Church-filled weekend

Did I mention we love our church peeps?!! Really, I mean we love them. They are seriously like family. I think that's one of the reasons being so involved at church is a joy for us. Brian and I have been at our church for quite some time (for Brian over 15 years, and for me 10 years). There is such beauty in really knowing people's stories and lives . . . and really living in community. I really feel that. God is good.

So, this weekend, you could say we are church-groupies for as much time as we spent with church peeps. Friday night was game-night (one pic above), which my parents hosted. We had some serious laughing there. You could rotated from game to game all night. We played Battle of the Sexes, Apples to Apples, and Buzz Word. Fun times.

Saturday, Brian had a work day at church (helping with church renovations) while I got a big Hand Design order completed and shipped out. We gulped down some lunch around 1:30pm and then were back to church at 2pm for food preparations. Our 9th/10th grade Sunday school class was preparing food for the big lunch our church serves on the last Sunday of the month for low-income locals. So, we cooked up a storm for 3 hours in the church kitchen, listening to some good tunes. We went out for dinner at a local pizza joint with my sister and her BFF who were going to spend the night with us (they are in our Sunday school class). Then, we were back to church for our couples small group. Brian led the lesson in our evangelism series. Great discussion -- I love those couples. Joy and her BFF were the babysitters for the kiddos during the study. (Then, we went home and relaxed around 9:30pm).

Sunday (today) was a fun "sleepover" breakfast. Joy and her BFF (Megan) spend the night fairly often, so we have some fun rituals. Then, we were all out the door at 7:50am. Megan and I are singers in our worship team, Joy had nursery, and Brian ushered. Then, Brian and I taught Sunday school (our NT Survey) looking at 2 Peter. Then, we prepared the lunch for all 39 guests. Two of our students gave a talk before the meal, and Brian did also. Did you want to know the menu we served? Minestrone soup, salad, bread . . . then, ham-potato-cheese casserole, green beans, fruit cup, . . . then chocolate cake with cream-cheese icing with a Hershey kiss on top. The students did a great job preparing, doing all the set up, serving, giving talks, and cleaning up.

Well, after we got home at 3:30, guess what we did today . . . napped. You might think this weekend was a bit ridiculous, (and it was definitely busier than our usual weekends), but we loved it.

Phantom in NYC

We had a great time folks! For those of you in the Philly area, I highly recommend Hagey Tours. They offer great prices for transportation (in a coach bus) and your theater ticket. They actually have tons of tours, but one-day tours to NYC for a show are all I've done so far. It really made the day a dream, especially because neither Brian or I were pumped about driving into NYC.

Once we arrived in NYC, we were even more glad that we hadn't driven. Wow, can we say . . . crazy construction EVERYWHERE and hoards (and I mean hoards of people)?!!! We spent most of our time in Times Square, which is fun and wild, but really, do you need that many televisions everywhere? No wonder there are so many accidents. I think we crossed every street corner with about 200 other people. There cars could barely swim through us all. Oh, did I mention we were in NYC on Valentine's Day? Maybe that's why all the peeps were out and about.

When we got off the bus, we just stretched our legs for a while, walking the streets. We had fun in the huge M&M store: 3 floors of chocolatey goodness. It smells divine in there.

We had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe Times Square for lunch. We have a funny fetish with Hard Rocks; it all started in Santo Domingo, DR. Ask me about the story some time. Anyway, we started with the nachos, in our usual manner. (We probably should have asked someone to take our picture . . . at least once during the day. Oops. Here's my meager attempt).

Then, off to the show! It was spectular peeps! We loved it. We were the 2nd row in the balcony. The singers were amazing as well as the special effects. Oh, and for my friends from DCCS, guess who sat a few rows behind us at the show? Jamie Deagler -- wow, blast from the past. We barely recognized each other; it's been 10 years.

After the show, we got Starbucks drinks and mosied back to the bus. We were home by 8pm. We still had a night together at home. What a fabulous Valentine's Day!

Headed to NYC

Tomorrow we will be seeing Phantom of the Opera on Broadway! Ooo, I'm so excited! It's a Valentine's Day treat!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!