PoC at the Edge

Tonight, our church launch team was at the Bloomington Edge arena football game!  

We set up a booth and gave away LaffyTaffy and mini footballs, clappers, and bookmarks with information about PoC on them.  

teams lined up for the national anthem

Bloomington Edge vs. Cedar Rapids Titans

We all wore our PoC t-shirts and sat together in the stadium when it wasn't our turn to man the booth.

The kids helped at the booth too!

We had so much fun!!!!!  And, it was pretty cool to sit in the game and see/hear the crowd with their PoC clappers cheering on the Edge!

All good eyes

Caeden, Sylvia, and I all had eye exams today.  We all checked out a-okay.

Camp Wa-nik-ska-ka

It was very exciting day for our boy today!  For years, he watched the girls go off to State Farm day camp  (Camp Wa-nik-ska-ka) and couldn't wait for his turn.  We didn't get him signed up to go last year, but this year he gets to go every Tuesday in June, and HE. IS. PUMPED!!!

It wasn't even hard to get him out of bed at 5:45 a.m.  He smiled and opened his eyes and got right up and ready in no time. 

Daddy started a tradition with the girls of going to breakfast before camp.  So, the boys went to McD's and then Daddy dropped Caeden off.  

When I first saw him this evening after camp, it was clear he made the most of his day!  His whole face was red--red cheeks from playing hard outside all day, red mustache from some kind of fruit drink at snack time, and red eyes from swimming!  But, he said camp was totally awesome and sooooooooo, sooooooo fun!!!!  

Moving to China

Sylvia was invited to visit her friend Isabella's house for a sleepover last night, and was so happy to be able to go!  They had supper at Destihl with Bella's grandparents, stayed up watching Looney Tunes and Barbie Mermaid Tale 2, and slept in late this morning.  She was very glad to get to spend some quality time with Isabella before she moves to China with her family next week!

Summer Sundays

Caeden had his second baseball game this afternoon.  When we signed him up for baseball, we didn't realize it would conflict with our having church on Sunday evenings this summer.  But all his games start at 3:30, which is the same time we have worship team rehearsal and start other preparations for our evening service.  We still felt Caeden should go ahead with baseball, so for the next few weeks Jeremy and I are alternating taking him. 

He really enjoys it!  Since it is his last year in the instructional league, he is one of the oldest on his team.

The very second the game ended, we jumped in the car and rushed to church.  We got there about 30 minutes into the service, and Caeden still got to be part of most of it--including one of his favorite parts: snack time!

They played All the Baby Animals Are Sleeping.

The lesson tonight was about Christian persecution and imprisonment, and they built an edible prison from rice crispy treats, pretzel rods, and chocolate squares.  Then they played a game outside where the kids could be captured and "imprisoned" and released by friends.  Here is Caeden being carried off to "prison..."

Our church is FUN, and we are so glad our kids are excited to learn about Jesus!!

Church is fun for our grownups too!  During our launch team meeting tonight, we had "Pastor Todd's Favorite Things"--you know, like Oprah.  ;)  We all received our new PoC t-shirts!

After church, Jeremy stopped by Lowe's to pick up another gallon of paint for the living room.  He's really fast with the roller, and finished that second coat in no time!

I just need to touch up a few spots on the ceiling and complete the trim line at the ceiling tomorrow!

Regional Quiz 2012

We had a great time in Kankakee/Bourbonnais yesterday and today at Olivet Nazarene University for the Regional Children's Bible Quiz!

We drove up yesterday afternoon for registration, and got settled into our on-campus apartment.  I called Travis, and he recommended the local restaurant Aurelio's.  We headed there with our fellow PoC quizzing' friends Brian and Jana, Savanna and Sierra.  The pizza was wonderful, and we also enjoyed the atmosphere!  Thanks for the great recommendation, Trav!

The Friday Family Festival scheduled on campus for the quizzers was moved inside because it was cold and rainy most of the day.  We checked it out for a little while, but didn't stay too long.

The girls found some silly disguises...

The girls and daddies competed in foosball. 

Caeden had to participate in the Mario Kart tournament...

But, it was pretty crowded with the festival being inside, so we decided to enjoy the gorgeous evening with a walk around campus.

It's a very beautiful campus.

Sierra, Sylvia, Caeden, Annah, Savanna

We witnessed a beautiful light show, provided by The Creator himself.  

We played at the clock tower.

We played "follow the gray brick road..."

And, of course, we had to take our traditional picture at the sign...

...and a not-so-traditional one too.

Then we went back to the apartment, and the kids played for a while.  We studied for the quiz some more before bed too.

Caeden was awake not long after 5:00 a.m. this morning, dancing and excited for the day.  We tried to get him to lie down with Daddy and be quiet so he wouldn't wake the girls--without much success.

We headed for breakfast about 6:50.  It was a gorgeous morning!

All ready for some QUIZZING!!!!!!!!

Brian prayed for/over the kids.   

Brian is one of our Point of Change pastors, and he led us in a team cheer for PoC in the lobby of the chapel.  

Red Level started at 8:30 a.m.  Here is our NWIL District All-Star Team, all ready to go!

concentrating hard...

After 3 rounds of 15 questions in each, the team did great.  Caeden missed a total of 2 questions and had one perfect round.  Here, he receives his participation medal.

We learned some VERY silly motions to Singin' in the Rain!!!

We're so proud of Sierra!!  She didn't miss a single question, and was one of 20 kids who received a "Top 10" trophy!

After lunch it was time for the Blue Level quiz.  Here is the Blue NWIL District All-Star team.

The team tied for 3rd place!

Each of the girls also missed two questions and had one perfect round.  We felt they did great!

It was a very unusual day of quizzing, as there were a number of interruptions that affected everyone's concentration.  There was a disappointing and deceitful set of unfortunate circumstances that we would just like to forget, but we will choose focus on the main reason we do quizzing--to greater understand the word of God and hide it in our hearts.  We are grateful for that opportunity!

Clearly, we were all completely wiped out by the end of the quiz, as this is what the ride home looked like....

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." - Psalm 119:105