A little Catch Up.....

Happy Belated 4th of July to everyone!



My day started out early (@ 5am) to head of to work. Once again it was a holiday for me to work. I just keep telling myself that the Lord willing I will have Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day OFF!! After working about 8 hours, I was stopping by the grocery store for a few things for a cookout at my house. (We made those plans about 11a.m that morning!) After reaching home, I had brocolli salad and brownies to make. Larry had already baked some flag cookies...opened the package and stuck them on the pan kind of baking! Ha! But, that was one less thing that I had to do! I quick went searching for a red table cloth in my collection...found one! Then I found patriotic candles and my table was set. I had a large table in the back yard so that most of the mess was outside! Everyone showed up at 5pm and the party began!

We had a great time with friends and neighbors! After the food and dessert, we were off to see fireworks! I definetely have seen better, but we had a great time anyway. More of our church friends met us and we all watched together. To say the least, it was a very late night!

The weekend was filled with working around the house trying to get caught up on a never ending list! It was nice to be home as a family and not running to and fro! Sunday was a GREAT day in the Lord. Due to work and vacation time it had been....get ready for this......SIX weeks since I had been to my own home church! I HATE WORKING EVERY OTHER WEEKEND! Sorry...I'm over my explosion. I am VERY thankful for the job God has given me so that I CAN stay at home all the other days....That is what I focus on! Back to church...it was great being in worship with my friends and church family! I have missed it terribly. Our small group is starting a new study on Trust. I am very excited to see what I can learn on this subject! We spent the afternoon at the park and the boys had a great time!

On Tuesday, we had the great opportunity to have Jason and Amy (Kellog) Lane at our house. We had never met Jason and it was great getting to know the love of Amy's life! Amy and I roomed next door to each other at HSBC and have been long distance friends since. She and Jason are currently in New Mexico on a contract job with the possiblity of moving to Maine in the next few years. It was great catching up with Amy...same ole Fat Ames!!! Pee Wee she said to say Hello to you also!!! We grilled out for supper (after the thunderstorm) and had a great evening of games! I fixed a large country breakfast the next morning and they were off to their next destination around 10:30 a.m.! It is like we have never been apart! God has truly blessed me with great old and new friends!

We have finished off the week with Larry with a sick stomach, Steven with swimmers ear, and mommy working three days straight!! HELP! Ha! Please pray the rest of us remain healthy!

Also this week, My dad flew to Alaska to assist in a youth camp and help my cousin with some sheetrock! Unfortunetly, he was unable to be with Momma on their 39th Wedding Anniversary!!! I am sure Dad is having a great time....he dearly loves Alaska and his newphew, Andrew and family! (Vonnie, I would love to see pics of the best Daddy in the world!) Mom is home assisting Susan with the baby (not that she needs much, being a little Martha Stewart and all!!) and Christa with starting Nursing School in August. She also has company coming several times while Dad is gone... She will stay pleny busy!

Well, that's my few weeks in review! No great thoughts or ideas...Oh yes, I did read a book during this time also. I loved it! Three, by Ted Dekker....read it and let me know what you think or if you already have, share your thoughts!

I'll try to post pictures tomorrow...or ASAP!

Great Vacation!!!!

I'mmmmm BACK! Sorry, friends that you have had nothing new and exciting to read from our side of the fence in a long while. I'll try to update you on our last three weeks in a as short as book as possible! Ha!


First, an update on my friend, Kristi. (see post below) She is doing as well as to be expected. She has not gotten out for church yet due to the memories she holds so dear. She has emailed and said that she just needs time. I believe she is with her parents at this time. Please remember to pray for her. We have yet to get the autopsy report. Thanks you for all your prayer support! Thats what great friends do for each other!

Well, first of all we have been away to the north land for a couple weeks. It started out that we were going to Ohio for Larry's parents camp. As a surprise to them we held a 4oth Wedding Anniversary Party! We were to be gone for 8 days. The weekend before our trip, Larry received news from his work that he had a business trip he needed to go to in KY. Therefore, our trip was moved up 4 days. This meant alot of hurrying to get pack and finish plans for the anniversary party. On Monday of that week my parents arrived to load up the cabinets that Larry had made and deliver them back to Jeff. (my brother-in-law who has a cabinet business) It was a great day! The boys loved seeing Papa and Grandmomma for a few hours....as well as I! Mom helped me finalize my ideas for the decorations for the party. On Tuesday, we packed up and left home around noon. We went to GA and met Susan, Jeff, Alexis, baby Colton, and Grandmomma. Momma was letting me borrow some dishes for the party. Larry hadn't met Colton so we made a quick stop to say Hello! As you can see by the picture, Peyton was not happy that Daddy was holding someone else!! After a few minutes of playing in McDonald's playland, off we went to Owensboro, KY. It is in western KY. We arrived at our hotel about 10pm their time. It was a long day! The next few days were filled with Larry's work and me trying to find stores for my last minute items for the party. We were in a town that is located on the Ohio river so one afternoon we spent time at the river. They have a beautiful little town with a little park and benches, trees and a great breeze. It was very relaxing! During this part of the trip, Peyton started having diarhea again! We have had about 3 weeks without it and then it started up again! That's fun to be in a hotel with a baby going through clothes and diapers very quickly. We survived! On Friday morning, we headed toward Columbus, IN where my Grandfather lives. On the way, we picked up our niece from her Grandparents. Our plans were to take her to her mother who was flying into Columbus, OHIO that next day. Our plans changed slightly. We were going to see my grandfather who had just been put into a facility to recieve physical therapy. He is almost 89 years old and is declining physically and mentally. In a few weeks he will be placed into an Assisted Living facility. We had a great visit with Dad Burt and Aunt Janet for a few hours. Dad Burt was mentally "together" so it was great having him know who we were! After Peyton and Larry had a short nap, we headed to St. Mary's, Ohio were Larry's parents were at. Our original plan was to go to there house about an hour from there and spend the night, do laundry and drop off Kristin to her mom the next day, but , Granny (Larry's mom) insisted on us coming on up to the camp that night. She was very surprised to see Kristin and we had to tell a few lies to keep the anniversary party a surprise! On Saturday we did a lot of help for Mom and Dad getting things ready for conference and camp. Tim (Larry's oldest brother) and his wife and three youngest sons arrived and was a great time of family fun! You would have to know Larry's family to fully appreciate family fun! We are a great bunch of people to harrass each other over every little thing! You definetly can't have a sensitive personality and survive! That's one reason I fit right in!!! On Sunday, Larry's sister arrived and suprised his parents so much! She lives in Rhode Island and doesn't get to come home very often. Dan, Larry's youngest brother, and his family arrived in the late afternoon! We had another great day! The Lord has blessed me with fantastic in laws and family!!! Monday was the surprise anniversary party so it was very busy trying to act "not busy". My mother-in-law kept asking us what we were doing and we just said relaxing! Ha! Thankfully she was busy with their conference that she didn't have time to notice everything we were doing! The party was a great sucess and NOT a surprise! Thanks to Dad's brother who spilled the beans...unknown to us kids thou! Dad and Mom did a great job keeping out of things thou! They so appreciated everything that was done and loved having all their pastors and friends there to celebrate with them. The rest of the week we had a great time at there camp. They have such wonderful people who made us fill so very welcomed!! The boys played baseball several times a day and went to children's chuch. Larry played softball and realized how old he really is!! Ha! I even attempted to "play" softball a couple times. Everyone was so gracious as I struck out MANY times! But, we had a lot of fun! The services were great and since I work everyother weekend it was very much needed on my part. We left on Saturday evening and went to Larry's parents house and spent the night. On Sunday, we went into Cincinnati to pick up a girl from our church who was spending time with her grandparents. We then headed back to the great state of South Carolina! It was nice to breathe that stuffy air once again! Some days it was very cold in Ohio and we southern people are not used to that in JUNE!!!

OHHH, I forgot. One day while we were at the camp, Granny watched to kids while Larry and I went to Celina, OH to see the Lighthouse where we got engaged! We had a nice Italian lunch and a few moments without the kids! As I looked at that lighthouse and thought about the many things Larry and I have faced since that day, I could truly say with a excited heart that I would say YES all over again!! He is the best man the Lord could have given to me!





After all that LONG trip, I have been trying to catch up on laundry, bills, friends and now finnally blogging. I have tried to get "caught" up with a few of you, but it will take time! Thanks for taking time to read up on US!

A Prayer Request for a Friend.....

This post is written with a heavy heart. After only an 1/2 hour of sleeping last night, our pastor phoned us with a prayer request. One of our friends, Mike, has passed away. Mike was a Lt. Cor. in the United States Marine. He left 3 weeks ago for Afganistan. Last Sunday when I talked with his wife, Kristi, he was still in Kwait. He finnally reach Afganistan this week and passed away yesterday. The circumstances surronding his death are under investigation at this point. We have very limited information at this point. What we do know is that is was NOT in combat.

Mike was in the reserves as of recently. He has been a Marine for over 16 years. When speaking with him, you knew that he breathed being a Marine.

Please pray for Kristi. They did not have children.

Please pray for Larry and I as we try to minister to her at this tramatic time.

COLTON ROSS HUNT HAS ARRIVED!

Colton Ross Hunt arrived to the proud parents of Susan and Jeff! May 31, 2007 at 10:10pm, at 8lbs 10 oz, 14 1/2 inch head! He is the cutest thing ever! I think he looks like Susan in the mouth and chin and Jeff in the eyes up!

Susan went to the hospital at 4:30 a.m. for a scheduled induction...she was 9 days overdue! She so wanted to do the natural delivery so was worried about being induced. She had a wonderful friend who has has all her 6? children natural who was her coach. My sister Christa and I were also there for support. (Jeff poked his head in the door every once in awhile! ...as did my mom) My oldest sister Cheryl had an important drs appointment with her oldest son so was coming later in the day. Susan labored very hard and long...she was so very strong to dilate all the way to 10 with NO MEDICINE! She with God's help did a fantastic job. It is very hard seeing someone you love go through so much agony. I was happy to support her because this was the desires of her heart. She did amazing!!! After pushing for 2 hours she felt she could no longer do it and have the baby without anything. She choose an epidural. The doctor was already concerned about doing a C-Section for the baby's heart rate had dropped significantly during her labor to the point of an emergency C-Section. Susan also felt that the baby was not lowering so another reason for the epidural in preperation for a C-Section if necessary. The doctor and Susan tried very hard to birth the baby, but ended up doing a C-Section. Thankfully, Cheryl made it just in time to help pray her through the pushing and the C-Section.

Susan is a true trooper! She was so very nervous and scared, but God was so faithful to her in her time of need! It was beautiful to feel the Lord very real throughout the WHOLE da/y!

This day was also Larry and I's 10 year anniversary! Thank you so much for those of you who remembered our special day! We loved having each one of you there! Thank you for all the sacrifices each one of you made to be with us....Heather sorry you were so sick and had to travel all night after your graduation! I appreciate it sooo very much! Thank you Julia, Brent, and Jani for the beautiful music! Thank you for all who stood up with us and witnessed our vows.

I will say that these last 10 years have been THE BEST EVER!!! I am so blessed to have met and married such a fabulous man of God! (and such a HANDSOME one at that!)

Here are all the cousins...Steven, Carson, Ethan, Isaac, Peyton, Colton, and big "sis" Alexis. She is so very happy to have this new baby in her home! She is going to be a great help! As you can see, they were all "pleased" to be participating in this picture. They were more worried about who got to sit on the chair! Poor Colton!

This is Aunt Marty giving her first squeezes after a long hard day....I've decided it's easier to delivery to baby than it is to watch someone you love go through pain! I'm done being a mid-wife! Ha! NO....it was a GREAT honor to be asked to help her this day!! Thank you Susan! (Sorry, I don't know how to rotate my pictures in this blog world...any expertise Vonnie?)

Thanks for all who have been checking in and concerned about Susan and the baby!

Nephew Baby Boy Update!

I'll make this short....THE BABY HAS NOT ARRIVED!

Poor Susan, she is very miserable...if she has not gone into labor by May 30th they will induce her on May 31st...Larry and I's 10 year wedding anniversary! We are all hoping for an earlier arrival.

I'll post pics as soon as he's born!