Mother's Day This Year

What a strange mix of emotions I had yesterday as we were celebrating Mother's Day. I had this tremendous joy just to finally have a Mom again but at the same time missing my Mom and wondering how she'd feel about everything. I know though that if my Mom had the choice she would want me right where I am at now. She would love Dawn and the rest of the family and would for sure want me there.

So we had a nice time at church and all the guys and Dad's did all the cooking, which was sweet. We had hamburgers and hotdogs and then everything to go with that. Afterwards a bunch of us played kickball....man, that was SOOOO much fun! I don't think I had played since 5th grade, but it was a blast! Thanks to Rachel though, because I wouldn't have even been able to play in the dress I had on so she gave me some extra clothes!!!! :) My shoulder is still a little sore from my sliding into third base, but hey, it was worth it! (I learned AFTER the slide that you should never slide diving head first into the plate) :D

After kickball it was time to leave and their cousins came over. :) We had another cook out with them and just hung out. It was a very fun day and we did get some pictures so when I get back to the house I'll upload them. (I'm at the neighbors) :)

Well I hope you all had a very Happy Mother's Day! :)

HaPpY BiRtHdAy MaNdY!

Happy Birth...Day To You..to you! Happy Birth...Day To You...tooo yoooouuu! Happy Birth...Day...Dear........Maaaaaaannnnnnnnddddddyyyyyy
....1, 2, 3, Happy Birth...Day To You...Happy Birthday! ;) Well this will be the very first birthday I have not spent with Mandy. I'll be honest it feels VERY weird not being with her on her birthday but she knows that I am thinking of her ALL day and praying for her as the day goes on. We were txting last night back and forth and she let me know that she was just having a hard time with this birthday. Not that I am some important person in her life, but not only is she missing my Mom this birthday but I am not there either. It was weird, because last night I was struggling too with just missing my Mom and feeling strange that I wouldn't be there for Mandy's birthday. I got to thinking of my life growing up and how much that Mandy and I did together. I think when we were younger we were about inseperable. BEST BUDS! I know that doesn't always last, we grow up and change but Mandy I want you to know that no matter WHAT happens, if I move to Alaska and your in Hawaii or if you change to be a completely different person, I will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS love you, not matter what!
I'm so thankful for the love God has shown me and that I can love you and my other family with this unconditional love.

So, Mandy even though I can't be there with you today, pretend I am, and that I'm celebrating right along with you. And look at these pictures no matter if we are 2, 8, 12, 19, 21....we will always be close and best friends! I love you so much Mandy!Happy Birthday!
(Did you catch the tune to the b-day song at the beginning?) ;)

Just a little of everything!

It's been forever since I've written and a lot has happened. Since I can't remember everything though I'm going to keep this short and just tell about the last few days I guess. :) Well wait, first for some updates. Thanks for all the prayers for my grandparents. My Grandma is at the nursing home now and doing very well. My sisters go and see her at least once a week and I think there are others there that she can interact with. I'm so thankful to God that her spirits are staying up and she is recovering so well! What an answer to prayers that is. Thanks to Hannah also for sending her a card! She absolutely LOVED it! She was touched and so was my sister Tara to see you had written to her! :) Thanks for being such a blessing to her! :) My other grandma, Grandma Moody, is doing well also! Praise God! I talked to her the day before Easter and she was feeling great! She had one chemo treatment so far and said that she wasn't sick at all and was feeling good. They told her after her second treatment would be when she would lose her hair, so it hasn't come to that yet, but I think she may take it okay. I let her know that so so many people were praying for her and she said to tell everyone Thanks! :)

While thanking God for the healing and recovery of my Grandmas I am sad to say that Tom, my friend who I had mentioned with cancer, went home to be with the Lord. :( I put a sad face, but in reality, this isn't a sad thing. He's at home now and in no more pain. I had no idea how tough it would be for me hearing the news of his passing, but I didn't take it easy. I think for multiple reasons it was hard, one being this was the first funeral and death of someone I knew since my Mom's. To most of you that wont make sense because what does Tom's death have to do with my Mom's and I guess I really have no answer to that, but i DO know that it brings up lots of memories and I just feel like I get to go through all the grieving again....not fun! All of my family was so sweet though to make a way for me to be able to get back to MO to be there for the funeral. So, on Tuesday, Jess, Jamie, Jordan and I packed up and left! We made it in time for the visitation and then went to the funeral the next day. Besides Jamie getting the flu and throwing up the whole way home the trip was nice. :P (Sorry Jamie you got so sick!) :(

I had a great time on Wednesday going to Mama Lee's house! Jess and Jamie took me with them to her house. We went to help her clean a few things, but I think I did more talking and looking through magazines then I did clean! :D Jess and I enjoyed looking through the ads and finding places for Jamie to take us too! ;) Thanks Jessica and Jamie for letting me tag along for the day!


For the last few days here the weather has been GORGEOUS so we were able to work outside and get some things done. Thursday was fun powerwashing one of the barns and getting it ready to be painted. Then on Friday we spent like ALL day outside!! I LOVED IT! We started with scraping paint from the side we powerwashed and then got our paint brushes ready for work! ;) I think there were like 7 of us painting at one time! Needless to say, we got it done very quickly! So now, one side of the barn is looking VERY nice! For those of you who are wondering, we are not painting the BIG barn, just the one that looks similar to a garage. :) After painting though we went to the park to hike. Well, I had no idea how tiring hiking could be! And I think I was a bit confused what I was getting myself into. :P I wore my flip flops and we went on like a THREE hour hike! My foot kills me now! We also had to hike through some creek thing with freezing water, I think I proved to the group I am a woosey! Tennis Shoes for SURE next time! ;) What a fun time though we had all hiking together out there! :)

Yesterday us girls spent most of the day going to garage sales and rummage sales! Unfortunately the night before I had tried riding one of the horses and well, didn't realize I was so allergic to horses, so I still had some effects from that on Saturday. One of my eyes was QUITE puffy so I wore sunglasses into most of the dark buildings we went into to cover up my eye. I think I might have drawed more attention to myself wearing sunglasses indoors than I would have with my eye. We found some clothes though and Mom and Dad bought me lots more cherry stuff for my one day, hopefully soon, gonna be kitchen! :D I love the stuff!! Ice cream dishes, plates, a pitcher and this adorable CHERRIES sign! :)
Today was Gabrielle's piano recital. I had a lot of fun, I've never been to one before so it was pretty neat! :) She did an EXCELLENT job and so did the other students who played. It was neat to see the other girls I know playing also! :) Good job Kalebaugh girls!!!! Faith, who is the teacher, did an excellent job as well! :) I did take pictures but since I'm in a hurry to get this up because I need to call my friend BESH, I didn't edit the pics, sorry :(

Becky and FaithCrystal

Gabrielle and Faith

Rachel and Faith

Jordan, doesn't he look like he's having fun? ;)

Kaleb and Jessica...aren't they cute! ;)

Isaac...adorable!

I've been thinking about my Mom a whole lot the last 2 days. Yesterday especially, I guess since I was in a groggy kind of mood anyway, I don't know, but then when we passed a street called Peri Dr. that was VERY weird for me. Never in my life had I seen someone with that name and especially a street named that. I'm glad God does little things like that though for me. Today Pastor John was speaking about the passage from Luke chapter 20 and how Mary was weeping at the empty tomb, not realizing Jesus had rose from the dead. He then started to compare that with James, where we are to take joy in our trials and knowing God works all things for our good, he asked us how many of us were crying next to empty tombs. It made me think a lot about my own situation and with my Mom's death. I cried a LOT and was angry with God. That went on for a long time actually, confused as to if God even could love me. With all the things that were happening in my life it felt like it wasn't possible. I WAS crying next to an empty tomb....God knew what I had to go through and knew what I could handle. And I had to go through all of that to end up where I am right now. And He isn't finished with me yet, just right now though I am having more and more peace with my Mom's death. Don't get me wrong, I am not HAPPY one bit with what happened, but I realize that God had to take my Mom to teach me a lot of things and for me to meet the Lees and for them to become part of my family. What a blessing that has come from my Mom's death, a whole lot more family! As I sit here and think about what I just have written I feel like most of you will think I'm so cruel that I could be saying that....and I'm wondering the same thing. I don't mean that I want my Mom dead, or that I'm content with what God decided..I'm not, but I AM thankful that I am seeing good come from it. More than just good, God knew my heart and knew what I needed and has given it to me. And I'm thankful to Him for that. And I know that my Mom is in Heaven with him also rejoicing witht he decision God has made, to place me with such a wonderful family! ;( ;( Thank you God!

Prayer Updates

Thank you to all of those who have been praying for my Grandma. I've gotten two emails this past week giving updates on her and they've been quite encouraging. The first one mentioned that she was out of ICU and getting physical therapy in her normal room. They did have her ankles tied to the bed though so that she wouldn't move her hip. :( Sounded mean but it was necessary. She was in a lot of pain too and still is but I think she is in better spirits now. The email I got today said that she was going to be moved to the care facility soon, (like tomorrow maybe) which is good. From the email it sounds like she is okay with this decision. Her doctor will be there regularly to see her and then nurses there 24/7. There are many people from her church that have been visiting which has been a tremendous blessing. I'm still praying a lot for her but thanking God so much for healing her this much already. I was thinking too....if any of you have extra time or would like to make a little card or send a note, she would love that! I know it seems weird, because none of you know her, but she'd be so encouraged by that. Even if you just sent her some scriptures that'd be great! :) Just let me know if you'd want to do that.

As for other news....the thing that I couldn't share before I can now. :( While I was in MO, I found out that my other Grandma, Grandma Moody, has cancer. :( What a shock that was finding out. She's never been sick, never been in the hospital and well....she's the last person I would have expected. When I found out I had to pretend I didn't know, she wasn't telling anyone and then my sister didn't even know, so that's why I couldn't post it. Please PLEASE be praying for her though. She starts treatments tomorrow (Thursday) for the cancer. From what I hear she has lymphoma, but there is also cancer on her lung and in her neck. :( The doctors are saying it's treatable but as soon as I hear the word 'cancer' it means death to me. God can do anything though, and if it's his will He can heal her also, and I just have to remember that. :( Also with hearing this news not only was I devastated because she has this awful disease, but it brought back so many memories. My Grandma is the closest one to me besides my Mom that has been diagnosed. Please pray for her health and for her soul.

As for updates here....I've just been editing it seems like. I came home with 6000 pictures to edit and boy does that take a LONG time. I've posted some pictures from one of the photoshoots I was on if you want to check those out, they are on the photo blog I have. Yesterday I worked a lot more on wedding pictures but they get tiring. :( Also my neck and shoulder and back started hurting pretty bad. We are guessing it's from all the computer work I'm doing, so I've tried to take a break from that. :) It IS my job though, so I need to get them done.

Kaleb's birthday was Monday, so we had fun celebrating that Mon and Tuesday. Jess and Jamie were here the past two days also which was a lot of fun. Jordan and Jamie were building the new chicken coop, it looks SOO good. I'm sure they will be posting pics on their blog soon! :) They did a very nice job though...I'm going to hire them to build my house someday I think! ;)

Well just got done with bible time and am thinking of baking something so I better get going..just wanted to update you all. :)

Thank you again for all of the prayers! :)

Life in General...

Well I am still in Missouri until this coming Friday. I had only planned on a week here but after many talks with Tara she convinced me to stay for the full 2 weeks. It's just so hard for me because after 20 min. gone from home I was wanting to be back so badly and missing them. Call me weird, but it's true! So 2 weeks has felt like forever....I'm really excited to get back on Friday. :)

Don't get me wrong though, I love my family here and have enjoyed some of the time here. This week I am actually staying at Tara's house. She is on spring break so it's nice to spend lots of time with her. Today we went to lunch and shopping some, so that was fun! I think I'm spending way too much money though! :( Although, I'm set for summer now as far as clothes go! :)

So anyway, the trip has been pretty good, spent time with the Hunt Family, photographed a wedding, did a photoshoot for a very lovely family, painted Tara's room and bathroom, helped powerwash a house with my Dad and umm..shopped I guess! :)

It seems like for all weeks to come home these were the most crucial. In a way it's been a "sobering" trip. :( I had told you all about my Grandma who was in the hospital, well so far it seems like it's all going well. We are going back up to see her tomorrow. She had her hip surgery yesterday I think. So Praise God for that, I'm pretty sure she did well through that. Well, also while I was down here I went to visit a friend of mine, Tom. He has had cancer since 2007 and is in his final stages right now. :( He called me at the end of January to tell me goodbye and I just couldn't handle that. So I've been praying that God would keep him alive until I could come back and see him myself. So I got back here and thought of Tom everyday but was scared of what I might see. Not sure I could handle it. :( I talked to Sage and told her how I had prayed and she told me that I just had to go see him, especially after praying that way. God answered my prayer and kept him alive, why wouldn't I go see him? :( So....I called up the Hunts and they went with me. Boy, was that ever hard. I think I said maybe 5 words to him. I just couldn't stop crying when I saw him. He's gotten So incredibly thin that it scared me, I didn't recognize him at all. He was in so much pain also. His testimony was amazing though. As sick as he was and as much pain as he is in he said that his goal was to just get as many people to Heaven him before he died. Then he explained that he couldn't be mad at God, because God is the giver of life and it's His to take away too. Who says we deserve 80 years? I hope that I can be like Tom when my time comes and I hope I can be an example to so many like he is. Please be praying for Tom also. He is only 28 years old and battling this. Last I heard also he fell when trying to get up and his his spine where the epidural was so it's caused lots more pain. :(

On top of all of this, I found out my stepdad has cancer again and then someone very VERY dear to me has it to. I would never imagine in my whole life she could get cancer but she has now and I'm so scared. It devastated me hearing this news and also brought back lots of old memories. I can't even say who this person is right now because everyone is keeping it very hush right now. If it's possible to pray for her without knowing who she is, please do. And soon I'll update with who it is. I realized that life was just TOO good for the last 7 weeks and that something had to go wrong soon. Then I came back here and one thing after another happened. You'd think I'd be used to this by now. I know though that God has a reason for it all and a purpose for everything He does. Through this all I've also learned what a blessing it is to have family be there for you through the valleys and on the mountain tops. (Thank you guys!)

Thanks for all the prayers on my Grandma who is int he hospital, means a lot to me! :)

Franklin Springs Contest!

Franklin Springs Family Media has just announced a fun and entertaining new contest. Submit a video or photo slideshow of you with your family, or by yourself, making a recipe featured on one or more of the Homestead Blessings DVDs; The Art of Breadmaking, The Art of Soap Making, or The Art of Candle Making. To read more about this contest and to see rules go to their website at www.franklinsprings.com or click HERE

I highly reccomend for you all to give this a try and go for it! It would be a fun thing to do with your family if your experienced or not with video.

Update on my Grandma

Thank you to all of you who have been praying for my Grandma and for me. I really really appreciate it and also let her know that there were many people out there praying for her! She says Thanks also! :) Yesterday was the first day I got to see her. Apparantly she was much better yesterday, but to me she looked pretty bad. :( I'm not good with techinical names and stuff but I'll do my best to give an update.

There appears to be NO cancer, which I am SO thankful for. Praise God! She still is in critical condition though with this infection. Seems that the infection in her body wants to try to fight off any foreign object in her body like the fake hip, pacemaker, and her port. Since her heart is still very bad the pacemaker must stay but the hip is going to come out. She is on lots of antibiotics trying to fight this infection off, but still it must come out. The port is coming out today which I was told is an easy percedure, but hip will be very tough. I remember when my Grandma got the fake hip in, she was very healthy and came out of surgery super weak and pretty bad off. Well this time she is going into surgery very weak and not so good at all. Her oncologist was hoping they could bypass this surgery, but it seems to be necessary. :( If all goes well with surgery, the plan is to put in a concrete hip for the meantime and then my Grandma will be switched to an Assisted Living place so she can have help 24/7. She wont be able to move like she can now with the concrete hip. After the 5-7 weeks there she will need to be moved to some sort of apartment or something. We were talking about it yesterday and tossed around a few ideas. She wont be able to do steps, and all the houses we have, have steps where the bedrooms are. :( So most likely she will rent an apartment for awhile and we will take care of her that way.

I'm not sure what this means for me. I of course will do whatever for my Grandma, and if she needs me there I will be there for her, but I am really missing home. I love my family here, but it's so hard being away from everyone back at home now. For the last 7 weeks or so I've had company everyday and have stayed busy and I just loved it. Today I feel lost, being at my Dad's house by myself and well having nothing to do. Mostly what I do here is txt or talk or chat online with everyone back at home! :D

Anyway, Thursday is my Grandma's hip surgery and if you all could still be praying she makes it out of surgery safely. Also be praying for my Grandpa. I can't go into too much detail, only because I dont know, but he is not doing well at ALL. A lot of mental problems it seems like. He just can't take all of this. He feels like he just went through this with my Mom and now his wife. He seems to be going dillusional. He is still in FL though and there is nothing we can do but pray for him. He has mentioned though that he can't live longer than my Grandma, he has to go first and then a few nights ago he took a ton of sleeping pills, so it's just very scary for us. Both my Grandparents are Christians, that's why I think he must be out of his mind right now, he is never like this. :(

As for other news...I shot my first wedding on Saturday for John and Audra Notgrass! Boy, was I ever nervous, I even broke out in a rash or hives or something on my arms during the ceremony....never been so nervous in all my life! :D Once the ceremony was going though I calmed down I think and it got better. I was so thankful to Joan for all the help she gave me that day too. And Nathaniel Bluedorn, he showed up at the wedding and offered for me to use his camera, what a blessing that was to me! I had two cameras then to shoot with and his camera is just SOOO nice so it was a tremendous blessing! :) Keep a look out on my photo blog and I'll post some wedding ones when I get back home and can edit some! :)

Not too much planned for the week, I'll be painting my sisters room on Wednesday and then have a photoshoot to do for a family next Saturday but other than that, its pretty much just boring! :) Hope you all have a great week!

Lee's, I love you guys so much and miss you tons! Can't wait to come back home!

My Grandma...

Not exactly an "update" post but a crying out asking you all to PLEASE pray for my Grandma (Mamaw). My Grandma who lives in FL, has recently had a lot of pain in her hip. She has already had both hips replaced so when she went to the hospital it ended up being some kind of infection. I really didn't think much of it. Well, after further searching, it seems that it is an infection in her bone and blood. The doctors there wanted to give her some kind of concrete hip and have her bed ridden for 5-7 weeks and then try do a replacement hip. Also they are possibly considering bone cancer...something I can't even let my mind consider right now as an option.


Well, to make this shorter, my Grandma left the hospital in FL without the doctors approval and will be flying to St. Louis tomorrow to get treatments there. I guess STL is known for having the best hospitals and from experience she believes it.

Please, PLEASE just be praying for her though. I have to believe that this will just be treated easily and there will be no cancer. What scares me is that the doctors in FL were saying that the infection in her blood could kill her over night if not treated right away. :( God is in control though and knows what is wrong with my Grandma. :( It's just so hard to think that this is happening.

Life surely is a journey, mountain tops and valleys. I guess I've been up on the mountain tops too long and it's time for another hard trial. :( I just don't feel ready for this one, ESPECIALLY if it's bone cancer. I watched my Mom die, and I can't do that with my Grandma also.

The plan was to go back to St. Louis tomorrow to do the wedding on Saturday. I was going to stay a week in MO, but now I think plans to come home are postponed. I don't want to stay gone too long though, I'll miss everyone so much here. I'll try to keep you all updated....

Pictures up!

Just wanted to let you all know that I have pictures from being here up on my photography blog! :) Click HERE

Here's a sneak peak though! ;)

Not so frequent blogger... :)

Okay, so I had all these great plans to write a long blog post and update you all on what's going on, but I spent my internet time talking to my dear friend Bethany instead. :( Sorry! Maybe she can update for me sometime! :)

I'll say this much....I LOVE it here! I can't imgaine not living with them now. Sometimes it is hard for me to even realize this is real, it's too good to be true in my mind. I love them all so much, they are just a wonderful family! There has been a few things that have happened and it's just been so neat to me to feel a part of a "real" family again. Not that my family wasn't real, but it's like I have my Mom back, I love Dawn just like my own mother and she treats me just like a daughter. When I was sick with a cold (AGAIN) she was so sweet to bring my my vitamins each morning adn then making me my "special" tea 3 times a day for me to drink. It was just so neat to me to see how much she cared for me, and she got me well very fast too! :)

Jordan has been a great brother too! I've always said that I wished I had an older brother living at home with me...well he isn't older than me, but he kind of acts that way...SOMETIMES! ;) It's neat though, because he isn't just like a brother to me, he's a really great friend! :) They all are! :)

Gabrielle is SO much fun! I think she's enjoyed taking my old clothes I don't want anymore and cutting them up and turning them into skirts and things! :) She is quite creative. She's been so sweet to show me how to play different things on the piano also and helping me out with cooking! :)

Christian, who is called "Cupcake" sometimes, is fun too...and funny! :D Except when he chases me around with a chicken in his hand! (Gab too) :P I've been teaching him spanish and he does SO well, an eager learner! :)

Adrian, Isaac, and Kaleb are of course loads of fun too! I never realized I get to have so many brothers!!! Boys are so much fun though! :) I enjoy doing anything with them, reading a book, playing a game, doing our workout class...doing spanish skits! ;)

Are you guys getting the idea here...?? I love them so much!

Also I was kind of worried about what Dawn's daughter Jessica would think of me coming and her husband Jamie. I guess I am still not sure what they think about it, but I love being with them and around them. They are very sweet and Tuesdays when Jess is here it's great! She's sooo sweet! :) Jamie is kind of wild, but fun! ;) :P Just kidding..he's not too bad! ;)

Well, I really should be going. I need to get some spanish done with the kids! Just know, I love it here! I'm so thankful that God brought me this family and has let me live here with them! It's too good to be true it feels like!

Hopefully I can update more soon, with real updates on what we've been doing. My computer isn't hooked up right now to internet, but when we do I can do pics and stuff. :)

Have a great week, month, year..whatever it will be till I blog again! ;)

Currently...

Okay...so I know you have all been wanting to see who won the Film Festival but...you'll have to wait! :D :D :D (I know you already know who, but I might have some fun pics to post!) There is a lot going on right now and that's why I haven't been blogging too much and am interrupting my "festival posts" AGAIN to give you an update. :)

Hmmm....where to even beging? In November I met this reallly nice family, The Lees. I had heard a lot about them but got to know Dawn through email and then she in turn talked about her family so it felt like I knew them. Well since Christmas I have been praying a ton about the possibility of moving up to IL where they live and living with their family. I'm sure you don't want all the details of how this came about but it is pretty amazing how God worked it all out and brought it about. Well God has been unbelieveable in answering prayers for us, so right now I'm in Franklin Grove, IL at the Lee's house on a "trail period" The trial period time is more for them though, to see if they can handle me! :D We are still all praying I think but I really have a peace about my decision to stay here. Lord willing we will be going back down to MO on Valentines Weekend to get some more of my stuff and I can see some of my family again. I'm getting sick of the few shirts I brought too! :D Time for change! ;)

My time here at their house has been GREAT though! We've done so many fun things! :D They've also played so many pranks on me since I've been here...or have made jokes. Like when I first got here the guys told me that they had to widen the door frames for me because of my "big hair" BAD HUH? :D :D Speaking of big hair though...I think I've been quite the influence on this family because I have some pretty interesting photos of them to post as soon as my computer gets hooked up to their internet! :D Watch out Jordan! :D :D Pranks have included asian beetles, racoon skins, mink skins, goat placentas, pizza shoved in my face, watching "outlawed" videos on my computer and listening to songs that were OFF LIMITS! Anyway...I've gotten some of them back (the goat placenta was my idea..and it went UNDER Jordan's pillow one night, but... :( sadly he slept downstairs that night and didn't even sleep on it!) UGH He got grossed out though later when he saw! :D

Spite all these pranks, I LOVE it here...love this family! I could go on and on about them and how wonderful it is, but you'll just have to meet them! :D I'll be posting pictures soon too...well maybe not Sooooon, but sometime you'll get them! okay?

Now you know what is going on though and you know I haven't fallen off the planet or anything..I'm alive! ;)

Photo Dare

Okay, I'm veering off again! :( That post WILL come soon though, okay? The festival winner I mean! :)

So, Bethany decided to change the game up some just to get me back I think! I wasn't even going to do it, and she wanted me to post THIS photo, but :( Oh boy....she had to do a lot of "makin' me feel bad" to get this posted!

It's called "PHOTO DARE"

Rules:

1. Be brave and post the scariest picture you can find of yourself.
2. Tag one other person, more if you'd like but this is a dangerous game.
3. Go hide in your closet when your done.

I'll definitely be hiding this time! This is one SCARY pic of me! I wont even explain it though!! Beware!!!!!

I will tag
same people as last time! :)

Photo Tag!

Well I am going to have to interrupt my Film Festival posts with this fun little tag! :) I'll warn you, it CAN be scary but thankfully I picked an okay hardrive so although this picture isn't good, it's not creepy like some of them I have! :D

I was tagged by my dear friend Bethany

Here's the rules

1. Choose the 4th folder where you store pictures on your computer.

2. Select the 4th picture in the folder, and post it on your blog.

3. Explain the picture.

4. Tag four people to do the same.

5. No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.)


Okay, so your wondering why Mandy and I look so tired and sunburnt and WOW, Danielle is in OVERALLS!! :Shock: ??? Well, this picture was taken on our annual fishing trip at the Lake of the Ozarks. Each May, we have this fishing trip with my Dad, we've been doing it for umm...a long time, maybe 7 or 8 years!!!! I ALWAYS wear those overalls too! :D :D It's my fishing gear! ;) My Dad does jug fishing so we go out early early morning to get the jugs and catch the big fish. This was taken after getting our fish and Mandy and I were walking back up to the cabin and getting ready to sleep some more! :) This picture is probably 4 years old...something like that!

Okay for the people I tag!!! :)

Crystal
The Twins
The Lees
Bethany, you need to do another picture...New hardrive! ;)

Film Festival!!!!!

Well Part 2, here it is! :) The day of the festival started out with a little picnic type thing in the park by the Convention Center. They did this last year for CF.org and CMF members so this year, I'm not sure who all was invited, but lots of my friends were there! :) It was great being able to see everyone before the festival actually started because from that point on things are pretty crazy! Let's see...who was there?? The Bluedorns, Naylors, Tulls, Leddens, Burns, Stephen Nasby, Nathan Daher and his friend, Chris Ong, Sarah and Kristen (the girls we met at the academy), there were just so many people...can't name everyone I guess! :D It was really nice talking with them all!

John Naylor and Helena Bluedorn

Chris Ong and Stephen Nasby-first time meeting them both

Nathanial Bluedorn

By 6:30 or so it was time for it all to start! It was so exciting just being back in that theater! The opening ceremony was quite long. Mr. Phillips started out by talking to us all and introducing some different speakers like Mr. Botkin, Mr. Swanson, R.C. Sproul Jr. and others. Then Mr. Phillips narrated while Charlie Zahm played guitar and sang. It was kind of neat I guess...I'm just not a fan of guys in kilts! :( Kind of weird for me, but his first song "Be Thou My Vision" was really REALLY good! Wish I could play guitar like that! :)
Later in the evening George Sarris did one of his performances on "Joshua and the battle of Jericho" it was...interesting! :P I think we were all getting tired from being in there so long and getting antsy to see the first movie! :) Around 9:30 they were about finished so we ran down to a different theater to see the first movie of the festival "Click Clack Jack" It was a cute movie, and had great production value! It was one fun day that's for sure, but we were ready for bed by the time the movie was over!
Friday was probably the most exciting day for me!!!! Can't wait to tell you all that happened! :D :D It started out with a great movie by the Sampley Family (sp?) "Dad the Hero of the Wild Wild West" I think everyone enjoyed it and it was quite comedic too! :) From that film we were on to the big theater to see "Secrets of Jonathan Sperry" I was probably most excited to see this film! I had read a lot about it and I LOVE Christiano films, so I knew I'd love this one as well.

The movie ended up being better than I would have guessed actually! It had me laughing a ton and crying so much by the end! Mandy and I were especially touched by this film I think. Can't wait for it to become available on DVD! :) Afterwards Rich Christiano stood up for a Q&A time for the film. Oh I forgot to say, before the film started, Mandy and I tried to go up to Rich Christiano to talk to him, but he was speaking with this other man. As soon as the conversation ended, he bolted! :D We were left standing next to this older gentleman. It ended up his name was Wendall Moody. Our last names caught eachothers attention and it was an immediate conversation starter! At the time of us talking we had no idea who it was that we were talking with! :) The movie was about to begin though and he asked Mandy and I to come up after the movie so he could introduce us to Rich!!!! So, after the film we did just that! He was in the front row and we went up to join him! Rich came down and this man introduced us like he had known us for years! :) Ends up that Mr. Moody was the man that got Rich and his brother into making Christian films! How neat, huh? He had been doing Christian films since at least 1980. He said he worked with Dean Jones in 1980 on a film, 'The Music Box'. He said he was getting ready to re-release it and gave us his email so Mandy and I could get copies of it! Such a sweet man and a blessing to man I'm sure! Of course Mandy and I couldn't walk away without getting a picture with these two guys! :)


We only saw a few more films that day, Fireproof which of course is WONDERFUL, The Prodigal Trilogy and then the LeClerc's film "The Other Son" After that Caleb, Daniel, Bethany and I went to the special reception thing for some of the Academy members! It started at 3:45 and we had planned to only stay 20 min or so, not knowing what the reception would be like. Well, I'll say this much, it was SOOOOOOOO GREAT! Another highlight of my trip! There were only like 50 people there and that included all the guys that made the feature films and the press. I was very excited for this certain someone to walk in and then in he came....KIRK CAMERON! :) Can you guys tell how excited I am?? Or was! ;) Okay, so maybe I'm playing it up some, but it WAS neat for me. I used to watch Growing Pains (not that I'm proud of that) but I've watched him since I was pretty young! lol Well when he first walked in we couldnt say hi or anything because Mr. Phillips started to talk, but he was RIGHT there behind me, I was like....woah, this is kind of weird! :) As soon as the talk was done though we got to meet him. He was such a nice guy and very much so down to earth, just a normal person! :) We've joked that I have this invisible sign around me that says "TEASE ME" because people naturally do it, and even he did. He made some sort of joke that he couldn't talk to me because I wasn't press! At first I was nervous to ask about a picture because I didn't know if he'd like it or not but after a little teasing when I asked he said yes! :) Now getting the picture was tough though, the person taking it didn't really know how to use my camera, so this picture was actually our third try! Kirk said that he was glad we got to redo it though because he was feeling guilty since he did a goofy face! :D
So after meeting him and talking to lots of other people it was time for dinner I think. :) Then on to the night session thing. This time the Von Trapp Children were there to sing...that was REALLY neat! They have amazing voices! These kids are actually the great grandchildren of Captain Von Trapp, I think. They did an amazing job!

After the singing, Stephen Kendrick and Kirk Cameron came out and did a Behind the Scenes type thing on Fireproof, it was very neat! Everyone enjoyed hearing from them I am sure!
After their talk, Mr. Phillips introduced well known actor, Dean Jones. This man has been acting for so many years. He acted in many Disney films including, "The Love Bug, Snowball Express, The Shaggy D.A, Under the Yum Yum Tree, and Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" He also stars in a new series by Crown Financial Ministries. He started in Abraham and Isaac and then we were all So blessed to be able to be at the World Premiere of these short films!!!!
The films were incredible! They showed Abraham and Isaac, The Widow and the Oil, and The Rich Man and Lazarus. Abraham and Isaac actually had me in tears. I kind of felt silly crying over a story I had heard time and time again, but seeing this made it all so real!

Saturday, our last day there was once again a great day!!! I guess everyday was though. By Saturday though my voice was almost gone and I wasn't feeling the greatest! :( Can you tell by the pictures?? I look SOOO tired! :D Anyway Saturday was my day to see quite a few films! "Sound of a Dirt Road", some of "Pendragon", "The Widow's Might" and "Bread Alone"

In between films we had to get some pictures! ;) (Me, Sage, Helena, Mandy and Tera)

Me, Helena, Sage, and Mandy

John and I have a hard time getting pics I think...he is always being goofy and I try to straighten him out! :D

SUCCESSFUL!

Sage and I matched this day...both had tealish colored tops on and then brown skirts/pants :) Lane photoshopped this one, so we look a little umm...different! :D
Mandy and I had a friend living in San Antonio so some of us met up with him at a Starbucks right across the street. We hadn't actually "met" before so it was neat. Mandy kind of organized it all so we had a nice time chatting at Starbucks then walked around the Riverwalk some. He also came in and saw Widow's Might! What a good one to see! :) We had fun getting to know Jehred Clott though (Clott is not REALLY his last name, inside joke I guess) :)

Caleb, Mandy, Jehred, and Me

Andrew trying to hide from me!

Caleb...umm....well yea, that's him! :D

Once again a picture of my beautiful friend Besh!!! :) Enjoying her white chocolate mocha thing...I think! :P

Well, that's all for Part 2. It would have just been WAY too long to do the awards ceremony on here too!!!! Sorry! Maybe tomorrow I"ll post that! :) Hope you enjoyed it!!!!