Remembering...

On this day, exactly one year ago, something big happened in my family. We packed up our big moving truck and left our beloved Lone Star State behind to follow God's call up north.

We moved to the lovely corn and soy-filled, state of Illinois to a small church where my Dad was led to Pastor.

I remember the day so clearly, running my hand along the bare walls of our home, tears running down my cheeks as the realization hit me. I'd lived in this special place for nearly eight years. How hard it was to leave! Knowing that never again would I run up those stairs (yes, I said 'run'. *smile*), never play capture the flag on the greenbelt, never dance or Rollerblade on that dear old parking lot beside our house, never have long chats with my wonderful family in the living room. And never again would I welcome guests into that foyer. Never again.

But there's something amazing about the fact that when God calls you to do something, He never leaves you on your own. He gives you the strength to plod through this new area of life and then makes you love it. And that, to me, was so precious. Knowing that God had everything perfectly planned and nothing was out of His control.
He was leading, and we, were following.

We are loving life in Illinois (even though it happens to be called...ahem...the land of Lincoln *grin*) and for me, it has it's good points (less bugs, less heat, for example *grin*). And we love our dear church family up here. Though we dreadfully miss our 'Southern' friends, we are learning to call Illinois home. And life is beautiful.

jessica

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Here's a video that I put together last year, right after we moved:

Two Tags :)

La Belle Dame Sans Merci by Sir Frank Dicksee

Y'all,

Elissa tagged me, so here goes! :D

My favorite things
What is your favorite kind of food? Middle Eastern!!!! (Okay, so I went to this restaurant in Dallas, TX and it was called "Taste of Galilee" and it was SOOO delicious!!!!)

What is your favorite animal? Panda Bears, Little Birds, Chipmunks, and Elephants (this is ridiculous, but I saw this ad for a new kids movie that's coming out called "Horton Hears A Who" and it looked SOOOOO cute! So now I love Elephants, and if I had one I'd call it "Horton" lol. I know, I'm crazy)!!

What is your favorite time period? Ooooo! I love almost every era!!! Let's see...War of 1812, The War Between the States (also known as The Late Unpleasantness), Regency, Victorian, Medieval, Renaissance, 18th Century, Tudor Era, 1950's, the list goes on and on. :D

What is your favorite outfit? My 50's Dress (duh!) *grin*

What is your favorite outdoor activitie? Um. I'm not really a big outdoor activity person, so I suppose dancing would be it. Oh, and Volleyball's not bad. :)

I Tag: Sierra, Lenna, Anna B. and Darby


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I found this on Amy's blog and thought it was hilarious so I'll try it out! :D (My answers are bolded.)

You are riding in an air-plane when you happen to look out your window and see a dragon flying alongside the plane. You... D. (Absolutly!! I mean what else would I do???)

A: Scream.

B: remain perfectly still, too scared to make any noise or even move.

C: jam your fist through the window and leap on the dragon's back.

D: Faint.

E. Say, "Hey it's a dragon!

You are sleeping over your friend's house, it's late at night, but you can't fall asleep. Lying in bed, you hear their front door creep open, and the sound of someone coming in and sneaking around the house. You... Okay, this one brings back really weird memories of spending the night at the Habeggers house...lol. Umm...B. LOL. Hey, I've got to be honest, don't I? LOL.

A: grab a baseball bat, or anything on hand that looks in any way like a weapon, and peek past the door to see what’s going on.

B: Hide under your covers and remain very still, hoping the burglar or whoever it is would just go away and leave poor you alone.

C: Wake up your friend or whoever is closest at hand to tell them what you hear.

D: Make scary ghost-like noises, knowing that trying to scare the burglar out of the house is the best option.

E. Awake the parents and hide in the closet, hoping he doesn't look in there.

One of your friends challenges you to do the chicken dance in the middle of Wall-Mart. You....

A!!! Though I was thinking more of doing the tango with my invisible partner. lol.

A: Do it! Who cares what people think!

B:Gasp! Who would do such a thing?

C: only if he/she does it first!

D:Try on some sunglasses and pretend you don't know this person.

E. make them pay you first

You find a million dollars on the floor. You...

B...of course! And then go buy out the local JoAnn's and the local Barnes and Noble. And then order a special shipment of 20,000 gallons of Blue Bell Ice Cream to last me my entire life. And mabe my grandkids' as well. :)

.A:Try to find its owner (if not keep it)

B: Start dancing and shouting "I got a million dollars!"

C:Leave it alone...let someone else get it.

D:Go shopping

Some stranger walks up to you and says "want to go for a ride"? You...

A. Actually, I'd say "Are you kidding me, Freak!" LOL.

A. stare at em' and say "are you kidding me?!"

B. say " yeah sure!"

C. step on their toe and run away

D.Say "FREAK" and run away.

E. say "No"

Your best friend since kindergarten is acting weird. You...

B. Actually, I would already be weird, so most likely my best friend since kindergarten would be acting weird too. :)

A. Ask her/him what's bothering them.

B. Start acting weird, too.

C. Become increasingly depressed.

D. Say 'You're not my friend anymore, you never want to hang out.'

E.Say "what's YOUR problem?"

You’re stranded on a deserted island. You…

First I would do A. and then I would do E. And then I would hook up a bunch of big sea turtles and surf across the Deep Blue Sea.

A. Run around screaming for help

B. Start gathering fire wood and figuring out some sort of shelter.

C. Begin to explore, you might as well know your surroundings.

D. You build a huge fire in hopes that someone will see it and rescue you.

E.Sit on a rock and write your dying wish

The neighborhood bully walks up behind you and pushes you over on your way home from your walk. You...

Um. B. Then maybe I'd turn and run as fast as I possibly could. :D *cheesy grin*

A. Get up and keep walking, ignoring the bully.

B. You get up and yell in his/her face.

C. You get up and scarcasticly say that you love him/her and walk away.

D.You run and get your mom.

E. cry and run away

F. get into a fist fight

You go out to get the mail and your neighbors 500 pound rottweiler comes streaking straight at you and and barks up a storm, frothing at the mouth and growling. You....

First I'd C. and when that doesn't work I'd D and then when that also proves useless and it starts trying to eat me alive I B. :D

A:Start throwing anything handy at him.

B. Run away screaming

C: Yell that your dad's a lawyer, (even if he isn't one) and that you're going to sue

D: Cry like a little girl and cover head with your arms

E: Say "Niiice doggie" and attempt to pet him.

F: Climb a tree.

Okay, so I tag:

Elissa P

Brooke B

Caleb M

Ashton B

Emil B

Anna V

Megan C

Brandon B

Anthony B

Cassie Y

Joe M

Kaliste L
Nathan D

And uh...wow, I guess that's all. :D
jessica

Our Tea Party

Y'all,

Before we left for Texas (that was last week, we're home now. :D) we had the pleasure of taking tea with the Riggenbach's. It was a superb time of joy, laughter and...of course tea. :)
Anyway, I thought I'd post some pictures of our lovely time. :D

jessica


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Above: Melissa and Tiffany




















Above: Taking Tea.





















Above: Gretal enjoying grapes...I believe.














Above: Lily and I.

Play Practice Photos!

Here's some photos of us practicing for the upcoming Lady Jane Grey play! :)






















Lord and Lady Dudley! *awww*














Peter and Samuel...just some innocent bystanders...















Renard (Josiah) and Mary (Melinda) chatting about Mary's betrothed. :)





















"When does the Prince...(smile and blush) my betrothed..."















"I cannot make terms with your Grace..."




















Wow, Ashton looks totally enthused.





















The Director wonders why in the world she agreed to do this in the first place. Oh yeah...she thought of it. hehe















Queen Mary and her lovely attendents.















Okay, Melinda looks way to pleased with me kneeling before her...lol





















"But I MUST have my crown!" Wails Guilford. LOL. Jon looks so thrillled in that shot! lol.














Emil reading Guilford and Jane's death sentence. I look quite...um...disturbed in that one. lol.















Lord Guilford and Son faithfully reading their scripts (yeah right! lol.).















"It is Mary's crown...I do not want it!"















"It would do well were you to promise not to steal my throne again."














The cast waiting to be called up.
Left to right. Tiff (director), IB (innocent bystander), IB, IB, Josiah (Renard), Garrison (Feckenham), IB, Grace (Lady Dudley), Emil (Henry Grey AND Parliament member), Jon (Guilford Dudley).

“Many have perished for their faith in Christ. Very few speak of Lady Jane Grey when they speak of Martyrs of the faith. But truly, she perished as nobly as any of those. Jane Grey was never allowed to forget that she was a Tudor, fifth in the royal line of succession after King Henry VIII of England. It was a distant threat however, until Henry died, leaving the throne to his son, Edward VI. But when Edward falls ill, Jane is thrust-at age sixteen-into the political arena, a pawn between violent and greedy men who would make her queen. When these men succeed in their quest of power, and Lady Jane is now Queen Jane, she finds herself in a struggle to do the will of God in the face of those who would manipulate her for their own ends. Hers is a struggle of enduring faith.
Please, I pray you, judge this, our play rightly and look beyond the humble props and allow your imaginations to export you back to the time of Kings, Nobles and of ultimate sacrifice.”

Thus begins our play.

We’d been planning to perform a play of Lady Jane Grey for sometime now (even before we moved to Illinois.) but it never actually came together.
But when my father informed Tiffany and I that he wanted people to do performances (plays, singing, instruments, ect.) for the Reformation Day Celebration that our church is hosting, Tiffany and I jumped at the idea.
So thus it began. After the script was finished and parts were given out practice began. Practicing the play has been very *ahem* interesting. lol. We’ve all enjoyed ourselves very much…so much, in fact, that I asked some people to get photos to post on my blog!

I hope y’all like them!