Pics from the State Fair

It was great: $1 for parking, free admission, free rides, short lines, and just families with their kids. We actually got to see a zebu and a water buffalo at the petting zoo (as opposed to just hearing about them from Silly Songs with Larry). The expressions say it all, folks.

Update on David

From my sister Jennifer on Friday:

My dear friends and family, thank you for the overwhelming support and prayers you have offered on behalf of David and Chris's family since Wednesday. David passed away today. The swelling in his brain was so significant that it occluded his brain stem this morning around 3am. Although he was brain dead, he remained on the respirator all day and will continue to until they retrieve his organs for donation this evening. The family have all arrived back at Paul and Sue's now. Please pray for us all, especially Paul and Sue, and Chris and Beth. There's been such support from everyone that we have been overwhelmed and at times have felt such peace and joy that comes only because there is so much love between us and surrounding us.

My mom arrives tomorrow, another act of love from my family that leaves me speechless. Services will be end of next week. I will let you know more in a few days as things unfold.
Love, Jenn

Jenn's husband Chris (the groom here), and David, to the left between him and John
Chris and Jenn

Please pray for David

My sister, Jenn, is married to Chris, a young doctor in England. Chris' brother David is a tree surgeon there. Wednesday David fell from a tree and was caught by his harness--but his chainsaw sliced major arteries in his neck. The retired doctor who lived there performed CPR for 50 minutes before David began breathing again.

Surgery was able to repair the arteries and muscle, but the level of brain damage looks severe to the point of being life-threatening. David professed faith in Jesus Christ about a year and a half ago, for which we are thrilled. They will begin to take David off sedation about nine tomorrow (three in the morning our time), when we will begin to see if he can survive without life support.

My mom is headed there tomorrow to be with Jenn and Chris. Please pray for Jenn; Chris; Chris' parents, Paul and Sue; and all the others touched by such a horrific accident. Most of all, please pray for God's glory and abiding presence. This has been a very hard couple of days for all of us...my arms feel so short, but I know God's aren't.

Thanks.

Welcome, Fall!: The Pumpkin Patch

A hay bale jungle gym! The boys loved it, and it reminded me of the ones Dad used to build for us in the barn!

A petting zoo--pygmy goats and sheep

The boys adored the hayrack ride; Will asked to do that during every other activity!

Tya, the girl whose preschool we went with!

A pig race. 'Nuff said.

Week in Paradise (a.k.a. Grandpa and Grandma's)

John and I took a week for intensive Peacemaker training and their annual conference in Orlando--an incredible time for me to enter into his passion and truly remarkable gifting. Wish I could tell you what an honor it was to be there with him, in an environment where he's so respected, but much more so, where John's heartbeat is.

The kiddos got to go to Grandpa Gary and Grandma Cindy's, and they had a BLAST. What a week! We were so blessed to not have to worry a bit about them and to have parents who truly enjoyed them, and somehow without spoiling them made every day nearly magical! Check it out.

Thanks to the VeggieTales Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, my boys are going through a (virtuous?) pirates phase. These were their latest swords from World Fest.

Corinne and boys watching the AR Game and Fish Commission's massive portable aquarium

Uncle Steven, Aunt Keri, and Corinne enjoy a smoothie outside of the tepee

face painting at Little Rock's World Fest



Aunt Keri and Will on the World Fest inflatables!

Playing in a tree felled by Gustav


New digs: A box from La-Z-Boy. Talk about the penthouse suite! I think Handyman Grandpa even made a shelf in there. They were eating hot dogs in their "house" when I called to check on them from our training in Orlando.

Anatomy according to Dr. Baden

"The food goes into your mouth, all the way down to your intestaments and then out your bottom."

So is that Old Intestament, then New Intestament, or small intestament, large intestament...?

Am I crazy?!: Onward with cloth diapers!

Okay, our family is taking a significantly greener (crazier?) step. I just bought a truckload, okay boxful, of cloth diapers and even reusable wipes that you just toss in with your diaper laundry load. It was an investment, but I think it should save us major moola, particularly with one on the way; right now it should pay for itself in about five/six months of diapering. Not too bad, and baby, these things have IMPROVED since the swishing-it-in-the-toilet and gross-wet-pail-that a-kid-can/does-fall-in (ask my sister Keri about this one--Sunday dress and all!) days.

It's also nice not throwing plastic and poop in a landfill, the latter of which, I found out, is illegal! No way. John wants to know, who has that job? "Excuse me, ma'am, poo police."

Here are the ones we got, after much research and a lot of help from friends (thanks, ladies!). Someone actually gifted us the money for the initial investment! These diapers fit Will (for nighttime; thank you, Lord, that he's potty trained) AND Corinne, a 20-lb.+ difference, so they really are one size fits all! They feel super-soft (even snuggly!); they're cute; and you take 'em off, dump any stuff out and put 'em in a dry pail until you wash at night, and that's about it. They're not too different from disposables! They come with a smaller extra insert for nighttime or for use with newborns, and so far they've held through the night with both kids. I will let you know if this little venture is successful. Trust me. I do not mess around with diapers. Well, any more than I need to.

If you want more info, I'll let you know, but I'll spare the details for the rest of you. :)