Happy Birthday, Jesus

We celebrated the birthday of OUR King this afternoon at a worship service on our Jones Road Campus. It was a family service where the children from our campus performed and Ray C. preached. It was a very special service that I was thrilled to be a part of. I thought you might enjoy a few pictures! Mary Frances is all the way to the left on the middle row and Thomas is the third one from the right on the back row.

...the preacher...
...the preacher's kid...
...the preacher's family....
..the cutest kids I know...


No matter what happens Christmas Day, don't forget...It's all because of Jesus, and He is worthy of our gratitude!

Brown Sugar

Here she is.... Brown "Sugar". Thomas was stunned, to say the least. I don't even think he touched the dog for 5 minutes. He kept backing up with his eyes wide open in disbelief! It was such a joy to be able to do that for him.

Santa was awesome! He told him to be careful with her since she had surgery last night, that he had to bring her early because she was scared of the reindeer, and that he would have to exercise her every day!

We have had a wonderful day. She has been so sweet. She has not peed or pooped in the house all day. She really appears to be house-trained!!! She has barely barked and has tolerated everything the kids have done! Tomorrow may be a different story since she just got fixed last night! I'm sure she will not feel quite normal for a few days, but I am enjoying her sweet demeanor today!

Santa Clause is Coming Early

My children have no idea... I told Thomas this morning that this is going to be a fun weekend, and even that tomorrow might be the best day of his life! He said, "Is tomorrow Christmas Eve?" I love that kid!!

Thomas has held steadfast to 2 gifts on his Christmas list: a skateboard and a dog! He is afraid Santa will leave him a stuffed dog.

After telling him for a month that we were not getting a dog, we finally caved in! I wanted a cute, fluffy, house-trained, small (10-12 lbs), lap dog. Wait until you see what we got! She does not fit one of my descriptive words - cute doesn't even fit! She is beautiful!

She's also:
a stray from the rescue center (SPCA for those of you in Houston)
short haired
house training unknown
AND
40 POUNDS!!!

Yep...that suckered me into it, but the more we learn about her breed the more excited we get! She is a Vizsla/Labrador Mix. She is a golden color with captivating eyes.

So, she was spayed yesterday and we pick her up tomorrow. So, we can't wait until Christmas morning!

I am working on getting Santa to bring her over tomorrow morning! You'll have to check back tomorrow for pictures!

We will have to name her...Any suggestions? I'm hoping for Nala!! She has the color of the famous Lioness...I'm even considering just telling the kids that is her name and not giving them a chance to name her...what do you think?

Dresses

Mary Frances LOVES dresses! Apparently, it is very important to her to look nice when she goes places. I'm sure I have encouraged that by making sure her bow is in place and that she does look nice, but she is branching out a little!! Now, she is on me and what I'm wearing.

After our tea party last week, she told my mom that I looked kind of pretty but not REALLY pretty because I was wearing pants and not a dress. I do wear pants a lot, but I always look nice and appropriate, but apparently Mary Frances thinks I should also be wearing dresses.

So, last night she came in my closet as I was getting ready and said, "Where are you going mommy?"

I told her I was going to the church for a rehearsal. I was wearing jeans, a sweatshirt, and a hat - something she would NEVER wear!

So she said,"I suppose you should wear a dress." Where did she get "suppose" from? Anyway, I informed her that it was only a rehearsal and that I was wearing my jeans and hat. Then she said, "Well you could at least wear a skirt to church!"

So, I disappointed her last night, but I let her help me pick out my clothes this morning. She wanted a dress for me, but it wasn't right for the occasion. She said, "Well can I have that dress when I get older?"

I then changed into a skirt with tights and boots. She loved the outfit - especially the boots. She checked with me to be sure I wasn't changing again and wanted to be sure I was keeping the boots and earrings on!!

What a character! What have I created?? Jessica says she is definitely related to her - the fashion queen!

Merry Christmas

from Mary Frances :)

Tea Party

Before I ever had children, I planned to have Christmas Tea Parties with my little girl! So, this week of preparation has been so much fun for me. Mary Frances and I have worked together on picking up the house, cooking, and hostessing! We had so much fun at our first Houston Mother/Daughter Tea Party.
Mary Frances was a great hostess, but she mostly loved eating the cookies!! She also enjoyed several cups of tea in her very own China Tea Cup!
She loved hanging out with the girls from church, school, and the neighborhood!
The gingerbread men were a hit! They were gone before I knew it! Of course, the boys were not very happy when they returned, but I'll make them more this week!
It was a great success. We got pictures of all the girls with their mothers. I couldn't believe how many people had never been to a tea party! There will be more to come here for sure!!

Snow in Houston!

It snowed in Bridgeland Friday night! Actually, they brought in a snow machine for the neighborhood Christmas party!! The kids had a blast throwing snow balls at each other!


You can barely see the reindeer in the background, but Dancer is really back there!! Really, a real reindeer! Even I think that is cool!! They wouldn't let us get too close to him, though!

Thanksgiving Vacation

Candace and Brock met us in St. Pete. We were friends on the island. It was so much fun to see them and to catch up with Candace. She is very special to me!!
The Hughes Crew!
Smile if you love Papa!
Yes, that is 7 children six years old and under!
We fed Flamingos at the Sarasota Jungle Gardens!
Some of us held an Alligator! We even saw a woman put a Giant Hissing
Cockroach in her mouth!! Then, she spit it back out alive - just to prove to us that they don't carry diseases and you can eat them! The real test would be to call back this week to see if she came in to work!!
Grandma is very talented musically! So, it was very special to see the children playing the piano with their great-grandmother!
I love listening to grandma play. She rocks on the Miramba!! I love it when she gives us a concert on the miramba at dad's house!!
The kids couldn't wait to see their great-aunt Ruth! We also spent time with Uncle Jim and Barb. It was so good to be with family we haven't seen in a little while, and while we were there we discussed a family reunion next year! We can't wait!
So special to be with out great-grandparents!!

Florida Orange Juice

Thanksgiving in South Florida was great! We stayed in the little house that once belonged to Ray C.'s great grandmother when she was a snow bird. Then, Ray C.'s grandparents became snow birds and wintered in this house. Now, it belongs to Aunt Ruth who comes down to visit frequently! It was so much fun to be there. The best part was opening up the back door the first morning and letting the kids each pick a fresh orange off of the tree. Then, we cut the oranges and put them through the electric juicer.

Mmmm..... There's nothing like fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice!

Jesus

Thomas brought this home yesterday! He used a friend's gray crayon for the nails and even gave Jesus a frown on his face. I was on the verge of tears when I saw it. I love that he was thinking about Jesus while he was coloring at school! And, in the midst of the Christmas season, it was such a nice reminder of what Christ did for us.

Doing Time at the Zoo

3 kids, 2 adults, and 1 plane!

YEAH! We're leaving for Florida this afternoon on a PLANE!! I am sure most of you cannot wait for the blog entry when we return!! Can you imagine what it must be like to travel with THREE little ones? I'm only a little nervous but mostly excited. It will certainly be an memorable adventure!

I had decided to require each child to carry a backpack with adequate supplies to slow them down enough to keep up with them in the airport, but Thomas reminded me this morning that they need to carry their car seats with them! So, I guess the backpacks will be light since they have to carry the seats - and YES, I am making them carry their own seats. They are only booster seats. They should be fine. I'll pitch in if need be, but I need as much to weigh them down as possible! Remember, this is survival thinking.

I have also considered taking a rope like preschools use to keep them all in line - meaning they each have to hold the rope to walk in a single file line. I haven't completely x'd this off, but I think I might at least keep a jump rope in my bag in case I need it!!

Any other suggestions? We are going to get to the airport early enough to not be late but not too early. I don't want to be sitting there too long with not much to do. Of course, they will have some games and coloring books.

Regardless, I am looking forward to it! We love adventures. So, here we go... Pray for the other people on the plane!!

Quiet Time

I was so busy when I came back from Georgia that I didn't take the time to mention how it went! I had a BLAST!! I read Bridal Magazines all weekend and really enjoyed spending some much needed time on my business.

I got to send some quality time with my sister, my mom, and my dad. It was so nice to have uninterrupted conversations and to have a break from changing diapers, sheets, and clothes!!

On Saturday, I got to go hunting with my dad. I always tell people that my dad didn't have any boys, so I got to go hunting by default! :) Hunting has always been our special time together. I love getting up early and to be sitting in a tree before you can even see daylight! I love being able to hear every little thing moving around me.

It was so amazing to me to be back in the woods. I always feel so privileged to see deer in the wild. We are accustomed to seeing birds and squirrels around, but I feel really blessed to be part of the deer's world. Hunting isn't about the killing for my dad or me. It's about the thrill of nature and being so close to God.

The whole weekend was refreshing to me. I realized how much I need that time away to focus on who I am and what direction my life is going. I've determined that I am a child of the King. I am a wife and a mother, and I am a wedding planner, and right now, that's all I can be! I want to be good at all of those things, but if I keep adding in little things here and there, I lose focus of where I am headed.

So, I've been saying "no" A LOT lately. It is hard for me to turn people down, but I have been much happier. My house is cleaner, FINALLY!! And, my children are getting more time with me!

This week, I am thankful for time away to clear my head and to get me back on the path God has laid out for me!

Thanksgiving Memories

I know it bugs most people to have Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving, but if you come to my house, you'll just have to get over it!!

For me, Christmas decorations are part of Thanksgiving. I know many of my readers will be able to reminisce with me about Thanksgiving growing up. Every year, my family would travel 2 hours to a tiny little town called Richland, GA. It's just outside of Columbus.

On Wednesdays, our friends, the Griggs, would come up from Florida, and we would ride together - arriving that evening. We all stayed in the Snipes' antebellum home. Each family had a room, and all the kids piled up in the den in our sleeping bags. We stayed up late - playing tricks on each other and all the games you can think of playing when you were a kid.

There were five families all together EVERY year! I have great memories of Thanksgiving, but one of my favorite is how Mrs. Kay always had her home decorated for Christmas. The tree was lit and decorated. The banisters were wrapped with greenery. The Christmas dishes were out, and it felt like Christmas had arrived.

Every morning, the men would get up early to go hunting. I joined them some times, but my loyalties were torn between hunting and hanging with the girls. The guys went hunting every afternoon as well - that is except for Friday!! On Friday, they went in the morning, but they stayed home that night to watch all the kids because the women went shopping in Columbus. Sometimes we went and watched movies and shopped, but the smaller ones usually stayed behind with the men who cooked chilli for dinner!

We dreaded leaving on Sundays because, for the most part, we wouldn't all be back together until the next Thanksgiving. We have remained friends with everyone, but Thanksgiving just hasn't been the same since all the kids grew up and started getting married. We all have our different traditions each year. I still love Thanksgiving, but nothing will ever replace those memories for me.

So for me, Thanksgiving ushers in Christmas is the most special way. I guess that's why it has always been my favorite holiday. But the best part about Thanksgiving is spending it with family and friends. There is nothing more depressing than a Thanksgiving without a house full of people!

Oh, Snap..

When Thomas and I were playing Chutes and Ladders last night, he was excited about getting to go up a ladder and said "snap". Ray C. and I busted out laughing.

I said, "Did you just say "snap"?"

Thomas replied, "Yeah. It's just an expression for "man"." So, we started laughing even harder.

He said, "Not a man like daddy, but like when you say "Oh, man". We were all laughing together!

Again I say, "I love the things that come out of their little minds and mouths" - most of the time!!

Here I Go...

I am sitting in the Houston Airport waiting to go back to Georgia for the weekend! I am so excited about spending a few days without my daily responsibilities. My bag is packed with jeans, tshirts, and sweat pants. I plan to lay around, read, and enjoy the fall leaves that surround my parents beautiful property!! I'm going to drink coffee on the back porch in the mornings. I'm going deer hunting with my dad - our favorite pastime. I'm going to have girl talk with my mom and sister, and I'm going to sleep until my body wants to get up!!

I love my family and everything I do for and with them, but sometimes a girl needs a break!!!

Pumpkin Bisque Recipe

This recipe is one I got from my mother-in-law. She made a delicious Squash Bisque for us, and then I realized I could use pumpkin instead and have loved it even more! I love to make a bunch and freeze it in small portions for later!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
4 cups pumpkin
1 quart chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup half and half (milk is fine)

Melt butter, saute onions. Add onion, potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, and salt. Cook until tender, then puree in blender. Add freshly cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin. Return puree to pot, add cream and seasonings as desired. Sprinkle each bowl with cayenne pepper, if desired. (This step is to much for me. I just skip the pepper.) This make enough for 6-8 people depending on serving sizes!

Remember to let me know if you try it. I want to know how it turns out!

How To Cook a Pumpkin

Cut a small pie pumpkin in half, horizontally. Scoop out the seeds and set aside for baking later. Scrape out as much of the stringy stuff as you can. Place each half, open side down on a baking sheet. (I use 3 pumpkins to make 1 deep dish pie and 1 full recipe of the bisque.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or more until the pumpkin is "fork tender". Remove the peel, and puree what is left in the food processor. Now you are ready to add the pumpkin to your recipe. It should look very similar to what is in the Libby's can!

How to Cook Pumpkin Seeds

Remove the large orange clumps from the seeds. Don't bother washing the seeds because the pumpkin flavors them!

Toss the seeds with 2-3 teaspoons of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Worstershire Sauce.

Bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees - tossing every fifteen minutes. Add salt after 15-30 minutes to season!

Be sure to let them cool completely before storing them in an air-tight container!

Cooking Pumpkins

I started a tradition a few years ago that I am loving - and apparently Mary Frances is too! As soon as the pumpkins came out this year she started asking when we were going to make pumpkin pie again! I've made Pumpkin Pie every year, but three years ago I started cooking the pumpkins myself and making pies and even Pumpkin Bisque - yum........! I really look forward to it!

So, Friday, we cut open the little pumpkins and cooked away!! The bisque is fantastic and the pumpkin pie is too! So, I thought you all might like to have a new recipe for the season! Now, the pumpkin pie is the recipe right off the Libby's Pumpkin Can - except I substituted 15 oz. of freshly cooked pumpkin instead of the 15 oz. canned!

But, before I give you the recipe, I thought some of you might need to know how exactly you cook a pumpkin. So the next few posts will be your directions! Let me know if you try it and how it comes out!

Trick or Treat

Mary Frances with some neighborhood girls!
Herschel Walker
Spidey
Cinderella's hairdo!!
The Hughes clan!

It was a fun night!! The kids got way too much candy!!

Best Mommy

My kids have been showering me with love the last day or 2. I have no idea what brought it on, but it has been so nice to hear "You the best mommy" and "Mommy, I love you." and "You pretty, mommy" all day long! I have gotten so many hugs and numerous germy kisses - no doubt laden with pneumonia and strep bacteria! I do the best I can to avoid the germs, but a kiss is a kiss, and I love it!!

Queen of the Laundry

Today was Pajama Day at Mary Frances' school. So, on Tuesday night, when we were discussing what PJ's she wanted to wear, she said she wanted to wear here PINK Curious George Pajamas. Then she said, "I want to wear them tonight AND on Thursday to school. I know they will be clean because you do laundry so fast!"

I took it as a compliment and was sure to live up to her expectations! I'll take whatever praise I can get - however it comes!!

Soccer Pictures

The kids have one last game this weekend! We celebrated with a party at Chuck E Cheese on Tuesday night! Mary Frances and Chase got their trophies then. Thomas will get his on Saturday!


The kids have had a good season and have played pretty good for their ages, but we're ready for the end of the season. Mary Frances has now discovered that soccer and tball are not her sports!! She just can't stay interested!

Chase has had a blast just being on a team finally!

The Gift of Independence

(AKA: the curse of the strong will)

After receiving a call from Mary Frances' teacher this afternoon, we had a little heart-to-heart. Again, we discussed being respectful to people - adults and children. I reminded her that people who love Jesus should not be disrespectful to their teachers and friends.

With tears in my eyes I told Mary Frances how special she is. "God has given you a very special gift of independence, and mommy and daddy want to help you learn how to use your gift." I truly believe it is a gift that requires much discipline to not be used as a weapon!!

I want her to be independent. My parents always told me that I could do anything I put my mind to, and I believe that. When you have a strong will you CAN accomplish anything. The tough part is channeling this "gift" for good rather than manipulation and malice! It is so hard to guide a 2,3, or 4 year old with this special gift (or curse - however you choose to look at it).

Parenting Mary Frances has been very challenging. She does not respond to the same style of discipline that the boys do. When she makes up her mind, it is almost impossible to change it! But, I believe that God has given her this gift for a purpose, and I truly want to help her discover how to use it to His glory!

In the mean time, please pray for Mary Frances, us, and her teachers! It is very trying and exhausting to constantly deal with a strong will! Lucky for me (and not so lucky for her), God blessed me with the same gift. So, she may be a match for me, but I am no pushover!!

My New Prayer

For years I have been praying this prayer on a fairly regular basis:

"God, show me where you are today where you can use my help!" I think it is from the Bible Study "Experiencing God". Anyhow, I have always loved it and noticed that on the days I pray it, I am much more aware of what God is doing around me and how He can use me.

However, now that I have become so overwhelmed, I have changed my prayer a little. What do you think?

"God, show me where you are today where you can use my help, but also show me where you can use someone else's help!"

I think it is appropriate. God knows I can't do everything. So, I just want him to show me when there is someone else who can help him on that! :)

"Shut Up and Relax"

There are certain benefits to being the pastor's wife, but yesterday I learned one thing that isn't a benefit!

You know how the last song of the service is usually a reflective song - a chance to go down and pray alone or with a pastor if you need to? Well, I was moved by the sermon, feeling the need to talk to someone who could help me sort through my emotions. Since I was sitting with Ray C., I thought, "Well, perfect positioning for me. I'll just talk to him here in my seat."

I started in with, "Honey, I'm feeling really overwhelmed."

Ray C.: "Why?"

Me: "I just feel like I'm always on ministry mode. Even now I only have 5 more minutes to relax until I go back into it."

Ray C.: "Well, shut up and relax then!" (in the kindest was possible)

WOW!!! Is that what preachers usually say to people when they begin to pour out their heartfelt concerns? So much for that benefit!!

Pastor's Family

You know the joke about how pastor's only work on Sunday? It's really not that funny...

If people had any idea...Pastors don't get to leave their job. They are always on call. They come home, but they could be called away any minute - a hospital visit, a much needed visit, crisis management, someone needs to get in the building, countless meetings, .....

Being a Pastor's wife has plenty of burdens as well. I don't know everything that goes on in the church, but I know more than most - hurting families are an incredible burden on the soul. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to minister to people in their time of greatest need, but it is hard to see people hurt - to want to do more!

My heart is broken for the families that are falling apart, but it is yearning for grace to be extended. It is difficult to develop deep relationships for fear that you might share too much.

Preachers

After coming to a wedding that Ray C. and I did together this weekend, Mary Frances has decided she would like to be a preacher so she can do weddings. I have no idea why should would rather be the preacher than the planner, but, oh well! If she knew that my job was "bossing people around", I know she would rather have mine!!

Anyway, I told her that preachers do a lot more than weddings, and she said, "I know. I can learn all of those things."

I also told her that before you can be a preacher, you must love God with ALL of your heart. She said, "I already do. I love God with all of my heart."

Thomas chimed in "Yeah, but you also have to love him with all your soul, mind, and strength!" He says he learned that from a song that we sing at church!!

I love that they are learning so much about God's love for them. I can't imagine growing up without church in our lives.

Parenting Handbook

Finally, "they" have published a parent handbook with all the answers!! I don't understand why I had to wait until kindergarten to get it, but I was so thankful when Thomas brought this home from school this week!
Unfortunately, I haven't had time to read it in between soccer, weddings, discipline, and play! Maybe I'll get a chance before the kids leave home!

Really, this is something about curriculum standards for each grade, but I did get my hopes up when I first saw it!

Seriously?

My neighbor called at 10:30 last night to tell me people were decorating the yard! Turns out the youth at our church are having a weekend event. Last night they had a mission that included destroying our yard, and I don't think any boundaries were listed - thanks M.D.!! There must have been over 100 of them. They came in about 10 different groups until at least 1:00 - each one doing something new - our nice of them!

After being aggravated about all the clean-up that would have to be done, we decided to retaliate! So, the next group that showed up got sprayed with the water hose and sprinklers!

The next group got pounded with water balloons from the roof and sprayed with the water hose! Ray C. and I had a few moments of teenage fun as we defended Fort Hughes, but the clean up has not been fun!


We woke up to this today - toilet paper in the trees, saran wrap around the columns (someone cleaned of the car for us and took off all the saran wrap), forks, spoons, and straws stuck in the ground, boxes, mini-marshmallows, shaving cream all over the driveway, porch, and front windows, and EGGS!!! Luckily for the teenagers, the eggs were not on the house, but they are stuck all over our driveway and front porch. They were even nice enough to leave a Welcome Mat which the kids really do not understand!So, in the hour we had to get ready for the soccer games this morning, we also cleaned up the yard with the help of a few neighbor elementary kids! It was more fun for the kids than it was for us!

If you were part of this, watch out! When we get enough time and energy to get you, it will happen!!!!

Trisomy 18 and the National Milk Bank

TRISOMY 18

Over the last several months, I have witnessed an incredible expression of love mixed with unimaginable heartbreak. I met Christy in the spring at our first tball game. Her son, Cooper, was on the same team as Thomas. After a few games, Christy told me she was pregnant with her fourth child. She has 2 preschool boys and a teenage daughter. So, this baby was a surprise, but she was excited. As we began to develop our friendship - mostly at tball games and the neighborhood pool, I realized what a wonderful mother she is and how well she relates to her children. But we had no idea what she was about to face.

When she went in for her mid-pregnancy ultrasound, she and Ken found out they were having a boy, whom the family named Zachary. They were all really excited about adding this new precious little life to their family, but soon after the doctor hit them with the devastating news that Zachary had Trisomy 18.

You might be familiar with Trisomy 21 (AKA: Downs Syndrome). Trisomy 21 means there are 3 chromosomes in the 21st "position" where there should be only 2. Similarly, Trisomy 18 means there are 3 chromosomes in the 18th "position" where there should be only 2.

Trisomy 18 is also called Edwards syndrome (or Edward's syndrome) and occurs in about 1:3000 live births. Unlike Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 is usually fatal, with most of the babies dying before birth and those who do make it to birth typically living only a few days. However, a small number of babies (<10%) live at least one year.

This hit me hard because we had been told that Chase might have Trisomy 18. When I was pregnant with Chase, we received a letter in the mail telling us that there was something wrong with the baby and we needed to see a specialist. After a 3D ultrasound, the specialist told us he did not think Chase had it, but he could not be sure. So, although we were cleared, I did have a glimpse of what she might even be thinking, and it was unbearable!

Zachary had very many physical problems that were noticeable even to Ken and Christy on the ultrasound, and not long after their discovery, they lost him. It has been a very difficult process for their family to grieve, but I have been amazed at how Christy has handled it.

They have worked very hard at remembering him and making sure that their younger boys can stay connected to this baby they never got to see. One of the things that has touched me the most is how giving Christy has been.

THE NATIONAL MILK BANK

We were at her house several weeks ago, and when she opened her refrigerator, I noticed a breast pump. I didn't say anything right away but couldn't help but be puzzled as to why she would have a breast pump 2 months after losing the baby.

Just as I was about to ask, Christy told me that about 20% of women who lose their babies during pregnancy still get their milk. She happened to be one of those women, and has been very blessed with an abundance of milk. So, when she stumbled across the website for the National Milk Bank, she knew exactly what she wanted to do to remember little Zachary.

In the last 3 months, Christy has pumped 180 (4-6 oz.) bags of breast milk that have been shipped off to the National Milk Bank and given to premature and critically-ill babies!! Isn't that phenomenal? It has been incredibly therapeutic for her. She didn't just sit down and have a pity party (even though she was certainly entitled to it). She found a way to make sure that her baby could make a difference in this world! Her hurt turned into someone else's gain!

I am so impressed with her spirit of giving and her determination to turn her situation into good. Please keep her in your prayers as she continues to grieve her loss.

By the way, I have wanted to write this blog so many times as I have struggled with so many emotions in empathy for her. Christy wants to get her story out so that other people can find the same therapy that she has found in it. So, she has given me permission to write her story.

Lemonade Stand

The kids ran a very successful lemonade and cookie "stand" on Saturday! They made $16 in one hour to go toward our Compassion kids! We have been talking about how we have so much and how we can help other people. So, with a little guiding, this was one of the ideas of how we could help! The money will go toward a special gift for the families of our Compassion kids so they can buy needed supplies - like cooking equipment, mattresses, etc. And, although the kids won't get to see the gift being given, the kids always write to tell us what they got with the money!Thomas was quite the salesman - always trying to sell more and not understanding why EVERYONE didn't stop!

Mary Frances enjoyed holding the sign and pouring the drinks! The kids helped make the signs. They made the cookies and bagged them! (I lost count on how many times I made them go back to wash their hands!) They stirred the lemonade and were in charge of serving each customer! It was a lot of work for me, too, but they really did a lot of work.
Chase enjoyed drinking the lemonade and eating the cookies! He also beat the other two to almost every customer! By the time Thomas and Mary Frances finished arguing over who was going to get the ice and the lemonade, Chase had already poured it and given it to the customer!! Of course, we had to keep tabs on him to be sure he was not giving away a cup he had been drinking from!! (It did not happen!!)
What a fun first business! I think we'll make this a monthly event!