A short post

Things with Tommy are going great. Tc is doing a great job with him. We decided to put the RV up for sale again and this time it sold within a day. A guy from Somerset Ky drove down to get it. WE got a fair price for it but, I miss it already...We are looking over things to see what we are going to get next.
just had to get a parting shot.
We bought this little car yesterday too. It gets great gas mileage and it is what we needed because we travel a lot around these mountains.
The poser company finally trimmed the tree in front. Now I have to clean it up!

First Days

We got Tommy enrolled in school on Friday and he was so excited to get back to his old school. The principle and teachers were awesome. they were so excited to see him. He has settled in to the house well. He likes the dogs and they like him. This reminds us of our time at Collins home. Little boys in spiderman pajamas. He has slept very well, all night in fact both nights. Today, TC had to go to campus for training so we are hanging out here at the house. In a little bit Tommy and i are gonna take the trash off. he wants to ride in the truck. I think this is going to work out fine. He certainly has his defining moments, but responds well to choices.

I am preparing to preach twice tomorrow at Sugar mountain Baptist Church and that should be fun. It is a good place to preach. All for now...

Tommy

Got word last night that we are getting our foster son today. His name is Tommy and he is 8 years old. In his short life he has been through what can only be described as hell. I pray that he will find peace in our home, will love his room we fixed for him, and be comforted by our dogs but most of all see the Love of Jesus in us. Welcome to the family!

Grass, Birds and Creeks

Monday- Selling ads for Blue Ridge Christian News and spent the day with the owner, Mr. Doug Harrell. He is a pretty awesome guy and I enjoyed the day. Tuesday I sold some more ads, worked at the office and at the pregnancy center. TC is doing the job of the Client Services Director as Joanne is in Florida for a couple of weeks. TC had her last Made to Crave study last night and it was late when she got home. Today, I decided to take the day off but TC had to go on in at the office. Not sure what I am gonna do today, but I am gonna enjoy the beautiful spring day! The grass is green, birds are singing and the creek is running! I might even break out the Goldwing today!

Family Pics

We finished out the week well at the office and the Pregnancy Center. More clients are coming in and we are thankful that we are getting more volunteers as well. On Saturday we went to Mom and Dad's house for a cook out with the whole family. It was good to see everyone. We also stopped by Christine's Home where we use to work and picked up Brianna.

She so enjoyed her time with us as well we did too. I think she adopted our family. She really has no one to call family so we call her our daughter too. Look at the big pic and notice her right in the middle.

Christie picked up Chad and then he came home with us that night. He went to church with us and then we took him back to the Vets Qtrs Sunday afternoon. TC and i enjoyed a great dinner together and some good conversation and stopped by Walmart for groceries. It was my idea so I think she almost had an heart attack. Tomorrow I am spending the day with the owner of Blue Ridge Christian News and we are going to hit some car dealerships in the Boone area.

Here are some more pics that I really liked. My Whole Family

I am wordy today

What a great weekend and the weather around here is awesome. Yesterday I cut the grass wearing shorts and a T-shirt with the push mower. I think i will just use it and get some exercise and leave the riding mower covered up. On Sunday we had a pastor's forum on the NC marriage amendment. We had about 25 there. It was a good start. The week has started well. Last night I spoke at First Baptist Crossnore and today i am heading down to Asheville to the Buncombe Association for DOM Leadership training. I am hoping to head over to see Chad when I am
done.

Our Foster child situation is up and down. We enjoyed providing respite for Courtney this past weekend. We actually had her at Crossnore when we were on campus. On Saturday we went to Monroe so Courtney could see Tim and Jennifer, who was our opposite staff at Arthur cottage, and good friends to us as well caring deeply for Courtney. It was so awesome to see her have such a good weekend. Here are pics from that:

Above: TC, Jennifer and Courtney prepare drinks for dinner

Below: Tim and son prepare the steaks and corn on the cob, Yummy

This week we were referred a 13 year old boy. After much prayer, we had decided to meet him and consider it, even though we really didn't want such an older boy. Seems like teenage boys is not our cup of tea, but hey, we are open to what God has for us. Anyway, our case manager decided that they were not gong to accept him into the program, so it's back to waiting for us.

Below is a project we called "Love Loud" where we collected winter items along with travel size bath products and gave them to a ministry called "A Hope" in Asheville NC. During the day, the homeless is able to take showers, get breakfast, even get mail. Pretty awesome. We had picked up chad that day and he was helping us too.

Below is the building we had in Waco and we had it moved up here to Spruce pine. It is so nice to have extra storage. In fact, this has become our storage building and my other one is more like a work shop. Love it!

Very Cool!

Well we finished the week out strong. Wednesdays and Thursdays are always very long. We leave the house around 8:30 and return home around 9:00 PM that night. Long days! We finished up delivering the paper on Thursday, went to Boone and then worked at the pregnancy center that afternoon. TC is mentoring a 17 year old right now and we are adding more clients and even more volunteers. Very encouraging. We finished our Live Free Insight Group Thursday night and on Friday we were just pooped. I could hardly get going at all. It's been a tough week. We are doing respite this weekend for another couple. We have a 16 year old girl, who we use to have in our cottage at Crossnore. I cannot believe this worked out. When the case manager described her to us and it sounded like her and then we found out her name. How cool is that! We have spent a lot of time recalling memories with her. Today we are going to take her to Monroe where our opposite couple that we worked with at Crossnore remembers her and she thought lots of them, so this should be a fun day. She will go home Sunday afternoon but so far it has been great. We are hoping for our kids soon!

Week update

Well we continue to hear good things from Chad. He is liking his job at the VA and we are so thankful the Vets Qtrs took him back. He is looking for a place to live now. Monday we went down to Mom and Dad's to finish cleaning out the storage building we have had there for years.
They have done such a good job helping us organize things and taking off stuff to be threw away. Thanks Mom and Dad!!! I had to building moved up here yesterday. It cost 400 bucks we
needed more storage room and that is a lot cheaper than buying another building.

I had a meeting yesterday morning about a maternity home here in Spruce Pine and TC had her "made to crave" study at church. In the afternoon we delivered the Blue Ridge Christian News, or at least got started. To the mission office today, tons to do!

Here is a picture of the Client Services Director, Joanne Allison and TC watching a video at the pregnancy center. This was a video about adoption. I thought it was cool.

Here is a picture of me attending a VoteFORmarriage rally for NC amendment that is coming up May 8th. We are having another one March 11th in Newland.

High on top of Beech Mountain

To recap this week in one word; great! We have been busy with many things. We are still getting over not getting Tommy but we are waiting on the next referral. I hope that comes quick. Tuesday began with my early morning breakfast and Bible study, a mission meeting at 11 and gathered with a group of pastors for prayer that afternoon. It really got busy this week at the office but we got it all finished. The Pregnancy center continues to grow as we add clients and volunteers and everyone seems up beat about things. Today we went to Asheville and picked up Chad and he is staying with us until Sunday. Chad is doing pretty good. After getting his job back at the VA, he was allowed to stay at the Vets Qtrs until he finds a place. That is awesome! I am preaching tomorrow at Fall Creek church high on top of Beech Mountain. All for now...

Here we are dropping off supplies at "A Hope" Day center for the homeless in Asheville. This project was called Love Loud, as we gave scarfs, coats and other warm clothes to help the homeless in Asheville.