Isn't Carson just cute??! That's his Cubs outfit with overalls. He's starting to coo and talk to himself...it's really sweet.









David and Jonathan (one of his youth) planned this father son wheelbarrow kickball thing. It was so much fun and they ended up playing in the rain. This was the T-shirt made for it.


No job prospects yet.....but I saw the townhouse I can move into if I get a job and it is nice!

Ok, so I'm back to being content and cheerful...I was tired and the enemy was chipping away at me the other day. Really encouraging Bible study "A Long Obedience in the Same DIrection" by Eugene Peterson. I meet with a group of ladies to discuss the book...it's good!
Quotes:
"But the content of our lives is God, not humanity. We are not scavenging in the dark alleys of the world, poking in its garbage cans for a bare subsistance. We are traveling in the light, toward God who is rich in mercy and strong to save. It is Christ, not culture, that defines our lives."

" Good poetry survives not when it is pretty or beautiful or nice, but when it is true: accurate and honest. The psalms are great poetry and have lasted not because they appeal to our fantasies and our wishes but because they are confirmed in the intensities of honest and hazardous living..... It is not a press release. It is an honest prayer."

And my personal relevant to me favorite:
"God does not treat us as alien others, lining us up so that he can evaluate our competence or our usefulness or our worth. He rules, guides, commands, loves us as children whose destinies he carries in his heart."

New Flash: My grandpa is engaged to his highschool sweetheart!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHe lost her husband to Louis Gherigs disease (sp?) a couple years ago and my grandma died last November and they reconnected... sweet romance in their 80's (grandpa is 84!)

Love you all!

So...although I think I've lost my core reader base...I'll write anyway! I don't have any new pictures, and although I spend a lot of time at home to keep from spending the money I have, I have done some fun stuff. Last weekend I went to Columbia, SC to visit a good friend. It was strange driving down the freeway and all of a sudden recognizing street offramps that sounded familiar but you weren't sure which one it was.... Ahhh the joys of returning to the land you went to highschool in. Anyway...good day! I got to eat a World Famous Rush's burger...yes, yes...I can see your mouths watering now. My brother was disappointed I didn't bring him one back- even if it sat in the car half a day! Then went to the river and went to see Cars...fun flick!

Today I went with Susie and 7 of the youth to eat at Applebee's (kids menu- for those that know my current rule about sit down restaurants) and ice skating. I hadn't been ice skating for a number of years, but had a good time. No Falls!!! Unfortunately, there was a limited number of new, good skates, so one of the girls and I switched off and shared skates. So, it worked out well. It was her first time skating and she picked it up pretty well. The old skates weren't sharpened and didn't stick in the ice well, making it very difficult to skate- especially for a new skater. There is a new ice skating rink being built down the road from our house, so I may be skating more often in the future. The new one will have 3 rinks in it, so hockey will have its own practice rinks.

I found an indoor waterpark online that is here in Charlotte..I'm interested in giving it a try at some point this summer.

Next week I may help out painting or cleaning the new offices my church has been having remodeled. It's a new church (born in April) and the office space was given to them, so it's now been remodeled into a ministry center since the church uses a senior center on Sundays and doesn't have its own space for midweek things.

Love to hear from you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hint Hint...

My weekend in Atlanta was fun! Steve and Niki (top left) were wonderful hosts. It was great getting the chance to hang out with them. On Saturday we all (including Steve's collegue, Angel, middle left) went out on the bikes to a bike shop 45 minutes away. That was a lot of fun. If you've never experienced riding on a motorbike, I recommend it! The wind leaves your face tingling after you stop.
Then in the evening (late) we went and borrowed Steve's sister's golfcart and nephew and rode around on the golf cart trails of peachtree city. You can get seriously lost on those trails...hence the need for their nephew to act as our guide. I think 4 adults and a child was a bit taxing for that poor golfcart though. Fun times!

It is so nice to have lifelong friends from Saudi that no matter how much time passes, are still close friends. It is such a blessing to have that in my life, and I'm thankful they are still willing to put up with me!