Happy Independence Day!

Dear readers, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Independence Day! I hope you have all had fun today playing with fireworks, eating watermelon, and having fun with family and friends! Well, I didn't play with fireworks, or eat watermelon, but I did get to play football with my Youth Group for close to two hours! It was SO much fun! But it was SO hot! And it doesn't really help when you're scared of the football...I wonder who that would be...yeah, it's me. I don't know why, but while we're playing, I just can't catch it. And that fear has given me a pretty bad reputation when it comes to football, no one wants me on their team. haha. So, I've been the last one picked for the last few times we've played. Oh well, what can you expect? I probably wouldn't pick the only person in the Youth Group who can't catch, and can hardly throw. Would you? All in all, no one got hurt except my sister, Poppy, she got bumped into, fell, and got kinda scraped up...but that's to be expected since we were playing on the church parking lot, which is asphalt. My friend Jeremy fell at the same time, but I don't think he was hurt, but you never can tell with boys...

Okay, so I kinda started in the middle of the day...let's start from the beginning, shall we? I got up, didn't want to, don't know why I did...maybe because I had too...haha. Anyways, got up, made chocolate drop cookies, forced Poppy to make the cold salad, got ready for church, checked my email, did my hair, etc. We left for church, got there early for Sunday School (YES!!! I try every week to be early, but somehow, every week, we're late. If you don't know me very well, I hate being late! It drives me nuts! ), after Sunday School, we went in the Sanctuary, had the service, then had Agape Feast. Our church does an Agape Feast the first Sunday of every month, and they're so much fun! Most of the teens sit in the youth room and chat and eat, then, if the weather is nice (or even if it isn't, it just can't be raining...) we go outside and play football. For a long time, we played ultimate football, but we have lately proceeded to regular football, of which I understand very, very little. Which is one reason no one wants me on they're team. Oh well, I was still picked...Thanks Chris! :D

Christian friends are so great. My dear brothers and sisters in my youth group encourage and lift me up, teach and correct me, pray for me, and so much more; I wonder often whether I am doing that for them. If I encourage and lift them up as much as they do me, if I teach and correct them as much as they do me, if I pray for them as much as they pray for me. I kind of doubt it, they're pretty hard to beat. As a teen, I realize how important they are to me, and what an impact they've made on my life. I am the oldest child in my family, and most of my friends in my youth group are older than me, so I look up to them a lot. I am so thankful for them. ---Sorry for getting so off subject, but I can't help but talk about my youth group...haha.

After everyone was too hot and sweaty (gross) to play anymore, we came inside. After cooling off, the VBS drama team (along with a few people who just had to distract us) went in the teen room and practiced for VBS. Oh no! I think that I've failed to post about VBS...sorry! I'll be sure to post about it sometime this week! Anyways, so that was my 4th of July. :) Hope I didn't bore you.

As a final note:

Remember those who gave their lives for our freedom, from the time of the birth of the USA, through all the wars and troubles we've been through, up to this day. Remember the millions of soldiers that are in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for our freedom. My Dad was overseas two years ago on the fourth of July, and so were many others. My Dad, thank God, came back; but many don't. Pray for the families of those who gave their lives. Thank God for bringing home those that did. Pray for the soldiers who are overseas as you read this. And finally, thank God for allowing us to live in a country so free as the United States of America.

God bless!

Buttercup

The Price of Peace

Did you cry? I almost did. If my dad was still deployed, I would have. I had to share it with you.

Dad's Home!!!

Our Daddy got home yesterday!!!! We are all sooooooooooo excited!!!! And this time he will(hopefully) never go back. This is not R&R! I am still having a hard time believing that he is here for good!!!!! Thank you all for your prayers! We are all so thankful to have our family back together again after fifteen long months (with a two week R&R in between)!!!

(I will try to post pictures of the sign we made for him after someone uploads them to the computer.)

Dad Leaves :(

My Dad left two Sundays ago, so we have all just been trying to get back in the groove. That is why I have not blogged in 2 weeks! Soooo sorry! His R&R went way faster than we all planned, and we did not get everything done. But man! we loved having him home! He will be back home probably in the middle of February. Hopefully he will make it back home in time for my birthday(it is the end of February), and my Mom's, whose birthday is in the middle of February. :) I Love You Daddy!!!

Thank you for your comments, I enjoyed hearing from you! :)

Dad is Home!

Dad is home! Finally! His plane got delayed, so that is why he did not get here yesterday morning. He got here at about three o'clock this morning, so when I woke up he was sitting in the computer chair talking to Mom. I was the first one up(besides my baby sister). I am so happy! I wish he did not have to go back in a few weeks, but he will be home for good in about five months. We plan on just hanging out today, that will be nice. I am SO glad he is finally home!

Dad is Almost Home!

I am so excited! My Dad is almost home for his R&R! He left yesterday, and since it takes around two days to get here, he is going to be here tomorrow night or Monday. I wish he did not have to go back to finish this tour, but he will be back again(for good) early next year. Having my Dad gone for so long is hard, and we miss him soooooo much, but we all know that we are doing a good thing by serving our country. I love the signs that they make now that say: Come Home Safely, Come Home Soon. And that is the prayer of all who are waiting at home for their Soldiers to come home. Dad, I love you!