Happy Birthday Little Grandma!

Our Grandma turned 86 today.... which is super cool. We took her out for lunch and then to her favorite place... walmart! I hope she enjoyed herself a bit w/ it!
I covenanted with New Vision Brethren in Christ church this morning. I am excited to covenant and actually be a member, so my vote counts during elections and whatnot, but truely I have been a dedicated member for a long time, so it doesn't make much of a difference, but the thing was that I had to stand up and give my testimony to everyone... it was so daunting. I wasn't nervous because I prayed for the Lord to guide my speech, so of course I had nothing prepared! I asked the pastor if I could be at the end of the line because I wanted to be the shortest story possible. Well I ended up standing like third to last (there were 7 new members joining today) which was OK, and Amanda was standing next to me, and all of a sudden while she was giving her testimony, I could feel my heart pounding, and my arms getting tingly, then I was worried I was going to pass out! I made it through, SUPER fast, with a trembly voice, but nevertheless covenanted with the BIC. Our head pastor gave us his resignation last week, so I am not sure what is up with the future for our church, but I really don't know what is in store for the future of our family either... This week is going to be considerably dull for us since last week was packed full of fun w/ our friends, but it is getting really really gorgeous outside, and since I am planning to lose about 10 lbs before my sister in law's wedding, I need to get a move on it! (hopefully the dress won't need to be altered, hey Em? just kiddin, no worries ;)) So, this evening the kids and I (oh and Max) took a walk down the huge hill to the park where we played for a little while, and then walked back up the hill and played outside for awhile. I am so thankful for that... being able to spend time with the kids outside and in the fresh air, instead of in the apartment! Last week, I ordered Birkenstocks (my link thingy in Blogger isn't working so I will just copy and paste my new sandals here : http://www.originalcomfortsandals.com/birkenstock_sandals/milanohntrbrwnlth.htmlhttp://www.originalcomfortsandals.com/birkenstock_sandals/milanohntrbrwnlth.html, which I am SO incredibly excited about! I love my Teva's that I bought last summer, and I got another pair of black plain Teva's, but both of my best girl friends, love their Birks, so I got some! Anyhow so that is exciting to me...
I finished the book of Numbers this weekend, and am now starting to read Acts, along with reading some of the Psalms per day... it is really exciting to me to start a new book of the Bible. Not that reading the actual book isn't fun, but I mean it gives me a sence of accomplishment, which is really cool. I have read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Esther, Song of Songs, Matthew, Mark, Romans, and Ecclesiastes. I have my first meeting with my mentor this week on Wednesday and I am so excited to be able to get some good Bible reading tips from Joanne, and encouragment, because that is the type of person she is... I am so excited. Oh and on Wednesday also, I start with New Vision's worship team. That should be exciting because my inlaws are lead worship at NV, so it will be like singing w/ Sherry and Neal again, which I haven't done in a very long time. I am hoping that this helps to grow my faith, as well as help me get over my stage freight, which I realized today is serious! Oh my goodness!
Well I suppose that is long enough for today...
Peace!

:0( So sad to say goodbye....

Adam and Kelly came and got the kids and I at about 8 this morning, and we headed to the airport to say Goodbye. One of the many parts that stinks about them leaving again, is this time we actually don't have a planned day for them to either come back, or for us to go there. That is hard. We did have a total blast though! Ben and Emily left at about 4am to take Em to the airport so she could go to South Carolina for a week to visit Chris, so that was a lot of airport for us for a week that is for sure! ;) Anyhow, we had a great time visiting, and thought last night that it would be fun to stay up as late as we could handle and hang out, so Kira, Kel, and I set out at like 10:30pm (which is already past my bedtime!) to go to Super Walmart in Mukwonago. We didn't return until like 1am... So that was fun! We actually got to look around and stuff for awhile since the kids were home and in bed! We had a blast together for the week. I am so excited for when we can do it again someday. I am really missing my friends right now though. Totally hard to work through.
Anyhow, not too sure what is up for this coming week. Kind of dull compared to the last week I am certain, but actually looking forward to the weather hopefully being like it was today... gorgeous! Then it won't be so bad. I really want to get the kids (and dog) outside as much as possible. Getting exercise and just having fun! And also to go and have our weekly visit w/ Grams and whatnot. It will be fun. I just had such a blast w/ A&K... thanks so much you guys for everything. You are truely a blessing!
Peace, Sara

Pancake Day!

Well it wouldn't be the same time w/ Kelly if she and I didn't have a pancake breakfast! We've already had one while we were here (thanks Andy and Jess!), but I had a recipe for sweet potato pancakes http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21218681 that I really wanted to try (again) from the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. So, Kir and her two girls, and Kel are all coming over for pancakes this morning! I am so excited because today is the last day we get with the Stoaks. We had such a wonderful time while they were here, I just knew that I would be extra sad when we left just because we don't know this time when we will see them again... Ugh... 15 hours away really sucks. But, now we have two good vehicles that we can drive, so getting to PA may not be too bad. After we do pancakes this morning, we are picking up Adam and heading to Elegant Farmer. Unfortunatly, Ben has to work, so he is going to meet us at Dori's house for supper (YAY Dori!) And then we are going to probably stay up ridiculously late to hang out with them, which will be SO worth it! Emily is coming later tonight too. She is going to see her fiance in South Carolina, so we are taking shifts driving to the airport tomorrow! ;) He takes her really really early, and I take the Stoaks at about 8am... I HATE goodbyes.....

Almost done w/ Numbers... onto something else...

We are having such a nice time with our friends. I wish that Ben could spend more time though. He has been working his usual shift. Last night we went to Brookfield Square because Kel and I love Auntie Annie pretzels, and Adam needed a new Wisconsin shirt. If you ask me, he should just move back, then he wouldn't need to advertise that the lived in Wisconsin, while he is in PA! ;)
Anyhow, we had a good time letting Wyatt play there, and then went to Barnes and Noble to look around. I love that store. If I could spend time at any store in the mall it would definetly be B&N... Then we went to Famous Footwear to buy Adam a new pair of shoes, and they had buy one get on 1/2 off... So, he got some new sneakers, and I got some new Teva's!! Those are by far my favorite sandals, I bought some when I came home from London, and they are the most comfortable sandals ever, and at half off... can't beat that! Today we get to have fellowship and supper w/ friends from the old journey (I don't even know how to refer to that anymore...), and Kelly and I are going shopping for diaps and stuff like that. It will be fun! The boys are splitting off and going to Cabela's, and probably Fleet Farm. I knew I wouldn't see Ben much this week! Oh well, they will have lots of fun doing that I am sure! Other than that, our week is probably going to be pretty busy. We want to go a few more places before they have to fly home on Saturday. I will never be ready for Saturday to come. I love planning meals with kelly, and going on my monotonus shopping trips because she makes them not monotonus... Grr I need to stop here, or I am going to get sad already!
Well I guess that is all for now... I am so happy that the weather is supposed to improve a little bit today. I am so ready for spring!
Oh! I only have a few chapters of Numbers left, and then I think I want to read Acts, or Corinthians. There was just a little bit of discussion through our community email chain at church about 1 Cor 11, that I would really like to read. And I have my first meeting with my MDP mentor next week Wednesday which I am really looking forward to! I chose a woman from our congregation who has had some experiance w/ missions and YWAM... she is so awesome w/ giving insight into different tips with reading the Bible and stuff like that. I am going to truely enjoy our time in prayer and discussing the Bible. My friend Christy and I actually might try and start a Bible study. We are having a hard time finding a Bible study that will accept children, so we might just start our own!!!! I would love that. I want to be able to fellowship and learn from people during the week. And when we first started going to church as a couple we were part of this great bible study every Monday night which was so helpful and important in my walk... I would love to be part of that again!
Well I went on a lot longer then I thought I would, but peace and have a good day!

What a HUGE coincidence...

Ben and Adam decided to go with our other friend Jesse to a comic book store in Oconomowoc. The main street there is a total mess because they are putting in a roundabout (don't know why, but oh well...) so they were forced to take a detour. While they were driving, they passed a woman that was walking her dog. Ben explained to me while telling the story, that she looked like she was having a hard time walking him... so Ben decided to pull over and see if he could help. As he got close to the dog, he thought he looked a tad bit familiar... to come to find out that it was our dog! Not Max... but Jack!

When we had Adalai, we came to the conclusion, after careful consideration, that it would be a good idea to give our two big pooches up for adoption because of the space issue w/ our two bedroom apartment... So, it was a very tearful goodbye as we said goodbye to our two dogs that we had had for years. Ben took them to the humane society, and said goodbye... We kept close contact with the woman that handled the adoption to make sure that they found good families. Max didn't have an easy time. He wouldn't cooperate w/ their trainers, and they deemed him "untrainable" as he was like 9 or so years old at the time. They told us that they would need to euthanize him (put him down) if we decided not to take him home... So ok fine... we paid for his neutering, and had our dog back. Jack was actually adopted after a little while... and now we have found him again! I think if the lady gave us the option to take him back, I would say OH MY GOSH YES! But I know that giving him to a family that has a large yard and another dog for him to run around w/ is still the best choice for Jack, but I am so thankful that the Lord answered an unsaid prayer... And gave Ben the chance to see Jack again, and cuddle and pet him. The coolest part about this whole thing, is that the woman gave Ben her name and number because Ben offered to help her re-train him! So, we are going to call her soon, and she said that I am more then welcome to come over to her place in Oconomowoc, and see my puppy! I am so extremely excited!

We are having such a good time spending time with Adam and Kelly. I really wish they didn't need to go back to their normal lives on Saturday. It is wierd because I can't help but think of that and get sad... I am so excited for the rest of the time we get to spend together! I need to not think about them leaving again though because I am already sad for Saturday! Part of it for me, is that last time we have made plans to see each other again... And this time, we haven't! Not yet at least... ;( Anyhow, that is all for now... gotta get to cleanin!

Peace!

Waiting for this day for about a year!

I am so excited that in a few hours I will be able to go and pick up Adam and Kelly from the airport (that is--if I don't get lost because I have never actually driven there!) I am thrilled that they were able to take off work to come here and hang out with us for a week. We are going to have various visits w/ the old journey group which I am really looking forward too, also because we hardly ever see those people anymore :( So it should be a wonderful time of fellowship and fun!
Anyhow, I have to clean, and get the kids ready before we leave here at like 11am, so I should go...
Adalai is getting a little better... so that is wonderful! I am so thankful for God's blessings that I have receieved lately, what a wonderful God we serve..
Peace to you this weekend

3 days left!

We went to the doc yesterday with both kids and I mentioned in my last post. Wyatt checked out fine, but Adalai has an ear infection. Poor girl! She is on amoxicillan, and is also kind of sick (the nurse explained that she probably isn't suffering and allergy from the meds, but may have a bug also), she spit up a few times and has tummy aches ;( Anyhow, she is getting really big! She is skinny for her age only in the 25th percentile, but weighs 19 lbs 8 oz... And she is super tall! She is in the 95th percentile for her height 30 1/4 inches, and has a big noggin (46 1/2 cm-75th percentile). She is doing well otherwise. We may switch to soy milk. The doctor said that nutritionally, that is it good for both of them and may be a little easier for them both to digest, so we have been doing that for awhile. Cool thing about the Silk milk, is that Wyatt thinks it is chocolate milk ,and I don't even need to add chocolate to it, since it is so sweet. (but actually has less sugar than milk!) So for that factor itself, it is good. They are both going to be back on track soon hopefully! Ben and I also took a sick day yesterday. Neither one of us woke up feeling very well, and with the doc appt and Adi sick, Ben decided to stay home with us. I was so greatful! So we relaxed at home and I got a nap in last night and today which really helped, and then tonight we get to go to Grams, which we always look forward to! In 3 days Adam and Kelly come. I am so so so excited I can hardly stand it, so we are keeping busy until then. I am going to see Little Gram tomorrow morning (of course if everyone is feeling well) and then on Friday we are going to watch Sophie and play here, and then go shopping for groceries in the evening so we are all ready for when they arrive on Saturday. Their flight comes in at 12:30pm on Saturday! We are going to have pizza for supper w/ our friends Andy and Jess, and kind of hang out together. Then I am thinking if everyone is up for it, I am going to suggest the Betty Brinn museum on Sunday... And then I am not sure what is up for the next week, but we are probably going to do some of the stuff that we used to always do together... go to the Elegant Farmer, shop at Super Walmart, and probably fire up the grill, even if it is snowing outside! ;)
We also have lots of cleaning up to do before they come, so I am focusing on that tomorrow... but for today? Rest until after nap, load the kids into the Jeep and then rest more at Grams and let them play...
Have a great day!