Fort Myers, FL - Our mini vacation/Adam and Casie's wedding! *Part 1*

The first full day we were in Florida we enjoyed sleeping in for the first time in a LONG time and we actually slept a lot longer that we were thinking. The prophets chamber we started out in had no windows, so it stayed dark in the morning...well, it was dark all the time, but it made it especially hard to wake up each morning because it was still pitch black in the room.

My suit case with my clothes and the boys clothes did not arrive in Fort Myers when we did, and neither did the boys car seats. Yeah, not to fun! So, we had to wait in a long line, along with the others who were missing luggage, to see what was the timeline for out belongings. We were able to borrow car seats from the airport and we just had to wait for our luggage to come on the next flight. We were originally told that we probably wouldn't see it until Saturday morning...we arrived on Thursday night. Friday we went to Wal-mart to buy the boys and I some clothes to wear so we could be clean after spending hours on the plane the day before! It turned out that they were able to get our luggage on a small plane that arrived Friday afternoon! It was such a blessing to have our luggage again :)

Friday night, we went to Fort Myers beach with Uncle Adam, to watch the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico! It was beautiful!!!!

WHITE sandy beach! :) the sand was so smooth and warm! I loved it!


Nathan and I enjoying the beautiful sunset! We even saw some dolphins swimming by :)

Joshua was actually liking all the pictures that were being taken...normally he runs off when I try to take his picture. Here he wanted to be in the picture when he wasn't even supposed to be in it ;)

:) mmm! BEAUTIFUL!

It was soooo hot in Florida...Matthew's face was rosy red all the time.

He loves to hold blankets...I think I have another blankey boy ;)

A random pirate ship that sailed by...it made for really nice pictures though!

Our Family :)

I Love to take pictures....especially of God's beautiful handiwork!

How much do you think I could get for this shot? ;)

Priceless!

Daddy and his little look alike!

Even though he didn't act like it all the time...Joshua LOVED being with Uncle Adam! He asks to see you everyday!! We had a really nice time with Adam since we were able to get to Florida early!

I took soooooooo many pictures....can you see why!?!!!

This was the view along the beach.

I love this shot!

collecting seashells! We added them to our collection in our bathroom...thanks for the idea Casie!

Enjoying the somewhat cooler weather...by the water and past 8pm was bearable;)

Guys!

Matthew at the beach

We didn't swim in the water...we didn't feel like swimming with the possibility of getting stung by a stingray or meeting a shark (I'm sure we would have been fine..but). Mr. Crawford told us some stories of people who were stung and we decided that we didn't like the sound of that! We did step in the water though!

Watching the sunset!

Pom pom trees (as Joshua calls them) ;)

This picture reminds me of a very excited day to come as Christians...when we meet our Lord in the clouds!!

Sunset over the Gulf!

We had a wonderful mini family vacation!

more pictures to come...we have VBS this week, so it may not be until next week :)

'God's Eternal Ink'

I have been listening to the sessions from Lancasters 2011 Spiritual Leadership Conference. It is their 25th anniversary! Praise the Lord for His marvelous works! I heard this poem while listening to a session on being a servant...I know you will be challenged as you read... I was!

'God's Eternal Ink'

I dreamed I was in heaven

Where an angel kept God's book

He was writing so intently

I just had to take a look

It was not at first his writing

That made me stop and think

But the fluid in the bottle

That was marked eternal ink

This ink was most amazing

Dark black upon his blotter

But as it touched the parchment

It became as clear as water

The angel took no notice

But kept writing on and on

He turned each page and filled it

Till all its space was gone

I thought he wrote to no avail

His effots were so vain

For he wrote a thousand pages

That he'd never read again

And as I watched and wondered that

This awesome sight was mine

I actually saw a word stay black

As it dried upon the line

The angel wrote and I thought I saw

A look of satisfaction

At last he had some print to show

For all his earnest action

A line or two dried dark and stayed

As black as black can be

But strangely the next paragraph

Became invisible to see

The book was getting fuller

The angel's records true

But msot of it was black with

Just a few words coming through

I knew there was some reason

But as hard as I could think

I couldn't grasp the significance

Of that eternal ink

The myster burned within me

And I finally dared to ask

The angel to explain to me

Of his amazing task

And what I heard was frightful

As the angel turned his head

He looked directly at me

And this is what he said

I know ou stand and wonder

At what my writing's worth

But God has told me to record

The lives of those on Earth

The book that I am filling

Is an accurate account

Of every word and action

And to what they do amount

And since have been watching

I must tell you what is true

The details of my journal

Are the strict accounts of YOU

The Lord asked me to watch you

As each day you worked and played

I saw you as you went to church

I saw you as you prayed

But I was told to document

Your life through all the week

I wrote when you were proud and bold

I wrote when you were meek

I recorded all you attitudes

Whether they were good or bad

I was sorry that I had to write

The things that make God sad

So now I'll tell the wonder

Of this eternal ink

For the reason for its mystery

Should make you stop and think

This ink that God created

To help me keep my journal

Will only keep a record of

Things that are eternal

So much of life is wasted

On things that matter not

So instead of my erasing

Smudging in and ugly blot

I jsut keep writing faithfully and

Let the in do all the rest

For ir is able to decide

What's useless and what's best

And God ordained that as I write

Of all you do and say

Your deeds that count for nothing

Will just disappear away

When books are opened someday

As sure as heaven is true

The Lord's eternal in will tell

What mattered most to you

If you just lived to please yourself

The pages will be bare

And God will issue no reward

For you when you get there

In fact you'll be embarrassed

You will hang your head in shame

Becuase you did not give yourself

In love to Jesus' Name

Yet maybe there will be a few

Recorded lines that stayed

That showed the times you truly cared

Sincerly loved and prayed

But you will always wonder

As you enter heaven's door

How much more glad yo would have been

If you'd done more

For I record as God sees

I don't stop to even think

Becuase the truth is written

With God's eternal ink

When I heard the angel's story

I fell down and wept and cried

For as yet I still was dreaming

I had't really died.

And I said: O angel, tell the Lord

That soon as I awake

I'll live my life for Jesus

I'll do all for His dear sake!

I'll give in full surrender

I'll do all He wants me to

I'll turn my back on self and sin

And whatever isn't true.

And though the way seems long and rough

I promise to endure

I'm determined to pursue the things

That are holy, clean and pure.

With Jesus as my helper,

I will bring lost souls to Thee

For I know that they will live with Christ

For all eternity.

And that's what really matters

When my life on earth is gone

That I will stand before the Lord

And hear Him say "Well Done."

For is it really worth it

As my life lies at the brink

And I realize that God keeps books

With His "Eternal Ink"

Should all my life be focused

On things that turn to dust?

From this point on I'll serve the Lord;

I can, I will, I must!

I will NOT send blank pages

UP to God's majestic throne

For where that record's going now

Is my eternal home!

I'm giving all to Jesus,

I now have seen the link

For I dreamed an angel wrote my life

With God's "Eternal Ink".

~Craig Pitts

Dresses!!

Last night, Melissa and I were able to go out shopping for our dresses for Adam and Casie's wedding in the beginning of August. We started out at Goodwill and we got some other clothing, but not out dresses. Then we headed over to value village (see we had good intentions of paying little) to find out that they were closed because the store is moving to a different location. Our next stop was going to be Ross, but we decided that we needed a treat! ;) Melissa had a few buy one get one free coupons for McDonald's Mc'cafe, so we both enjoyed a nice frapp...mmmmmm yummy!!! :) oh yes, dress shopping...Ross is basically a step up from second hand stores. They have a ton of cheap stuff but its not second hand, and you still may not be able to find what you want in your size. Well, we both found a bunch of dresses that we liked and that we tried on. I found one that I loved but didn't notice that someone had stuck it into the section of my sized dresses, it was a size 18-22! So needless to say, when I put it on, I was drowning in material! :) I really liked the dress, so when we switched trying on dresses and holding Matthew (he was the only boy allowed to be out with us! He was sooooooo good!! and at 8 he ate and went to sleep...it was like he wasn't even there, other than the fact that we had to carry him around, and he isn't that light anymore!), I ran back to my size section and looked and looked and looked and yes, there it was in my size! Tadaaa!! I was so happy to see it hanging there! So again, we switched places, and I ran to try it on. It fits! So, one dress down, one to go. Our next and last resort was JC Penny. Melissa was praying very hard at this point. When we got there she was able to find a ton (seriously) of dresses to try on, but while we were still looking, we heard over the loud speaker...the store closes in 15 min, please take your items to the closest cashier. We both ran through the rest of the dresses and then Melissa tried on all her dresses and she found the perfect dress! woooowhooo! We have our dresses!!

It is so amazing how the Lord answers prayer! I have been praying that the Lord would allow me to find a dress for a good price (cheap)! Yes, He showed Himself strong again! The dress that I bought was only $14.99! Praise the Lord for HIS goodness :)

Now, we are ready for Florida :P Casie, Adam, Grandpa and Grandma see you all soon!!!!

Canada Day

Sorry, I know these are rather late...only 14 days to be exact ;) ENJOY!

Joshua was in awe of the fireworks! He said "SCORE!" for each one!

I had fun taking a few scenery pictures...I just can't resist when you see this :)

Yes, my American hubby is a proud almost Canadian too ;)

We took Joshua to a farm petting zoo. It was really neat. You walked around in a fenced in area with a bunch of farm animals! There were a ton of goats, which Joshua almost touched. He didn't want to try and touch any afterwards. They had pigs (they were in a fenced in area), goats, ducks, sheep, a turkey, roosters, hens, bunny's, baby goats that were only 5 days old. They were adorable ;) they also had a calf and we were able to see him get his bottle :) Joshua thought that was pretty funny.

There was also a splash pad there. It was just about 7, so the water was going to be turned off soon, but there was one other boy playing there with Joshua. Through conversation, we found out that his name is Jacob and he was born the EXACT same day as Joshua! It was to crazy, the only 2 boys playing in the water were born on the same day! Joshua was a lot bigger though, imagine that!

Matthew Alexander Ravert..catching up..again ;)

Here are a bunch of pictures of Matthew (and a few of both boys)!

Matthew is getting so big! He rolled over for the first time yesterday!!

Well, from his back to his belly (which is the harder way, I think). He has rolled from his belly to back a lot since Canada Day!

Matthew slept right through the Canada Day fireworks! Joshua LOVED watching the fireworks! Each time a firework would flash and boom, he would say "SCORE!!" It was funny ;)

Matthew's 1st Canada Day. I made him a shirt... it said, 'O Canada' and I also drew a Canadian flag on it.

I made the boys and Nathan these shirts for Father's Day. Nathan's says "#1 Daddy" and has a number 1 on the back. Joshua's says "Daddy's Big boy" and has a number 2 on the back. Matthew's says "Daddy's lil' boy" and has a number 3 on the back. They all have camo cargo shorts too :)

CUTIE!

I love his BIG smile ;)

Happy Father's Day!