Goodbye 2012

As we close out 2012, as always, we say "Where did the year go?"     It just seems to speed go quickly but a day at a time.

The year began with healing for Don.   For the first time since we have been retired (5 years ago), we experienced "true" retirement as the world describes it.   We spent our time in the RV in a winter resort in Palmetto, Florida, walking, biking, visiting friends and just doing whatever we wanted whenever we wanted.   It was great but after a couple of months we were more than ready to be productive again.

After doing 4 RVICS projects, spending time with the "kids", vacationing in the summer, getting upgrades done to the house, we found it was December.    We were able to return to Hartford City for a week before heading out to Oklahoma to help our daughter with her family as she recovered from pneumonia and returned to Hartford City.   The last week was a very special one as we had all the kids under our room for a few days.

Memories were made as the first cousins got interact with one another and we got to see the grandchildren's personalities as we don't always see them.   Sara has become a little lady who still prefers quiet time.   Ashley, too is becoming a little lady who has many interests.  John is a reader and a Lego builder.   Nathan likes to do pretend.   Luke is becoming an avid reader and a Lego lover.  Hannah is a princess who can do girly things and likes boy toys too but not snow pants.   Andrew is a lover a people and cars but not snow and cold.   Together, the girls did all kind of girl things together doing their hair and nails.   John and Luke could be seen doing Legos.   This is just an example of their interaction.

What a special time BUT all things do come to an end.   On December 29, we told them all good bye.   But the next day, we started out for our next adventure.   To begin the year 2013, we once again are looking forward to what the Lord has for us and where He will take us.

December Has Arrived!

December is here and time to get ready for Christmas!!   Today, we worked our last day on our "November" project at Shocco Springs.   Soon after, we hit the road and are now heading north to our home and the Christmas season.

This was a good month of work.   We worked just as hard and accomplished just as much the last week there as we did the first week.    There is always much to be done where ever we go and many hands are required to accomplish the work.   To us, it is a privilege to help further their work of the Gospel.

However, tomorrow it will be good to walk into our house for a few weeks before we head out again.   When we left at the end of October, one of my "rules" were broken.   That rule being not to put up our Christmas tree until after Thanksgiving.   Since there was no one there to see the trees, we put them up just before we headed out.   Soooo, tomorrow when we walk in the house, we will be able to flip the switch and have instant Christmas.

The next few weeks/days will fly by and once again, we will head south, pick up the RV and drive into another location start all over again.

Celebrations

This was a week of celebrations for the Snows.To begin the week, Sharon celebrated a major birthday and is now caught up with Don again.   The group wished her well with calls, card and a birthday cake for all to share.    It wasn't so bad.

Plus, since it was Thanksgiving week, we had Wednesday plus the holidays free since the staff had the time off.  The rest of the week centered around thanksgiving and, naturally, food.   On Wednesday evening, we took advantage of the warmer weather to have a cook out.   This time of the year, we must start early because the sun sets well before 5 pm and it gets dark even sooner than that thanks to central time in the eastern US!   On Thursday, we all pitched in for a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.   Shocco Springs had given us one of their best places for our use complete with a normal sized kitchen!   (This is important since most RVs can't handle big items.)  We all miss our families when we are away but it is much harder during the times when most families are together for this special time.

Variety is good.   This week we did different work.   After folding laundry for a day again, on Tuesday, we were outside in the gorgeous weather pruning rose bushes.   Yes, these bushes were still loaded with bloom.   I guess we aren't back home in Indiana in November!    The men went to a house Shocco has recently purchased to tear down a deck and salvage the excellent lumber.   They loved doing it, but to a man, they were exhausted and thankful for a 2 day week.

Come Monday morning, we will be totally refreshed and more than anxious to get going again!    Can't believe we are half way done.   Well, maybe we can believe it.    We went Christmas shopping and hear Christmas music.   That means another celebration will be coming soon---but with family the next time.

We Are a Team

Once again we have come together as a diverse group of couples with the one purpose of serving God through service work. (Roving Volunteers in Christ's Service)    Each group is unique from every other team we have joined together with.   Our team members call Indiana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Georgia home and are from different "cultures" of the US.   Even though we have worked with 2 of the couples before, but different projects, the personality of the group is in continuous change.   However, with our unity with Christ, it always works!!

It is fun getting to know each and everyone as an individual as we work together to accomplish our work.    Since we all have different talents, it is amazing to see how the Lord puts each group together (at random since the skills required are unknown prior to our arrival).  Every member of RVICS knows that if a specific talent is required on a project, one of the members will have it.   Humans can't plan that well!!

The women had the opportunity to talk while we worked since were all together the majority of our work week. As we worked in the laundry room, folding sheets, blankets, towels, etc.   The conversation flowed freely.   Another lady and I took advantage of the sunny days to walk the hills and thoroughly enjoy the colors.   As a family would, we, also, celebrated an anniversary on the team.

The men worked a little harder than the ladies. (Of course, they would say that is always the case!)   They have 3 classrooms to "rebuild" on their to-do list.   After tearing out walls, ceilings etc. they are beginning to put it back together with new wiring and dry wall.   Next week, things will look differently.

Part of  unifying our group is done through touring together one day a week.   In a few minutes, all 10 of us will climb into a couple of vehicles and head out to enjoy the day at a national forest.  

Thankful to be a part of this work!

Our 3rd Fall---

Fall continues for us, at least, the colors of fall.   However, the temps do indeed feel like November with drops to near freezing.   We have followed the turning of the seasons from Michigan in September, Indiana in October and, now, Alabama in November.   God does a give us gorgeous scenery for our enjoyment.

October was a good break to once again reconnect with family with trips to both Illinois and Oklahoma to visit "kids" and grandkids.   (Yes, we will miss Thanksgiving with them.)   Just as in life, there has to be give and takes in the volunteer work we do.    But, we were able to catch a football game and experience some other school activities with our little ones---who are growing up much too quickly!!



Early this week we arrived at Shocco Springs Conference Center, Talladega, Alabama, for work to begin next week.   This is our third visit to the center and it is always good to be here.  Since arriving, we have enjoyed seeing all the activity and use of the camp in which we will give our time.    This is a team of 5 couples from 5 different states (Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, New Hampshire and Indiana).    With just one more couple to come, we are all getting excited to get moving again.

Counting Down-----

Yes, it seems impossible but our time here at Spring Hill Camp is down to our last 4 days.  The schedule for the week looks like some of the work will be completed.   The sleeping rooms the women were painting have very high ceilings and walls.   The ladies only painted to a height of about 8 feet.   The men will bring in ladders to finish the job to the top.  Part of the men’s work this past week was to remove, dismantle and clean bathroom exhaust fans.  Now, after the fans are removed, the ladies will do the cleaning etc. and to get a few more of them done.

MAJESTIC!!!   That is the only way to describe the trees clothed in all their glory.   With a backdrop of a crystal blue sky and color on the trees, it is a picture postcard.   However, the time of their beauty is, also, counting down as fall is rapidly approaching.   The ground around the RVs is quickly becoming a carpet of leaves.

Come Friday morning, we will head the truck south again toward home.   After 23 projects, we have found that saying goodbye to our RVICS friends is never easy.   This combination of couples will never again work together, even though we might work with each of them again down the road.  But, it will be good to be back home with friends, “kids” and grandkids.   With a free month before we head out again, it will be a refreshing time of rest and anticipation again!   Plus, this time around, we might see more of the changing into fall down in a southern state for November!

What a Difference in a Week---

Fall arrived this week.   No, not by the calendar but with the weather!    Brrrr!!    It was definitely cooler and  very windy and rainy.    Plus, a couple of morning there was "frost on the pumpkin"!    Isn't it too early for all of this?   I guess after the very hot temps of the summer our blood has gotten too thin???    The trees are going through their physical changes also.   When the trees in the area where we are parked are hit by the evening sun, they are a beautiful gold.

The "high" work on the dining hall was completed this week.     The new coat of stain/paint on the pipes for the sprinkler system and the beams around them now brand new.    They moved on to replacing and painting a door on a pump house and repairing a floor under a cabin.   Ugh!!   The reason for this is to keep the mice out!!     Yes, I think it is the time of year they are moving inside.

The ladies, also, brought out their paint attire this week and began work on sleeping rooms in one of the buildings.   The had a very unique look when we began.   Bright colors for every room from every color in the rainbow!   They were a challenge to the eyes!     The work has begun to make them a nice neutral brown.   The last day of work, the rooms were occupied and we, once again, found ourselves counting.   Counting bandannas and folding them---1368 in all but that job will be left undone for awhile.    Next week,  we pick the paint brushes back up again and try to get more rooms done.

This is definitely a group of practical jokers.  (Can't tell because it will probably be done again.)  The Snows have been the brunt of the worst one.   Oh well, we have made up for it a little bit!   There is good to balance work and play and worship.    On our team tour this week, a stop was made where the Old Rugged Cross was written 100 years ago.   Yes, we did sing the song before leaving.

Next week is week #3 and we are looking forward to it!