Please help this woman

I encourage you to check out this blog (http://swedenforachange.blogspot.com/). My very dear friend has a huge heart from Sweden and really wants to go there and minister to the people for the next year. Swedes are very smart and, for the most part, financially stable, but very few believe in Christ or any form of god. My friend, Maleah, is trying to go to Sweden through Campus Crusade for Christ, but needs financial support quite badly. If she does not pull in her support before August she will not be able to go. I am supporting her as much as I can, please pray and consider doing the same. Her blog (linked above) explains everything about her desire to go to Sweden and also the circumstances she will encounter there. Thanks for listening guys! Please add Maleah to your prayer list.

Bday pix

This me calling to see who all is coming to dinner. We actually had a really big group, but we forgot to take pictures of that part


After dinner Lee j., Dave, and I hit up Wild Wings and just happened to be there when this band was playing. They were superb!!! We even bought their CD. Really awesome






This is us at the end of the evening. It was around 2 am when we got home, but it was an awesome birthday. Thanks everyone who came! It was great to celebrate with you!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!!! You taught me how to read and lose myself in a wonderful book. I'm still making summer reading lists and looking forward to reading my next book. You tried oh so hard to teach me math, but alas Mom, it didn't work, not for the lack of trying on either part though, I promise. You and Dad introduced me to the love of camping. I can never sleep as well at home or anywhere else as I can in a sleeping bag inside a tent on a cool night. You taught me how to dance and I can now be caught dancing around the house on any given day. You taught me how to be independent and strong, to search inside myself for the talents God gave me and be the strongest woman I can be. But most importantly, you taught me how to lean on Christ, and trust Him when things were good or bad. You're an amazing Mom, woman, and friend, I love you dearly Mom!

Sun--Father's day swim party

Ya'll better be thankful for these pictures cause it took me about an hour to get them all uploaded!!! Blogger and Safari were being slow this morning. Enjoy!


"cheese!"

"I can do it by myself thanks"

The non-swimmers and gawkers eating ice cream


"Yay! Daddy's in the pool!"

The "rock-n-lounge" was a pretty big hit for all! Though mom almost got dumped out :)




"pees" have some ice cream?

Sat--rappelling with Daddy

Teaching Amy and Jeremy how to belay



Daddy doing his famous flying rappel



Teaching how to tie a harness



Sending someone off the tower

Father's Day weekend

This last weekend I went home to see my dad before he leaves the country for a bit for a mission trip, and because it was Father's Day. Saturday morning I helped him with a rappelling group. It was so neat to be able to work with him doing that again. I took lots of pictures of him doing what I remember him doing best as a kid--teaching Challenge. I enjoyed our time together immensely. Sunday I went to church with mom and dad and then the family had lunch together at grandmama's house. We ate and swam and had lots of fun. It was nice just to chill with the family. I got the chance to have some great conversations with mom and dad this weekend that I really treasured; it was truly memorable. Hopefully I'll get pictures up here soon, but I worked late today (11 hrs total), and I haven't really had time to spend with Dave since Thursday. G'night all! PIctures to follow!

hair cut

It feels SO much lighter! Wuhoo!

Before


After


But the girl went a little nuts with the blow dryer--so it looks kinda frizzy in the after!

For the Love of The Game

My Settlers of Catan game came in a few days ago and the girls and I got to play last night! It was SO AWESOME! You don't even know, seriously, amazing. And Shannon, I'm brining your game back next weekend, just keep reminding me. If possible I'm going to bring this game with me and we MUST play, but it takes a long time guys, like a few hours. It's kinda like Monopoly in that way, but SOOO much more fun and worth the effort. Maybe I can convince Mom and Dad to play with me, ya think? The girls and I ended up playing two games in a row, one with 5 people and the last one with just 3. We played from 8 until 1:30 am (for both games)! So so fun. I can't even explain really.

Today I'm FINALLY getting my hair cut. I haven't had it cut since NOVEMBER! It's so long that when I pull it up into a high ponytail, it still covers my neck. I can't handle it in the heat--yeesh! We've started leaving the air on pretty much all the time now cause it's so hot by midmorning the house is already too warm. I'm not working until 3 pm today--weird huh? I have training for a couple of hours and then I do an Alpine Tower sampler--which is basically a shorter version of what we do during most days. People can pay less and just come and check out the A.T. for a 2 hours. I think it's a pretty good deal actually. So I'm just chillin' here until it's time for my haircut in an hour and then I'll do some housework until I head to work.

The last of breakfast--for awhile

This morning will probably be the last time Dave and I have breakfast together for awhile. I'm pretty much on the schedule at work for the next 14 days straight. I work this afternoon too, but at least I can go to church first. I'm none too pleased about this work arrangement, but I can't do much about it. I'm not sure what my "rights" are concerning a day off, but I think half days count so that works out for them. I have a half day on Wednesday and Friday, so I guess that counts as one day off this week. I think that's all they have to give me. Fun stuff. I'll be on the ropes course in this scorching heat for the next couple of days and then I get my first water trip of the season--which I'm actually excited about, even if it is a ducky trip (inflatable kayaks).

Yesterday was pretty fun. Dave and I slept in and then he made me waffles with strawberries. Then we hung around the house for awhile and took a really long nap. For lunch we went to Na-Bers Drive-In. Really good! They're like our local Whataburger Shannon! They even had Cherry Lemon Mt. Dew. No, it's no Sundrop, but it's still good! Afterwards we headed to the river to do a short kayaking run. Then I talked Dave into walking up the creek with our boats as opposed to walking on the road with our boats back to the house. The river intersects with the creek behind our house about 1/4 of a mile down. So we walked up it--it felt so good as hot as it was yesterday. Then we got home and let the puppy out and all played in the water. We decided to have a cook-out with our neighbors who live on the other side of duplex. We did cabobs with whatever you wanted on them. A great day actually! We were going to go see a local band play last night, but then ended up heading to bed. Though I did stay up until about midnight just reading. Ah, summer livin'.