ARE WE GOING TO THE ASSEMBLY OR NOT?!?

Okay, so now Rob tells me last night that NOW he's leaving for Germany the week after the Assembly, but would have to fly out from TN sometime that Saturday during the Assembly IF he could get tickets from somewhere near there. Since it's getting so close to the time he has to leave, finding tickets will be a bit harder, so he has to take what he can find. His plans are changing so much that I'm just going to say, if we make it, we make it, if we don't, we don't. Sickness, military TDY's, all unpredictable!

Not So Good Here At Home...

Well, a few days ago, Rob was still trying to get his orders for a TDY to Germany switched to September so he could attend the Assembly. He knew he was going for a week and would be leaving from TN but then he got a phone call about having to go a week earlier for 2 weeks straight. I was very bummed and thought about not going to the Assembly, then my great family talked me into going. BUT NOW... I'm sick with strep, my throat and ear is pounding and Emma is now coming down with a temp! The devil is either really fighting or for some reason of which I'm not aware of, God is trying to protect us. I really hope she doesn't get what I have. I slept for 2 days and 2 nights straight before Rob left for FL on Monday which forced me to get out of bed and take care of the kids. Thankfully, the body aches I had from Sat & Sun went away on Monday, but the soarness progress rapidly. My temp went from staying around 103.5 to staying around 101.3 for Monday. Today, it's been hanging around 100.6 each time I check it. I went to the doctor on Monday and received a shot and was sent home with some meds. Today, I'm not feeling too much better. I'm more "with it," but it now feels like my face is numb from my chin to my eye brow. My teeth hurt because of the infection and to me I sound like I'm in a tunnel talking. Yesterday, it sounded like I was talking into a mic with the reverb (is that what it's called?) all the way up and my voice sound distorted.

I'm really hoping to still make it to the Assembly. Rob will be home Thursday morning to care for the kids and I'll try to do some more resting to get well. I'm just not able to sleep as much as I would like.

I also have to watch out for the goat in my house. Kaylee will pick up every single piece of paper and eat it. Well, she gets choaked on it. I normally catch her in the act of putting it in her mouth. Now yesterday, Madison calmly comes to me and says, "Mom, Emma is feeding Kaylee chips." So I jump up to look, and sure enough, she had a gold fish cracker coming out of her mouth, but she was still choking! So I calmly waited and she coughed up a whole gold fish cracker. Scary!

Well, for all of those who pray, pray for us that we get well.
Take care and God bless you!
Amy

Going To the Assembly?

Not so sure if we are going to make the assembly this year. I just talked to Rob and he told me that it's a good possibility he would be in Germany during the assembly. He's tried to get it changed to September, but right now, it doesn't look like that will be happening. If he doesn't go, I think I will stay home. I don't like missing the assembly, but I suppose we all can't make all of them.

A LOT OF PICTURES...

Emma fell asleep while eating one day, she was so tired.

A few family camp pictures.
Grace & Cindi

Cindi teaching Madison how to read & text.
(notice they both have a magazine & phone!)

Here's pictures of my nightmare! This is after I cut on it some. I keep forgetting to get pictures while she's awake. These are now here bangs and....

Yes, this is all the hair she has on this side. It IS above her ear! But it blends pretty well with the comb over. I have to part her hair from the other side which goes again the direction of her hair growth, but it will work til we can do something better.

Darrin and Mel came to our house on the 4th to be with their daughter Shannon who was staying with us. They celebrated their 16th Anniversary. We welcomed them with pop stringers and confetti. I made a very bad looking cake that tasted horrible, but it was the thought that counted.

Here we are all loaded up for AR/OK/MO convention and camp. I decided to have a yard sale and took a lot with us on the trip. Then we had to pick up 2 teenage girls (yes, that would be Cindi and Destiny) to take with us for 5 more hours! I'm so sorry, there wasn't any room in the van. The best seats were the driver's seat, which couldn't even be scooted back, so I had to drive the entire way! All the girls were great troopers and not a one of them complained, to us anyway! I think they were just excited about going to the convention. BTW- we DID make it for some of the Friday night service as Cindi feared that we wouldn't.

The Children's Program.

Some of the activities that took place at my parents house while all the others were at Sr. Camp.

Horseback riding.

Winnie Roast & Roasting Marshmellows!

Tire Racing.

1,2,3 GO!

4-wheeler rides!

Load 'em up! How many can fit on one horse?

We had so much fun! I hope we do it again next year!

See ya later!

P.S.

Catching up...

Well, I'm still trying to play catch up on all the happenings in our life. I've been wanting to add pictures, but never seem to have the time to add them. Now I'm in AR at my parents, helping with a total of 10 kids while part of my family is helping in church camp. We have My three kids along with Shannon, Blakley, Mekenzi, Daniel, Dakota, Noah & Deanna (the last two belong to the Pate family in OK). They've been pretty good. I'll have to add some pictures later on. They've had a cook out, played with tires and had tire races, road the four wheeler, went to church on Wed, played video games, and if we can get my brother to bring his horse out here, we'd ride the horse. But I believe they've been having fun.

I hear reports from Rob while he's at church camp. He's reported several great experiences at camp already! This is his first camp to work in and he's having a blast! Looks like it won't be his last camp now. He got appointed as Assistant Sr. Camp Director for this next year. He's been added to the list that the young guys have to "who not to prank" at camp. He whipped them in PT and made them extremely soar after receiving messiest cabin. They are not sure what all he is capable of doing and they are not wanting to find out either! ha ha. Maybe this will keep them under better control for next year!?!? I don't know what would be worse, a paddle or a knock out cruel PT treatment.

I sure am missing camp! I normally work, but with Kaylee still nursing, I'm having to miss out this year. Most likely I'll be there next year though.

We had a GREAT convention. The spirit of the Lord was so sweet there. I love being in the midst of his mighty power, where lives are being changed and the love of the Lord is so real. Rob's parents were able to join us for the convention as well. It was great seeing them, as it always is. Every moment there is for the kids to see their grandparents is a great moment! PICTURES! I'm sooooo bad about thinking to take pictures with them!!!! I'm sooo bad! I JUST remembered we didn't take any with OUR camera! Anyway, I have to move on, for it's too late!

While at the convention, we dedicated Kaylee back to God. Bro. Micheal Jernigan did a fantastic job during the dedication. He preached a wonderful message for the twins dedication, but there was no time for a message this time since the dedication was just added into the program. It was short and sweet and a great reminder of the huge responsibility we have raising our children and teaching them about the Lord.

On Tuesday, we got our house rented again!!!! We've now gone about 3 months with no rent payment. The guy before had lost his job and had to be evicted. I hate those kind of situations, but at the same time, we can't make payment on two homes either. I had just sent in two checks for the house. One for advertisement, the other for painting the baby room. Then in the email, our property manager said we were getting both checks back! The couple was calling about another house advertised, but really wanted something different (more like our home) and they were told about our house that just came available, they looked at it and loved it! It was just perfect for them, even the babies room! So no need to advertise and no need to paint!!! They are a retired couple keeping two small grandchildren. So we thank God for answering our prayer for renters, and we didn't even have to advertise!!!

IN JUNE: We had the opportunity to be in Family Camp with the NM/CO/AZ/ W. TX region. We had a wonderful time in the Lord and were blessed in many ways. It was great seeing everyone in that region again and spending some time with them all. God did a mighty work and is still doing great things. Since camp, some that were once saved have been getting saved and some that have never been saved have gotten saved. God is working in many ways and is doing great things. Cindi was able to attend family camp with us.

After family camp, we went straight to the Austin, AR church for a block party they had and then church on Sunday and Rob spoke Sunday night. We attended Jessica's 16TH Birthday party as well and then we headed back home with 3 teenagers (Cindi, Destiny & Jessica). We had a great time. They spent a lot of time in the pool. They are so much fun. It's great having good teenagers around. After a week at my house, I switched the teenagers our for some pre-teens (Emily and Shannon) and left my twins at my parents. They were good as well. They went swimming a lot as well. That pool has come in handy, giving the kids something cool to do. We all met up at the convention in AR. But meanwhile at Nana's house.....

Madison cut her hair! I nearly cried! I fell in the floor upon hearing the news and really didn't want to believe it. She had cut her bangs and just kept on going! The cut the entire left side of her hair ABOVE her ear! Who would have thought a 3 year old with a comb over! It's hid pretty well combed over with a hair clip in. When I get home, I'll post some pictures.

Kaylee.... What is Kaylee doing now. She's almost 7 months old and is growing so much. We have a Dr. appointment for her coming up to see really how big she is, but I don't know them to tell me how well she's growing! The kid is in BIG 6-9 month clothing (the smaller made ones don't fit her) and wears a lot of 12 months clothing. She likes to eat fruit, but not so much the veggies. While sitting in the floor, she can turn herself around. She can even pull up and stand. She rolls over from back to belly / belly to back. She goes from sitting to laying on her belly, rolls over on her back then cries to get up so she can do it all over again! She smiles a lot, but hardly ever makes a noise. She's quiet. In the mornings, she "talks" but hasn't started any of the mama, dada, baba stuff yet. She gives LOTS of hugs and kisses, to me anyway. She's a momma's girl right now. That may all change after I stop nursing her. I've started her on a sippy cup, but we are not doing so great. She likes it, but needs to learn how to sip on it. She likes to walk while holding her hands. She's growing up so fast!

Well, mom and I are getting ready for a yard sale tomorrow and there's still a lot that needs to get done. I'm considering this to be updated now to the present and I'll try and do better about not getting so far behind! Can't promise

More things we did in May...

May was very busy for us. After going to FL, Rob took another trip to Canada. Due to the rain we had on the scheduled day of installation of the pool, we got pushed back a week. Finally the pool got installed and the kids love it, not to mention all our nieces and nephews. They have a blast when they come to visit.

After installation of the pool, they didn't use all of the sand. I had nearly a ton of sand left over out of the 6 tons that we ordered. I couldn't leave it in the driveway, cause I couldn't get to my car garage. Therefore, I did man labor all day long and moved the whole pile of sand to the back of our yard and cleaned up every little bit of sand that was in the driveway. I was quiet impressed with myself, but that was one less thing Rob had to do once he got back home, plus, I could now park in my garage again!

Before the pool was installed, I put up this little one for the girls to play in. The day before we had bought swimming stuff for the girls and they thought they need it for this shallow pool! I just had to get a picture of them.

See those fat rolls on Kaylee? She's 5 months old here and wearing 9 month clothing.
The beginning of June, Rob flew out to his mom and dad's in IN to visit for a day before he helped drive the homeless to our home. That's right. Ben and Tabatha Smith are homeless now and are living with us until they find a home. They are good friends of our that we met in Ohio and Rob went through ROTC with Ben. After his graduation from school, he got stationed here at Tinker AFB. You believe where he works at either. Just a few rows over from Rob!

We are so excited to have them here with us. The girls just love them both and we hated to have to seperate in Ohio, but once again, somehow, God saw fit for us to be together again. As some know, we didn't even put Oklahoma down for a choice to move to, for it wasn't offered to us and they put it down for their first choice and they got it! So, welcome Ben and Tabatha, we are glad to have you here!

Ben and Rob installed a pathway to our pool from our patio. It looks very nice!

DISNEY WORLD!

In May, we had a great time at disney world. It all started out with a free week to any resort we wanted to go to, so we choose FL so we could have the chance to see Rob's parents again and let them see the kids. It was a nice visit with them. The girls were overwhelmed with excitement as they got to see many of the charactors they love so much. It was a long trip down there. 3 days to travel, over 24 hours total for us. We decided to break the trip up so we wouldn't be so tired once we got there. We stopped at two different Air Force bases and stayed on the base hotel. A lot cheaper to do that!

So once we made it to Mickey Mouses House (that would be Orlando), the girls wanted to know where Mickey was. They were so excited and wanted to see Mickey. I won't be going into minute by minute details, but I've posted a few pictures that will add to some of the cute stories.

Here's the girls first time to see Mickey mouse. Madison was so excited that she let go of our hand and just run right under the rail to keep us in line. It took all we had to pull her excitement back to us and then she couldn't stand still. Her little feet just pitter pattered in place until she was able to get to him. It's something that just touches a parents heart. Emma was always a little hesitant to greet each character, but eventually slowly made her way to them.

I thought it was so nice that the disneys photograhers took pictures with our camera for us.

They were both excited to see Pluto. He was ready with arms wide open to take them in and give them a great big hug. Wasn't it nice that Madison didn't run off and leave Emma this time?

Here we are at Magic Kingdom. This was such a fun day. The girls loved all the shows that we saw, especially the one where some of the characters come out with the princess' to perform a show. Their eyes never came off the stage. We ended up watching the show twice. The second time around, they remembered what was going to happen next. During the scary part, Emma and Madison was hiding under Rob's legs. They didn't like the scary looking lady that they called "Kingdom" because she would say, "...and this kingdom shall be mine!" But they loved the show.

Here they are watching the show.

This is the first time watching the show and the "Kingdom Lady" came out and fireworks went off. Priceless picture!

This is pretty much how Emma watched the rest of the show. ha ha

Our picture after going through Mickey's house. That was fun. We didn't know Minnie was going to be there as well, so it was a nice surprise.

Gotta love Pooh!

And Kaylee loved him as well!

This was Emma and Madison's first ride. They had to ride it with their daddy since they were under 42" and had a lot of fun. Wanted to ride it again! I didn't post pictures of their first roller coaster ride. That one, they road 2 times each. It was great!

And we got to experience Sea World. Bush Gardens gave free tickets to military and family for one day. I've always wanted to go and I'm glad we were able to. We were all amazed at the animals and all loved it very much.