Well Hello There!

Yikes! I haven't blogged since Tuesday. I think that is the longest period of time I have gone without blogging (other than our Disney trip) since the beginning!

I would have loved to have done so before today, but the truth is, I have just been to insanely busy!

My week in a nutshell:
1. Kids' haircuts (perhaps a small thing for some people, accomplishing this in my world is huge!)
2. First week of Preschool
3. First night of MOPS
4. Prepare items for Fall Consignment Sale
5. Le Tourneau Christian Camp (more on that later)
6. Volunteer & Shop at Consignment Sale
7. Selah concert
8. Wash, sort, & put away Fall/Winter clothes for kids

Don't get me wrong, I love my busy life! Especially this week! It has been hectic, but a week of huge blessings!

The kids did great with their 1st week of preschool. They love going and say goodbye to me when I drop them off without any hesitation. One thing I wasn't quite prepared for was the "stuff" that will come home with them. When we arrive home there is a dumping ground of sorts by the back door where backpacks fall, shoes are kicked off, and papers galore are scattered. Ughh...we SO need a mudroom!

Tuesday night our MOPS group had our first meeting! What a night! We had over 40 moms join us--several new moms too! Three years ago when I started going, there were around 10 moms attending regularly, so I'm just so amazed at how God is using this ministry to reach out to the moms in our area. If you ever want to learn more about MOPS, or our group in particular, feel free to email me!

As I have the past 3 years, I signed up for the Weepeats Consignment sale in Rochester. It is a giant sale that is organized for you---all you have to do is tag items to be sold. You earn a large cut of the selling price and if you volunteer to help at the sale, you can shop before the public. There is a huge benefit for me to participate in this sale, despite the fact that it involves some time and energy (often in short supply around here!) By reselling the kids' clothes and toys, I'm able to recycle that part of our income back into purchasing things that they will need for the next season. But volunteering and shopping early, I'm able to ensure that I will be able to get the things I need for them, like boots, snowpants, and other seasonal items. My favorite items that I picked up this year were the kids' Halloween costumes. I grabbed all 4 really nice quality costumes for under $30 total. Of course I'm not sharing what they are---you'll just have to stop by at the end of October to find out.

Several months ago I was contacted by an extended family member and invited to share my testimony and Brady's story at Le Tourneau Christian Camp as part of Blessed Hope Ministry's Ladies' Luncheon Series. So on Thursday, off I went to spend the middle part of the day speaking to this wonderful group of women and their guests. This is the 2nd time I have been able to publicly share how the Lord has worked in my life and to tell of His faithfulness through Brady's cancer journey. As I said to the women before I started my story, there is no way that you can experience what we have and not tell anyone who will listen! After I shared my testimony, I sang a song and then shared a slide show of pictures that Matt and I worked on. I think it was so effective to be able to visually show what our family has been through. I was so blessed by the many wonderful conversations I had with the women afterward. It is so awe inspiring to see how God can use my life to connect with others who have gone through similar circumstances. Matt and I have been hopeful all along that God would use Brady's story to reach others for His glory. Soon there will be a contact button on the blog so that if you would like to have me come and share our story with your group, you can find out more.

What better way to end such an amazing week than with a Selah concert with my hubby! He had surprised me with tickets months ago, and at the time we didn't' realize all the craziness that would be going on the week of the concert. Selah performed Thursday night about 25 minutes from us, but we couldn't go to that show because I was volunteering at the sale. So instead, we drove 1 1/2 hours to Bath, NY for their show last night! It was actually a great ride down as we got to just talk and be alone! I can't leave out the part about our wonderfully romantic dinner for two at Subway inside the Konona exit gas station. That is all we had time for, but we made it fun anyway!

If you ever get a chance to go to a Selah concert... do it! We just went to see them about 2 years ago, and we didn't hesitate about going again. Their shows are so much more than a concert, they really are a worship experience. Some friends of ours were also there and had saved us some great seats! Even more amazingly, they had a connection with the venue, Family Life Network, so we were able to take a behind the scenes tour of the Family Life Network Radio Station. About 90% of it was way over my head, but the technology involved in running that station was so cool! We got to meet the director, several of the on-air personalities, and oh yes, we walked right past Selah as they sat backstage after the concert. I also waiting in line to get my picture with them, and I will share that soon! We made it home just after midnight and are looking forward to a weekend of relaxing. You know, lawn work, laundry, and cleaning:)

Life is good. Busy.Wonderful.Good!