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Saturday, December 02, 2006

[Click on the pictures to make them bigger] I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since our last entry. Not a lot has happened, work has been going well, we had my parents visit, and turkey day. Let’s start with work, I started about the 20th of October and before Thanksgiving they were already offering me a more important position. Of course that would have meant more hours and more responsibilities (as well as headaches) so I declined. We were just starting to get more involved with the church, and that is the reason we are here. The ministry possibilities at work are numerous, but I felt it important to show them that GOD and church was first. So, work is going well, getting along better with all, as I continue to “prove” myself. Mike is especially appreciative of me as well, and it is certainly nice to come home to a clean house and hot dinner.

We put our Christmas tree up before my folks came on the 11th of November, and had an early Thanksgiving while they were here. They had a very long trip over, left LA about 9am and arrived in Greensboro at 11pm, almost a12 hr day of traveling. Luckily the house isn’t all that big so the grand tour didn’t take long, and we all had a good night sleep. Took them to Old Salem, ( http://www.oldsalem.org/ )which is the original village the Moravian Missionaries founded after coming from Germany. Many old buildings still stand and one of the restaurants dresses in colonial outfits, we ate lunch there, and it was wonderful. Visited some of the museum and exhibition sites (cobbler, tailor, bakery) and boarding houses called “single brothers house” and “single sister house” where the Moravians sent their older children to live with the Lord before they got married. Sounded like a great idea and we should adopt this way of living for our young people today. We ate extremely well, went to a place called Hillbilly Hideaway and to Cracker Barrel for real authentic southern cooking. Went for a day trip up to Mt. Airy ( http://www.visitmayberry.com/ ) where Andy Griffith is from, and the town looks just like in his TV show. Also went up into VA a little ways, and will definitely go back in the spring. My Mom has a friend in Hillsboro which is over by Chapel Hill and Raleigh-Durham, so they went over there one day and went to the campus at Duke Univ. said it was gorgeous (especially the chapel) so we will take a drive over to see it one of these days. They flew home on the 15th and the next day I woke up with a sore throat and have been struggling with a slight cough.

We got invited for Thanksgiving by some kids at church (newlyweds and all of 26yrs old) they are so cute. But kinda makes us feel like an old married couple. We met them at the church Meet and Greet right after we got here, and say hello Sun mornings, and talk about how to get involved. So Heather asked if we wanted to have Thanksgiving with her family, and we said sure, having no idea what we were getting into. The family is pretty good sized so they rent out the community center in the town where they live, (I think its Hillsville, NC) about an hour south of our house. There were probably 30-40 people, including some very wound up kids. Great food and even better prayer time, that is something that we just love about it here, people are not afraid to pray!! We sure appreciated the invitation and the time with such a friendly family. And we were definitely more thankful this year, I caught a glimpse of a school bus, that said NC Schools and just prayed out loud thank you Lord for letting us come here, I can’t believe we are really here!

The dogs finally got trained on the invisible fence, it kinda ruined Gar’s spirit, he doesn’t want to run and fetch, all he wants to do is stand on the porch. Maybe it’ll get better. Put some lights and garland up outside today, Mike is at the church helping tear down after a function. We’ve been going to antique stores and spending time, gets our shopping fix with out spending a lot of money. Went to one last weekend that was two stories and we probably spent three hours, and only $9.00. Another good thing about a small house, not much room for unnecessary items, should curb our spending. We have a handy man named Jesse that comes around every week or so looking for odd jobs to do for money, and we had him clean out the gutters the other day. He came by today to get his money and when I looked out the window there was Mike with his hand on Jesse’s shoulder praying for him, it brought tears to my eyes, I am so proud of the man God has made him. We are taking a “home improvement” class at church on marriage, and are getting some great scriptural basics on having a pleasing marriage (to God and us) We are trying to have some US time in the morning with coffee, no tv or computer, just us talking and praying together.