Seth became a Volunteer Mulberry Canyon Firefighter last night – his first experience putting out a fire (vs. his usual starting fires) was a long afternoon into evening as the blaze jumped roads with flames over 100 feet high, ash blew for 50 miles with the winds, it started Thursday and ravaged Mulberry Canyon and surrounding lands. The fire started three miles east of the camp and with the Lord guiding it the SW winds kept it going east and we were spared. The wind direction and the humidity changed and the blaze came back “in the black” as it’s called and burned back over itself. The acreage count is close to 3,026 as of Saturday morning. You can see the 10:00pm news story at this link: http://bigcountryhomepage.com/content/video/?watch=1&cid=108871

Here’s another story link: http://www.reporternews.com/news/2009/feb/26/southern-taylor-county-fire-burning/

So The Ladies’ Retreat went spectacularly – I, of course, was the MC – it went well, but I’ll never do that again. The theme was Fight Like a Girl…we decorated the conference room like a giant boxing ring with black crepe paper ropes and big pink cardboard posts at the corners with a smaller identical ring for the stage. It was very refreshing and the Spirit was a movin’. All in all it was a great thing to be apart of…don’t necessarily think it’s my forte…ladies’ retreats – no…events – yes…we’ll find out next year when I plan the next one…

Well, Dixie turned two last Sunday!!! She’s weighing in at about 58 pounds at which point I promptly put the fat girl on a diet. Her rolls have rolls. She is absolutely loving Texas…the weather, the space to run, the long, long truck rides, Pet Smart, and obviously the armadillos. She’s got a couple of friends here – Casey (Brittany), Piper (Yellow Lab), Henry (Black Mouth Curr), and new yesterday Taz (Black Lab)…so there’s always a good time to be had.

Seth and I have been hit by the flu which I warded off as long as I could with Airborne = best stuff in the world. It kept it away for a week and a half before it kicked my butt with a 101.8 temperature all day yesterday. I forgot how much I don’t like flus. Next year…shots.

Seth is getting the property ready for the mowing season (which will tick most of you off because you still have snow…sorry) It’s been 40s then 70s then 60s then 50s – it changes daily. Next week I hear we’re up for 80s!!! Woot Woot. I’ve started my “St. Valentine’s day Massacre” (which I’ve lovingly named it) on the unsuspecting churches in the area. Last year only one church invited the camp for a “Camp Sunday” well…I’m not sitting around waiting this year I’m calling every church in our district, the next two over and then hitting all of the others in the community that aren’t Methodist…it should make for an exciting March, April, and May and hopefully bring a decent return this summer. I called 25 churches and booked 8 of them already. It’s really exciting when they hear that you’ll come do all the talking and pressure for apportionments…Thanx, Dad for the ability to be guilt free when pressuring people to give money

I think that’s a general quick update on our lives at this point. We appreciate your thoughts and prayers and are returning them generously to you. We love you all. Blessings!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

This is all well and good until about two months ago when I have this insane sharp pain under the knobby guy on the outside of my right foot. Parallel to the heel when I step a certain way it feels like someone is taking a knife and laying my heel/side of my foot open. No fun.

So we all know I’m kinda short and cupboard builders tend to forget these things since they’re men and they’re tall. So I was putting dishes away kneeling on the counter. As per usual I jumped down…well this time I really did something awful. The ball of my foot swelled up with a big knot and I couldn’t walk…more no fun. Seth wouldn’t get me ice because he thought I was faking it or blowing it out of proportion. Until the next day when for the first time since the incident I look at my foot whilst showing it to the staff and I have a huge bruise on the ball and throbbing pain. He then apologized and said “Geeze, I didn’t think it was that bad!”

My foot bringeth no “joy” but pain…lots of pain.

“Ask and it will be given unto you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

Here it is…the first day that I officially post something on this blog that has been sitting empty for months. I’m going to do my best to update it regularly adding pictures and stories as we go, so patience please

Greetings friends and family! I hope you enjoy the glimpse of our life we get to share with you and we hope this makes you all jealous and you’ll want to come visit us. Well, we’re nearing the three month mark on living here in Texas. We’re loving every minute. Dixie was so happy to be back after our trip to Ohio for Christmas – she hates cold weather as much as we do.

For those of you who don’t know I am the Program Director here at Butman Methodist Camp & Retreat Center. This means basically I get paid to play. I get to hire, train, and supervise four summer program interns who lifeguard the pool and facilitate our climbing wall and high and low ropes courses. Pretty sweet, eh? (check out www.butmancampprogram.wordpress.com to see the program dept. I designed that page too )I never thought my Business Admin degree would actually get me where I wanted to be…but God took it and ran with it. Seth is the Groundskeeper here on site and he gets to supervise three maintenance interns for the summer until then he’s working constructing new walls, renovating cabins, and having a blast. He is so in his element. I forgot to mention that everyone on site is a certified facilitator so Seth not only gets to mow all the time which he loves…he also gets to play with me on all the program equipment. We have the same weekly and daily schedules and get to work together on some days, eat all our meals together (except for lunch on weekdays…I started doing a workout with the reservationist so we eat when we’re finished). Life is good and God is great. Keep checking back for updates and pictures in the Adventures of Seth and Corina and Dixie. Love to all.