Bush Gardens and Virginia Beach

So we finally got to go on vacation even if it was only for a few days it was worth it. We decided to go to Bush Gardens in Williamsburg and Virginia Beach. As most know Henry and I lived in Hampton for sometime while Henry went through the Apprentice school.

We left out at 3am Thursday morning and the kids and Henry crashed while I drove ( I had slept a few hours after VBS) Speaking of VBS I was bummed I had to miss the last 2 nights. I had a group of GREAT kids. They were so loving and well behaved.

Anyway we arrived in Williamsburg around 7:30 and stopped off at Golden Corral for breakfast and to stretch for a bit. We had a nice breakfast and as usual Zack kept us entertained even that early. Speaking of Zack I hadn't heard a word out of him and when we got on the other sided of Richmond he pops up and said when are we getting food. That is my dear teenage son.....

So after we left breakfast we went to pick up the 2 FREE tickets we got for the park and went on to Bush Gardens. We actually got there at 9:30 right around when they opened. We figured we would make the most out of the day. As we enter into the park we saw one of the displays where you can stick your head through. Well I would like for you to notice what each one says the boys are in. Dylans says,"The cost of an untidy chamber" and Zacks "for the want of a quiet tounge" They didn't read what they said before they got in. But funny how they fit perfect!!! Their dad and I got a big kick out of it.

Well Henry and I have always loved the Clysedale horses. We have pictures with them every time we go there. When we would have went before in our drinking days we would have bought all kinds of shirts and junk..... But here are a few shots of the horses.

We rode a couple of rides that are in 4D and they were very cool. They both were fun and there were things we liked bettter about each of them. There was one in Ireland which is were the picture is taken. The other ride is in Germany and a castle.

So we rode every roller coaster in the park. My favorite besides the Loch Ness (which will always rank at the top) is the new one called Griffon. We finally got Dylan on it at the end of the day. Dylan rode Loch Ness, Griffon and Big Bad Wolf.

Speaking of Wolves these two are wolves they have there they rescued. One is a white wolf and the other grey. Dylan got the biggest kick seeing them sitting there howling (which I wasn't able to get a picture of) Also they had several eagles they had saved from death.

There is a picture of all of us on the Loch Ness I will post when Henry scans it in for me tomorrow. It is a good picture....

This fountain cracked the boys up they saw it only as a naked lady on top and not art so I had to get a picture..... Those are my boys!!!!

So the next day we went to Virginia Beach and spent sometime there. I have missed the beach. We lived near Buckroe beach. I miss it. Henry and I took the boys around Hampton on our last day there and showd them where they would have gone to school our old house. We stopped to see one of our old neighbors. He was amazed at how the boys had grown Dyl wasn't even a year old when we left. We took them over the James River Bridge so they could get a good look at the shipyard and teh boats where their dad worked. We talked about how different our lives might have been. I worked for Cannon and we would have had our house halfway paid for at a little over $400 a month. Kind of depressing when you think about it..... But we do know God had other things planned for us.

I do have to say I was amazed at how things have changed. Things have grown and some of our favorite spots are gone.

Here are a few pictures of our time at the beach. We had alot of fun and wished we could've stayed longer. I am so looking forward to our trip next year with my whole family.

Late post on 4th of July

So I am way late with my 4th of July post but oh well better late than never. And besides that it is still July....

So we had a good day with friends that began at some of our friends home. They are a great family and we so enjoy being with them. These first few photos are of myself and T. Also another wonderful couple who are also a great example of what God intended a family to be. Lord knows Henry and I need all the help we can get.

So here are some of the wonderful kids that I absolutely adore. They mean the world to me and I love being a part of their lives.

So have you ever heard of the game cornwhole (I think that is how you say it) Well it is a new thing with my family but they have taken to it. Also alot of trash talk seems to go along with it. In these two photos it shows my guys and T's hubby playing. You play teams like you do in horseshoes.

So this guy is Jerome. He is one of Henry's VERY BEST FRIENDS from high school. Henry tends to hold on to those that he trust and can feel close to. Jerome was in visting family from northern Virginia and we just happened to find him again the week before the 4th. We had lost touch with him for a few years but were happy to find him again. Next time we hope it won't be so long. He tells us he will be moving back to this area in a year or so to be close to his mom.

So finally these are some of Christiansburg fireworks and they always do a good job.

So with all that little bit of whatever I pray you are all having a blessed summer.

Montana Mission trip

So I haven't blogged in awhile. I actually got very busy after my last blog which I thought was bit mundane. I don't see any end in site either to the running since we are going into football season.

Anyway on July 7th our mission team from ODBC flew out of Charlotte at 8am bound for Montana Browining to be exact. I was a bundle of emotions from excitement to being absolutely scared to death. I never expected what would happen and how God would work things out once we got there. I had heard all the stories from the previous 2 years of how He always did but WOW!!!

I have to first say I have never seen such beautiful scenery as these few pictures show. I know I come from a beautiful area but every turn we made I just said WOW again and again. I know that sounds so corny but hey it is true. We traveled though Glacier Park on a road called Going To the Sun road. Believe you me that is what it feels like. You keep going up and up.... As my computer is unbelievably slow I don't know how many photos I will post now but I will share as many as I can and I encourage you to go to my My Space page and check them out http://www.myspace.com/lisamomwife I am posting them in one of my albums.

Zack got to go on this trip with which was such a blessing. Anyway we traveled on through God's beautiful creation and we finally got to Browning. That area has some amazing people. I don't think they truely know it.

This picture is of a little girl I met a Black Feet Youth Days she was a joy. Her name is La'Rae. She came up to me and asked if I knew where Chris was. Now I have to say out of all the Black Feet people there she picked the big hipped curly blonde lady, go figure. As we walked because I can never tell a cute kid no we chatted and she wasn't real sure who Chris was so I asked her if she knew who Jesus is. She said yes he died for us and lives up there (pointing to the sky) I asked her if she knew how she could be with always here and live with him in heaven when she died. She said she didn't so in my way of being a kid I told her. We sat at the picnic table and talked and I began to notice some of the teens ecspecailly Zack following behind. We prayed and she said she wanted to live with Jesus always. She gave me a GREAT BIG hug and just melted my heart. I would have brought her home if I could. I called Henry right after and told him I was in tears. She would have been worth the whole trip but God had so much more in store.

We had a booth set up at the Pow Wow where the Indian people gather to celebrate their heritage. We were on the corner near the carnival and had lots of traffic. We had purchased a tv and basketball goal to give away. The young men and women are great basketball players. I think there is alot of raw talent there.

Anyway we found it funny how the devil was fighting us. Set up next to us was Planned Parenthood next to them was the Lutherans and down from them were the Scientologist. The Scientologist had a sign saying "Something Can Be Done" so one of the memebers of Glacier View Baptist Chapel made the sign shown in the following picture....

The scientology people broke their necks to see what we had to say. We were there hoping to only double what God had done last year. The first year 7 were saved last year it was 14 well God was gonna use our small team in great ways. By the second day we were up to 29. Can you believe it?! By the last day at the booth we had been privelaged enough to lead 44 souls to the Lord. AMAZING.... I say that normally anyway but we really paddling up stream so to speak. Our first day at the campground we got a call that a wonderful man in our church passed of a heart attack at the age of 53. He was a hard worker but we know we will see him again someday. On the second day one of our deacons had a very severe heart attack. Also that same day one of our little widow ladies who has NEVER been in the hospital and she is in her 90's broke her hip. Then on to the next day one of our members had a pancreas attack. We were at war but didn't stop.

I have to share this story but I have no picture of her. On Sunday after a wonderful Montana potluck we went to the jail. I was ok at first and once they took us into the "tv room" (which by the way had no tv) I began to get very nervous. Maybe I have watched too much tv. I got sick to my stomach and began to cry. Todd, Eric, Debbie, Phillip and Jordan made sure I was ok. Then the door opened and the guard said there was one girl who wanted to talk. Her name was Charonda. She is 22 and has a 6 month old baby. She had been picked up on Friday for drinking. She told me when she left she knew she should have stayed at home with that beautiful little girl Winter. She had gotten pregnant just before going off to school on a scholarship and lost it all at one night of being careless. The father left her and she had no one but her mother, all her family were either drug addicts or alcoholics. She was broken I sat and read the Bible with her and showed her ways that she can get her life under control. I shared my testimony with her and told her it will not always be easy she will be tempted but that is the moment she can shine for Christ. She accepted Christ that day she told me she could feel that things would be different for her. The real thing about this story that really broke me was this. She told me her mom couldn't afford her bond. I asked her how much it was and she said $75. I was shocked and I know how I take things for granted. If noone could come up with that money when she went to court the next morning she would have to sit in jail until someone paid it......

This is a shot of where we camped.... we actually found out there was a bear nearby one night.

We did enjoy fellowship as well and here a couple of goofy moments

Oh yeah one more thing Mr. Todd.... told us if we hit 50 being saved he would shave his head.... HEHEHE

Check out the Mama Moose we saw and the beaver that my son hit with a rock trying to get its attention.... It was an accident. The moose had 2 babies with it.... very cool