Thankful Project Day 17

Thankful God has provided some awesome times for our family to be together.

Thankful He provides many teaching moments. A few have asked about school and I think I laugh inside. She has learned more in here than most adults will ever learn. She could train some of her nurses and does give them "helpful hints" on occasion. Her little duck tape business has given her real-life math problems and retail sales skills they don't teach in school. She's already made $75!!!!

Thankful for friends who've sent her tons of duck tape and I mean tons! (Pics tomorrow!). She's also gotten beautiful handmade gifts and gifts to inspire her creative talents.

Thankful for those ordering from her. You're giving her hands something to work at instead of dwelling on what is not in her hands.

Thankful she has amazing patience but knows how to deal with the times when she's not feeling patient. (She hasn't eaten anything for 18 days...and it will be longer. Don't ask. Because I don't know.)

Thankful for a clean, warm-out-of-the-dryer blanket. Ahhhh

Thankful for my parents who are so good to us.

Thankful for my husband and his hard work, bringing kids up to see us so we can have a little time together.

Thankful for Luke and how sweet he is to Moriah. He can make Grace laugh like no one else can. He's just a great kid.

Thankful for my baby. It's hard to be 5 and have to say goodbye to mommy (and sis) so much.

Thankful for this life and how many ways God shows His great love.

Thankful Project Day 10

After days of cafeteria meals and lean cuisines, sushi and crackers, my amazing husband brought me serious Texas comfort food!!!! I can't tell you how happy my belly is right now! Chicken fried steak, the best gravy ever, mashed potatoes, corn stuff, green beans and the yummiest biscuits. Oh. My. Gosh. I didn't realize how much I missed home-cooked type food.

Thank you God for BABE'S!!!!

Also thankful Grace got her craft on today and made a ton of duck tape projects. She made a flower pen for our nurse and a necktie for Dad. She decoupaged a little box and I colored a picture of an owl.

Thankful for creativity and duck tape!!

Joy

Finally, REAL FOOD!!!! Joy came in the morning in the form of....PANCAKES! Sweet mapley goodness!

Blessing Soup

Our church gave us a POUNDING Sunday night at our chili supper fellowship!  WHAT is a pounding, you ask?  Well we choose one person in our family for the congregation to line up and pound with a nerf bat.  We chose Grace.  Mostly because she asked the same question, and also because she's gullible.  :)

An old-fashioned pounding is an old welcoming party where when a new pastor comes, each family from the church brings a pound of sugar or a pound of flour....etc. etc.  We ended up with 10 bags of sugar, 30 cans of green beans, 20 cans of corn, many cans of chili, beans, soups, fruit, chicken, macncheese, spaghetti sauce and pasta.  We also got a 20lb. bag of chocolate chips, a ham, gift cards to grocery stores & restaurants, boxes and boxes of cake mixes and crackers and cereal and well....basically, does anyone want to go shopping in my pantry?  It's FULL.

And so is my heart.  God is so good to show us His love through His people.  What a blessing!
So I call this recipe that I made last night ALL out of things we were given from the Pounding.....

BLESSING SOUP (Perfect for a cold day with 2 sickly girls.)
1 32 oz. box of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup + 1 can of water
1 large can of chicken breast in water
1 can of corn
1 can of green beans
1 can of sliced carrots
1/2 envelope of Lipton onion soup mix
dash of creole seasoning
dash of garlic salt
salt/pepper to taste
1/3 bag of egg noodles
1 box of Saltines (to crush into your soup, of course!)

Put all in crock pot on low for 4 hours, except leave out the noodles until the last 30 minutes of cooking time.  Stir occasionally or leave it and let it simmer.  Perfection Purely from a Pounding.
Thank you, Shady Oaks.

Acclimated & Blessed

Oh my goodness.  Blow the dust off your screens.  It's been a while.  I tried to clean out the cobwebs by getting a new background, but it's still awfully quiet around here.  If you go over to facebook or pinterest, you may see more movement, but even twitter has gotten the shaft lately.  There is just way too much going on in my over-stimulated mind to put down into 40 characters.

But since you obviously didn't come here expecting to spend too much time reading....   (Actually, if you are here at all, you must really love me.  *By the way, Hi 'Chelle!)  I will put down a timeline of what I've been doing over the past few months.  August was a blur.  September was... Wait, is September over already?!  *sigh*  I do heart fall.  So glad it's here but I'm not sure that Texas got the memo.  Maybe that's why I'm so discombobulated.  I think I'll go back and start with July.

July 10 Shady Oaks Baptist Church calls Brad to be their pastor.
July 14 Brad & Luke go to Brazil (see Mission trip blog) while the girls & I go home and start staging our house to sell.
August 6 We receive an offer on our house.  (Note:  That's less than 3 weeks on the market, in a market that's not selling, in a town, much-less a neighborhood that's not selling....Oh, and at the end of a triple-digit heat wave, with a pool.  Sorry about the heat wave, Kansas, but thank you, God for that selling boost!)
August 14 Last day at RiverPoint Church, Drive to Texas
August 17 Moving truck arrives at our rental house with all of our possessions.
August 19 Offered a job teaching voice at a middle school close to our new house!
August 22 Luke and Grace start school!  Luke is starting 8th grade and playing football in his last year at middle school!  He's in Advanced Placement Science and getting good grades in everything!  Grace, after K-4 homeschooling, is starting 5th grade which here, is the last year of elementary school.  We decided on public school after much research and have loved it!  All 3 of Grace's teachers have told her that "the most important part about them is that they are Christian".  Praise God!  Grace is now Gracie to all of her classmates, but Mom's not budging.  She'll always be my Grace Caroline!  Grace enjoys choir and reading and has friends in our neighborhood that she wants to play with daily!
August 30 Moriah begins Preschool 2 days a week at a church down the street from our house.
September 3 Open House for staff, search committee and all those who helped us move in to our new house.
September 6 Start teaching voice on the days while Moriah is at preschool.  Luke's football games begin every Tuesday in September & October!
September 15 SPARK SEATTLE trip - My favorite trip ever!  God is so good.
September 24 My mom's surprise birthday celebration reunion with friends and family back in Kansas!

What miracles!!!  See what God has done!  I'm overwhelmed with His provision and love and blessing.  My friend, Hopie, texted this a while back and I still think how wonderful God's blessing is....

Definition of blessed:  "one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life.  The hand of God is directing all his affairs for a divine purpose and thus the person lives before the face of God."


Hearing Rich Mullins' song "Hold Me, Jesus" the other day, I realized that right now....He is King of my glory.  There are times in life, and have been times and will be times again when I need Him to be my Prince of Peace.  But right now, I'm praising the King of my glory for directing all of His affairs for a divine purpose and that I am getting to live before the face of God.  It's a beautiful place to be!  *sigh*  It's good to be back.  Thanks for dropping by.  I hope you are BLESSED today.

SPARK Orlando

On February16-20, I will be serving with approximately 50 other women in Orlando, Florida to be a part of a Women’s Only Mission trip through SPARK MINISTRY.  During the weekend, we will be ministering to the women of the Orlando Union Rescue Mission and the City Rescue Mission of Jacksonville, Florida.  Both missions are faith-based homeless shelters. Our team will provide these women with a weekend retreat of love, encouragement, and God’s truth to refresh and renew their lives.  This trip is a calling from God to go and reach out in the name of Jesus to these women.

I need your support – both in prayer and finances.  I need to raise $ for the cost of this weekend.  (All donations are tax deductible)  But more importantly, I need your prayer support for myself, my family while I'm gone, and for the goals of the trip to be completed as God has called us.   One way you can donate is by ordering a SPARK cookbook!  It has a ton of yummy Texas recipes in it and makes a great gift!

If you would like to support me in any way, please send me an email, leave a comment or just go to www.sparkministry.org and give online to this great weekend God has planned for women.

Thank you for your love and support for my family, this ministry, and me.  I covet your prayers and appreciate your support more that you will ever know.

Pears & Praises

This is a picture of God's provision through His people. My friend Jennifer & her mom, Cheri (Moriah's TinyTown teacher at RiverPoint) dropped by yesterday with a huge sack of fresh pears. They had picked them off their elderly aunt's tree. Jen asked her if she could give them away since her aunt didn't need so many anymore. She felt God asking her to take them to neighbors who had lost jobs recently.

That's ministry.

God wants us to take care of our bodies and eat healthily, but it costs to eat healthy! Fresh produce is not cheap.

Jen doesn't know it but we're on our last few dollars until the next "provision day". It was a tough few weeks of unexpected bills and car problems, but God is so good. We have every reason to praise Him for what we do have, because of how faithful He is to provide.

Thanks Jen, you've blessed us.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10

*BIG Sigh*

Today I'm paying hospital bills for a baby I didn't get to have.

Sometimes life just isn't fair.

But....

I am praising God that I can pay those bills and for answered prayers and for wisdom to do what is best for our family. Thankful for peace that passes understanding and for the promise He gives that I can hang onto....Jeremiah 29:11.

Repeat after me...."hope and a future.....hope and a future....hope and a future....".

So, here's to new plans (that weren't my plans) for a fabulous, fun-filled fall. Who's with me?!

Dwelling in Peace

I loved this bed....It's a picture of my temporary place until I return to my true home for eternity of being able to talk with Jesus and rest in His arms. He provides times of rest for us because in this world we will have trouble...He allows times of trouble so we will learn to trust Him and He provides the grace to keep trusting Him even when we don't understand....

The hardest part of the day since last Friday is bedtime. For the past month I'd been adjusting to sleeping on my side again. Being able to sleep on my tummy is a most vivid reminder. I cried out to God many times.  He spoke quietly through my tears over and over again.  I soon realized through many loving reminders from His Word and His voice that I was being selfish and prideful to think I had a mind that could understand the ways of God. (Psalm 8)  His will is always what I pray for, and yet in this particular time in life I don't agree with Him?  
I've learned  that t
rusting Him, (though not easy) has come easier during this time than it was back in 2006.  I can praise Him for that because I know Him more.  He's been faithful to bring us through so much since then.  Life is short, and for this small moment of mourning in mine, I choose to look past my own small view of what I think the future should look like and praise God for what He has in store.  Morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed thy Hand hath provided, Great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

Then as I'm counting my blessings, I turn over to see this....

I will lie down and sleep in peace,for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, You are my God, My times are in Your hands...

Psalm 31:14-16

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 4:7

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Psalm 30:5

R & R in AR

On Monday, the girls and I took a 6 hour drive to Arkansas and met up with Luke, my brother & his family and my parents. It was a relaxing home just for pastor's families to retreat.

We ate a lot, played games, watched movies, read books and occasionally left the home to see the Ozark mountains. One day we took a drive into Little Rock and went to the zoo to feed the fish...

and ride on the "choo choo"...

We ate at one of our favoritest places ever... (Chickfila)

We enjoyed relaxing and resting with some of our favoritest people ever... (Aunt Stephanie in this particular moment)

Thank you God for providing places of rest, just when we need it most.

Still Driving

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

And then the miracles happened. One by one bills came in saying PAID. We knew God was holding us up, confirming His call and blessing our obedience. We found out that we'd have a salary by the way, about half of what we'd made before, so God cleared the way for us like the Red Sea parting. But like the Israelites, the long way home became harder and the grumbling got louder. The desert seemed too hot and the wilderness was lonely and boring. I missed the things I was used to having. I let go of stuff physically, but not mentally. It's harder to learn how to budget with less, when you're used to having more. We hadn't lived on this salary since Luke was born, and then to add to our fun and our faith, God gave us another little mouth to feed. I don't know if God let me be pregnant at the time the church was starting so I'd have a reason to hang back and watch all that happened because He knows that's how I usually am, but I'm really thankful because (not only do I now have a bubbly, beautiful baby girl) but it wasn't my time to fruitful in that way. It was my sole purpose to house a healthy little person and I needed time to observe anyway. I also continued serving with Spark ministries mission trips and of course, serving my own little mission field at home.

In October, I got to go to Longview again with SPARK but it was less of me running to minister somewhere else so I'd be blessed, and more of God teaching me that I could minister right where I was, if I just looked for the opportunity. The message that God kept sending my way, more than likely to prune me for such opportunities, was the same word I kept hearing and knew was because... I needed to change in my heart....discontment. So I prayed that God would take it out and give me a heart of contentment....happy with what I have, the tenth commandment. I haven't been happy. I've whined and complained and pouted and grumped. I've not been thankful in all things. I read once that God loves me just the way that I am, but He's not just going to leave me that way.

to be continued...

Driving

ohhh *sigh* where do I begin? God has been stretching out my heart in all kinds of places. I think I'll just list for you my thoughts and expound on them from there. Warning, this could be a long one, so I may have to post this as a series.

Thought #1

I love my husband. aLOT. He blesses me and serves me waaay more than I deserve. He does irk me sometimes in little ways, too like while driving, but he says it's just because I'm not in control. I say it's just because I don't want to die. But that's the adventure of living life with him. He takes me for a ride that usually scares me and is too far out of my comfort zone, but teaches me to let go and trust God to take care of me at the same time. His adventurous spirit is why we are here. It's also a reason I married him.

That brings me to yesterday, in our DRIVE series at RiverPoint; (now THAT's a segway!) he preached about giving and while talking about giving sacrificially, he brought up our call to come to Kansas. It is the first time I really remember crying during his sermon... tears of joy. (The first time I cried tears of mourning was Christmas Eve 2007, when I dreadfully missed our beloved church in Plano.) God has been working out my discontentment and I realized at that moment that He'd brought me a long way, if I could actually be thankful as Brad spoke about our move. I was happy and content, and that was an answered prayer of mine. God did that in me.

I remember sitting in our comfy living room on Eldorado with butterflies in my tummy knowing that things were about to change and my ground was shaking... again. Brad was talking to Tom about coming to pastor a new church plant in Kansas, without a name, without a place, without knowing anything about planting a church, and without any funds. with 4 other people. 4.

Now I was used to listening on the other end of the phone calls when another church was asking him to come be their music minister. I was getting used to the idea of moving. I was sorta used to meeting new people. I was used to him asking the question regarding his salary. I got used to the answer increasing with each phone call. So that probably made all of those other things I had to get used to....a lot easier. Amazing the balm that money is on the nerves of a material girl like me...and Madonna apparently. But that phone call was much different than all of the others. The answer to the question about our salary, our well-being, our family's future was, as Brad said "I. don't. know." He hung up and my ground stopped shaking. But he was wrecked. God was stretching Brad's faith and I was along for the ride. And just like in the car, I was whining and screaming and slamming the imaginary passenger's side brake. I'd never seen my husband take that big of a leap of faith and I was so proud, but then -hold the phone- he wasn't the one managing our money. He had no idea what kind of miracles it would take to say yes to a call like that. He had no idea what kind of commitment he was getting into when we had accrued so much debt, living on the salary that we had been living on. He stepped out in faith. I stepped in something else and left the footprints of it wherever I walked, sure that no one would notice if I were wearing designer shoes and a smile....

to be continued.

Tanks a lot!

I've been thinking a lot about the economic stimulus check we're receiving this week from the government. Too much, I think. When money comes that's outside of our income, I just rush to think we need to pay off debt, and I get excited at the possibilities. While paying down debt is important, I also want to give back. God will take care of our debt in His time, but I don't always have the money to give for an offering. So I've been praying for ways that we could provide for someone else, showing God's love to them, and also showing my children that this money isn't ours. It's God's for us to manage.

Focus on the Family has great Christian magazines for kids. My kids love getting theirs in the mail. Luke gets Clubhouse, and Grace gets Clubhouse, Jr. This month in Clubhouse, Jr. there was a story about a boy who went on a mission trip to Uganda, Africa. Grace and I read this story and saw that we could provide TANK TOPS for orphans in Africa. Grace loves clothes and loves to shop, so this is one way for us to give back together. This afternoon we're going to Walmart to shop for tank tops. If you are in my area, and would like to join Grace and I in providing tank tops for orphans, please let me know by June 1st and I will come pick them up from you and mail them along with ours. OR, the information is all RIGHT HERE, if you'd like to get involved yourself. Tanks a Lot! :)

Here's how:
Collect NEW tank tops to fit children ages 3 to 18. Tank tops can be any color. Be creative!
Take a picture of yourself with your tank top.
Write about how you collected the tank tops and who helped.
Send your tops, photo and story to the Club by June 30, 2008.
Mail tank tops to:
Clubhouse Jr., “Tanks A Lot,” P.O. Box 16850, Colorado Springs, CO 80935

Week of Blessings

16. Coffee made with Love by my husband daily

17. Early morning baby smiles that say "I know you! You're the one that loves me." (Those make it so much easier to get up after a night of interrupted sleep....and you know how I feel about sleep.)

18. Cool enough weather in Kansas that I don't have to turn on my AC! (Saving money is key right now. Can you believe the hospital charges people to have babies??? How rude. They should pay me for bringing this perfect little being into the world.)

19. Speaking of getting paid to have kids, thanks to George Bush for the check coming soon! Bless his little heart.

20. Leftover Strawberry Shortcake that got me through that afternoon slump and made me happy---guilt-free!

Strawberry Shortcake
Mix together:
2 bags of whole frozen strawberries, thawed
24 oz. of strawberry yogurt (4 little cups of Yoplait)
3/4 tub of lite cool whip
Angel Food Cake, Cubed
Layer cake and strawberry mix into trifle. Yummy, lowfat and easy!

And She Shall Be Called....

Moriah Natalie Martin

We have named our baby girl, so we can stop calling her baby girl. After many discussions and much prayer, we feel this is a perfect name for her. Brad announced her name in church on Sunday, as it went along with his sermon. We are naming her after a precious place in the Bible where God revealed Himself as "Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide" (Gen. 22) when a faithful man was tested and obeyed. This is the same place where later, God called for a temple to be built (2 Chronicles 3:1) and from then on every sacrifice of worship made there was based on the foundation that the Lord would provide. We've experienced true worship this year for the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for our sin and He has blessed us in abundance. Our faith was tested and has increased, a church has begun, and this baby girl is just the icing on the cake of blessings over the past year. Her middle name is after my sister, Natalie. There is a post about her here. Her name is Moriah Natalie Martin. She is due to arrive March 5th on her Daddy's birthday, and we can't wait for you to meet her.

BIG DREAMS, itty bitty apartment

Okay. Here's the tired-achy-body, still-a-few-boxes-left- view from here.

Our apartment is very sweet, very cozy, with plenty of room in each bedroom, even for my beloved King size bed! My sister in law helped me with the kitchen (Thank you Terri!) and it's now named by Luke as "Le Cafe Martin, II". My signature sign hangs above the kitchen table, "In Everything Give Thanks". During the reality of "what can we fit in here, and what will store until who knows when?", I just clung (is that the past tense of cling? surely not clinged?) to that sign, hanging on for dear life. Okay not for dear life. It's just stupid stuff, for goodness sake. Why the drama?

Anyway, we feel extremely blessed that God picked the right place for us, seeing as we didn't see ONE picture before we got here, or have any idea if it was nice or...not. (Nope, no website.) I was happy to see that the first place we called in this town, which -thank-you-GOD- didn't answer the phone, reminded me of my old church camp cabins, except the camp actually took better care of the lawns.
Thanks God. Nice save.

Coffee still brews morningly and nightly. Ya'll come see us. We'll leave the light on for ya.

"As for me and my apartment, we will serve the Lord."

House Party

My favorite verse was in the sidebar today, perfect for my birthday. It's been a celebratory day full of "Thank you, Lord!" 's and "Woo-hoo!"'s.

Our house is sold. God is So Good. I've been praying for that perfect family, and that God would work out all of their details, and in His very perfect timing, with His very perfect love, He's once again reached down and kissed me on the cheek. It was sold to my dear friend. I pray this will be her castle. I pray that she'll be blessed here. I love that Luke's & Grace's friends will get to play on their swingset in the backyard and sleep peacefully in their prayer-covered rooms. Love dwells here because it's not our house, it's God's. He worked things out for the good of those who love Him, and we're thankful. And speaking of that....

..my cousins, Bryce, Kara & Zane called tonight and found out that they are moving to Kansas, too!

Kansas Invasion: Friday, May 25th

The Perfect Guest

Yesterday, God showed up and showed off for me and 4 other friends. I love when He does that! My beautiful friend, C and her family are going through hard times. Some of her girlfriends and I went to her house to eat lunch & pray for her. (I had just left from saying goodbye to Brad, as he left for Kansas.) Just as we finished eating, Molly opened to Psalm 27 and started reading. The doorbell rang. C was having moving companies come make bids, and I thought "Great, a distraction!"

ENTER God's Perfect Guest at God's Perfect Timing:
Around the corner came a kind-yet-strong-looking black man that introduced himself as "Victor" of a Dallas moving company, but who is also a Pastor. His smile was tender as he asked if he could pray with us. We looked in awe at each other as we answered in unison, "Yes!" He said he knew he had "just walked in on a Holy Ghost meeting"! Then with more perfect timing, came C's husband to join us. Victor said he was at the playground with his kids the other day, just watching them when God spoke. "Look at them! They aren't worried about a thing in the world: relationships, bills....they just play, without a care in the world."
"I wish I could be that age again," he thought. God replied in his thoughts. "Come to Me like a child, and I will give you that care-free, childlike peace and fun in life." Victor had no idea what we were there to pray about, but his words were miraculously appropriate to the situation. I wish I had recorded them. Only God could have been so perfectly in line with us. He sent Victor at the right time with the right words, and prayed a God-spoken prayer. When he finished, he said he had "God-bumps!", not goosebumps, but "God-bumps!" We all did! It was amazing!

Before he left us, he mentioned that he was about to go plant a church in the south Dallas area, and my friends replied that my husband had just left for Kansas to do the same. He looked at me with love-pierced eyes and said, "God doesn't want us to get comfortable where we are, so He gets us out to serve Him so that we can see that His grace is sufficient for us." I welled up with BIG tears and thanked God for speaking directly to me.

When Brad left, I cried and I couldn't figure out why. He is a big piece of my "comfort zone", I guess and he just drove away. I felt like I was walking out into the battlefield..... alone. Thank you God for lifting me up in a weak moment and reminding me again that I'll never be alone, serving You.

Material Girl

These are a few of my favorite things....

1. Diet Dr. Pepper
2. my Macbook
3. Hypnose mascara by Lancome
4. my pink super-soft robe
5. Caribou Coffee granola bars
6. my iPod
7. Tazo tea "Awake" flavor
8. Love Spell body lotion by Victoria
9. my books
10. my Trailblazer

So my husband blogged a question that convicted me (don't you hate it when that happens?) and my mind and my studies in God's Word have been going in the same direction....pretty good indication that God is trying to tell me something, right?

I like my stuff. I'm not a materialistic person as far as most people go, I think, but I really like my stuff. In fact, when I look at my list here, I think of those things as "needs", not "wants".....and there it is. What is the difference between my needs and my wants? This question automatically leads into the next question which is actually the one my husband asked...What are you willing to give up in order to live a life of simply being blessed by God? (paraphrased from BRAD'S BLOG, "In the Zone" 1/31/07) I want to be blessed. I don't want to be tied down to "stuff". I want the freedom and simplicity of living and serving God and God alone. You can't serve 2 masters. (Matthew 6:24) So here begins the battle between flesh and spirit, the power of desire against the will to resist which can only come from the Holy Spirit in me. (James 4) So, I'm starting to work on that list, and deciding if and how I can give up these things, and what God wants me to do with them...

I've known for a while that I needed to sell my Trailblazer. I would never have admitted it, because I was too wrapped up in it. I love it. I talk to it, especially when it's riding on fumes and I need it to keep going until I can get gas. We bought it when I was working, so we could easily afford it, and now it's just time to get something more economical, something I actually need, and not just want.

Please pray it will sell quickly and we will have the discipline and wisdom to continue to obey.

Vacation

I love rainy days. There's nothing better than a cup of coffee, while watching the rain outside my front door.

We got in last night at midnight from a wonderful, magical vacation in Orlando. We stayed with friends and relaxed, ate, played outside in the perfect weather, and of course, went to DisneyWorld. Brad's best friend, who used to be in Brad's choir, moved there to be a Worship pastor. He has many people from his church who work at Disney and can get them in free anytime, which was such a blessing for us! One of the coolest things was their son, who is college-aged and used to be in my bible study group and in Brad's youth choir, is working at Disney, as none other than...Prince Charming. He told us many of the "backstage" Disney secrets and we learned a lot about how it all works! We were so proud to wave at him in the parade, and see him in a show in front of the castle. It was good to spend time with friends, relax and play as a family.

We even got to march in the "Family Fun Day" parade....

Today is our last day of "Fall break" and we are enjoying just being home....together.