My small group

A fun shot with our small group. This is how I will remember them!


A more serious, but beautiful picture of all of us!

Our small group at church has been the best thing ever! Derrick and I met Ruth and Karl after we got engaged and started working in the preschool hallway at church. Their youngest daughter was in our 3 year old class and she just captured our hearts. From Maddie being in our class, we got to know and love the whole family. After we got married, the Meyer's invited us to start a small group with them. Over a few months time we added the Freunds and then the Peters. Derrick and I have grown so close to each one of them and we are going to miss them like crazy. during our Bible studies we have had some serious conversations, and also some off-the-wall goofy conversations. All of them we will take with us to Ohio.

On Sunday, Oct 23, we went to Kids Castle in Murfreesboro and took some group pictures. We all stopped and picked up some food and had a big picnic before taking pictures and playing. Derrick had more fun playing on the playground with the children, while us ladies sat over on a bench and watched them play tag. Then we went to Dairy Queen and all got ice cream!

The whole small group has touched us in their own special way. They have each taken us in and made us both a part of their family. We love each one of them and their children and will never forget what all they have done for us. They have all inspired us as a couple and as future parents and taught us a lot of things to make our marriage stronger as Derrick and I grow together. We know that marriages aren't perfect but they have definitely showed us that no matter what, putting God first will fix everything and make it all work out. We love you guys!!

Sweet Maggie

This is Maggie and Derrick's niece, Alexz, this past summer. This is Maggie a couple of weeks after we brought her home.

Well, today has been a rough day. This morning my husband took our little Maggie to the vet and had her put to sleep. Bless her heart, she has been so sick for a while but has been a tough fighter the whole time. I know she is better off now but I didn't realize how hard it would be to actually let her go. We have only had her for 8 months but she was the sweetest Basset Hound ever! Derrick called me at work to let me know how everything went, and that is when I lost. I think that some of these emotions are coming from the fact that in less than 2 weeks I will have totally left my comfort zone of my friends, family, and work and moved to a place where I don't even know how to get to the nearest Wal-Mart....or if there is even a Wal-Mart in Ohio!

Last week at FBC, Smyrna

This was Derrick's last week at FBC Smyrna. I will be there next week but he will be gone next week for work and then we are moving the next weekend. We have taught in the preschool area for 4 years and we got a beautiful picture from all of our friends as a going away gift. They all signed the back and it will look beautiful hanging in our new house. I mentioned how it is going to be so weird not going to FBC anymore, but I know that God has another church in Ohio that will be just as wonderful.