Now The Party Can Begin!!!

Now that everybody was there.




(Except for Amy and Susan, who were going to try and come from Austin, Texas. They had car trouble and didn't make it.)

The Party could really start!!

There were 14 kids that belonged to people in the house and I believe a few extra from around the neighborhood. Everywhere you looked there were kids playing. They were outside, upstairs in the bonus room and across into other people's backyards. They all got along well. Rogers son had a mishap later in the evening when he fell out of a tree. No broken bones just mighty painful. Luckily with that many kids, that was the only incident.



The kids out numbered us by 2. What was kind of sad was that we were all having such a good time that we really didn't get that many pictures. I took a couple and Natalie took some. In the picture above you find 3.5 husbands Dirk, Pastor JT, Chad and then David is the one that I cut in half. The baby in the grass is Kid 3 belonging to Kim and Chad. If you look closely through the window behind the guys you will see the TV is on. I believe that got turned on so that when Michael Phelps swam we could all cheer. Mr. Beall did some serious outdoor surround wiring. It was sweet! Also notice all of the red solo cups on the outdoor table. Mrs. Beall even had her sharpie out to write names on the cups. She is such a good hostess. One thing that I had forgotten to mention was that Cindy had already driven to Dallas and back that day. She was a little tired.

We all ate potluck style. Some inside, some outside. Cindy led us all in prayer. It was a great time of conversation and laughing. When I sat back and looked at everybody. The kids interacting, the adults all gabbing, it was hard to believe that some of these people were just as new in the house as I was. There was such a feeling of fellowship and fun.




At one point us girls must have had a pow wow. Not sure what it was about but we seem to be in deep conversation. I really felt like I had known these ladies forever. I know that I haven't mentioned Roger much but he was there and he was part of the evening. He is just as funny in person as he is in his blog. He was funny when he posed for the above picture, being the only male. His wife Shelly fit right in with all of us and Roger seemed to fit right in with the guys. It really was an amazing evening. I don't normally share what I write in my journal but I am going to for the second time this week. When I looked back at what I wrote I asked God,
Did you see us tonight? Did you see us all joined together through you?
It was through God that I found these wonderful people. It was little steps along the way that brought me to this place. I would never have thought what a profound affect watching my first message on the internet from Lifechurch.tv would have on me. Where deciding to read my pastor's blog would lead me. What a crazy button on a side bar would do to my life.

Mandy wrote this in one of her comments and it basically sums it all up for me. the word gift - you keep using it - but it's the best word to describe it all!