Opps...I take that back

Okay...first of all let me just say that the fact that I am blogging about this means that I am really, REALLY bored! Haha! So here goes. I was reading back over my last blog where I said that this was the worst I remember feeling in a long time. Apparently those are the kinds of things that we say when we are in the depths of feeling bad. I have to recall this statement because back in October I thought I was going to die in Slovakia. Haha!
Beautiful places right? But do you see my face? Haha! I really thought my family was going to have to fly overseas to bury me. Now that is definitely the sickest I have ever been! And don't even get me started on the "rare but serious side effect" of the medicine I was put on. Haha! That may, subconciously, be why I haven't ventured to see the doc this time. I think I am still shell shocked. Haha! We have a team going back to Slovakia this summer and they have asked me if I am going to go with them. I can't imagine going back. Isn't that sad? It is kind of like when I was 5 or 6 and got sick at Denny's. I think I was a Sr. in high school before I could make myself go back there. I think that may also be when I decided that I didn't like eggs. Slovakia was nice and Prague was the most gorgeous city I have ever seen. I sure hope that I can get over that someday because I would love to visit these places again. But, it probably won't be anytime soon!

Sick as a Dog!

Well visiting Matt, Carla, and Scout was an absolute blast....BUT since then I have been sicker than I remember being in quite some time. As much as I hate being sick, it was SO worth it! Anyway, it has been three days since I have been out of this house and I am so incredibly bored!!! Poor Mattie had to go to the doctor today and they said that he has a viral infection, whatever that is. So that is probably what I have to. You know those Mucinex commercials that are so gross? Well, I have spent the last few days picturing those little boogers (pun intended) setting up shop in my head. Oh for the days of easy breathing. Haha!

The Scoutster Rocks!!!!

I got to spend several days with Matt, Carla, and Scout over the last week. It was so much fun!!! I love them so much and can't wait till the day we all live closer!







I went to Richmond to the International Mission Board for conferences this last week. I got to spend the weekend before in Williamsburg and then Friday night I stopped back in for the night before heading to Ridgecrest.

Carla, Scout, and I did lots of shopping. We also took Scout down to Colonial Williamsburg and got some shots with local statues and trees and stuff...haha.





Scout is way too good a girl to actually be put in shackles! Haha!



This poor guy...he toured Williamsburg by horse carriage all alone for at least 30 minutes. We kept wondering if we should ask if we could join him, but we decided he might need some time alone. Haha!



One night we all went to Christiana Campbell's Tavern. That was a blast. All of the staff wore colonial garb and there was no electricity. It was a little pricey, but one of those things you should definitely do if you visit Williamsburg. One man came by playing some kind of guitar and Scout was mesmerized. He sang a song called, well, actually I can't remember, but I have a call out to Carla about that. Haha! We had so much fun with that song. Carla even looked it up on iTunes so that we could have more fun with it at home. But the two greatest things that happened at Christiana's were from other guests. There was this woman who was totally into the whole colonial experience. She wrapped the napkin around her like they used to do, which was hilarious. But then she started talking. She was talking to the man that she was with about the speech that she heard Thomas Jefferson give that afternoon. I think she really thought that she had been transported in time. Matt and I had a really hard time not laughing about that. Then the customer who had been at our table before us came back because she lost her wallet. You have to understand how tightly they have these tables crammed into this room. We hardly had any room and we were trying to keep Scout happy until the food came, when this woman came to our table and asked if we could get up so that she could crawl under our table and look for her wallet. Remember there is no electricity in this place. The waiter had already asked to look one time. Now this could have either been very frustrating or absolutely, positively hilarious. I was with Matt and Carla...so...it was ABSOLUTELY hilarious! We were cracking up, even while the woman was on the floor under our table. Even funnier, the wallet was not there. We were guessing that her son had something to do with the missing wallet. Haha!

Now at Christmas Scout had her "cheese" smile on every time the camera flashed. Now she is doing this look of shock or surprise. It is so funny. She raises her eyebrows, rounds her mouth and sucks in air. She does it anytime the camera goes off or anytime something new is introduced. Now I don't mean new as in something she has never seen before, I mean new as in if you walk in holding a glass of water, or the remote, or a pair of socks. Haha. I love it.





She has this uncanny way of making you feel like you are her favorite person in the world. It is so wonderful! I could just eat her up. I hate being so far from her.





I really had a good time with Carla too. What a great sister! I am so blessed to have her. Matt...well, that goes without saying. I have loved him since the day that bright eyed baby was born. Man, I miss them! And pistachio pudding and the President's Parade! Haha

The Greater Greenville Shrinkdown

Sounds like fun, huh? Haha. Well, that is what the staff of Brushy Creek Baptist Church is up to. The YMCA and a couple of other sponsors are heading up this 8 week event. Offices all over Greenville are competing to see who can lose the most weight. Last week we were ranked 3rd. Yeah! This week we are a little further down the list. Haha!



This is the before picture that was in the newspaper. I took a day of vacation that day. Haha! Sorry Colette, you had to do it without me. Haha! I can't wait to show you the after picture!

Merry Christmas!

Well, this was one of the best Christmases ever! Watching Scout play and laugh was incredible. Matt, Carla, Scout, and Marcio (an 18 year old boy from Brazil who works for Matt) arrived late Saturday night. On Sunday morning, in our Christmas eve service, Scout was dedicated to the Lord. It was such a sweet service.







I was so excited that Luke, Erin, and Kate were home for Christmas and were able to come to Scout's dedication.



Sunday night we all spent the night with mom and dad. With all of us and Copper and Maggie, it was quite the full house. We woke up early and had a big breakfast. Then we gathered around the den to see what Santa brought. It was my favorite part of the weekend. Just hanging out in our pj's and enjoying each other.







After opening our gifts and cleaning up, we headed over to Ma and Papa's house. It was the first time in several years that we have all been together. It was a lot of fun. In this picture of Scout with Daniel and Danielle, you can see her new trick. Every time the red light on the camera blinks, she gets this hilarious grin where she closes her eyes and juts out her chin. Apparently she has had her picture taken so much that she knows when it is coming and she is into posing now. Haha!



Maggie and Scout are quickly becoming big buddies. They spent a lot of time chasing each other around.





We ended Christmas Day by taking Marcio to Clemson to see the campus and especially the stadium. He has definately be converted! Haha! Stephen, Holly, Sonny, and Jo gave him a Clemson football for Christmas and I gave him a Clemson t-shirt. He was so excited when he saw the stadium. It is always a good day when you end it in Clemson!

O Christmas Tree, part 2

Yeah! We pulled it off! We had a blast tonight! Several hundred people showed up and we had the most incredible night. It was so much fun to watch the people's faces that we sang to. We sang to several older ladies who cried. It was so touching to know that in some way you showed people that they were loved. We also gave out books called "Why A Manger?" It is a pretty good little book. I hope that through it many people will come to truly understand the gift of Christ! After that, we headed back to the church and drank some cocoa and ate some cookies. Then we sang carols around the tree while the kids put decorations up. So maybe the tree wasn't such a bad idea. :)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

I don't know why in the world I don't learn to keep my big mouth shut during staff meetings. But...here we go again! I came up with an idea to have a caroling night where the whole church family will come together for caroling and then trim a tree on the front lawn. Now a tree on the front lawn has to be a pretty big tree. So I started asking around and Mr. Roy Jones graciously cut one down at his farm and hauled it over to the church yesterday. He hauled all 27 feet of it. Holey Moley! That is one big tree! And now, we have to decorate it. So Marshall, Steve Bielby, Carson, Chris Garrick, and myself got to work decorating the tree this morning. Three hours later, we had about 1/8 of the lights hung with a crooked star on top. Haha! (By the way, thanks for the star Tommy) We were using a lift that reaches about 20 feet in the air. Chris and I got to the top and I kind of freaked out. It was swaying with the wind and there isn't a rail around half of it. I didn't say that I needed down, but I think Chris could read my face, because all of a sudden we were heading back down. Haha! It was really scary...but I didn't scream or cry...haha! So anyway, we took a lunch break (which I am currently on) and Marshall ordered a bucket lift. He and David Nabors are getting ready to start back up with the lights and I am going back in a little while to help with the ornaments. I can't wait for this part to be over, but I know that it is going to turn out great! I am really looking forward to Wednesday night too. We are going to meet and go caroling and then come back to the church to finish decorating the bottom 8 feet of the tree and snack on Christmas goodies and hot cocoa! I will upload some pics of the tree and the event next week!