It's Fair Time In Washington!

Derek and I had a special treat last week...

We went to the fair!

Fall always reminds me of one thing in particular...the fair! Oh how I miss the Washington Parish Fair...just the feel of cool crisp air and I can already smell the aroma....Since we can't get to our hometown fair, we got the chance to go to another local fair...the Puyallup (pronounced Pew-all-up) Fair. Our friends Laura and Moises were going so we decided to join them and my goodness, did we have fun!

And then there was the food...oh boy...the food...

I won't even begin to tell you the junk that we put into our bodies, I will only say that the fair happens once a year and it just smells so temptingly good, that I allowed myself to become weak...very weak. =)

One thing that I heard was a "must try" at the Puyallup Fair were Elephant Ears, yes you heard me, Elephant Ears. What are Elephant Ears, well just look below to find out...

Now, don't you want one too??


Here's my very first Elephant Ear! I have to say that I looked like a four-year-old mess by the time I finished it...Derek looked at me and informed me that I had cinnamon-sugar all in my hair, ha! But when there's sugar on your fingers, and the wind blows your hair in your face, how else are you supposed to move your hair?? =)


Then we found this booth...they had a very interesting menu...


As interesting as it was, I did NOT order anything =)

Now, onto the main reason we were there...

There was a concert with this guy...Jeremy Camp


And this band...Mercy Me!

We had a fabulous time worshiping with Jeremy Camp and Mercy Me!


Laura and Moises had a good time =)


And we sure enjoyed it too!


Here's my favorite picture from the concert...I just love the words on the screen.

Then, this lady came out, you probably don't recognize her face, but I'll bet you'd recognize her voice...

...it's Delilah...you know, from the night time radio show...De-Li-Lah (insert the tune here)
Why was she here? Well she is far more than just a voice on the radio...she's an incredible Christian lady with an incredible mission!


She runs a charity for children in Ghana, West Africa, and also in America called Point Hope. Everything she shared with us that night just blew me away. For example, there are currently 500,000 children in the U.S. Foster Care system, the majority of whom will never, ever have a "forever home."

In Ghana, the United Nations will be closing an orphanage in December of this year that serves as a home to 360 children. These children will have nowhere to go when their orphanage closes. Point Hope is doing everything they can to save these children. Ghana has been close to my heart for a while now...it's where the Compassion International child we sponsor lives. It's just a heartbreaking situation.

This charity is living out James 1:27...

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

Their vision is "to be a voice for forgotten children." I love it! It goes right along with one of my favorite verses:

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute." Proverbs 31:8

Since that night, I can feel God stirring in me...stirring me to do what, I'm not quite sure yet, but whatever it is, I'll do it! Maybe it's to get involved with this charity, maybe it's to prepare my heart for something bigger, maybe it's just to be aware or raise awareness for a problem that goes unnoticed by the majority. I've been reading the book of James quite a lot recently, and if there's one thing I know about the teaching of James, it's that faith without action is dead faith, and I want a living faith! For now, until God gives me further direction, I am pleading with Him on behalf of these orphans...because I am quite convinced now that if we don't plead for them...the pleading won't get done.

It was definitely a fair day I'll never forget =)

There's No Place Like Home

All right, I'm probably going to sound a little whiny through this post...but today I wish I had a pair of these...



I woke up today just wishing so badly that I could see my family...well, I can see them in pictures...what I really want is to give them all great big hugs.

I can't figure out what triggers these types of days, I'm guessing that maybe I had a dream that I don't remember. Or maybe it was spending yesterday at the Puyallup Fair and remembering all of the fun times at the Washington Parish Fair...or maybe it's because we saw Mercy Me in concert last night and I keep singing the lyrics to "Homesick" in my head...or maybe it's because a dear friend from Bogalusa is in town visiting her family and we got to have lunch together this week...or maybe it was because I've been pricing airline tickets home for Christmas and outside of a Christmas miracle, we just can't afford what they're asking for those golden airplane seats...who knows?

What I do know is that there are 2,639 miles between me and my family.

Here's the map to prove it.

Here's what else I know...if this is the greatest of my problems, then I am doing just fine. I also know, without a doubt, that living here in Washington is where God has called me to serve Him and live my life. I also believe Psalm 84:10 "A single day in your courts is better than a thousand days anywhere else!" and add to that Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you..."

So what am I going to do to get out of this funk when all I want to do is lay around and mope?? I am going to finish this blog post, find my quiet spot, take my Bible with me, and pray. I'm going to thank God that I have a family that I love so much and miss so much it hurts. And I'm going to think of every single blessing that I've been given and be thankful...and maybe, just maybe I'm going to ask for a pair of ruby red slippers =)

September at a Very Quick Glance =)

Yep, I know I've been a terrible blogger lately. It's been a busy month...a fabulous month, but a very busy one. Here are just a few things that have been going on with us =)


I started teaching pre-school two days a week at the Rubber Room...doesn't it look like a fun place to learn? I absolutely love this job...I have the most adorable 2 & 3 year olds, great parents, and fabulous co-workers...and I get paid on top of all of that!


We got to say "Good-bye" or "Good Riddance" rather to our old dinosaur dishwasher!!


And we gladly welcomed our new dishwasher...definitely one of the perks of apartment living...it didn't cost us a dime, just a phone call to the manager. =)


Then I got have a super fun girls lunch at one of my favorite places, Panera! I know you're probably wondering why I took a picture of my food instead of my friends...well, this particular meal is a milestone for me. Why? Because I ordered a salad!! And until very recently, I have always hated salad, namely lettuce. What I have discovered is that it is only iceberg lettuce that I hate...I love other kinds of lettuce and raspberry dressing especially! I have been a salad eating fool lately, I guess because it's like discovering a brand new food. Derek said he never thought he'd see the day that I cleaned my salad plate. But I think 3-year-old Kade said it best when he said "Lissa's growing up on us." =)


Went to a baby shower for our friend Dawn, who is expecting baby #2 (it's a girl!) I just adore the decorations!


Just look at that cake! My friend Kristy made that oh-so-adorable cake...you might remember her fabulous cake decorating skills from her baby girl Ainsley's first birthday party. My party contributions: I picked up the balloons, ha! I am one talented balloon picker upper, but hey, every little bit helps, right?


Then today, we got to meet that sweet baby girl. Delaney Grace Kitley made her entrance at 9:23 a.m. this very morning! She is just perfect and I love her to pieces already. Congratulations Chuck and Dawn!!

So that's been our September so far, and of course there are lots of little in between events that go uncaptured on camera. What I do wish I had a picture of is the crowd at Life Church last night! Derek and I were taking care of the kiddos and we had 14...all age 4 and down...and the best head count inside the coffee shop was 46...that means we had 62 people at Life Church!! It was a standing room only crowd...how exciting!! We love seeing God at work in DuPont, can't wait to see what He has next in store =)

Remembering...

Wow...it's really been five years since Hurricane Katrina hit not just our country, but our very hometown. Now that we live in Washington, we don't hear too much about that awful hurricane, except for when people learn we are from Louisiana and Mississippi and that's the first thing they want to know. But we certainly have the memories it left us with. I feel like sharing them today.


Here's a satellite map of the eye of the hurricane going right over our town.

We went to bed on Saturday night with a category three hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. And goodness knows, you never evacuate for anything less than a category five. Well, we woke up Sunday morning with a category five headed straight for us. Derek called me early that morning to say that he and his family were leaving town and inviting us to come with them. I immediately wanted to go and so did my little sister. So my parents gave us the okay, but as we began to pack my little Nissan Sentra with as much as we possibly could, saving the most important things like pictures and keepsakes, and for me, all of my elementary education college work (I was in my senior year), I began to fall apart. I remember crying on my bedroom floor and begging my mom to go with us because if this storm left us orphans, I didn't know if I could take care of Lauren. It wasn't an easy decision for her to leave my dad, but ultimately she decided to come with us. Dad of course had to stay behind and take care of his dogs and his land. Not to mention that my grandparents' health would not allow them to leave. So somewhere around lunch time on Sunday, August 28, we said our goodbyes, hugged tighter than we ever had, and began our evacuation. It was very sombering to drive away from everything you've ever known, not knowing if it would be there when you returned.

We met up with Derek and his family and we set out for Vicksburg, Mississippi. What should've been a 3 hour drive, stretched into about an 8 hour drive with the gridlocked roads surrounding us. But we finally made it. Sadly enough, the storm was so powerful that it took out the electricity in our hotel. I learned that the only thing worse than being without power at home...is being without power away from home, unprepared. We had Derek's grandmother with us, who was suffering from a heart condition at the time and we had to get her to cooler temperatures. I remember that our hotel was attached to a casino that had back up generators, but they were not allowing a single soul into the casino for the relief of colder air or even the use of a microwave for baby bottles. Disgusting, I know.

So our evacuation route took us to Shreveport, where we stayed for only a night until we headed south again for Derek's Aunt Tanya's home in Lafayette. By the time we reached Lafayette, the storm had passed and we were able to see plenty of footage on the news. We couldn't reach any of our friends or family members by telephone simply because the storm had knocked out all of it. 99% of the footage was devoted to the flooding problems and Super Dome problems in New Orleans. It was obvious that the destruction was massive, but we had no clue what was going on with our families or how/when we would ever be able to find out. We couldn't head home because the roads were too damaged. We just had to wait and pray...and we did alot of both.

After a few days, Derek and his Dad made a quick trip home to assess any damage, and returned with great news. Our families were okay, our home was okay, and we could return home as soon as we could pack. The biggest problem at home were people running out of gas for the generators. There was plenty of gas in Lafayette, so we decided to bring some home with us, but we needed gas cans. I remember calling every hardware store in the phone book trying to locate a gas can and being so excited when Sears told us they had plenty of them. We drove there immediately, only to find that there weren't any gas cans after all. I remember crying in front of the manager because they had just sold every single gas can to one person, and now we would not be able to take even one home for our family. I think I was so emotional because my Granny was on 24 hour oxygen at the time, and I knew that without gas for the generator, her oxygen would not be able to keep her alive. I was scared. Before heading home, we took my car for an oil change. We began conversations with the guys in the shop, who then offered us all of the gas cans they had as well as money to fill them with gas. What a relief! God truly provides.

So after about a week of being away, and unable to speak with our family, we were able to go home. We stopped at our home (my parents' house) first but it was empty. Then we went down to my aunt's and found my Dad there. I don't think my Dad has ever hugged tighter or cried harder than when we ran through the door. It was so good to be home.

The rest of the story only gets happier from here. For the next two weeks, I was blessed to be able to take care of my grandmother and 3 month old baby cousin Zack while my aunt and uncle worked at the local hardware store, which had to be open, generator or no generator, to serve a community that needed them. My family and I grew closer during that time. We spent lots of time just sitting around talking about things. And I have to say, we enjoyed quite the feast of meals seeing as how everyone's freezer had to be cleaned out due to the lack of electricity. We got to know our neighbors more. We saw a broken and hurting community rise up and put themselves back together. People helped other people. People were generous. People were caring and compassionate. In the weeks following Katrina, there really wasn't any separation between family and friends. Everyone was family. Everyone was looking out for the other person. It was beautiful. It was just how God intends for us all to live everyday of our lives. That's a big lesson to learn, and I pray I never forget it.

August Adventures

So I haven't blogged in a while, I know. I was fortunate enough to have a full-time temporary job for the majority of the month, which took up most of my time. I'm definitely not used to the 40 hour work week, plus the hour and a half round trip commute, so I've felt a bit like a zombie recently. I also thought I didn't have too much to blog about, but then I looked at my camera pics and realized that we really did have a few things going on in August. The biggest event in our lives was a birthday for a special someone....


Derek turned 24!!


Birthday boy blowing out the candles and making a wish =)

And one celebration just isn't enough so we had another at our local park.

Sweet Ainsley Grace came to party =)


And so did a few other friends. I love that we got have a little birthday celebration with our friends. Kids are the best party guests anyway!


Had a little dinner at a local place called Jake's, where we got to enjoy our dinner and watch the sun set over the Puget Sound.


We had a few days of real summer heat. Northwesterners react so funny to 90 degree weather. I'm just thankful it comes with no humidity and only lasts a few days.


August 14th was town-wide garage sale day for Steilacoom and as you can see, there were quite a few participants. We came home with a few great finds...


...like this treadmill.


And these bicycles...we've been bicycle searching for quite some time and were so excited about these garage sale finds. I haven't been on a bicycle since I was probably 11, but I figured there's no harm in a $10 bike investment, right?

Then we had another birthday celebration that afternoon for a special little girl.

Ainsley Grace Jenkins is turning 1!!


Kristy makes the most adorable cakes...


...and the yummiest party food!

Here's the birthday girl! Sweet Ainsley Grace =)

I love baby's first birthday cakes!


I think she enjoyed it =)

Then it was on to another work week and then finally, the weekend! Derek planned a date night for us and we went to one of our favorite places, The Melting Pot!



Nothing like a night out with my love


What a beautiful ending to a beautiful night...

The Lewallens are getting ready for a trip home, so I got to have a little adventure with the boys before they are gone for two whole weeks! We started our afternoon playing at a park. Every now and then, Ryne would totally freeze and look something like this...



Well, there's a reason for this frozen position. Right next to the park is one of these...

a train! And it is rather loud, but the boys love watching them.


Snack time at the park!

Then onto more playing...

A little climbing for Kade


...and a little, well, not sure what Ryne was doing here =)

We went to our favorite frozen yogurt spot and enjoyed an oh so delicious treat.


Kade was quite adventurous in his yogurt selection today...he actually passed on the chocolate (which never happens) for the lemonade flavor.


Ryne had a big time with his yogurt.

So then it was off to play at another park, and then on to supper at McDonald's.

Now, that's why they call them "Happy Meals" =)


Always good for a laugh, Ryne decided a box hat might be a good idea.


Oh, it's much more fun if you push it down over your entire head, right?


Kade didn't want to miss out on the fun =)


Kade had a great time enjoying the play place, but poor Ryne couldn't get past the first step. He climbed as high as he could and then announced (to everyone) that he was stuck =) We ended our adventure at McDonald's and then went on to the boys' house for bath and bed time. I'm so glad I got spend some time with them before they're off for a family visit for two weeks. Love these boys!

So, on to Saturday...
I got to get up that morning and head into DuPont for a little girl time with Terry and Kristy. We first had our feet pampered with a pedicure and then went to Olive Garden for a yummy lunch. I am soooo super blessed to have such amazing friends in my life, I love these girls!! =)

That afternoon, Derek and I ventured to Olympia to check out an event called "Sand in the City," which is an annual fundraiser for the Olympia Children's Museum. We saw some pretty amazing sculptures and snagged a few pictures to share.









We spotted a team still working so we decided to watch for a bit.








Our favorite of the day ;)

So, that's our August up to this point. It's starting to turn cooler here in Washington and although I will miss our summer weather, I can't wait for the beautiful color that fall brings!