Catching Up!!

My Goodness! I feel like Ichabod Crane -  Like I just woke up from a long nap. I didn't realize how long it's been since we posted!!  We'll try to do better.  Right now let's get up to date.

November R&R (25-27)

 All but one of the warriors coming out for the November R&R weekend wanted to go fishing.  So we contacted Erin Jenschke Smith and got permission to fish their lake (it’s where the bass tournament was held).  

Ashley, Jeremiah & Kyle tempting fish.

It was very windy and all bank fishing but three fish were caught and everyone had fun.  Ashley got off to a rocky start when she startled a snake sunning on the dock. It didn’t stop her from enjoying the day.

One of two fish Kyle caught

 

Using vehicles as shelter from wind

At lunch time we were trying to keep the picnic lunch Bethany Lutheran Church provided from blowing away.  Finally one of the guys said, “Let’s take it over behind the cars.  That’s the way we do it in the field”.  

Ken joined us after an early AM bike ride.

Just as we started lunch Ken joined us.  He had gotten up early to join a group of bicyclists riding from Boerne to San Antonio.  





Susan Quindry took Sandra antiquing while everyone else was fishing.  They found lots of treasures.
  

Sandra examines a treasure

Daniel, Kyle & Chris

During the free time prior to dinner several of the warriors had fun hanging out downtown.

Kyle, Sandra & Chris

Sometimes you just have to let that inner child out to play!!

The Crew at Dinner

Everyone enjoyed dinner at Fredericksburg Brewing Co. Good food, Good Company.

WWAN team members Mary Cosgrave, Susan Quindry & husband Charlie and Sharon Massey joined the warriors for dinner.








December R&R (6-8)

To say Mother Nature didn't cooperate is an understatement.  We were so excited that 42 people (warriors/families) had signed up to come out for the weekend.  The big draw was Fredericksburg's Christmas Parade. When planning this weekend we recognized that parade night/day has sometimes been cold or rainy but always tolerable.  This year was brutally cold!    Well, 27 brave souls came out anyway. We met at Zion Luthern church for a catered dinner.

Chris, Daniel & Sandra

 

The Carr Family

Charles Quindry, Wayne Massey & Curtis Woodard

Then everyone bundled up and covered up with blankets to watch the parade. 

The Carr Family

Sandra momentarily joins parade

Warriors went to their cabins/housing after the parade seeking warmth.  What some found was more cold and frozen pipes so they had to move to hotels. 

KinderFest

The next day was still cold but several hardy souls took their children to the Pioneer Museum for the Kinderfest event. 

Mr. & Mrs. Claus were there. In addition, there was caroling, crafts and children made Christmas stockings.

We Made Christmas Stockings

Others went ice skating and enjoyed Markt Platz and downtown.  

  

The Carr Family

Lunch was at West End Pizza (Owners are  the same family that did a major fund raiser for us in October). Thanks for the support and a great deal on the pizzas!! 

Waiting for Pizza

Dinner was a pot luck provided by Fredericksburg United Methodist Church members.  Pot Luck says it all.  They out did themselves.  After eating, everyone piled into the church van and went to Trinity Lutheran Church on RR 1 for some scrumptious desserts.  Then back on the van for a tour of the Johnson City Christmas lights. 

Bee

Here's a shout out to Bee Bennett who drove the church van. 

 Perhaps you have noticed there is no mention of breakfast for either R&R weekend.  That's because with individual cabins/accommodations we put burritos (faithfully furnished by South Church), yogurt, etc. in refrigerators at the warriors quarters.  This allows them to sleep as late as they want and eat at their leisure.  This is just one of several changes WWAN has made based on feedback and experience with the warriors.  Another is changing the "Respite Weekend" to R&R.  Seems respite was sending the wrong message - some thought it was for cancer patients.  Everyone knows what R&R means and we are getting a lot more participation.

There are a LOT more photos of these events (and all of the others) on facebook.  Go to facebook.com/ww.nebo  Photos are arranged in albums by event.  

Well, that gets us up to January, 2014.  I'll get the blog for last weekend's couples retreat posted in the next couple of days.

Be Blessed

New Opportunities

Mouse Santa

Christmas card time is just around the corner so what we made at WFSC yesterday is really timely.  Lisa Davis, artist/instructor, designed two beautiful FUN cards for the class. 

T'is the Season (almost)

Lisa helping Hunter

Attendance at the class was very good!! There were seven adults and one young man making cards. The class concluded with a light lunch.

It's always a treat being at WFSC because you never know who's going to pop in to say hello or who you will see while passing out cookies.  This weeks cookies were provided by Barbara Johnson of the DAR.


Sharon tracked down Chaplain Casteel and confirmed that he will be moderating the Couple's Retreat in January.  In addition, the new chaplain (his replacement) will participate.  That's great because it gives us a great opportunity to get acquainted and for him/her to see some of what WWAN does.

One of GOD'S gardens

We left WFSC and headed for Segin to meet Craig Russell and visit with him about how our ministries can work together.  The Russell family has the Lazy U Ranch on Lake Placid.  It is breathtaking, relaxing, beautiful.  I could go on and on but you get the idea.  You will be hearing more about the ranch.  In the meantime check out their website lazyuranch.com. We are already brainstorming events.  It's one of those places you can look around and see GOD'S work in all it's glory!!  I was so busy looking only one picture got taken. But there are lots more on their website.


December 6-8 is the next R&R weekend.  Lots to do (see last blog posting).  Time is running out so if you are interest contact Sharon Massey to see if there is still space available.

Fast and Furious

What a wonderful busy time of year!  There will be "a full house" at the November R & R weekend.  In fact, we are overflowing.  Some of the warriors will go fishing, some shopping and some will just hang out and rest.

In addition to planning the weekend, Tuesday the 19th we teach the card making class at WFSAC.  It's always fun.  You make two cards (this time it's Christmas cards) and they are yours to keep. Come join us or just stop by to say hello.

Laura & Chris

Another thing looming on the horizon is Thanksgiving.  I'll be with my son and daughter-in-law, my grandson, his wife and my great granddaughter.  Lots of family fun.  Both my son and grandson are Marines!!  OORAH!!

Nevaeh, Me, Jesse

Shonda & Nevaeh

December R & R weekend is 12/6 - 12/8.  There are so many things available to do that weekend including the lighted Christmas parade Friday night!!  Also Friday is the First Friday Art Walk.  Art galleries are open till 8pm with snacks to enjoy while enjoying the art work displayed.  On Saturday there is Kinderfest (Children's Festival) at the Pioneer Museum Complex.  Market Platz is a Christmas fairy land complete with ice skating rink and the hand carved, 26-foot tall wooden Christmas Pyramid from Germany. And much more!!  At night, this time of year, main street reminds me of a Dickens village with all the Christmas decorations.

If you are interested in joining us you need to email sharonmassey@outlook.com ASAP!!  There are only a few spots left.  You can also come on your own on Saturday and enjoy Fredericksburg if the
R & R spots are all filled.

Christmas Cards for Wounded Warriors

I will never forget what I felt the first time I walked in the halls of the San Antonio Military Medical Center last December and saw so many young men and women so horribly injured from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. My heart felt a painful twist as I realized what they had suffered in serving our country. I so wanted to run to each one of them to tell them that they were loved and so deeply appreciated. The friends who accompanied me felt the same. The feeling that blossomed in our hearts had to be expressed in some way. Christams was just a few weeks away. So it was natural for we stampers to desire to make each one of them a Christmas card. A call was quickly made to determine how many cards we would need. The number was so much larger that we expected - 1,000. However, it never occurred to us not to try. Some people told us it couldn't be done in the short amount of time we had. Even though we didn't have the money or the time to make all the cards by ourselves, with a lot of prayer, we decided to make a stab at getting it done. We sent a plea out to our community to help us pay for the materilas and assemble the cards we had designed for those very special warriors. We set aside a Saturday and asked the people to come with their families and help us assemble the cards. Based on other stamping events we thought 25 people might show up. We decided we would work from 9 AM - 2 PM and get as many of the cards done as possible, figuring that we would have to burn some midnight fuel to finish the cards not completed. We all agreed that if there wasn't enough money we would pitch in to cover the cost and for some of us that was a huge leap of faith. What an awesome card making day it turned out to be!! More than 60 people came, ranging in age from 6 months to 85 years. Each one of them wanted these young people to know they were not forgotten, that they were appreciated and that they were in the prayers of people thay had never met. Over 1,000 cards were made before noon. Truly we saw a miracle that day. And so, we are asking God for that miracle another time. This year we are going to try to make 1500 cards. We will meet at Fredericksburg United Methodist Church, 1800 North Llano, Fredericksurg, Texas on December 8th, 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM. If you are reading this we ask you to pray for our success. If you will be in the area come join us. If you are able, send us a donation -even one or two dollars will help.