Tour Scrapbook

Sunday, December 1
After celebrating Thanksgiving in an RV park, a first for all of us, we enjoyed a brief visit from my sister Nancy for the weekend. We attended Mariners Church for the second time. Our kids are loving their children's programs! Sunday afternoon, the Hilliards went to the beach, while the Autry's went to Disneyland to help Nancy get her season pass. That evening, we moved the buses to Crossroads Christian Church in Corona, California. We met Stacy, Laurie, Susan and other neat ladies of the steering team that night at 9:00 and all set up for the next morning - just like always, some sweet folks that God is using to minister to moms.

Monday, December 2
The first of three MOPS groups this week and then HOME for the HOLIDAYS. We are all definitely ready to go home, but we aren't "dyin'" to be home. God has given us a peace and a joy in what we do. It is great to meet new and wonderful people everywhere we go! After the meeting, we were invited to the home of Jim & Patti Anderson to rest and relax. The kids played and played in the beautiful yard.

Tuesday, December 3
We left early this morning for Canyon Lake Community Church and our next-to-last program before our flight home on Saturday. We were not able to park at the church the night before, but it was a pleasant drive against traffic. Here we met coordinator Jennifer Sanchez who had been talking with Sharon for about a year about this program. They were so excited to host us. †It was here that a lady shared with Sharon that her life had been changed forever through our thoughts on contentment. She wanted so badly for her husband to hear. We are praying about how to make that happen.

Wednesday, December 4
We moved to an RV park in Corona and began packing for the trip home. OH, MY, we had much to do to get the buses closed down for the holidays. It was strange to pack so much for a trip HOME!

Thursday, December 5
We packed up all our stuff and loaded the vans for the trip to the airport. Jim and Patti graciously opened their home to us again, this time for the overnight. It takes special people to allow 2MOMS, 2 dads, and 6 kids to move in for the night! This allowed us to prepare the buses to sit empty for 5 weeks without spending the last night in them.

Friday, December 6
We got up early for the mile or so trip to the church for our last program of the semester. Another wonderful group of moms - this was the second of Crossroads MOPS groups - each with about 80 members - WHAT A MINISTRY! After the meeting, Stacy took us to the RV storage she had arranged for us. What a blessing!

We then drove the vans to Mission Viejo and met David and Cindy Pook and their family. The provided us a wonderful dinner and also transportation to the airport! They were able to store our vans for us at their church during the holidays. We'll see them again soon when we share with Cindy's MOPS group.

Friday night, we stayed at an airport hotel, getting ready for the flight home.

Saturday, December 7
This is the day! Northwest Airlines via Memphis to Dallas - what a way to travel with six kids under age 8! Actually, it went very smoothly and we were met by many loved ones at DFW that evening. And that was it for the first tour - 14 ½ weeks of God blessing us as He shared His love through us. WOW! What a privilege to be a part of it!