Ian Turns 4

We had so much fun at Ian’s birthday party. He loves car and much of that was reflected in the events, including the cake and many of the presents he received! What a blessing he is!!!!

Sparkle and Women of Faith Conferences

I just had to blog about River Valley’s first ever women’s conference, Sparkle! I am actually blogging about it a few weeks later, and recalling how much I liked it. I just returned from another conference this weekend, the Women of Faith conference in St. Paul. Perhaps it is unfair to compare the two, because they were so different, but it is advantageous for me to see which situations are the most beneficial for me, I think. At Women of Faith, I was struck with the sheer magnitude of the event. The production crew, quality of the speakers, etc. was very impressive! It was amazing to see the Xcel Energy Center (the same venue that houses those crazy Minnesota Wild fans) full of women seeking God and His presence. I love worshipping in large settings such as these, because they are the closest glimpse to heaven that I think we have! I enjoyed Sparkle so much too. The worship was intimate and full of enthusiasm, and the speakers challenged me on a very personal level. I am looking forward to next fall very much!

It was fun to have my high school friend Kyla and her friend Mary join me for Women of Faith. They drove all the way from Mitchell, SD, and I’m so glad they came! We are stopping for a cup of joe prior to the conference (see photo). Look for more photos in the Sparkle Conference photo album on this website!

Our New Couch

In our efforts to promptly furnish our home when we moved in in March, I admit to having made some hasty decisions...most notably, in buying a white couch. Let me re-phrase that. A light as snow, unblemished and undeniably WHITE couch. True, we have no pets upstairs to worry about. Those inhabiting our Dylan Drive dwelling are even more destructive - children!! After one too many rounds of cleaning spaghetti fingerprints or the misplaced goop of chocolate chip cookie on our once stark white couch, we decided to welcome ourselves into the inviting existence of leather furniture. Since this existence often carries a hefty price tag, we opted for used. Labor Day was a perfect opportunity to load up the kids, the trailor, our GPS, and the optimistic hope of leather in our living area. Our second stop proved an irresistible deal. The original offer for the leather couch was for $375. Tom, being the effortless bargainer that he is, offered $300. The owner, an elderly gentleman, paused momentarily and then spoke. “How about $250?” We were dumbfounded! He explained that we could use the extra $50 to buy the kids “something nice.” What a blessing! That “something nice” turned out to be a contribution for mattresses in Ian’s room and the guest room. Practicality wins out everytime! :)