The Believe Conference

Last weekend we took 5 kids from our after school program to the Believe Conference at Hope College. We had a week leading up to it too! Tuesday at school lunch I can't tell you how many kids who had signed up (and even paid $$) told us they weren't going. Not only were they not going but they really didn't have good excuses for not going. Needless to say we went into overdrive the next few days trying to recruit new students....no such luck. 5 was our number. Looking back now, I'm thankful for the 5 and that there were only 5..... The conference started out Friday night, it is put on by Christ In Youth and they always do a great job! The band this year was the Jordan Howerton Band and they were awesome, and they had a comedy team that was really funny called Slap Happy Comedy. The speaker talked about being lost the first night and told the parable of the sheep, the coin, and the prodigal. On the way to the church that we were staying at, I was asking a few of the girls if they had ever felt lost. One of them proceeded to tell this story that was like nothing I have ever heard before! I was hoping to follow up with her over the extended lunch period that we had the next day. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful, lots of laughing and talking...not much sleeping. Saturday morning we headed to McDonald's for breakfast and then back to the conference. The morning session was great, they explained that God's Kingdom is upside down and we need to change our perspective to see it. The kids did great and were having fun, we even saw some of the boys singing and dancing with the band. It's awesome to see these kids let go and just be kids. Off we went to Village Inn for lunch, pizza, pop and some more discussion. On the way out the door, one of the boys screamed hey we need some help here! I turned around to see one holding his head and blood running down his face. Long story short, he passed out and hit his head. Thankfully Mom was home and we were able to get him to her, and she took him to the hospital for 5 stitches! We made it back in time for the last session. On the way back to the Intersection to get picked up, the kids were all so excited to have gone and were going to call some of their friends who had bailed earlier and tell them they missed out. Thanks for all your prayers for us this past weekend. Please continue to pray for us this week as we follow up with the students that went with us last weekend.

Jackie is going to be 3!

I can't believe that Jackie is going to be 3! It seems she was just born! I remember clearly sitting at Nancy's house trying to figure out what we were going to do for the day (it was Spring Break and we were going to take Isaiah to go bowling I think) and then getting a call that she was born, off we went to the hospital. She is so funny these days, talking up a storm. I wonder a lot of times what Grandma Jackie would think of her. I know that those two would have a riot together. A few weeks ago, I stopped by on my way to a meeting that I had in Grandville, while I was there Tara asked if it was ok if she quick took Grace and went to the store, of course I said, and Jackie and I were off on an adventure. She has a good imagination, and the next thing I knew her blanket had turned into a raft and the sand shovels were paddles and we were going down the river. I couldn't have been more proud! So there we were in the living room yelling "forward two," and "paddle hard!" I can't wait until we can go down the river together for real! Tara and Adam and the girls are heading to Seattle for the week of Spring Break to see Adam's brother and his family. Jackie is excited to see her cousins again, but we will miss her on her birthday. I have been thinking about what to get her, she loves playing dress up (usually princesses), my little ponies, but I kept thinking her name is Jackie afterall, I need to train her right. So don't tell but I got her a Tee, Pink Bat and Ball to match the pink glove I got her when she was born. I hope that we will have fun playing tee-ball this summer! Aunt Kate loves you Jackie! Happy Birthday!

A Weekend Full of Parties!

The End of Treatment Party for Lydia was on Saturday! What a fun day! Cake, caricatures, a photo booth, face painting and balloon animals....what kid wouldn't like that kind of party. It was a fun time to be able to celebrate with Lydia and her family! We are excited that she is doing so well and praying that the tumor is gone and will stay gone! We had a great time Lydia, Jackie especially LOVED running around with you and the girls!

Party #2 was on Sunday! Grace Frances turned 1 (officially on Valentine's Day)! It also was a fun gathering of family! I'm not sure that she opened any of her presents, but she had a lot of help from her big sister, Austin and Ava! The best part was watching Grace get after that cake....when Jackie was one she kinds just poked at it and wasn't really interested...but Grace dove right in and she was willing to share with her Grandma and Uncle Gary! It was a fun party and fun to see how much she has grown in one year!