Happy Halloween!

You know me - I just can't resist these things!

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Let's Start Planning

Christmas will be here before you know it, so let's start planning. Eric is a happy boy because his heart doctor gave him permission today to ride roller coasters so I guess the day at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is on. Here are some other ideas to consider...a yes or no vote would be appreciated.

• Baking Day
• Craft Day (If you vote yes to this, are you interested in what Mom suggested a few posts down from this one?)
• Movie Day
• Bowling Day
• Game Day
• David Makes Lasagna/Game Day (If it's OK with everyone, I'd like to invite my personal assistant Sarah and her partner Michelle on this day.)
• Festival of Lights at Silver Springs
• Other suggestions?

We're planning Christmas Day lunch/dinner and opening of presents at Mom's place. Speaking of presents, how do ya'll want to do those this year?

• Stockings for everyone attending only?
• Stockings for everyone attending or not?
• Monetary limitations on presents?
• Other suggestions?

We already know that David, Fred, and Alice will be coming. We need to know if anyone else is going to join us for some or all of the Christmas week festivities. So let's hear from John and Amy, Uncle Fred and Linda (Darcy too if she is coming down for Christmas), Tarja, Esther, Barbara and Family, Cheryl and David, and/or anyone else that I might have forgotten to invite.

Our Wedding - October 9, 2010

Hi All!

Wanted to post a few pics from our wedding. First of all, we missed the opportunity to have an anniversary of 10-10-10 . . . but did not want to get married on Sunday. We were married in the mountains of North Carolina, about 20 miles north of Jefferson (Grassy Creek). We married in a little white Baptist church, then had the reception at Barry's parents house about a mile from the church. It was a very simple and fun day. The weather was perfect; a warm and sunny fall day. The pictures are not in order but most are from the ceremony. Barry's daughter stood with him and Keven gave me away. And Fred gave a very nice toast - really wasn't a toast since we were out of punch by the time we got to that part! LOL And of course, the cake which I had to smear on Barry's face (and up his nose apparently)!! It was a great day and I think everyone had a good time. For our honeymoon, we went to a Bed & Breakfast for a few day. Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes, cards, and gifts! Love you all!

Christmas Craft Idea

Peggy informed me that it was my year to choose and implement a Christmas craft project for when David, Fred, and Alice come to visit in December. If anyone else is coming (Esther or Barb and Barry maybe?) please let us know. So, anyway, I've been eyeing these neat quilt block wall hangings in the Mary Maxim catalog and always wanted to try one. It looked like a project we could do so I ordered one to try it.



This butterfly took me about five or six hours to complete today. It one of the more complex designs. The time to complete could be cut down if I cut out all the pattern pieces prior to us trying to do them.

It is a fairly easy project and I think you wouldn't have too much trouble doing one. It is a styrofoam board with the design cut into it. You have to cut out the pattern pieces and then cut the fabric pieces from those patterns. Then you place the fabric over the appropriate spot and press the edges into the cut lines on the board with a butter knife.

It makes a unique and beautiful quilt block wall hanging you could complete and take home with you... no sewing involved! It is a bit expensive however. I would need everyone to pick out their pattern and then send me $25 each participant (i.e., $25 each if say Fred and Alice both wanted to make one. Or $25 once if they wanted to work on just one together) so I can order them and have them all sent here.

You can go here to MaryMaxim.com to see all the patterns (four pages I think) and decide if there is one you like.

So, please let me know if this is a good idea, or if I need to keep looking for another project.

Lynne Junkins Cole - God's Question

Here is a video about my online friend Lynne Cole's new book. Check it out!

Christmas Plans

All vacation is approved so we'll be seeing you FL peeps in December. We have coordinated flights with David so that we meet him during his layover in Phoenix and fly with him to Orlando. And same for the flight back. We arrive in Orlando at 9:49pm Tuesday Dec 21 and we leave Orlando Tuesday Dec 28 at 7:15am.

See y'all then!

Lunch and Movie

Eric, Mom, and I went to lunch at Olive Garden today (used the gift card I got on my birthday). After that we went to see the movie Red (used the $20 I won from beating Bill at bowling on my birthday). The movie was very funny. All in all a very enjoyable day, and I didn't pay for any of it!!!

Oh...and this past week I started my own blog. It's just something that I wanted to do...no biggie.

Our Adoption process

Amy and I have had our initial application approved to adopt from Ethiopia. I understand this may be a big surprise to some but it has been something we have been thinking about for a little while now. Amy has written a better explanation below. To follow our progress in this adventure go here.

(The following is what Amy wrote on Facebook)

So here's the story.

John and I believe God has called us to adopt internationally. John has always been open to the idea. His father adopted him and it has been great. He has such a big heart and I remember him asking me what I thought about adoption the first year we were married. I was hesitant at first. In fact, I think I said "Never". I think much differently now.


Truly I think back and see how God has been working in me all along. I vividly remember playing missionary to Africa , caring for my dolls on my deck when I was 6. I have always had a passion for missions, but have never been able to go. I think adoption is the mission God has given me. God has really been working on my heart to ready me for this. And here it is.


Are we adopting because we can't have children? No. John and I have given both up to God and said we are ready and willing for either one. One does not replace the other. It is simply different and yet the same. Each child is equally important and desired by God and us.

So my initial thoughts are

I can't contain my excitement!

I am scared to death.

I don't care that I'm scared to death because I'm so excited.

Excited

I'm excited because I have found my passion. God has shown me His purpose. I have given my idea of a family up to God and He has put a new song in my heart. He has replaced my sadness with joy, wonder, and hope for the future.

Nervous

I'm nervous because I have no idea what parenting will be like.

I'm nervous because I feel like a pioneer and novice in this process.

I'm nervous because, what if I mess up?

I'm nervous because I'm afraid my baby won't love me back.

To my baby:

I love you. I can't wait to kiss your little feet and just pick you up from that crib in the orphanage and put you in the one I laid in as a baby. You are probably not even born yet, but I know about you and God does too. We love you. We are praying for you. God is making plans for you already. I promise His plans are the best.

I am planning your nursery and want to but all your clothes and shoes. I wonder what you will look like. I wonder what it will be like when we meet.

I desperately want you to know the God of my life. He is good, I promise you.

Mom

Ghoulishly Better Hearing

Merle went down for a hearing test this afternoon and, in the process of fitting, had to have special insert molds made for both ears. Looked to me like he was trying out for Ghoul of the Month... or had decided to become some sort of alien for Halloween!

What a Great Birthday!

Well I've got to say that I had a wonderful day yesterday! Since my birthday fell on the second Saturday of the month, I told Eric that what I wanted from him for my birthday was for him to take me bowling with the Quad Squad. They bowl every second and fourth Saturday but at two different locations. I've never gone to the one on the second Saturday because it is even further away than the one I do go to. But that is what I asked for so that is what I got...and a whole lot more!!

Eric and I left the house around 1pm and stopped at a Subway on the way down to have lunch. Then we were on the road to go bowling...we only got lost for about 2 minutes because we missed the last turn but just went around the block. Pulled in a few minutes before 4pm and were greeted by a few members of the church youth group that does caddying for us during bowling. We had five wheelchair bowlers yesterday shown in the picture below from left to right is Ben, Lilian, Bill, Rhonda, and myself. Claude is in the back (he is one of the co-inventors of the IKAN bowler).



It was a record day for me as I broke my high score...I got a 170!! Bill's dad (Bill is one of the other co-inventors of the IKAN bowler) has this rule that if anyone beats Bill's highest score for that day, then he give them $20. This is usually no easy feat as Bill is quite a good bowler! Bill tried really hard to take that win away from me by just trying to tie me. It came down to the 10th frame. He got a strike and then 8 pins which put him at a 168. He had to pick up the spare to tie me. Well it looked good all the way to the end, but only one pin fell. Eric says it wrapped around the other pin, but I was just too shocked to notice as I was sure they were both going down. Here is a picture of my high score.



So there I was $20 richer than I had expected! Anyway, after bowling, a group of us were going to go to Olive Garden for dinner. When we got there, however, they were standing at the door turning people away because they were having a water/sanitation leak problem and were not allowed to serve anyone else until it was fixed. They had no idea how long that was going to take. The manager felt bad because we could not have our celebration so she gave us a $20 gift card which they gave to me since it was my birthday. Well we ended up at the food court in the mall for dinner since we knew there would be plenty of room there for the wheelchairs...restaurants can get difficult to have everyone comfortably seated when several of us need to occasionly lean back for pressure breaks. It didn't really matter where we ate since it was more about the company than the food. We had a good time and left shortly before 9pm when they would have kicked us out of the mall.

When I got home, I finally got to open all my cards that people had given to Eric while I was bowling, and one of the bowlers had included $10 for my birthday even though they had been told no presents. So all in all it was a great day!!

Dinner at Red Lobster - Happy Birthday Peggy!

I won't be able to see Peggy on her birthday Saturday, so I took her and Eric to lunch last Saturday at Red Lobster (endless shrimp - Yum!) and we were joined by Sarah and Michelle (? I forget). Happy Birthday Peggy!

Birthday Cake

Look at my beautiful birthday cake that Sarah made for me!!

Kville Ladies

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Chili Time Baby!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Nothing To See Here

Carry on...