It's been awhile...

The month of August was a blur. We were so busy, with wonderful opportunities, but busy none the less. The week after my last post I drove down to Charlotte with Raegan & Reece so they could spend a week with mom, at her house, before school started again. I was at Mom's for two days then I drove down to Gainesville, GA to help with training camp for the World Race Team leaving in October. The week was full of blessings where I got to spend time with some of my WR family, cook international food for a group of Racers who have no idea what they have signed on for, sit under tremendous teaching from Men of God, and have the opportunity to minister and pray for this new group of racers. While in Gainesville Allison, Sean, Jane, Julie, Cameron, and myself stayed at Scott & Carol Pitts house. The Pitts have been a wonderful blessing to all of us C squad racers; they have opened their lives to us. We are forever grateful for their love and wisdom and will never be the same because of their influence.

Thursday night, after a great night out to eat with the serve team, Cameron and I hopped in Sheldon (the most fabulous powder blue Chevy Lumina ever) and drove back to Charlotte where I dropped Cameron off at her mom's house and I drove back to Cornelius to spend the night at my mom's house. Courtney and Elizabeth Uhles had come in to Cornelius overnight as well to stay with my mom so we could leave the next morning for Knoxville, TN where two of our teammates, Brooke & Silas, were getting married. So the next day, Courtney, E-beth, and myself loaded up the car and headed out for Asheville where we picked up Christy Linhart & Heather. It was a beautiful and intimate wedding. They were married in Old Town Knoxville at the Foundry. A large number of World Racers were able to make it to the wedding so it was a great reunion. Thinking back on weddings I have attended the thought comes to mind that there have been very few that the Lord's presence and approval was so greatly felt as with the two weddings I have been to this summer. With every word that pastor spoke about their love and their relationship with the Lord my spirit welled up with the pride of the Father. These two come from places where they understand the importance and seriousness of commitment, and the results of giving up on ones commitments. They understood in that sacred moment that their words were choosing life for generations and that they have a huge responsibility to those generations following after them. I was blessed to be witness to their commitment to one another and God.

After the whirlwind wedding weekend (I dare you to say that three times fast) I returned to Cornelius, bidding goodbye to each of my friends along the way, then left the next morning on family vacation to Universal Orlando. Gavin, Emily and the girls, mom, and myself spent as many days as possible at the parks. We hung out in Suess Landing which was the girls favorite location. Emily and I had fun riding the roller coasters like Dueling Dragons, Hulk, Spider Man, and the Mummy. We ate good food, went swimming every evening in the pool, and just enjoyed being together. Mom and I took our time getting back home stopping in St. Augustine & Savannah before meeting Matt, Steph, and the kids in SC for dinner on their way down to vacation in FL. Once we arrived back in Cornelius, I spent the week visiting family and friends in NC who I had not seen since my weekend arrival back in the States in May. It was a great time hanging out with Keri & little Ari, David & Anthony, Kim, Mom, Nana, Grandmother, The Spurlings, and all the other family that I got to spend time with. I am now back in NoVa working full time at Starbucks and finally feeling like I am catching on to all the drinks they make and all the "extras" that people want. Who knew coffee could get so complicated?!