These pictures are from during our period of leaving Illinois:

Missions Night After-Party and our near empty house

Senior girls getting their gifts from us

Aaron's last Summer Wednesday, they celebrated by beating him up!

Out to eat with our Hensley girls

the amazing volunteers who came and helped us with our last minute cleaning up and repairs and then they loaded our truck for us! Thanks guys!

On our way to Mississippi.  Sad and exciting. 

I love these pictures. I'll put up some more later so stay tuned!

Family Update

As you are reading this, we are in Mississippi!
We are here for a missions trip and joining us is Harold's youth group of Riverwood Bible Church. Please be in prayer for us!

We'll get pictures up when we return.

Our trip (yes, from March) catchup, Part 1

And so, we began our trip. A potty training two year old and still nursing 3 month old....
what an adventure!

Starting the drive!

look closely...can you see Joel?
He had quite a big of fun stuff to look at during his trip


Luke did an EXCELLENT job entertaining himself! What a big boy.

Luke and Joel's first stay in a hotel room!


Luke had some fun with the room...


...Aaron had a different kind of fun-TV!

One of our many stops...

Lots of sleep involved:




And just when we get close...what do we see?
(if you look closely...you'll see "Oxfud". ugh. just how they say it too! boo-go MSU)

More to follow, be on the look out!

Trip to MS/Open House

We recently go back from our trip to Mississippi, here are some of the pictures!

We spent much of the time playing and hanging out with family...

Luke really enjoyed his cousins

I had a special treat-to go watch Hannah cheer!

Luke with his Popaw and Momaw

visiting at Grandma Lu's house
(Grandma Lu, Aunt Linda and cousin Lisa, not pictured-cousin Danielle)

Luke playing at Aunt Amy's house, Momaw and Madison reading

Luke playing and hanging out with Hannah

Luke with his Popaw

Luke with his cars on the slide

Then, of course, our reason for going-the 50th Open House at Friends of Alcoholics where Aaron and I grew up!

this is the main building containing the offices and living areas for the students

Mike Bonner (Director) and

Rick Barth (Founder's son, former Staff, and Speaker for Open House)

the afternoon service

a wall of memories in pictures

the grounds from the main road

grown up F.O.A. kids (minus a few!)

(oh, and bonus-pic of me 6 months pregnant!)

I think its safe to say that Luke had a blast

the picnic after the morning service

Luke and Madison

those handsome men again

Luke at the end of the day...looking quite...interesting-"train wreck" fits perfectly. ;)

We had a great time with our family, vacationing at "home", fellowshiping with other believers, catching up with old friends, and taking part in praising God for this ministry!!

This Christmas

We will be spending this Christmas in Mississippi! We are excited. And a little stressed, maybe. Christmas cards should be out Monday, packages Tuesday, and I'm lacking just a little before I can say I'm done shopping. Sad to say, but I'll probably finish up shopping in Mississippi.
We are going to drive down, 12-ish hours. whew. I'm already tired thinking about it. I know some things already-number 1: Aaron is going to play football with the guys one day. Just so you know. ;) Lots of Bonner family to hang out with! (I'll miss you Emily!!) And I hope to visit with some friends and oo and aah about how big little ones are getting. Possibly walk around outside without snow boots (hahaha)...it doesn't take much to excite me. But that's a good thing.
Yesterday I was struck once again by the fact that when we go over to the Sprayberry's house, Mary won't be there. It was so odd and incredibly sad to imagine sitting on a stool in her kitchen and not being about to talk to her... I am overwhelmingly excited about where she is right now-in the presence of our LORD!! But I think maybe not being there where she was, not actually missing her being there, because I'm not there, is making it take a little longer for reality to set in that she is at home, in heaven. Meaning I'll see her when I get there, but not when I am in Mississippi this Christmas.
Our wonderful God who created our emotions and gives us the amazing capacity to be happy, joyful, feeling a loss and sad-all at the same time! Thank you.