Bits and Pieces

Not ready for the Monday Update, yet. But here's some bits and pieces from the past...sheesh...four weeks or so...

We moved our stuff to Pittsfield June 15th and 16th - geez, it seems so long ago not, what, 3 weeks? It's now...July 6th and Lori has most of the rooms unpacked - but the house is still pretty disorganized. We downsized going to Bethel Park, downsized again moving here...and now we're downsizing some more (sorry to the 20+ people who helped us move!!!).

Oh, yeah, it was AMAZING how fast and careful the folks from Otterbein church were in loading and unloading our stuff. We're so thankful for all of the help. If any of you are reading, you're a blessing that we won't forget.

Elie spent one of the past weeks at grandma's and Rachel spent one week at grandma's - but this week they're both here and both avoiding unpacking/organizing/cleaning their rooms (take after Daddy on this one). Elie has two new obsessions: the trampoline her pap and I set up on Saturday and Lego Star Wars on the Wii (she's just really digging anything Star Wars, chip off the old block, here). Rachel hurt her foot pretty bad (scooter accident that has created a bunch of new rules for scooter riding), so she hasn't been on the trampoline yet, but she will be bouncing soon.

Our last Sunday

at Bethel Park was harder than I thought it would be. I mean, we made some good friends and it was not easy to say goodbye (actually, I'm terrible at saying it, so I left this picture)

***

God moves in strange and sometimes scary ways. I know that there are still some people who don't believe that I asked to move (at least one person has written the bishop wanting to know why I was fired or something) but it really was the prompting of the Holy Spirit that started, and accomplished, this whole thing. We were too happy, too comfortable, having too much fun...and, yet when God says go...

Our first Sunday here went pretty well - I was pretty nervous (I always am when I'm new at something) but, again, everyone was amazing. It was good to hear and share the vision of this ministry - to transform the Brokenstraw Valley for Jesus Christ. No small task, that...

It's getting late, the girls have yet to actually sleep in their own rooms (tonight's the night, honest) and I smell like smoke (I was burning boxes - good grief we have a lot of boxes).

Oh, I've been typing this on my front porch (Lori is so happy to really have a front porch - where we can have chairs and maybe even a little table...) while Elie was bouncing on the trampoline. I love my new wireless network... But she's gone in now and it's getting a little damp out here...

I'll check in soon, I promise. And with pictures even...

Blessings to all we love - and all who love us.

*** Yeah, I spelled Good Bye in Ducks...remember how MASH ended??