Busy, busy!

The last week-end in May, Ben went on his 30th b'day trip with his friends (I wrote about that back in March or April) up to the mountains. They had a great time just being guys, and I hope to get some pictures from someone soon...Ben forgot to take a camera, and I think only one or two others were even willing to take one. At least someone got some pictures so we'll have some kind of "memory" of their 30th birthdays!


I spent the week-end hanging out with the other wives who sent their husbands on the birthday trip. We got together Friday night so the kids could play and we could have company. We ordered pizza, and then a few of us spent the night together, which was nicer than going home alone! Saturday morning was very busy with a brunch at church, then we headed home for naps. After naps, we met at the Cope's pool to hang out some more and take the kids swimming and then closed the evening out at Chick-fil-a. It was a VERY busy week-end but lots of fun for all! The bottom two pictures are from mine and Emma's spend-the-night at home Saturday night. After getting her ready for bed, I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her bed or Mommy's...she pulled her bear out of her crib and went running down the hall to my room, saying "Momma" over and over! It was the sweetest thing; getting her to actually lay down and sleep was another story, but I loved spending the night together!

The women's brunch at church that Saturday, "Hats off to Summer" was great fun, a great crowd, and great food! It was a fellowship event (the second of many to come, hopefully!) in which those of us who were doing the planning were hoping to further build community among the women of our church. I get so excited to see and be a part of women of all ages enjoying fellowship and learning from each other! It is my hope and prayer that the Lord will use these events to draw in those women who aren't quite as "connected" or who don't know their importance as a member of the body. Krista did a GREAT job with the skit! She tweaked and personalized a skit from you tube of the many hats a woman wears. We also had a fun mixer in which people hopefully learned a few new things about each other; I know I did! At the end, some women got up and just highlighted the many hats women at Ebenezer wear and the various ways we are and/or can be involved. That was followed with a time to write a thank you note to a woman in the church who had encouraged each person through her ministry/service. I do hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did! Emma was not such a happy camper in the nursery for the last while, and that broke my heart (they didn't tell me until the brunch was over), but I think she was just starving because it was late, and her snack had not been eaten. She was a little unsure of things as well because Ben has been gone so much lately, so she didn't really like for me to leave her anywhere on top of that. We survived though! : )

This is me and my mom in our hats...I was taking pictures at the brunch and snapped one of a mother and daughter, then decided I'd catch all those present. There were 13 mother-daughter "couples"; some of those were also 3 generations. I love that about Ebenezer!