Group Photo from Conference

You can see the boys down front in their Falcons jerseys. Julia and Abigail are down front on the right. Chris and I are on the left.

Cadence Conference

Oh if I could tell you the goodness of who we are with. We are with 350 missionaries, and that doesn't count the youth and children. We are being encouraged by other missionaries, encouraging others, having great messages brought to us, and learning a ton form our break out sessions.

We have been blessed by having Dr. Mark Young, the President of Denver Seminary as our speaker. He and his wife Priscilla are such a blessing. They have been an encouragement to us personally.

The kids have been going to their classes and really love seeing the big picture of being a part of a group of 30 children and 40 youth. They are creating friendships that will last a long time!

Right before we came we were feeling discouraged. As soon as everyone saw us they were encouraging, hugging on us, they were proud of us. AWESOME!

We are blessed to be a part of this organization that truly loves the Lord and longs to see lives and hearts transformed. They all LOVE Jesus. As someone said This is like being at a family reunion...only with people you like!

I had the opportunity to meet Dan & Barb. Many of you know that they were Chris' youth leaders while he was Germany. Dan & Barb had such a huge impact on him and truly helped to shape him into the man that he is today. I was honored to be able to pray over Barb (she has been given 6 months to live as she has terminal cancer). I am forever grateful to the them for the impact they have had on my life, even without ever meeting them.

To tell you that this has been a great week would be shortchanging it. It has been FABULOUS!!

Confessions

Well, here is what I have learned this week:

If you can't get the permanent filth from between your toes while camping, don't worry..all the other campers look the same.

You may want to repaint your nails, but getting in the turtle shell in the rain is a pain!

Taking the surge protector to the Starbucks is a brilliant idea.

The new smartphone is a life saver...Literally.

Making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the sunshine can cause a sunburn.

Swimming all afternoon will cause you to start snoring mid-sentence. Fortunately the Hubby is understanding.

Sulfur water in the closed up bath house really stinks!!

Little girls are preciously cute in the sunshine.

Little boys give the best hugs after a long day swimming.

Everything taste better cooked over an open campfire.

My hubby can cook a mean steak on a fire pit!!

To keep ones tent nice and dry, stuff all belongings into the sleeping bag and put on parent's air mattress.

Arguing does not solve anything!

Making up with each other can be awkward but rewarding.

Friendships made at campgrounds are very good for you.

Starbucks WiFi is Awesome

Redbox movies make the rain and the heat better when watched indoors.

Amazon.com is fun to shop no matter where you are (David's).

Playing games with Daddy is good (Julia's)

I am enjoying our time camping. I do look forward to each new destination and the people God is placing in our path to help and encourage us and for us to do the same for them.

The money

We are steadily picking up new supporters. If you would like to support us on a monthly basis, click on comments at the bottom of this post and we will send you all the information you need. Right now, we are around 30% of where we need to be. Please prayerfully consider if God is calling you to partner with us in reaching our military community for Christ!

www.cadence.org

Hot Times

I (heart) Jay's chips!!

The heart shaped chip in my bag of Jay's

The kids on the KOA Playground

I tried to get a picture of all of us enjoying the pool. We have been using the pool as our cool off time. We spent most of yesterday out there, and I got sunburned. Not to bad, but enough that I didn't want to sit out there again today. So we are on the internet at Starbucks and the kids are watching their Redbox movies. We are all cool and comfy. We are getting excited about seeing all our Cadence friends Sunday at the conference. in the meantime we plan to do some re-organization of our stuff and enjoy our last two days here in Chicago.

TOY STORY 3

It has rained on and off. This morning chris and I decided we would pull a prank on the kids. We told them we were going to another old museum. They didn't complain and went happily along. Even when we told them it was next door to that historic theater that was playing Toy Story 3 in 3D. When we opened the doors, Caleb just hugged me, and all the others just squealed. We really got them good!

Illinois - Nice Treat

We have had many adventures in Illinois...most involve the weather. We were fortunate enough to meet some great people. One woman we mwt had her daughter with her at the pool. We were talking about how much i love Jay's Chips. When my Dad worked in Chicago he would get them for me, and later when I visited my parents there, they took me to get these chips. This Woman went out of her way to go to the store and bring them back by the campground after they had left. See the note she left below.

Indiana

We had 24 hours of Fun with Jeff, Tonya, Jason, Ryan, and Kimberly Wall. Chris and Tonya went to school together in Germany and were in the same Malachi (a division of Cadence) Youth Group. Getting together with them was liking getting together with your best friends. Their entire family was sweet as pie. The fed us, helped wash up our muddy tent, took us to church, fixed us some good ol Indiana Roasted Corn, and sat with us around the camp fire. Good Friendships were formed for all of us!

The Kids

The grown-ups

The boys playing along while Chris and Tonya taught them old youth group songs

CORN

The COLTS play here!

Crossing over from Indiana to Illinois

Abraham Lincoln Learning

Looking down into sinking spring

Where Abe almost drowned and where he possibly skipped stones.

Sinking Spring

Abigail loved this bronze statue of the Lincoln family.

Inside the home

Lincoln Vegetable Garden

Last Days at Kentucky Camp

The second snake we saw in Otter Creek

Nightly Visitor

Julia's injury. Thanks to Mr. Gabe Hedges for all the medical supplies.

Crazy Picture of Mom.

Silly kid picture

Crossing the creek. David was my guide and led me most of the way.

Sweet times together.

Caleb laying in wait for the coon!