BLIZZARD 2010

These are pics from the blizzard we had this winter. So so much snow!!! We are ready now for outings at the beach!!! Bring on the SUN. One of our chicken houses collapsed under the weight of the snow. The clean-up has not yet begun....that will be a summer project.

My Candi Rie's Wedding Day

This is Jeremy & Candice Wilkinson..... their wedding was September, and I am finally getting this important event on my blog!!! What a day, and what a blessing to be involved and included in it. God is good, bringing these two together. Candice asked me to be her wedding planner, which i was delighted and honored to do. We poured over magazines & pictures, went shopping and shopping some more, planning all the decorating details. Then came the day to put it all together, and what fun for me! As you will see, she has great taste in deco's and all i did was put them all together and had lots of help to "pull it off". I have a couple more really good pics that i could not locate right this moment, but i will put them on randomly as i can.
She was a gorgeous bride and I say they both are blessed to have each other!

When this tent was delivered & set up, she said, "Oh....my castle has arrived!" Oh yes, this is the queen in her castle. O boy, can you tell we've all spoiled her? Ok, just a little. :)

Look at her all radiant! Love this pic.

She spoke not a word and went straight to her work.... well, maybe not the first part... :) haha

So sorry.... I don't know how to flip this after it's loaded but tilt your head and aren't they gorgeous.....!!!!!

Tom escorting Olivia and her cousin, Caitlin out. They were guestbook attendants.

TJ's sister Cindy & her family....gorgeous girls

TJ & Joe Bontrager officiated the ceremony.

The magical evening ended all too soon.

MISSING MY BROTHER LOREN....... He left this earthly world to be with his heavenly Father in September. He was diagnosed with lymphoma just 6 or 8 weeks earlier. You know, I wouldn't wish it any different for him, but I sure wasn't ready to say goodbye to him. Not being able to just pick up the phone and hearing his voice is tough for me. If he wasn't so doggone nice and loveable, it may not be quite so hard. :) I was able to fly to Houston and be there with Dar and the boys when he died. I am so thankful for that time! I flew back home, got airline tickets for all of us and 3 days later, we flew to Oklahoma for his funeral. And what a good time our family had together there. I was so surprised and comforted by all the family that came/flew from Ohio!!! That was the best part for me I think, having time with 30 or more cousins, aunts, & uncles.... Loren would've enjoyed so much, having all them at his house to entertain, tell stories with, and laugh together!!!
"GO REST HIGH ON THAT MOUNTAIN...... SON YOUR WORK ON EARTH IS DONE....."

You are surely missed, my brother!

I should have taken a picture with my phone of John in the hospital bed, but didn't..... PLEASE PRAY FOR JOHN, as he broke/fractured his tailbone this week. He was in severe pain, that is, until he got some prescriptions that are really helping with that. A boy in school (actually his best friend, who never meant to hurt him), came up behind him and "knee'd" him in the butt.... hitting him just right/wrong, and yes, BROKE the tailbone. He hopes to return to school Monday, and this year's soccer season is over just before the first game. :(

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL !!!

We took a group from our church to Columbus, OH

for the Mennonite Church Convention. Speakers were great and the worship time with 5,000 other youth was really awesome. There were 19 of us in all, counting a couple not on this picture that were serving as volunteer staff with the children's classes and as "hotel bouncer" :) We did a lot of walking this 5 days, as our hotel was 7 blocks from the Arena and Convention Center. Several miles a day is not stretching it, but it was good for us.

Our small group meeting after one of the sessions.

We went into the city of Columbus for our Servant Project and painted a house for some elderly people. This was our rest time.... you will see that the color we painted this house was blue, as everybody was wearing the color blue by the time we were finished.

PIZZA TIME

We got to have time with Jason & Maria....that was a treat! They had just gotten back from a fishing trip to Canada with her family.

Me and my girl Olivia in the food court. What a treat to get time with 2 of my sisters!

Jeanette & Donna.... and the youngest on the right. Heh.

DUMPSTER-DIVING AT CONVENTION???

Y'all need to leave Delaware habits in DE...

They did dumpster-dive but for a purpose...!

Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) had a new event this year:

A TRASH FASHION SHOW...

We were instructed to come up with an outfit made out of trash or recycled materials.

Wow.... this one is way out of order... :)

but here is Jordan, John, Justin, Ricky, & DJ

hanging out in the convention hall

Our youth transformed Katie into the CVS Gladiator.

What wonderful creativity they had working together.

They did bring all the trash back to the hotel and wash it first, you will be glad to know.

Our finished model got to walk in the Saturday night fashion show.

They needed additional models, and Julianna and Olivia were on hand to volunteer, and were very very happy to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Julianna's dress was made out of chicken wire and ribbon, and old Christmas decorations.

Olivia's was made of newspaper.

Our three models after they did the runway thing, and it was all over. What fun!

John was in the court of honor for Stephanie Benavides' Quincinera......