Trip to PA - part 1

Thanks for all of your prayers! We had a wonderful, tiring trip to PA. Both van rides were uneventful and the kids all did absolutely super! Driving through the night really helped as most of the kids slept a good portion of the trip.

Many have asked - no, we did not get the 3rd pour finished before we left. We are hoping later this week, or early next week. We didn't have time to get both the front and the back walls formed, so decided to wait until we could do both at once.

WOW - Who turned off the heat? When we left, it was warm and balmy during the day and we returned to frost on the car!! Right now, it is only 50! I thought it was cold in PA - I was looking forward to returning to the warm south - only to get a little bit of a surprise. It is supposed to be back up to 70's tomorrow. We have also had freezing temperatures at night, so we have to be careful when we do pour.

We even saw a snow flurry in VA when we stopped for gas!

We were able to connect with a few friends and family while in PA - there is never enough time when you visit someplace.

Friday night was the Barn party for the children at our church in PA, so I surprised the kids and took them there. They didn't know anything about it. The party was at a friend's house, so it was completely normal for them to be visiting there :) There were a lot of kids and my how they have changed in a year!


Hay rides are a must at any barn parties - they loved it.


Lauren (friend from We Care) came along with us and was the only one from our group of 3 willing to bob for an apple. Way to go, Lauren!


Here are the kiddos on Saturday with Grandpa and Beulah and gifts from the prison ministry benefit auction. Grandpa got each of them a model truck. Thanks, Grandpa!


Catching up with friends while John was helping at the auction.


More friends after church on Sunday - thoroughly enjoying Roma pizza!! There is just no place like Roma pizza - YUM! Thanks, Brian and Lorie.


Our kiddos enjoying a rocket launcher - we had to tear them away.


We stayed with Dave and Becky at their cozy log cabin again. Here she is with her grandson, Elijah. What a cutie!


Joel, Kelly and Elijah - quick visit, but enjoyed it very much. Thanks for taking the time to come and see us.


Final night get together with 3 other couples. Jason and Jennifer hosted all of us and we had a wonderful time catching up (they were the couple who visited us earlier this month). Here are all of the guys - kids included.


Each of these ladies have been very special to me - the quality of conversation is just not easily replaced. Miss you guys, tons! The one in the red jacket is expecting a baby any day - say a prayer for her as they add a new addition to their family.

There are many others who we didn't have opportunity to visit - as I said earlier, there is just never enough time.

Please pray for Savannah, too - she loved being in PA and she misses having friends close by. I have tried to explain to her that if we lived there we wouldn't be hanging out with friends every day anyway - that when we visit, we cram-pack all of our free time with seeing friends. She has cried every day we have been back in Alabama - but I think today is getting a little easier. Please pray for the opportunity to spend more time with friends here and to find new friends that she will enjoy.

I have a lot more pictures from our time on Monday when we spent a couple of hours walking around Lititz, but I will have to wait until after my next post - the 100th. I am planning on a little giveaway, so check back!

ps - Would you believe that I did not see any plates on the way to PA? Driving through the night might have had something to do with that :) Also, didn't see a whole of lot of fall colors in TN and VA because we couldn't even see the trees. I'll have to keep looking.