shocking news!

i got my nose pierced! i do not recommend it because it hurt. just to let you know i will not pierce anything else.

mission trip 2007

as you may know i had gone on a mission trip last week. it was the most amazing mission trips i have ever been on. the weather was amazing because we were on top of a mountain and the people there were so friendly. God did some amazing things there. he healed a few people that were really sick and by his grace i think like more than 10 people were saved/had the seed planted in them while we were there. i am excited about going back next year! i miss that place!

Wedding weekend for Bacaks

The Bacak kids were in a wedding this past weekend. For more details go to bacakblogginit.blogspot.com
The boys are way too cute in the tuxedos!

Jess' Scholarship Luncheon

Today Jess was the guest of honor at the Spaulding for Children Appreciation Luncheon. She was awarded the David and Jacque Holland Scholarship (which totals about $12,000). It was an amazing time! She had to give an acceptance speech and though she was nervous, she brought tears to many eyes including mine. It was very touching.
Mr. and Mrs. Holland sat with her and totally affirmed her the entire luncheon. When she was at the podium Mr. Holland spoke and then gave her a $100 bill. They both encouraged her to become all that God has made her to be, promised to pray daily for her and told her they believed in her.
I know that this is God confirming for Jess that she is in the right place and that HE will get her through. I wish that I could better describe the amazing sense of encouragement and affirmation that Jess received today. God is so awesome to provide this for her. She also received a Congressional certificate affirming her receiving the scholarship.
It was an incredible experience for all of us!

Easter pic

Summer FUN!

I think everyone had a blast this past week together!
Thanks to Nana and Pop Pop~
I don't have pics of all the kids, but here are a few....

shattered lives video.

see if you can find me! im hidden! but i did have a great time doing this program. it really touched me.

Shattered Lives is a program designed to stress the consequences of poor decision making by having students create their own scenario regarding their death. The design of the program heavily involves parents. The program is designed to impress upon teenagers that death is very real for persons their age and that they are NOT immortal, stressing the danger of drinking and driving.
Today Jessica participated in this program at Magnolia High School. Though she was not in the staged accident scene this morning, she was still scheduled to die sometime during the day today as a result of a drunk driving accident. We were present this morning at the high school to watch the staged accident complete with Life Flight, Fire Dept., area law enforecement, EMS, etc. There were 11 fatalities, 4 kids arrested for DWI and several critically injured students. It was incredibly real. I have to admit that I was relieved that Jess was not a part of the accident scene. It required that parents idenitify their "dead" children's bodies. Because statistics tell us that someone dies every 15 minutes as a result of a drunk driver, all day long a student participating in the program "died" every 15 minutes. Jessica was selected to be one of those. When it was her time to die, she was removed from the classroom and her Obituary (which I had to write a couple of weeks ago) was read to the class.
Though we knew that we would receive a phone call from the Constable's office sometime today, we were not prepared for it. I was surprised at the emotions we felt after we got the call. All afternoon I struggled with a heavy sadness.
To make the the death seem even more real the students who participated in the program were taken away to an unknown location where they continued with exercises to complete the day. They are not allowed to have any contact with their parents and we are not allowed to know where they are. Tomorrow morning there will be an assembly where they will show the video of the accident scene and read eulogies for some of the "living dead". Tonight we had to write a eulogy that may be read at the Assembly tomorrow morning. I have included what I wrote. I am still amazed at the depth of emotions that both of us have felt tonight.
After tomorrow morning you can view the video from Magnolia High school at shatteredlives-montgomerycounty.com

To our daughter,
Today I came home and you were not there – your car was in the driveway and I was reminded that you are gone.
I came into the kitchen and there was your glass of orange juice from breakfast and I missed you terribly all over again.
I walk through the house and I see your things and am reminded of how sweet it was to be your mother.
This morning you were here – alive, laughing and eager for the new season of your life that was soon to begin. We talked about your weekend plans and the need to clean your room. But tonight, you are gone and a dirty room is so trivial. I can’t comprehend that you will never walk through the door again – that I will never again kiss you good night or respond to your “I love you” with “I love you more!”
I am thinking tonight of what you contributed to this world in your short 18 years. You became a crusader for the underdog – for those who could not stand up for themselves, you wanted to be their voice.
You grew to love children and looked forward to making career plans to help children who needed help the most.
You were an incredible aunt and sister and all of those little ones that love you so much will now never really know how much you loved them and what you wanted to be in their lives.
You were strong in your faith and loved the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.
You were chosen, you are loved, and you will live forever with the Lord and in all of our hearts.

The last one to leave home

Last week we went with Jess to HBU to tour the campus and meet with Admissions and Financial Aid. It was a fun experience and exciting to consider what God could do through her life on the campus of HBU. I believe that it is the perfect place for her - campus atmosphere is very accepting of everyone, classes are small (max of 30), professors are accessible and Dr. Sloans wife wants to "adopt" her while she's there.
But there is something so bittersweet going on here. God placed Jess in our family when most of you were preparing to leave home. She has been an "only child" of sorts and has filled our lives with joy and challenges. I grieved for each of you as you left home and became independent (though you were all independent before you even left home), grew up, etc. etc.... Now I am looking at the last one. What will it feel like? Someday all of you will have this experience.
I am excited and scared. I loved watching all of you find yourselves and God's calling on your lives, find your mate and have children, children and more children! But I felt your pain as you each struggled through that process only to emerge on the other side as strong warriors for Christ and as the best people and parents in the world.
Let's all commit to pray for Jess as she approaches this time in her life - that she will find herself and her calling, that she will find the mate that God has for her and that she will emerge strong and healthy - ready to face the world and all that it might bring to her.
I love you all,
Mom