At Long Last

Ministry Update

We apologize for not writing in so long. The Lord has been blessing us in meetings and travel. Every remaining Sunday in August is now full, and we have a couple of other preaching engagements as well during the month. Please continue to pray for our meetings and that the Lord would supply more meetings. We appreciate your prayers.

Family Update

Hey - we are still alive and kicking! It has been a fearfully long time since we sent out an update. The weather here in North Carolina has been stifling - hot and humid. It was well over 100 degrees several days this past week, as high as 106 yesterday! People have asked us how cool we are staying in the trailer. It has been cooler than outside, but still too hot for comfort during the day. The AC just can't keep up when it is this hot for so long. Thankfully, we were able to escape into the church and get some relief on the hottest of days. Today is cooler, and we hope it will stay that way.

Josiah had his sixth birthday this past Tuesday, and is looking forward to starting first grade in a few weeks. He has kept up his reading over the summer, and I don't think he will have any problem getting back into the swing of things. I will have to make some adjustments, though. There is a part of me that dreads going back to school. However, I will grin and bear it!

Abigail has been busy soiling our couch, carpet, bedding, and sundry other items. We hope that this long, dark valley of potty training will be over one day. I am thinking of finding out how many colleges offer Potty Training 101, and applying for a scholarship in her name. She has grown a lot this summer, and is getting to be quite a help around the house. She loves to wash dishes and cook and clean right alongside me.

Esther is finally walking. She is still not very steady, but happily toddles around the house, getting into whatever is available. She has also mastered the art of climbing down off the bed or couch, and backing down the step. She also likes to climb the bunk ladder in the kid's bedroom. I usually keep it up just because of the lack of space, but if I forget, there she is, standing on the ladder, squealing in excitement. She has gotten taller, too, and is now in danger of bonking her head when she stands up under the table. Poor thing still has no hair to cushion the blow, so I have to keep an eye on her. Her favorite word is "Eat," although she does not say it herself. She recognizes it though, and always makes a great deal of excitement when she hears it. Flapping arms, grunts, lunges toward the high chair - it is very funny to see.

We haven't had any meetings the last few weeks, so we have had the opportunity to spend some time with my family in Ohio. We also went to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY. That was an incredible place! The kids loved, it, and along with all the dinosaur artifacts, and flood geology, was a very clear presentation of the Gospel. The planetarium was awesome - to think that we are so insignificant when compared to the vast universe around us, and yet, God cares about each one of us in a special, eternal way. While we were watching one of the presentations, it was all I could do to keep from shouting, "Praise the Lord!" I refrained however, since we were in a dark and crowded room full of strangers. Had I "gone off" Paul might have, too, and you can imagine the resulting panic when they realized there were at least two fanatics loose in the room with them. Seriously, though, it was great!

Paul and I are going to Charleston, SC next week for a belated anniversary trip. The kids are staying with Grandma and Papa, so they will be in good hands. We are looking forward to some "just the two of us" time. We have not done anything special for our anniversary for four years. Sometimes, there is just no opportunity or time to do anything. I intend to take lots of neat pictures, and have a wonderful time. Pray that no hurricanes wipe us off the map while we are there. That would be very unromantic!

Sarah