Washington Part 3

Trailer park fun :)

We are ready to embrace our 3rd Monday here in WA.
271-We are thankful that we are escaping Arizona's heat wave! We are enjoying the cooler temps of this beautiful Northwest state.
272-We are thankful for Joey's salvation during the meetings! He is a 23 yr old guy who works with one of the believers here. He was very troubled throughout all the meetings. He got saved on

Harrison sneaking up on bunnies

Us at Lake Chelan

Us & Kazen's at Lake Chelan

 Huddled during a rain shower

 Two peas in a pod!

 Cowgirl

 Bubbly sweetheart!

 Annabelle

 Hud-bud :)

 Showing us her "happy heart"

Wednesday, not at meeting, and told us Friday night after the final meeting. It was AWESOME. God is GOOD! Salvation is so simple, and just realized it was for him! A totally personal realization, and now he is on his way to Heaven.
273-We are thankful for our partners in the outreach and meetings. They are a super couple & were such wonderful examples and mentors to us each day. We parted ways on Saturday, but we will see them & stay with them back in Seattle area on July 4-9.
274-We are thankful for our trailer- Some days I was like the Children of Israel- complaining and grumbling about my "manna" ..... but considering other camping options... I was super duper thankful for our accommodations.
275- We are thankful for Harrison's social skills. He made a ton of new friends, who we are excited to be email pen pals with once we get back home.
276- We are thankful for Hannah's determination and her wanting to things on her own. She is a big helper (in her own sweet crazy 2 1/2 yr old  way of course :))
278- We are thankful for Hudson's SWEET and laughable personality. He sleeps often - anyplace- anywhere, although his sleep at night had shifted to newborn like stages ( no fun!), but we are now staying at our friends place, and have the ability to let him self soothe again at night. Yay for more zzz's!
279- We are thankful for good friends who invited us to spend some time with them at their condo at Lake Chelan. Below are pic :)
280- We are thankful for our marriage. We are thankful that God gave us this opportunity to come west with His Good News message! Yes the days were long & the 2nd week with Matt working all day, and then after work time ended studying, right up until meeting for that night's meeting, our family time was lacking. But again, we remembered together that to sacrifice would not be easy. If it were easy, it wouldn't be a sacrifice. Thank you for praying for us as we travel on Wednesday to Leavenworth (spending a night there) then on to Seattle Thursday for the 4th picnic with friends and many fun Seattle adventures. Continue to pray for other souls that heard the gospel, that they will be saved.

 What a goof! XOXO

 Showing off his baby blues

 XOXO

Cuteness :)

Harrison is Mr Photo Man with his iPod, and I just figured out how to send some of his cute shots to my email :) Sorry- not in any order :)

 

Hudson(here in WA)

Pepere & Harrison at Sonic (in AZ)

Happy Birthday to the best Pepere ever! XO

 Hudson's 1st Plane Ride :) Thanks Julie for the matching yellow outfits :)

 Harrison got to sit on his own side of the plane :)

 One of Wolter's horses that Harrison got to ride!

 

Washington Part 2

Another week...FULL of thankful moments!

Soo... VBS was a HUGE success here! The life of Moses was acted out each day in skit form, and game/activity stations that followed all reinforced the lesson and provided awesome small group time. Such a great way to meet and greet the kids each day and to really get to know them. The biggest morning, we had about 40 kiddos and the smallest was about 24. The mornings were busy but so amazing.
The nights were busy as well, because of gospel meetings. There was a great idea to provide incentive tickets to the kids- if they came out at night & brought adults. The tent was packed almost every night. So amazing!
It was a wonderful week, so thankful for the Christians who provided all our meals. Such a labor of love, which we really loved!

Thursday night we had a bday celebration after meeting for Harrison & his new WA friends :)
Pic will come once loaded :) Never have had a tent meeting birthday celebration, but now he has! Super fun and so glad we could celebrate our super special boy. He met so many new friends last week. He was soo excited.

Friday, after VBS lots of friends started heading home. So we were down to small numbers at the mtg that night and on. We know God is able, no matter how many listen. We are thankful that the good news of the gospel is presented each night. pray for encouragement for Tom & Matt and for attendance to grow a bit.

Meetings end this Friday, Lord Willing, and then we stay for a few more days to visit and hang out with our new friends here. Despite the rural-ness of this sweet town, I am really enjoying it. SHOCKER! I know :) I must admit I frequent Walmart and Safeway as a retail therapy escape :) :) Ohh yeah and payless and jc penney are also here :)
We found a kiddie consignment store (super pricey) but the owner was from AZ, and is a Christian, and mom of 3, super cool to meet  new peeps!
There have been multiple times throughout this experience in WA where God has had to whittle the ME out of ME. Has he done that to you too?? For example....I am soo inflexible(like having a last minute camper bunk in with our fam for a night.. at 1st I was like WHAT!?? (in my mind), the place is a tornado, and we literally use every ounce of space- BUT he was freezing and wet in his tent, so our place was the ONLY place...so of course he came in & we had a blast, Harrison especially with his bunk bed buddy) and love love love structure and routine, and some days have literally been NONE of that, now that VBS is done. Instead of being on the go and 100 miles a minute...we sit outside and just watch our kids run and play with sticks, as we just chat. The still small times where we can see the true beauty of the day, instead of being super rushed. So the Lord is showing me how to be gracious and self-less. I need WAY more work on those areas, but slowly He is working in me, finally! THANKFUL!!
Our tickets are booked :) We arrive home July 9- but we get about a week to hang out with other Christian friends around the Seattle area first ( and sight see and drink tons of starbucks!) (Dunkin I miss you!!!) :) We already got news that Hannah's beta fish Dory took a swim in the toilet ... soo praying our other fishies don't die of missing us too :)

Have a fab day FULL of thankful moments~!!
Thank you for continuing to pray!!

Girl time!

Our almost 3 yr old!

 B-day treats in the tent :)

 Yum!

friends!

Besties!! Hannah & Quincy

 Depot Museum in Oroville

 Goofy friends :)

 :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Washington

Multitude Monday ... a day late... can be summed up by one word- WASHINGTON!
We are thankful that our kiddos rocked their plane ride here on Wednesday ( 6-12). Hudson's 1st flight was perfect.
Our good friend Roslyn Hoy was our chauffeur for the day, toured us around for a little bit, got official Seattle Food- Ivar's Fish & Chips & Starbucks :)
Then began our trek to Okanogan... a little town, East of Seattle. We drove and drove then stopped for a stretch and eat break at the sweetest town- called Levenworth (sp?)- it's a Bulgarian/German looking village, with YUMMY food and cool shops! Then we continued our road trip to the County Fair Grounds where our trailer was waiting. Now, here I am ready for a tent and wondering how our family will handle a tent?? However- the Lord knew! He already had it mapped out and had taken care of us! Why did I even doubt?? Oh ye of little faith! The trailer has 2 bedrooms, us on one end, a couch that pulls out in the middle of the trailer for Hudson, and then a kitchen area, and then bunk beds by the back and the bathroom for Harrison & Hannah. We have PLUGS! We have running water!! We have AC!! It seriously is like a mini apartment- and is PERFECT for us for these weeks here.
Tom & Ruth Hoy joined us that night ( Wednesday), and they have an AMAZING trailer!! Their RV like contraption is our 2nd home, and is fancier than people's normal house! Their hearts are huge and their love for the lost is remarkable.
We have sown the seed with texts and invitations over the weekend.
The assembly here in Okanogan, is just 5........... 5! 5! I seriously can not take it in! These 5 dedicated believers, invest and sacrifice so much for our Lord. Maybe we feel like we sacrifice too & maybe we feel we are dedicated- but what would it be like for each meeting, just 2 brothers taking part. 2!!!!!! EVERY MEETING!!!! These 5 have the hearts like 50!  We have been blessed beyond words by their care. We have a yummy lunch & dinner for us each day provided by the 3 sisters. Our laundry is done at one of their homes. (That was one of my biggest concerns with Hudson & Hannah- that they would go through ALL their clothes soo fast, and it would have happened if we didn't have Tina & Wolter).
Our schedule is busy, but when we are serving our Master, it seems like nothing compared to HIS sacrifice.
Breakfast, Bible Study of the book of Acts & Prayers at 730-9
Get ready ... drive by places to pick up kiddos for VBS..9-945
VBS begins 10-12
Lunch & Seed sowers 12-4
( Hudson & Hannah nap from 12-3, so I get to man the post while the seed is sown :))
Supper at 6
Prayer Meeting for guys & girls at 7
Meeting 730-830
Dessert & Planning for next days Skit and VBS activities 9-10
THEN homework! Read the next days chapter for VBS(Exodus- as we are doing the life of Moses for the lessons/crafts etc) and for the Bible Study.
The amount of time with God's people and in His word is SO encouraging. I pray that I along with our family can keep this awesome schedule happening even when we come back to "reality".
Pray for souls! There are about 25 kids attending VBS, mostly unsaved kids. Pray for the nightly Gospel messages, that they would be appropriate for the audience(8-10 unsaved have been attending! Praise the Lord! More to come- we are planning to drive around and "compel them to come in!"), and would lead to Salvation. Pray for our continued unity & the Christians here at the Assembly to be encouraged and blessed!
So thankful that I can postpone all the big school assignments until July 1. We just discovered we have Wifi here- someone in a close by trailer must have it- unsecured- so we can access it. Before, we were driving to Omak- to the Starbucks, but as you can imagine, getting school work and work (for Matt) done, with 3 kids, in a Starbucks, is not the easiest or most pleasant use of time :) :)
God has been GOOD to us, and we are THANKFUL.
Please be a prayer warrior for us!
We have yet to purchase return tickets. Pray that we will know when to do so. The work is MUCH. The laborers are few & we are able & willing, so not in any rush to get purchasing ;)
XOXO

 The tent's going up. Our 1st time helping set up a set. H.U.G.E. job!!!!! ( and yes that guy is in prison garb- the grounds keepers are inmates on work release)

 Enjoying dinner and fun with Wolter & Tina Abbink. (Kai their grandson & Harrison by their crazy tiger on the wall :)

 Hannah enjoying all her outside scooter and dirt time!

 Wolter & Harrison ready to spray for skeetos :)

 The tent!

250-260 and Pictures :)

Thankful thoughts for this week...
250- VBS week is done, and it was a success & glorified God.
251- 3 new sunday school kiddos yesterday as a result!
252- meeting my 1st preschool kiddo!
253- neon!!
254- mist setting on our hose :)
255-the new dunkin sandwhich- for all you dieters- do not read this- as it will give you instant sugar cravings :) the sandwhich is... bacon.egg and cheese between a sliced GLAZED DONUT!!! wow. pure amazing deliciousness!!! sooo uncalorie free but thats what running's for right!?! :)
256-iced tea maker
257-Dr Dobson's Strong Willed Child Book
258- Gifts from our good friends in IL! Yummy chinese candies for the kids & Dunkin GC for me! So sweet!!
259- Just 2 days until we leave for WA state! Please pray for the VBS and tent meetings out there.
260- Bath & Body's Wallflowers- scent: SUNTAN. Our house smells like sunscreen which reminds us of all our happy times at the beach in FL at Xmas, and beach time back in MA and ME. So yummy & we love reliving and reflecting back on happy memories :) :)

Enjoy the month of June! Wifi may be hard to come by in rural WA so Multitude Mondays may be on hold until July when we get back.

XOXO

Enjoy some recent pix :)

 Harrison's early b-day bash at the Aquatic Center

Bday Loot from friends!

Beatin' the heat!

Snoozin Sweety!

 Our new READing nook :)

 Doing the plank with mom :)

 SUCH a sweet smiley awesome baby!!!!

 Hannah's little baby :)

We love neon orange!!

 Let brotherly love continue :)