I ♥ Faces: Wedding Bells

I am entering the following photo in the I ♥ Faces Wedding Bells contest.

To participate or to see all the entries, click on the button above.

I took this photo, along with many others, when photographing the wedding of a friend of a friend. Tracey's wedding was held after Thanksgiving along the beautiful San Antonio Riverwalk.

It is HOT!

It is already very hot in South Texas! Thankfully, we have a pool in the backyard and a/c in the house. Lately it has been so hot that the pool isn't very refreshing mid-day. It feels like bath water. Sunday afternoons usually find me napping on a lounger in the pool. Last Sunday I didn't get much of a nap....I kept getting off the lounger to get back in the water! It was too hot to stay on the floatie.


Evenings are an entirely different story. It's still hot out, but not unbearably so. Evenings usually find us enjoying the pool much more! The water feels much more refreshing...and I never FREEZE as has been the case in the past when I'd go swimming in the evening.

Wordless Wednesday

Is there anything sweeter than a little girl kissing her unborn baby brother???

Check out more wordlessness here.

Final Tube Trip with Kendra

My friend Kendra's husband John is being transferred to Maryland and they are moving this week. :0( Yesterday we took one final lazy trip down the Comal River together. We'll see them one more time before they leave. I will be sad to see them go, but wish them well and know that we will continue to stay in touch via facebook and phone! Isn't technology wonderful!

Heather sailing down the first tube chute. What fun!

Myself and Kendra

Kendra's daughter Erica and my daughter Heather

Kendra and John

Marty, Erica and Heather

John, Marty, me, Kendra and Ashton

After the 2nd tube chute the teenagers decided it was not cool to float with their parents and floated ahead of us. We didn't catch up to them again until the end.

John and Marty

What a great and inexpensive way to spend a weekend afternoon! We're going to miss you and your family Kendra, especially our float trips together!

PhotoStory Friday--Mason

It has been VBS all. week. long. As tiring as VBS can be, it is also very rewarding. It is very rewarding due to stories like that of my pal Mason.




If you've been reading here long, or know me personally, you know I worked in the church nursery for several years. Mason was one of the kids I kept in the nursery. I've known Mason for 8 years now. I have also taught his brothers in Sunday School, went to camp with one of his brothers last year, consider his grandparents to be good friends of mine, and love him and his family dearly. Mason and his brothers have always held a special place in my heart. Those boys have had a rough time with their parents, have been abandoned by their mother and are being raised by grandparents who love them very much. While their story could certainly be a tragic one, it is not. Yes, it's a sad one at times, but they are overcoming the things that sadden them thanks to a loving family.


Mason brought me to tears today. His grandma, my friend Linda, asked Mason to let me take his photo with a sign he had. I approached Mason and watched as he unfolded a piece of paper in his pocket. I snapped his photo and read the paper. What I read brought instant tears. This my friends is why I, and everyone else who works in VBS, do what we do: so kids like Mason can learn about Jesus and learn what it means to accept Jesus as their Savior. When I turned around after reading Mason's sign and giving him a big hug, I saw that my friend Angela (my pastor's daughter) also had tear-filled eyes. THIS is why people continue year after year to volunteer to work in VBS.















Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Boomerang Express VBS

All Aboard!!! It has been a busy busy week here! We are in the midst of Vacation Bible School every morning. I am exhausted every year after working in VBS, but can't imagine NOT taking part. It is such a blessing watching so many children so excited about coming to church and learning about Jesus. For some children, VBS is the only time they come to church.


I am so thankful to be part of a church where so many people get involved and volunteer to work during VBS. We attend a small country church, yet there have been as many as 41 adults and youth working in VBS this week!!!!

Gotta love to see the VBS teachers laughing and having a great time! I think Reva has on Mason's hat!

Yesterday our pastor presented the ABC's of becoming a Christian to the 1st-6th graders.

Mr. Richard's class in their goofy pose!

The director's (or engineers?) of this year's "Boomerang Express"

myself and Bill

Just a few of our volunteers:

Mr. Rodney, Mr. Jess, and Mr. Morris

Thanks guys!!!

Even the littlest ones love learning the motions to the VBS songs!

Worship Rally

Worship Rally

My daughter Heather and my nephew Logan

The crafts crew: Mari, Shannon and Jim

Janice does an awesome job leading the music every year!

The Pre-K class in the Worship Rally

Leading the Worship Rally, Bill and Janice

Our awesome Kitchen Crew! Mr. Morris, Mrs. Lorelei, Mrs. Edith, Mrs. Wanda and Mrs. Doris

To see all the VBS photos as they are uploaded check here.

Wordless Wednesday--VBS Edition

To check out more wordlessness go here.

Not Me! Monday

It is once again time for a "Not Me Monday" post in which I admit to all the craziness that is my life while at the same time denying it all. "Not Me Monday" is where I inform you of all the insanity of the previous week! To take part in all the goofy fun head over to MckMamma's blog to get started and to see what everyone has NOT been up to!

Oh the insanity! It has not been forever and a day since I participated in "Not Me!" Monday. Nope, I never leave my readers hanging wondering what the heck???

Yesterday I did not go off to shoot photos for the afternoon, leaving the battery for my camera perched in a charger at home! Nope, not me! Are you kidding??? Me??? Forget something so crucial for taking photographs???? Surely, you jest!

In preparing for this week's VBS at church, of which I am a co-director, I did not assure the other director I'd make some signs so the children would know where to sit in the worship rally...and then promptly forget to do it! Hello? Did you not read above? I just don't forget things. Not me!

One evening last week my (17 year old) daughter and I went swimming in the pool in the backyard. I did not decide that at 38 years old I want to learn to swim underwater. I mean, what 38-year old woman who does know how to swim and owns a pool doesn't know how to swim underwater, right??? And no, said daughter did not attempt to teach me and did not indeed laugh at her mother either. And while we're at it, I also won't admit that I never learned to dive either. Nope, not me!

Want to join the therapy of admitting to the quirkiness of everyday life, while at the same time denying it all??? Head over to MckMamma's blog to join the fun!!

Debutantes--Outdoor Learning Center

Sunday afternoon all the debutantes had a team bulding day at the Outdoor Learning Center. They had several activities in which they had to work together as a group to solve problems, plan ahead accomplish their tasks.

I had planned to be there for part of the afternoon to take some photos of them. When I arrived, it was to find that I'd left my camera battery at home on the charger! Thankfully, my friend Dana shared her photos with me! Thanks Dana!

The girls all balanced on this log, then without talking or falling off arrange themselves in alpahtetical order.

In another activity, the girls has to balance on a cable, holding onto a rope for balance. They had a team mate on the opposite side of the triangle, holding onto the same rope that was attached by a pulley to a pole. If one girl pulled too hard on the rope trying to keep her balance, she would cause her partner to fall off her cable.

Tiffany and Heather, sharing a roap for balance as they walked a cable. They had to learn to hold themselves up while at the same time helping to stablize their partner.

Heather balancing on the cable.

Another activity involved getting all 14 girls from the first platform across 3 more platforms using 3 boards that were not long enough to reach from one platform to the next. The girls could not step on the ground, nor could any of the planks touch the ground.

Heather and Victoria working together to place a plank between the platforms.

Heather walking across the planks from the 2nd to the 3rd platform.

During the team's final activity, they had to help one another up over this very tall wall. The instructor was able to help with the first and last girls but other than that they were on their own. This team of athletes, dancers and cheerleaders amazed me in how they accomplished this. It was awesome watching the girls manage this task. They worked very well together and each girl was able to quickly get to the top with the aid of her team mates. Good job girls!

Audrey was the first one up and over the wall.

The instructor, Audrey, and Lizzie helping Heather over the wall.

Heather, Lizzie, and Audrey helping Hannah over the wall from above.

All the girls at the top of the wall.

PhotoStory Friday-Boat Ride

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek




Friday night after work Marty, Heather and I enjoyed an evening at the river.  We decided to take the boat for a sunset cruise. What a beautiful night for it! The temperature was PERFECT out on the water!

Marty and I enjoying our moonlit boat cruise along the river.

 

Wordless Wednesday

To check out more wordlessness, go here.

Tony's Graduation

We drove to San Antonio last night to attend our nephew Tony's high school graduation. Although for only 70 students it was a looong ceremony, I do like attending the ceremonies of the school on the military post. It's always impressive to see all the military families..and even the students' speeches are awesome and a little different than what you'd hear from other schools. These kids are military kids who have often moved from one post to another multiple times during their school years and that is often mentioned in the speeches. Of these kids there were a few who had actually all been together their entire school career, but not many. Attending a ceremony like this and listening to these incredible kids makes you realize just how much these families sacrifice at times. I only knew one of these graduates, but was so moved by the kids' speeches anyway.

As I sat through Tony's graduation, I kept seeing images of when he and his brother Chris (who graduated last year) were so small...images of the 2 boys playing with Heather in our house in Arizona when she was a baby, images of the 3 of them playing in the snow at Granny's house in Wyoming. Those boys have been through so much and I am so proud of the young men they have become.

Because my brother in law Mike is in the Army, we haven't all been able to live close enough to see his family often throughout the years. When Mike moved his family to the post in Texas a few years ago was the first time we've ever all lived within driving distance of each other and able to spend holidays and celebrations together. When the kids were small we'd all see each other for a few days in the summer when we'd all make the trek to Wyoming for the family reunion, or when Mike would drive his family to come visit us when between posts.

Tony, it has been a privelege to get to know you as a young man and I'm so very very proud of your accomplishments!

Tony as the graduates made their way into the auditorium.

Tony awaiting his introduction and diploma

CONGRATULATIONS TONY!!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

My brother in law Mike was deployed to Iraq a few months ago. He was able to come home on a short leave to attend Tony's graduation! How awesome!

The twins: Mike and Marty

After the ceremony as we all headed back to our cars Tony commented on this sculpture so I told him to go get in it for a picture! So....we all decided to climb on and take pictures!

Mike's family:

Mike, Debbie, Chris, Cil, Cheyenne, and Tony

My family on the sculpture:

Heather, Marty and me

Chris and Heather trying to find a spot and not slide!!!

ALL of us! (none of us brought tripods, so a trash can had to make do!)

Chris (who is in the Air Force and stationed in Arizona now) and his wife Cil.

All the kids (and get used to it kids, no matter how old you get you will still be referred to as the kids)

Now it is very typical of Marty and Mike to climb to the top of stuff like this and monkey around (somewhere there are photos of them in the park of their hometown on top of the swing set). Now, Chris acts just like his dad and uncle!

All the gals