Our "Home" Vacation Day One

This week we are taking vacation from responsibilities (kindof...more on that later). We wanted to be able to spend time as a family this summer and it was more cost-effective to just stay home than head off to somewhere like Hershey Park or some other place that would require gas money for travel (or airfare for that matter), hotels and all meals.

We had a very special guest with us this past weekend. Do you remember the Herbsters who were with us back in 2009? They travel all around the United States holding church meetings. Mark Herbster was going to be speaking this week at The Wilds of New England Christian Camp to a group of junior campers. Taigen contacted him early and wanted to know if he could come to our church and preach while he was in town. He was willing! We were so excited to have him here in New England and equally as thrilled that he could come and stay two nights with us here in our home.

Mark, his twin brother Mike, and their families are sweet friends (not to mention so likeminded) that we thoroughly enjoy every moment with them. We personally enjoy just sitting and talking with them, picking their brains on current issues, and, in some cases, singing with them! We only wish they were closer so we could spend more time with them. Mark preached in both our Sunday morning and evening services on Father's Day. We had a special emphasis on the Family and the sermons were both encouraging and challenging. It was a GREAT Sunday.

Marshall and Shaylen LOVED having Mark here at home with us and were ready to head off to camp with him if we had let them. Of course, they are too young, but we know that the time is coming when they will be old enough! Taigen and Mark took off for Deering, NH shortly after lunch on Monday. The kids and I stayed home and had a relaxing afternoon. It was a great first day of vacation. We're off to a great start this week.