Strange Weekend

Our weekend started off with lots of fun. Friday we finished up VBS and took my nieces to the pool for the afternoon. Saturday was a birthday pool party for my niece Kelsy who just turned 10. It was a great day, our family had so much fun. We put water wings on Natty and she was swimming like a fish to my mom for about 10' lengths at a time. My Dad even came to the party and we enjoyed some of his old Navy stories. Chris and I soaked up the family fun, we laughed much and were sad to see the party end.
Just after we had gotten home, everyone showered and into beds the phone rang. A good friend from church calling to let me know that a close family member had committed suicide hours earlier. She called me hoping I could direct her as to who could do the clean up. I am not going to go into details except to say a gun was used and you can imagine the rest. This is a very private matter but I wanted to ask for prayer for Chris. You see I did just what she asked I instructed her as to who to call. I got off the phone and told Chris all about it and began praying for them. Chris said to me "Call her back and tell her because it is her family I'll do the clean-up". When we were first married Chris worked for a cleaning co. that did this kind of work so I knew he was trained and he is very careful about regulations but the heart of the matter was that I really didn't want him to go. I asked many times "are you sure" before I called her back. He seemed to feel better knowing he could to this to help the situation and thought that at least the details of the matter would be contained instead of a co. not knowing the family doing then perhaps sharing what they had seen not to mention the cost they would be charged for such a job. No there was no changing his mind. My heart flew into panic a bit after calling my friend to tell her Chris would do it. I was thinking of his mind and how he could never erase it. I was in awe of the grace my husband could bestowe upon another and a part of me felt like he was some kind of super hero. No I would depend on the Lord for this and peacefully let him carry out what the Lord had so apparently asked him to do. I prayed, I prayed a lot. Finally, yesterday as he was pulling out of the drive I felt God's hands over the situation and peace came to me. He came home and seemed ok. He shared some unexpected details but for the most part he said it wasn't so bad and he was glad he could do this for my friend. My husband the "solid rock". God knew he could handle it even though it frightened me to my core. Please be in prayer that the details of this fade and God keep him strong over the situation. Please be in prayer for this family who lost this Christian man who was a husband, father, grandfather and brother.

Love to you all.
Chelle

My mood is rather heavy this evening. We have been enjoying the business of summer. We enjoyed our camp trip with the kids so much. We all had a great time swimming, biking, hiking, fishing you name it we had a blast. We came back to a busy, busy week of playing catch up on our business and making decorations for VBS and then putting up the decorations for VBS. This week of course was VBS. My job was to give the Bible Lesson for the Pre-schoolers. We did Crocodile Dock so I was a southern woman character Miss Sylvie Sugar and talked with a southern accent all week. Fun, Fun, I love seeing the lights come on in their little minds when they begin to understand. My sweet young nieces Kayla 13 and Kelsy 10 stayed with us the entire week and served at VBS with us. This was the first time in two summers we have been able to have them for a week like this and I savored it, we all did I think. Cherished memories.
But this week a tragedy hit our community that has me really shaken.
Yesterday when I was checking in to begin the morning routine with the director for the Pre-school ministry she took me aside and gave me the news that a child that had been attending our VBS had drowned at a pool party the night before. It is a small community so news traveled fast and we soon came to know it was a 4-H pool party and several families from our church were there and new this poor little boy. We had been visiting with my neighbor, swimming in her pond as her son was getting ready to go to this very party that evening. The boy was Jonathan Kinnison 10 yrs. old. The boy was not a good swimmer and had gotten caught under a bunch of other kids when a group of them jumped into the pool all at the same time. All of these children watched as he was hoisted out of the pool, cpr performed and the rescue squad called in. All children watched as this little boy was taken to Jesus including his little 8yr. old sister. Tears well up in me watching the news coverage of our Elementary principal give an account of what a special boy he was and what a blow it has been to our community. My heart hurts for his parents who were not present at the pool party, the boy had gone with friends to enjoy and evening of fun. A picture of him at our VBS is being prepared for the family as it was the very last picture taken of him Wed. afternoon just hours before this tragedy had taken place. My heart aches thinking of my friend having to counsel her children one of whom saw this all take place and one who was classmates with this boy. I truly cannot imagine the kind of pain this brings to those involved, I offer up prayer and nothing else seems like enough.
It was a very real reminder of the big picture of why we are here and how important it is to continue planting seeds for we do not know His plan for our lives and the timing at which He chooses for us to be with Him. So my mood and my heart are heavy thinking of the work ahead that these families will have to endure knowing that he is in a better place but dealing with the harshness of the feeling of loss here and the shocking way in which he left. Please pray for the Kinnison family and for all those families that have been affected by this horrific accident.

Love to you all.
Michelle

Quiet of the Morning

I am the one and only in our family that loves the quiet of the morning. For the most part I always have. Sure the morning never seemed a pleasure when the kids were babies and we were up half the night or they just plain wore me out during the day. But now, here in this place, today, everyone is asleep and the day is just beginning. The birds are chirping, there is a chill in the air and God's world is beginning to come alive. Even as a kid I was always the first one out of bed. In college I annoyed my cousin who shared my room when I would get up at the crack of dawn to study or just drink coffee and grab the news. Then it was the one thing I could count on, no matter what the night was like I knew a new fresh morning was just around the corner. Now it is the one part of the day where I completely feel the peace of the Lord, I can connect with Him without interruption and pray over our day before it begins.
Today I am praying over our camp trip. I pray for good weather, I pray for God's blessing over our vehicles and safety for everyone, I pray our business stays in tact and no emergencies pop up that just have to be taken care of, I pray customers understand when we say we can't get to them until next week and stay our customers anyway, I pray nobody gets sick and everyone gets along and most of all I pray for that re-connection where our sentences run into each other and we laugh until it hurts. Oh Lord I pray your blessings over this trip my children so deserve it. We have planned this much anticipated camp trip in "The Big Red Bus for months. Whenever the kids were tired of school or just bored I would encourage them to plan some more crafts, games, activities, meals you name it, it has been planned. The kids have it all in their little minds and we need to have some Family Fun. School is out for the summer and their reward for this crazy year has finally arrived. We made it. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, all were seen this year with all of the changes in our household but we made it with everyone Happy, Healthy and Emotionally in tact. Praise the Lord.
I'll try to post pictures. Hope everyone in enjoying the beginning of a wonderful summer.
Off the Hueston Woods State Park we go.

Love,Chelle.

I Dreamed About Princesses

When Natalie woke yesterday morning, she quietly came down the stairs to find me on the sofa. She wrapped her little arms around me so tight and said "I dweamed about pwincesses wast night and it was so bewtiful". I scooped her up and gave her many kisses while looking into her big brown eyes that were just glowing and told her she was my little princess. Oh how I love this age with her, every moment seems so special.
It was Grandparent's Day at her pre-school and she was so excited. My mom came to get her at about 9:00 to take her to the school. I had to stay home with Joe who was up all night with a stomach flu. Chris' Dad, Stepmom and Mom were meeting them at the school at 9:30. They had a great morning of crafts and fun. Mom took us to get lunch to bring back home and we enjoyed visiting with her the afternoon on the front porch.
After I picked up Brianna from school I took her to meet my sister. They invited her to go camping with them for the Memorial weekend.
Chris is working today so the little kids are playing outside in their new pool and slip -n- slide while I'm cleaning the house and doing laundry.
We have been so busy, most of this weekend will be spent just catching up but it feels good to be home. We are going to make a campfire one night to roast hot dogs and smores. The bus came with a fire pit that we have fixed by the picnic table at our house since most places we would camp already come with a fire ring so we look forward to just having a little campfire at home in the evenings this summer.

Hope you all enjoy this lovely weather and have some Memorial weekend fun!!
Love ya-Chelle

Poems by: Brianna Beck

I AM

I am caring and a servant of God.

I wonder how animals are built.

I hear a whistle.

I see a unicorn.

I am caring and a servant of God.

I pretend to be a vet.

I feel happy about unicorns.

I touch zebras.

I worry about when I die.

I cry when I think about my dogs, which had died a long time ago.

I am caring and a servant of God.

I understand that I can't own a zebra or a horse.

I say that I trust in God.

I dream about horses.

I try to take good care of animals.

I hope to become a vet someday.

I am caring and a servant of God.

Brianna

Kind, horse rider, helpful and loving

Daughter of Chris and Michelle Beck

Lover of horses, friends and family

Who feels loved, happiness and energetic

Who feers spiders, sharks, and snakes

Who would like to meet Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Toby Mac

Resident of New Madison, on Preble Co. Butler TWNP Rd.

Beck

Happy Mother's Day

Today Chris and I went to Wal-Mart to look at paint colors for the exterior of our house. I can't wait. Finally after four long years we are able to revive the look of our old place. Our house is over 100 years old and still has the old wood siding, not sure if it is original but it sure looks it. Painted I think it will look quaint and charming. Currently, the yellow paint is peeling and cracking and much of the largest side of the house is completely bare of any paint at all. Yes indeed it will do my heart good to pull up to a freshly painted house. We can't afford to put new siding on it and I kept thinking it was a waste of money to paint it but I just can't take it anymore. I'm sure that sounds so silly and maybe even selfish but I just need to like the way my house looks. Don't get me wrong every year I love where we live even more and so do our kids. But here I am with a former career in design and I can think of one million and one things each day that would make our old farmhouse look just darling until the reality of little money and often even less time creeps in. So excited to have one idea come into view. We are thinking burgundy house with white trim. We need something dark to cover all the crack and hole fills and areas where new windows have been put in but you can still see where the old 10'H windows were. I'll be sure to post before and after pictures so you can share in the experience with us.

Tomorrow I am heading to church for a Mother's day seminar called "Taking Care of your Mother's Heart". A heart surgeon is coming in to talk to us about heart health and then they are going to be talking about our spiritual hearts. After that we are off to my Mom's to celebrate with her.

Sunday I am actually going to be home for the first time ever on Mother's day. What a treat. After church the kids and I are planning to plant flower boxes and perhaps work on our garden.

Happy Mother's Day I hope you get to enjoy it because each one of you deserve it!!!!
Chelle

Silly Old Snake Hunter

I killed a snake on our property this week. Chris and I were taking our spring tour of the place with the kids looking at all the beautiful flowers God has sent. Joseph and Natalie were playing in an area where there are trees and a little brush. Jose starts running yelling " Run Natalie, SNAKE, SNAKE"! Chris is deathly afraid of them so I asked him to go get a shovel. I told Joseph to show me where he saw it. I was stepping around, not seeing anything, then I looked down at my feet and noticed a hold close to my foot and realized I might be standing on the nest. Sure enough a few seconds later I saw a brown snake standing up at me with it's red tough going nuts. I jumped off the nest and got to Chris with the shovel. I started chasing after it and caught it with the edge of the shovel enough to get in there to finish the job. I've never seen any this long here before, it was about 3' by the time it all came out of that hole. Par for course of where we live but the funny thing is, I pulled a muscle in my arm killing it and I'm still taking ibuprofen. Guess I'm a silly old snake hunter or perhaps one that is just really out of shape.

Last night Chris was in Col. working so the kids and I finished up most of the spring cleaning I wanted to get done this week. After supper we got out all of the camping books we got from the library. We had so much fun. We are planning lots of different games, crafts, cooking over the fire, hiking with the purpose of teaching how to leave a trail to find your way back and recognizing animal foot prints and dare I say "scat trails". Yes they are fascinated by the pictures of the different scat which is a nice way of saying poop in the books. They want me to be sure to print off the poop pictures of different animals so they can recognize it on the trails. Funny the things kids get interested in. Anyway we had a great time planning all of the fun. We are all so excited for our first official "School's Out" camp trip in the bus. Perhaps a new tradition for the Beck family. I'm going to go to Richmond this week to see about finding some fabric to make new curtains for the "Big Red Bus". Can't wait for all the fun.

Hope you are all having a great weekend!!
Chelle