bon voyage small groupious!

The boys (back) Adam, Bryan, Alex, Brandon, Keith, Jason, (first row) Bradyn, Jim, Ashton,Graham, and Josh.












The girls (back) Mandy, Natalie, Kelli, Marta, Nicole, Hillary,
(first row) Joleen, Lara, me and ava, and Devon.






Great times with Broken In (our now disbanded small group)
As with all good things, the end of our small group came last Thursday. To memoralize our annual thursday night commute to the westerville residences of the Hicks, we headed to Plain City (he he) for a bonfire at my parents. Here are the pics from our bon voyage bonfire at the kuhns farm. so many great memories and fun times--we will really miss everyone and our thursday nights at the Hicks. We roasted marshmallows, had a cookout and the boys had a chip off--is that even a word? Small group has been such a blessing in Brandon and my life. We have really appreciated everyone's support during our time trying to have Ava and the continued prayers for God to bless us with her! Plus, it was an added bonus to get to see Mr. Wiggles there! Stinky feet

bon voyage small groupious!

The boys
(back) Adam, Bryan, Alex, Brandon, Keith, Jason, (first row) Bradyn, Jim, Ashton,Graham, and Josh.

The girls
(back) Mandy, Natalie, Kelli, Marta, Nicole, Hillary,

(first row) Joleen, Lara, me and ava, and Devon.

Great times with Broken In (our now disbanded small group)
As with all good things, the end of our small group came last Thursday. To memoralize our annual thursday night commute to the westerville residences of the Hicks, we headed to Plain City (he he) for a bonfire at my parents. Here are the pics from our bon voyage bonfire at the kuhns farm. so many great memories and fun times--we will really miss everyone and our thursday nights at the Hicks.

We roasted marshmallows, had a cookout and the boys had a chip off--is that even a word? Small group has been such a blessing in Brandon and my life. We have really appreciated everyone's support during our time trying to have Ava and the continued prayers for God to bless us with her!

Plus, it was an added bonus to get to see Mr. Wiggles there! Stinky feet....

More photos!

Brady is ready for some more "sauce" the water is supposed to stay in the pool.....
Mom is telling Colin that he needs to get dressed to go get some ice cream.
Brady

Colin and brad are visiting

Colin loved playing with this toy!

Ava (below) loves her new swimming suit!

Colin before he went and bear hugged Brady










Colin and brad playing in the pool


So, colin and brad (our two little nephews) are here visiting in Columbus from Denver while Jessie and Nick are vacationing in Punta Cuna. Mom calls them little puppies because they are so cute and get into everything! They are so fun, and we have had a blast with them.

Today, we went outside and used the little pool to cool off in the 80-plus degree heat.

Colin is learning how to go pottie on the big toilet and brady loves to try to wrestle with Colin.

Ava's swimming suit is still a little big. Needless to say, she did not like the water at all and cried until I took her out. She loved lying underneath the pine tree though and watching it sway back and forth with the wind. Everytime the branch above her moved she started laughing at the branch.

Ethan loved the water and sat with Momma Kuhns in the pool. He loves laughing at the boys and just watches them in amazement.

get your groove on!

ava gets some zzzz's at GiGi's
Ethan & mom chill outside


hi Great grandpa yoder & GiGi!

hi poppa--what r we doing today?

sunday lunchie

This past sunday we went to cheeseburgers in paradise for lunchie. so fun. So it took
us girls a little while to decide where to go and i think we drove brandon nuts!
Brandon holding ava.
Look how big daddy's hands are compared to ava!

Pictures!

Fellas get your girls in the car....cause it's 11:30 and the place is thumping, thumping.
Hello guys!
Here's e-man and a-bomb (for her explosive poopies)
(coined by luke kuhns-copyright)
This is one of my favorite photos i have taken of Ava. I used natural light and really caught the light in her eyes! After 200-plus shots, i think i got it. he. he. by the way, this is all ava does now. she loves her fingers! And she loves to pull my hair!

Wake Up, Wake Up

Everyday Sunday has their new CD coming out www.everdaysunday.com. It's been the number one song for the past couple of weeks. And you can support guys from Columbus/Der Dutchman (ha)! I love their song, "Find Me Tonight", but "Wake Up, Wake Up" is the song that is no. 1 right now.

Tuesday thoughts...

I just recently listened to the Nicole Nordeman song, Every Season. I love the whole song, but here are a couple of verses from it:

Every evening sky, an invitation To trace the patterned stars And early in July, a celebration For freedom that is ours And I notice You In children’s games In those who watch them from the shade Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder You are summer

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced Teaching us to breathe What was frozen through is newly purposed Turning all things green So it is with You And how You make me new With every season’s change And so it will be As You are re-creating me Summer, autumn, winter, spring.

I know that change is tough, especially when you are not aware that you are entering into a new season of life. Sometimes we are pushed or moved there by God to get us ready for a new season. If we are in winter, He moves us to plant in the spring and to toil and to work for a harvest in the fall.

Hindsight enables us to look back over our life and to see where God was preparing us for a work he has later for us or enables us to taste the fruits of all of our hard labor.

For a runner, you go into a race with faith that the track is going to lead you to the finish line. It's hard to see where you will end up, but the finish line brings amazing clarity.

As your foot hits the dusty line you are abe to look back and say, "Aha!" "That's why you had me at that place at that season." For this is why you have called me to this place.

I love Psalms 1:3. I love the illustration of a tree that is firmly planted by the water - it's so easy to think of that during our seasons of change.

Psalm 1:3 "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper."

Isn't it comforting to know that even when you are in a new season, your work will prosper and you will bring out fruit? God will not abandon you and will not leave you, but He will bless your toil.