Summer recap

Well, I had to blog today, since tomorrow will be Sept. 1st already.  I can't believe the whole month of August, and for that matter, the whole summer is just gone already!  Our summer was crazy busy.  The end of May was finals for Casey, followed by VBS just right after school got out.  The next week (after VBS) we moved.  I was still unpacking when I had to pack us all up for Children's camp the second week of July.  The last week of July we were packing up and heading down to Brownsville on a mission trip.  Fast forward to August and guess what?  School starts!  So, I spent most of August getting all of our school stuff together (and still unpacking from the move!).  It was a good summer, just busy. 
Oh, and I bet you are wondering when we took vacation...well, we didn't!  I confess I was a "little" upset when I realized there wouldn't be time to squeeze in a "worthwhile" vacation in all of that stuff that was going.  However, the seminary (beginning this fall) is giving a Fall break the first week of October.  So, we decided we'd take vacation then and head down to the coast and lay on the beach (my plan anyway!). 
Well, our vacation plans changed, again!  On Sunday we had a big "round-up."  It's like a high attendance/promotion Sunday, but with boots. ;>)  So, there was a big potluck afterwards with lots and lots of brisket.  (Side note: I love brisket...I have never had brisket so good in my life!  I wish I could find the "low-fat" variety.)  Anyway, I had just sat down to eat (after getting both boys through the line and going back for drinks, then going back for napkins, etc.) and had put my first bite of brisket in my mouth when the pastor went to the microphone and asked for Casey and I to come up for a minute.  Now, Casey being called up is no big deal...calling the "wife" up always means something unexpected is coming.  I looked across the table at Casey to see if he had any clue...I read nothing there so I smile and stand and we make our way over to the pastor.  Now, I don't like being up in front of people....especially that many people when they're all staring at you.  So, Bro. Jerry (pastor) says that the Good Shepherd SS class along with the other SS classes wanted to present us with....  Now, I'm nervous, so I have no idea what he said exactly.  I heard "blah, blah, blah, 4 tickets to fly to Seattle."  And then it happened, and you probably know what exactly I'm talking about, I cried.  In front of everyone, I'm just crying!  Ah, one of those happy tear things.  
Let me be really honest with you.  Ministry is hard.  Ministry and Seminary at the same time is even harder.  Then, let's throw in some homeschool, hormones, and life in general and sometimes, I just want to walk away from it all!   I was reminded on Sunday that we are really loved.  That's why we do ministry. Not so that we can be loved, exactly, but that we actually make a difference in peoples lives.  It's not easy and it's not always fun.  But, thanks be to God, He has loved us and shown us His love through His body. 
Oh, so if you are in the Northwest, we will fly in on Oct.1st.  Casey will come home (Texas home) on the 8th, and I will be hanging around until the 18th!!!