*IT'S SURE BEEN ONE GREAT ADVENTURE*

I can hardly believe that it has almost been 3 weeks since I last posted and all I can say is "WOW", where has the time gone? These past few weeks have been such a great adventure- with lots of awesome happenings as well as not so awesome... but we managed to pull through and God has given us the strength to do so!

I am finally in my new home. It turned out that I was able to connect with an awesome landlord here that someone in our new church hooked me up with. We have a 3 bedroom brick ranch,(Kyle has claimed a basement room that I was going to use as a game room as a 4th bedroom) not too much yard space which is a bit different from our home in Dover, but it is nice and it will be easy to care for. The hardest part so far for me has been trying to unpack everything pretty much on my own. My new friend Karla from the singles group came over one night last week and she helped us get our living room situated. Thanks Karla! Kyle has been helping when he can.

The kids started school last Monday. (Aug. 20) They are almost finished with their first 2 weeks of school. The transition from public to private school has been relatively easy for them so far, and they all seem to like the switch. Please keep them in your prayers as the year continues on.

Kyle turned 15 on Sunday. I can hardly believe it, but my little Kyle will be able to get his permit in 6 months, depending on how well he behaves. Now I didn't say that because I have problems with him, but there is a lot of responsibilities that comes with driving, such as saving money for the insurance, testing fees, responsibility for school and at home and so on. I will keep you updated if and when that new phase takes place. (someone help) Kyle has been getting a lot of experience here playing his guitar and he has really taken off on learning a lot of songs. He was asked just this past Sunday if he would help start a second band that would alternate weeks to play or fill in when someone wasn't there. This was great Birthday news for him. He has waited a long time to be able to do this and now to see it take shape is exciting for him.

The children's choir director here at Parkway House Of Prayer went around and listened to the kids sing last Wednesday night... I guess she did this without them knowing what she was listening for and Sunday she asked me if I would allow Katie to have one of the many main lead parts? This would include a part to memorize, a solo and some dancing. Of course I said yes and it has been fun so far learning the parts right with her. I know I might be a bit prejudice as we all are when it comes to our own children but when Katie sings I can't help but be filled with joy! She really has almost perfect pitch for an eight year old. I just hope and pray that she continues to use her voice and talents for God! Kris is going to be a part of the children's choir that sings at the Christmas program.

Since I have my computer back I will again be stopping in reading and commenting on all the blogs I used to visit and who knows, maybe some more new ones!

Before I close I would like to say that I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers for me and my family as we stepped out in faith and followed God as He led us here to Virginia. I do miss all my friends and family back in Ohio and I really really miss some people that probably didn't even realize it or know I cared. (Smile) My only regret is that I couldn't bring you all here with me! To all of you, much love and hugz! Thank you for also keeping my father in your prayers. He is ever so ready and patiently waiting to go home to Heaven. Mom has been keeping us updated and I am thankful that Dad has her there with him as a constant, faithful, loving and compassionate wife! Thank you Mom, I love you both!

Well I know that I could post more but my mind has gone blank about what I wanted to post, it's almost midnight and I really need to get some more clothes hung in someone's closet somewhere around here- so I better stay busy before I decide not to and regret it in the morning.

Blessings to All

*A QUICK OVERVIEW*

I just wanted to take a few minutes and let you all know that I will possibly be out of the blog world for a few days or weeks depending on how fast the move and transition take place. Anyways, feel free to email me or leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I get settled. I am turning my pc off and packing it away in the next hour or so. sniff sniff ( I am so going to miss the luxury of DSL for awhile) We are heading out for Virginia tomorrow morning after the rental truck is loaded. Blessings To All!

*IT'S BEEN SIMPLY CRAZY AROUND HERE*

Well I am not quite sure that I know just how to begin this post but here goes....

I left July 15th for Virginia to pick up Kyle and was soposed to spend only a week there, but my car broke down and I ended up spending an extra week there before I could make it back to Ohio. After I finally went home 2 weeks later, I ended up going back 6 days later and spent another 4 days there and now I am back in Ohio... but I am leaving this coming Saturday, heading back to Virginia for the last time. Whew! I still can't believe that I am doing this, but God sure is awesome and He had bigger plans for me than I could of envisioned myself. The best part of all this is that I just told God that I was going to go ahead and take that leap of faith, give Him control and whatever He wanted for my life, I was willing to obey. I have such a renewed faith in God and there is no possible way that anyone or anything could ever tell me that God isn't faithful! I have had the chance to just sit back for once and watch God at work, and it is in my own life! He told me to let Him have control and He would never fail me! I am totally amazed and absolutely thankful! Thank- You God! My brother and sister-n-law are coming up and helping me get everything loaded up in the moving truck and then we will make the 5 hour trip back down through the mountains to Roanoke, Virginia. I will still be updating my blogspot account, but it might be a few days or a week before I get in another posting, especially after this coming weekend. The kids are excited and at the same time sad that they will be leaving their neighbors behind, well and their dog that my mom took for us when the Doctor said that Katie couln't be around her anymore. They are starting school on August 20 and I have got 1 week after we get there to get everything ready to go for that.

I better go get some more packing done... I am at this dreaded task alone tonight since my kids went to spend this evening with their dad. Blessings to All!

*WHERE DID THE TIME GO?*

Hello my dear Family and Friends,
Good Grief... I can hardly believe that it has almost been a whole month since I last posted, and what a month it has been. I don't even know where to begin, so I will just start with whatever pops into my head first and even if I go back and forth to a subject and my blogging is out of order... In advance, please forgive me and who's really checking for proper grammar anyways? LOL (not me, I'm normally not like that, sometimes a bit on the Obsessive Compulsive side)

I hope that all my friends and family wherever you may be, have been well since I blogged or spoke to you last!

Many of you have asked about my father and I wanted to say that he is still here with us and that he is getting weaker everyday. My family and I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and I can't thank- you enough. We serve an Awesome God who is always willing and able to give comfort when needed! I also wanted to say that I am so proud of my father... his picture made the front cover of Farm and Ranch Living Magazine for the August/September issue. (www.farmandranchliving.com) He is pictured on the cover with his red Farm All Super M. The picture was taken at the Florida Fly Wheelers where my dad so often came in first place in the tractor pulls in the class he would pulled in (THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE A JOHN DEERE... UNTIL A FARMALL IS NEAR! as quoted to me by my nephew, Todd) I love you dad and I'm so proud of you!!!

As most of you already know... I am taking a huge leap of faith and in the next few weeks myself and my 3 children will be making a move to Roanoke, Virginia. I have so many people here that I am going to miss terribly... and you all know who you are! I have family and friends that I have known for almost 20 years where I am going... this is why it is so hard for me to make this post and one of the many reasons why I haven't been able to post for awhile. I have an awesome church family that I have grown to love more than they could possibly imagine and it is going to be so hard to have to say "see you sometime soon", because I could never say goodbye. Tonight at church it was so hard to hold back the tears or emotions, or even look people in the eye, but I was able to hold it together the entire service... then I just had to go home. Well enough of this for now or I will need to get my tissues.

While I was in Virginia, I had a freaky thing happen to my car. The right front spring broke and punctured a hole in my new tire. Now at the time one might think that I was the victim of some silly teens playing a prank since we were at camp and my sister-n-law also had a flat tire. But that was definitely not the case. I had to have my car towed down the mountain the final day of camp, then waited 10 days before my brother had a free day from work to fix it. I can say that God sure was looking out for the kids and I because if this would of happened while driving, we might not be here!

Because of our extra week in Roanoke, Kyle was able to attend another youth camp. He went with the new church we will be attending and headed for AYC aka Appalachian Youth Challenge in Pennsylvania. Man did he ever do some traveling this summer! Just ask him about it. He was gone for a month.

Kristofer is away at Camp Nuhop. (www.campnuhop.org) I believe that this was his 5th year there. This year he chose to attend science camp so while there, they are taking 3 day trips to Cleveland to go to the Science Center, Cleveland Zoo, and the Natural History Museum.

I really miss my daughter! I left her with my brother and sister-n-law in Virginia so that I could bring my niece and nephew with me to help pack things up. We are heading back to Virginia on Saturday after I pick Kris up from Nuhop. I will be coming back to Ohio till about the end of August and then making our move. I do have until the end of September so if I have to wait till then I do have the time. If anyone would like to have a packing party or just to hang out and chat with me... please feel free to stop in or give me a holler!

I apologize that I don't have any pictures to post at this time, but every time I tried to use my digital camera, the batteries wouldn't hold up and I kept replacing them with new ones. I sure hope that nothing is wrong with my cam, but such is my luck! grrr

Well I could go on and on, but I think that I will rest my brain for a bit. I will post more soon! Blessings to All! Leslie