Proud New Gun Owners!

As of 9:00 p.m. October 4th, Ryan and Evan joined the ranks of the "big boys"! They purchased their first BB guns! Yes, Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jerry, you did have something to do with this, and I will probably be able to hold you responsible for my first gray hair!!! :)

Scenes from the weekend...

There were lots of events happening in our area last Saturday...Findlay Craft Show, Northwest Ohio Gun Show, and Johnny Appleseed Fall Family Fest, to name a few. We couldn't decide, so after sleeping in and having eggs and toast, we jumped in the van and headed north. As we neared Bluffton, the consensus was Holmes County! We wanted to spend the day together, which eliminated the gun and craft shows, and we had already taken a field trip to Johnny Appleseed, plus Holmes County is just so much fun! Since we had a late start and a 2.5 hour drive, we ate fast food on the road, and arrived in Berlin at around 2:00. Hershberger's was the first stop on our list, as they have an awesome store (tons of yummy baked goods, and lots of fresh veggies for sale), a huge petting zoo, and an all around great atmosphere. The kids absolutely loved it, and Greg was thrilled to get a fry pie. :) After spending some time there, we went on in to Berlin where we shopped, and shopped, and shopped. It was fun, the weather was perfect (60 degrees), and the kids came home saying they liked it better than King's Island. I call that a success!


Home of Holmes County's largest Belgium horses. I believe it!

I usually have to bribe Kaitlynn to ride, but something about the Amish girl intrigued her, and she begged to go! It was really cute...this was a pretty big place, and the little guy running the "office" was only about 6 or 7, younger than Evan I would imagine. I went to the window and he asked me if I wanted to purchase a ride to the pumpkin patch on the horse-drawn buggy. I told him we had already done that, and I just wanted to purchase a $3 pony ride for my daughter. He was so cute and businesslike. He took my $20 bill, and returned 3-$5 and 2-$1. It just cracked me up. He didn't have to think twice, just made change in his head, then continued with me in conversation. I think fast food chains should send their trainees to live with the Amish for a week. It would probably eliminate the need for them to be so dependent on computers for their simple calculations!

This little guy had a hold on my skirt. I didn't know it until Kaitlynn pointed it out to me. Fortunately he didn't put any holes in it with his sharp little teeth...

Greg took the boys and Allison for a couple of hours, while Kaitlynn and I went "power shopping". Since the sidewalks in Berlin tend to roll up between 5 and 7 in the evening, we knew we didn't have much time. Kaitlynn was so much fun! She literally drug me from one place to the next, one room to the next, with her "Mom, look at this! Come on, mom, let's go in here!" She didn't complain of being tired, but this is what happened on the ride home...

Livvy Update...

Thank you for your prayers! Livvy and her family are home from the hospital. She has a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection, and is on antibiotics.

Also, I have a mommy crisis! Kaitlynn has a foreign substance in her hair, and after talking to the others at school, we narrowed it down to stick glue. Problem is this: the hair is matted together, not even the least bit sticky, and I have washed and washed to try to get it out. About 4 inches from the scalp her hair becomes what I can only describe as "angel hair" and is difficult enough without this mess! Does anyone have an idea (short of using some toxic chemical that would harm her scalp) of how to remove this mess? I'm looking for answers, but haven't been able to get a comb through it for two days. Last night I just pulled the wad of hair up onto her head and nailed it down with bobby pins. She may be bald before the weekend. :)

Prayer Request...

Please pray for little Olivia Lorraine Nichols. She is currently in the E.R. in Chicago following a seizure this a.m. Her temp was 104 upon arrival at the hosp, so they are giving her IV fluids and running tests. I'm sure her parents and baby sister would appreciate your prayers, as well. These kinds of things tend to promote fear and stress...most of us can empathize.

PCS's Newest Addition...

Okay...so I'm thinking there is this little empty spot (not so little, actually)...it would make the perfect place for a gazebo with seating for parents to watch their little munchkins play (or a teachers lounge??????) Hahaha!

A couple of years ago, a donor gave $10,000 toward the school playground. As you know, the Health Dept. has pretty tight regulations on equipment, spacing, foundation materials, etc. After spending over $5,000 in pea gravel, and placing the equipment from our former property, we began to look at options for a large playset. If you have been involved with an organization that does not receive government money, you know how frugality is a must, and wasteful spending just doesn't exist. I think we could feed all the orphans in the world, as well as educate America's children, with what the government spends on educational programs! Anyway, the types of equipment that the parks and public schools get for free was just out of the question for us. $35,000 would be more the kind of money necessary to get what they have.
Our search led us to an Amish company that builds quality, durable playsets. Since we are a church, the kind gentleman gave us a $500 bonus (free staining), and brought the thing out and put it together. Within just a few days, the children were having a wonderful time on the new set! Thank you to the donor!!!