Masters Celebration!

When our dear friend Mrs Gambles learned David had completed his Masters Program, she was thrilled.  She immediately needed to have a celebration for him.  Kathy Gambles is one of the sweetest, nicest most positive woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.  She was Davids librarian all through elementary and middle school.  They have since reconnected and we get to see her about every other month.  She invited us and anyone whom David wanted up to her property in Liberty to "celebrate his success."  We were happy to have Davids entire immediate family join us, his Grandma Neal, Grandma Judy, Josh, Amy, Hadlee, Ma Brady, Jeff and Taycina.  I was so happy that they could all come because I know how much it meant to David to have each one there.  While we waited for our delicious dutch oven dinner to cook we explored the property.  First we went to look at the horses.

 

Kadence was a little nervous at first, but loved it.



It was so nice to see Grandma Neal near a horse.  She grew up around horses and was even Rodeo Queen.  It was nice to see her in her element.

Grandma Neal NEVER lets me get a picture of her so I tried to sneak one....BUSTED! She wasn't too happy.

These three girls LOVED the swing set.  I loved listening to Hadlee say "focus, focus" as she climbed the ladder of the slide.  Amy was telling her to focus in the beginning so she didn't fall and Hadlee caught on real quick.  

Drinking some fresh hand squeezed lemonade that Mrs Gambles brought.

We decided to go on a little 'hike' before dinner.  It was a nice little walk and we were able to see some beautiful leaves.  I love all the different colors of fall. 

Mrs Gambles and the girls headed up the trail

This was where we decided to turn around...it was breathtaking.

Daddy caught a praying mantis and the girls were pretty excited, but for the first time they didn't want to hold THIS insect.  They'll hold most others though.

I love these girls!

My girls absolutely adore Silly Jeff and Taycina! 

It was finally time to eat!

As if Mrs Gambles didn't do enough for this celebration she bought David a present.  The card was a watercolor made from an orphan in Liberia.  The girls have joined Jeff, David and Mrs Gambles in a drum circle that raises money for the orphanage so David was very excited to see the card.  (africanheartwoodproject.org)

The card would have made him happy enough but then he opened the gift.  It was an amazing nativity with a little back story.  When we went to eat with Kathy a while back, she showed us an angel from a nativity.  It was made from a gun shell that a man collects in Liberia.  They are from the grounds where the Liberian civil war was fought.  He turns the shells into pieces in the nativity and sells them to try to make money for law school.  She explained to us that David and I remind her of this man.  We take things that are so terrible and ugly (different trials and situations) and turn them into something wonderful and beautiful.  That was flattering to hear her say.  David and I do try to have a positive attitude, but I'm not quite sure we live up to what she thinks we do. Needless to say that receiving this nativity will be something we treasure forever.   

Here it is.

While we cleaned and packed everything up we had to make some smores.  Kathy bought the giant marshmallows which made it interesting.  Shelby didn't roast hers at all....

Kadence only roasted hers a tiny bit...

And Jeff roasted his completely, it basically doubled in size which made a gigantic size mallow!

At the end of the day, we had a fabulous time.  We got home, put Shelby to bed and gave Kadence a bath before getting her in bed.  (They were caked in dirt as they should be) I then got in the shower and realized that I probably wasn't even in a single picture so I had David take this awesomely flattering shot of me real quick.  Next time I'll remember to have him take a picture during the fun so I don't have to post another embarrassing photo of myself.  :)