Somewhere in Pennsylvania

Here we are back on the road on our way to Ohio. We spent 3 wonderful days in Pittsburgh with Eli's grandmothers. We've been able to see so many special people and it is so good to catch up with each other. The boys are definitely getting tired of driving but they have been such good sports. We will be in Massilon Ohio all weekend and Eli will preach on Sunday at Ekklesia church, a church planted by friends we went to Moody
with. Thank you for praying for us. The Lord has protected us every mile we drive. We're so thankful for such a dependable car!

On the Road Again

This morning we start our trip to Virginia. We're going to stop in Wilson, NC to see some friends and then continue on to Franklin. Please pray for safe trips, happy kids, and good nights' rest. :) We will try to update you on the road...
Let me give you our itinerary again:
July 23 - Drive to Franklin, VA
July 24 - BBQ at River of Life Baptist Church
July 25 - Speak at River of Life Church
July 26 - Drive to Hollidaysburg, PA and meet with the missions committee at First Presbyterian Church.
July 27 - Drive to Pittsburgh, PA to spend a few days with Eli's grandmothers and uncle and aunt.
July 30 - Drive to Ohio
August 1 - Share at Ekklesia Church
August 2 - Drive back to Columbia, SC
August 6&7 - Eli attends and speaks at a Youth Mens Retreat in SC

We are so grateful for your prayer coverage. We can't do this without it! THANK YOU!

Isaac's 6th Birthday

We had such a blast celebrating Isaac's 6th birthday today! After blueberry coffee cake with candles in it at breakfast, we went to a great place called Saluda Shoals. We took the boys' bikes along since there are tons of beautiful trails through the woods and along the river. Since it was a hot day, we had to rotate - bike/hike for a while, then play in the water at the splash pad, then bike again. We also packed a picnic and found a nice quiet place to enjoy it.

Around 3 p.m. we packed up and headed to the theater to watch "Despicable Me" one of the new kids movies out. We got popcorn and Icees and had a great time. Even Josh sat through the whole movie!

Since we were out having so much fun all day, I didn't get a chance to bake him a cake but he was perfectly happy to have a candle in his ice cream cone after supper! Oh Isaac, I am so totally thankful that God brought you into our family 6 years ago! What a joy that we get to spend these years watching you grow up into such a sweet young guy.

Joshua's 2nd birthday

Chocolate cupcakes for Joshua's birthday

The day before his birthday we asked Josh how old he was going to be and without hesitating he yelled, "Twenty!" Then here at his birthday celebration we asked him how old he was and he forgot and said "One!"

Blueberry picking

Blueberry picking was so much fun last weekend. We went with our friend Jess Carr and picked 5 gallons between all of us! Yes, we've got TONS of berries!

It was fun to taste them along the way.

Evan was having a great time until the fire ants found him. Then he decided to hide out on the roof of our car for the rest of the berry excursion!

We are so so thankful for our lifetime friend, Jessica Carr! What a HUGE blessing to live in the same city as Jess for these 8 months.

Our schedule (for those interested)

Some of you have asked for our itinerary to see what our next few weeks of traveling will entail. I hope these details might help you to pray for us while we're on the road and also please pray that our passion for God and Sudan would be evident in everything we share.
July 18 - give our Sudan presentation at our home church in SC - evening service
July 23-25 - Franklin, VA - share at River of Life Baptist Church that Sunday.
July 26-27 - Hollidaysburg, PA - visit supporters and missions committee at supporting church.
July 28-30 - Pittsburgh, PA - visit both of Eli's grandmothers
July 30-Aug. 1 - stay with friends from Moody Bible Institute in Ohio and share at Ekklesia.
Aug. 2 - Drive home to Columbia, SC
Aug. 5 & 6 - Eli will be the speaker at our church's youth guys retreat.

Isaac's creative way of helping

I just had to post this! Today I asked Isaac to take the recycling out and when I looked out the kitchen window, I saw that he had rigged a contraption to help carry it out. He is so funny but also so very helpful!

Myrtle Beach

We had an AMAZING time at Myrtle Beach this week. We spent two days with Jeff, Alyssa, and their three wonderful boys. (Alyssa is Eli's sister if you can't tell in the pictures) Short but sweet.

The Atlantic ocean is definitely colder than the Indian ocean, but we all still enjoyed the waves.

Our nephew Jordan couldn't keep his hands off his Uncle Eli. Absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder!

There was so much fun to be had - a complete paradise/wonderland for children AND adults!

Isaac and Evan were both very brave to try the tallest waterslide. By the 2nd day, they both went about 15 times!

Uncle Jeff helped catch the boys at the end of the slide since the pool was deep.

Here we are as a group: Jeff, Isaac, Keegan, Alyssa, Bryson, Bethany, Joshua, Jordan, Evan, and Eli! What a bunch! Thank you Lord for the gift of being with family again!