biking

When I think of Biking I think of pain. The reality of our lives is Tia and I have both had severe bike accidents. So I have never been one to encourage the "family bike ride" nostalgic idea. In fact, I would say that I have been pretty cool to the concept by suggesting that we are just not a "biking family!".

Yet with the cool weather the last 2 days and with Tia's encouragement I pumped all the tires (only one bike had a legit flat that wont inflate at all) of our 6 bikes and we headed out for a bike ride.

Joy.

seriously. Joy.

maybe the nostalgia is not so bad after all....

there is a pretty good chance that we will make it 3 days consecutively tomorrow.

Pray for us....that the bennett biking curse doesnt descend on our new endeavor.

joy... never would have thunk it!

joe

The Trip

Not what we expected but turned out OK. OK in the sense that we made it home alive and no one is hurt. Drove to Bremen and friends misunderstood date and were not home, disappointing, but understandable. They live on a farm, so we played with their animals and got to see their 4H pigs. They look like yummy bacon to me! I then showed the kids around Bremen. Not much changes there, very comforting. I will post more about this later. We then met Joe and Aaron at Janes Park and I took a bunch of pictures. If this park were in Carmel it would be packed, but there was 1 other family there(see above). The park really needs some TLC, hard to see. I really don't understand why either. Anyway, the kids had fun playing and I got my pictures taken. We then swapped kids. The boys and I left for home. I did stop at one more friends house, but she wasn't home either. Shucks.
The fun begins.
The boys are very tired.
They really don't like seat belts.
"Whoever invented seat belts is mean" states Aaron. Hmmm
They both fall asleep by the time we hit Talma, and sleep until almost to Galvaston.(two really small towns)
They wake up to a torrential downpour and 60mph winds. I am in Joe's Civic and can hardly stay on the road. I pull off for a bit and find a radio station(I was listening to XM32) to make sure I am not in a tornado. Nope, just a bad storm. I start to drive again and realize I have no gas, but can make it to Kokomo. By this time it is lightening and thundering pretty good. I stop for gas and were on our way again.
I look over at Aaron and he is pale "I'm gonna be sick" I grab a grocery sack, while driving in a storm and tell him to use it. Luckily he makes it in the bag. We then stop at DQ to clean up, walk around and get some ice cream. The last 20 minutes was uneventful.

Kid Switch

We are driving up north to the big city of Bremen today to switch kiddos and visit a couple of friends. Aaron is finished with camp this morning and the girls are going camping with the Mason girl as Annie told you earlier. I am hoping to get some pictures of the kids playing at Janes Park in Bremen while there. I have pictures of most years. The park was built in honor of my sister in law who lost her battle with breast cancer in 1999. She found out she had cancer while pregnant and refused to abort. Amazing story, amazing woman. I digress, the park was built when Ann was 6 weeks old. We have a lot of pics of Aaron as a 2 year old and Amy as a 4 year old running around. I like to see pics of them as they age there. Any way a lot of driving today. I better finish packing, we need to stop at the library first, and then to Starbucks:)

Congratulations

Baby Porter Kayden Fowler was born this morning at 830 to Stacey(Edwards) and Marion Fowler and Big sister Marleigh. Everyone is healthy and doing well. Please pray for these next 48 hours for they tend to be stressful in an adoption. We are so glad you are here Porter and can't wait to meet you! Love you already!

camping

In a couple of days Joe, Amy,and I(Ann) are going to go on a camping trip with our friends, the Masons,Kolbie who I play with, and Kylie and Kaelyn A.K.A the twins, in which Amy plays with. Also both familys dads. We go to a campsite called PLAMOR (pronounced play-more.) The kids call it our tradition, but the dads say its not. Its kind of not camping because there are electrical outlets and a play ground.
Ann

camping

In a couple of days Joe, Amy, and I(ann)Are going to go on a camping trip with our friends Kolbie who I play with and kylie and kaelyn aka the twins, who Amy plays with. Also with both familys dads. We do this every year. (the kids call it our tradition, but the dads say its not.) We go to a campsite called PLAMOR (pronounced Play more.) Its not really camping because there is eletrical outlets and a playground.GTG
Ann

Costa Rica update

We have reached our monetary goal, thanks to many very generous friends and relatives! How humbling it has been to be on the recieving end of such giving. Thank you, may it be used in a mighty way. Any more money we recieve will go toward any needs other team members have and then to Project Abraham itself. As I eluded to before, with fuel prices increasing all of our expenses went up. We have been meeting every few weeks with our team that will be traveling and working together. There are 12 of us, ranging in age from 12 to 55. Our group seems fun, and like they will work well together. We are really looking forward to this.
We are taking some toys and books for the kids at the orphanage and clothes too. We actually leave all of our clothes there for the woman to have when we leave. (I hope they have short, chubby girls there!)I am trying to take some medical supplies, but have not gotten that ok'd yet. Pray this would be approved if it is a need that needs met. Praising God for His provision once again. He is so Faithful, and we are so blessed in so many ways.