deep creek

This past weekend we had a Young Life Regional Family Weekend at Deep Creek in Maryland. We had such a great time. Sophie and I came back Saturday night - I was sad to leave early. There are 4 houses in the community that are owned by committee people in Bridgeport and Morgantown. They are gracious enough to allow us to spend time together as a team and as families in their homes. Here are some pictures in no particular order . . .

This is the house we got to stay in. It's brand new - finished in November. Absolutely stunning!




A cute little market nearby with wonderful food and a neat atmosphere.


Our bathroom. It was about the size of two of our bedrooms at home.





Our bedroom. We did the traditional "put the pack-n-play in the closet" routine!



Ted hanging with John & Shawna. He informed Adrienne in the car that he was not going to marry her. He was going to marry John & Shawna. He's referring to being in their wedding in June. Sorry Adrienne. You know we would love for you to be part of our family!


The main living area where we met.



Ted and Mary Berg have become fast friends. They spent some time together a couple of weeks ago. Mary is fearless. Ted is cautious. They make a good team. We found them playing ipod touches. It's amazing what they know at the ages of 4 & 5. Ted learned to play ipod touch from his preschool teachers phone. I won't comment on that. Now he plays Ben's.


Sophie and Micah Mowry.



One of the other houses.


And the view from the porch. I can't imagine what this view would be in the fall. The leaves aren't out there yet.


The backyard of the place we stayed.


The outdoor fireplace.


The house next door owned by the same family. This was the "fun house!"





Sophie kissing the ducks

magic tricks

Ted would like to thank Emma Berg for the magic trick and Sophie Tuel for acting surprised. In case you're wondering, this video was shot about 3 minutes before the previous video for Doh's birthday - just on the opposite side of the table. Same clothes, same yogurt!

Happy Birthday, Doh!

Since we can't be there to sing to you in person, we put it on video for you. Happy birthday!

Love,

Ted & Sophie

my swiffer

Let me introduce you to my very own swiffer. Her name is Sophie. She is like a magnet for dirt and filth. But unlike the swiffer, she continually deposits her filth everywhere she goes. She looks like a rag-a-muffin most days. Her hair is always a disaster. Mainly b/c she hates having it combed or tries to brush it herself. She just wants to be outside. She loves it. I have given up on "cute" b/c it just ain't happenin'. Two baths a day are not uncommon - one for explosive poops and then just plain old dirt at the end of the day.




She's learning to undress herself. Fantastic!


After our picnic dinner tonight. Little do you know that she just pooped an enormous poop and smelled up the entire back yard!


A different view of pasta night the other night.


Imitating Ted standing in the corner!

This child absolutely melts my heart. She is hilarious - eating fist fulls of shredded cheese that she gets out of the fridge on her own. She's frustrating - she has quite a temper and has learned the art of the limp body, fall to the floor method. She's independent and incredibly social - you can hear her "hi's" and "bye's" all over Walmart or down the street.

And her vocabulary has absolutely EXPLODED just this week. It's amazing. I'm pretty sure this is one of my favorite stages - when you watch it just all just start clicking. I'm trying to get her on video saying "chips." I can't even explain what it sounds like.

So, this is my swiffer - hair, dirt, spunk and all!

this wasn't suppossed to be bath night

at one point she had a small piece of hamburger hanging from her eyelashes!

morgantown or bust

You may have already heard . . . but in case you haven't. . .

Ben and I (and the kids, of course) will be moving to Morgantown in August. For the past several months, we have been praying for where God wanted us in the next school year. We knew that our family couldn't continue to function properly with Ben doing full time Young Life and part-time worship and me doing Family Ministry. We were in no way anticipating that God would call us to move. We were mostly thinking a change in job status for Ben. But alas, God works in ways we don't always understand.

Ben has accepted the position of Area Director for Young Life in the Mountaineer Area. It will be a very different role for him and one that will change the dynamics of our family drastically. I am not going to pursue work when we arrive in Morgantown. I believe that God has given me a greater vision for my marriage and my family - one that I have struggled to find for quite some time.

We will most likely move in August although we spend a large chunk of the summer at Young Life camp. At this point we don't know what's going on with transition stuff or who will be replacing us in any of our 3 roles. We've just accepted the position in Morgantown. So we're working with our pastor for church stuff and our regional director for Young Life stuff.

Please know that these are my three major prayers at this time:

So, that's about all I know at this point. Last Sunday, we shared a little bit of our story during the sermon. You can listen to it here. Our part comes about half way through. It's the one on the bottom called "Excuses."

http://riverridge.org/?p=1188

So, that's what we know right now. I'll keep you posted . . .

eggs

So, as we all know, WVU lost in the Final 4. I'll be honest - I slept through pretty much the entire game. But look at these two cuties . . . .


If they look hot and sweaty it's b/c they are. Sophie has found an incredible love for "side" (being outside). She absolutely hates to come in and asks to go out first thing in the morning. She and Ted play beautifully together outside - unlike being inside together. And the weather has been incredible - 70's and 80's all week. If we weren't outside here, we were at the park with friends. Filthy and exhausted would be two words to describe them both at the end of the day.

On Saturday, we "dyed" Easter eggs. Our turned our less than colorful. But no one really seemed to care.


Sophie played with the eggs. Since she's not known for her gentleness, it's fairly surprising that she only broke one egg prior to coloring.




Thanks for the stickers and dye kit, Doh! This was the outcome.


Sophie was chucking the eggs in the colored water and making a mess. So we gave her a cup of her own. She would alternate between chucking the egg in and out to drinking. When we start here she just spilled water down the front of her outfit. . . .

Happy Easter

Happy Easter! I know it's shocking to all of you when I say that we blow traditions completely out of the water. At naptime today, we still hadn't done Easter baskets. Ben leaves before the kids get up on Sunday mornings and after church everyone is hungry and cranky and just needs to go to bed. So, during naptime we filled some eggs. Uncle Andy & Aunt Courtney stopped by just in time to take part in the fun.

At church this morning, the kids were talking about what they got in their Easter baskets. Scooter, shoes, BIKE! Yes, a bike! Ted looked at me and said, "I didn't even get an easter basket." We got him a harmonica. We searched for eggs, he got a harmonica. It was fun and everyone had a great time!


Getting ready to look for eggs.






Enjoying a good chuckle at the silliness.


If only I had posted the 10 pictures it took us to get to this one!

We had Easter dinner with our friends the Shaaks and the Heveners.


Rob deep fried a turkey - true Easter cuisine.


The kid table.


Anxiously awaiting the Easter egg hunt - notice Sophie's pure excitement going in the other direction.


This is way more fun.


Good friends and lots of laughter!