Spring Break!!!

It is finally here! We have taken off and are hiding out! Not really, we are visiting my in-laws and enjoying not doing the hectic everyday stuff. We plan on staying here until Wednesday. Then Friday we have some pretty exciting plans. Jim and I are going to a foster/adoption orientation. This is a new adventure for us and we are going to see where God leads us with this. Of course I have it all planned out, but just waiting to see if it's His plan.

There has been no new developments on our house. Billy is supposed to come today and start work underneath the house. Oh, Robbie, you asked if we would be moving. Well, our plan is to stay in or around T.C. We may find another house here or we may move out close to mother. The cows take lots of time and energy and it would be nice if I were closer to them in order to give it all it needs. There again, we are just waiting for God.

So you guys know what we are doing for spring break, but what about the rest of you? Any big trips planned?

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about my exciting weekend. This weekend Blake and I helped my mom out at the Dogwood Festival. Well, we kept seeing clouds all day but everyone assured us that it would pass us. And sure enough all day the rain held off. Then around 5ish a cop went around telling folks that a storm was about 15mins. away and it was packing 60mph winds. Well, we run around like crazy people trying to tie stuff down and prepare for the wind. Finally we get it all secure and jump in the van. Then the rain begins and soon the water rises. When there was a small break in the rain, I jump out of the van into the water and wade to our booth. Luckily most of the stuff is dry so I pack it up quickly because another wave is coming thru. The lightning is getting more frequent so I high tail it back to the van.
A little while later I notice the water getting close to the door of my van. So I get out and move it to higher ground. Back in my moms van we wait. The water recedes and we think it's going to be okay. Wrong! Here comes more rain. This time, it completely covers the road and we sit and enjoy watching coolers and such float down the road. Then my mom opens the door to her cargo van and we see the water is almost to her door! So off we go moving her van to where mine is. Oops the water is rising there and back to the top of my running board. So we move both vans to even higher ground. We try to settle in for the night and just pray we don't float away.
It was really an amazing adventure. At one point I was wading thru the water carrying a trash bag full of snacks I had rescued from our tent. My pants were rolled up and I had on a poncho. I felt like I should be on CNN or something. Like the folks you see leaving there homes during a flood. As "fun" as the adventure was I don't want to ever have it happen again.

Okay, I have been informed that I am slacking in the blogger department. So sorry, but my life seems very mundane. However, here is a quick update. The termite guy came and finished his work. Another fellow here in town has come and looked under our house and given us an estimate to do a little work under there. This was great because his estimate was much less than we had anticipated. He starts work next week. Another guy is supposed to come by some time and give us a price for another job here at the house. I know once we put this money into the house someone will want to buy it :( And as much as I will miss the house I know that we need to sell it in order to become debt free (Unless God drops a wad of cash here.)

On a brighter side, we now have a new superintendent. He and his children are musicians. That may not be much to some, but it helps calm my nerves a little. I feel like this will mean that he will cut other things before cutting Jim entirely. We are still looking at a big pay cut, but I am just trusting God!

The kids are doing great. Blake is spending this weekend with my mom. It is her first craft show without my dad and Blake feels it's his place to step up and help her out. He is so worried about her being sad. Wow, at 8 he is sure a great guy. Grace's new thing has been weaving with her little pot holder loom. She is really getting pretty good. Samuel's just a wild little buck. He is so cute though. Anyway, that is a peek into our mundane lives. Here are a few pics.

My Hero...

the Orkin Man! Well, not really, but I was glad to see him today. He came about 9 this am and stayed until 6:30 and said he would be back Saturday. These guys really do a great job. Anyway, he confirmed what the other guy said that the termites had just gotten started. That is a total relief. Another plus is that the Orkin people clean out from under your house. So 107 years worth of junk from contractors and such was thrown out from under the house. So now my yard looks trashed but I have the most beautiful crawl space =)

So the plague has been revealed.... TERMITES!! Aaahhh! We got the pest guy out here yesterday and he confirmed they are termites, but that they had not done much damage. That is a relief!!! We will have them come out next week to start treatment.

This news really put me in a funk on the way to church Wednesday. It was crazy hair night and Grace was nagging me to fix her hair. I told her that her hair was the least of my worries. Right now I was concerned with our house (Termites and the school cutbacks for Jim). Blake in his ever God-centered manner calmly lets me know that the house is the least of his worries because God will take care of us. Wow, slap in the face. I am so thankful God sent me such a wonderful son who trusts Him completely. I have been having a hard time finding God lately, but bless it, He sent Blake to remind me to just trust. I ask my friends to please pray that I can regain that innocence and trust like my child.

The Bible come to Life!

Okay this is a brief post because it is getting late. Today I was getting ready to take Samuel to the dentist. I walked thru the school room to my bedroom to get dressed and Blake walked in a couple minutes later. He said, "Momma we have a bug problem." I looked at him like he was crazy. "Where?" "In the school room." So I walk into the school room and the floor and windows are covered in these little fly things. Like I had to almost step on them to get thru. They were all over everything. I immediately went to the phone and called the school. I told them to tell Jim it was urgent! I had not bug spray so I began to sweep. Jim came and moved furniture and I swept some more. Finally I got them all. These things scared the stew out of me. Not so much them, but how fast they appeared and how many there were. I felt like I was in Egypt during one of the plagues!

Beautiful Boy

I spoke briefly in my last post about my friends who have just brought their son home. I just wanted to share a few pics of this precious boy.

The Welcome Home Party

The Tolbert Family

Levi and Dad

Okay, so I should be sleeping. It's 2:30 am and I have to teach Sunday School in a few hours. I just can't. It seems that most of my posts recently have been on the subject of someone's passing. Well tonight the EMT's were called to our neighbors across the street. Seems Mr. Keith stopped breathing. Not sure exactly what happened, but the outlook looks grim. I am so heartbroken because we have known them for so long. Mrs. Cheryl used to teach with Jim and their daughter was in his first band. She babysat for us for years. The worst part is that in two weeks Jim is to play for her wedding.

I don't know what else to ask except for prayers for this family.

On a brighter note, Blake and I went to Savannah Friday night to welcome some friends of mine home. They had traveled to the Philippines to pick up their son. It was such a wonderful moment watching them bring Levi to meet all the folks there to see him. Welcome home Levi!