Saturday, August 22, 2009

Click to play this Smilebox slideshow: strasbourg, France
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Click to play this Smilebox greeting: Ashley's baptism
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What a summer!

I'm a BAD blogger! By the looks of my posts, you would think we had a quiet, uneventful summer after our trip to the States ... but that is SOOOOO not the case! We've been super busy. Here's a few highlights:

Crocodile Dock. VBS went GREAT at RB. Directing VBS was a new challenge for me and has kept me on my toes since May. But August 3-7 was AWESOME! We had amazing community support ... with nearly 60 volunteers ministering to 74 children. It was especially great to see so many dads come out and pitch in (this is why we chose to do it in the evening!). What a blessing for the kids! We prayed with LOTS of kids to recieve Christ ... and baptized two of them on the Sunday after VBS. Tiring, YES! Worth every minute? YES, YES, YES. We give God ALL the glory for this huge success.

Strasbourg, France. Last weekend, we headed out for an overnight adventure in Strasbourg, about 1 1/2 hours from Stuttgart. Loved the sights of this quaint area in France. Notre Dame Cathedral was a highlight for me. The kids loved the boat tour and mini-train ride through the streets of this old and historic city. Of course, we ate some good food! Still amazes me that we have been given this awesome opportunity to see the world ... and introduce our children to it. Next trip: camping trip in Jungfrau, Switerland. Can't wait!!!

Last but certainly not least, Greg was able to baptize Ashley on Sunday, August 9. Such an emotional experience for us ... and a privilege beyond words for Greg! She was one of eight baptized that night. Ashley accepted Christ on Mother's Day, 2007, while her daddy was in Afghanistan. What an honor for me to pray a salvation prayer with my little girl! At that time, we decided she would wait for her daddy to baptize her. To see her publicly declare her relationship with Jesus Christ was awesome for us.

The fall holds much in store! We're looking forward to a couple of trips, a visit from Greg's parents, a leadership appreciation banquet for our chapel congregation and lots more growth at our chapel services. We continue to thank the Lord for putting us in Stuttgart, Germany for "such a time as this."