Some Things Fishy

Our cousins in KY just sent these pictures of us a few weeks ago. We were fishing one afternoon off the walls & bulkheads down the shore.

This was the first time I tried fishing and actually CAUGHT fish! Funny considering all the times I went crabbing as a kid! Not to mention, all the fish Shawn and the kids have caught over the years! Anyway, I think we were catching white perch. This was my FIRST FISH EVER. It was teeny tiny, but my sweetheart uncle filleted him anyway. :-)

I also caught tree branches, rocks, oyster shells, and came very close to hooking Dylan a few times! Poor boy... he knows what it feels like to get stuck by a hook... so he was very SCARED of me!

Our cousin John Jr. helping me get my first fish off the hook. There were spiky things on top the fish you had to watch out for. I ended up just using a glove to get the other fish off.

A picture of the "professionals" in sunset color! Time flew by. What started off as just a quick stop to pick up some chairs, turned out to be hours of fun with the family. I LOVE it when that happens!

My cousins sent this picture of the morning sunrise over the water down the shore. This pile of rocks, a.k.a. "jetty," is protecting the property from floating away. I have so many good summer memories of this place. I love the water, and added with the sky, its my favorite of all God's creation.

If you click this picture, it will blow up, and you can see the guys crabbing. (I think its Uncle Mark and John John, my cousin.) End of summer + perfect tides + full moon = VERY GOOD CRABBING!

Fall Frenzy!

We've been plugging away at tasks and projects galore! With school off and running its been a very Active Autumn!

One project I've been working on was finding, and placing a hold on our OBX vacation home. We won't be renting it until the summer's end of 2009, but locating a home that meets the needs of 7 families is no easy task. We are thrilled with the final decision as well as the price!

Ashley has been working the front desk at SPRFC. She finally received her 1st paycheck! Her plan is to get her "training" perfected, and then apply for a life guarding position for Saturdays. I'm still trying to get used to the extra running, driving her back and forth to work.

Shawn and Dylan had some guys over to play a couple games of paintball last weekend. We were blessed to have Pastor Josh and Pastor Kevin play as well as Scott, Nick, Josh, and "Mr. Yoder," aka Paul Schnegelberger.

The kids and I spent some time cleaning out the boat, and trying to get ready for winterising. Please pray that we can sell it. We love boating, but its just too expensive for our budget, economy, and conscience! We were also able to spend some time with cousins visiting from Kentucky.

And lastly, our puppies do a lot of KISSING! And that's all I have to say about that!

HOW TO CATCH WILD PIGS!

There was a Chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab the Prof noticed one young man (exchange student) who kept rubbing his back, and stretching as if his back hurt.The professor asked the young man what was the matter. The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country's government and install a new communist government.In the midst of his story he looked at the professor and asked a strange question. He asked, 'Do you know how to catch wild pigs?' The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said this was no joke. 'You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come everyday to eat the free corn. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in The last side. The pigs, who are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat, you slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity. The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening to America. The government keeps pushing us toward socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare, medicine, drugs, etc. while we continually lose our freedoms - just a little at a time.One should always remember: There is no such thing as a free Lunch! A politician will never provide a service for you cheaper than you can do yourself. If you see all of this wonderful government 'help' is a problem confronting the future of democracy in America, you might want to send this on to your friends. If you think the free ride is essential to your way of life then you will probably delete this email, but God help you when the gate slams shut. In this "very important" election year, listen closely to what the candidates are promising you - just maybe you will be able to tell who is about to slam the gate on America. "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have." - Barry Goldwater
A VOTE FOR OBAMA IS A VOTE FOR SOCIALISM

Just a couple things...

Another week has flown by! Ashley started a new job at Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Center. http://www.sprfc.com/ She'll be covering the front desk a few hours a week, and although she's still in training, she is already starting to feel comfortable with her new position. Hopefully, she will also be life guarding at the pool there as well.

We had a great time of fellowship with Micah and Debbie over dinner. They are making their final plans and arrangements before heading off to Ghana, Africa to serve the Lord as missionaries. We're hoping Micah gets some counseling before he leaves however... we've discovered he has some "issues" he needs to work through with regards to Uno Attack! :-)
Shawn and Micah shot a game of pool.
Shawn had a follow-up Dr. visit for his hand last week. The screws are not joining with the bone, and his hand is not healing. Please keep him in prayer. He's facing another surgery if the doctor does not see improvement over the next several weeks.

And, since I've just noticed it... He's STILL having a difficult time keeping his casts on. (A good possibility as to why his hand is not healing!)
Shawn and Micah playing X-Box 360... silly children!

Cody, is still waking up at all hours of the night whining. We really need to just let his whines go with no attention, so he recognizes its not getting him anywhere. But its really hard with having people in the house who need their sleep.

He's incredibly intelligent and sweet. Puppy training is no picnic!