Trick or Treat!

The cutest little kitty-cat you ever saw made an appearance the other night for Halloween. Our youngest, Campbell, dressed as a little black cat and was just the most precious trick or treater out there. Of course she really just sat in the stroller while her brother and sister absconded with the loot.

Campbell turns one tomorrow, and I really can't believe how the last year has flown. She is the sweetest little gem and is a real delight to us. Although she is turning one, you would think she was 4 or 5 months old, if not for the crawling and cruising. She is every bit of 12 1/2 lbs! She is on a high-fat diet that includes adding corn syrup and vegetable oil to everything she consumes.

Steve and I spent a very long time last night taking assessments and surveys necessary to take part in the CPAC assessment in a couple of weeks. We had a very busy weekend so we weren't able to start on them until last night, and they needed to be done by today! We started around 10:30 last night and kept right on until 4:45 this morning before getting some sleep. They we woke up a couple hours later and finished the last few parts of it. Intense!!!!! We both had our laptops out and were taking test after test. It was kind of fun, though. (I know, I'm crazy.) It felt like we were staying up late working on term papers that had to be turned in the next day. We got it done, and are looking forward to a full night's sleep tonight!

My brother is supposed to be arriving tomorrow to stay with us until we move. He will be helping us out a lot with the move and wants to have the chance to get to know the team while we are all still in one place. I'm really looking forward to having him here. Steve is, too. They'll be working a lot on different media avenues for getting the word out there about our vision and team. That will hopefully help a lot in the realm of raising support.

That raises another issue weighing on us: where are we going to live? We are still not sure about a housing situation once we arrive in Knoxville at the beginning of the year. We have a family of 5, so living in someone's guest room is probably not the optimal solution. (Although we are certainly not above that, we gotta live somewhere!!) Please pray that God will open an opportunity for us to find somewhere for our family to live for the next few months. He will.

What A Great Day...

This morning, the whole family woke up and had breakfast together. That hasn't happened for, well... I can't remember the last time that happened. Steve almost always has a meeting or something in the morning, and by the time all the kids are up, he is out of the house or on his way out the door. Today, we slept in till 8:30, we all got up, and had eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits. It was fantastic!

After breakfast, we went outside to play in the leaves with the kids. It was close to 70 degrees at the time. How perfect! Our very cool neighbor, Sarah, came across the street with 2 of her kids and we chatted for awhile. She is really great!

We've just been hanging out, eating chili, trying to get some things organized (pre-packing), and all-around having the nicest day. What a great family I have!!

Steve and I found out a few days ago that we will need to go to Johnson City, TN for several days the week before Thanksgiving to do an extensive assessment for church planting. It was past the deadline to register and it will cost about$1700, so we had some obstacles. But as of today, we are being allowed to register after the deadline, and the cost is being taken care of, as well. Everytime it looks like something stands in our way, God steps in to remove the barrier. It leaves very little room for doubt as to whether we are being called.

So....I'm going to enjoy the rest of this beautiful day with my sweet family. I need to take care of the details for Baby Campbell's 1st birthday party next Saturday. Nothing like waiting till the last minute!!

How Crazy Are We?

To tell you the truth, my head is still spinning. There are so many details yet to be decided and so many loose ends that need tied up. I am certain of this, though: we are on the right track. Too many silly concerns have been dismissed, too many worries have been eliminated for this to be "just something we cooked up."

So... we are going for it. Steve and I (and our 3 kids) are leaving a wonderful church family here in Cleveland to embark on a crazy church planting journey. But that's the thing, it's really not crazy. Yes, in 2 months we have no more income, no more health insurance, no more roof over our head. But, we are that convinced that this is the next step God is asking us to take, that we have no choice but to believe that He will provide everything we need at the right time. To date, neither of us has ever gone hungry or without shelter, what reason do we have to start doubting God's provision, now?

Few details are ironed out. At this point, we know that we are going to plant a church in Cleveland, OH. We are going to do a residency with New Thing Network, which we believe will take place in Knoxville, TN. We have an incredible group of people already who are on board and ready to turn their lives upside down, as well.

I married a dreamer who dreams BIG and doesn't settle. That can be scary at times, but I wouldn't change it.

Ready or not....here we go..........