Daniel's Wedding/Ashley's Shower

This post is going to be long because of all the photos. What a weekend! By the time I got home last night I was exhausted. But, oh! how much fun I had.

Friday night we attended the wedding of Daniel and Audrey. Daniel has been Zach's best friend since 6th grade. They were inseparable. And they slightly resemble each other. Both of them tall and skinny. Way tall and skinny. I can't tell you how many times I would be hollering at Zach, but looking at Daniel.

The wedding was gorgeous. Zach was a groomsman and escorted Daniel's younger sister, Hannah. Hannah is the little sister Zach never had. It's so hard for me to believe that all of these kids are grown up.


On Saturday, Ashley's mom and grandma threw a baby shower for her. She got great gifts, the food was delicious, and the decor was cute. I got to meet some of Ashley's family for the first time which was really nice.

Zach and Ashley

Dan and me

Daniel and me

Me and my boys!

Ashley at the gift table with diaper cake

me, Zach, Jessica, Katie, JoAnne (my mom)

Jessica and Sunny

Katie and Grandma

Francesca and me

Katie

Zach: the proud (and anxious) Daddy

Ashley and her cousin

Zach with his gift

Isn't it the truth...

Zach and Ashley with the cake

Sunny playing in the stroller box

Sunny trying out the car seat

Circle City, AZ

Dan had an appraisal yesterday in Circle City, AZ so I went along for the ride. Circle City is a small, unincorporated community northwest of Phoenix. It's name derives from the fact that the streets in the community are laid out in a circle.

There is no HOA in Circle City. This can be a good thing. It can be a bad thing. I'll share the photos that we took of one of the houses in the community and you can decide for yourself. I have no idea what kind of a fashion statement this homeowner is trying to make. What do you think?

Maybe he's a construction worker...

Maybe he collects Tonka Trucks...

Maybe he shot a turkey buzzard and had it stuffed...

All I can say is that this is hands down the most unusual home decor I've ever seen. 



It's a Boy!

Katie had her ultrasound yesterday and discovered that she's carrying a baby boy.

We are all very excited!

I said "we're off to Oshkosh b'Gosh to buy cute boy clothes".

Dan said "now we can buy boy bibs!"

I guess that's the difference between men and women...

Bogged Down

In my reading of the Chronological Bible this year I’ve come to Leviticus and I am bogged down. Bogged down in the laws. A law for every little aspect of life. A sacrifice for every possible wrong. A right way to prepare the sacrifice for the wrong. A law for every possible crime. And it’s not just a general law. No, these are very specific laws. The consequences for accidentally killing a slave. For killing a slave on purpose. For accidentally killing an animal. For accidentally maiming an animal. For on purpose injuring an animal that accidentally dies. And on and on.


Every year I get bogged down in this part of reading by one question. Why did God give His children all of these laws when He knew there was no way they could follow them? Why did He make their lives so difficult? Why did He tell them that He knew that they would not be able to follow His laws, but they had to try all the same?


I actually know the answer to this question. God gave His people all of these laws so that when He sent His Son, Jesus, they would see how simple it is to attain Salvation. He gave them all of these laws so that when He sent His Son Jesus, they would be so relieved and grateful to be out from under the law that they would accept His gift of Salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ.


Of course, people being people, it did not work out that way. They (we) chose not to believe. They (we) clung to the old laws even though they were impossible to follow. They (we) took the simple gift of Salvation and made it into something difficult. They (we) broke God’s heart.


But, God being God didn’t give up. The offer for Salvation through Jesus is still available today. And if we are followers of Christ, we (I) need to be diligently sharing that offer with every one we (I) know. Despite our (my) fear. Despite our (my) concern about what they will think. Despite the fact that it could cost us (me) a relationship. Because do you know what the cost is if we (I) don’t share? It’s the knowledge that our (my) friends and loved ones could spend eternity apart from God.


He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
Mark 16:15-16

Family Fun

I was having so much fun this weekend that I didn't take very many pictures. Bummer. I'm not bummed out that I was having fun. I'm bummed out that I didn't stop to preserve the memories of the weekend. Oh well. At least I'll have the professional photos taken of our family. Here's what I did manage to take.

Gabe, Mark, Kelly, Jessica

My brother Mark and me

Gabe

Janel, Sunny, JD

JD and Janel

Tia Janel and Sunny

Tio JD is funny!

Ashley, Zach, JoAnne (my mom)

Adam and JD

Scripture Memory Challenge Pt 4 (and other stuff)

Ok, it’s time for me to reveal the fourth of twenty-four verses that I’m trying to memorize in 2011. The verse I’ve chosen is: Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

I know. It’s short and sweet, but, oh, the comfort derived from knowing this verse is priceless. When I say it, I can just feel some of the burdens I’ve piled onto myself melting away.

Plus, I’m struggling to keep my #3 verse memorized, so I thought I could use a break with a short verse. At least I didn’t choose John 11:35 Jesus wept (!).

In other news, we had a terrific, awesome, fun-filled weekend with JD & Janel. It exceeded my expectations and I was so sorry to see it come to an end. Tomorrow’s post will contain details and photos of our time together.

We Scored Big at the Book Sale!

Yesterday we attended the VNSA Book Sale. We had a great time and came away with tons of new reading material. Janel and I really scored big on cross-stitch patterns. We bought more than 20 books and pattern leaflets between us. There is plenty of patterns to keep Jessica, Janel, and I busy for years! I told the girls I just hope my eyesight and fingers hold out.

They changed the way you enter the building this year. There was one monster line instead of two huge lines, and they searched your bags before you went in. We overheard one of the volunteers say that it’s because last year two people got into a fight and drew their weapons. Really?! Our first thought was “wow, what book were they fighting over?”, and our next thought was “gangbangers at the book sale? that’s kind of encouraging that they’re reading!”

We were only in line for about 75 minutes and the weather was wonderful so it wasn’t too bad. There seemed to be less books and we did hear on the news last night that there wasn’t as many books this year. The fiction area seemed very sparse to me. The children’s area was full as usual and I came away with some really cute books for Sunny to take to her house and for me to keep at mine.

Our fun weekend with JD & Janel continues today and I plan to get some photos to post. Enjoy your Sunday…