A New Door ...

We now have a new door on the East side of our house! The men came out Monday to begin putting it in, and they still have a little more "finish" work to do...but how nice it looks!

Are we talking Chinese to each other????

Brock's One Year Pictures....

Daniel and Candice have just arrived in Taiwan....

From Charlotte, to Washington DC, to San Francisco, to Tawian....27 hours later, Daniel and
Candice have arrived in Taiwan! More pictures to come as they send them....stay tuned!

Music House Museum Trip

This is an adorable 3 foot grand!

















The Mortier Dance Organ















A player piano...the top is all the "player music" that runs through















An organ grinders music box


Today our Ambassadors' group went to the Music House Museum in Traverse City for our September outing. There are extensive galleries that display organs, pianos, radios and phonographs. They have a one-of-a-kind collection of rare antique musical instruments and music- making machines that date from 1870 through 1930.
Going through the Music House Museum is like a walk back in time... we enjoyed an hour-long musical tour where they explained and demonstrated the unique instruments: Belgian dance organ, nickelodeons, music boxes, pipe organs and the Wurlitzer Theater Organ. It would have been so fun to have Elizabeth along to play the different organs for us!

Happy 1st Birthday, Brock!

HAPPY, HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY BROCK!
WE LOVE YOU SOOOOO MUCH!

What YUMMY birthday cake!

Aunt Elizabeth came to visit!!!

Diamonds are a girl's best friend....

Twenty five years ago, I lost my beautiful diamond that my fiancee (and later husband) had given me on that wonderful night in May, 1976. I was just heartbroken!

Tuesday, September 18th is our 31st anniversary, and my wonderful husband has given me another gorgeous diamond! What an anniversary gift!!! Last year, we went to Hawaii for our 30th...this year, a diamond....I wonder what next year will bring!

My diamond is so beautiful. It sparkles, it shines, and it's expensive and valuable. No wonder the jewelers call them our best friend!! As a child of God, we too can sparkle and we can shine, and are valuable. Did you know that diamonds don't start out beautiful? They come from deep in the earth. It's just like when we come to Christ for salvation. We come from deep within the mirey clay of sin. One of the characteristics of a diamond is its clarity. That involves whether there is the presence of any impurities or inclusions in the diamond. Depending on its visibility, the grade of a diamond will go up or down. As a Christian, any impurities in us will bring us down in grade as a Christian too. Others may not even see our impurities or our sins because it may not be visible with our eye, but Christ can see our hearts. He knows what the scale of our clarity is. Diamonds don't automatically shine and sparkle. Diamonds that are uncut are rough and aren't like the diamonds we wear in our jewelry. Only the cut diamonds sparkle. A diamond has to be cut by someone who is skilled in diamond cutting for it to sparkle and reflect light. Only the cut Christian can sparkle too. We need to be cut by our Master Designer in order to sparkle and reflect the light of Christ in the way that we should. Then we reflect His light in our lives.

My diamond sparkles and shines on my finger.....I'm praying that my life will sparkle and shine with His light!

Opening Night

Wednesday night we had our opening night for AWANA...and what a great night it was. The kids came so excited and full of energy! We had 215 there, and the Lord really blessed as there were 5 salvation decisions and 1 assurance of salvation. Our new Puggles group (for 2 year olds) had 10 little ones . You may ask, what’s a Puggle? It's a baby platypus! What a cute mascot for that group! We're off to a great start.....we're praying for a wonderful year of reaching children with the Gospel of Christ.

I too have been Tagged!

I've been "tagged" by my beautiful new daughter-in-law (or daughter-in-love) and here are my 8 facts/moments

1. I LOVE having all of my children and their mates and my 2 wonderful grandbabies all together with us under the same roof - even if it's only for several hours or several days. There is just something so special about all being together - and I especially LOVE being a grandma...what a blessing from the Lord - Brock and Micah!
2. I LOVED being pregnant....excited about the new life that would come into our home! We didn't know what were were expecting until the moment each one came...but how we loved each one!
3. I loved our family vacations as our kids were growing up...and now when Bob and I just go somewhere special...even at an overnight bed and breakfast - or all the way to Taiwan! It's always such an adventure
4.I love a neat home - everything picked up (but don't look under the beds...those dust bunnies are probably all running around wild!)
5. I always have to keep the wash up-to-date...I can't stand piles in the basket
6. I'm a short order/quick meal cook - sometimes I see how fast I can get a meal together, using the least amount of pots and pans and yet have it nurishing and tasty. At times I only have about 5-10 minutes to get something together
7. I love speaking - ladies groups, Mother/Daughter banquets, AWANA devotions, giving devotions at showers, etc. Ok- I can hear all of you, and yes I just love to talk!!!!
8. I hate wearing shoes...but love my new Crocks!

Welcome to "The Shack" in Jugville!

One of our favorite bed and breakfast places to stay is at "The Shack" in Jugville! Today we went to see it again, as we are considering it for our IFCA Michigan Regional Retreat next October for 2 days. The rooms all have hot tubs, and many fire places, and all done in the rustic log cabin style. Banana splits are for everyone staying there each night - all you can eat! YUMMY! They also have a great continental breakfast in the morning....for retreats, they will also serve lunch and a prime-rib dinner. It is right on the Robinson Lake - and there are many hiking trails, a museum, outdoor recretion, inside weight rooms and game rooms, and a great outdoor chapel in the summer. It is owned and operated by a Christian family, and as you register, there are Bibles open, tracts, Christian music playing, and a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. Need a break? Try The Shack! You'll love it!















































































I love the flower "beds" that greet you on the way in~

It's a birthday!!!!!

Reading already?????

Brock loves to read his books......today it's Baby Animals....tomorrow may be the Wall Street Journal!

83rd Annual Manton Labor Day Parade

It was a great parade today and we had a beautiful float!











































We're just about ready to go.....

















Our future Cubbies.....




















Jeremiah Tuck is gearing up for Sparkies!

90 years young

Neal Schaaf celebrated his 90th birthday today - and we enjoyed being a part of the celebration. He loved farming, hunting, fishing and woodworking....see the cake they made for him!