Here and there and all over the place

Two weekends ago Jake and I drove down to Taylor for Greg and Diana's wedding. I got to see all of my Oakville friends. Brooke, Katie, and Kaylyn were all there. :) The wedding was cute and funny. I love it when the father gives the wedding service.


Last week was VBS. I helped with crafts. It was great fun. I got to paint all of the 3-year-olds' feet and then stick them on a stool that they had painted. It was a little chaotic. :)


Friday, Kendra, Clayton, and I drove out to Kacie's Graduation. It was quite the weekend. Saturday, the day of the party, started early with way too many last minute details. Rita, Grandma, Grandpa, Loren Pearl, Lori, my mom, and two ladies from Leo were all running around like crazy. The party turned out great though. The food was awesome, Kacie took polaroid pictures instead of a guest book, and the was a whole keg of 1919 root-beer.

getting the root-beer ready 

The quilt Kayla made for Kacie

the family relaxing

Congratulations Kacie!

In Christ 
~Michelle

San Diego

Two weeks ago after Wendi told me she was engaged, I bought plane tickets to California with her, Kendra, and Hannah, and Breana flew in from Indiana and surprised her family.   I flew out on the 26th through the 31st and stayed with the Wagenbachs. It was a short trip but totally worth it.

Sunday we went to church in San Diego, walked around the Poway lake, and played volleyball after church with the Fulops. We stayed up somewhat late talking around the outdoor fire place.

Beautiful day at the lake

Washington girls

Cuddled up by the fire

Monday was memorial day. We spent the day at the Torrey Pines State Park  beach. It was so beautiful and rugged. In the evening some of Lillian's family came over and we ate wonderful food and took a long walk down their driveway and back up again.

the beautiful Torrey Pines beach :) 

Wendi, me, Kendra, Hannah...the four travelers

view from the Wagenbach's house

 Tuesday was once again spent at the beach. We were thoroughly fried so, Wednesday we just went shopping, out to eat for lunch, and cooked supper before church that evening. After church, we went out for frozen yogurt.   It was incredible.

Moonlight beach

cooking supper :)

All the girls :)  

(this is a terrible picture, sadly it is the only one with all of us)

frozen yogurt

We stayed up late talking and I bid my farewells. Thursday morning I got up early and Lillian took me to the airport. I wish I could have stayed longer but, on such short notice I'm just glad I got to go at all. :)

Beautiful view of the Grand Canyon from the air.

It was a great trip to spend much needed time with great friends and take my last trip with Wendi before she falls off the face of the earth or floats away in the clouds...either way. ;) I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and that the Wagenbach's were willing to let four girls crash at their house for a week.
We weren't always quiet. :)


In Christ
~Michelle

...and it doesn't stop

After the excitement over Matt and Lena started to die down a bit, I received more exciting news. 
Wendi P. is engaged to Daniel L. :) I totally was shocked by who it was but not by the timing. But, they are really cute together. :) 

(Thanks Wendi)

Engagements used to make me happy but now I have more of a bipolar attitude towards them, especially when they are my friends. I will be extremely excited one minute and the next about ready to cry. A lot changes. And the more friends that get married, the more I realize how hard it is to stay in touch. 
But, even so, with email and facebook and a lot of trips to visit them all, we've all been doing pretty good. Thank-goodness Wendi is just moving to Roanoke.


Alas. :) I am truly an old maid at 21. 


Congratulations Wendi and Daniel! God is amazing and His plan is perfect. I can't wait to see how He leads you. :)


In Christ
~Michelle

21st

My 21st birthday was on Monday. 
Between my dad being in the field, Matt's engagement, and general business my birthday was pretty dull. Which is fine with me. There have been so many plans, events, things...in the past year that I was so ready just to have a quiet night at home. 
Tuesday night I did have some friends over to play games and hang out. It was great fun. 
I don't feel any older. There really isn't much of a difference between 20 years, 364 days old and 21 years, 3 days old. Whatever, at least I can drink now (note a whole lot of sarcasm)... but, I won't. So, that little bit of excitement doesn't apply. :)


Anyway, in other news... Lena came on Wednesday. :)
We had supper with her family and then went to church. 

aren't they cute :)

In Christ

~Michelle

Exciting News

Matt is engaged! 


We are all very excited :)
Lena went to the Boundary Waters with me and my dad two years ago and we met up again in Minnesota this February which is when they met...and the rest is history. :)

Matt's right behind me and Lena is in the blue :)

 ...In other news, today was Mother's day. (Happy Mother's day mom)

we had the whole family over for supper and volleyball. 

I finished my first year at U of I on Tuesday. This past semester was crazy. A total of five group projects, 16 substantial papers amounting to a total of 93 pages written, interview projects, observation projects, busy work, and a role play final and I am extremely sick of school.  It is such a relief to be done for the summer. But, once again I am still jobless. :P

Anyway, Congratulations Matt and Lena! and welcome to the family Lena, I always wanted a younger sister. ;)

In Christ

~Michelle

country girl

This weekend was great. 
I had a three day weekend because of finals. Saturday I spent most of the day getting odd jobs done and helping outside on the farm tearing apart one of our sheds. 
I got to play the role of a rat exterminator. My dad was moving two feeders so Matt, Jake, Fred, and I stood at the ready. There were 9 rats under one feeder and and 16 under the other. In a flash after the feeder moved there was a wild dash to get all of the rats before they got away. Gus, our puppy, was having the time of his life. Needless to say the cats had a feast. 

in action

I spent a lot of time running around with Gus and laughing at him. He is a hilarious little dog. His favorite toy is a broom and he loves cats. :)

Gus and his kitty friend

Sunday after church we went for another cemetery tour. We walked through Springdale and I have decided old vaults are extremely cool.


Today, I cleaned my room for the first time in a very long time. For fun I rearranged it. I'm still not sure I like it but I'm all for  the new and exciting. 


Right now I'm back at school. Tomorrow is my last final of my Junior year! :) I can't wait for summer. 


In Christ
~Michelle

excitement for the day

Today, I spent an hour stuck in a stairwell with thirty other students. 

Supposedly there were tornado sightings all over Champaign county and one of them was with in seven miles of campus and heading in our direction. I was a little nervous I'll admit but, not as nervous as some of the Chicago kids. For some of them it was their first tornado warning/watch ever. 

After a few minutes I was ready to walk home, while they were glued to their cell phones listening to weather reports. 

It made me smile. 

We heard that at least three tornadoes touched down in the area but, I don't think there was any damage. 

Nothing like a tornado to wrap this semester up with a little excitement. 

In Christ

~Michelle