Well we are getting settled into our new house. It takes a long time when you know you're gonna be at a place for awhile... I want to find a place for everything to go... and I am definitely NOT there YET!! I absolutely LOVE our house though. I love the lay out. I love the yard. I love that we have space to have people over a lot. These past few days have been so great as people have come over daily and been able to enjoy this place God has provided for us.
However, I do greatly miss our neighbors on Van Dyke Place. We lived there over 2 years and were able to form some really great friendships with people on our block. I remember when we first moved in our friend Matt had everyone in our small group draw a map of their block and write the names of the people who live there. By the time we left I had almost every house named! The Thursday night potlucks allowed us to have deeper friendships with our neighbor Keisha and her kids Kiki, Kimani and Kashila. Even though we are only 1.5 miles away, it seems soooo far! They don't have a car so either we all walk or I drive over there. It has to much more planned than me hearing the kids running around outside and coming out to see them play.
This week we are doing the summer camp at church and Kiki has been walking up her siblings and 2 other neighbor kids daily and volunteering. She has been such a GREAT help! She's 16 and going to be a junior at Martin Luther King High School down the street. Since we have known her so long and so well we have decided to ask her to babysit the boys weekly during our Bible study group and pay her a small amount.
This is really significant for a few reasons. First, I don't trust just anyone with my kids. ;) So for that reason, I am so thankful that God has allowed us to grow close to this family where we are able to offer one another love and assistance. It's not just us moving in and doing this for people, but us moving in and really neighboring and becoming friends with people here. When I first moved to Detroit I had no idea what to expect and if I'd ever be close to anyone because it's such a foreign culture, but God is faithful and we have made some amazing friends. The other significance is in that is just another sign of God's faithfulness and love and ability to transcend people who might not have ever come into contact with one another and join us brothers and sisters in Christ.
I'll try to get a picture of her on here soon!
7.27.2011
7.22.2011
vacation with my hubby
David and I had a GREAT time with the boys up North! Here are some pics from our time.
David's graduation
Here are some pictures from David's graduation! We had a great time! He had a big crew from the family come to support him including his grandma Johnson, Crawford grandparents, Aunt Ginger, Aunt Linda, Uncle Roger, Mom, and then more were able to come join us for the dinner in Mexicantown, Detroit!
What a great day!
What a great day!
7.05.2011
on 4th of July
I am definitely the scrooge of 4th of July. I've never been a into celebrating it. I spent many summers in Spain or out of country somewhere... so I am sure that's part of it.
As much as I love Detroit, I HATE certain holidays here because it literally sounds like a war zone for a few days... and when you're shooting off guns along with fireworks it's not exactly safe. The last 2 nights our neighbors shot off the loudest fireworks I've ever heard until after midnight... David and Scott are working crazy hours and haven't been able to sleep well. Poor guys!
So even though I am the scrooge of 4th of July, I think I am justified. Did you know in 2010 the US spent $952 million dollars on fireworks for 4th of July? So while 8 million people will die this year (or 20,000 yesterday) from poverty we are out spending almost a billion dollars on fireworks for what? A weekend? A day?
My other problem lies directly with my neighbors here in Detroit. I'd say that 95% of my friends that are from Detroit receive some type of public assistance- food stamps, housing allowance, monthly money, etc... I know my neighbors struggle to pay for field trips, uniforms, etc... So explain to me where they got the money to light up the street for 2 days???
There is a lot of nostalgia involved in how we celebrate 4th of July. I think we like to do what our families have always done. So my hope is to raise my children to enjoy the day with some delicious BBQ and lawn games, but definitely skip the fireworks....
I guess the more that I realize that we spent an exorbitant amount of money on unnecessary things (Super Bowl commercials, fireworks, war, etc...) I just don't want to be involved. One of our pastors gave an excellent sermon last week that discussed some of these very issues... as in when we sin and don't know and what we do when we become aware of it... You can listen to it here.
Anyway, don't go too hard on me if you disagree, I am exhausted and my emotions are high in pregnancy!!!
Just think about it. :)
As much as I love Detroit, I HATE certain holidays here because it literally sounds like a war zone for a few days... and when you're shooting off guns along with fireworks it's not exactly safe. The last 2 nights our neighbors shot off the loudest fireworks I've ever heard until after midnight... David and Scott are working crazy hours and haven't been able to sleep well. Poor guys!
So even though I am the scrooge of 4th of July, I think I am justified. Did you know in 2010 the US spent $952 million dollars on fireworks for 4th of July? So while 8 million people will die this year (or 20,000 yesterday) from poverty we are out spending almost a billion dollars on fireworks for what? A weekend? A day?
My other problem lies directly with my neighbors here in Detroit. I'd say that 95% of my friends that are from Detroit receive some type of public assistance- food stamps, housing allowance, monthly money, etc... I know my neighbors struggle to pay for field trips, uniforms, etc... So explain to me where they got the money to light up the street for 2 days???
There is a lot of nostalgia involved in how we celebrate 4th of July. I think we like to do what our families have always done. So my hope is to raise my children to enjoy the day with some delicious BBQ and lawn games, but definitely skip the fireworks....
I guess the more that I realize that we spent an exorbitant amount of money on unnecessary things (Super Bowl commercials, fireworks, war, etc...) I just don't want to be involved. One of our pastors gave an excellent sermon last week that discussed some of these very issues... as in when we sin and don't know and what we do when we become aware of it... You can listen to it here.
Anyway, don't go too hard on me if you disagree, I am exhausted and my emotions are high in pregnancy!!!
Just think about it. :)
7.04.2011
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