behind the white picket fence
So… … I’m building a portfolio.
I never thought that a mere camera purchase would turn into such a passion… thank you to all my subjects, especially my patient children who FOREVER have a camera lens pointed in their direction!
There are many things I could say about the last 18 months…
Let’s just stick with, “that was fun.”
~Katie
Welcome to PA!
Here is the Ranch we worked on… God is at work in the hearts of the people that make this ministry what it is and we were blessed to be apart of something so awesome!
Please visit their site to see how God is using them in a mighty way!
Pastor Rick welcomed us with open arms for the 2nd year in a row @ the church property in the middle of the Biggest Little Town on the Map! We camped in tents all week…showers were graciously provided by Aunt Cheri, Grandma and Buppa Dininny, Aunt Kelly and Grandma & Grandpa Bob Nearing…o! and the creek, many mid-day dips were key to cooling off after a sweaty soccer game. Our meals were prepared by Aunt Cheri. A few of the local church members chipped in also for a couple breakfasts and dinners. We were humbled by the serving hearts that surrounded us.
Sunday night, we pitched tents and slept in the cold; okay well it was in the 60′s… but that is cold in July even if you come from PA… I had my pants tucked into my socks COLD! Monday morning brought excitement and perspective as our leaders helped us dive into God’s word and work! We did some manual labor for a neighboring Youth Camp, Wesley Woods. Tuesday we worked our first day on the ranch; meeting the horses, stacking hay and cleaning out a nearby barn and sweeping the fields with our “Rock Star” skills and encouraging each other along the way. Wednesday was a “Free Day” and the kids and most leaders went on a 8 mile canoe trip down the very calm Allegheny River. Thursday, back at the Ranch 
we made even more “Rock Stars” appear and a few of the kids built a new horse stall in the barn. We saw the grounds where a water tank would soon be put in (the Ranch currently DOES NOT have running water) … we trust God will provide those funds for the Follets and their visitors soon! Friday we cleaned up our “campgrounds” and put in some much needed vamping to the property playground (free sand from the locate Concrete and Block-thanks to Whitmire Block), mulch for under the swing sets and setting up for a night of worship with neighbors and friends. Saturday was our last free day and we went hiking and climbing at Rimrock, a local attraction over looking the beautiful Kinzua Dam. Sunday, God hit a homerun as we worshipped with the congregation of our sponsoring church, Youngsville Free Methodist. The service was awesome and the response…overwhelming!
Thank you to all the parents, church members and family that supported us in God’s journey for us to Youngsville, we can’t wait to go back! Summer 2012, HERE WE COME!
Here’s what I looked like about 2 months ago. I’m pretty sure I have way more gray hairs and less of that nice tan by now. For the last two months, we’ve traveled-ALOT… trip to PA for The Summit (post to come soon on that with MANY pics), taken some long weekends, mostly to NC. Bethy and Ross got married in May, we visited in June to NC and to PA in August. I’m tired just typing all that! God is doing amazing things in our lives. Moving in our church, moving in our Youth-it’s awesome! Aaron is back in school, Abigail just started Pre-K 4 this past week and turned 4! Wow, that was one rough day for this mommy-I cried from the time we dropped her off at school until I picked her up. 4 hours of off and on crying will take a toll on you for sure! Kerrigan was oblivious; I know she notices that Abbi isn’t with her as much, I guess she’s always been the kid with her own agenda; independent she is I’m glad… she always knows what she wants….even if it’s not what is in her best interest. (cue the mommy/baby argument) You know that moment when your child makes you smile-well maybe the smile will come later, once you’ve had time to reflect that the world didn’t actually come to an end because my almost 3 year old didn’t want what I wanted for her. She’s a dozy that kid! They both are. I am so blessed, please Lord remind me often of the wonderful things you have allowed me to participate in. The lives of the people around me, friends, family and strangers. Thank you Lord!
Camp pics to come soon, stay tuned!
XO!
okay guys and girls…. camp is just around the corner! If you haven’t signed up, do it! The bus seats are going fast!
Here are some pics and the infamous video from last year. If you need a good laugh, you catch my lil dance at minute 9 (and 25 seconds)….
Can’t wait to go! PA, here we come!
Show Aaron a little love too…
aarondininny.com
In the last few months we’ve been so busy it feels like I just blinked and my kids are huge, it’s finally summer and AOD is more than halfway through school (YAY!)… so here are the pics to prove our busyness and MEMORIES!
Here’s to Aunt Cheri, who keeps me posting…. CHEERS!
A nine hour trip with my husband driving, two kids in the back with nonstop talking and requests and my golden retriever lounging in the 3rd row of our Trailblazer can get a girls’ mind thinking. As we passed through a small town on the side of one of the many highways that shows us the way home from PA to VA, I saw a steeple. It caught my eye due to the background of a beautiful horizon. You know the kind of sky… pinkish-dusky whites and grays that show you the way into the best daydream…
ANYWAY;
The steeple’s presence in that sky made me think that He is just that close. Today there are churches everywhere you turn. We don’t need a church to know Jesus but we do need community with fellow believers and that steeple made me think; Jesus is everywhere too. He is right here. He is not off in the distance painted in a pretty sky whispering sweet nothings in our ears.
Right here.
And I am too… right here Lord, show me Your ways, show me Your will.
Just in case you didn’t see this on my FB page;
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/v/10150129995922892“>
~Katie
If your life wasn’t an up hill battle, would you still pursue it with such great determination?
Those of you who know me would definitely say; that question is something Katie will find the answer to. And for those of you who don’t know me; you may think that I’m a negative person. Let me break it down for you:
This past Sunday, my Sunday school class talked about Acts Chapter 7 (other scripture too) but in Acts, we see a man thrown out of a city, and stoned. He cried to God, “do not charge them with this sin.” I’m thinking that this was not one of Stephen’s best days. So, did he wake up knowing what God had in store for him, I’m going to go with “no” for this answer.
Do you know what God has in store for you when you put your feet on the floor first thing in the morning? (again, a “no” is gonna fit best here)
So my question remains; if your life wasn’t an up hill battle, would you still pursue it with such great determination?
By no means do I think I have it hard in my life, I have a God that loves me, a husband that loves me too, children that depend on me and a roof over my head and food in my belly… life is good… for me.
But what about the people that don’t believe their lives are good? The people that don’t know God loves them, or that their husband (or wife) loves them, that someone, somewhere depends on them? This is where my up hill battle begins. I want to tell them that God loves them, I want to help them see that their husband/wife/children love them and depend on them.
I have been charged; charged to hear the good news, accept that Jesus is Lord and show others and tell others how to find what I have been so blessed with-a life of everlasting.
Go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ is LORD!
(P.S. our service this past Sunday was so amazing and inspiring-it has set a fire in me that I pray will never burn out!)
AMEN!
It takes being a Mom to know the extent in which your Mom went to for you…
Now I know why:
I couldn’t take my eyes off of them the second God brought them into this world and into my arms,
Why I watched and still watch them sleep and wonder how I could be so lucky,
Why I stood outside the door of their Sunday school rooms until they stopped crying,
Why I smile every morning that I hear tiny feet making their way into my bedroom (no matter how early),
Why I act so silly just to see them smile,
Why it makes me laugh when they hand be a booger instead of a kiss.
Now I know why God gave me my Mom.
She has shown me the way in so many ways.
Thanks Mommy, I love you.
