Fun with Family & Friends

It’s been so long since I last wrote a post that I’ve almost forgotten how. =D

Russell & I got engaged on a Friday night, and on Saturday morning I woke up sick…and I’ve been sick for the last 3 weeks. I can’t remember the last time I had such a severe flu. This thing just refuses to give up. I teasingly asked Russell if he thinks I might get healthy again if we got un-engaged. (chuckle) Just kidding!!!

Truth Baptist Church had its first camp meeting on Oct. 26-30th. There were 3 preachers in the morning and 2 at night. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it to all the preaching because I was sick. The Lord really spoke to my heart on Thursday; that was such a blessing. It was also great to get some pointers during Bro. Keenan’s preaching on marriage, etc. Clay, Lydia, Russell & I--the “croaking quartet”--sang on Friday night. (I will upload the video one of these years.) I love singing with the boys; they make us sound good. It’s amazing what bass and all that stuff can do. The meeting was a preparation for what the Lord was about to do…

The two cute sound men. Hey, I can say that cause they are my brothers!

Sunday, November 1, 2009, dawned with a clear, cloudless blue sky. After a 6-month battle with cancer, little Silas Blackburn went Home to be with Jesus. As the church gathered for Sunday school, folks began hearing the news. We all made our way to the Blackburn home. Silas lay curled up in his tiny bed, and what a sweet expression radiated from his glowing face! He looked as though he was having a wonderful dream and at any minute he would throw back the covers and sit up laughing. It was evident from his relaxed face that he was relieved of all pain and was seeing something pleasant and lovely just before he died. Perhaps it was the angel who was about to carry him away to the loving arms of the Savior. Please keep the Blackburn family in your prayers. Though we are all relieved that the little guy isn’t suffering anymore, the full impart of his absence is just hitting the family who loved him so well. If I never believed in Heaven previously, I sure do after seeing the peace on Silas’s small face. There is life after death. This world of woe is not the end. There is so much more to come… Are you prepared?

On November 3-10th my family flew up to NY to visit family for a week. Russell joined us on Friday. The flu started spreading. Clay and Aaron got sick. Then Lydia and Josiah joined them. I had a relapse once we got up to NY. Lydia and I were in bed for two days straight with high fevers. My “medicine” arrived on Friday morning when Russell flew in. He does something for me that nobody else can do. Anyway, our schedule got messed up because we hadn’t planned to be sick. We ended up going over to Aunt Erica’s house several nights for dinner, because we had already “contaminated” their family. It was nice to get to spend more time with them than we otherwise would have. Aunt Erica really made our trip enjoyable.

Look at that RED tree! New York has some awesome colors!

FRIDAY

Eating Aunt Erica's homemade pizza. It was good! I'm so disappointed; I left two pieces of my special (tomato sauce-free) pizza in the fridge! =( =D

Two of my favorite guys ~ Russell, me, and Jason.

After dinner we played games...

Russell was having a good time. (chuckle) I love it when he laughs...which is often.

SATURDAY

On Saturday night Aunt Erica and Uncle Vito invited the rest of the family over for a desert party, which was also kind of an engagement party for Russell and me.

That was the best chicken ever!

Me and Holly! Holly is going to be one of my bridesmaids.

Josiah and Holly! They get to walk down the aisle together in our wedding.

Russell, Aunt Erica, and me.

Engagement party! Russell & me! Those were our wedding cake cupcakes.

The trial wedding cupcakes! Aren't they cute? Aunt Erica is an excellent cake baker, and she said she would make Russell's and my wedding cake! Yay!

Aunt Erica wrote our names on plastic cups. See our names?

The three sisters ~ Mom, Aunt Erica, and Aunt Coby.

Aunt Coby and me.

Jason and me. Jason has been my life-long buddy. We had a lot of fun during our growing up years.

Russell and Mom. Russell loves my family and my family loves him; that makes me so glad!!!

Almost all the cousins playing Pit.

SUNDAY

At Southeast. It was nice to see some familiar folks. Boy, when I see Lydia's and my profiles I can understand why people think we are twins.

Dad sang and preached on Sunday night. Unfortunately I was sick and in bed; I ate pancakes for lunch, forgetting about the yeast and sugar they put in the mix. =( I love hearing Dad preach.

This is the teen room at our home church ~ Southeast Bible Baptist Church.

The pastor's family took us out for dinner after the evening service at church. The Dressners' youngest son took a fancy to me and me to him. Paul and I had fun together. I noticed that his shoelace was untied as we exited the restaurant. I bend down to tie his laces and then turned around to find Russell holding out his shoe to me with his laces untied. Russell is still jealous of Paul...or at least the attention I gave him. (giggle) Poor, poor Russell!!!

MONDAY

We didn’t find any flowers or material that looked promising in FL, so on Monday (the day before we flew back to FL) Aunt Erica and Mom and I went shopping for wedding stuff. Talk about last minute! The Lord blessed, and after going from store to store, we did find the things we needed. It was a blessing to have Aunt Erica along. I am so excited to start sewing the dresses! Then we stopped at David’s Bridal on the way to the airport on Tuesday evening and bought something else. It’s SO pretty! (squeal)

Here we are getting my wedding dress fabric cut. I can't wait to see how the dress turns out!

This is my Oma. She is in Heaven now. She was such a pretty lady...and when I say lady, I mean lady!!! I wish she could have met Russell; she would have loved him.

TUESDAY

The four girl cousins ~ Lydia and Holly, Emma and me.

Mom and Aunt Erica.

Russell & me behind Papa's house, where we stayed during our visit.

Isn't that a cute picture? I love it!!!

Beautiful Holly. Can you guess who I was talking to? Hmm... Yup! It was Russell. We were heading to the airport and back to FL.

YES! Russell has brought me into the 21st century! I have a phone…and I actually know how to use it! (applause) =D

Joe, Aaron, and Lydia. Triple trouble! =D

I can hardly believe that tomorrow will be a week since we got back to FL and two weeks until we go home. Time is going fast now. I really thought I would have more time to do journal posts. Now I understand by experience just how busy it is on this property. Russell runs errands a lot, so I run with him and that’s how we spend time together. I’ve had fun making him breakfast in the mornings, and he and his brothers stop by our trailer frequently. I can’t wait to be Russell’s wife!

Relaxing at the Maynard house.

There is going to be a wedding shower for Russell & me at Big Daddy and Mrs. Faye’s house (Russell’s grandparents) on Nov. 28th. Since we got back from NY, Russell & I have registered at Target and Wal-Mart. Russell has had a blast taking over the “gun” and “shooting” the bar codes on household items. He is such a kid. (chuckle) To be honest, I had fun…and am still having fun; we’re not quite done yet. 5 months seems like a long time at this point. It has been wonderful to spend time with Russell. I’m going to miss him terribly when we go back to Holland.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the pictures. I miss all of you in Holland. I’m looking forward to getting back home and seeing everyone at church. Love you all, and Lord bless! =)