TUESDAY
Honestly, tonight i really just didn't feel like blogging. And came close to it, but thankfully i did. Continuing missions week i'm am going to be talking about a dear family, the one i mentioned yesterday. This family isn't missionaries out of the country, but they are in Memphis. First off i want to give you their blog link, so you can hear more about their story. here's their blog, you should read it, it's pretty inspiring. I mentioned this yesterday, but we have known them for 11 yrs. We met at our old church our old church's website I'm not quite sure how we heard about Fellowship, but we were members there for 7 yrs. The Ottinger family is a family we will never be able to forget. Mark & Tona have been married for i think 16 yrs now, and they have four children, all adopted. Yesterday i told you how old they were & where they are from. They started their adoption process in 2000. Not knowing about this, a couple months later,  they received a letter saying congrats on baby Camden. Some random people supported everything, even the trip to South Korea. Still today, they don't know.  Isn't that the most amazing thing you have ever heard of ?! And Mia, ahhhh she is one of my best friends and one of the sweetest people i know. She was adopted FOUR MONTHS AFTER CAMDEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They had a 10 month baby boy & now a four month baby girl! That to me is incredible how they got through those first few  years.  Mallie is Brook's best buddy. She was adopted at age 3. We were there at the airport when she was brought home from China. I can remember the happiness on their faces when they got to meet their new baby\big sister. Dax, the youngest was adopted before Mallie. Save the best for the last, aww little Dax. He was adopted in 2004 & had a liver transplant in 2008 because of  liver failure due to being born with congenital CMV. He was diagnosed with liver cancer at the time the transplant, but has been cancer free since his transplant!!!!! We thank God that he is still here with us, he's a precious gift from the Lord.He is now healthy & happy. DAX ISN'T THE LAST, SURPRISE THEY ARE ADOPTING FROM CHINA AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay, they are adopting another little girl from China! Just like Mallie. Her name is Mae Yosell. I don't know that much about her, but if you read their blog, which you should, she talks about it. They still need to finish raising support before they can go to China. Their goal is to raise $35,000, & they have raised $26,000 already. If you can give please do, it would mean sooooo much to the Ottinger family. Please do what you can to help this family. If you would like to give, you can give through their blog, (it's linked above). If you can't give that's ok, but please be praying for them that they raise the support they need.

Camden

                                                                 Mia

                                                                     Mallie

                                                                Dax

Mark & Tona 

All of the Ottinger kids a couple years ago

                                                              MONDAYS :(:
Normally, Mondays are the worst, but this Monday is ok. You will see why down below. This week i'm going to do a missions week on the blog. Talking about other missionaries, prayer requests, and just how YOU can help people all over the world. I will still be talking about our day to day life & putting pictures up, but i'll be focused on missions week. It's just gonna be for this one week.                                                DAY 1 OF MISSIONS WEEK 
First, i'm going to tell you about two of our future team members. Their names are Ross & Angela Floyd. here is their blog, if you would like more hear more about them, which i strongly recommend The Floyds have seen first hand darkness that consumes the people of Latin America and have felt God's call to go. Ross' call was confirmed through a nine month-month mission term in Lima, Peru, where he helped coordinate short term teams and worked with a orphanage. Angela has participated in numerous mission trips around the world since age fourteen, but God has grown her particular passion for Latin America. Both natives to Georgia, Ross and Angela met in Valdosta, Ga., while in collage and were married in 2007. Since then, they have worked with church plants and a revitalization ministry in Atlanta. During this time, they fell in love with living and serving in an urban setting. The Floyds serve with MTW in Bogota, Colombia, a densely populated setting. They coordinate short-term mission teams and handle administrative tasks. They are also involved in outreach and discipleship with young adults, helping to grow the local church. Their interest in music, tattoo, and art subcultures are key aspects of reaching  young people in Bogota. Please pray for them and for the name of Christ to be exalted in Bogota and to the ends of the world.

Now more about the day. Today we did some school, and then we spent the atfernoon at some dear friends that we have known for 11 yrs. Tomorrow they are going to be my point, for missions week. They have four sweet children, all adopted,  Camden (13) from South Korea, Mia (12) from Memphis,TN, Mallie (10) from China, Dax (9) from Memphis,TN, and a little girl on the way from China. Their story is amazing.

                                                       Here is Mallie, Brook's best buddy

                             (this picture is not from today) but this is how they surprised everyone

Sundays

                                                     SUNDAY FUNDAY
Today at church we were commissioned. We stood in front of the whole church. They had us do it at both services. Today there was a missionary from Dubai preaching, like mentioned yesterday, it's missions week. He mentioned us a whole lot in his sermon, which was fun. our church's website, if you want to learn more  The man standing next to us is one of our pasters, Ed Norton.

                                                               Here we are standing in front of our church

                                                              They prayed for us

                                                         My parents in front of the church
My grandparents & my aunt came to see us, and after church got lunch at Swankys. It was great to see & hangout with them. After lunch we came home and just relaxed, and that was nice. 2 hrs. later i had to go to small groups. Small groups happens every Sunday night. You can learn more about small groups in our church's website above. I love talking & hanging out with everyone, & eating great food. After small groups we all go outside to wait for parents to pick us up, & while we are waiting, we always play this game gaga ball. It's in this pit (not like a underground pit) with a ball & you hit to hit people's knee's and below to get them out, It's a fun game.

Party rockers in the house tonight

                                             PARTY ROCKERS
Last night I had my belated birthday party. It was soooooo much fun! I got some great gifts from some great people & had fun eating, hanging out, & of course prank calling. We watched Tim Hawkins & the One Direction movie. I wanted to watch the Royal Wedding, put no one let me :( ! For desert we had a cookie pie.

                                                       This is me & one of my dear friends Kate

                                                              HACKED SELFIES :)

                                                   i'm trying to be artsy

                                                    So, if you can tell this is my ''cookie pie''

Our awesome youth leader enjoying her cake

The cookie pie for her birthday 

 Today after the game we had lunch at Panera. It was so great catching up with these girls. I would say other than a few girls these girls are my very best friends. Even though we didn't win, we had a great time. The score was 18 (other team) to 1 (us). But, i'm still really proud of them for trying their best. Here i have some pictures from the birthday party & the lunch from today. Sorry, i couldn't take pictures of the game. Their coach & our youth leader has her birthday next week, so we surprised her by giving her a gift card & some cake. Tonight they are having a missions dinner, because it's missions week at our church. I can't take pictures there:( Anyways, since it's missions week, we are going to stand up in front of our whole church & one of the elders is going to pray for us.

first post!

                                             Friday night birthday party\Bible Study Lunch 

          Tonight i'm having a belated birthday party, since my birthday was in Belgium.   
We are just having some snacks, cookie pie, & popcorn. I'm having 6 of my closest friends over to spend the night. Last year I had a party at someone else's house, & we went swimming in their indoor  pool, & even spent the night! This year we are lowering the standards! Even though it won't be exactly 5 star, we will still have fun & enjoy this sweet time. This morning\afternoon I guess,  we had lunch with some sweet CBS ladies(Community Bible Study). It's a wonderful bible study for women & children of all ages, & goes through the books of the bible. We have met & made some great friendships & people. This is how we discovered Independent Presbyterian Church
(our church). CBS was meeting at IPC & we went to a service & we were hooked. We had lunch at On the Boarder. I got a really cute scarf from one of sweet ladies for a late birthday present. I'll show you it in the pictures from tonight. Tomorrow morning i will try & post  some birthday pictures.

                                                          Brook is enjoying her steak taco

                                              & her fries (so did everyone else!)

                                               BEST CAKE EVER (made by one of the ladies)