Bridal Shower

Last night Abby and I attended a bridal shower for our friend, Ashley. I am good friends with her mom, and Ashley taught a girls Bible study last summer to some of the teen girls from church at her home once a week. Ashley and her mom also co-teach Abby's wednesday night Girl's Ministries class. She is marrying Bryce. Bryce is the brother of her very best friend. It has been a privilege to be able to know these two young people and watch their relationship blossom. They both coached teams for Teen Bible Quiz, having gone through the program themselves. What a blessing for my kids to see such a Christ centered relationship between two young adults. Abby was so excited to go to the bridal shower. She couldn't remember any others that she has been to. She was too little to remember any. We had fun shopping for a gift. Talking about boys, marriage(later on!), and setting up a household and what that all entails :) The shower itself was beautiful! One of the ladies from church who has known Ashley since she was a child shared a beautiful devotional. There were some fun games, yummy desserts, great fellowship. So fun to watch her open her gifts. At the end she shared her love story, the one she waited on God to write. So beautiful and enspiring to the young ladies that were there. Her mom in law to be prayed a beautiful prayer over her that left tears in my eyes. One of the things we did, was to write marriage advice to Ashley on slips of paper. She read some of them out loud. I was curious as to what Abby would write, considering she is 14 and not married! Ashley read hers. It said "The first key to a good marriage is to get Married." LOL What a silly girl. The women all got a kick out of it though! We are excited for Bryce and Ashley's wedding. They get married two days before we leave for CA! Be Blessed!

Where is the bride and fire engines!

Goodness! What a weekend! Paul was gone for drill all weekend, so it was me and the kids. We were quite busy with many things going on. Saturday afternoon we headed out to Wilder, Idaho for the wedding I previously talked about. It's about a 45 minute drive from here. Well, the wedding didn't happen! She didn't show up. I'm not sure what happened and I haven't been able to talk to her. There are rumors and such, but I don't know for sure so won't share those here. I did find out that they already married. I do pray that they work out whatever it is and get off to a better start with their marriage and I hope to be able to communicate with her soon. That is the first time I've ever attended a wedding that didn't happen. And it was quite interesting and hard to explain to the kids! If you do think about it, I know most everyone reading probably doesn't know them, but could you say some prayers for the couple? They are quite young but I know with God they could have a marvelous marriage! Since the wedding didn't happen, we were back in Boise earlier that expected. Abby's best friend was dancing in her ballet company's end of year recital that evening. Abby had really wanted to go. So we did. It was beautiful! We knew the two star dancers and many others from our homeschool co-op. Towards the end the fire alarm went off and we all had to leave the building for about 20 minutes. Turns out a little boy pulled the alarm. I was amazed at some of the stuff other people were saying. It was awful. I just remember being a mom of littles and it only takes one second of looking away for something like that to happen! They resumed the ballet and did a great job :) We stopped for dinner with some friends on the way home, had a great time visiting. Had some minor van trouble on the way home, but was able to make it home, figure out what it was and fix it.(It's great to have a son that knows so much about cars when hubby is gone!). Sunday, we got up for church. Sunday school was great. It was neat to see the husbands/dads resolve to lead their families with God. If you haven't ever seen it, go see the movie "Courageous". Church service was also good. We had a special speaker who had held an Intensive Bible study seminar this weekend. I heard the seminar was good. He shared a bit about that and about his travels as a missionary. Very good! After church we went to a friends home for a potluck and fellowship with our marriage sunday school class. While I missed having hubby with me, I did have a good time fellowshipping! I am going to really miss these people! We left the potluck, came home, fixed dinner so it was ready when Paul got home and then spent time getting ready for the new week. This will be our last week of homeschooling for the "school" year :) Abby and I will be attending a bridal shower tonight for another friend getting married next week. We are excited to help Ashley celebrate :) Next weekend we will be going to Twin to visit family and attend Paul's brother's wedding :) Tis the season for weddings! Be Blessed!

One Month From Yesterday

One month form yesterday we leave for California. I was in the kitchen yesterday afternoon and Abby came in and said "Mom,it's the 18th". I didn't get it at first...then it dawned on me, 18th of May, we leave 18th of June. I didn't realize she was keeping close track. Both kids haven't talked much lately about moving. They've talked a little bit about California and they are really interested when Paul and I have been looking at houses online. They've also been VERY busy with activities and life, so I wasn't so sure it's even been on their minds. Apparantly, it has been. They have matured alot, while they are sad to leave, they both do seem genuinely excited to move. Abby calls it the adventure! Jacob is ready for it to happen so we can get settled. Then he gets driver's training and may be allowed to get a part time job. He is very much looking forward to those two things. I mentioned we've been busy. Co-op is done. We had our last parent meeting for the year on Thursday evening. The whole family was invited to view displays of what the classes have been doing. Also, the drama class presented the play they have been working on. Abby was a part of the drama. She played Odysseus. It was a comical/satire of the Trojan War. Pretty funny and all the kids did a wonderful job! Yesterday, I got up and went to another homeschool mom's home with about 10 other families. Had a multi family curriculum/yard sale. I priced to sell and did quite well, selling most everything! Last night Abby had a pizza and game night with her Friends(Girls Ministries) class for winning "Penny Wars". So Jacob and I dropped her off and went and had dinner together. Paul is away this weekend for Drill. Today, we have a wedding to attend. We know Jenny from church. I think she had attended way before we moved here. She had moved away in high school and moved back this year. She helped out with the Teen Bible Quiz and that is how we got to know her. She is marrying her fiance, Josh today. He is a new Marine. It's been fun to talk with her and watch as she has planned her wedding and getting ready to be a military wife. Brought back lots of memories for me as I became a military wife when I married Paul(almost 19 years ago!). Tomorrow will be church. It's our last Sunday School day. Sunday school takes a break from Memorial day through Labor day. In our marriage class we've been talking about the "Resolution" from the movie "Courageous". It's been really good! Tomorrow morning in Sunday School quite a few families will be signing their own "Resolution". Quite awesome if you ask me! We don't get to participate and I'm quite sad about that. Paul has to work, they are out in the training areas all weekend and he can't even make it in for just an hour or two. :( But we already have committed long ago to may of the points of the Resolution and have lived by it for many, many years. The ceremony and signing would have just been a physical memory of it. Well, I should go start getting the kids moving for the day! Be Blessed!