parade though!!!

Tonight, I didn't get any pictures but I haven't laughed this much or this hard in a LONG time.  Seriously, we were crying we laughed so hard.

Good times!!!

Day 244 - Friday, August 31

Friday

 This morning we got mixed up and went to the kid's worship time instead of the parents....I was not upset.  It was so amazing to see and hear these kids worship openly and freely.  I was obviously very emotional most of this day....knowing I was going to have to say goodbye to Jared soon.

We ended up having to say goodbye as he went to lunch with his mentor group, which was good because it forced me to keep my emotions in.....but not for long.  He looks so happy and so excited.  It's hard to be sad, but my mama's heart definitely took a hit.

We headed up to our friends lake house and I have to say......friends are GREAT medicine!!!

Day 243 - Thursday, August 30

Thursday

 Thursday started with Jared taking placement tests and then ended with a family BBQ in what they call the "valley".  It was the perfect day for a picnic!!!

 Then we headed to the auditorium for the President's convocation...which was also very inspiring!  Each day, I am more impressed with this university!

 Their theme this year is Beyond Me.

Day 242 - Wednesday, August 29

Wednesday

 Moving Jared in.

The room is just a rectangle with no closets, just walls.  The furniture is all modular and stackable...very cool idea and gives a myriad of ways to design the room!

 turned out pretty good!

But after looking at all the other rooms and ways they set them up, I have a feeling it will change sometime!

Day 241 - Tuesday, August 28

Tuesday

Not a great picture but we are on the road!  Indiana or bust!!!

We will definitely be fighting to drive on this 11 hour trip because the driver has the most room!!!  My knees are currently up against the dash board....ugh!

 We made it to Rita and Mike's house last night!  We are so blessed to have such great friends.  Honestly, it feels like we have known them forever! So neat to see how God arranged this friendship!!  It's a treasure!

Day 240 - Monday, August 27

Monday

 So we packed up the car today and there is not one inch of room left.  This bottom picture shows how much room Jared will have on the trip and he also has stuff to put at his feet!!!

Day 239 - Sunday, August 26

Sunday

 I was not feeling well today at all, so I just laid around and read my kindle most of the afternoon.

Hoping I'll feel better before we leave!

Day 238 - Saturday, August 25

Saturday

 Jared's friends had a surprise going away party for him today at our house.  They are awesome! 

Day 237 - Friday, August 24

Friday

 Jared asked for chicken and noodles before he left for college. I was taking a meal to someone so it was a good night to make them.  They really hit the spot for me because I am not feeling great.

Day 236 - Thursday, August 23

Thursday

 This morning we had our first home consult for fostering....we passed!  It was really not a big deal but I was worried what we might have to do for the pool.  But all we have to get is one more smoke alarm and a fire extinguisher!  Now on to the classes.
Alyssa and I had a last hurrah day by the pool.  She starts school tomorrow. I made these delicious drinks for us to enjoy...go here for the recipe.

Day 235 - Wednesday, August 22

Wednesday 

 A friend of mine met up at church to go through and clean all the children's rooms.  I don't think it had been done since we got here and you can't imagine the things we found....seriously, you can't imagine!  This is the pile of trash we had when we were done!

I came home and finished cleaning the house....I.am.exhausted.

Day 234 - Tuesday, August 21

Tuesday

No picture today.  

Had breakfast with Larry and Leslie and then took them to the airport.

Then spent the afternoon running errands.

Day 233 - Monday, August 20

Monday

 My brother dropping his daughter at OBU this morning and then was coming to my house to visit before flying home.  Well, she hit a deer last night coming home from a school bonfire.  she is fine, but the truck isn't.  Larry and to do some work on it to get it to the body shop.  He and his wife didn't make it to my house until almost 9:00pm...they were so tired.

Day 232 - Sunday, August 19

Sunday

 I worked in the nursery today and these to sweet boys were having a blast together!

Day 231 - Saturday, August 18

Saturday

woke up to a rainy, thundery day.....perfect for french toast!!!

I also made a nice revelation today.......empty nest = less house work!  My kitchen actually stayed clean from yesterday morning, through the day and night until this morning....amazing!

Day 230 - Friday, August 17

Friday

 Jason left this morning........and the emptying has begun..... :(

Day 229 - Thursday, August 16

Thursday

 Our neighbors brought us home some wonderful peaches from their trip and I made a peach pie for our last family night dinner tonight.  I taught Alyssa how to make her crust from scratch.  So sad to think it is the last time all 5 of us will have an evening together till thanksgiving!

Day 228 - Wednesday, August 15

Today was the 1st day of school for my kids HS.....I really enjoyed my calm, quiet morning!!

 Have been working hard getting the children's department staffed for the year at church....it is always a stressful project and I might have had a mini meltdown today about it.  But God is good and I am almost completely staffed now!!!

Day 227 - Tuesday, August 14

Tuesday

 Jared has to have a tux for college for his concerts.  There is a place in downtown LR that sells used ones...he looks so handsome in it and it fit perfect!

Day 226 - Monday, August 13

Monday

 Steve's mom left today and I spent the rest of the day just relaxing.  Lily and I enjoyed some time out by the pool.

Day 225 - sunday, August 12

Sunday

 Made bread for Steve's sermon illustration today...one with yeast and one without.

Day 224 - Saturday, August 11

Saturday

Steve spent the evening helping his mom figure out her finances and start the process of setting up a budget for her.