Patchwork Pieces

Friday, September 16, 2011

I'm Still Here...

...and I'll try to get some more blog posts up soon!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

So True

"One moment of patience may ward off great disaster.

One moment of impatience may ruin a whole life."

~Chinese Proverb

(copied from a friend's Facebook status)

Thursday, September 1, 2011

August 25th marked the first day of what is Josh's last year of Bible school at Ambassador Baptist College! Wow! It's amazing to think we have been here in North Carolina for almost four years...and that our time here is quickly drawing to a close. Leaving next summer will be bittersweet--saying goodbye to our church and the other friends we've made here, leaving our first home, knowing we won't be seeing long autumns (my favorite season) and mild winters anymore, and yet it will be nice to be back in Minnesota again, being close to our families, enjoying summers that don't get so hot, helping in our church there for a couple years and eventually doing a church plant in that area (Lord willing). We chuckle over how now that Josh is almost done with school, we have finally figured out how to stay well on top of the workload. Haha! To bad we couldn't have discovered that sooner! (Our secret? Do school projects way before they are due!) He is taking classes Monday through Friday this semester and doing 14 credit hours, though so far, it's much easier than his 15.5 credit hours last spring semester. He's such an amazing guy.

Sorrow and Joy

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with them that do rejoice
and weep with them that weep.

Last Thursday we heard the terribly sad news that an eighteen year-old cousin of mine had taken his life. It was very unexpected. No notes were left behind and no one for sure knows 'why'. It is so heartbreaking. I had never known him very well, and now I wish I had made more of an effort to become acquainted. Inevitably there is the question, "Is there something I could have said or done to keep him from doing this?" Maybe not. But it really made me realize the importance of reaching out to others and how I really need to improve in this area. We may never know until eternity the difference we've made in another's life just by being yielded to God, being a good witness for Him, and serving Him by serving others.

On Sunday, we heard the wonderful happy news that another cousin of mine had given birth to a full-term beautiful healthy baby girl after a difficult pregnancy and after having lost a premature baby girl last year. Oh joy!! Thank you, Lord!

Retro-Vintage Decor

My sister-in-law Hannah went with a retro-vintage decorating theme for their wedding and reception.

It was so cute!!

(Side note: this is during the recessional; he swept her off her feet and carried her up the aisle! How cute is that!) Here you can see the arbor with greenery and flowers, and the candles lining the aisle.

This blackboard sign and tulle graced one side of the entrance to the reception.

And this old bicycle and basin of daisies graced the other side!

For centerpiece decor, the tables had cake stands with cupcakes, candy dishes with silver spoons (and of course, M&M's and gourmet jelly beans!), votive candles, little bells and rose petals.

The vintage cake topper was the same one Grandpa and Grandma Dunham had on
their wedding cake many years ago.

Antique drawers were filled with colorful old-fashioned candy.

Photo booth (quilt and decorative drapes) with a chalk board and various things you could wear (mustaches, old glasses, big lips, 50's hats, cane, dainty umbrella) or sit on (old bicycle, antique chair). I didn't get any of the really good pictures, but here's a few to give you an idea!

Also, in the buffet line, old wash basins were filled with ice, and one held a huge bowl of potato salad, another a big bowl of pasta salad, and two others held retro-style glass bottles of pop!

(That's 'soda' for you Southerners!)

It was such a wonderful day!

(Thanks to my sisters for taking these pictures.)