Wedding picture a quick note

It was a beautiful wedding. Jessa was a gorgeous bride. Though the preperations had some minor problems the wedding itself started on time and went off without a hitch. The songs and words that were shared truly edified the Lord. I'll share step by step details later. I think I could sleep for days. My week felt like a month long but it had to produce some of the greatest blessings of life with the lifes that were changed at camp and then seeing your first daughter be joined into marriage with a Godly man who's eyes were so full of love during the ceremony and God's spirit so very present...every ounce of exhaustion was worth it.

Now comes putting my house (and church) back in order but first lots of sleep to catch up on.

Less than 24 hours....

and I will be a mother-in-law. The church looks beautiful. Practice went smoothly, the Anders, Levi's parents, were awesome. They worked endlessly ironing chair covers, and linens.

I am sooooooo exhausted. Just one more day...I've never wanted to be two people as much as do tomorrow. I want to be able to be directing everybody to be sure everything goes smoothly (even in the kitchen) but I'm the mother and I don't want to miss anything of seeing my oldest be joined in marriage.

My dad, brother and nephew arrived late last night so everyone is here. We just need tomorrow to go smoothly and have Jessa's special day go off without a hitch and then I'll be able to relax.

Awesome Camp - Quick Post

8 saved, 6 sanctified, 2 baptized with the Holy Ghost, 1 healing, 8 baptized in water by two Southerners (Brother Anders and Brother Griffin) @ 11 pm. 3-4 hour services.

More details and pictures to come.

God is Good!!!!!!

Stress is my first, middle and last name

I keep taking a deep breath, and reminding myself to stay calm but I've forgotten what calm is. I believe I've reached a level of stress that I have reached in months if not years. I am so thankful for all the staff for camp so I don't have to plan a class or worship on top of everything else. I know different ones have asked if they can do things for me but some things are impossible to turn over. Joleesa got a "hug tester" at work where you put your thumb on it and turns colors saying how many hugs you need based on your stress. Mine was black, the highest level saying I needed 3 hugs...where's those hugs.

Things are coming together. Every day people are arriving for camp. Levi should be here tomorrow. I know Jessa is stressing and I want to be there to relieve her stress but instead we stress all over each other. Jessa I promise that once camp is past I'll be able to calm you instead of add to it. Although, you probably won't need me to then as Levi will be here.

Brother Nowling leaves at 2:30 am to go get his mom in Mpls to turn around and come back on Thursday, while Thursday night I go grocery shopping for camp. Griffins come in Friday night late, Anders come in on Saturday. Some of the Bethel folks will arrive tomorrow with more coming on Friday along with the Dorans. We have state convention Friday night, state staff meeting Saturday morning, a shower for Jessa with her co-workers, conventin in the evening and Sunday morning. Then 11 cars and 38 people (maybe more) will be headed out for camp. Camp ends Wednesday about 11 am. We'll take a leisurely drive back and then Thursday we work on some of the last details for the wedding. My dad, brother and nephew come in Thursday night. Friday morning we decorate the church, Friday afternoon the our shower for Jessa (the guys will be doing something with Levi), Friday night rehearsal and then back to our house for a barbecue for the rehearsal dinner. Saturday morning hair appointment for the girls and I and then the big day. And I'm still working full time this week. Couldn't take off because I don't have vacation plus we have training.

I surely can't say I'm bored, but I am anxious for Jessa's day to be here and be so very special. I hope it'll all come together.

Sore in Body but so grateful to Many

Just a quick post. With Micah, Megan, Tim, Matthew, Joleesa's boyfriend Dallas and the girls everything was over to the new house last night. Furniture is put in place, kitchen put together (thanks to Megan; I marked the cupboards on Wednesday night and she unpacked things on Thursday while I was at work). The garage is full of boxes. We still have a lot to do, but the place is amazing. Several are at the duplex and cleaning there.

The young people have been determined to help us get it all done. We are so grateful to them all.

Please pray for Brother Nowling and I though. Our bodies hurt so bad but we have to keep going. Yesterday I had to move my desk, file cabinets, etc at work from the 2nd floor to the first. My co-worker was great and did alot of it. But after all the packing and moving I came in tired and hurting. I have rheumatoid arthritis in my lower back, and the bending and lifting has it just on fire. Then I came to the duplex after work and Brother Nowling was sitting amongst all kinds of heavy stuff in the living room that he had moved by himself. He was saying we still had so much to do, I wrapped my arms around him and he started crying saying he hurt so bad (especially his knee that he hurt in a car accident years ago and continues to have problems with). When Micah got there I asked him to help to insist that he not do the heavy stuff and of course he said he would but no matter what Micah said, until the other guys got there, he was right in there. Eventually he just had no more in him and he sat on the couch and let the guys finish. They were great.

Now today he's over cleaning while I've been trying to put stuff together here. I've got a couple more things I'm going to do here and then I'm going to see what they need. Please pray for our bodies.....

Got the keys and met the owner

Well tonight Brother Nowling went and picked up the keys. So when I got home after grabbing a quick bite to eat Jenna, Joleesa and I headed over the house to walk through it again. And the owner was there. He is a nut and very nice nut at that. He showed us all kids of things. Told us to make it our home. Told us different things we could change if we wanted to. He also said they've got someone coming either once a week or every other week (he couldn't remember because his wife made the arrangements) coming do the yard. How cool is that. That was one of Brother Nowling's concerns. He told me about the neighbors. Gave me his and his wive's cell numbers and email so if we wanted to get approval on something from them we could and then he would contact the management company to do it...he kept naming things that he hadn't done when they lived there but he was more than willing to do it now as it would be a tax write off. They're actually moving to Australia as he is Army Intelligence and has been assigned for 3-5 years in Australia which works out great as his wife is from Australia. He did kind of give me a scare as he started off our conversation saying something about "when we come back in a year". He must have saw my face and said he was joking that it would it be at least 3 years but most likely 5 years. The thought of moving in even 3-5 years is like YUCK! But who knows what the Lord will have for us by that time.

It's amazing though as you really walk through knowing it's yours it's like "where is this going to go?" The bedroom that is the master bedroom was a room they never finished, as far as painting that is. So hopefully tomorrow night after the church Jenna and Joleesa (and maybe a couple of the other youth0 will go over after church and do a quick paint job. Nothing fancy, just clean. I would really like a peach colored room but we don't have the time to tape off everything so white it'll be. But it's kind of a dark room so probably for the best.

Well go to Jenna's blog for a video clip that crazy Joleesa took of the place. I'm headed to do some stuff in my room and then go to bed. I may or may not post again before moving in.

Busy as a Bee

I just keep flitting from one thing to the next. I got the State church books done for convention so all I have to do is drop in the May numbers. Ordered more checks for the church, only to have the bank cancel the order due to I had them coming to my place instead of the overseer's, even though I was told that was ok. Ugh...so placed the order again to be delivered to the overseer's home.

Camp - grocery list, schedule done and printed, went through the camp totes to see what was left over from last year that can still be used, found the folders and notebooks, got the crafts from Oriental Trading (got love Oriental Trading, even got pencils with special print on them). Tomorrow morning I'll go get the rest of the things that I need for the banquet, pick up the rest of the notebooks from Jackie, and get them put together.

Moving-is going well. I'll be packing the pots and pans, serving bowls and food cupboards tomorrow. I got the electric and heat scheduled to start the 28th at our new place and turn off on the 1st at the duplex. I couldn't get cable and Internet scheduled because the current owners has put their disconnection in. Oh and get this, we weren't going to get a land phone because only telemarketers use it, but IF we don't get the package that includes a land line we actually will pay $30 more per month AND we won't be able to have unlimited usage. Ugh! They get you any way they can. I now need to do a change of address. Post office said if done on line it'll be effective immediately but will cost $1 (ridiculous) otherwise it takes 7 days. So I got do that and rent the U-haul trailer tomorrow.

Jackie came over tonight and Josh and I helped her transplant my indoor plants. I had purchased some from work as they will be leasing out the 2nd floor so they got rid of all their plants. I purchased 4 and two of them were small leaf philodendrons that had vined together. All of them needed re potted and that's her speciality so we got them all done. The two tangled plants were placed together in one big pot as they were so tangled and it makes for one huge, beautiful plant.

Tomorrow night Brother Nowling and I will be going to the BBQ for Jenna's friend who's wedding she is in and we'll be going to the wedding on Sunday.

Monday I will be doing my camp shopping. Yippee, Memorial Day celebration. I'll probably be doing it by myself as I don't want to take anyone from their day's plans. I'm going to store the stuff at the church and in Jessa's freezer so I don't have to move it to our new house.

The wedding has had some great strides. I was stressing over the need for kitchen help when I realized there are ladies that I work with that would probably do it. It was so awesome as one even started to cry, honored that she was asked and the other ones hugged me and said tell me where, when, what you want me to wear and what you want be bring and what you want me to do and then don't give it another thought as she hugged me. Now that's the way I remember weddings being, a display of recognizing that it's an honor to be in a wedding. It's been awesome. Then Jenna worked things out for the three girls and I to have hair done at 8:30 am on the wedding day. They salon will be all ours as they are not opened to the public. They have promised that we will be pampered and I tell you we will need that. Also, we have a back up plan in place for some things that are uncertain at the moment. Lastly, my dad, brother and nephew have their standby tickets bought. Brother Nowling got all the time he needs as to fly to Mpls to get his mom and bring her up. She'll be staying for several weeks and will even be coming to camp.

I have to get my VLB service for Sunday night together, plus my camp and ABM boost for convention.

We still have so much to do but it's coming together. I just keep going over things day after to day and say what do I tackle today?

Everyone have a great weekend, I thank God for the extra day to get more accomplished.