Busy Busy Busy Bumble Bee...

So it's been just a "little" busy since getting back from Denver! I don't know where the time goes anymore! The days use to take a huge list of things to do to get through it, now I am lucky if I can get through a to-do list that is 3 or 4 things long!

Tim has been keeping busy as well with the usual office hours, confirmation, text study, Sunday Services and Sunday School as well as getting a young men's small group started based on the Courageous movie! If you haven't ever seen Courageous I HIGHLY recommend it! It's such a great movie and it really makes you think about how you're living your life and if it's in line for what God wants you to do!!! Other than that, Tim has been working on his resume and cover letters for when the call search takes off full force!! Prayers are definitely still needed especially for this! This weekend Tim will be accompanying the Junior High students to Camp of the Cross for a youth lock-in Friday night! So that leaves me with quality bonding time with the puppies!

As for me, my work schedule has added hours due to CNA training and keeping up with the normal work hours! So that leaves little time for the domestic duties and my crafts, but  don't worry I still manage to get things done! Last week I actually finished a wreath for the wreath auction, which has seemed to take me forever...well not exactly forever but a good month and half, mainly due to procrastination and the little time I have! There are pictures of the wreath below! I have another wreath to show off but that will be later once I get good enough pictures of it hanging up in the hospital! After I am done with the wreaths I will be working on my Christmas cards for this year! I am SO excited to see how they turn out! I am pretty sure they will put the ones I made last year to shame, but that's okay there is ALWAYS room for improvement, no matter what the task!


Our puppies are doing great too! We actually had to buy Wini a coat to wear since its been significantly colder in the mornings here and she would just stand and shiver!! The coat is still a little big for her but she'll grow into it eventually! Bear is just his happy Bear self! He's been enjoying the fact that our apple tree has been shaken of its apples and likes to eat those every now and then! :)

The Spring theme's Wreath!

Close up of details!

Close up of details again...

and again...

and again!

Blessings!

LCMC Annual Gathering

Tim and I had the opportunity to go to Denver, CO earlier this week to attend the LCMC Annual Gathering! It was SO much fun and a lot of learning went on! Tim was CERTIFIED in the LCMC while we were there! Which is a BIG relief, yet opened a bunch of doors for decisions to be made! Tim can start looking for a call pretty much anytime now! Although he won't be able to start until after he completes his internship and graduates in May! As I am writing this I've realized some of you who read this probably don't know what LCMC stands for...well it stands for Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ. The LCMC is a Lutheran denomination that started about 10 or 11 years ago. The denomination has grown significantly since there was a split in the ELCA, which is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America...majority of those who left the ELCA became apart of the LCMC. It has 695 US Congregations, 102 Congregations World Wide and covers 11 Countries and it's continuing to grow, which is great!

While we were in Denver we had the opportunity to meet new people and catch up with some old friends that we haven't seen for a while! During the conference we attended breakout sessions that taught both of us a lot. Tim went to sessions that pertained to the call process, pensions & benefits and one for seminarians. I went to a session that talked about Women of the Word, which is what women in the LCMC are referred to and gave wonderful ideas on how to get groups started, maintained and resources to which you could start a group. The next session was conflict and resolution which talked about how to resolve conflict with in a church or even just in every day life. The speaker for that session was really interesting, he has his own company that comes into situations to resolve the conflict and he also did some training with the FBI for hostage negotiating which I think tells you how gifted he is! The last and final session I went to was taking your church to the next level, it was based off a book with the same title and you'll have to forgive me as I can't remember the author is at the moment, but the session was really informative on the stages of a church life and what is needed to keep the church growing and how to take it to the next level.

Below are some pictures of the trip, mainly scenic views of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado...I have only ONE picture of the hotel we stayed at and it's actually a part of the lobby. Before I show these photos there is one thing I am going to ask from those who read this and that is, we would greatly appreciate any and all prayers for us over the next seven and a half months as we finish internship and try to discern where God is calling us to serve. And I think this is also a good time to thank those of you who have been praying for us, we couldn't do it without your support and encouragement!

The hotel lobby waterfall! LOVED THIS!

This is either very southern ND or very northern SD...

This is SD between Belle Foruche and Spearfish...

This is entering WY from Spearfish SD...

Wyoming between Douglas and Cheyenne! There WAS snow!!!

Colorado somewhere between WY boarder and Denver

Hot Air Balloon we saw a few of these outside of Denver!

A suburb of Denver! BEAUTIFUL! 

Thanks for looking and many blessings!

October's here...it's hard to believe!!!

WOW! September has come and gone already!!! It really only feels like a few weeks have passed since we came home from our vacation at the end of August! Let me try and recap September...

Tim started teaching Confirmation on Wednesday afternoons and added Sunday School to his list of duties as well! He's been out and about visiting members of the congregations and gave his first Anniversary speech for a couple of the church! He's been preparing for the LCMC Annual Gathering this next week in Denver. Here he will have his certification interview, which is the start of his call process for obtaining a position in a church upon completion of his internship and graduation! Wow...did that sound formal or what?! It's a big step towards our future, where ever it will take us!

I've been keeping busy working and when I'm not working I've been relaxing making cards and working on wreaths for the hospital's annual wreath auction! As well as quilting with a few ladies of the church for Lutheran World Relief care packages! Since I've started with the wonderful ladies at the church we've completed over 72 quilts! It's been a pleasure helping provide a warm blanket for those who don't have one! I've also added teaching Sunday School on Sunday's as well! AND this week at work I am starting training to become a CNA!

Both puppies are doing great! Bear and Wini have learned to play nice with each other! Wini seems to enjoy trying to get Bear to chase her around the house and then when he gets to close she darts under the coffee table or dining room table where Bear can't get her! It's also a laugh of a time when they play tug-o-war since Bear has no issue with lifting Wini, who is attached to the other side of the toy, up onto the couch with him! Wini is also sleeping through the entire night! Which is great for Tim, no more getting up at 2 AM!


Below is a picture of a card I made last weekend at my stamping get-a-way! I didn't share it in the last blog because I made it for a card swap that I participated in and I didn't want to show it off until I sent the cards out for the meeting tonight and tomorrow! Our theme this month was "Do It With The Big Shot!" If you're not familiar with the Big Shot, it is a die cutting machine that is part of the Stampin' Up products. If anyone is interested in learning more about it I'd be glad to tell you more about how it works! But anyway, back to the card, with the Big Shot I cut out the leaves and the labeled hole and I used the Big Shot to emboss the leaves with the patterns, it may be hard to see the patterns tho... Hope you enjoy the card!

Thanks for stopping by!

Blessings!