Heather came for a Visit

My sister Heather came into town this past Thursday-Tuesday to spend my B-day and V-day with me since Josh is gone...we had a good time touring DC, seeing Amish country, getting pedicures and manicures, eating out, watching movies, and just spending time together! I've added just a couple of pics!

Also, while we were gone one day my dog Sadie decided she would bite through her crate (well really is our friends Hannah and Mac's crate)....Sorry you guys! Well, she wiggled her way through the hole and escaped the crate! I attached that video...pretty funny!



After our pedicures and manicures!

Eating at my favorite restaurant in No. Virginia...Arties!



Where Sadie bit through the crate



She hadn't seen snow in a while!



haha...had to take of a picture of Miz Nail...no we didn't get our pedi's here but I had to take a picture!




Being goofy at Hallmark



Sadie getting out of her crate that she bit through!

Truro Church

This past Sunday I decided to visit Truro Church (an Anglican church here in Fairfax) with some good friends Jim and Nadine Maxwell. I have never been to an Anglican church so it was interesting and much different than any church I have visited. The rector, associate rector, and clergy wore robes, which was also very different. Communion is given to you at the front of the church by members of the congregation (maybe clergy?), and there were many interactive prayers and readings that the leader would read and the then the people would read as a whole. There were organs, pianos, drums and other instruments and the music and singing was beautiful. The people sang very loudly and it was obvious people were so glad to be there to worship the Lord.

What struck me the most was this....I learned that at this church there was a couple who decided to make meals for the homeless. Not only did they make these meals but they invited these people in their home! Numbers grew and eventually they had to move the meal to the church because there were just too many people. Now each Sunday, homeless people come to be fed and to hear a message at the church. As we left church yesterday there was a long line of homeless people forming as they waited to come in for services. I will not deny that if I saw (100 or so) homeless people in my neighborhood or church I would feel scared, afraid, or paranoid...but isn't that what Jesus did? Isn't that what we are called to do?

Josh is gone...

I just quickly want to solicit your prayers as Josh is gone for 5 months for training. He can come home occasionally during that 5 months, although not often and typically if he does, he is home no more than 30 hours. It is a pretty strict training and stressful at that so please say a prayer for him! I already miss him and he has only been gone 4 days.....

Addicted to Wii

Josh and I got a Wii for a late Christmas present to each other. While getting Wii, he also decided to get Wii Fit, which is supposedly hard to come across. I can officially say I am addicted! It is so fun and not to mention, can be a little workout too! Ladies, if you wanna see some funny stuff....get your husband doin' the Hula Hoop on the Wii fit! Too funny! Our best friends Mac and Hannah came this weekend and we ended up spending a good bit on the Wii fit! Here are some pictures from the Wii and dinner at Arties, a fantastic restaurant here in N. Virginia.

Christmas 2008

Here are some pictures of our trips to Atlanta and Tampa during Christmas break! We really enjoyed time with our families as always! Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and happy new year!

Thanksgiving

We went home to Florida to visit my family! We had a blast and are so thankful that we could all be together. I was especially grateful because I was able to see my grandparents who have not been doing well. My grandaddy opened up more than he normally does and was very emotional with all of us sisters (and rest of the family). He told us again that he prays for his family (everyone by name) every single night. He also opened up and told us that he didn't know if he was going to make it to see his grandchildren again. He cried and I cried. My grandaddy has always been such a great father-figure for me and my sisters. I love my grandparents so much and am so thankful for their love for all of us.

Weekend with the Luceros

A little blurry but all four us at their house







Painting Pottery








Our bowls--yay! I painted a rooster and Hannah has a red and yellow design in a black bowl....she messed her's up so ended up painting everything but the design black. ha ha Hannah







Our hunter men!


Josh and I went to visit Mac and Hannah in Lynchburg. The boys planned on hunting and Hannah and I were going to have a day of painting pottery (which is so fun if you have never done it). We had such a good time as always. So Josh and I got there Friday night and we just hung out. Saturday morning Josh and Mac got up bright and early to go hunting. Both of them were stoked to go hunting. Hannah and slept in and then woke up to have breakfast. We were super lazy for a while and laid on the couch and watched "The Devil Wears Prada." Well, when we finally got ready and were leaving around 1pm, low and behold the boys came home. Now we thought that was just strange...and probably not good news. They came inside and were completely bummed because that said they saw not a one deer out in the woods....they even fell asleep in the woods because they must have gotten so sleepy and bored looking for deer. No sight of em' so they came home. Poor boys!

Well, Hannah and I left the boys and went to do our thing...lunch and pottery. We decided to do a large pasta bowl, which ended up taking forever! We watched people come in, paint, and leave as we were there from about 3-9 (I think). We had a ton of fun and I can't wait to see what our pasta bowl look like when they are fired! Ladies, if you have never painted pottery before it is a lot of fun!