a Penny post

We sure are glad for warmer weather, especially Penny. That means she can go to one of her favorite places...

The dog park.

a last goodbye

It's a little weird going to Journey today knowing that Smooth and Kelly and the girls won't be there.

Last Sunday, they spent their last weekend at Journey. They spoiled Aaron with three new Vinylmations. He was so excited, especially because he didn't have any of the ones they picked out.

Us with Cana, Kayil, and Karis

We in return had fun picking out little gifts for the girls to take on the plane with them, including one for Chloe.

Wednesday came, and it was the day to say goodbye until we meet again. Aaron and I joined several other friends and family members of Smooth and Kelly to see them off at RDU.

We are so proud of them and look forward to watching their story unfold in Uganda. Keep them in your prayers and follow their story at www.thevias.com.

They couldn't bring Chloe home yet, but they are changing the world by bringing home to Chloe.

about my date with Bensen

I can't believe that I ended my job as Bensen and Keyen's nanny over three months ago. Every once in awhile I still get choked up about it. A couple weeks ago, Aaron, Lisa, and I made our first visit to Moe's for a Tuesday lunch without the boys. I didn't think much of it until we walked in and it hit me. I got a little teary eyed.

But, as you know, I'm enjoying my job at Journey, and we have actually seen Bensen and Keyen fairly often. It's definitely not the same as seeing them almost every day, but I'll take it.

I try to make it a point to see them every other week, even if it's just stopping by for an hour or so.

This past week, it actually worked out for me to have a date with Bensen. We had gone over the previous week so that Rodney could put Bensen's carseat in my car (talk about major flashbacks). On Monday morning, I went and picked Bensen up to go on a playdate with our friends that we used to play with all the time. Bensen was pretty excited, and so was I! We felt bad leaving Keyen, but I'm sure he will get a turn one day.

I got to meet the boys' new nanny too. I was a little nervous, but as soon as she answered the door, I immediately liked her. She was super sweet and really easy to talk to. We didn't spend a lot of time together, but I'm sure I'll see her again. I know she is taking great care of Bensen and Keyen.

Bensen and I had fun at the park with our friends and then we got to eat lunch at Chick-fil-a.

Aaron and I are looking forward to hanging out with Bensen and Keyen next week when we are babysitting them for a few hours one night.

I am so glad I can still be in their lives!

a Friday flashback

Happy Friday!

I don't know about you guys, but I'm 25 and Aaron is 29, and our parents still buy us Easter goodies. It's definitely awesome.

However, getting those goodies home can sometimes prove a little difficult...

Let's flashback to...

Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013...

After a busy morning at Journey, Aaron and I went home for an hour to hang out with Penny before we left to go meet my family at Outback Steakhouse for our Easter lunch/dinner.

For as long as I can remember, my family has gone to Outback for Easter. I'm sure when I was little my mom or my grandma would make a big Easter dinner, but every year since we've been in NC for Easter, to Outback we have gone.

When we pulled in, my family was waiting outside. My mom was holding two Easter baskets overflowing with candy goodness, most excitingly:  homemade peanut butter chocolate eggs.

We put the baskets in the backseat of my car and went in to eat dinner. All was well so far.

It was when we got in the car to go home that the unfortunate events began to unfold.

I pulled out onto Capital Boulevard and quickly crossed the four lanes to get to the left turn lane of the next light to make a U-turn. Capital and all Raleigh citizens have a love/hate relationship, I think.

By some chance, I was just in time for a green turn arrow, and I sped up to catch it. As we made the U-turn, the thought of the Easter baskets in the backseat crossed my mind. But it was too late.

We heard a big crash against the back door.

"Oh no," I muttered. I didn't have to take my eyes off the road to know that the back of my car was now covered in Starbursts and Tootsie Rolls and little chocolate eggs and Nerds and the coveted homemade peanut butter eggs.

"Oh no! The candy!" Aaron yelled dramatically.

"Well, that stinks. Just leave it until we get home."

Aaron reached back. "It's fine," I said again, "We'll get it later."

"I know," he said, "I just wanted a Starburst." He held a little pack of Starburst in his hand.

"Oh...well, give me one that's not orange." (I detest the flavor of orange.) He opened the little fun size pack which consisted of one orange Starburst and one pink Starburst. "Yay! I love pink!"

Aaron begrudgingly handed over the pink Starburst and ate the orange one.

I worked on unwrapping my Starburst while driving. It was proving a little difficult. (Don't try it, kids...I'm a bad example.) I had just pulled off the last of the wrapper when the pink candy slipped out of my fingers.

Clank. Clunk. Thud.

"Oh no."

"What? Where did it go?" Aaron asked.

"It's in my car," I said still holding the wrapper.

"Well, yeah..." he said.

"No, I mean it's in my car. It fell down inside the steering wheel."

"What?!" Whitney!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"What's going to happen when it gets hot and you have melting, sticky candy up in your car?!"

"I don't know?! I'm sure it will be fine..." I tried to convince him and myself.

"I'll have to try to get it out when we get home..."

I glanced at him suspiciously picturing him with tools and my steering wheel and raised my eyebrows.

When we got to our destination, I went around to the backseat and started scavenging for all of the fallen candy. Aaron made his way around to my drivers side and started banging and shaking the steering column.

"I can hear it in there rattling around," he said. I came around to stand beside him.

He banged it a few more times until miraculously, a little pink square fell out from somewhere onto the floor of the car.

"Oh boy! My Starburst!" I cheered. I bent down to pick it up and inspect it.

"You're not going to eat that, right?" he said.

"Oh...right...nope..." I grinned sheepishly.

a Journey post

Today I woke up determined to sit down and write for awhile. It's been a little crazy around here. 

Last week was packing week. We packed the Journey Kids' supplies for April and May on Wednesday and Thursday after shopping on Monday. It went really well because Robyn, Lisa, and I had done most of the prep work beforehand. We packed both months in around six hours over the course of those two days. That may sound like a long time, but it's not really.

After packing was over, we spent time getting ready for our Good Friday event, "The King's Walk," and made sure our environments were ready for Easter Sunday.

"The King's Walk" was a hands on experience for families that told the story of Jesus' death and burial. It went amazingly well, despite running out of almost every supply. We were not prepared for the response that we received...over 500 people went through!

Nailing their names to the cross. We died with Jesus so that in return we could live!

Easter Sunday was a great day at Journey. The Warehouse was packed for all three services, and back in Journey Kids we got to teach 400 kids that Jesus is alive!

I am continually blown away at the work God is doing at Journey and so very grateful not to have missed it. Every weekend brings a new adventure!

I love my church.

scripture

A good word that I needed today.