{{tying the knot}}

Weekend Recap Instagram style.

 

  

"For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

Our hearts and prayers go out to the Tate family. On Monday, this godly man went to be with his Lord after suffering a heart attack. He left behind 7 beautiful children and a very godly wife. Please pray for them in this difficult and heart-breaking time. Mr. Tate left behind a fantastic legacy, and anyone who's ever met him, will tell you that he was a true solider for Christ. 

Ms. Gina, Grace, Daniel, Stephen, Nigel, Hope, Adam and Joel---this song is for you. <3 

Snaps from life

these chaps started little league fall ball and are enjoying it alot!

we have a tradition now of making fresh guacamole whenever daniel's visiting. :) 

the old piano at my grandparents house. family pictures and all that jazz.

recently we've happened upon too much poison ivy. take this vine, for instance. >.<

i must have chimney sweep blood in me---i love rooftops!

rosy skies...

Chippokes: First Family Vacation in 6 Years! :)

First of all, we wanted to alert you that the Movie Quote Contest is going to remain open for entries until next Wednesday, May 29 so go ahead and check it out! Even you can only guess a couple, please enter!

As I said, the whole family (minus Daniel who is living/working in NoVa) went camping at Chippokes State Park, which is our first family vacation in 6 years! (And even then it's been 8 years for Sarah and I because me missed the last time, as we were away in New York visiting relatives) We all had a lovely time after the first day and a half in which it rained cats and dogs and thundered half the time. Our tent was the perfect habitat for a turtle, a newt, or any other amphibian or reptile who likes dampness in their bedclothes. :P Not knowing if it would rain on the second full day of camping, we headed to Williamsburg and lolled around there for the afternoon. At the Chipoltes Sarah and I saw two people who closely resembled some of our Romanian friends. Even though I knew they weren't the same people, I still got all excited and happy and bubbly over nothing. ;D

Sarah, Leah, and I had the HARDEST time putting together that screen tent. When we finally got it together, each admitted that logic had totally gone out the window....the pieces were all numbered but the sequence of putting them together was entirely random. Way to confuse us, tent manufacturer!

Chippokes is on the beautiful, moody, stately James River, and I always feel so at home there. I was able to snag a couple hours of complete alone-ness yesterday morning, and read a book, wrote in my travel journal, and wandered along the wild and tangled beach till I came to the far scoop of the bay where the rest of the family was fishing.

There were sweet moments...

And sleepy/grumpy moments...

 And of course, plenty of silly moments.

I seriously look like Dopey.

How attractive! ;)

On the ferry-boat, Pocahontas

I was feeding Levi honey-suckle. His first! He looks so much like a tiny baby frog! <3

Adding initials to the Sweetheart Tree. ;)

On the way home we stopped at College Run Farms for some of their homemade icecream. Best. Ever. Ohmygoodness.

Well, that was our weekend and we're home now with lots looming on the horizon! Have you ever been camping? Where is your favorite spot? Leave a comment and let us know! And while I'm at it, may I recommend Chippokes State Park? ;)

The Influence of an Older Sister

She dared me.

And I did it! 

Just Kidding!

To start the morning off, the polls are closed, and the results are in!!! So, next week I will be starting.........

(drum roll please)

A day in my life via photos only!
(unofficial title...)

Yay, I'm very excited about this series. It will be a good challenge for me and I'm planning on using it to further my skills. ;)

In other news, spring is in the air over at our house! We have had 5 baby goats in the past 4 or so days. May I introduce you to.....

Benedict! 

Juliet and mother

Nessa (the mom) and baby Martin (twin to Benedict ;) with Grace being her adorable self!

And Abby with Benedict. :) 

I don't have a picture of the brand-newest set of twins born this morning, but they were a boy and a girl. The little boy was dead when we found them. :( So Anna's thinking of naming the girl Eponine, seeing as she's "on her own". :\  We still have 3 or 4 does who are due to kid very soon, so we're looking forward to all the furry little dears. :) So, I want to hear---what's new with you all? I'm hoping your Valentine's Days went very nicely and you had enough chocolate to get through it. ;) Leave a comment and let us know!

In the Throes of Travel Planning......

Most of you have probably heard, but our church is planning a missions trip to Romania this spring. We're in the prep stage of applying for passports, raising funds (and lots of them) and scheduling plane flights.

Arad, Romania

Rachel and I both feel the Lord leading us to be a part of the team going over there, and are looking forward to Him working in amazing ways through the whole experience! Personally, I'm really psyched to participate in something like this! I've never been out of the country and am hoping/praying on my eyes being opened to the diverse world outside my cozy little circles.

I know we would all appreciate your prayers as to the details of this big trip, along with the overwhelming topic of funds. Basically a round trip plane ticket is close to $700 during the spring. That doesn't include the money needed for train transportation, food, or emergency stashes. :P For a young, unemployed person like myself, that is a bit like beating a dead horse. 

But.

I know that as the Lord has given me peace and led me here, He will be faithful to provide everything for this to happen. I'm trusting the Lord to lead us in profitable ways of fund-raising and praying fervently that He would take care of all the gazillions of details. I know this because of all the amazing ways He's already worked; giving us several different connections in Romania to churches there, a friend who's family has been serving in Romania for years (and who "just happens" to be going this spring as well;) and various other ways. 

Romania looks to be very beautiful and I'm very interested to meet and serve the people there. :)

gypsy family

boys in a gypsy village

Bucharest, Romania

Oh, and apart from the wonderful ministry, I'm excited to see a whole new culture, different ways of living, and the awesome architecture there seems to be there! :D

So, that's what's in bold, 72 pt. font on my prayer list right now. 

Until Later,

Sarah

p.s. I got back Sat. from a week spent at a ball and working on a media project of last year's DOD camp with great, fun, and hospitable friends. More on that later. :)