Grace Notes

Yesterday, as Kurt and I were driving back from the city with my parents, it dawned on me. I really live in Oklahoma. Maybe it was the wind rustling through the fields. Maybe it was the look of the trees, all growing in one direction due to the constant blowing of the wind. Or, maybe it was the fact that we were the only ones on the road and we stopped at a chicken shack for dinner. It really was a shack and it was called Roosters. Now, I’m still convinced that I’ll never become an “okie.” I don’t talk like them, I don’t dress like them. and I certainly don’t drive like them. And, I love city life! I miss Chicago! I really miss deep dish pizza But, I’m happy. I have a wonderful husband. I have wonderful parents. I have a wonderful church family, even though they aren’t many. Plus, I’ve already been told that I can’t be an “okie” until I’ve been here at least 20 years. I don’t know if we’ll be here that long, but we did just buy our first home, so I think we’ll be sticking around for a while.

The past two weeks, Kurt and I have had company from both sides of our families come to visit. First, two of my aunts and three of my cousins came from Greenville, S.C. Whitney and Anna stayed with Kurt and I, and my mom’s sisters Barb and Becky along with Maria stayed with grandma and grandpa. Three years had gone by since I had seen aunt Becky and Maria so it was so nice to see them again.
This past weekend, Kurt’s mom and dad, and sister and brother-in-law all came to celebrate the 4th with us. Yesterday, we cooked out with my parents and then we went to see the fireworks with our friend Joe. It was really a nice weekend.
So, Barb, here are some of the photos that I didn’t put on fb. Thanks to all our family members who took time and money to come and visit us. We love you and miss you all already. I’m starting to tear up aunt Becky.

Kurt and I, along with my parents, spent the day in Wichita eating, shopping, and walking around the Botanical Gardens. I was so impressed with the entire city of Wichita. There is so much to do and the layout of the city is wonderful. Here of some pictures of the gardens. Enjoy!

The past few weeks have been crazy. Three weeks ago, Kurt and I went to a rattlesnake festival. Kurt ran a 5k there and won first in his division! As far as the rattlesnakes, don’t bother eating them. Rattlesnake tastes like greasy chicken and is a LOT of work to get to the meat. So not worth your time and money.
The day after the festival, Kurt and I left to go to Chicago,IL and Logansport,IN to attend the funerals for Kurt’s grandmother who died from colon cancer. It was a long week, but we had a nice time with family and were honored to play together at her funeral.
We arrived home Thursday afternoon, and were greeted by my 5 month old niece. Kurt and I watched her until Sunday. I was really worried that she would cry the whole time since she had never been away from my sister, but she was a perfect angel! We had a great time watching Katybug, so, Barb, anytime you need us, call!
So this past week I’ve been trying to get back into my routine and back into working. I think I’ll plant flowers today

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce, “Christ is risen!”
See God’s salvation plan,
Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

See Mary weeping, “Where is He laid?”
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It’s the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty.
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with pow’r and authority!
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

“See, What a Morning” (Resurrection Hymn)
Words and Music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

Ok. I totally forgot I had a blog. I got started on facebook, and lost my mind! It is so addicting. One friend leads to another, leads to another, and before you know it, 5 hours have gone by! Maybe I’m exaggerating, maybe I’m not.
Every time I sit down to write on this blog, I have so much to catch everybody up on. I always say, “this time I’ll keep up”, and yet, months go by before I realize it. I’ve learned that life goes by so fast. Well, “this time I’ll keep up.”

In the life of a new church, there are many “firsts.” Today, Sovereign Grace Baptist Church witnessed our first baptism. Kendi Wolever is a 17 year old teenager in our church who has actively displayed her love for Christ and for the church. We were all so excited to share in this baptism with her.

Who’s idea was it to move to Oklahoma? It wasn’t mine, was it? If it was my idea, nobody told me that the temperature could get this hot and for this long. For the past two weeks, there has been two, maybe three days that the temp hasn’t been over 100 degrees. And guess what, yesterday it was 106 and today it’s supposed to be 107. That’s not even counting the heat index which is about 2 million degrees. Ok, I’m exaggerating a bit. The heat index is about 110. Might as well be 2 million. Hot is hot. The best part is that it’s supposed to be between 101 and 106 until Saturday. Then, says the weatherman, comes a “cold front.” However, to an Oklahoman, a “cold front” is 95 degrees. I don’t know which is worse. Last summer when it rained for 31 straight days, or this summer when walking from your house to your car can cause a heat stroke. Yesterday, 4 police officers had to be hospitalized due to heat exhaustion. They were chasing someone but had to give up before they caught him.
I can’t wait until our cold front.

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Ok. Every time I post I say that I will do a better job of keeping everyone informed on my life, and yet here I am again and three months have gone by. I could blame it on the fact that Kurt and I moved again for the third time in one year. Or, I could blame it on the phone company for taking FOREVER to hook up our internet, but the truth is, I’m lazy. At any rate, here I go again. So much has happened in the last couple of months. For starters, Kurt and I moved, again. Here’s the story. Most of you know that I work private duty for a health care company here in town. There was one lady that I was particularly close to and she died in April. Well, her son who was to inherit the house, died the day after she did. She has one daughter who I got to know fairly well who lives in Tulsa. She informed me that it was her mother’s wish to have the house and all the farm building bulldozed when the last of the family died, but that it would take her a year to get everything in order to do this. She asked if Kurt and I would live in the house for the year so it didn’t sit empty. So, here we are. The house we’re living in is built on land bought during the Land Run, and has been owned by only one family who ran a dairy farm that at one time was the largest producer of dairy in Oklahoma. I’ll post pictures of it later.
Kurt and I also recently celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary(thank you to those of you who sent cards). We had a great time in Tulsa shopping and eating. We went to the Philbrook Museum, a farmer’s market, and even one of those coffee shops that create art work in the foam of your drink. Needless to say, we had fun.
About a month ago, we had the privilege of driving my grandparents to Colorado Springs to attend my cousin Shannon’s wedding. I’ve met her only once in my life so it was good to see her again. Colorado Springs is so nice. Kurt and I had a great time, but didn’t have much time to see a whole lot. We hope to go back sometime and do some camping and hiking. I’m trying to convince my parents that we need to go next summer for a family vacation. We’ll see if that actually happens.
As soon as Kurt wakes up from his Sunday afternoon nap, I’ll have him help me post some photos.