Christmas Beginnings 2008

Hope everyone is having a great beginning to this holiday season! It occured to us that we purposefully didn't put "inside" pictures of our house on the internet, because we wanted Devin to see it in person for the first time - but that was August. So, now since it's December - we wanted you to enjoy our holiday decorations. Honestly, Bob did "ALL" the decorating. He always does and does it beautifully, I might add. I did ask if I could move something and he growled at me. So, it's been 30 years now and I should have known better than to ask! What was I thinking. He's not home tonight and I turned something a different way. Hee Hee Hee!

Charlie was all to happy to pose. When he sees me with the camera - he just knows what to do. And, he won't move until you tell him to. So Devin, we're really excited about seeing you in a week or so ... and for you to be here for Christmas. We love you sooooo much! And yes, I remember your special request for apple pie!!

Charlie still loves to sit under the piano. Bob's beautiful arrangement of pineapple, apples (McIntosh of course!) and lemons. We got this great urn from Dad Kerstetter. He's always good to pick up treasures at yard sales, estate sales, etc. This one was totally black and I didn't think it was worth much. But thanks to Amway metal cleaner - we got a beautiful silver urn. The greenery is from our woods out back.This is one of my favorite poinsettias - it's called a Candy Cane pointsettia, because it's pink and white stripe.

Okay, now this is MY thing! Baking, cooking and eating these delicious yeast rolls, my dear friend Terry Rainey made. Terry and her husband Kerry, are from Tuscaloosa and have relocated to Seneca just this summer via Oregon, as Pastors of Seneca Wesleyan Church. Terry came to my house this Tuesday to put together an outrageously delicious dinner for "University Singers". And this next part is true ... "And I helped!" We were expecting about 14 people and so we had to use both of our tables. See the red globes on the table? We got those for $5.00 total at the Kirkland Home Outlet in Pigeon Forge last Christmas. Love that place!! Didn't know when we bought those we'd be putting them on our table in South Carolina! Wow, what a year can bring! Okay, the trio of green trees in the middle of the table was also from Kirkland Home Outlet - and I put them on the table and Bob said he liked it!! They were crazy cheap too! I actually saw those same trees on a Christmas HGTV special where they were showing some of their stars homes!!Our wonderful friends - enjoying our first Christmas get together in South Carolina! Left end: Ken Dill, back row, Ben Harris, Michael Wooten, Sarah Wald, right end, Jane Dill, to her left ... Colicus Jones, Amy Evans, Andy Dixon

From Bob to the left: Jacob Kuder, Ashley McGrath, Jacob Hall, Tiffany Moore ... and all those cute kiddos make up the "University Singers" ... some of our new children! Andy, the one everyone is looking at - is from Allentown, Pa. His high school was located on my old college campus - United Wesleyan College. He's our resident comedian! So, I'll bring you more as the season progresses. To all our wonderful friends in Alabama, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania and California: We think of you all often - pray for you - and hope that we get to spend time with you in 2009! To all my precious college students at IWU & SWU: study hard, take vitamin C, and please try to go to sleep before 3:00 am! To my precious family: can't wait to spend time with you in the mountains. I'll try to get that roll recipe down before then! To Devin: Our most precious gift of all, we pray daily for you, for strength, health, direction, peace, joy and laughter! We'll leave the light on till you get here!! LOVE YOU!!! ... na-ah, love you more ...

October 2008

Out our front door this afternoon. We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful place!

The pilgrims have been put out and so we are officially looking forward to Thanksgiving!

The bar.

Okay, look closely. There's a skeleton of a dead lizzard hanging in this tree. How did we find this you may ask? Well, it happens to be hanging in a very sweet blooming bush. Bob and I were smelling this great fragrance every time we went outside, so we ventured over to it and breath in the sweet aroma and this is what we found. If I had a better camera, you could see that is was only a skeleton. You could see right through it! This is one of the biggest trees on campus. It's HUGE! I can't imagine how old it is. Just some of the great trees on campus right now. This one is in front of the President's building. Taken today 11/2/08 after having lunch on campus at Southern Wesleyan. It was a beautiful day - about 75 degrees and look at that blue sky!
Yesterday we drove up to Brevard to meet Dave and Brenda Blackburn, our good friends. They live in the most gorgeous place. They've taken us sight seeing several times already and this was our first fall tour of the mountains. It certainly wasn't anthing but spectacular! This is at a place called "Ceasars Head". You could see for miles. It was magnificient! This was called "Pretty Place". A lookout Jono Blackburn has been trying to get us to go to for a while now. We finally made it. My sweetie of 30 years now! I couldn't imagine doing anything better - than everything with this guy! Brenda and Dave Blackburn. Our dear friends. Every time we see each other - Brenda and I get so excited. Because when they left FWC in Tuscaloosa more than a year ago - we were so sad. They were our hang out buddies on staff. We had no idea that a year later God would allow us to live only 1 hour apart! There's nothing like a great girlfriend! Brenda's awesome! She has the best laugh! She made a delicious lunch before we had to go home. The entrance to "Pretty Place". It is an outdoor tabernacle and this is your view. The words read " I Will Life Mine Eyes Unto The Hills".

This is the steeple at FWC in Central. The church is located right next door to the chapel where our offices are. The blue sky has been spectacular lately and the fall colors on campus are vibrant right now. You might notice the wreath above my head. They decorated the chapel for a Christmas card picture and so we thought we'd get the first shot since it wasn't even Halloween when we took this. The night of the dedication of the chapel, we took this. This is the 9 ft. Steinway in the chapel. Actually, this is Bob playing the 9 ft. Steinway in the chapel.One of the benefits of traveling is that you have the opportunity to be reunited with friends. We traveled to High Point, NC in October and had the blessing of seeing James, Jeannine and Brianne Woody. They also have a son, Travis, (who is adorable and is Devin's age), but did not go to lunch with us and missed the picture taking. I first met James and Jeannine when I became the district director of a young adult ensemble in 1980. We immediately connected with them. They were fun loving, love the Lord, loved music and we just fit and nitched together. Their daughter, Brianne is on the far right. When she was born, upon her homecoming, I took her to the piano, held her in my lap, played and sang to her. James and Jeannine have been dear friends for a long time. Being with them was like time had stood still - except the kids are all grown now. James later sang in a trio with Bob and me. Now that we aren't so terribly far away, we hope to have some good visits together. Here we are with Lee Denny and Michael Wooten. Lee is the daughter of Tim and Cheri Denny. Our families traveled together in the early 90's as a trio called "One Heart". Lee was 4 yrs. old when we started singing together. Now she is 22 yrs. old. Again, another beautiful girl all grown up. We had taken a picture of Cheri and Logan (now 19 yrs. old), but it didn't turn out. So sad. Hopefully, we can get one again. This is just rehearsal time at Fist Wesleyan Church in High Point, NC. University Singers sang here on October 19th. We had a GREAT time! This group is just fabulous. All these kids are OUR KIDS and we love them dearly. Each one unique and each one very gifted! There are two seniors in this group and I can't believe I will lose them after 1 semester and 1 yr. together.Although they look so professional when they sing - when they travel - they look like a pile of puppies.This is the aircraft we flew to Tuscaloosa on September 24th of this year. Dr. Spittal and his wife Donna were along on the trip. We went to host a fundraising event for the Newton Hobson Chapel and Fine Arts Center. So hard to believe something so small can be so powerful and smooth at the same time!Here we are the 4 of us posing. The Spittals are fantastic people and we had a GREAT time on the flight. The only shot I got inside the plane. Sorry. But, Bob is happy and enjoying himself! It was also his birthday so he felt very special! Devin, Michael Wooten and Jono Blackburn. Michael is part of University Singers, but is also a new adopted son. And then Jono Blackburn Kerstetter is on the far right. He and Devin are going to be rooming together next semester. They met when they were about 5 years old when we first moved to Alabama.