There and Back Again, again

Yay! This year, in 2013, from July 21-July 26, I am going back to Lexington Kentucky! (for reference to this subject, see earlier posts, There and back again, a tween's tale, and, My Personal Narrative, my Trip to Lexington) SUPER EXCITED!!!

My Trip to Lexington in 2012. (only the third or fourth time I have written this)

Personal Narrative= My Trip to Lexington

            This summer in July, I went on a mission trip to Lexington Kentucky. I went with my church group, called BIG45. There were 14 people going on the trip. Nine kids and four adults. The people who went were Mrs. Penny, Mrs. J, Mr. David, Mrs. Amber, Jill, Andy, Houston, Trey, Alexa, Emma, Maggie, Louise, and Me. We were working with three people, Geoff, Sherry, and their son Isaac. We stayed at a dorm in UK (University of Kentucky) with some other college students. There were three people to a dorm, and I stayed with Ms. J, and Alexa.

            Every morning after breakfast, we would do something before VBS. Two mornings we worked in the garden, one morning we went shopping for Kentucky Refugee Ministries, and one morning we played a stimulation game. In the stimulation game, we were divided into families. Alexa and Trey were married and their daughter was Ms. J, (Alexa’s Mom). Emma and Andy were married and their daughter was Mrs. Amber, (Andy’s Mom). Mr. David was the father of Jill, and Louise. Houston and Maggie were married, and I was their translator. In the game, we were all refugee families, and we had to get social security cards, jobs, and a place to live, and we couldn’t sit down at all. It was fun, and hard. Something funny: Andy was supposed to carry a chair around with him to show that he was paralyzed, once, Mrs. Penny called him up to get his Social Security Card, and he forgot to bring his chair with him. Emma, who was his wife, said, “He’s walking, it’s a miracle!”  Everybody burst out laughing, even Mrs. Penny lost her seriousness and broke down.

            Every afternoon, we went to a community center, and ran a VBS for the kids that didn’t have as much as we did. We did a devotion, crafts, and games for them. Also we made them lunch. Chicken fingers, bagel bits, hot dogs, and fruit and veggies with a choice of lemonade or water. Most kids chose lemonade. By the last day we were almost out of lemonade. There were three girls there that we all became really good friends with. Their names were Madison, her sister Sarah, and their cousin Shanea. Madison and Shanea were 9 or 10, and Sarah was 4. Sarah was the cutest little thing ever!! On the last day of VBS, everybody was truly sad to leave.  Mrs. Penny said that maybe she will let the sixth graders go next year, and if she does, than I will definitely sign up. Mrs. Penny wrote a blog and I will post the link below so that you can hear more about our fantastic trip.

-EB

Blog Link= http://www.kidsonmission.blogspot.com/

There and back again, a hobbit's (no a tween's) tale

In July I went on a mission trip to Lexington Kentucky with my church youth group. we were going to do a VBS with some kids that were less fortunate than us. we went to a community center that was behind a school, and fed the kids, (and ourselves) lunch, and the Mrs. Penny, (the team leader,) did a lesson with them. we used some videos called Ranger Todd, (made by Houston Coley's father,) and we did some games and crafts. also we worked in a garden, went shopping for KRM, (Kentucky Refugee Ministries) and
played a game where we were refugees ourselves. we were staying in a dorm at UK (University of Kentucky) so there were some college students there with us. when we did things in the morning, like work in the community garden, or play the simulation game, we were doing this with two people named Geoff and Sherry. they were helping us, and we did a devotion with them sometimes, and we saw them often. there were 13 people going on the trip. Mrs. Penny, Mrs. Jillian, Mrs. Amber, Mr.David, Trey, Houston, Andy, Jill, Emma, Maggie, Louise, Alexa, and Me, Emily.

We all had a great time, and we hope that the kids we worked with did too.

Here is a short video showing some of the work we did in Lexington. This was filmed and put together by my friend Houston Coley: Lexington 2012
Also, here is some of the Ranger Todd videos.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d96aXzO4O9g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az0xC7Dv8JE   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNPNqYYr_Bs&feature=youtube_gdata

Lexington Fun

We had some great fun every day of our trip to Lexington, especially our Harry Potter skit. Cast: 

• Ron: ME!
• Dumbledore: Jill
• Snape: Maggie T.
• Harry: Lexa
• Hermione: Emma D
• Voldemort: Louise McKee

During all of this the 3 boys were all upstairs ASLEEP!! and we were very loud...

Our First Time

Emily returned home this evening from her first adventure sans parents. In another manner, she returned home from the first adventure of any of our children sans us. Five days away, and we were delighted to see her home.
She experienced life and served her neighbors in Lexington KY with a few friends and adults I trust (well, mostly trust). Said adventures chronicled here. http://kidsonmission.blogspot.com/
Having a grand adventure ourselves without parental influence (I do not count once Maggie vacates her office), we were all exhausted, five of us in our jammies laying cross-ways on my bed reading at 7:30pm, and dropping off to bed shortly thereafter.

First trip from home

Emily left this morning for the first trip from home without parents or grandparents of any of our children. She's heading to Lexington, KY with a group of great kids and a few decent adults to help run a Vacation Bible School for a group of refugee kids there.
I pray she is safe, of course. But mostly I pray she is changed, in ways that cannot occur in our home. She's a terribly sweet kid, and generally willing to love others with open arms. This environment should be a good stretch for her, and an important step in maturing into a servant-child of God.

I love you, my dear little lady.
Her Updates can be found here.

Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, Episode 3

Episode 3 of Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, is dangerously undercover, finding himself surrounded by Amazon Women in Outer-Space. It's good to know that this stereotype plays in other galaxies. As Astro-Toddwina, he's doing his best to just be one of the girls.
Trying to calm the nice-ness competition, Eliza beams up her encouraging words,"Tell Maya to tell Tobar 'good job'". Always the encourager...

Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, Episode 2

Episode 2 of Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, where we follow up on the two warring parties and find out that their impatience was based in lack of mutual understanding. Cultural differences between frantic five hour energy and almost-opposable thumbs nearly lead to a galactic war. If only other world leaders had Astro-Todd to help them through their differences. Unfortunately, while worlds apart are finding common ground, things are tensing up on the homefront, where we find a kindness competition in progress. Who will win? Find out here...

Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, Episode 1

Episode 1 of Lost in Space: Astro-Todd, where we find two folks being impatient with one another, reminding me of two people (for example, my favorite five and six year old), who occasionally show patience with each other (wait, I meant to write 'impatience', but it is too late to change now).
Click here for Episode 2, where we find out what happens with this galactic dilemma.

2009-11 Stonebridge Kids

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