Thurston Thoughts

Happy Birthday to Me!

2011-06-05T21:46:00.002-04:00

Yes, I am a few months late. 3 months to be exact! I have been meaning to post pictures of the wonderful birthday presents my sweet husband gave me.

homemade bracelet made out of buttons

puppy!!!

he made me this sign
it pretty much sums up my life

Locks of Love

2011-05-17T11:34:00.004-04:00

I love having long hair. Well, most days. Not when it takes forever to brush out the knots. Or when Musket thinks it is a toy to play tug-o-war with. Or when I get terrible headaches because it is so thick and heavy. I was thinking that it is time for a change. Unfortunately, Todd LOVES my long hair. We would causally talk about me cutting it. A few weeks ago I bumped into a dear friend who had just gotten a wig from the Cancer Society to wear for her son's wedding. I realized that I was being selfish. There are people who lose their hair due to illness, or treatment of an illness. And here I am stressing about getting a haircut. So, this morning I did it. 10" gone! I love it. It feels lighter. And, the fact that a few people have told me that it makes me look younger/thinner makes me love it even more! My hair will grow back. And who knows, maybe I'll cut it again to donate.

India Here We Come!

2011-05-04T09:16:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings from Lynchburg!!

As many of you know, we have been trying to start a family for the past 5 years. A few months ago we realized that we have spent more time living in the “but what if we are pregnant?” mindset when we were planning things than actually living. So, we stopped all fertility treatments and decided to start enjoying life! Our first step was to take ballroom dance lessons. We are by no means dancers but we had a lot of fun together. As we prayed about this next chapter of our lives, Tobey suggested that we take a vacation. Todd suggested a missions trip. We started to pray about it and the next Sunday our church announced this year’s missions trips.

So, we are writing to tell you about a humbling opportunity we have to serve our Lord. We are going to Keshavapurum, India with Brentwood Church!!

From July 29^th to August 7^th of 2011, we are going to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a village of about 5,000 people in South Central India. India is approximately one third of the size of the United States, but is home to one billion people, which makes it the second largest populated country in the world!

Five years ago Brentwood Church partnered with Dr. Samuel Kadari from Global Gospel Ministries to adopt the village of Keshavapurum. By creating consistent relationships that are fostered year after year; our hope is to show the people of Keshavapurum the love of Christ and the importance of a relationship with Him. Over the past three years, Brentwood teams have dug a well, constructed a Community Center, a playground, a Church, and a Christian School in this poor farming village. We have consistently poured our love and God’s resources into this village and are making a huge impact for Christ. Hundreds have come to know the Lord through these efforts. This July/August, we will be going again to proclaim the Gospel by promoting the school, doing more construction, and teaching some English classes.

We are so excited to see how God will use us during this trip!

We would be honored if you would join us in partnering with God in the amazing work being done in India. We are personally in need of your support for this mission. We must raise $3500 each (a total of $7000!) before June 29, in order to go to India in July. This amount will cover the full cost of the mission: including all travel VISAS, immunizations, airfare, food and lodging. We are not going to participate in this Field Assignment without personal sacrifice and diligent work to provide for our costs. We simply know that is beyond what we alone can do. We would be sincerely grateful to you for your financial support. Our first deadline is May 20^th. We must raise the first $800 each so a down payment can be made on our plane tickets.

If you want to stand with us and this worthy endeavor, please make your checks payable to Brentwood Church with INDIA in the memo line, and then please include a note with our full name, please do not put our name in the memo section. Of course, all contributions are tax deductible.

While money is important, it comes in a distant second to our need for your prayer support. Since prayer is so important to the success of this mission, we have enclosed a magnet that you can put on the "fridge" as a reminder to pray for us daily. .

If you’d like to know more about our team and Brentwood Church’s ministry opportunities in India, you can visit our website: www.helpteaminida.com or email us any questions at thurston2005@hotmail.com. We will also include updates on our blog, www.thurstonthoughts.blogspot.com.

Thank you so much for your time and your kind consideration!

Serving HIM in India,

Todd & Tobey Thurston

PLEASE SEND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO Brentwood Church
1971 English Tavern Road
Lynchburg, VA 24501

Dancing Fools

2011-04-06T19:48:00.002-04:00

I wish I had a picture. But I don't. Todd and I just completed an 8 week ballroom dance class through the Lynchburg Parks and Recreation Department. We learned the basics to the Waltz, Foxtrot, Rumba, and Swing. We did not look graceful at times but, we laughed A LOT! Our instructors were great. Very patient with our class! The wife loved to push me aside and dance with Todd. In the end, we were told that we have all of the mechanics down but not the dancyness. Is that even a word?! Basically, we could do the steps but had NO rhythm when they put music on! But who cares?! We had fun and got to spend time together, and there was a little exercising in there too! We will probably take the class again. And we will probably be the youngest in the class again. But we don't care because we will laugh again too! And maybe get some pictures!

Cake Fun

2011-04-06T19:34:00.004-04:00

This month I took a 4 week cake decorating class with some friends. It was at the local Michael's. I did not come out of the class as a pro but I did have fun with Colleen and Ashley!

We are Blessed!

2011-03-14T08:31:00.002-04:00

He thinks it is okay to stand on tables since he is so small! Um, we need to break that habit!
So sweet!
Enjoying strawberry yogurt. Yes, that is yogurt all over his face!
Morning kisses!
Showing off his new sweater
Oh, and in case you haven't heard..... his name is MUSKET.

Our Family Has Grown Again

2011-03-03T23:05:00.005-05:00

Introducing...... well, we don't know yet! Today I got my birthday present. A sweet little puppy. He is 8 weeks old today. His mom is a pitt/german shepherd mix and his dad is a black lab. Here are a few pics from his first night with us. Oh, and we are open to name suggestions. Leave a comment and help us give this little guy a name!

Snow Wears Me Out!

2011-01-27T17:52:00.002-05:00

I think that playing in the snow completely wore Cooper out. This is how I found him when I went to bed last night. I kinda felt bad making him move so I could go to sleep. He is such a sweet boy.

Cooper Catch Up

2011-01-26T22:26:00.004-05:00

I figured I would post a few recent pictures of Cooper. He is getting so big. I took him to the vet and he is now 70 pounds! He has gained 50 pounds since we got him 4 months ago. It's a good thing that we wanted a big dog! Here he is at the park last week (we had some nice weather so we decided to take advantage of it!).
So much fun running in the park!
He "guards" the groceries when I get home. And waits there patiently to see if there is anything special in the bags for him. There usually is!
"Guarding" his toys while I vacuumed. So cute!
He LOVES cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towels. It is the only non-toy that we let him play with. He always looks so cute with it sticking out of his mouth!

SNOW

2011-01-26T22:04:00.007-05:00

We had some snow again today. It looked so pretty coming down. The snowflakes were HUGE!
I wish this picture wasn't cut off. Cooper came charging at me ready for me to take him off of his chain and play with him. So, I bundled up and went outside to play.
I love his ears as he is bouncing through the snow towards Todd. He loved looking for sticks in the snow.
And of course just running!
Cooper and I left our hand prints in the snow.
Todd was such a trooper. He came home from work cold and wet. He drank some hot cocoa, changed his clothes and came outside to play with us.
He couldn't quite catch a snowball.
My sweet boy.....
Finally caught a snowball!
But missed the next one!
We were pretty pooped from playing so we came in to dry off and cuddle on the couch to watch a movie. We are supposed to get more snow tonight so we may be out there again tomorrow!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T10:14:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas! Love, The Thurston Family

Oh Christmas Tree...

2010-12-10T17:35:00.003-05:00

Every year we get a real tree. This year we found a place that lets you pick and cut your own. So, we bundled up and headed out to find the perfect tree. It was VERY cold so we didn't spend a whole lot of time looking. But, we are extremely happy with the tree we got.

"Helping" daddy drive to the tree farm....

We found the perfect tree...

And yes, it was freezing!

All decorated!

Family Pictures

2010-11-17T07:36:00.003-05:00

Our friend Amanda is helping raise money for a gal named Martha to go to Thailand next month. She has a special package and all of the money goes to Martha's Thailand fund. Here is a sneak peek from our session. I'll post more when she gets them to us.

I love my little family! Thanks Amanda for the great pictures!

Don't forget to check out Amanda's website.... www.amandamaephotos.com.

Freedom 4/24 & Run For Their Lives

2010-10-15T10:06:00.002-04:00

Run For Their Lives in in 8 days and I am so excited by all of the buzz going around Lynchburg. Random people come up to me and point to my R4TL shirt yelling "I am running for their lives this year!" I am so honored to play a small part of the behind the scenes. The leadership team is amazing and it has been a privilege working with them. It's not too late to sign up to run. Just click here. Even if you live out of town and can't be here race day, sign up and order a Freedom 4/24 shirt.

POOPED!

2010-10-05T22:36:00.003-04:00

Today Cooper spent the afternoon at my friend Jenn's house. I think he had a good time. When we got home he went straight to bed. Not sure how this could be comfortable to sleep but he has been like that for over an hour! Poor guy is POOPED!
Thanks to John, Jenn, Elle, and Lila for letting Cooper come over for a play-date. I know he loves you guys!

Movin to the Country

2010-10-05T22:34:00.003-04:00

No, not us.... just Rebel. He had so much fun with the Walston's (and they loved having him) that we decided to give him to them. He will be happier and have a lot more room to roam. We will miss him but are happy that we will be able to visit him.

On Walston Pond

2010-09-13T23:16:00.006-04:00

On Saturday we went with our friends, Joe & Stormie, to spend the afternoon at Joe's parent's pond. We loaded up the dogs and headed out for an afternoon and evening of fun. Here are a few highlights.
They had no idea how much fun they were about to have.
Cooper and Joy getting ready to take another swim.
Stormie and the puppies out for a boat ride. I think Cooper is so stinkin' cute in this picture!
Rebel wasn't as brave in the water as Cooper.
Cooper and Joy swimming together. They spent the rest of the day fighting.
He LOVED being in the water!

Loading up the dogs in the truck to head up to the house.
(hmm, maybe next time Stormie should take a few pictures!)
just hanging out while we play cards
SOOOOOOO tired after a long day!
Ready for bed.
Thanks to the Walston family for having us over for the day!

Our Family Has Grown

2010-09-09T22:20:00.008-04:00

Introducing the newest member of our family..... COOPER! We have been searching for a puppy and just happened to find this sweet little boy on Craigslist. His is an 8 week old pitt bull rottweiler mix. He is so sweet and we are having such a good time with him.

Poor Rebel is trying to escape his new little brother's love.
Cooper said that there is no escape!
Enjoying Jake's old bed.....
This is the new toy I got for him tonight. He won't let it out of his sight!
We look forward to sharing puppy stories with you!

Roadside Treasure

2010-06-06T14:06:00.002-04:00

Todd is famous for bringing stuff home that he finds on the side of the road. He will usually walk in the door and say, "Come see what I found!" This is what he found on his way home from work on Friday. I am a lucky gal!

Me and My Shadow

2010-06-01T21:48:00.003-04:00

If he is in the house, he is at my feet. Good thing I love him!

Jumpin' Jake

2010-05-29T18:33:00.004-04:00

As many of you already know, our sweet Jake passed away on April 13th. He hadn't been sick or anything. It appears that he just went back to sleep when I left for work and never woke up. And, he seemed to be smiling. It was terrible for us to lose another one of our babies. It was a double whammy losing Jake. See, Jake belonged to my Gramps. As long as Jake was with us, it felt like a little of Gramps was still with us. Jake filled a special place in our hearts and we will miss him like crazy. Here are a few of my favorite pics of him. Enjoy!

Stubborn Dog!

2010-05-28T19:32:00.004-04:00

We have been trying to teach Rebel to stay off of the couch. Last night we decided to put a laundry basket and chair on the couch. We thought it would keep him off. This is what we woke up to this morning:

Bad dog!

Bedtime

2010-05-03T22:34:00.003-04:00

Here is a typical night in our home as we get ready for bed:

It doesn't get much better than this!

Highlights from the week

2010-04-30T00:54:00.003-04:00

Today I came home and found our pillows all messed up. Upon further investigation I discovered Rebel's bone "buried" under the pillows. I guess he thought it was a good hiding place. Yesterday he hid it behind the tv. Wonder where I will find it tomorrow?!
Me and the runt. I love her!!!
Lily has not been wanting to feed her so, we have been bonding over a bottle!
Todd was teaching Rebel about sharing!

Lily's Labor

2010-04-24T21:59:00.002-04:00

GRAPHIC WARNING: If you are prone to passing out or getting sick from gory sights, do NOT watch this video! Otherwise, enjoy seeing new life enter this world!

Yeah, I know, kinda gross. But hey, some people were asking to see it!

Rebel

2010-04-24T21:15:00.005-04:00

We realized today that we are definitely a dog family. We had gone to the humane society shortly after Jake had passed away but didn't feel we were ready. However, there was a dog there that left an impression on us. We would talk about him from time to time. Today we stopped talking and adopted him! He is a 2 year old hound dog named REBEL. His owners were no longer able to take care of him so he has been at the shelter for the past 3 weeks. We brought him home and he has instantly fit in with the family. He is our shadow, that's for sure. He needs to be near one of us at all times, it seems. Hopefully it is just while he is getting used to us! Anyway, here are some pics from his first day. Enjoy!

A Great Way To Start A Saturday Morning

2010-04-24T11:07:00.003-04:00

This is what Todd woke up to this morning! I brought in the runt to get some snuggle daddy time. She is so sweet. I call her "Lil Bit" because she is a little bitty thing. I love her so much!

Goat Babies!

2010-04-20T23:48:00.005-04:00

Lily FINALLY had her babies today. I had gone out to check on her around 5:00. Her water broke while I was standing there! I kept a close eye on her and noted that her contractions were 20 minutes apart. I figured it was going to be a long night and that I wouldn't have time to cook dinner. So, I ran up to the corner to get Chinese take out. When I got back, Sandy, our neighbor, told me that Lily had been having contractions about every minute! I called for our other neighbors, Joe & Stormie, because they were going to video tape and assist with the birth! We watched in awe as the first one started to come out. A boy! He looks just like Lily. A few minutes later, another boy came out. Sadly, this one did not survive. The placenta around him had burst so he was barely breathing. Well, about that time Todd came home. We realized that Lily was starting to "push" again but nothing was happening. So Todd reached in there and could feel a hoof. He pulled the 3rd one out! A floppy eared little girl! He felt around again and didn't feel anything else. Well, imagine our surprise when a 4th one (another girl) popped out! Todd never even felt her! She is a lot smaller than the other 2 and cannot walk yet. We are praying she gets stronger. So, we've cleaned up and have left Lily to be a mom. We are checking on them often. I am so glad I am off from work tomorrow so I can spend a lot of time with them! I hope you enjoy the pics I've posted. Check back often as I am sure we will be posting more over the next few days!

Her water just broke:

Contractions:

Floppy ear little girl:

Archie popped his head in the door just to see what is going on but, he is

definitely keeping his distance!

Stormie and the 2 oldest:

The boy (first born):

The surprise 4th! Sadly, she is the smallest one:

Family Pictures

2010-04-10T22:10:00.009-04:00

Our friend, Stormie, of Walston Photography spent Friday morning taking pictures of us around town. Here are a bunch of my favorites. Enjoy! (And, don't forget to check out their website!)

Easter Opener

2010-04-05T23:38:00.001-04:00

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T18:55:00.003-04:00

Happy Easter from the Thurston Family!

Freebie from Shutterfly

2010-04-04T14:23:00.001-04:00

Wow… another great Shutterfly Photo Freebie!

You can get a Free Photo Strip + Free s/h!! Here’s how…

Login Here {or create a new acount} ~ at the top
After logged in, type in “Wink” in the search box {at the top on the right}
Click on ‘Try Wink’
Upload your photos, then click on ‘Send’
Add personal message {optional}
Send photo strip to yourself or someone else

It’s a quick and easy project… at the best price: FREE!

I am so glad I found this freebie!!

Babysitting!

2010-02-17T13:18:00.004-05:00

We spent the night babysitting so Jen & Andy could have a date night before Christmas. Here are the kids modeling the pajamas we gave them for Christmas. Such sweeties. Love them!

A Classic Christmas

2010-02-17T13:15:00.003-05:00

The theme at Bentwood this year was A Classic Christmas. My team had a great time decorating the lobby.

Got Ham?

2010-02-17T12:51:00.003-05:00

There is a rock quarry a few miles up the road from our house. I think our house has rumbled maybe once or twice in the 3 years that we have lived here. We hardly even notice. I guess in years past, some of the neighbors complained. So, they have been trying to come up with ways to keep peace with the neighborhood. One way is a free country ham every year for Christmas. We don't even have to pick it up. They leave it by the front a few weeks before Christmas. Jake loves when the ham in delivered! As far as we are concerned, BLAST AWAY!

He was my best friend...

2010-02-16T15:19:00.004-05:00

A friend of mine sent me this "letter" from Rufus the day he left our family. I don't think I am ready to blog about it but, I will share her letter (thanks Michelle!):

Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
For you have given to me the very best life a dog could ever have.
When I was brought to the farm those many years ago,
I did not know what to expect.
Oh what a life I have lived.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
For you have showered me with years of love,
more than I could know possibly existed.
You accepted me into your home,

and promptly started to spoil me.
I tried to return all that love by being the best friend I could be.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Remember instead, the wonderful hikes you took me on.
Each one had new and exciting smells for me to enjoy.
Each day brought new and different sounds

for me to wonder about.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Think instead of the hours we spent trying to learn

to talk to each other.
How I would try to make sounds that you could understand.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Think back to my younger years,

and all we enjoyed with each other.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Remember how you showed me love.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
You taught me love, not aggression.

I have so much to thank you for.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Remember the fun and excitement we had when on paws,

hands and knees we would play.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
The overwhelming enjoyment of going camping, with all its

smells, sounds, and good food and so much to
explore is something so many dogs never get to do.

Sometimes I got so tired with all the fun that

I would have to have an after supper nap,

just to get enough energy to be able to go to sleep for the night.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
If I had to come up with any regrets, the one I would pick

would be, not being able to turn back time to being a pup again,
knowing what I know now and enjoying

all these years over again with you.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
As my life now is filled with so much hurt and pain
and will not ever be again what it was.
I cannot enjoy my days knowing how you worry about me.
I do not want to be a burden on you and hold you to a life of worry
about me. I know it is time to go now while I can still leave

knowing and remembering that I have had the

best life I could ever have, thanks to you.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
It is time to let me go, and I know it will be very hard for you

to do, but I also know you will be able to do what is best for me,

no matter how much it hurts you.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
But instead try to help Jake accept my not being here,

as I am sure he will miss our companionship

much more than he will let on.
Save your strength for yourself,

as I cannot be there to try and comfort you.
Don’t grieve for me, mommy,
Say goodbye and let me go.

Thanksgiving with Friends - 2009

2010-02-16T11:22:00.006-05:00

Since we travelled so much this year, we decided to stay home for Thanksgiving.. We were so bummed about not being with family that I wasn't even going to make a turkey! Thankfully, our dear friends, Jen & Andy, invited us over to spend the day with them. We had a great day filled with Rock Band, delicious food, and tons of fun!

That little girl loves Rock Band!

It was a blessing that we decided to stay home. That is the weekend Rufus started getting sick. We had no idea what was in store for us a few days later.....

First Deer

2009-11-15T22:45:00.003-05:00

Todd shot his first deer yesterday. This was his first deer ever. He is pretty excited about it! Here are a few highlights of him "prepping" it. After all of this, he cut it into 4 chunks, wrapped it in cloth, and put it in our spare fridge. It will stay there for the next week to age and then he will butcher it up. Guess I need to find some venison recipes!

PFC Jacob S Fletcher

2009-11-12T22:45:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow marks the 6 year anniversary of the passing of my friend Jake. He was killed while serving our country in Iraq. He is greatly missed. Please take the time to watch this video about Jake and the work his mom is doing now for the troops. You can also go to www.jacobsprogram.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

In Their Boots Jacob's Light

Brentwood Top 10 List

2009-11-10T18:59:00.002-05:00

Pastor Jon posted this on his blog and I thought I would share it as well. If you go to Brentwood, you will get a chuckle. If you don't go to Brentwood, you will question what kind of church we go to! Whatever the case, I hope you enjoy it!

The Top 10 Ways You Know You Go To Brentwood Church

1. You’ve ever been given free McDonald’s to leave church.
2. You refuse to wash your car before going out on Saturday night because you know how dirty it’ll get on Sunday morning.
3. You have a Freedom 4/24 sticker on your car.
4. Along with your computer, water bottle, book-bag, frying pan, cell phone, and tooth brush.
5. There is always one overly affectionate couple around you during service.
6. You’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered if your v-neck shirt was cut too low…and you’re a guy.
7. You listen to Steve Fee on your way to church and then hear two songs from that album during worship.
8. You’ve ever worn the same dress you wore out with your friends on a Friday night to church on Sunday morning.
9. You’ve described the church as “You know, the one with the rock concert for praise and worship.”
10. You feel like you know every funny or embarrassing thing to ever happen to Jon Dupin.

How can it be comfortable?!

2009-10-30T17:56:00.003-04:00

If I slept like this, I would have to go to the chiropractor everyday!

Apples!

2009-10-30T17:42:00.006-04:00

Last week Johnson's Orchard donated 3 bushels of apples to be used at the race. When I went to pick them up, I got an extra 1/2 bushel for myself to make applesauce. I combined apples left over from the race with the apples I had at home. Here is what I ended up with.

The end result = 16 quarts!

It's A Dog's Life

2009-10-28T10:15:00.002-04:00

Ever morning, when Todd's alarm goes off, Rufus is on full alert. I think he hits the bed and snuggles next to me before Todd even has the shower going! This morning, I was woken up by some pretty loud snoring. I rolled over and found this....
He has such a rough life!!

Race Day Highlight Video

2009-10-26T13:13:00.001-04:00

Hope it inspired you to get involved next year!

Run For Their Lives

2009-10-25T17:03:00.010-04:00

Our church helped put on a race called Run For Their Lives
in order to support an incredible cause called Freedom 4/24.
Yesterday, 8O3 people ran for their lives. Men, women and children ran for the women in Thailand who are victims of human trafficking, sexual slavery and prostitution.

Every runner had the name of a Thai girl written on their arm.

It was amazing to see all of these people who were fighting
for the lives of women and girls they've never seen,
and who have never known what it's like
to live a life apart from slavery.
It was a day full of tears, sweat, and determination
to make this an unavoidable issue.
I am so honored to have been asked to be on the leadership team
and play a role in making this race happen.

Thank you to the 803 runners

and the 200 volunteers

that made this day a HUGE success!
Here are a few highlights of the day:

(that's Todd in the blue shirt crossing the finish line)

I can't wait for next year!
Please check out Freedom 4/24's website and consider giving to the cause!

Freedom 4/24

2009-10-16T11:44:00.004-04:00

Poverty in Thailand has forced hundreds of thousands of women into prostitution. It's estimated that close to 300 million dollars is transferred yearly to rural families by women engaged in prostitution in urban areas.

Imagine finding yourself in a situation where your final means of survival for yourself and your family is to sell the very last thing you have left...your body and self dignity. This is precisely what has happened and is currently happening in areas all over Thailand.

LET THAT SINK IN. No really, think about it...

Right now, as you read this, women are sacrificing their dignity and self worth in order to provide for themselves and their families. This is an issue of poverty.
There are more than 300,000 prostituted persons in Thailand. It produces an approximate annual income of 27 billion dollars for the sex industry.
So, what do we do about it? Do we let the enormity of the issue evaporate our empathy towards it? No. We cannot. We must not.

Edmund Burke once said, “Nobody makes a greater mistake than he who does nothing because he could only do a little.”

In order to purchase a girl for a night in Thailand, the customer must pay what is called a “bar fee.” The customer must pay this fee to the bar owner, in order to have the right to the girl for the night. This fee is approximately $24.

The idea behind Freedom4/24 is that you can purchase the freedom of a girl for 24 hours for a mere $24. This money will be given to an excellent organization called Beginnings. The employees at Beginnings go into the bars, purchase this night of freedom, and then tell the girls about alternative means of survival and opportunities for life that they could never have imagined.

These opportunities include:-EDUCATION-EMPLOYMENT-HEALTH CARE (PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, & SPIRITUAL)

This is an enormous issue that must be addressed on many different levels. But, the end must begin somewhere. Let it begin with $24.

Our Mission... The mission of Freedom4/24 is to raise awareness of the sexually exploited women in Thailand, while simultaneously providing money to supply these women with alternative means of survival. $24 will purchase a night of freedom for a Thai prostitute, which may result in a lifetime of freedom.

Get involved now! www.freedom4-24.com

Apple Orchard Falls

2009-09-30T19:30:00.004-04:00

While Todd's mom was visiting we decided to take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped and hiked down to Apple Orchard Falls. It was hot but we had a great day spending time together. We wish mom could have stayed longer!

The BIG 3-0

2009-09-30T19:05:00.006-04:00

Last month Todd turned 30. We had decided to have a BBQ over Labor Day weekend so it was easy for me to plan a party. The big surprise was when Todd came home from work one night and found his mom at the stove cooking dinner! We told him that she wasn't coming. Man was he surprised! It was a great weekend of family, friends, food, and fun. Here are a few highlights of the weekend.

A New York State of Mind

2009-09-13T21:10:00.005-04:00

Last month we went to New York for 4 days to go to a family reunion. My pops comes from a large family so there was around 220 people at the reunion (and not everyone had made it!). We had so much fun. We took our friend Phil with us since he had never been to New York! We had a great time. Here are a few highlights.

We stopped in Maryland to see Walter & Delores

Hanging with my nephews, Logan & Nico. Love them!

My mom's side of the family. Yep, that's all of us!
The day before the reunion they all went on a boat out of Captree.
I swam with my nephews while they were gone.
Todd won the boat pool for the biggest fish!
Todd & Phil

We played left-right-center and Logan won.

The sweetest little man in the world = my nephew, Nico.

Logan and his uncles getting ready to sack race.

Somehow Phil became "Uncle" Phil that weekend.

Love this kid

Memorial service for Matt at the beginning of the reunion.

A Year Without My Gramps

2009-08-24T23:34:00.003-04:00

This week marks the one year anniversary of my grandpa's passing. I remember the day like it was yesterday. As I was sorting through some papers today I came across my notes from the funeral. I was asked to speak to represent the grand kids. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to get through it so I wrote it all out. That way, if I couldn't finish, someone could read it for me. I did make it through (barely!). Here is what I said:

When I think of Grandpa Charlie a few things come to mind:

Police Scanners

Coors Light

A Camera

Koala Bears

Patriotism

His love of dogs

He was an amazing man. I am so blessed that Gramps & I had a close relationship my entire life. It makes me sad for all of my cousins who lived far away growing up. My brother, Chip, and I were the lucky ones. Gramps was always around. He would come to wrestling matches, little league games, cheerleading competitions, and swim meets. Always with a camera and a few words of encouragement. When my mom remarried and had my sister, Gramps treated Tami as his own granddaughter. Adding her activities to his life meant that we got to see him even more.

He moved to Florida just before I graduated high school. But, a few years later, I came south as well. Once again I was blessed to have my grandpa close by. We lived a few miles apart in Bradenton and he would come over all of the time. He would even come by when I wasn’t home because he thought my dogs might be lonely. When he moved to Port Charlotte, I moved to Sarasota. We saw each other often and I loved each visit. I would walk into the house and he would be sitting there with a Coors light, listening to a police scanner, yelling at Jake to calm down. We would just sit and talk about nothing and it was great.

Although I love in Virginia now, I tried to call often, just to say hi. Our conversations always started the same….

“Hey TL! How’s Todd? How’s Rufus? How’s your mom? How’s Lily?”

He would ask all of these questions in one long labored breath, without giving me a chance to answer!

One of my most cherished memories of Gramps is when Jennifer and I came to visit in January. He had not been doing too well and didn’t get out of the house much. So I decided to take him out for a few hours. We loaded up and headed to one of his favorite spots near the water. We stopped to pick up a drink along the way. Pepsi for me, Coors Light for Gramps. We sat in the car, watching the water and the birds. We talked about life and death. We shared memories, some only we knew. When it was time to head home he told me to drive up to the trash can so we could get rid of the beer can. Well, the only way to reach the trash can was to drive on the sidewalks of the park. I thought Grandpa meant for me to walk over to the trash. As I reached to open the door, he yelled, “DRIVE!” I told him that if a cop saw us, he would have to explain why we had an open container of alcohol in the car as I was driving on the sidewalk. He said he’d handle it if he needed to and he gave me a mischievous little grin. So there we went, on the sidewalks to the trash. Of course to turn around and get out of there, we had to drive on the grass. Which we did! The 2 of us bopping along with the wheelchair bouncing on the trunk of the car. I am sure we were quite the sight! And there sat my Grandpa, in the passenger seat, slapping his hand o n the dashboard, with a big grin, yelling “YIPPPEEEE, do it again!" And for one last time I got to see a small amount of joy on my Grandpa’s face. That’s how I want to remember my Grandpa.

I was his TL and he will always be my Gramps. I miss him terribly. I am selfish, I want to be able to call and talk to him anytime. But, I remind myself that he is in a better place now. He can breathe without assistance and he can run again. I know someday I will see him again. And that is what gives me joy.

Woo Woo Doctor

2009-08-24T22:13:00.004-04:00

If you say the words "Woo Woo Doctor" in our house, Jake becomes very excited. I am not sure why but that is what my grandpa used to call the vet. Last week I took Jake for a check up.He really was excited on the way there. He had his head over my shoulder the whole ride!
I told him he was too big to get on the exam table. So, he went under it!
The vet said that he is doing great. He is just dealing with the things that a typical 11 year old Lab would go through. According to this cool chart in the exam room, Jake is 86 in human years. No wonder it takes him so long to get moving!

I got a call a few days after his visit to let me know that all of his blood work came back normal. His thyroid is a little off but nothing to be concerned about! I bet Grandpa is smiling down on us. Jake is doing so well and we are so glad that he is part of our family!

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T20:35:00.004-04:00

On Friday night we went to the fireworks display down at the Farmville airport. We had such a good time hanging with friends!

Thanks to all of you who have served or who are currently serving!

Small Gesture = HUGE Blessing

2009-07-01T00:09:00.005-04:00

Our riding mower broke 2 years ago. Todd has tried to fix it. No luck! So, I spend HOURS using a push mower on our yard. Sometimes I work on it over a few days. Our yard is not huge but, it is hilly. This mower issue has been causing some tension in our house. Since I am the one doing the mowing, I try to convince Todd that we need a new riding mower (I have borrowed the neighbor's a few times when it was just too hot out there). Being Mr Fix-It, Todd tries to convince me that he can fix it. A few weeks ago, on a Sunday afternoon, Todd and I were getting ready to eat lunch and relax. I knew the lawn needed mowing but it was just too hot outside! Well, the dogs started going crazy. We weren't expecting company so I was surprised to look out the window and see...... our friend Andy's truck.......

He knew our lawn needed to be mowed. So, he stopped over with his mower and did it for us! I don't think he realizes how much of a blessing this was to us. THANKS ANDY!

A Garden Lunch

2009-06-30T23:59:00.005-04:00

On Saturday, Todd & I spent some time outside working in the yard and garden. We are getting impatient with not being able to eat anything from our garden, so I decided to make fried green tomatoes for lunch. I thought they were delicious. Todd, not so much! Along with the tomatoes, I grilled bison steaks. A hearty lunch for some hard workers!

Father's Day Hike

2009-06-21T22:55:00.004-04:00

Even though we do not have kids yet, we always celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day. Todd woke up this morning and found presents from Rufus, Jake, Lily, and Archie. Then, after church, he got to pick what we did for the day. So, we stopped at Jersey Mike's to grab some subs to go and headed south on the Blue Ride Parkway. We had a nice long drive and just enjoyed spending time together.

This was one of the first things we saw on one of our stops.... It did not deter us!

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Todd said I was taking too many pictures (is there such a thing as too many?!)

I think this deer gets fed by people a lot because it was not scared of us!

On a side note, please keep us in your prayers. We are having a procedure done this week that we hope will get us pregnant. We love all of our "kids" but would love to be REAL parents for Father's Day next year. We'll keep you posted on how it goes. THANKS!

Happy Birthday Jake

2009-06-20T23:20:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Jake's 11th birthday. In honor of his big day (and his first birthday with us), we decided to give him the royal treatment for the day. It started with being put on our bed in the morning. He loved being able to stretch out.
We then gave him a haircut and a bath. He looks about 25 pounds lighter with all of his hair gone and I think he likes the cool feeling of a crew cut. After his bath, he got a massage (which he loved!)

I was going to make him a steak for dinner but I got kinda tired towards dinner time. Hey, shaving and bathing a 105 pound dog is tiring! So, Jake had pasta and applesauce for dinner. He licked the plate pretty clean.

After dinner, he was allowed a few dog treats. This was especially exciting for him because, since he joined our family last year, we have limited his treat intake to about 2 per day (I think my grandpa used to give him 15!). We let him have 6 for dessert. Todd always reminds me that the dogs can't talk to me. But, if he could, I am pretty sure Jake would let me know that he really enjoyed his birthday. I am so happy that he is with us and I look forward to celebrating many more years with him.

I wish my grandpa could see him now.

Blueberries

2009-06-20T23:15:00.004-04:00

Here are the blueberries I picked with Jennifer.
YUMMY!

Enough to make 1 pie

Which happened to turn out pretty delicious.

There were a few more berries left. So, I made blueberry bread and froze it.

Raspberries!

2009-06-16T14:44:00.010-04:00

On Friday, Jennifer & I had a random fun day together. Our schedules have been so busy and we haven't had much time to hang out. What started out as her and the kids coming over for lunch, turned into an hour road trip to a berry farm, dinner with our husbands, and making jam until midnight! It was such a fun, random, unplanned day. It was great to spend time with them. And I know our husbands were grateful that they could watch a movie and relax (since we usually put them to work when they are together!).

Julia decided to put raspberries on her face....
Evan put berries on his fingers...

YUMMY

Black & Red Raspberries

Julia didn't pick berries... she played with them!

Makin' jam

Can't wait to taste it!

We also picked blueberries (which I am making into a pie tonight!) but for some reason I didn't take any pictures of them!

Cherries!

2009-06-16T14:15:00.005-04:00

On Memorial Day, we went over to Jesse and Carrie's house for lunch and to pick some cherries. Last year they had a ton of cherries. This year we had to pick through them and only came up with 6 quarts of good ones (they had a little mold problem with the trees - sad day!). We split the cherries up but then discovered that we wouldn't have enough to really do much with. So, Carrie gave me her cherries and I made jam (and yes, I gave them half of the jam!). It is actually pretty yummy. Hopefully they can get the trees taken care of so all of the cherries can be eaten next year!

Lessons I Learned From My Dogs

2009-05-28T08:42:00.004-04:00

1. The dogs cannot go 11.5 hours without going outside.

2. If I leave them inside, they will pee in the house.

3. If you discipline Rufus for peeing in the house, he will get spiteful. He will roll around in poop.

4. He will make sure the poop is on the part of his collar that you have to touch to unhook him (Todd learned that!).

5. If he rolls in poop, he will need a bath!

6. Rufus does not like the bath tub! (Since it was late, I didn't want to stand outside with the hose. This was the first time I bathed him inside. He definitely didn't like it!)

After his bath, I had to clean the bathroom and take a shower. So much for a relaxing evening! It's a good thing I love him. 'Cause if I didn't, the little poopy head woulda been sleeping outside all night!

Pay It Forward

2009-05-26T14:37:00.007-04:00

I found this neat idea over at my friend Melanie's blog. Pay it Forward was started by Lis, over at Lis Loves.

I am really excited and can't wait to see who will be the 1st 3 people to respond! :)

Here are the rules:

1. The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a small gift from me within one month!

2. You must be willing to host a pay it forward too! As well as send the gifts out to your recipients within a month.

3. Post this same thing on your blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in! Please remember to leave your e-mail!

Pray for Nathan

2009-05-03T19:08:00.002-04:00

Please pray for Tobey's cousin, Nathan. He is en route to Iraq. Please pray for safety for him and the men & women he is serving with. Thanks!

And Archie Makes Six...

2009-04-20T21:17:00.007-04:00

This weekend we got a friend for Lily. His is about 4 months old and we've named him Archie. We hope that if he grows up with Lily, on her turf, she will be inclined to have babies with him. So far she doesn't seem afraid of him. She is actually showing him who is boss! He is not used to being handled by people but we are hoping to remedy that with lots of attention from us.

Lily wasn't happy that Todd didn't pay attention to her. So, she hit him a few times....

And nibbled on his head....
He really is a sweet little boy!

Rufus & Jake don't seem to mind him too much. Jake met him and then immediately wanted to go back inside.

I am sure that there will be plenty of funny stories and pictures to come!

How Did She Get Up There?!

2009-04-17T19:18:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I looked out the bedroom window and saw what looked like Lily standing on top of her house!

I looked a little closer and realized that she was on her climbing blocks. It just looked like she was on the roof!
Since it was such a nice day out, I decided to go out and play with her and Rufus for a while. Jake decided he wanted to stay in by himself. I put Rufus into Lily's yard with her, which is a real treat for him. He loves to be off of the chain. We can only put him in there when we are going to be close by. If not, first chance he got, he'd run away! Lily was having a great time jumping on her trampoline. Hopefully this is the start of more beautiful days! HAPPY SPRING!

Trading Places

2009-04-13T00:16:00.006-04:00

Friday night Rufus decided to kick Jake off of his bed. Jake didn't seem to mind, he just went to sleep BESIDE the bed! I know some people think we are crazy because we talk about our animals as though they are people. Well, they really do have their own unique personalities and they bring so much joy to our lives! Our family would not be the same without them!

What was the highlight of Lily's weekend? The "grass" in the Easter package from my parents!

Virtuous Women

2009-04-03T09:41:00.003-04:00

Monday night we had Todd take a quick shot of the ladies in my Bible study. What an awesome group of women!

Who Can Find A Virtuous Woman?

2009-03-24T10:00:00.005-04:00

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
From birth, we struggle to find our place in this world. Consciously or not, we search for identity, worth, and purpose. Somewhere along the way, our definition of the "ideal woman" begins to form, molded by the influences around us. We set out to reach the standards imposed by our definition. The effects will be felt for generations to come.
God's Word is still timely for today. He has not left us in the world to figure everything out on our own. What an awesome thought that the very words we read on His pages are God-breathed and inspired for such a time as this. It is our manual for living. Everything we need, including a formula for identity, worth, and purpose, is provided in the pages of His Word. Without it, we would be lost.
When it comes to a definition of the ideal woman, many opinions exist. I believe God is calling women to measure these definitions against a proved standard- His standard.
I have the privilege to journey through this study with 7 amazing women. We range in age, life stage and experiences. We each have something to offer to the study. I am excited to see what He shows us in the weeks to come, as He shines the light of His Truth on what it takes for us to become the ideal woman in His eyes.
The virtuous woman is a rare find in today's world. The thought of becoming a woman who "excels them all" is scary and exciting to me. I have a long way to go, but in the end I know I will find the pursuit to be worth the effort.
When I first heard of this study, Brentwood was announcing that they were going to be offering it on Thursday mornings. A friend had mentioned that she wanted to do the study but works during the day. So, I thought maybe she and I could do it together at night. Then another gal mentioned that she is interested.... And word spread. Next thing I know 8 of us are meeting in my basement on a Monday night every other week! It is awesome. Each week as I am working on the book and preparing for the meeting, I think of Todd's grandma. She passed away a few years ago. While she was alive, she led a woman's study for a long time. At her funeral I met so many women who were touched by her leading. So, as I read through this and wonder what kind of legacy I will leave, I think of her and the legacy she left.

Congrats to Joey & MJ

2009-03-19T17:17:00.005-04:00

My dear friend, Mary Jo, got married last weekend. I am so excited for her. She is such an amazing woman and a true friend. I am a little sad because her marriage moves her to North Carolina. I will miss her terribly. I wish her and Joey the best and look forward to lots of visits!

The cake from the rehearsal dinner (you have to see Fireproof to understand).

Such a beautiful bride!

I Am A Christian

2009-03-18T11:00:00.005-04:00

When I say ... "I am a Christian,"

I'm not shouting I'm clean livin'.
I'm whispering I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven.
*
When I say..."I am a Christian,"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble,
And need CHRIST to be my guide.
*
When I say ... "I am a Christian,"

I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak,
And need HIS strength to carry on.
*
When I say ... "I am a Christian,"

I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed,
And need God to clean my mess.
*
When I say ... "I am a Christian,"
I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible,
But God believes I am worth it.
*
When I say ... "I am a Christian,"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches,
So I call upon His name.

When I say ... "I am a Christian,"
I'm not holier than thou.
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace somehow.

Rewritten by Maya Angelou

(Originally created by Carole Wimmer)

Lily's Home

2009-03-17T11:07:00.006-04:00

As most of you know, Lily was gone for 3 weeks. She had gone into heat so we took her to a nearby goat farm. We were hoping she would get pregnant. Nope, not our gal. She didn't want anything to do with the other goats. She hung out with the dogs all off the time! The last week she was there she was put into a smaller yard with just a few goats and no dogs. She seemed to be afraid of the goats, including the babies. So, Todd went and got her. She was very excited to be home. And the boys were happy to see her too.

The next day was nice out so I decided to sit outside with them while we waited for Todd to get home from work. I tried to work on my small group workbook....

Obviously that didn't work. So I thought I would put the book away and paint my toenails....

Yep, she was trying to eat my flip flops. She didn't want me to do anything but give her attention. That was, of course, until daddy got home. When she heard the jeep pulling into the driveway she was done with me. She's such a daddy's girl!

Another Year Older

2009-03-07T23:20:00.005-05:00

I had a birthday this week. The big 35! All week I reminded myself that 35 is not that big of a deal. Then the thought of being half way to 40 kept creeping into my mind. A friend reminded me that I was really half way to 70! (Thanks a lot Brian!) I think about all of the things I want to do with my life. Don't worry, I am not about to make a "bucket list." I am just beginning to realize that sometimes plans change. Sometimes God has better plans for me than I can ever imagine. So, I am entering this year with renewed hope for all of the wonderful things God has in store for me.

Todd made this birthday extra special for me. He made me a birdhouse!! I LOVE it and can't wait to watch birds make it into their "home" in our backyard. He also had a little party for me last night. It was great to have friends over for dessert and games. I am truly blessed to have each of them in my life!

My friend Jen's son, Evan, helped me blow out the candles...

Let it Snow

2009-03-02T15:52:00.008-05:00

Rufus was very excited when the first snow started to fall last night!

Last night there was talk of a snowstorm. We didn't pay much attention to it. We figured that since we both grew up in the Northeast, we could handle whatever hit Lynchburg. We woke up to 10-12" of snow! Not a lot by New York and New Hampshire standards but enough to close schools and businesses in Lynchburg for the day! Todd called his supervisor and made arrangements to meet him at a nearby shopping center so they could drive to work together. About 15 minutes after Todd left he returned home. He had gotten stuck at the end of our road and had to walk back to get me and the truck to pull him out. We got his jeep as far as the neighbor's driveway so we just left it there. He ended up taking the truck. I have enjoyed spending the day listening to the kids in the neighborhood sled down our road. It still is not plowed and it is a hill. So, I have watched them fly by! Rufus loves being out there too. I just dragged him in after being out there for a few hours. He loves to watch the kids. Jake, on the other hand, was a little confused by the snow. We have had a few flurries since he has joined our family but nothing like this. He stepped off of the porch and looked very surprised as he sunk in the snow! After a few minutes he was loving it. He was running (as best as he can!) with Rufus. Now he is passed out on his bed snoring like crazy! Here are a few pictures from today and a video clip of Jake. Enjoy!

Rufus barking for the neighborhood kids to come play with him...

This is how much snow fell in our yard overnight.

It is supposed to ice overnight. I hope it is not too bad!

Happy 6th Birthday Rufus!

2009-02-21T19:14:00.006-05:00

Today is Rufus's birthday! Well, today is the day we got him 4 years ago. At the time the vet estimated him at 2 so.... We just celebrate today! It was such a nice day out again today that we decided to take the boys to the park. They had a lot of fun. As a special treat, on the way home, we hit the McDonald's drive thru and got them each a burger. I think they ate them without even chewing! Here are a few pics of our day together...

This is how I found Rufus this morning after we got out of bed:

At the park, Todd & Rufus went tree climbing:

And running:

I hung out with Jake:

Poor Jake, hiking wears him out!

We also stopped to check on Lily today. She is spending a few days at a nearby goat farm. She went into heat so we took her there in hopes that she'll get pregnant. Unfortunately she likes to hang out with the resident farm dog and not the other goats! All along we had a hunch that she thinks she is a dog. She certainly acts like one. Her attitude towards these other goats just confirms what we were thinking! She was only a few weeks old when we got her and she hasn't seen another goat since. Poor girl is so confused! Never a dull moment in our family!

It's Been A While...

2009-02-15T21:08:00.003-05:00

Sorry I have not updated lately! Things have been extremely busy and then I got sick and was in bed for 4 days. Yuck!

Uncle Tommy is doing well. He still does not have feeling below the waist but his spirits are up and they moved him out of ICU and into a regular room. He has since been moved to the rehab section of the NYU hospital. He will be there while my aunt checks out a few rehab places on Long Island that specialize in spinal injuries. I was hoping to go up for a visit this past week but got sick and was in no condition to travel. Mom is in California for Logan's birthday. She'll go visit Uncle Tommy when she gets home and give me an update then.

Thanks so much for your continues prayers!

Another Update

2009-01-30T16:28:00.004-05:00

The second half of surgery went well. The doctors were pleased. They said it will be a few weeks before they know if he will regain feeling in his legs. He is still pretty out of it today, which is probably a good thing. Mom is supposed to call me later to update after she sees him. Please continue to pray for him and my family.

Will update on my uncle as I hear more. Thanks again for the prayers!

Update #2

2009-01-29T14:54:00.001-05:00

Just got a call that the first half of surgery went well. The doctors went in through his stomach to do the first part of the surgery. Now, they put him on his stomach to do the second half through his back. They have some concerns about his breathing while he is on his stomach because of the broken ribs. He is expected to be in surgery until around 5pm. Please continue to pray. Also, please pray for my Aunt. The vultures (lawyers and insurance agents) are circling. It is really stressing her. Mom just told me that she is going to stay with him at the hospital all weekend so my aunt can go home and catch her breath, as well as start making preparations for what lies ahead. Will update again later!

Update #1

2009-01-29T12:51:00.001-05:00

Uncle Tommy was taken into surgery this morning. It is supposed to take 10 hours so I may not hear anything more until this evening. They said he will be in recovery for a few hours. I'll post as soon as I hear something. Thanks for the continued prayers!

Update On My Uncle Tommy

2009-01-28T10:39:00.003-05:00

Many of you have asked for an update on my Uncle Tommy. I figured this would be the easiest way to update everyone on how he is doing. On Monday afternoon he was at work. He is an iron worker in New York. He connected two beams and sent them on their way. As the next beam was coming to him, a cable snapped and sent the beam flying at him. He was not able to get out of the way in time. He was hit in the head and thrown. Praise the Lord for his hard hat! He was taken to a local hospital. They stitched up his head. They also discovered that his right leg is broken, he has a few cracked ribs, and he is unable to feel his legs. My Aunt Maria (his wife) had him transferred to New York University Hospital that night. Yesterday (Tuesday) they did surgery to set his leg. They put in a rod and pins. He still has no feeling in his legs. They said that his "T12" vertebrae is crushed. That is why he is paralyzed in both legs. They are going to be doing surgery on his back tomorrow afternoon. Please pray for my family at this time. Everyone is completely distraught. Pray for the doctors during the 10 hour surgery tomorrow. Also, please pray for my Aunt and 2 cousins as they prepare for changes in the future. They said that it will be a few weeks until they know if the surgery on his back will work. We are grateful he is alive and our prayer is that he will be able to walk again. Oh yeah, last night his spirits were pretty low. The reality of all of this was setting in. Please continue to pray for him. I will post more updates as I know them. And, please pray for my 88 year old Grandpa. He did not take the news of his son's accident very well. Thanks so much for your prayers!

Uncle Tommy & I - November 2005

Freedom 4/24

2009-01-17T16:28:00.002-05:00

This is something that the Global Team at our church is working on. The young lady in the video goes to our church and her dad is one of the Pastors. We'll keep you all posted on how you can get involved.

Christmas Morning

2009-01-03T11:10:00.003-05:00

Some highlights from Christmas Day...

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-29T09:37:00.002-05:00

We have a tradition of taking a family picture each year in front of our tree. We didn't realize what a task it would be to get 3 "kids" to cooperate!

Merry Christmas! Love, Todd, Tobey, Rufus, Jake & Lily

It's Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas

2008-12-22T14:52:00.003-05:00

Years ago, when I lived in Florida, I had a housecleaning business. Every year for Christmas, I would bake and give trays of goodies to all of the families I cleaned for. Since we have been married, I have been keeping up the baking tradition. The lucky recipients? Goodies go in the packages we send out to family, neighbors get a tray, the mail carrier, and Todd's coworkers. I really enjoy this tradition and look forward to the day when we have children and I spend the day baking with them. Until then, I am happy to do it alone. Well, not completely alone. Todd helps. He is the official taste tester! If you were one of the recipients, I hope you enjoyed your goodies! Merry Christmas!

To Virgina With Love

2008-12-18T13:34:00.004-05:00

My ma and pops came to visit last weekend. We just saw them in New York for Thanksgiving. My mom feels bad that we don't get to enjoy yummy leftovers because we are on the road. So, along with a ton of other meals, she made another Thanksgiving dinner! Yeah for us! Charles and Kelly came over one night for dinner and to play games. Charles says that my parents are cheaters. The truth is, Charles is just a sore loser! Phil came over on Sunday to enjoy turkey dinner with us. It was a quick trip (4 days) but it was great to see them again. They actually came to visit 3 times this year. We are so glad!

Todd got Survivorman Seasons 1 & 2. He was happy!

Fun Night

2008-12-18T13:01:00.003-05:00

Our Small Group got together for a fun night. It also happened to be Michelle's birthday. We had an awesome dinner and played some games. Love me some small group!

First Snow Of The Season

2008-12-06T18:27:00.004-05:00

This afternoon we got our first bit of snow. Since Jake lived in Florida for the first 10 years of his life, today was the first time he experienced snow! I think I was more excited about it then he was! He sat there for a picture but was ready to go back inside pretty quick. Maybe if it sticks, he'll want to play outside in it with Rufus & Lily tomorrow. If so, I'll post more pictures.

Atlantis Marine World

2008-12-06T18:11:00.004-05:00

After we left Kozy Shack, we went to Atlantis Marine World with Tami and Matthew. When we walked in, the woman at the counter asked if we were from around there. We explained that Tami and I grew up in Babylon but that I moved to Virginia and she moved to California. She told us that she was letting us in for free. We are so blessed! We had such a good time just hanging together.

Todd feeding a sting ray.

Tami said this is a "friendly" shark.
Still won't catch me in the water with that thing.

Matthew, Tami, Tobey, Todd

Max gave me a kiss goodbye!

More New York Highlights

2008-12-06T17:36:00.007-05:00

The day after Thanksgiving we went to my Pops job. Yep, Kozy Shack, home of the best pudding. We were given a tour and got to see pudding going through the process, start to finish. It was pretty cool to see how it is done. Todd and Matthew each got to fill a box of samples to bring home. YUM!

Tobey, Pops, Tami

Don't we look cute?!

Todd helped trim some trees at my parent's house.

He's the one in the tree.

Here is my family teaching Todd to play poker.

They gave up after a few rounds and switched to Left-Right-Center.

Thanksgiving In New York

2008-12-04T10:30:00.004-05:00

We were going to stay home for Thanksgiving but decided to keep with tradition and head to New York to spend the holiday with my family. We left Wednesday evening around 5 and got to my grandpa's house around 3:15am. We slept in and then headed over to my parent's house. My sister (Tami) and her boyfriend (Matthew) flew in from California and were there when we got there. We all headed over to my aunt and uncle's house for some delicious food. There were 12 of us total. After we ate, we had a friendly game of Left, Right, Center. Matthew won the first round and then Hank (a friend of the family) won the second round. It was such a great family day.

YUMMY.........

Tami, Whitney, and I

Hank collecting his winnings
Matthew sharing his winnings with Tami

More highlights of the weekend to come!

Dragon's Tooth & McAfee's Knob

2008-12-03T11:37:00.007-05:00

Todd went camping with a few friends the weekend after we got back from Michigan. I will share a little that I know about the trip (thanks for posting some info on your blog Jesse!): Their 24 mile journey took 2.25 days. They left Lynchburg on Friday night at about 6:00 PM and ended up near Roanoke. They started out hiking to Dragon's Tooth and set up camp at about 10:30PM. It was 15 degrees and super windy. They ended up breaking down camp and moving out at about 11:00 AM Saturday morning.

Joe, Tim, Jordan, Jesse, and Todd before they left for the trip.

Todd is trying to crack open some nuts he found in the woods.

They climbed 3500 feet on Sunday over about 8 miles and then descended about the same amount over about 2 miles. They finished the hike at about 5:30 on Sunday evening.

These next 2 make me a little nervous. Todd is leaning over just a bit too much for my liking!

While Todd was away with the boys, all of us wives got together for dinner and a movie at Jess's house. We also did paraffin wax hand treatments. Fun! (Thanks for including me ladies!)

Colleen and I being silly.

Jess is making fajitas. They were yummy!

Michigan Highlights

2008-12-03T11:00:00.005-05:00

We were supposed to go to Michigan back in September but had to change our plans to go to Florida for my grandpa's funeral. We really wanted to go visit Todd's mom and grandpa so we went the second week of November. We had fun spending time with family. And, we got to help with a few projects around the house. We even saw our first snow of the season on our way home (as we drove through Ohio).

Todd with his mom, grandpa, and Rascal.

We got to spend time with my friend Tammy and her family.

Out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary.

Todd cutting down a dead tree. It was about 60' tall so he had to cut it down in sections.

And, he had to have a little fun doing it! He's such a monkey.

Playing dominoes (I lost EVERY round!)

Spent the day in Grand Rapids visiting Todd's Great Aunts.

(They are Great Aunts and great ladies!!)

This wagon was out front of their building.

I think Rascal missed us!

In Ohio on our way home.

Love Is In The Air

2008-12-03T10:25:00.005-05:00

November 5th was our 3rd anniversary! Hard to believe that it has been 3 years already! Todd was still out of town that week so we celebrated (a little late) with a yummy dinner at Neighbor's Place.

And as we were celebrating, our friend Jason was getting married. He did the videography for our wedding. Shortly afterwards he went to Bolivia as a missionary. He met Patricia, fell in love and married her a few weeks ago. And they are going to stay in Bolivia. We miss him but are so happy for him!

Catching Up

2008-12-03T10:18:00.003-05:00

On Monday, a friend reminded me that I have a blog (thanks Amee!). I didn't forget, I just haven't made the time to sit down and fill y'all in on what's going on with us. A lot happened in November. So, I am going to do a few posts highlighting some of the things going on. I hope you enjoy hearing about our month as much as we enjoyed it. It was so great to have Todd home for the month. We are so thankful that he didn't have to travel for work this month!

Surrounded By Beauty

2008-11-05T16:21:00.002-05:00

We used to go for a "Sunday drive" often but have cut back as gas prices rose. This past weekend we went to Waynesboro (almost 2 hours north of here) to drop off a trailer. On the way home we decided to take the scenic route, AKA the Blue Ridge Parkway. We stopped a few times along the way to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. Even coming into November, the leaves were beautiful. We were reminded how blessed we are to be surrounded by such beauty. Even in Lynchburg, you can look around and see beauty in the distance. We feel truly blessed to call this area home.

Happy November!

2008-11-01T23:45:00.006-04:00

This morning I told the boys to wake Todd up. They thought I said to go to bed with Todd! What a life!

Tonight our friends, Charles & Kelly, invited us to go to a bonfire with them. It was great to just sit by the fire and relax. There was also great food and yummy s'mores! Thanks for the invite guys!

Happy Birthday Kelly!

2008-10-29T22:38:00.004-04:00

Tonight I went to a surprise party for my friend Kelly. She knew something was up when her hubby started making 20 hamburgers! I had a good time... Laughed a lot! I wish Todd could have been there. Hopefully he won't have to travel too much longer!

Happy Birthday Kelly!

Baby Nicco

2008-10-28T17:32:00.004-04:00

A few people have asked for a more recent photo of our new nephew Nicco that was born in July. Mom is out there now visiting and said he is the happiest baby. This is the most recent pic I have. Isn't he a cutie?! I can't wait to meet him.

A Note of Thanks

2008-10-23T18:39:00.006-04:00

It is so awesome how God works. I know He's amazing yet, every time I see clear evidence of it, I am astounded. The past 2 weeks have been pretty wearing on me. Todd has been out of town, the weather has been cooler, and again I am not pregnant. After 3 years of trying I know that I shouldn't get my hopes up each month. But, I can't help it sometimes. And for some reason, I really thought I would be pregnant this month. Maybe it's because I am a new aunt again, or because everyone around me seems to be getting pregnant. I don't really know what it is. Anyway, today was especially sad for me. Again, nothing that I can pinpoint, just a sad day. I was excited all day knowing that Todd would be home tonight but there was still a sadness dwelling in me. On my way home from taking a friend to the doctor, I decided that I was going to focus on the positive things in my life. One thing that instantly came to mind is Brentwood. I have the awesome privilege to work with and serve an amazing staff. So that is what I thought about the whole way home. How much I have enjoyed getting to know each one of them. And for having them be an important part of my life. Here's where God amazed me...... I got home and checked the mail. I thought it was funny that I had an envelope from Brentwood. I opened it and was surprised that it said "Thank You" on the front of the card. It was strange because I couldn't remember doing anything for anyone this week to warrant a thanks. So I opened it up. Inside was notes of thanks from each of the staff. Funny how God works sometimes. The things they wrote were exactly what I needed to hear! I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, God knew what He was doing! I feel so honored to know each one of them and to be able to help out and make their jobs a little easier. Thanks for all you do Jon, Steve, Tim, Becky, Amee, Nic, and Matt. You guys are awesome!

A Walk In The Park

2008-10-21T13:02:00.005-04:00

On Sunday we decided to get out and enjoy some fresh air. Fall is definitely upon us. We loaded Jake & Rufus into the jeep and headed downtown to Riverside Park. We wanted to go someplace relatively flat so that Jake could enjoy it also. He did enjoy it.

He just had to take a few breaks along the way!

Sundays with Ashley

2008-10-20T22:29:00.008-04:00

Last weekend Ashley came over for lunch. We also picked some apples.

I baked a pie.

I used a bunch of the apples to make applesauce. Yummy!

I love when Ashley comes over for lunch. It usually involves good food, a movie, and a nap on the couch! I love you Ashley!

Discovering Something Beautiful

2008-10-13T23:47:00.009-04:00

Todd and I were doing devotions tonight on the phone and I wanted to share it with you.

Philippians 4:8 Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,...let your mind dwell on these things.

According to legend, a Chinese emperor once said to his wife, "I notice that our mulberry trees are being damaged. I'd like you to find out what's wrong."
The empress discovered that a small, drab-colored moth was laying eggs on the leaves. The tiny eggs would hatch into little worms that, after a few days, would spin cocoons and damage the leaves.
Wondering if she could destroy the little cocoons, she dropped one of them into a pot of boiling water. To her surprise, the cocoon began to slowly unwind into a silvery thread. Upon further inspection, the thread proved to be a half-mile long!
Thus, through the process of solving a problem, she discovered something beautiful-silk.
To me, this story illustrates the importance of attitude when you deal with differences between you and your mate. Like flies at a summer picnic, differences buzz in the ears of many couples, threatening to rob their relationships of their peaceful, accepting love. As humorist Sam Levenson once said, "Love at first sight is easy to understand; it's when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle!"
Ironically, these differences may have attracted you to each other in the first place. He was outgoing; she was shy. He was a big spender, which made her feel special because she was a tightwad. He was a hard worker; she was impulsive and fun loving.
At some point after marriage, when you discover that these differences begin to annoy you, it's time to make a critical choice. Are you going to reject your mate, or accept him or her?
One practical way to demonstrate acceptance is to train your mind to focus on the positive qualities of your mate. As Paul writes in Philippians 4:8 (above), let your mind dwell on what is honorable and lovely in your mate.
These differences are what make you strong as a couple. A friend of mine summarized this principle, "My wife and I had both accepted Christ, but we were shocked to discover that we had never accepted one another."
Prayer: That you will develop the ability to accept the gift God gave you in your mate.
Discuss: Make a list of all your differences and how you complement one another. Then make a list of all the positive qualities in your mate. Write out a love letter that is a statement of your acceptance of your mate.

I instantly thought of our hiking trip this weekend. We went hiking in Appomattox Historical Village.

This is Todd's hiking survival kit:

(rope, lighter, fleece jacket, sunglasses, Leatherman multi-tool,

1/2 an acorn to use as an emergency whistle)

This my hiking survival kit:

(sweet tea, chapstick, baby wipes)

Just one of our few differences!