The Presbytery Meeting!

What a week this has been...what a perfectly wonderful, amazing, exhilarating, blissful week! God has been so very good to us, and has showered us with so many of His blessings! We had the privilege of visiting with friends that we rarely see and meeting new friends as well! Presbytery was a success - all seemed to go as planned. Thank You Lord!

We had a great time getting to know the Lovett, Hector and Davis families, as well as Dr. Sproul Jr. and my mom’s friend, Mrs. Kulikauskas. They stayed at our house during the week (and the Hectors and Davis' a bit longer, which was wonderful!!!!) and we enjoyed much sweet fellowship, laughter, feasting and chatting! There were a few interesting episodes: one included a boat and a snake (and the boat was filled with a few frightened girls – plus a few others - but we won't mention that). :-)

Then on Monday night we were able to go see "Prince Caspian" (you can read my dear father’s review HERE) with our friends, which was so exciting! Thankfully, nobody choked. :-D (Inside joke) And the joy on the ride home was...ahem...joyful! *grin*

Then on Wednesday night we were able to do our official "Star-Gazing" evening. The "older" kids camped out on the lawn (the road, unfortunately didn't end up working out...too much gravel...and it didn't go over to well with the Moms who had visions of headlights...ahem.), telling stories, watching the stars, and just having a marvelous time, that is until we were awoken (due to a forecasting of rainfall that evening) and finally went inside at around 12:30. :-)

I couldn't recapture the joy that this week has filled me with if I had hundreds of pages to write on, but I can tell you this: God is so good...so very good.

Thank you, everyone that came, for taking the time to be with us. It was a wonderful week! God bless all, and please enjoy the photos!

In Christ Alone,

Jessica

You can view the nearly complete photo albums here:

Presbytery Meeting

Davis Family Visit

P.S. You can see more photos from Presbytery on the following blogs (if anyone knows of more, please let me know!):

My Mom
The Davis Family
The Erber Family
The Strand Family

The Geaschel Family

The Ryken Family

The Bradshaw Family

Elissa Pickle
Kaliste Lovett
The Yen Family

Some of the young ladies at Church huddled together for a group photo!

I love Tiff's and Jared's faces in this picture. TOO funny! :-D Anyhoo, they're serving food during the Friday night dinner. It was delicious, y'all!

William and Brown Sugar...attempting to dance? They were too cute! :-)

This picture makes me laugh. Us girls were posing for a photo and at the moment Tiff was getting the picture Mr. Ryken walked in front of the camera, so we made him get into the photo with us! :-D
L-R: Elissa, Melinda, Me and Red. And then Mr. Ryken, of course. :-)

Group Shot at Church. (Got to love the modern art behind us...er...not. :-D)

The adults enjoy dinner at the Sanford's house.

Guess who's hands are who's!! :-) I'll give you a clue! Here's who's hands are in the photo: Melissa, Caleb, Goose, Daisy and I. (This is after an entire afternoon of gardening, by the way.)

Lil' Cowboy, William, and Brown Sugar enjoying one another's company!

Tiff took the kids on a ride down the gravel road on the John Deere!

Melissa and Red...I think they're getting ready to go somewhere...not positive about that, though. :)

Melissa, Red and Tiff around the kitchen sink.

This Chicken coop in the making is being used as a play pen, it appears. Or something to that affect, anyway. :-D Brown Sugar and William enjoyed dancing around in it. :-D

Dad and Goose working on the Chicken Coop.

The Davis and McDonald kids.

Some of our group at the Arlee Theater, where we went to go see "Prince Caspian"

All of our group at the Arlee...well, except the photographer (Tiff) anyway. :)

Well, I would call this "Raising the garden tools in our garden" (or Iwo Jima) but I'm not too sure... If you had been working as hard as we were, you'd understand. :-D

The gardeners. :-) Caleb, Mel, Myself and Goose.

Everybody listens as Ashton picks up our phone when it rings and tells Melinda that he's Tom Cruise. I don't think she's convinced. :-)

Dr. Sproul Jr. tells the little one's a story on Sunday Morning before Church. You should've seen them, they were captivated!

Why did I put this photo up? Let me tell you. Just look at it for a long moment...see something out of place? That's right. A girl from the 1800's on a...cell phone??!! :-D My thought's exactly.

The Hector, Davis, McDonald and Pickle kids.

Mel and Red sing on the way to the Arlee Theater.

So Elissa and I both found this neat Knight in not-so-shining-armor and fought over him. It appears he didn't want to be either of our knight. He ignored us the whole time. :( He even let me hang on his arm and didn't even say a word. Talk about rude. :-)

We were shocked at the surprising resemblance between Jonathan Lovett and William. Aren't they cute?? Long lost twins?? :-D

William and Brown Sugar taking a breath of fresh air.

Anthony Hector and Joy P. watch the boats on the lake.

"Us" on the boat! We had way too much fun!

Tiff..."waiting' for my deary...!" :-)

Mr. and Mrs. Ryken at the baseball game with their adorable baby, Sara!

Melissa and William. And I was going to say something about the...person behind her, but I shall refrain from doing so. :-)

I know. That's what I was thinking too. No comment.:-)
(by the way, that's Jeremy, Jared and Garrison personified. Oh and the dog too.)

Mr. Price amongst the dancers. :-)

Red and Ben dancing!

Dr. Sproul Jr. and William at the baseball game!

Elissa and I see each other for the first time in 2 years at the baseball game!!!

Dad and William!!

A portion of the Sanford family watching the game!

Watching the game....will the Peoria chiefs win?? Um. No. :(

Kenan and Kaliste Lovett chatting with Amy P.

Mrs. Lovett and Hannah.

Mr. Riggenbach, Amy Patterson, Lily Riggenbach and Mel! :-)

Some of "the guys" talking.

Some more of "the guys" playing a game of football, I believe.