en Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:09:36 -0600 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:09:51 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=161 My wonderful Grandmother gave to me her secret to fabulous cinnamon rolls. I can't stop making (and eating) these beauties. Happy New Year! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=161#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=161 Thu, 01 Jan 2009 09:20:49 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=160 ...my husband gave to his family this really cool Santa that he made for the top of their tree when he was 11 years old. They have kept it all these years and it holds a proud spot on the top of their table Christmas tree. You can see that it is starting to show it's age. Mark has the very best parents [image1]. They have always treated me just like their very own daughter. They have the most amazing deep faith that they have passed on to their son and to me and to their grand-daughters. They love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and I think their faith is one of the many reasons that we are in ministry today. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=160#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=160 Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:10:24 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=159 Santa gave to me....a very excited little 4-year-old girl. Her dream come true bike was under the tree and her reaction was the best gift ever! It was worth the 3 hours it took to put that thing together! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=159#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=159 Fri, 26 Dec 2008 05:49:48 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=158 ...my family gave to me...our annual Christmas eve Wii bowling tournament - girls againsts boys. You will notice there are only 8 of us but the dog was in every picture...not wanting to miss our on any fun...so I think she should count for number nine! The girls entered this year's bowling tournament with the bragging rights having stomped the boys last year but alas the boys walked away with the coveted title by only 9 points...9!!! Here we are before the competition when everything was still friendly. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=158#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=158 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:53:51 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=157 Here are the boys bowling... [image1] [image2] [image3] mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=157#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=157 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:48:46 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=156 Here are the girls bowling... [image1] [image2] [image3] mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=156#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=156 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:44:59 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=155 my church staff gave to me a Murder Mystery Dinner complete with a 6 course meal, costumes, and some crazy stories that I won't be divulging on this blog! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=155#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=155 Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:55:24 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=154 ...my elementary Christmas carolers gave to me...do, re, me, fa, so, la and ti... One of my favorite things to do is to direct the LTC chorus. We start in early November learning traditional and not so traditional Christmas carols. We then spend one evening after school is out to go Christmas caroling to several of our senior christian families. A great time is had by all. The senior christians often tell us stories from their Christmas pasts and it is eye-opening to our 21st century kids!! Everyone benefits. This year we are caroling on December 22. I will add pictures to this post the next day...so check back. Until then, enjoy the music of the season. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=154#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=154 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:54:51 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=153 This is my calendar of holiday parties and obligations! It is fun, stressful, and a little bit ridiculous. but I love an excuse to celebrate! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=153#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=153 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:14:59 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=152 ...my Christmas hospitality gave to me....stacks and stacks of dirty things...at least 5! Mark and I really enjoy opening our home to people. We like the personal time spent getting to know people. We like playing games together, we like sharing our table with people. I think hospitality is almost a lost art. It is so important in the life of the church - people connecting on a very personal level. The only downside is the cleaning before and most definitely the cleaning after. Last Sunday night, we have 12 couples at our house. This is a a glimpse into what was left after everyone left!! [image1] [image2] [image3] mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=152#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=152 Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:31:19 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=151 My church staff gave to me - permission to NOT buy gifts for everyone on staff! That’s right. After years of little baggies filled with calorie laden goodies we are putting our feet down. Now that there are over 30 people on staff at MRCC it has become too much work, money, and time to put together little gifts for every single person. So, this year we said no to stuff and yes to freedom! Freedom from hours in my kitchen, dollars from my bank account, and miles in my car. Thank you, MRCC staff. I didn’t think I could love you any more but you have done it again – won me over! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=151#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=151 Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:42:50 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=150 Go <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMzgElwhTgc">here</a> to listen to the three Taylor women sing one of their family's traditional Christmas carols. We have been singing this simple duet for about 10 years now. When we first started singing it together, Karenna could only bop to the music. Now she can carry a part all by herself. We love music in our house. More on that later in the month. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=150#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=150 Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:06:02 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=147 My true love gave to me: one screaming baby, and a sassy little 4-year-old girl. These are my precious children whom I occasionally adore, occasionally barely tolerate, and always, always love. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=147#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=147 Thu, 04 Dec 2008 11:21:57 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=146 I got this Chrismas cactus 25 years ago at our very first full-time job in ministry in Connecticut. A very dear older woman in the congregation gave it to me on our very first Christmas there. She included instructions on how to make it bloom. I now have a huge collection of them and they all bloom at Christmas. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=146#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=146 Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:33:36 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=145 My family and I took a little trip to North Carolina. The girls had a great time and Scott and I got to check out some new, beautiful places. We kind of like checking out all the history in new places, which makes travelling fun for us, less fun for the kids. My definition of fun does not always include amusement parks - not this trip, anyway. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC is so interesting and it makes for a great tour. At Christmastime, the entire castle is decorated and there are carolers, choruses, string ensembles, classical guitar players, and live actors doing marionnette shows for children. The estate is so huge - there were 1,000 employees at one point. With a dairy, farming, entertaining, gardening, hunting, the winery - this place operated like estates in Europe that were places of employment and completely self-supporting. The house is too impressive for words and you want to celebrate Christmas with old, traditional ways. We would love to go back at Christmastime again, but will probably go in the spring when the 30,000 tulips are in bloom. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=145#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=145 Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:28:10 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=144 Welcome to the wedding photo. I have kept this photo out as a visual reminder of how Scott and I started our life together 12 years ago. Time flies when you're having children... I co-lead a women's book group that has been reading "The Power of a Praying Wife" by Stormie O'Martian. I first read this book about 10 years ago when I was still a newlywed. Boy, have things changed. It has been so revealing to revisit this book now that I have firmly entrenched myself in marriage, motherhood, and life with all its ups and downs. What I have found is that a book on marriage, a good one, can speak to you more loudly after 12 years of marriage than after 2 years of newlyweddedness. The women from my group come from many different backgrounds, many different struggles, and many different experiences. I look forward to our meetings because they are encouraging, loving, transparent, and very real. It makes it quite challenging to me as a discussion leader to focus on the importance of the Bible, of resolving conflict, of listening to what is said and meant by everyone in this group. Tonight I will think about the newlywed me, the young husband that I knew then, and the way God brought us together. I have found new ways to pray for my husband, and myself, and I thank God for that. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=144#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=144 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:29:33 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=143 It's Monday and I am missing my girls. They are at school and I am putting together their laundry and I am picking up their rooms after a night of small group antics. Darby, who is 10, has changed so much since we have moved to Georgia. She is just one year away from the youth group and I can't believe that I have raised a daughter that is self-sufficient in most areas of life. Darby wrote a short story last week and as I read it I was filled with pride, with joy, and with the feeling that she has grown up. Her mind is her own, her ideas are fully formed, and I have to battle with her desire to be mature while she is still a child. Roxy, who is 6, fills up the rooms of our house with fun and imagination. I see her as being so kind and trusting and sensitive to other's needs, but she can push every button of her sister's nerves, just like a kid sister is born to do. There is not enough time in the day to keep Roxy contained. She sees it as a challenge to make something fun, interesting, and imaginative. The passive life is not for her. They have a school vacation next week for Thanksgiving. By day two or three, I will probably be ready to send them to school again, but today I wish it was just a girls' day in, with pajamas and movies and cooking with Darby and crazy games created by Roxy. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=143#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=143 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:33:06 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=142 What I thought was going to be a week of family and fall sightseeing turned into something completely different. With my folks' arrival came my mother's gall bladder problems. She was in such pain by the time they got here, we had to jump through lots of hoops to help her. The guilt I felt over the long, painful trip was tremendous. Plus the fact that I have no clue about health care down here, having only met a doctor for the first time last week, I was not equipped to know what to do for her and where to begin. The one problem, once identified, brought on other problems and we got her back home as soon as we could. I spent four days being a good daughter, chauffeur, medical liason and sounding board. My sweet husband took over the girls in my absence and now I am back home again in my current role of wife and mom. It was very strange to step away from this life out here in Georgia. I don't live in OK anymore. My obligations are not there and it is now my past, not my future. Letting go of the past is complicated because you forget what you should be focusing on - what is current, what is immediate, what you are building. The trip back to OK was good for me because it helped me value the work I am putting in to my new home and my new church. It made me appreciate my husband even more, it made my kids miss their mom, and it made me feel good about helping out my parents who live so far away. My mom's condition is improved and her surgery will happen very soon. Now I am back where I belong and I am grateful for the reminder of where I belong now - in Georgia. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=142#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=142 Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:54:35 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=141 Today is a happy day. My parents are coming for a visit. Both my daughters are so excited they can hardly sit still. I am so happy to see people that know me and love me that I am pacing the house. I haven't seen my family since July and I need them! From Georgia to Oklahoma, you are looking at about 13 hours and one time zone. I knew that when we moved here it would seem very far away. I told myself that it would all work out, and it has. We have done very well, all of us. But oh, how I crave time with people I know. Staying connected with our old world is pretty tricky. The girls miss their friends, but they are making new ones. Thinking about the way things were and the way things are can be either good or not-so-good. We had close family for five years and now we have to readjust to the distance. But with blogging on my personal blog and with web cams, we can at least see and hear the people we love. Thank you God for technology! sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=141#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=141 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:13:42 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=140 I'm not really looking for Dr. Pepper, buy I am looking for doctors. Dr. Pepper happens to be my favorite drink, and I would love to find my favorite doctors for my family. That is a tough job when you are new to the Marietta, GA area. There are doctors everywhere, and every time I ask for a recommendation I hear a deafening silence. Darby was my guinea pig today and we met with an MD about a minor but medical issue for her. I think this guy could be the one, but I just don't know yet. I really do like his staff, though. That counts for a lot when you have two daughters that need friendly faces when they feel bad. I have tried three optometrists. Yes, that is ridiculous. But the third time was the charm. And the most affordable, which is a plus. And as for dentists, I don't have the heart to begin that project yet. I will pray for healthy teeth for the next couple of months. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=140#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=140 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:32:47 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=139 My family has lived in Georgia for six months today. Happy anniversary! I truly felt happy about everything as I drove to church to take my husband out for lunch. This is what it looks like today. Fall in Georgia is such a treat for the eyes and it is an added bonus in our decision to move so far from Oklahoma. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=139#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=139 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:50:21 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=138 After 12 years of marriage, I have yet to make any accurate predictions about my life and the life of my family. The path that my husband and I have taken is a real head scratcher: You're doing what? Where are you going? Not again? Those are not unfamiliar comments amongst those that know the Franks' family. For me, I married a man with no ministerial ambitions. I married the Dean of Students at OC, thinking that doctorate work was around the corner. But God was changing my husband and our relationship. He made us parents, we had some trials and tough decisions, and here we are in Georgia, eight years out from my husband deciding to enter ministry work. Preaching is new for my husband, but serving the Lord has been a part of our lives since birth. I choose to see myself as a preacher's wife that can embrace the old traditions of teaching children and going to all the showers. But, I might wear pants on Sundays. How can I turn into the Church Lady? Not going to happen. I watch TV, I play games on Pogo, and no one would believe how many rock concerts I have attended. Preacher's wife? Me? I guess I am, and I hope you like it. sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=138#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=138 Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:05:37 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=137 Greetings all you readers, whoever and wherever you may be, It is Sunday (Funday) and I am tired but content. The extra hour of sleep was wasted on my two beautiful girls who woke at 5:30 and fired up the Wii for some early morning Mario Kart. They got me out of bed at 6:30 with the lure of French Toast. My 10 year old knows that making breakfast is a sure-fire way to pleasing her momma. With worship at 9 and class at 10:30, we have a pretty simple schedule to keep. Today was special because this morning there were four responses by people with praises and prayers on their hearts. I have to brag on our church for just a moment because our members just cover these people with prayers and love when they "come forward". So many people are literally on their knees, holding hands, surrounding and praying for the respondents. Every time it happens it chokes me up. After lunch with an elder and his wife (who happen to be from Oklahoma and share my appreciation for OU football), we came home and took a catnap. It takes me about 2 hours to read the Atlanta Journal Constitution, but I manage to get through it. And then I prep for small group. It meets at our house at 6 pm and I look forward to it every week. It is the best incentive I know for keeping a clean house. Plus I love our people and our study. We formed the group in September and it has been such a blessing for Scott and me, not to mention the girls. At 8, everyone is gone and Roxy is ready to pass out from exhaustion. Darby is in denial about being tired, and Scott has used up all his words for the day. Life is good and I am finished. Check in with you later... sheree.franks@gmail.com (Sheree Franks) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=137#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=137 Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:28:43 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=133 It¡¦s raining¡K it¡¦s pouring I get to get up and drive to Tulsa this morning. Morning! Today I am off work, today I get to set with my mom in the hospital. Nothing has really happened today except¡K wait for it, yes it¡¦s about a puppy¡K I called our apartment complex today to ask for a repair and I also asked about their dog policy. I learned that it had changed and that it depended upon breed not weight. I was told that it would be a $300 fee, of that $300 we would get $150 back!! ƒº Oh yeah! I called Justin and he didn¡¦t say no¡Xhe said, ¡§We can talk about it tonight when you get home¡¨¡K this, in our family means that there is a possibility!! Back to my family now, my mom is doing the same. The tests have all been clear and no real problems. Her Left shoulder /shoulder blade cause her tremendous pain. Down the side of her ribs, she is having throbbing pain but the doctors no longer think that she has a blood clot. They now think that she has shingles. However, she has not broken out into a rash and she has had this pain for a week now. My mom slept on and off and I stayed by her side the whole day. She kept having cold/hot spells with no temperature. The doctors don¡¦t really know what is going on with her. She is hurting and no one knows why. Today my mom and I did some bonding that we hadn¡¦t done in awhile. We¡¦ve done a lot of praying and talking¡K please continue to pray. I called Justin several times today. At lunch I called him and today, at their staff lunch they went to the bowling alley for some bonding and staff time. Justin beet Mark Taylor!! (He¡¦s the pulpit minister). Okay, so he didn¡¦t beat the whole staff but he was 3rd or 4th! He had such a good time. Later on in the afternoon when I called he was getting advertisements and publications ready to announce Day in the City!! Woo Hoo! He was working hard and having fun. That¡¦s one thing that I love about Justin working at MRCC he loves his job and working to serve people. Justin gets to work with some many wonderful people and participate and work on so many different projects. We are thankful every day that he has this job and pray that God will bless us with another church family when that time comes. Be thankful for what the Lord has given you!! saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=133#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=133 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:49:20 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=132 This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. What a great morning. I woke up with Justin saying Sara, it’s time to get up. You need to get ready for early service. We need to leave in 30 minutes. Waking up is hard for me sometimes especially if I have had dreams all night of puppy dogs. I was still a little cranky with Justin and he was just dealing with it. I was running late as usual, as Justin yelled while I was in the bathroom putting on makeup, time to go. I threw on a shirt and shoes and clanked my feet down our 40 stairs. Justin and I headed to church and made it on time!! (Woo-Hoo!) Right before church started, my brother called me and said “Hey sis, I am taking mom to the emergency room.” Okay, I knew that this was coming but – so scary!! *side note, my mom(this mom) is my adopted mom, she married my dad when I was 13. My real mom died when I was 5. My dad died when I was 15, and this mom, Karen adopted me she has one son, Charlie who I call brother.* My mom got on the phone with me and sounded like she was sicker than sick. I told her that I would keep praying for her and to have brother keep me updated. After we said our good bye’s, and I love you’s my grandma called me and said that she was really sick and that she was going to go to the ER also. After church we were to go to Stillwater to have a birthday party for my grandma and a family lunch. Grandma told me on the phone she wasn’t going so in my mind this meant no lunch. All during service I kept checking my phone to see if my brother had text me. Justin was saying one of the morning prayers so we didn’t set together for a long while and when he came to set by me I threw it all out there. All he could say is what are we going to do? I never know what to do in situations like this. I said we would just wait it out. As mark gave an excellent sermon I couldn’t help but doodle and think about my mom and my grandma and about what we were going to do. Because of my Baptist back ground (or at least I think so) I am constantly wondering what’s for lunch or what’s for dinner. Food is a big thing in our family. I plan out meals and tasks when I am nervous and that’s what I was doing. Church was over and we went to Sunday School. My brother had text me back saying that our Mom was having cat scans and MRI’s. I called grandma and found out that she was doing a little better but that she was still hurting. In Sunday School we were reading in John about the crucifixion. I know how important it is and was, but I don’t like to hear the story especially the medical version, it makes my tummy turn. It was interesting learning a different perspective on how people were stoned though. I didn’t know that the accuser pushed the individual who was accused of the crime into this pit and threw a rock at his/her heart. That’s pretty aggressive. After Sunday school we went to Sonic and grabbed a cherry limeade (Justin’s favorite) and sat in the car as we waited for my brother to text or call me. He finally did and said that they were going to admit my mom into St. John’s hospital. I kept asking him, should I come down? He kept saying if you want to, you have to do what’s best for you. *side note- how do you know what’s best for you in a situation like this? Arg* Justin and I decided to go back to our apartment and wait to find out what the test results were from my mom. Of course, we fought about doing that before the decision was made and I still was bitter and mad about not having a puppy and Mike and Tanya having one and seeing 6 of our neighbors having dogs as we went upstairs to our apartment. Justin fixed hamburgers on the grill for lunch, he is such a good cook! I am thankful that he is a good cook and that I don’t have to ask that often for his help in the kitchen. We ate lunch and lounged around on the couches and finally I had had enough, I was bored. We hadn’t heard anything from/about my mom or my grandma and I wanted to go do something. We went to Quail Spring Mall and redeemed my free ice cream – if you join Birthday Clubs you get free food at several places! We than decided to go to Mike and Tanya’s and meet the newest member of their family—Pepper. On our way to Mike and Tanya’s we passes an old lady walking down the street with a cane. I was very adamant that we stop and help her but we couldn’t where we were at and Justin is always hesitant about picking up people. I am not, and I threw a fit and called him a hypocrite. I know, I know Sara… what were you thinking. That’s just it, words come out of my mouth without me thinking and I wanted to help her. Justin and I fought about this until we got to Mike and Tanya’s and than we put on our “everything is okay” faces—you know those faces that you put on when you want everyone to think that life is grand and that you and your husband have no arguments—that’s the one. We met Tanya in the front yard playing with their new puppy Pepper. Pepper is 8 weeks old and is ½ tea cup schnauzer and ½ full size schnauzer. The tears started coming down my face as I started to pet him. I kept asking questions about him and telling her things that I knew about puppies like sometimes when they don’t drink the water , if you add ice cubes to the water most dogs drink it. We went inside their home and played with the puppy and watched it as it cuddled around Tanya’s feet and she held it and aw geeze—I really want one!! Too cute. We went to church as I cried the whole way their (not just little tears, but the ugly deep cry, the one that when you cry noises come out—weird). Justin kept asking what was wrong – and all I could say is you should know. When we arrived at church Justin said maybe you should go to the bathroom and wipe away your tears. I yelled at him a little – I know, I know, Sara are you serious, Grow up. To make matters worse I cried all during the service and than on the way home. When we got home I went straight to bed where I buried my self in blankets and pillows and cried some more. PATHETIC. I just want a dog, and I want my mom to be okay and my grandma to be okay. My brother text me back saying that they (the doctors at St. John) thought that our mom had a blood clot in her lungs. I called my boss to ask off for Monday and told her the situation and called my appointments that I had scheduled and rescheduled them. Then I fell asleep crying again. Justin came in our bedroom and woke me up and said that I needed to call my Grandma, I did and she was feeling some what better. We sang our song that we sing every night and say good bye the same way we do every night ( I like it). Justin asked if he could get me anything to eat, and he fixed me a hotdog. We argued a little more about a puppy and than he went to bed. I followed a little later and apologized and explained a little more why I wanted a puppy. We kissed good night for the first time in 3 days. It was a good /bad day; Bad because of my behaviors and actions and because I want to grow up and have more responsibilities but yet I act the way that I do. God please teach me and help me to put aside my selfish wants and desires. Help me to focus on what I can do to further your kingdom. saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=132#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=132 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:59:32 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=131 What a day! I cried my self to sleep tonight because I want a puppy. I know, I sound like a five year old still and with me knowing that I can’t have one just makes it all worse. Today, some of our friends from OC were in town. Justi n’s old roommate and new bride, Silas and Sarah Fitzsimmons. Silas is a youth minister at Ponca City Church of Christ. They had spent the night at Lake Arcadia camping. Silas and Sarah had just gotten a new puppy from the pound about 2 weeks ago and brought it with them for the camping adventure. Justin and I clean a church (Daysprings Church of Christ- Edmond) each Saturday and it takes a chunk of our day so after we did that this morning we went on an adventure going by shopping malls/outlets that we had never been to and ultimately ending up at Penn Square Mall. We walked around in the adventure to find Justin new dress shoes. My husband has had the same black pair of dress shoes since he was in the 10th grade. He never wears any other shoes with his black pants and refuses to pay anything over $30 for a new pair of black dress shoes. His shoes have two holes in the soles and well they remind me of Pee-Wee Herman – I am not sure why. I have a phobia of Pee- Wee Herman too. Next, Silas called Justin and asked him if we could watch their puppy while he and his wife, Sarah went to the movies. Justin reminded him that Mike and Tanya just bought a new home that has a back yard. Needless to say Mike and Tanya watched their new puppy. Tanya decided that she wanted a dog. Later that day, mike called Justin and said that they were on the search for a dog. Needless to say after this my mood went into Bla, cranky, hateful, two year old sara. My poor husband, I hate it when everyone around me has what I want and I can’t have it because of the timely circumstances. Needless to say I ruined the evening with Justin because I wanted a puppy and I didn’t care that it costs. We spend money on the wii/wii fit/ vacations/ computers/ television/ etc. why not on a puppy. Justin kept saying I am sure that they aren’t going to get a puppy and sure enough after he said that 20 minutes later Mike called to say that they just bought a puppy. I went to bed crying myself to sleep. I know that there is a time for everything and that I am an adult and that I have plenty of things in my life to be thankful for, my life, my husband, my family, a relationship with Christ, my salvation, peace, comfort, a roof over my head, my health, food, and many other things. It’s just hard because I am not one to “want” many things and when I want something I forget that it doesn’t mean that I am going to get it. My prayer tonight was for God to teach me to be a gown up and to realize that maybe right now isn’t the time for me to enjoy the things that those around me are enjoying. It’s time for me to enjoy my marriage, and my family and the little things in life. I keep thinking of a saying that Summer Lashly, (previous blogger) had shared with a group of women—“Where I’m at, is where it’s at” how can I apply this to this situation? My mom called today, she is still really sick. She is going to the hospital in the morning. Say a prayer! saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=131#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=131 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:31:14 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=130 Evening! it's been a pretty good day. Not much to talk about other than Justin's work has been a little crazy he's still working on Day in the City and people aren't returning phone calls. It's silly when we call people and anxiously await their call and than when people call us and anxiously await our phone call and sometimes people just don't call people back. That happens a lot in my line of work.. but again, that's just part of our society I reckon. Justin and I along with Mike and Tanya, our friends went to Red Robin, a local hamburger joint for supper tonight, I received a Free meal since I am a member of their birthday club. Woo-Hoo. It was pretty yummy. I have escaped the “Happy Birthday” song in any restaurant for 20 years now. After that, Justin thought that it would be fun to go to the dollar movies and see a movie. Our choices were narrowed down to: "Iron man" or "Narnia 2". Last week was the first time that we had gone to the movies in seriously 6 months. We all headed over to the theatres and realized that they don’t take debit /credit card or checks, only cash. Together, between four young adults we scrounged up $3.85, not enough for all of us to see the movie. I don’t really know what to think about that. Since we couldn’t see the movie, we went to blockbuster. Justin and Mike chose the movie “College Road Trip” with Martin Laurance and Raven. We all went back to our apartment and curled up on the couches and ate some of the remaining ice cream cake. The movie was pretty good. I always cry when movies involve father/daughters because I miss mine so much (my dad died when I was 15). Tanya and Mike left and the rain was coming down again. Lesson for the day, have some form of cash on you. Be thankful for what you have and who you have in your life. Patience…. When will I learn? saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=130#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=130 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:14:41 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=129 Good Morning!! Good Morning!! What a great day! Today is Thursday. I don¡¦t have a BIG agenda today. I left the house as usual and have about 5 visits for the day. I get to pick up one of my clients from an outpatient facility in Norman and have an all day visit with her and her children. One of these children had a doctors appointment at OU medical Center and when we finally figured out where that was ¡V OU is a HUGE hospital- we were told that unfortunately there had been a glitch in the scheduling area and that his appointment was not in the system. Arg!! O well. I have major battles with patience, and organization. I hate it when something is planned and than has to be canceled or when you think everything is together and it¡¦s not. This is something that I definitely faced today. Work went pretty well today, I got into a little trouble because I ¡§listened to the voice of the child¡¨ as we are told to do and didn¡¦t ask the foster parent. I forget that I can¡¦t just trust but that I have the verify and document EVERYTHING. This task of verifying and documenting everything over and over gets tedious. However, it¡¦s important! After taking my client back to Norman I headed home. One of our elders and his wife at MRCC had invited Justin and I as well as Josh and Aubrie Kinkade ( Josh is our new education minister, and Aubrie, his wife is now working at our SonShine School at MRCC), and their son and his wife, Phil and Mary Brookman who happen to also work at MRCC. Phil and Mary are both Youth staff. We ate yummy pizza and salad. We also played this fantastic game ( I don¡¦t remember it¡¦s name-sorry) where one person had the card where they asked the question and all the other players had to write down their guess to the answer. For example the question was what the acronym is for N.N.F. each person would have to make a guess and than at the end when all answers had been turned in the one who read the question would read all the replies and the other players would have to guess which one of the answers was the real answer. For the N.N.F, I loved the answer: National Nun Federation, or the National Nerd Foundation. ƒº It was great playing and getting to know some of the other staff members at MRCC and being around people other than my clients. We had wonderful conversations about the Education plans for MRCC within the next semester and how the lessons were going and about the good times of finding teachers to teach classes. I never understood why it¡¦s always so hard to get teachers¡K but it is. Phil and Mary talked about the youth back to school bash planning that they were doing for the bash that is this Sunday and Justin talked a little about Day in the City and about the projects that he was working on. Justin¡¦s job has been pretty busy this week. He has had to meet with Micah (Community Outreach minister) and figure out what projects to do and get in contact with those people and plan the event. Justin also received his Greek textbooks today. Aww Geeze. I am not ready for Greek. Part of Justin working at MRCC means that he is required to work on obtaining his masters degree at OC with the Bible Department. Part of his general ministry degree is taking Greek. Greek is HARD! *Say a prayer!* When we left the Brookmans, we walked out side to a beautiful lighting show! I love storms and I enjoy nothing more than watching lightning and listening to the rain and thunder as God ¡§walked on the clouds¡¨ that¡¦s what my grandma used to tell me. I think that thunderstorms are amazing and one of the most relaxing parts of life that I have experienced thus far. Justin and I went home and talked some more about getting a puppy and how we can¡¦t because we live in an apartment and there is a $500 non refundable fee. Arg!! I keep having selfish moments I hate that we don¡¦t know where we will be in another year (since Justin¡¦s internship only lasts until next August) and we can¡¦t look at getting a house or having a puppy or starting a family until we have a place to start these things and Justin knows where he will have a ¡§permanent¡¨ job at. This is something that I struggle with on a daily basis. I know that it¡¦s part of life but I don¡¦t like not knowing and having those around me getting to experience these things and knowing that we can¡¦t simply because we don¡¦t know the future and can¡¦t plan for the future. My mom called today, She called to tell me happy birthday. Most of my family typically doesn¡¦t call or calls after my birthday. She also called to tell me that she was really sick. That the doctors think that she has shingles or a blood clot. She¡¦s been sick since Monday and is not feeling any better. She said that she would think about going to the emergency room tomorrow if she wasn¡¦t any better, her doctor said that she couldn¡¦t see her. Grandma said to tell everyone hello! And to stay positive and think of heavenly things. Night! saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=129#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=129 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:38:26 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=128 What a special day!! Today is my 22nd birthday. Birthdays are never really fun for me. I have never had a birthday party or experienced that “happy Birthday” party/event that most people my age have experienced. My family did the best that they could do and “happy birthday sara” was usually it and my favorite homemade meal was made by my Dad. This birthday it was just Justin and I. I woke up late and had court today, not a good combination. I rushed out of our apartment and drove my daily 25 minute drive to work to find out that two of my client’s court dates had been changed. Court was pretty exciting. A few of my clients had good days and some of them received bad news from the judge in regards to their children. I don’t enjoy when the judge decides that the parents have had enough time and unfortunately, parental rights get terminated. After court was over I had a few visits scheduled. In our visits with children who are in DHS foster care. We are required to by law, to visit these foster care homes once a month. While we are there we ask questions about education, values, adjustments and behaviors, permanency and other important things that we (DHS) want to keep up on. We always listen to the voice of the child. I really enjoy visits and playing with the children. We have so much fun! It stinks though when they ask when they are going to get to go home. Or why their parents don’t love them enough to change. Those are tough conversations. After coming home from work I took a nap! I love naps, they are wonderful. Justin came home at 5:15 as usual and snuck in a birthday cake from Baskin Robbins. He also gave me a beautiful necklace that he had gotten me for my birthday. It was similar to the one that he had given me on our wedding day that I had lost when the chain broke. I was some what disappointed though because I really want a puppy. (I know I sound like a little kid—but I want a puppy.) Justin and I went to church, he went to the youth group and I started heading to my class when my work phone went off and surprise, surprise drama was occurring at work. One of my kidos was having a rough time, and needed some one to talk to. That’s my job. I finally got him calmed down and than I went into “Big Church” and listened to half a sermon on Genesis. I have this really bad habit—I can’t pay attention unless I am doing two things at once. I always feel bad because I have to doodle or play with something while I am listening. After church Justin and I met up with another couple that we have been friends with for a long time. We matched them together and within a year were married. They were both roommates of our at one time and we both met them at OC. They play a big part in our lives because they are truly some of my only friends. Anyway, we went to The Olive Garden and had a wonderful meal and than went back to our apartment where Justin had the ice cream cake out (my very first!) and Wall-E party favors. We had seen the movie Wall-E that weekend and Justin and I really enjoyed it. We had face masks, blowers, and bouncing balls. Justin thought that this could be my first “birthday party”. He is so thoughtful. We watched t.v. for awhile and than Mike and Tanya (our friends) left. Justin and I cleaned up the kitchen and went to bed. What a day! God has blessed me with another year of life and with a family who loves me. What a blessing. saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=128#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=128 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:17:36 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=126 Hi! My name is Sara Taylor, and I am married to the two year ministry intern, Justin Taylor. Justin works at Memorial Road Church of Christ, and is approaching his 1 year mark (August 22). Justin and I have been married for a little over one year (August 4, 2007), and seem to be flying as fast as Santa on Christmas Eve. Justin and I have attended Memorial Road Church of Christ for about 5 years now. We started a ministry in 2005 called the D.O.W.N. Ministry (Down Town Where Jesus is Needed). Basically there was a need and God put it on Justin¡¦s heart to feed the homeless of Downtown OKC and to get others involved and that¡¦s what happened! This is a big part of our lives, helping others and getting involved in others lives.. Some people say that this is medaling, but when God tells you to do something, you do it! With that little intro. Being said, I guess I should start by telling you a little about me and who God has created me to be, here we go! I am from the Tulsa area, and graduated from H.S. at Skiatook High school in 2004. I than went to Oklahoma Baptist Univ. where I realized that my grades and my financial situation as well as where my heart was, was not at O.B.U. I transferred to Oklahoma Christian Univ. in 2005, thanks in big part to a wonderful man that I met online. I know, I know.. Sara meeting people online¡Xwhat are you thinking!? Well, it was a God thing, that¡¦s all I can say. God and Justin (the guy I was talking to online) led me to the wonderful, Oklahoma Christian Univ. When I transferred to OC I was so scared and nervous. This was ¡§a big person decision¡¨ I couldn¡¦t believe that I was ¡§becoming an¡K Adult¡¨. That¡¦s such a scary word for me sometimes. To grasp what all becoming and being an adult really is, I wished that I could be a kid for a while longer. Fast forwarding to December 2006, Justin proposed to me at the Botanical Gardens here in OKC, (lovely, freezing weather oh! and not to mention, the night before one of my biggest finals.) I said yes. Justin graduated from OC with his bachelor¡¦s degree in Communication/Theatre that December. The next step in our lives¡K We were so confused!! Where would Justin work, what would he do? Justin had a friend, Mike, who worked at Abercrombie and Fitch at a mall here in the City. Yes, my husband worked for the half naked store as I call it, Abercrombie and Fitch. At this time Justin started talking with Jeff McMillon (He¡¦s our campus minister at MRCC) about a two year internship that would be available in August. Justin and I prayed and prayed and prayed some more about it and well, he said that he was interested and that began round 1 of 5,999999999 intervews. Okay, so maybe not that many but it sure felt that way. Justin, the staff, and the elders of the church all agreed that this was the job for Justin and that God was going to bless him, the church and our future. But before he started¡K we got married!! Yes ¡¥um! Justin and I were married at MRCC on August 4, 2007, and Justin started year 1 or 2 on August 22,07 at MRCC. We are a fast paced family!! Up next in our lives besides living in an apartment on the 3rd floor (40 stairs if you wanted to know), I graduated from Oklahoma Christian Univ. in April 07', with a bachelor¡¦s degree in Communication and a minor in Family Studies. My grandpa, who has also been my dad since my dad died when I was 15, died the same week as my graduation. He was 96, and God needed that Amazing man in Heaven. This was super hard, but as always God provided me with strength and a shoulder to lean on. My next adventure began on May 1, 2008 with Canadian Counties Department of Human Services (DHS). I am a permanency worker. This means that once the children are taken out of their home it's my responsibility to get the home and family back together by providing services to correct the situations that made the children unsafe. Sometimes this does not always work out and parental rights have to be terminated. However sometimes it does work out and the children get to return to their parents who have made the environment for their children and themselves safe. I have court in the morning for some of my families, don¡¦t worry this blog is almost over!! ƒº On another note, a plug for the Married to Ministry team (awesome!), I am the youngest ¡§member¡¨ of the team (I am 21.. but in 2 hours and 1 minute I will be 22!!) and I do not have children. There is one other ¡§member¡¨ who does not have children yet, but they have just become FOSTER PARENTS! (SUPER Awesome!!) so I struggle with some of our topics because I haven¡¦t had the opportunity to experience a lot of what they have¡Xbut I am learning from them, that¡¦s for sure. These women on the ¡§team¡¨ meet and pray about all sorts of topics and people and most of all that God¡¦s will would be done. My prayer is that as you are reading about my life that you will pray for each person that I come in contact with and that God would use me. It¡¦s hard for me to be ¡§real¡¨ a lot of times because I get shy. I isolate myself so much to work and being a wife and a granddaughter that I don¡¦t make time for relationships and that¡¦s something that God is working on in me. Our lives are crazy as I said before, as are most people¡¦s lives; with Justin¡¦s new adventures each week and as he continues to work on Community Outreach (His ¡§key focus point¡¨ during his 2nd year) and with my job and all of the people who are hurting that I work with. Our business aids in helping us get easily side tracked when it comes to diving into God¡¦s word but my weekly Wednesday night Bible class helps me with keeping my priorities in order. With all this being said, Welcome to my life! Welcome to my family! Welcome to my adventure. Until tomorrow, ¡VSara Taylor . saraj.taylor@yahoo.com (Sara Taylor ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=126#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=126 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:12:54 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=124 Here is my other blog. And if you are interested, there are links to many of our own members that you can check out. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=124#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=124 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 10:07:40 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=123 I have had many people ask me about being home sick. I have not really gotten home sick yet. We are blessed to be able to keep in touch pretty well. We have a Vonage phone so we can talk to people in OKC free of charge for them to call us. We talk to the Mellors and my mom this way the most. I was super excited last Sunday when Lesley Proctor called on that phone and Izabela and I talked to Christi and Cole Adkins that way too. We have Goggle Talk, Skype and Facebook. I use all of them weekly to talk to friends and we talk to my parents on skype about every other day (mostly my dad). It is really nice because we can see one another. We also have what is called Slingbox. We can watch Cox cable through the internet. We can control one of the TV sets in my parents house. We record our favorite shows and play them back later. All in all we still feel pretty connected. If you are on Skype, Facebook, or GoogleTalk add us as friends and keep in touch! I have really enjoyed blogging this month. I hope you feel like you were able to get to know me better. I hope you have enjoyed reading. If you would like to keep up with us please send an email to this address and you will receive access to our family blog. I keep the blog updated pretty well, and I post a ton of pictures. Email: tygrysicialilia@gmail.com. Send your name and ask for access to the Rybinski Family Blog and you should receive an invitation within the next few days. If you would like to call us, the church has our 405 number. Remember we are 7 hours ahead, so lunch for you is after dinner for us! All God's Best to you all! In Him! Tamika tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=123#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=123 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:57:37 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=122 One of my favorite passages in the Bible is when Paul goes to Athens and he tells them that he is there to tell them about the Unknown God they made a monument to. We were able to go to Mars Hill and the Acropolis on Sunday morning before Church. It was awesome. They have that passage, a copy of the original Greek transcript engraved in the side of the hill. We read the passage, sang a song and discussed the impact it had before we toured the Acropolis. It was awesome. I really loved this entire experience. A real dream come true to see the place of worship still standing in the market place. It was great to see the ruins in Greece, and especially to experience them along with the scriptures that made it really unforgetable. This was a dream come true for me and I feel so blessed. I loved sharing it with my family and with workers for the Kingdom from so many different nations. In Athens we were with Greeks, Germans, Romanians, Russians and also believers from the Ukraine. Izabela and I were the only ones born in America. It is really interesting to me how little I really knew about Missionaries before this year. We have met more missionaries from other countries.... and I really always thought most missionaries were from the States. It has been neat. Each time we worshipped in one of these spots we had prayers in multiple languages and everything just really hit home for me. It was life impacting to be a part of! Here is a picture of our group in front of Pauls speech. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=122#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=122 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:43:54 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=121 We were blessed to go to Ancient Corinth. Here is a picture of us at the spot where Jews gathered. This is where he likely met Priscilla and Aquilla, as well as the spot they know he would have been taken by the Jews to court before Gallio in Acts 18:12-17 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court. "This man," they charged, "is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law." Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, "If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things." So he had them ejected from the court. Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever. It was really neat. We read this talked about it, sang and took a picture on that spot. They know this was where it happened in front of the judgment seat. It was really a neat experience. We also saw the sign from the church at that time, and the place where the church met which was next to the house of the Synagogue tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=121#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=121 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:40:36 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=120 With Bart's new job we spend time developing relationships with Missionaries. We want to have good relationships to better know what the needs are in different areas. It has been neat to meet so many great people, translators, Missionaries, Teachers etc... Bart was invited to a Family Seminar by the Church in Athens. They have 4 services in different languages each week. They have Romanian, Ukrainian/Russian, Greek and English. They have pretty large groups of Eastern Europeans. They use many of EEM's materials. I was also invited to teach a class for one of the Children's groups. The conference was in Corinth. It was great. Here is a group shot at the end of the retreat tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=120#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=120 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:40:26 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=118 We have successfully packed all of our family in one backpack, for one week in Greece. I have prepared my lessons for my class, and as of now Izabela is still planning never to leave Vienna again. So we will see how that works out. We will be gone until the first of July. It should be great. I am most looking forward to being in a place where one of my favorite passages in scripture occurred, and just to be in a place full of history! I will keep you posted! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=118#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=118 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:37:49 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=117 Today Izabela had a follow up appointment from having Tonsilitus. She had an EKG and kidney tests. All a preventative measure, because of the type of virus that caused her Tosilitus in the first place. While we were there, the Dr said I noticed she hasn't had her 5 year evaluation can we do that now while you are here, and we did. All is well. I received my Mutter Kind Pass last Friday when I took her in for her leg. This is a little booklet where I keep all of her medical records. I take it every time we go to the Doctor and when we give that we also give the ECard (for social medicine) and they keep record of everything that happens at the appointment etc... Yesterday I also went to the Doctor. When I go they always give me a print out with the details of the appointment. I appreciate the great detail they go to. I also like having all of my medical information. I have been very impressed that all of the Doctors take the tests they need and process the results on their own on the spot. Every Doctor we have been to uses a microscope and modern technology to test. it is pretty neat and we feel very well cared for. The medical care here is one change I am enjoying. I do feel silly each time, because I always have to be told to leave because I am waiting for a bill each time! Here is a picture of Izabela's Mutter Kind Pass tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=117#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=117 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:22:58 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=114 Izabela discovered a new tooth coming in earlier this week. We started to make plans to go to a dentist. Tonight before bed, she said (as she has since last June) Mom, my tooth is moving so it can fall out. This time it really was, the one in front of the new one! She rejoiced when I confirmed it! Yes I am so BIG! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=114#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=114 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:02:23 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=113 This afternoon we went to Izabela's end of the year school party. It was really neat. They have been talking about trees since that is the theme for the year. They have been visiting the same tree every month to see how it changed. We met there. The kids preformed several songs, and it was so sweet. We were so thrilled to see Izabela sing, and often loudly in German. There was even a special presentation to send of the Vorschule Kinder, the ones starting 1st class next year. There were gifts for all of the teachers, and then everyone hiked up to the play area and restaurant. It was great. We were able to visit as a family with Ulli, and her husband Herbert. Ulli was the one who had us over on Tuesday. It was nice for our husbands to meet, and even better that they hit it off. This is the 2nd family at school we have clicked with. We had a great time. Here is a picture of Izabela with the class tree! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=113#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=113 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:18:21 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=111 Izabela and I have been going to the park this week. We went yesterday and walked a great deal. Izabela hopped and skipped with joy all the way home. Shortly after we were home she started to complain of pain in her foot. This morning was more of the same. We had a big day planned. We were looking forward to a party with her class tonight. If she was in real pain she would have to miss the evening and school. Well this brought about not only and amazing improvement in pain but also in mobility. Well I still took her to the Dr and he replied after telling her to do many things and asking me if it hurt always or just at the times she wasn't playing. He announced we would do nothing about this. We went to school, and all was good. We spent hours in the woods and playing, running etc... What a great turn around! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=111#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=111 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:53:13 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=110 Tonight just before falling asleep Izabela said we are bestest girlfriends Mommy and then she went to sleep. These are the things I treasure in my heart. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=110#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=110 Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:48:14 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=109 One thing I love to see each day os all of the beautiful window boxes everywhere you go. I love them so much I took a picture of this one on the way to the bus stop near in our neighborhood yesterday! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=109#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=109 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:29:11 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=108 We have been going to Oberlaa Park, a park near to our house on Sunday afternoons. We were there this past Sunday and it was great fun. Izabela asked Tuesday morning to go again. I told her we could, but then we were invited to one of her friends houses and went there instead. Yesterday we spent about 3 hours there. We had ice cream walked and talked (mostly about trees she is learning about them at school) We watched the ducks, rested in lawn chairs, visited the petting zoo, helped build a sand Fort, and of course swinging on the big swing and playing on the different playgrounds. We even bumped into one of her teacher there. It was great fun. So much fun in fact that we took the bus an hour today to go again. We were more prepared we had bread for the ducks, books to read on the lawn chairs and another huge bottle to keep us hydrated. We had a blast. A great deal of walking. Now Izabela is limping around. I am really hoping it improves by morning. Here she is feeding the ducks today! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=108#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=108 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:22:11 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=107 Tuesday we were invited over to play after school by one of the moms. It was great, we had so much fun. We had tea, coffee, cookies, and watermelon. The kids jumped on the trampoline and played in the sprinklers. It was so nice to visit with Anna's mom Ulli. We had talked several times before and even once on the phone. I will start to tutor her mom in English after summer. Ulli and her husband Herbert are both Physical Therapists and they are in private practice together. Their clinic is in the same building where they live. We were in the garden the whole time and it was very relaxing. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=107#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=107 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:14:57 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=106 I get up no later than 7. We all eat, generally together which never happened before this move. Then depending on the night before I help Izabela get cleaned up and ready for school. I also make sure her backpack has the following, swimsuit, towel, hat, jacket, sunscreen and Jausend (2nd breakfast). On Fridays I add in our part of the class Jausend buffet. I usually send fruit or musli for everyone. Bart goes down to work at 8. Izabela and I leave around 8:35 to drive to Liesing where she goes to Kindergarten. We get to her school about 5 til 9. I put my 10 min parkscheine (ticket) on the dash. I cheat, and have yet to be caught so will continue to do so...you are supposed to use one per 10 min, but I am a creature of habit so I use the same one each day. I filled it out for the time I usually need it and I use it daily. We go to he door, buzz ourselves in greet every one we pass. When we get into the school, I help her get out of her street shoes and into her school house shoes. Then we take out any special items and her Jausend. She runs off to sit at the tables with the other kids and eat. As I leave I check the bulletin boards for any information I need, I try to translate all I can on my own and then I take notes. I leave from her school to get food for lunch and dinner. Depending on what I need I walk to the bakery near her school and get our daily bread. There are no preservatives in food here so it is necessary to go daily. I get back in the car and got to 1 or 2 more stores depending on what I need, and where I need to go to get it I take 1 of 2 routes back home. For example here are the storesi have been to so far this week. Monday: Der Mann Brot (bread store), Hofer (fruit, meat and cheese), then on to Pennymarkt (for drinks, lunchmeat and frozen foods). Tuesday: DM for (toiletries and fabric softener) then to Zielpunkt (for taco seasoning, tortillas, and drinks). This morning, I went to Hofer (for meat, lunch fixings and sandwich bread) I had to then go to Merkur to get juice and Pepsi. If I am back at home by 10 I feel so far ahead of things on my day that it is exciting. I have either 1 hour 45 min. or 2 1/2 hours depending on how I plan to pick up Izabela. I also prepare lunch for Bart and I at this time. During this time I clean floors, do dishes, clean fish tank, and change sheets if it is on Mondays. I used to do laundry during this time and iron, but since I left Bart alone fo ra week he has realized just how much I do each day and now has taken over the laundry and is generally helping out more with everything. It has been great. This has freed me up to actually sit on some days before 9. I also use this time to run errands. A general rule is that if you get 1 thing accomplished a day it has been a success. It usually takea an hour each way to run any real errands. If I am going by bus to get Izabela I start to walk to the bus stop at 11:45. I get there at 12 and ride the next bus into Liesing. I usually arrive with about 5 minutes to spare at 12:35-12:40. Then I walk to her school and get there by 12:45. If I take the car, I eat with Bart and leave no later than 12:30 and get to the school at 12:45. If we ride the bus, we often get any missing grocery items, and/or go to the library. Then we get on the bus and go 3 stops and get off to play at a park. We usually stay 30-45 min. We then get back on and go home to play games and watch tv. If we go by car we might go to a bigger park that has free parking, or the zoo. We do the same at home, play games, color and watch tv usually German kids shows so we can both learn or a video from the library. I try to avoid cleaning during this time. When Bart comes up at 5 I like to have dinner on its way to the table. If Izabela has big plans or desires for the evening, I have her take a shower while I cook so we can play later. We eat, and start the process of bed. I clean up the kitchen while she organizes for bedtime activities. We usually read some German books, English books, Sing and have a Bible Study so bedtime takes a long time, it is a general winding down process, but also on of my most cherished times of day. By 9 I am usually picking up the last few items and then I get in bed to sit and work on my computer, write draw watch tv whatever. And that is a day in general for me tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=106#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=106 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:35:41 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=105 It never ceases to amaze me how little things that required little to no brain activity from me in the past now require serious thought. I realize because now I am thinking all of the time about every little thing, I think myself into awkward attention drawing situations... Yesterday morning I decided to go to the new mini shopping area they opened up by Izabela's school. I thought I could get what I needed quickly and it would be great because they have a parking garage. Well I take the parking ticket and start to drive up the steep hill, I decide to switch gears for more power...WRONG! I start to roll back down the hill so I just put the car in reverse and then go again and this time fast with no thinking. It takes me about 5 minutes to figure out how to get from the parking area to the store because I have to walk all around the building from behind. I make it, I shop in the first store and even successfully get my parking ticket validated and a registration form for the Store Customer Card. I am so proud because this was all in German. Then I go to the next store, still cant find all I need, but get what I can and leave. So a little bumpy, but I did it. Next I go to the car wash this was my first time, you know for the most part everything looks the same.I get gas, go in to pay for it and ask for a car wash too. There were 2 men there and in unified voice they ask me if I know what I am doing. (Bart had already explained to me that I would have to get out of the car, push in the code they supply and wait outside the car.) So I confidently answered YES, I need to get out. Well I pull around, I organize my receipts look for an activity foe my wait and then call Bart to just be certain. As I get out of the car, the younger man comes over to me. He announces in English (a disappointing sound, because it makes me feel like I failed) I have come to help you. I feel stupid and reply I think I can do it I am just slow. So he walks with me to the box, says out loud each number and mirrors my finger with his to be certain tha tI understand how to do it. Again I feel stupid but I say thanks.. I sit outside and think how weird that I am here with bugs crawling on me. I remember sitting inside the car with the exact machine in OKC. Getting the car washed was a little thing requiring thought. Here are other once mindless things that I think about daily: Bread: where to get it, what kind and how to ask for the exact one I hope to take home. Groceries: How to get all I need for the day at the least amount of stores. Which direction to go in to achieve that goal. Parking: where can I park, do I have a parkschiene (permit)? Will I have to pay? Should I take the bus since I am not sure? Making a phone call: This is still ver stressful to me...do I use a 0? Do I have to dial 43? If I am calling a cell phone I need to dial 43, and the carrier code, finally it ends in frustration with me using my cell phone to call a cell phone, and saying a prayer before trying every possible combination again on a land phone prior to deciding I will try to contact them another way later. Here are some things I don't have to think about each time now because I have finally figured it out: Milk...there are 2 kinds shelf milk and refrigerated why, and is that safe? Now I just ignore the shelf milk though I have been told it is perfectly fine. The shelf milk here is extended in time like the milk we would buy anywhere in the states. Why aren't the eggs in the refrigerated area? I have just decided to buy my eggs in places where they are. I have to many other things to think about than to wonder if the eggs are ok. Meat: what kind of meat is the ground meat? I just buy it and don't tell Bart. All of the ground meat I use is a mix of pork and beef. It is hard to find just ground beef alone. Bart is not a huge fan of pork, but so far what he doesn't know is having no effect at all on him. Problem solved, I just grab the ground meat and go now. So there is a little bit of my thought life for you. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=105#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=105 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:01:44 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=104 Bart and Izabela have been talking about Sensei and Senpei. I am not exactly sure why, but on Sunday night Izabela and I were laying in my bed watching Disney on Slingbox. She suddenly said "Mommy you are my Bible Sensei" I thought it was so cute and I just said I think I must be. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=104#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=104 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:06:24 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=103 We spent yesterday with a family from church. Marlen their little girl spent the night and then we all met up the next day to go to Laxenburg Park. We found out recently from two sets of parents that we lived really near to a castle. It turns out that about 10 minutes away from us is Laxenburg Palace. When the Emporer and his family needed to get away from their summer home in Vienna City Center, they would come to this palace. Now it is a lovely park, with a great Children's play area, the old training grounds for the Knights and many other fascinating things. We had lunch, picked and ate cherries and walked around to see all of the beautiful structures and ate ice cream. It was so much fun to get to know this family better. We spent to entire day together and from their went to Perchtoldsdorf. This is where there is an old fortress near to Izabela's school. There are many beautiful vineyards and Heurigans where you can eat, and try out many homemade things from the families that run them. It was neat to see so many historical things in one day. We really had a great time. Here is a picture of Marlen and Izabela eating Ice cream. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=103#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=103 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:21:24 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=102 Today is Bart's second Fathers Day. Last week was Austrian Fathers Day so Izabela made gifts and cards at Kindergarten to give to Him. Which was a good thing since I had been out of the country and was certainly unaware of what day it was. Mothers Day here and in the States was the Same, but on the 26th every year in Poland is Mothers Day so I also had 2 days to celebrate. Today we went for Sushi and to play at the park. We gave Bart EUROcup themed gifts. So all is well. Holidays are almost every other week here it seems. They are always celebrating something and taking days off. It is interesting. I would never know if not for her school, I have finally figured out to shop extra before a Holiday, because if it is a Thursday some things are closed until Monday. I have to admit there have been a few times when we were without food, and I had to be creative. Thankfully the last time was around Izabela's birthday. We were returning from Croatia and Bart's parents were coming here to celebrate with us. I missed the last store closing by 15 min. If you don't do all of your wekend/Holiday shopping by 6pm you are out of luck unless you can find it at a gas station which is where I had to go for butter milk and cheese (for twice as much). Had it not been for Bart's mom, who always brings us food.... We would have been hungry for the next 4 days. These are some of the things I am getting used to and learning to prepare for. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=102#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=102 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:25:55 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=101 Izabela has started writing songs to God. She likes to sing something new to Him in the mornings. She started about a week ago with one totally unique song with words and a tune she made up. Here it is.... Do you wanna go up up up Yes we do do do do Do you wanna go down down down No we do not not not Really simple and He hears it first thing in the morning each day. She said it is so He knows we love Him and we want to live with Him not the Devil and bad people. Really simple message. The new one today is just like Meine God is so GroB (combination of German and English words in the song)I think this is her favorite because she knows all of it in German and English. My Gott is so big I don't know all that He is about to do. He chose to make everything first. She changes between English and German at any given time. Honestly we are all doing it now. That is why in the Title it is God from English, and in the song it is with Gott in German. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=101#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=101 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 10:15:10 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=100 It is on days like these that I am so thankful for the changes we have made in our life over the last year. I think about it nearly every Sunday. For a long time Sundays were never relaxing, mostly stressful and never what I would call family friendly. We were rarely together on Sundays. Bart and I attended different Bible classes, so we had different friends and studied different things. Towards the end we were even going to different services at times. Now we go to Worship together and though neither one of us understand, we are there together. We always eat together, there are no meetings, Izabela stays with us all day and infact...we usually go to the park or spend time with the Haskews as a family. Today we went out to lunch for Father's Day and then to Oberlaa Park. Sundays here are for family and relaxation. There are no stores open, so you can't even run errands. There are a few places open to eat, and you can always find entire families at the parks. The parks here are designed for parent interaction so all of the play equipment usually encourages adult assistance and/or participation. Today all three of us took turns on the large bungee swings. I thought in that moment. I can not believe this is a Sunday and we are all here taking turns playing in the rain on the playground. What a blessing. Then I looked around and saw so many people in their church clothes like we were playing laughing and having family time. I thought again this is Sunday and it is a god day just like last Sunday when we were all here climbing on the rock wall. There have been some real blessings in the move and more family time is number 1 on my list. We have grown closer to one another and we certainly spend more quality time as a family. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=100#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=100 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:57:23 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=99 Tonight Izabela had Abby and Marlen stay over. It was so cute to see them all ineract together. Marlen and Izabela are 5. Abby is 4. Marlen speaks German, Abby and Izabela speak English and are learning German. The fact that Marlen a friend of the girls from Bible Class speaks only German never occurred to me when I invited her over. We had plans with her family, and Jake had a birthday yesterday so Abby was going to sleepover. Izabela asked if they could both spend the night i said sure. Shortly after Marlen and her family arrived I mean not even 5 minutes into it, I remembered she doesn't speak English. She was talking 90 miles a minute and I picked up 1/3 maybe of all she said. I thought whoa this will be a challenging night. What a blessing to see Izabela and Abby playing, laughing and speaking in German all afternoon and evening. It was great for me to see how much they have learned being here. I was proud of them and I know Amanda, Jake and Bart are too. So we baked cookies, ate pizza, watched 1/2 of the Dsungel Buch (Jungle Book) in German, played games, pulled one another on blankets and built one huge bed on Izabela's bed for everyone to sleep on. It was a success. God is good and our kids are getting adjusted to a new culture. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=99#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=99 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:03:54 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=98 Today in the mail I received my Austrian drivers license. I spent all day Monday and prayer and activity trying to get my application accepted. This was the second day I worked on this task. I went about 2 weeks ago. I had all of the needed t's and i's dotted and crossed...but I was asked to give proof of driving for longer than one year. We had new licenses made in November so our "permanent US address" would match that on our driver license. It appeared to them that I had only been driving since November. They wanted to give me a restricted license. I was asked to bring in a picture or copy of my very fist drivers license. We had to have my dad get my 3 year history from the DMV. Well after traveling the hour on the UBahn, walking for 15 minutes and waiting in line and then praying for 15 minutes as I waited for them to make a decision God came through and they accepted my application. I was thrilled, I am still surprised that 2 days later it is already in my hands. To get this I had to have my birth certificate, a Doctors examine and report signed and notorized that I was healthy enough to drive, my papers stating I am registered with the government to be her, my Austrian ID, my passport, a registered translation of my drivers license and a few other papers. It is a big deal, but even bigger if you wait past the legal time allowed to drive with the AAA International Drivers Permit. I am just so thankful that God has granted us success in all of this. We have been able to accomplish things in a pretty easy, non-complicated way. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=98#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=98 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:25:08 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=97 What and amazing week I had last week. The Come Before Winter Renewal was one of the most amazing experiences I have had in my life. I was deeply touched by all of the people there. I feel so blessed to be in Vienna. After driving for hours through countryside full of bombed out buildings and homes and then being told to avoid wandering in the woods because of live land mines....you get a greater perspective for life as a missionary there. I really enjoyed talking to and bonding with Women serving the Lord all over and in many conditions foreign to me. I loved the personal Spiritual growth I experienced that they paved the way for, they called it a Honeymoon with God. They wanted each of us to have time alone with Him. The point of the retreat was that they facilitate opportunities for us to meet, fellowship with, and fall in love with God/Jesus all over again. It was great. They also select one woman at each event to represent the entire group and the country it was held in at the next Come Before Winter. I was selected and will be traveling with them in May of next year to Australia. It was a great honor to be chosen and I can't wait to go and give to other women what they gave to me this past week. I am a better Woman, Wife, Mother and Christian for it. Please see the link if you are interested in hearing more about this ministry. It is a Ministry of Churches of Christ and they raise all of the funds to be able to pamper and provide for women on the mission field for one full week. It is life changing. I am so full of joy and thanksgiving that I was able to go this year. Here is a picture of me holding the cloak, that now resides with me in Vienna. I am holding it up with 3 former Cloakbearers. They have all added to the cloak and now it is my turn. I purchased a patch in Sarajevo to add to it and I will also add something from Vienna before I travel to Australia. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=97#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=97 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:15:09 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=96 If you want to know what is happening with out me in Vienna. Go to the attached link! tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=96#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=96 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:50:16 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=95 This week Amanda Haskew and I are on adventure in pursuit of a deeper relationship with the Father and renewed spirits. We left Vienna Sunday morning at 5:57 am by train. We arrived in Zagreb Croatia after 12:30 pm. We were blessed to spend Sunday in Croatia with Tom and Sandra Sibley. Bart and I met them in Croatia at a retreat in March. Tom is the Director of the Bible Institute in Zagreb. They live in a village near Zagreb and have a wonderful house. They were very hospitable and we picked cherries and strawberries form their yard and had several popular Croatian foods. My favorite was dinner. We slept at their house and headed out this morning with Sandra and 5 other women for Bosnia. We arrived safely and the 3 of us had an impromptu Bible Study. The retreat started and we are thrilled. I will write about it daily but I may not post from here everyday due to the schedule. Monday Morning We start our day in worship at 7:30. Sandra, Amanda and I were all awake by 6:30. Sandra was ready first and as she headed at the door I asked how she was and she replied not good. I need to go look into flights my daughter is having emergency surgery today. I need to go. She made her plans, we all met to discuss them and then we headed into worship without Sandra. When we enter everyone is to be in silent reflection until the last person arrives. Worship begins and it is powerful. I Amanda and I had plans to eat breakfast with Susan Griffith, one of the Team leaders and a former member on MRCC. In the morning session I sat next to a lady who had approached me the night before. She said “Sister, please can I have a moment to speak with you?” I said sure, she embraced me and said “Everytime I come to one of these I feel like God has a specific person for me to meet and know. When I got her I saw you I looked in your eyes and I saw Jesus. My heart was fast and my spirit jumped inside of me when I look to you and see your eyes and you smiled at me. Would it be alright for you to pray with me sometime this week?” I said” I would love to” So in the morning session she came to sit next to me. I decided after the session would be an appropriate time to ask her to pray. Susan and Amanda went up to Breakfast and I stayed with this sweet lady. She said “I want you to know that I will pray for you until my spirit leaves me because I am meant to know you. Thank you for praying for me and my family.” I said ofcourse, thank you, and Where are you from? What is your name? She started to tell me her story and my inside welled up my heart went out to her and I couldn’t help but feel 2 things very strongly. This was Gods doing, and I wanted to reach out to this woman. I also felt an overwhelming sense of His greatness and my smallness. I was deeply lost in all she said and I was falling in love with a Jesus I had known and loved for years but never seen in this way. I have lived a safe, fairly uncomlicated life. I have survived many things but they seemed like ant hills to the things she was describing. The providence of God in my life has been evident and powerful. I was encountering it again as she poured out her troubles her tears, her joy in His presence her unwavering trust in Him and the confidence she has in who He is. It is amazing He is the same but meeting us and loving us the same was also so completely different. I know you are wondering about her life so here is a little of what she told me. When the war started and her family was being persecuted and had no food, God sent her an opportunity to save her son so she did. She gave him the gift of life I was born into. She found some international aid workers and asked them to save him and raise him. They agreed, she signed the papers and he lived and continues until today to live in America, the Land of the free. He is in contact with them, but he doesn’t know them. He is happy with his family, and sees them as people he knows. That is only one thing, Her husband was a Serb and was taken one night from their house. She was already a Christian and was a 4th generation Christian. Her Grandmother was German. Her husband was a Communist Leader and a famous personality in their country. He was taken away to be killed, she waited at home and prayed. Many days later in the middle of the night, someone helped him escape and brought him back to her. He was broken and bruised, but he was alive and renewed on the inside. He told her this was your God. God has saved me. Tell me what I need to do. He was a changed man. They survived the war. They went for 15 weeks unable to buy food, but God provided. They lost everything they had their home, clothes all earthly possessions. But they grew in faith and though persecuted repeatedly continued to share it. They minister to the church they started even today. Her husband is dying and she is really sad that their son cares about him just as a man dying and not as a father. She has not seen him and says this is one of her husband’s greatest sorrows as he is suffering. I could not help but to be moved and feel love for her and an extreme feeling of thanksgiving for my blessings and providence as well as what God has done in her life. We have agreed to spend more time together this week. Please pray for her. Her name is Vesna. She lives in Bosnia. Breakfast was great. We had a great visit with Susan all of us remembering with fondness our times in Edmond at Memorial Road. We went from Breakfast to the first session and then on to what they call equipping blocks. We are studying the Psalter with emphasis on Psalm 103. I went to the Reading Prayerfully session with my group. All of us are divided into evening prayer groups and our prayer groups combine with others to make up study groups. Over the course of the week we will be studying and praying with these groups in various ways to help us to meet God in many ways as we study this scripture. It was amazing. I had never studied this way and I loved it. After our times of equipping we go into reflection. My group happened to be the first one to be able to reflect on the passage artistically. So I loved making a pastel about what I was feeling as my reflection. The morning could not have been more perfect. I am having a great time and it is just after lunch. I will write more later. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=95#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=95 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:40:30 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=94 I am in Bosnia now at Come Before Winter a refreshment and renewal retreat for Women in Ministry, Missions and Church Leadership. I am here with Amanda Haskew and we are feeling so blessed already. It took us 2 days to get here. I will blog in detail when I return. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=94#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=94 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:38:24 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=93 This is Izabela, or sweet precious as I call her. She is a perfect blend of Bart and I. She is one of the most tender and caring people I know. She seeks to help everyone, is often caught giving her belongings away to others just to see them smile. She has a wild and adventurous spirit like I do, and pays very close attention to details and seeks perfection in all she does like Bart. She is creative and diligent. On any given afternoon you can find her in her room painting her own face to become some exotic character to take her into the evening hours. Other that the 20 minutes the transformation takes, if she is home she is generally with me and always talking often very loudly. These are the moments when there is no doubt she is a smaller younger version of me. (Feel free to ask my parents for greater perspective of what a day around our house is like. Izabela gets to see them on Skype most days so they keep on top of what she is into.) One of my absolute favorite things about Iza is her desire to know God. She asks questions daily about God and the Bible and we regularly read the Bible together. She is very interested in the book of Daniel and her prayers I treasure in my spirit each day. She is a great kid. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=93#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=93 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 05:02:48 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=92 Bart and I have been married almost 7 years now. We celebrate our Anniversary this August. Bart and I are very different personality wise. Actually we are almost exact opposites. We are passionate about the same things and share the same values making us the perfect partnership. We balance one another out, and are one another's greatest support. What I like about Bart is his sincerity, honesty and determination. He is now the Director of European Operations for Eastern European Missions. He has the best of both worlds now. He is a natural Introvert and will always prefer behind the scenes organization to public speaking. He has already traveled this year to 5 countries on business. Many of you have had an opportunity to get to know him so I will stop there. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=92#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=92 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:52:01 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=91 I am 32, I love to read doodle, paint, draw, write my name and change my signature and if you have ever had an opportunity to sit close to me in church you probably wondered about this. Bart did the first time we sat together at church, he thought what is she doing, is she even listening to the sermon. I used to wonder why he asked me a million questions after church every time. He always seemed so shocked that I knew everything that was going on in service. When we got married he confessed that he thought I only came to church to socialize and that I would just draw because I was bored. One thing you need to know about me is that I am Bart’s exact opposite. I think better when I am doodling, and creating in my mind. This is why I never have less than 3 things that I am doing at any given moment. If I sit still for too long without a project I fall asleep. I am eclectic, adventurous and spontaneous. I like to try new things go new places and learn. I can’t leave anything alone. I will paint on it, draw on it, glue something to it take something out of it or add a secret ingredient to it. I have a strange desire to have one of every possible Bible ever made, which has been a topic of discussion in our house many times. I say at least I am collecting something that enriches my soul. I also collect pictures, I don’t do anything with them apparently, but you can ask the movers we had 9 boxes of picture related items. Praise God for blogs and digital cameras because now my pictures are finding a home. Things I am sure you don’t know about me… I can’t ride a bike because I was not determined enough to learn anything non-princess related when I was younger…so now I am enrolled in the Bart and Izabela class for future Bike riders preparedness course. Seeing as how 32 year olds can’t use training wheels (because they don’t make them for big people as Izabela would say) I am currently learning balance by riding around our block at night on Izabela’s scooter while Bart and Iza ride their bikes. I actually enjoy it even though I have been informed that I don’t look cool or like a dork just somewhere in between. So far I haven’t fallen and it is less embarrassing than all of Bart’s family trying to coach me the first lesson which was just straight onto Bart’s bike at his parents house in the confines of the enclosed drive way. This is the thing that makes my learning a bike so complicated. My 2 teachers just can’t accept the ridiculous reality that I DO NOT know how to ride a bike. So the little one says this…it isn’t even hard you just have to get on there and move your legs, your not gonna fall I don’t fall. This is the point in the conversation where I say you have training wheels..she replies well I am sorry you are too big they aren’t for big people so you shouldn’t have given up then you would know like all the other people. Then my big teacher..the male one says ok, hop on and just start peddling. What?!? If I could do that I could ride a bike!! Then my father in chimes in and it is all in Polish non-food related terms and I am thinking I have no idea what you are saying. Then my mother in law just says also in Polish this is too hard, we don’t have time for this it is time to eat. This is what got me off the hook. I have not attempted to even sit on a bike since then. But Bart has done the research and riding a scooter is the first step to successful bike riding. Here’s hoping I can complete the course in June so you can all celebrate with me. This past Thursday we attempted a lesson on Bart’s huge man bike, I can’t even touch the ground with my feet I am a little OCD about food things and certain cleanliness things. This is the reason I eat M&M’s by color and would be totally thrilled if they made china divider plates. Ha! I love to find a new insight in the Bible I mean it gets me excited. I love discovering the meaning behind words and I just eat up any kind of background information. For a hobby I like to write devotionals. I love to travel and learn new things. I enjoy learning languages as well. tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=91#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=91 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:19:48 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=90 I am looking forward to sharing about our life the transition from Ministry wife in the states to Ministry/Missionary wife in multiple countries. I am thrilled for the chance for those of you who know me as Bart’s wife and Tamika at church to get to know me as just Tamika a little better. I am also excited about the 2 opportunities I have this month that you will get to go along with me on. I am leaving June 1 for Zagreb, Croatia to meet up with a new friend of mine who is the wife of the Director of the Bible Theological Institute in Zagreb. We met over email in March and then face to face when we taught a class at a retreat in Cirkevnica Croatia. She invited me to go with her to Bosnia for a Renewal Retreat for women like us, Minister’s wives, Missionary Women etc… I was overjoyed. This is the kind of thing I could have used for several years. It will be my first time away from Izabela aside from a night here or there and I am curious to see how we both cope with that. I am also curious to see how Bart does. His mind has been churning since mid-May. I thought they would end up spending the week with his Mom and Dad. Izabela voiced that she would like to stay at home in Vienna. I think she wants to stay as close as she can to her routine when something is out of the ordinary. It will be a learning and growing experience for us all. At this moment Bart is reading the 4-5 page survival manual I made for him. We will start Kitchen and Laundry Orientation when he is done. I haven’t done anything like this trip since becoming a mom. It should be a fun. I am really looking forward to ENGLISH worship, singing, lessons and fellowship. If not for Beth Moore, man the weeks would get so long and weary, and I would feel discouraged. I listen to her online and am currently in my second lesson series from her since I moved her. I am thankful her sessions are on DVD now. Anyways…I am thrilled to be with other women who can relate to all of the challenges and blessings that this lifestyle has to offer. Oh one last thing at the end of the month we are going to Greece, because God loves me and I prayed years ago to walk where Paul walked and to see with my own eyes some of the places he had been. In particular I have always wanted to see things he describes in Acts 18 as he walks through Athens. Really if you know me, you know I go crazy for this kind of stuff to walk in the shadow of Biblical figures. That is why I enjoyed Rome so much. It has been a dream of mine. It is Bart’s job to be in touch with Missionaries and church leaders in Europe, and on occasion they ask if his wife can come and teach a class. That is what happened this time too! A business trip to Greece are you kidding!?! Wow, I like to think of it as another funny way that God likes to say I hear ya and I can do even better than that….Why don’t you step aside and let me take care of planning ok you just follow my lead it will be better than your dreams. So there it is a little something to wet your appetite, and I haven’t even mentioned the little ray of Sonshine that lives in my house, but I hope you will get to know all of us better this month and that I can give you a window into the realities glamorous and grimey as they are of what life has been like for us this past year as we have traveled the rollercoaster with God. At this time last year I was in hiding, wanting to get away and disappear, crying out to God and soaking my pillow with tears every night. I didn’t understand how I could have misinterpreted what God was doing in my life, this was the plan for 5 years. We had prayed about it for 7 we were going to move to Warsaw and server the Lord there. I had already transferred many of my things to blogs and internet notebooks, (because I needed a little more insurance than a sinkable boat could give for my hearts treasures), I learned the language I learned to make Polish food from scratch and I survived cancer for this person (well that is what got me through 2006 emotionally at least). What was God saying, how did I miss the plan. Now I am getting the answers to those questions, he had more in store for us and he had plans that were beyond my understanding and knowledge at the time. I hope you enjoy this month as I am the guest blogger, and I hope you don’t get to tired we have a great deal to do and cover and you probably already need a nap after reading the longest entry ever, so go take a nap and check back with me soon, I hope to share with you greetings and insight from the mountains of Bosnia! Tamika tamika.rybinski@gmail.com (Tamika Rybinski) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=90#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=90 Sat, 31 May 2008 04:18:07 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=89 Not us. Our favorite Daddy/Husband, back from Africa less than a week, is now in New York City. Apparently it is all work and no play – poor thing. Tomorrow is our first Married to Ministry luncheon. I am so excited about this I could just squeal and dance around the room like a school girl, wait, I’m already doing that. God has blessed this ministry and has blessed my life through it. I may be up all night cooking, decorating, cleaning, and planning but I don’t even care. I spent the better part of last year asking God to lead me to a new ministry, and He did just that. Here’s to new opportunities! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=89#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=89 Thu, 29 May 2008 09:49:42 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=88 every Sunday morning. 6 - alarm goes off, Andy hits snooze 6:10 – see above 6:20 – see above 6:30 – see above. Summer jumps up and starts the morning 6:40 – Andy gets up and starts the morning 6:45 – baby starts screaming, parents ignore 7:00 – Summer can’t stand anymore screaming, runs in baby’s room half naked with toothbrush in mouth and gets kid, dashes past front windows fairly confident that peeping Toms are still asleep at this hour, fix bottle, finish brushing teeth at kitchen sink, feed baby, change diaper, plop baby down with 1500 cheerios, glance around room to see if there is anything he could choke on or kill himself with, see a few things but decide to take my chances, dash back to room still scantily clad, continue getting ready. 7:05 – oblivious husband leaves for church 7:10 – big kid wakes up whining for candy, decide it isn’t worth the fight, dash back to kitchen praying baby doesn’t see me and start up with the screaming again, give big kid candy, run back to room and continue getting ready. 7:15 – hear huge crash, baby starts screaming, kid starts yelling, decide to try and get mascara on because if I stop now I know I will forget, accidentally jab mascara wand into eye, want to scream and curse but think better of it, try and wipe smeared mascara off face, baby and kid both scream louder, run to assess situation, pick baby up, hug, tell kid to be simmer down, give her more candy because at this point I no longer care about her health, decide to take baby back to bedroom. 7:30 – go to closet, put on dress, get to mirror and see vomit stain from baby, go back to closet to change, repeat, go back to closet to change, repeat, go back to closet to change, settle on outfit from 1995 because I didn’t have kids then and think it is probably clean, baby following me whining, kid starts yelling for me to come quick, dash out of room to find kid, kid tells me she is Mary Poppins and she wants to do a show for me, try and explain that it is crunch time and we must get ready for church, Mary Poppins start bawling, accidentally call Mary Poppins Mia, Mary Poppins screams that her name is not Mia and runs to room and slams door, take the opportunity to finish getting ready and decide to try and make up for being a terrible parent later. 7:50 – get baby dressed, try and bribe baby with more cheerios so I can dress Mary Poppins, baby isn’t impressed, whining immediately ensues, deicide to put baby in crib with 45 different toys in hopes he will entertain himself so I can dress Mary Poppins, baby is furious and starts screaming the kind of scream where no noise is coming out, decide that is better than scream with noise, leave him in room, say super-quick three word prayer before entering Mary Poppins room to start getting her dressed (“God, help me”), put on happiest possible face 7:55 - enter room, ask Mary Poppins if her and Burt, Jane, and Michael are ready for church, kid informs me she isn’t Mary Poppins anymore she is Mia, apologize profusely for being so stupid, tell kid it is time to get ready, kid goes boneless and falls to floor, baby’s screams change to the blood curdling kind, decide to continue ignoring baby, put kids dress on while kid is wallowing all over floor, pick kid up and drag to bathroom, force kids mouth open and brush teeth, run comb through kids hair, try and make kid look halfway presentable, decide to settle for ¼ presentable 8:05 – get baby out of crib, wipe snot and tears off baby’s face, make-up with baby, baby smiles toothy smile again 8:10 – drag both kids to car, buckle both up, run back inside to pack diaper bag, throw everything in sight into bag just in case 8:12 – get in car, back out of driveway, remember that I haven’t fed kid breakfast, pull back in driveway, run inside, grab pre-packaged, overly processed, sugar coated thing and some carrots to balance it out, run back to car. 8:13 – we are finally on our way! 8:14 – pull into parking lot, look for close space, see husbands pulling up to nice covered drive to drop off wife and kids, get a little jealous, settle for semi-far space, park car. 8:15 – drag kids out of car, get 30 pound diaper bag, start walking up to building, nice person points out baby is missing one shoe, trek all the way back to car to look for shoe dragging kid and carrying baby and bag, find shoe in floorboard, head back towards building 8:16 – another nice person points out that baby is missing shoe, show them shoe in my hand and give half-smile, continue dragging kids into church 8:17 – enter building, put on happy face, feel pretty good when I realize we’re only two minutes late, hear husband talking on lobby speakers, see kids faces light up when they hear Daddy’s voice, immediately forgive him for not dropping us off at nice covered drive like all the other husbands, go into auditorium, find seat. 8:18 – plop down and breathe huge sigh of relief summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=88#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=88 Wed, 28 May 2008 07:24:27 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=87 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=87#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=87 Mon, 26 May 2008 14:06:44 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=86 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=86#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=86 Sun, 25 May 2008 16:23:48 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=85 Ministry families are not perfect. We all have our struggles. I sometimes wonder what would happen if we decided we needed help. Would the church question our position? Would our husbands lose their jobs? I honestly don’t know what would happen and it kinda scares me. I hope no one expects perfection from me or my family because I promise you, you will be disappointed. I struggle with my faith and find myself dwelling on the temporary instead of the eternal. I struggle to just stay sane most days. I struggle to not turn into the Starbucks every time I pass it, and Andy struggles to understand this uncontrollable urge. Poor guy, he still has a lot to learn about women. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=85#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=85 Sat, 24 May 2008 14:33:37 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=84 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=84#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=84 Fri, 23 May 2008 07:25:35 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=83 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=83#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=83 Thu, 22 May 2008 13:38:04 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=82 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=82#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=82 Wed, 21 May 2008 20:13:39 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=78 Being a single mother for the past couple of weeks has taught me a lot. One of the most important things it has taught me is that sometimes 10 minutes of silence in the middle of the day is worth some sacrifice. However, I didn’t realize that I was sacrificing all of my sister’s wedding pictures. Yesterday while Bode was napping I realized with sheer elation that Mia was actually in her room playing quietly. So, like any normal mother, I didn’t dare check in on her for fear I would disturb the peace. So, I ran to the kitchen, got a diet coke and a brownie and went to my computer for a few minutes of blog stalking. So when I realized that Mia had just cut up all of my sister’s wedding pictures that I had just ordered I wasn’t even mad. For one, I was pretty impressed with her cutting skills, for another I really needed that brownie. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=78#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=78 Wed, 21 May 2008 07:42:56 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=77 Well, while Andy is ministering to the masses in Africa his son has committed his first federal offense. Our adorable eight month old pulled the fire alarm at an elementary school on Friday sending hundreds of children and teachers running for safety. I am more than a little concerned about what his teenage years have in store for us. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=77#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=77 Tue, 20 May 2008 13:02:47 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=76 I was trying to explain to Mia why I am blogging on MTM this month. I asked her if she wanted to give it a try and she said, “Sure.” These are her thoughts on ministry at the moment: When Jesus takes me up to heaven will he take me real slow? I wouldn’t want him to take me too fast and drop me. Are Jesus’ hands green? I’m just being silly! Do you know what color the devil is? Red and black. I bet his face looks mean. Is his skin plain? I’m so excited that Jesus rose from the dead. I’m excited that God brings me up to heaven really slowly. I am glad I go to Sonshine school. I am glad that I can eat carrots with the grass on top. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=76#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=76 Mon, 19 May 2008 14:41:41 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=75 I had the most productive weekend of my life. It was wonderful. I loved Every. Second. Of. It. But, all good things must come to an end, and so it did. Bode has learned how to pull himself up in his crib. So he spent the entire night pulling himself up and screaming at the top of his lungs because he can’t get down. How fun. Mia had a complete meltdown upon her return because I had moved her princess dolls. I actually put them up where they go for the first time in a month. She doesn’t take to change very well. I officially miss my husband. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=75#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=75 Mon, 19 May 2008 07:28:55 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=74 I got this e-mail from Andy today. Those hot African nights are starting to really have an effect on him. Part of the African culture that I'm becoming more comfortable with is the thought of having multiple wives. Another part of the African culture that you could say is rubbing off on me is the fact that about 95% of the people here walk around completely nude. I've already started work on a mud hut for us to live in - I hope I get the roof on before the next big rain. Start packing two bags - I've already bought you a ticket to come over here and in one bag I want you to pack Mia and in the other, Bode. Don't worry, our house is in a great school district. The rains are coming and starting to leak through the roof - I must shed my clothes and go dance with the natives. Andy summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=74#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=74 Sat, 17 May 2008 12:40:04 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=73 My wonderful parents took both of my children for the weekend and Andy is still in Ghana, so that leaves me all alone for the first time in 4 years. What ever will I do with myself? Well, I will work on Married to Ministry stuff, I will catch up on my bible study, I will shave both legs, I will browse Target, and I will sleep. Then I will make a batch of brownies with chocolate icing. I will eat the entire bowl of icing while the brownies are baking and will have to make more for the brownies. Do you hate me yet, because you should? summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=73#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=73 Fri, 16 May 2008 21:24:29 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=72 I'm crawling....kind of! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=72#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=72 Fri, 16 May 2008 09:19:20 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=71 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=71#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=71 Thu, 15 May 2008 08:47:45 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=70 This is the e-mail my husband sent today: I hope things are going well and that you're not pulling your hair out. Are both of the kids still living? I hope you would let me know if I needed to come home to attend one of their funerals and bail you out of prison. I miss you guys a lot but things are going well here! I'll be in here for a little while longer so if you get this right away, shoot me something back. Love ya! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=70#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=70 Tue, 13 May 2008 23:16:13 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=69 Mia's fabulous uncle, Lucas Ross, is a producer. He actually brought a news camera to her Sonshine School program. He occasionally uses her for promo spots. She loves it, mainly because she gets to spend time with the best uncle on the planet. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=69#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=69 Tue, 13 May 2008 09:45:57 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=68 Playing ‘Church’ is one of Mia’s favorite things to do. It mainly consists of her singing a few songs and then taking her baby out for being too loud. It is humbling to realize that she is learning church from me. Andy doesn’t always get to sit with us and isn’t always around so she watches me, and to be honest, that is what church service usually consists of right now. That is why it is so important that she sees me living out my faith on a daily basis. What a sobering task… I love this picture. Mia can have fun with anything; post-it notes can make the best church pews! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=68#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=68 Mon, 12 May 2008 09:32:50 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=67 Or highlight their Barbie’s hair with paint to be exact. I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother’s Day. Bode hurled on me at church and my Mom said she could smell it all over me. That is all I needed to hear. We packed up the kids and left early. The best part about him puking on my “Dry Clean Only” linen dress (which is what I get for wearing a non-kid-friendly outfit – I mean really, what was I thinking, that my children would act better than usual just because it is supposed to be my special day?): We beat the rush to the restaurants! Thanks, Dad for taking care of two mothers today. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=67#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=67 Sun, 11 May 2008 17:28:09 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=66 Bode's favorite hobby is destroying anything that his sister has just spent hours making/fixing/doing. I swear Andy can hear her screaming all the way from Africa. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=66#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=66 Sat, 10 May 2008 19:22:42 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=65 Andy is off. He left a land of three-year-old tantrums to help bring hope to a land of poverty and despair. I think his efforts are best spent there. I don’t think hope is going to cut the mustard around this place. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=65#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=65 Fri, 09 May 2008 07:19:08 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=64 “When you get dishwashing detergent in your mouth, just stick your tongue out until someone wipes it off.” I was trying to come up with a catchy little Proverb for the above pictures. I obviously don’t have divine inspiration. I did find Bode in the dishwasher eating the detergent this afternoon, and somehow he is still alive and seemingly happy about it. On a completely unrelated note: I occasionally find myself worrying about my husband. Sundays and Wednesdays are work for him. He rarely makes it to bible class, as he is usually stopped on his way about something or he is frantically trying to get something ready for the next service. When does he get to really worship? When is he spiritually fed? I think that is why God gives him opportunities like Ghana. These next couple of weeks will do more for him than 100 church services, and I can’t help but praise God for that. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=64#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=64 Thu, 08 May 2008 08:24:58 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=63 summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=63#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=63 Wed, 07 May 2008 10:34:13 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=59 Andy is off to Ghana in two days so I will be single-momming it for quite a while (I don’t think ‘momming’ is a word, but that is all I could come up with). This is the longest he has ever been away from us. This normally would be no big deal because I would have my mother-in-law around to help out, but to add insult to injury he is taking her with him. So, if you see two children out by the curb with a ‘For Free’ sign next to them, you’ll know whose they are. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=59#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=59 Tue, 06 May 2008 10:31:40 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=57 Last night was Senior Night at church. I kept imagining Mia and all her friends being up there on that stage. My heart jumped into my throat at the thought of how soon her childhood will be over, and these precious times will be remembered on a 10 minute slideshow at a senior dinner. It dawned on me tonight that our days together truly are numbered. I pray that I never take advantage of these simple times. Today I will say yes when I feel like saying no. We will stay in our pajamas just a little bit longer. I will hug her just a little bit tighter. I will pray for her just a little bit harder. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=57#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=57 Mon, 05 May 2008 09:57:43 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=56 Sitting quiet and still in a bouncer while Mommy blogs – “fugetaboutit” summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=56#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=56 Sun, 04 May 2008 15:38:46 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=55 If it weren’t for these people, I may not still be a Christian. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, maybe it’s not. These are the people that are brave enough to sit with me during church. They play with my children, change their diapers, help me brush the Cheerio crumbs off of the pew, and help me carry the 30 pound diaper bag. Yes, they are my family so it would look kind of bad if they didn’t sit with us, but I know that at times it is a sacrifice for them. They save my sanity on Sundays. They also save my seat as we are usually 5 minutes late. There is nothing I can do to repay them – except maybe not have any more children for them to have to wrestle…Consider it done! summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=55#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=55 Sat, 03 May 2008 17:02:56 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=53 This is Andy. He is the best dad EVER. He seriously makes me look like a terrible parent in comparison. He loves us and takes good care of us. Apparently, he also loves third world countries because he is headed to yet another one next week. Now that I think about it, he wasn’t nearly as interested in them until we had two crazy kids in the house… Sundays are the busiest day of his week. He leaves the house before 8:00 AM and sometimes doesn’t get home again until 10:00 PM. I used to envision him and all the other ministers hiding in his office watching the game all afternoon. When I told him about this he didn’t find it nearly as amusing as I did. I still don’t really know what he does, but I do know that he usually looks like he has been hit by a Mack truck by the time he gets home, so I am assuming he is pretty busy. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=53#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=53 Fri, 02 May 2008 01:52:14 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=52 This is Bode. His favorite things at the moment are destroying everything in his path and sucking his bottom lip. Laid back he is not; my mother-in-law likes to describe him as “quietly determined.” That is a nice way of putting it. He is the reason we no longer go out to eat, or go much of anywhere for that matter. He has just started crawling after me saying, “Mamamama” – be still my heart. I am now officially in love. He is in that awkward stage where every church service and bible class falls during a crucial naptime. Every Sunday I come up with a new game plan for how to get him through morning service, bible class, lunch with the fam, 25 showers, evening service, and dinner with friends afterwards. For some reason he thinks Sundays really should be a day of rest and he refuses to cooperate. Who can blame him? summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=52#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=52 Thu, 01 May 2008 09:49:12 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=51 This is Mia. She makes my heart sing with joy. She makes me want to be a better person. She tells me I am pretty and I immediately give her candy – every time. She sings at least 98% of the day. She NEVER takes a nap. She can turn a 24 hour layover in an airport into a party. I’m tellin’ ya this kid is a keeper. She used to only go to church for the donuts. Now that we don’t have the donut stand anymore (please come back, I beg you) it takes a little more convincing. However, she did tell me the other day as we were walking into the auditorium that “there sure are a lot of people here to see me this morning, like 100 or something.” I’ll admit we have a ways to go on the whole purpose behind worship. And just so you know, that hair justifies the $110 CHI flat iron. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=51#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=51 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:14:56 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=50 Here it is, the moment no one has really been waiting for….my first guest blogging experience. If you know me at all you know to have low expectations. I am not a writer, a teacher, or a scholar. I pretty much don’t have a clue about anything. But, I love to blog and I love to blog stalk all of you (in a good and healthy way, of course) so here goes: I am a minister’s wife. I didn’t plan it that way, it just happened. I have a mostly love/and a tiny little bit hate relationship with the role. This month I will tell you more than you ever cared to know about it. I have kids, a dog, a cool sister, a sister-in-law that puts my parenting skills to shame, oh and the hubby who works at MRCC. We will get to all that later. Check back often, I don’t really have a life and this is what I do for fun. summer.lashley@oc.edu (Summer Lashley) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=50#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=50 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:00:51 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=49 So, what does a stay-at-home wife of a minister and mom of 2 do? This is for my dad! 1. I co-own a small publishing company specializing in women's bible study material: Light My Path Ministries. As well as managing this company, I also co-write a study guide per year. I spent the first two hours of today working on my company. I have about another hour + of work to go for today. 2. Together with the other minister's wives, we are hosting our first Married to Ministry event...a luncheon during Quest. Every day until May 30th requires some thought on that. 3. I am spearheading a total revamping of the 4th and 5th grade curriculum for VBS. It involves about 100 kids. I still have a long way to go on that project. 4. I am getting ready to spend a week at camp in June. I will be teaching a bible class there, plus loving on lots of kids. 5. I try each week at least once to encourage someone specific at my home congregation...most likely I will take them to lunch. Just recently I spent lunch with our ladies who reside at Tealridge, a retirement community. 6. I work very hard at making my home a loving and nurturing place for my family. I try to cook supper almost every night. Homemade bread appears regularly at our table. I love having people into our home. Well, there you go...that's part of what I do every day. No chocolate eating or TV watching or snoozing. I love being at home and thank God every day for the blessings of being involved in His Kingdom. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=49#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=49 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:03:23 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=48 Everytime my dad comes to visit me he asks me what I do all day. He can't seem to wrap his mind around the idea that I am a stay-at-home wife and mom. He thinks I am sitting around eating chocolate!! So tonight when he came by for supper, he asked his usual question..."So, Karla, what do you do all day?" So this picture represents what my Dad thinks that I do. Check back tomorrow to see what I really do! mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=48#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=48 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:02:59 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=47 I found a great bargin at Target Thursday night and officially began my Christmas shopping for 2008. Every year Mark and I begin Christmas shopping in August. Each Thursday (see the earlier post about our Thursdays) we buy one or two Christmas gifts. When I was at Target (that is a whole other topic that I will have to talk about soon) on Thursday evening they had their Nick and Nora house slippers on sale for $2.50!! $2.50!! My youngest daughter is always begging for house slippers but because she only wears them for about 10 minutes I refuse to pay $15-20 for them. So...when I saw these I snatched up two pairs and wish I would have gotten three or four more they are so cute. Well, there you have it...Christmas has officially begun at the Taylor house. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=47#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=47 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:54:05 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=46 As I was thinking about my last post about Karissa I had all these thoughts about raising kids in ministry so here goes. Mark and I have always tried really hard not to put any pressure on our girls to behave a certain way because they are the preacher's kids. We have let them be normal kids - warts and all. When we are encouraging them to do something we never say, "Do this because you are the preacher's daughter", but rather, we say, "Do this because it is the right thing to do". I really think that has made a difference in how our girls veiw life in ministry. They both have a great love for God and His church and truly, there is nothing more special than that to a parent. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=46#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=46 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:49:15 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=45 Karissa turned 19 last week. 19!! She is a great daughter. 19 is a great age. She drives, she cooks, she cleans (sometimes), she earns her own money (every once in a while)...we have real conversations. She is responsible for dressing herself and doing her own laundry - Yea! She spends time with her grandparents without prompting. She loves God and for that we are very thankful. Since I don't take pictures as soon as Karissa sends me pictures from her fabulous party that her Dad and I threw for her I will add them to this post. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=45#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=45 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:38:09 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=44 We have two girls that are completely different. They respond to life in ministry completely differently and that's OK. Our oldest has never met a stranger and loves to visit with everyone. Our youngest prefers to be left alone. This difference was really brought out a few Sundays ago after Sunday morning services. Karissa, our college student, usually doesn't sit with us but this Sunday she did. As we were walking out after the invitation song this conversation took place. Youngest: Come with me to Dad's office, Sissy. Oldest: No, I'm going to stay out with Mom and Dad and talk to people. Youngest: Why?! They couldn't be more different but they both have blessed our family in amazing ways. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=44#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=44 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:34:55 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=43 Has this ever happened to your family? Our youngest daughter went to an all girl birthday party. When we went to pick her up at the end of the party all the girls were in the living room just dancing away...having a great 10 year old time. When one of the girls saw us she yelled to all the others..."you have to stop dancing the preacher is here!!" The preacher and his wife do have a moral compass but 10 year old girls dancing together at a birthday party does not offend us!! mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=43#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=43 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:11:21 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=40 I like to be involved...in just about everything. Apart from the ministry activities I do with my husband, I have several ministries that suit my talents. I particularly like LTC (Leadership Training for Christ). Both of our girls have been involved in LTC for about a decade now. The last 6-7 years I have helped with the elementary chorus. LTC has played a great role in both of my girls faith development. There is just something about being together with that many other kids seeking to serve God...Wow!! mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=40#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=40 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:11:14 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=39 I really do love Thursdays. It's Mark's day off. Both of the girls are in school (of course, the oldest is in college...so she is always in school now) and we spend the day doing whatever we want. We eat what we want, we have adult conversation, we go to a movie, we sleep in, we eat at Pops (oops...don't tell the girls that!). In short we do as little or as much as we want. I think Thursdays are one of the reasons we are so happy in ministry. We both work really hard at protecting our time together. So many ministers struggle with carving out personal time. This has worked nicely for us over the last decade or so. I would recommend a Thursday for everyone! mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=39#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=39 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:49:18 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=37 Mark and I have been in full-time ministry for 25 years. We have learned a few things about Sundays…which for ministers and their families are a full work day. Here is a list of important Sunday activities. 1. Never discuss your job (how much you like it, how much you dislike it, office politics, elder relationships, the other staff, etc.) on Sunday. 2. Always make time for an afternoon nap. Train your children, your dogs, your cats, your parents to leave you alone. Take your phone off the hook. Do whatever it takes to get in your naptime. 3. Carry hand sanitizer in your purse. Use it frequently. 4. Talk to as many people as possible. Each Sunday work on speaking to someone you haven’t yet spoken too. Corollary to #4: Don’t hang out the same people all the time. 5. Be happy. God has put you in this place to make a difference in the Kingdom. There is nothing worse than a cranky minister’s wife. mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=37#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=37 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:16:04 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=36 I've been waiting for my turn to share some things about our life in ministry so this is just a little dated but still worth smiling about. The other night Mark had his laptop at home and was doing some work on his power point slides for the lesson that Sunday. This very rarely happens because he has some great...fabulous...extremely creative women at the office who help him, but this particular week he had to do some stuff himself. Karenna, our youngest daughter, was walking thru the kitchen and saw him working on his computer. Karenna: What are you doing Dad? Mark: Working on some stuff for Sunday. Karenna: Oh…is there a writer’s strike at your office too? mtaylor@minister.com (Karla Taylor) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=36#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=36 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 22:08:40 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=33 Well, we had quite an eventful week last week. Last Monday we headed down to Houston to visit my mom and sister for Spring Break. My dad was visiting my brother in Alaska, but we did get to see him some toward the end of the week. Our inital plan was to drive down on Monday, pick them up, and head down to the beach for a day or two. We also had plans to join my grandpa out at the lake to go fishing. As we left Oklahoma, we were so excited to be going on vacation. My mom and sister love to take over with the kids and Micah and I were going to get to do some relaxing on the beach. Well, mom called a couple hours into our trip and informed us that her good friend from work had passed away from her battle with cancer. She was a wonderful woman and always had a great outlook despite her circumstances. That seemed to really slow our trip down. We never made it to the beach and we never made it to the lake. However, our trip was filled with sharing lots of fond memories about a friend, LOTS and LOTS of shopping, eating good food, and relaxing around the house. And we even managed to go to the park. It really was a good time despite all our plans getting canceled!! And Micah secretly enjoyed 5 days of March Madness without having to go to work. :-) Easter was fun. Kadence LOVED hunting easter eggs. I was a good mother and did not succumb to the temptation of buying your kids all that candy to put inside the eggs. She had some filled with left over fruit snacks and maybe even a few with money (thanks to Papa, not me). The kids looked adorable in their outfits, but I don't think I managed to get a picture of them together. We are glad to be home and back to our routine!! Vacations are fun, but can really throw sleeping routines out of the water. You can check out more pictures from our trip at www.hobbshappenings.blogspot.com (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=33#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=33 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:18:43 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=28 Wow - two posts in one day. I had a little time on my hands this morning. So you guys are lucky today. Tuesday night was our quarterly Women's RefresHER. I absolutely love going to these events. One, because I get to leave the kids at home and have a really nice meal with with other women and friends. Two, I love these because a women boldly shares what God has done in their life. It is so inspiring to hear their transformation stories and see what God has brought them out of. This last Tuesday, Pam Richards shared with us how God transformed her life. She used an example that I just loved. She had a package of flower seeds on every table to each of us to have. She talked about how we are just like those seeds. If we just poured them out on the table they are not going to do much. They may even eventually rot away. However, if you invest a little time in the seed, plant it, and even water it you will see amazing results. Each seed is covered in an outer shell that only disengrates after being planted and watered. Under the shell is a tiny germ of life. After you break through that shell you will be able to see this beautiful flower that is hiding inside. Seeds cannot reproduce and make more seeds, but flowers grow and make more seeds and possibly even more flowers. We are like that seed. We only grow into a beautiful flower if we plant ourselves in God's word and allow him to break through our shell. Then we can be effective for Him in producing more flowers and spreading His Kingdom. (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=28#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=28 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:01:28 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=27 Kadence will be 3 in June and the closer she gets the better she gets with carrying on a conversation with me. We are not quite to complete sentences, but this is a conversation we had in the car yesterday. I had just picked her up from SonShine School and was anxious to hear how her Easter Party was. Mom: Kadence, did you have fun today at school? Kadence: Yeah (we are working on just saying Yes) Mom: What did you do? Kadence: Easter party (holding up her Easter basket proudly) Mom: Cool, Did you get to see the Easter Bunny? (At this point her proud face turned to a very sad face) Kadence: Yeah, it scared me. Mom: Did he make you cry? Kadence: Yeah, I cried. Mom: Why did you cry? The Easter Bunny is nice? Kadence: I cried, I hit. Mom: What? You hit the Easter Bunny? Kadence: No, I hit people. (At this point I am laughing, but concerned that she is going around hitting her friends). It was funny how the converstation progressed from being excited about the Easter Bunny to being scared, to hitting her friends. I just love having conversations with her!! She is much smarter than I think we give her credit for. (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=27#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=27 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:51:57 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=26 Finding good recipes that are husband and kid friendly is sometimes hard to do. I have a daughter who only likes "chicken." If I call it anything else she will not eat it. I have learned that even if we are having pork or fish that if I call it chicken she will eat it just fine. I tried this "Crunchy Baked Fish" recipe the other day and it was a huge hit!! Thanks Mrs. Dash!! Ingredients 1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend 4 (4 Oz.) fish fillets, like tilapia 1/2 cup corn flake crumbs (I actually used Shake N Bake because I did not have corn flakes) vegetable Oil Spray 1 Tbsp. Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend Directions Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x9 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place fish in dish. Mix corn flake crumbs with Mrs. Dash Chicken Grilling Blend and Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper. Sprinkle over fish. Spray fish lightly with vegetable oil spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with vegetables and a salad. You can view more of my recipes at "Meals to Make in Minutes." (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=26#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=26 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:03:54 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=24 These are 7 words you hate to hear come out of your pediatricians mouth. All day Sunday and Monday morning Kaison was running a fever. At its highest it was 103.7. Luckily it did not stay there for long because I really did not want to go to the emergency room. Monday morning I finally called and got him in to the doctor. He had been throwing up, really congested, and had a nasty cough. It didn't take Dr. Stephens long to figure out that he definitely had bronchitis and two ear infections. Without doing an x-ray he couldn't tell if he really had pneumonia or not, but he was going to treat him as if he did. The poor guy had to get a steroid shot and start breathing treatments every night. Since Kaison seems to be prone to getting bronchitis, Dr. Stephens is afraid that he might have asthma. Please pray that Kaison starts to improve soon so that we don't have to go in for a chest x-ray!! Thanks!! (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=24#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=24 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 15:29:57 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=22 I would like to introduce you to my family. This picture was taken this past Christmas, but the kids have changed so much already. Micah, my husband, is the Community Outreach Minister at Memorial Road church of Christ. We have been working with this church for 5 1/2 years. Kadence, 2 1/2 years, really keeps our family on our toes. She is always full of energy and a smile that will brighten your day. Kaison, 7 months, is one of the happiest babies you will ever meet. He loves for anyone to talk to him. He always has a grin on his face. And then there's me. I am Tara and I am a stay at home mom. I work part time from home doing medical transcription. Right now my kids are my hobbies. I also enjoy baking, playdates, and blogging. I keep another blog about my family to help family and friends keep in touch with our day to day activities. Please feel free to visit that page and read more about our family. (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=22#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=22 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:15:38 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=21 Let me be the first to welcome you to the Married to Ministry website and blog. This blog will give you a little insight to the daily happenings around the Hobbs household. I am really looking forward to sharing with you guys. Tara (Tara Hobbs) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=21#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=21 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:49:56 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=62 What's your latest delicious recipe? awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=62#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=62 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:47:45 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=61 Share your travel tips, travel stories and favorite destinations! awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=61#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=61 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:24:56 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=116 Do we fear admitting when we need help? Do we fear being judged? Are we afraid to see a counselor, see a doctor for depression, have post-partum and actually admit it? awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=116#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=116 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:19:59 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=115 When do you know you've reached your limits on volunteering? How do you say 'no'? awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=115#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=115 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:03:38 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=136 Working in ministry, do you find your family life an open book? Please share your thoughts on being transparent to your church family. awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=136#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=136 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:35:06 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=135 OK, so your child is acting up during worship and daddy is busy....all eyes are on you. What do you do? awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=135#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=135 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:33:33 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=31 What do you find most challenging and most successful about budgeting for your family? Share your budgeting success stories and tips! awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=31#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=31 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:17:07 -0600 http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=30 Ahhh, the adventure of moving to a new congregation. Whether it be across town or across the country, there is a lot to starting at a new congregation. Share your experience and moving tips here! awhite@mainstreetnet.com (Administration ) http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=30#comments http://www.mrcc.org/cgi-bin/BlogList.cgi?section=marriedto&blogID=30 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:01:12 -0600