Love in Action...

Finally!

I am 2 months behind on our Love in Actions, but I'm hoping to get caught up! I love doing them and want to continue to make them a priority. They help us to turn our focus outward and to learn about others in need around us. Tonight we did 2 love in actions....

First we packed 2 Action Packs for Voice of the Martyrs. One for Sudan and one for Pakistan. Eric read to the older girls about the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs and we explained how these packages would be an encouragement to a suffering Christian.

Here we are with our kitty Kojak and the 2 Action Packs ready to be mailed off.

Also tonight I had to run to the Family Christian store to pick some things up. I pre-ordered the new Casting Crowns CD because when you do they donate 10% of the sale to feed 2 children through World Vision for a day. Their CD comes out on the 17th so you have until then to pre-order it and feed the 2 children:).

How blessed we are to live a life of abundance. How I pray we never take that for granted and that we never forget to care for those with less.

"...let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18

Catching Up.....

This past month has been full.

In October we celebrated Kiera and Karis' Birthday's with an 80's Party......

That's Eric with the tacky orange shirt and blonde mullet:) and I'm right next to him in the tacky black and purple dress (with shoulder pads I might add) and neon green tights:).


Our family played along well and had fun with the styles of the 80's.


It was a fun theme to plan for!

Auntie Kimie made a Castle cake for them.

We had fun Trick or Treating too:). Here's our lil Cinderella, Snow Princess, Edna Mode and Bride. They all have sooo much fun dressing up.

I wonder who they get that from?:)

Brrrr! It was a cold day though!

And then on to some sad news. Earlier this week we decided it was time to put our cat of 13 years down, Cinnamon. She had been sick for about a month, but the last 2 weeks she was rapidly declining. She wouldn't eat and was week and uncomfortable. It was very sad! She was a spunky cat who wasn't always pleasant, but we loved her! And in her later years she really got attached to me. I miss her a lot.

But God has a way of bringing healing! The day after we put her down our girls bus driver told her about a kitty her daughter found and that it needed a home.

He found one!:)

Meet our wild, sweet, cuddly, full of energy, daring, adorable kitty Kojak!

The girls are giddy over him. They love to play with him.

Life is full....and we are so thankful.

14 years ago today......

I married my Best Friend!

I couldn't wait to be Eric's wife when we were dating, and the night he asked me to marry him I couldn't stop smiling. In fact I smiled for a week straight (it's true just ask Eric:). I really didn't believe my love could grow any more towards him, it was already bursting!

But it has. After 14 years, our love is so much richer and deeper than I ever thought possible. I love Eric now not only for who he is but also for the things we've been through.The joys and the pain that come along with life have given us a connection that is so deep. Eric has been by my side through it all.

Marriage hasn't always been easy. Eric and I are 2 very different people, but we're committed to each other. Some times our love is a feeling and some times it a choice, but by God's grace it will be forever!

Happy 14th Anniversary Eric. I love you sooo very much! You are a fun man to be married to! Thank you for all the joy you bring into my life! Thank you for leading me to the Lord regularly. Thank you for wanting to still Date me:). Thank you for being a wonderful Daddy!

And thank you for this wonderful family that we get to share....


Love, Barbie

BTW here are 2 other Anniversary posts I did....last year and 3 years ago.

Kiera is "8".....

October 13th was our sweet Kiera Lynn's 8th Birthday!

Kiera is such a source of JOY around here! She loves to make us all laugh and is very witty! She turns anything into a fun thing! How blessed I am to be her Mommy. She never ceases to make me look at life through rose colored glasses. How I pray she grows to be woman of Godly character and that her desire to share Jesus with others only continues through the years. We love you sooo much Kiera Lynn.

Like I did with Rinie I asked Kiera 7 of her favorte things about being 7 last year. Here they are with pictures:)

1. Going to Great Wolf Lodge for Spring Break.

2. Going to the Smoky Mountains for our Summer Vacation.

3. Celebrating Birthday's

4. First Grade (last year) and her teacher:)

5. Taking friends to CiCi's Pizza.

6. Spinding time together as a family.

7.Being 7!

A Deep Breath.....

It's when life seems to be going 90 miles an hour that I need stop and take a deep breath....

Kendra Ruth.... you are 28 months and very very much a 2 year old. You are independent and often say, "I do it myself." Being the 4th, you have learned that you must stand up for what you want! We are working on doing it more kindly, but you don't have a problem at all standing up for yourself! You skip around our house:)! You're still our cuddle bug, often making me stop what I'm doing to hold and rock you (which I love.) You love to sing nursery rhythms.You've learned to peddle your tricycle really well.Your imagination has bloomed so much in the last few months. I often catch you talking sweetly to your baby dolls, putting them ni night, or feeding them a bottle. You also love to be the baby when your big sisters play house. How I love your baby ways Kendra...but slowly they are slipping away and becoming little girl ways. Take your time growing up Honey....to Mommy and Daddy you are our little baby!


Karis Kathleen.... you just turned 4. You are the tiniest 4 year old! However, your personality could not be bigger! Daddy and I often laugh at how humorous God is that He put such a spunky and driven personality in such a tiny body:)!You are learning your letters and enjoy learning time several times a week with Mommy and the day care kids. You love to ride your little bike outside and make it go as fast as it can.Mommy has been studying the personality types for my Bible Study at church and you with out a doubt are a Choleric! You are driven and focused and want to lead everyone around you. We are praying and trusting that we can help you focus that in a positive way to bless God and His Kingdom.You will be a force to reckon with:)!You are also one of the sweetest little ones I've ever met. Saying such sincere and tender things just about every day. You love with as much zeal and passion as you lead!

Kiera Lynn..... you are nearly 8. Yes 8! Oh my you are growing sooo very fast. As I study the personality types and I learned about a Sanguine...I knew right away that fit you perfectly, just like it fits your Daddy. You are very out going, love to make friends, and are the life of the party. You make our home brighter each day! You are in Awana this year and just earned your vest and first badge. You also take piano practice every other week.You are in 2nd grade and learning so much. You are reading better with each day and enjoying Amelia Bedelia and Cam Jensen books right now. You have many friends in school who you like to call when you get home. You love to play with your baby sisters and to dress them up and put make up on them. You also love to play Club Penguin and Webkins on the computer. You and Corinn enjoy playing Barbie's and riding your bikes around the block. You two are best friends even if you won't admit it sometimes:)!

Corinn Myree.... you are 9 1/2. You are a Melancholy, much like your Mom. You're a deep thinker, a big planner, and you take life pretty seriously. You are so mature for you age. Our church encourages you to have a quite time each day and read the Bible and pray. At your own prompting, you have begun to wake 15 min. before you need to each day so you can have your quite time. We set your alarm and with out fail you are up each morning at 6:45. You have become an in credible reader! Reading was not easy for you in the beginning, but you stuck with it and now you are one of the best in your grade!!! Praise God, Corinn! You are in battle of the books at school, take piano practice every other week, have just started the violin at school and you are in Awana at our church. You seem to juggle it all with ease. You are our little adult around here Corinn. Daddy and Mommy can rely on you for many things.

How blessed we are to have such energenic and fun girls to be around! I pray that Eric and I can help each of them grow to all that God has created them to be!

Just a little catch up...

Karis was invited to her first Friend party all by herself:). It was a Cinderella theme. (her older sisters ended up coming to help with the princesses, but Karis was the guest:) Of coarse Kendra had to dress up to drive her there.

We made our annual trip to Honey Hill Apple Orchard. It was a beautiful day!

Kendra's growing up sooo quickly!

Karis continues to be our little explorer:)

I love this man sooo much! I'm in a Bible Study at church called Wife of Nobel Character. It's been sooo good to dig into God's Word and learn and grow as a wife. I'm the small group leader for my table of woman. It's been too long since I served in this way and I'm enjoying all that goes into leading my group of woman.

I love Kendra's sway:).

I'm sooo blessed to have 4 little pumpkins!

I'm planning a retro 80's party to celebrate my middles birthday's:)! I can't wait. Tacky decorations and clothes:)!

This Sunday we are having our core group for our church in Joliet over for dinner. I'm excited to hang out with all of them and get to know them better.

Life is full....but sooo very blessed!

Sometimes We Just Have to Pinch Ourselves.....

Eric has been working at the Harvest for over 4 weeks now. Learning a ton and enjoying it even more! Since we've only known about our church plant for 5 weeks now, sometimes we just look at each other and say, "it's really happening!"Wow...it really is!

What a blessing it is to see him go off to work each day knowing that he is excited to learn and grow. Knowing that his work will more than likely have eternal gain.We feel so incredibly blessed to be planting a church through Harvest. They are preparing Eric well.

We also feel the weight of much work ahead. So much needs to be accomplished before the church launches. Would you join me in praying for some specific needs we have...

1. That we would find a good location to meet at.

2. That we would get a core group of 50 plus people (right now we have about 25 w/ kids included) who want to worship with us.

3. That we would find a great worship leader and group of musicians to lead us in worship.

4. That we would have many willing volunteers for the children's ministry, usher's, technical, and all the other needs we will have:).

5.That Eric would have wisdom to lead well. That he would retain all that he is learning at the training center.

6. That our home would sell next Spring and that our transition to Joliet would go well. That our girls in particular would adjust to a new set of friends and a new school.

7. That the Holy Spirit would be working in many peoples lives right now in Joliet. That He would be drawing them to Himself. That Harvest Bible Chapel of Joliet would be a Light in the darkness of that city. That we would be Jesus' hands and feet to those in need. And that the gospel would go out boldly.

Eric and I are so very excited that the Lord is allowing us the opportunity to be part of His Kingdom work. There truly is nothing else I rather give my time and energy to.

..."whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith."....Matthew 21:22