Thursday, September 27, 2012

Happy 20th Birthday, Shae Marrin!

 It's hard to believe that 20 years have past since this sweet little bald baby girl was placed in my arms.
 September 27, 1992 was a day that would change my life FOREVER.  In the best way possible. 
 Being your Mama has been such a privilege.  You have been such a sweet and FUN little girl to raise. You have obeyed, respected and loved us, your parents.  WHO cold ask for ANYTHING more?
But much MORE came with YOU! 
 You have been such a happy, funny and sweet girl with a tender heart.  You are a GOOD FRIEND and an even better sister!
 It has been so much fun watching you grow up and make mature, GOOD choices (keep doing that, OKAY?)
 There are may sets of eyes watching you!
 You have grown into a beautiful young woman....and the beauty starts on the INSIDE, the outside is a BONUS!
 As you enter these REAL adult years, I pray that you will keep seeking advice when you need it, 
 and that you will continue to make Good and RIGHT choices.  God has blessed you with so many things!  Use them to bring glory to Him!
 Life gets more complicated the older you get, and adulthood will undoubtedly bring new challenges,
 But, you have an army of people right behind you to lift you up when you are down and pick you up if you fall. NEVER be afraid to ask for help. EVER.
 I am so thankful for the relationship we share.  You have become one of the people I count on in MY OWN life!  What a fun change  as you move into this new phase of your life!
 Thank you for bringing SO MUCH JOY to us!  We knew we were in for a fun, new journey on that Sunday in September so many years ago, but we could have NEVER imagined how WONDERFUL you would make it!  God has been SO good to us!
My greatest joy has been being a mother, and YOU gave me that new name so many years ago!  Thank you for WHO you are!  We could not possibly love you any MORE!

Happy 20th Birthday Shae Marrin!!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Shae's JUNIOR Year at LU!

 Summer seems like it came and went so quickly.  I think it actually DOES go by much faster now that I know I have to say goodbye to my firstborn when it is over :(
We had one last dinner out to celebrate the beginning of a new school year (Lindsay was with Grandma at camp and didn't say goodbye to Shae...probably a good thing since neither of them are good with goodbyes!)
 I was so LUCKY to get to travel back to Virginia with Shae this year.  BUT...we had to say goodbye to Dad first...not easy. At all.
 After the tearful prayer, we got checked through security and got to the gate only to find out that our flight had been cancelled!  There was NO WAY for us to get to the East coast that night...UGH.  I PURPOSELY did NOT schedule a red eye flight for us....I know I can't make it without adequate sleep!
(and, YES!  Shae IS carrying all the STUFF! I told you I am not a good traveller)
 There were virtually no options for us that were even remotely appealing.   United did fly us over to San Francisco so we could catch an 11:00 pm flight to Roanoke. They gave us each a $100 voucher for future travel and some money to eat in the airport. But, 10 hours in an airport is STILL 10 hours in an airport.  Not to mention I had to fork out $25 for a blanket so we could survive the wait.  
Brrrr, SF Airport, Brrrr!
We Finally boarded the plane and thanks to the sweetest gate agent EVER, we had the exit row.  We could have laid down on the floor and stretched out! (and Shae actually DID!)  We mostly were sleepless and uncomfortable the entire flight, but we purchased the entire season of "Melissa and Tye" (she was on the Bachelor, but got DUMPED and ended up marrying the most precious Texan-they have a darling baby girl and their reality show is G rated!) so we watched Shae's iPad like a couple of zombies all night.
We had a 2 hour layover in Philadelphia ....so the icky no sleep, same clothes for over 24 hour feelings were setting in!
 FINALLY on our way to Roanake!  Bumpiest flight I have EVER been on! (also suuuuuper bumpy on my way home-alone!!)
 We hopped into our rental car and got a second wind as we drove through beautiful Virginia on our way to the happiest place on earth---LIBERTY UNIVERSITY!!!
 We pulled up to Shae's new dorm on East Campus and we were instantly gitty with excitement about her new home!  So CUTE! So southern. So apartment-ish!  Yeeeeee!!!!
 After checking out Shae's quad, we went immediately to find Kayla.  What a precious sight this was, I am so glad I had my camera ready!!
 Reunited!
 Shae had texted her new roomie, Callie who she said she was heading to the dorm, so we ran over to see her.  What a sweet girl!  I was so glad I got to meet both of Shae's roommmates and her quadmates too.  Such a comforting feeling knowing who she is with!
 The next few days were full of unpacking (and trying to make room for waaaay toooo much stuff in a smaller room.  (she does have a HUGE common area which makes this a VERY NICE place to live-pics of the rest to come, it's a post all on its own!)
 The closet space is maybe 1/4 of what she had before, so we HAD to be organized and CREATIVE!
 The weather was DIVINE the whole time I was there...even COOL, there was no humidity that week!  But then, the REMINDER of why Lynchburg has it's nickname.  There was the most HUMONGOUS downpour on our way to pick Leanne up.  Yep, it really is DRENCHburg!
 Barry and Stephanie's nephew, Quincy, is at Liberty this year!  He had worked at camp with Leanne and Shae and we have watched him grow up.  What a fine, fine young man! He is going to be so happy at Liberty and I don't doubt that he will be President of the student body one day soon!
(Shae loves having her "cousin" at Liberty-hope she doesn't bug him or embarrass him!!)
 One day before I had to leave :(  we had time to go to lunch all by ourselves.  The Train Depot was quaint and delicious.   Then we headed out to the most adorable place, The Farm Basket!  Oh goodness, it is a good thing I am not a Lynchburg resident.  I would eat lunch there and spend ALL MY MONEY there too!  So so cute!!
(oops, my pics are out of order....)
 We bought a bookshelf to use for storage and Shae was determined to build this shelf all by herself, so she could show her Dad how handy she is....
 and she DID IT!  Her bathroom is very BIG, so she put it in there for the girls to keep some of their essentials!  That right there is "wife-y material", Shae!
 Back to The Farm Basket.  See??  It's PRECIOUS!
 (another out of order pic...)
Probably the BEST part of my visit (after spending a week with my girl!) is attending Thomas Road Baptist Church.  The music....ahhhhh....the music!  Charles Bilingsley is my favorite!!  And Jonathan Falwell has filled his Dad's shoes in a remarkable way.  So blessed to get to go there, and so thankful that my girl gets to go there every Sunday!  I am jealous that Shae is going to the ladies' Bible Study on Tuesday mornings there too...if only we lived there, I could go TOO!
 another Farm Basket picture...see?  I could go there every week.  It is full of little shops and darling gift items!
 While I was there, we stayed with Shae's second family, The Tomans.  I LOVED getting to be there, "living there" like she does during the year.  I can see why she loves them so much.  They are such a sweet family.  They really love HER too :)  The boys are always on the lookout for a TALL boy for Shae!  So funny!  Caroline is in High School and she and Shae are shopping buddies!  Another way God has comforted my heart- He has put people in her life to make her feel so loved and cared for!
 ON my last day there, Scott called to tell me that the whole mountain (where camp is- ) had been evacuated because of an enormous fire!  He asked me if there was anything there that I wanted him to go get....and what he could get out of my parent's place!??!!!  YIKES!  My mom only wanted one thing...her sewing machine!
 Scott never left camp, he drove around putting out little burning branches that were coming over from the fire which was only a mile away.  He would not have been able to get back in if he went home.
 One morning he sent me this pic...and he made biscuits for the firefighters who were regrouping at our facilities.  How thankful we are to have such brave men who are willing to do this very physically demanding job!
I got home and didn't see Scott for another 9 days because of the fire.  But, Camp was spared and we are so thankful that God is not finished with our work there quite yet!
 I missed this girl's first day of 8th grade (as if she cared!)  She is off and running in school and volleyball.  Phew.  I am already tired and it is only September!
I missed this girl's first day of HIGH SCHOOL too! (she cared even LESS than Anna!)  What a GREAT choice we made in Foothill High School!  There could NOT be a better group of aides and teachers who are obviously CALLED to serve those kids with special needs.  I am so encouraged and so blessed!
I have so much more "blog catch up" to do, and I hope to do it this week, but Scott will be gone this week AGAIN, I have Jury Duty, and there is more volleyball this week....we'll see if I can finally get back on track with the updates!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

I'm Baaaaaackkkk.....

 I have neglected this blog long enough.  Today will be the first of my "catch up" posts.  One day, I intend to get these posts all published into a "Blog Book" since my hope of EVER catching up in my scrapbooks is fading...
One reason for my lack of posting is my lil ole CUP business!  WHO KNEW that these little things would be so popular!!
 The possibilities are endless, and I have made HUNDREDS of these babies!
 One of the most favorite days we had...The LAST day of school!!  Woo Hoo for summer!!
 My Sweet Anna Fay turned the big 13 in June.  I had a weak moment and let her invite ALL the girls in her class for a Sleepover at Lassen Pines!
 We did our best to deck the dining room out in Anna's signature favorites, pink and orange.
 It is AMAZING to me how much these skinny little girls can EAT!  Scott made lasagna on night one, biscuits/gravy and eggs for breakfast, hamburgers for lunch and a DELICIOUS tri-tip dinner for the second evening.
   We made s'mores at the lake and played beach volleyball late into the evening.  The girls had Cabin 8 all to themselves and had a late night of storytelling and movies...(and Scott, Lindsay and I enjoyed a whole night of quiet sleep!)  

 Thanks to our college staff who were already at camp for the summer, Anna had a whole Pit Crew of guys to run go-Karts for the girls (and drag them out of the rocks after the many crashes!)
 Scott took them on a fun wagon ride with his old Model B John Deere.
 Along with trying to take care of my little Lindsay girl all summer while her sisters and her Daddy were busy with their camp responsibilities, I was on a weight loss quest (and I continue to be on that quest...)
 I have been doing Boot Camp at Sun Oaks with Justin since late February, but HOW MUCH FUN to have Shae with me for the 12 weeks during the summer...and EVEN MORE fun to have Laurie with us for 6 of those weeks!!
 We were ALL very successful and implemented the healthy eating that Justin talks about during our sessions.  I have learned SO MUCH and only wish I could have had this knowledge a decade ago...
 Scott was busy with the many projects and day to day operating pressures at camp, but he did squeeze in a little time to make a shelf for the dorm desk of a very special college girl! 
It turned out beautifully and he even added a cork backing and under the shelf lighting!  I can't wait to see how it looks in her room this year.  The shelf is in transit right now, in the mini van we had shipped to Virginia last week!  Yahoooo for having a car this year for Shae!  She has gotten used to the idea of having an embarrassing mini van...after all-in college, "wheels are wheels" , or so her Dad says!!
I have a lot more of SUMMER 2011 to catch up on in the days to come...but I have to admit, I am glad I remembered how to log in here at this lil blog! Phew!
See you tomorrow with the next installment!