A drive to Matt's campus

Today we decided to enjoy the fall colors and take a drive to the campus Matt will start attending in January. Beautiful drive, beautiful campus. We are so excited for Matt - he is going to UMBC (University of Maryland Baltimore Campus) to major in financial economics. Since we didn't get the usual "parent weekend" or anything, we decided to drive and see the campus ourselves!

I thought this was the neatest way to send an acceptance letter!!

Matt will soon be walking the trails of this campus, studying his heart out, and starting a whole new chapter of his life...

I LOVE FALL!!!!!

Fall is my absolute favorite season. I love the colors, the weather, the decorations, and it is the time of year I got married (hmmm, that explains it!). I can't wait for Starbucks to bring out my all-time favorite - pumpkin spice lattes!! I can't wait to gather leaves with the kids, pick out pumpkins and gourds, and eat roasted pumpkin seeds. I can't wait to go to the Amish Market and buy their delicious pumpkin roll and bake molasses cookies. I love the scent of pumpkin candles, I love the crisp, cooler air, and I love my trips away in the fall with my husband for our anniversary... aaaaaah yes, I certainly do love fall.

This is the beautiful fall display that Hannah made for our table this week.

The focal point of the table...

I love getting out all the fall decorations for the house!

Did I mention that I love fall????

The blessing of house guests

Doug Wilda, Keith (a church-planting intern), Gene Emerson and Matthew Williams

Aaron Campbell

This week we have the honor of hosting Gene Emerson and his whole gang of pastors (five in all) who are here for the Pastor's College. They have come to hear CJ Mahaney teach. This is probably the fourth time we have had these five guys stay with us, and each time is such a blessing to our family. My children sit at the dinner table with five godly, wise, kind men who also happen to be hilarious! It is a joy to watch them relate to each other and to my children as well. I am so grateful that they continue to come back... This year we got to celebrate one of their birthdays! Danny made his famous filet mignon and we had cake and ice cream afterwards - what fun memories! Hannah made a beautiful fall arrangement on the table, and when we lit the candles it was stunning!

I thank the Lord for bringing these opportunities to put before my children examples of men who have devoted their entire lives to serving our amazing God, to caring for His children, and to reaching those who are hurting or lost and need the knowledge of Jesus' love for them. I am grateful to be able to serve them in this small way...

Farewell Faithful Friend...

Yes, it looks like my husband is sobbing, or down-hearted... but he was actually cleaning out our van before we turned it over to my brother. We had to say good-bye to our faithful red van, after many years of memories and trips and laughter and paint smears and food on the floor and long drives to faraway places and accidents (well just the one) and rocks being thrown at us while driving and carpools, and on and on and on... Funny how a hunk of metal can be something we get attached to, huh?

Sweet "little" Ryan

Have you ever seen a plate of chips so beautifully garnished or had them served with a kiss? I was working at my computer today and Ryan came to bless me with a snack! He brought me this little plate of chips all decorated with a garnish of lettuce and grapes! It was soooo sweet! He certainly is learning a lot from his Dad... What a VERY blessed mother I am!!

Love ya Ryan!!!

Happy 40th Margaret!!

Happy 40th dear sister!

Quotes on Sisterhood

There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me. ~Mary Montagu

Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart - oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape - of your sister. ~Katherine Mansfield

I know some sisters who only see each other on Mother's Day and some who will never speak again. But most are like my sister and me... linked by volatile love, best friends who make other best friends ever so slightly less best. ~Patricia Volk

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. ~Clara Ortega

She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, your personal press agent, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child. ~Barbara Alpert

Cathy -

Thank you for being such a wonderful, caring, generous, loving and supportive sister for all of your 40 years. (well, maybe not the first few!! haha) In every situation I have faced, you have been there to rejoice with me, laugh with me, or cry and pray with me.

I know that I can share absolutely anything with you and you will still love me anyway. You put my foolish fears to rest, make sense of confusing circumstances, and empathize with my weaknesses. You have taught me how to cook, how to decorate, and so much more. (I still can't cook or decorate, but I am still learning from you!!)

You are always generous towards others, looking for ways to bless them, and putting their interests above your own. You love the unlovable, reach out to unbelievers, and are a blessing to all of your friends. You go out of your way to make sure others have a special meal, or a special anniversary (even sneaking to the hotel to decorate rooms!) and have much compassion for others hurts.

You love your boys and you try to make their childhood memories full of fun. I know they will remember all the laughter and silly things you make them do!! You cook wonderful, healthy gourmet meals every day, and you go all out for their birthdays. You use your talents to serve your church, and take on more than you should.

My prayer for you this season is that as you have refreshed others, you will yourself be refreshed. That as you seek Him, He will fill you with an awareness of His love for you as His precious daughter, that He will fill you with grace to accomplish all that He has called you to do. That you will wake up each morning filled with lightheartedness, joy and peace. That you will find your joy complete in Him...

Wish I was there to help you celebrate this day!

Love you lots!!

(p.s. Jacob made the video for you!!)

"Give Honor Where Honor is Due"

Saturday was a LONG awaited event for my husband - the culmination of more than two years of thought, planning, labor, agonizing decisions, long nights, sleepless nights and stress, along with some fun and enjoyment using the gifts he has been given (seeing the big picture, excellent taste, diligence, administration, decorating, organizing, etc.) It was the Open House and 50th Anniversary celebration for Dustin Construction held at their newly constructed building.

He was in charge of so much during the building phase. It started with purchasing the lot and continued all the way to the last drop of paint and the last picture hung... He was in charge of all the mill work - planning, drawing and overseeing every shelf and piece of beautiful woodwork that was installed. (He missed his call in life and should have been an architect!) He made final selections on all the finishes, and that was after managing the construction end of the project. He did the whole package!! Every last little sign and paint color has his signature on it...

During the process he always looked for ways to bless and surprise everyone. He bought everyone new furniture, and didn't take any items from the old kitchen - he bought all new dishes for everyone. He made sure the ladies had their requests filled in the ladies room - including a drawer for each one to place personal items. When he ordered the artwork, he told nobody about what he had ordered, and spent two weekends in a row preparing and hanging the artwork so that everyone else could come in on a Monday morning and have the "wow" factor, the "big reveal"... just to surprise and delight the employees.

Danny spent years working toward this day, and the last months were particularly intense. He had to make sure every aspect of the building was complete - inspections done, artwork hung, painting touched up, floor replacement, and every other minute detail down to making sure everyone had their desks cleared off and the cleaners arrived the night before to polish everything one last time. There was a scramble to get the carpenters in for last minute touches, the landscape crew in one last time to make sure that every blade of grass was the same length, (ok just kidding - they just spruced it all up), and last but not least, make sure he had a speech written to honor his father, the founder of the company.

Danny giving his speech to honor his father

The receptionist desk

Outside lobby

Inside Lobby

Intern Office where Matt worked this summer

Gallery of art in the reception area

Employee break room

Landscape design on the balcony (again, planned and executed by Danny)

One of the many pieces of artwork he painstakingly selected AND hung - he worked with an artist for months selecting custom artwork

Hallway leading to back offices

Centerpiece at reception

Danny presenting his Dad with an award

Ever seen mashed potatoes served in a martini glass before???

One part of Danny's new office

Lobby - once again, each piece chosen by my oh-so-talented husband

I know it sounds like I am "bragging" about my wonderful husband, but I am truly proud of him. Even though he received no acknowledgement or honor at the culmination of all his work, I want him to know that I am extremely proud of all that he accomplished, and it overwhelms me to think what all he has done to make this building and company possible. He is a humble man and looked for no praise, but I do believe that honor should be given where honor is due. And in this case, it is definitely appropriate to thank him for a huge success. I believe that at the end of his career, he will look back to this season and feel his contribution to the building is one of the most significant things he did as an employee of Dustin Construction. I know that often times our jobs feel "thankless" but we trust that God knows all that he faithfully did, and will one day be greatly rewarded. I love you honey and have never been more proud of you.