This past week was full of driving and interviewing and driving and baseball games and driving and family and, well, more driving. Here's a quick recap of the week's events.



Stage 1: Interview at Vincennes Free Methodist Church.
Megan and I left Tuesday afternoon to have our second interview at the church. It was a pleasent experience as all the people there were extremely nice and treated us so well. After the interview was over Pastor Don told us that the church has decided to offer me a position on staff as an associate pastor. I will primarily be in charge of the youth group but also have other responsibilities that come with being on a two-pastor staff. We look to give the church an answer this week.

Stage 2: St. Louis Cardinals Game
We figured that since we were already south a bit we might as well swing by St. Louis and catch a Cardinals game. My cousin and her husband, Sarah and Josh Johnson, live about a half hour west of downtown. We stayed with them and their son Andrew for the night. We went to the Royals-Cardinals game. Our tickets offered a great view at a better price, trumped further by the fact that the game went into 14 innings. Josh had an exam early the next morning so we only stayed through the 11th inning. We listened to the game on the drive home and even made it back in time to see the game ending homerun by the Cardinals in the bottom of the 14th, a mere 5+ hours after the first pitch. (No hard feelings Josh!)

Stage 3: Family time in Illinois
My parents figured that since we were in St. Louis we might as well swing by the house in Illinois for a few days. Megan and I loved the idea and stayed at my parents' house from Thursday night through Sunday morning. We were able to visit my grandparents as they camped at Dawson Lake, visit with my sister in Chicago over supper, enjoy a Cardinals game on the TV, clean out my old room, and enjoy Friday (1 of our 2 days without driving). After church Sunday we packed it up and left for New Paris.





Stage 4: Family time in Indiana
We next rolled into New Paris to stay with Megan's family for a few days. The highlight and main purpose of the trip was to celebrate with Megan's grandparents as they marked 60 years of marriage. It was so fun to see a room full of people who have been impacted by and love her grandparents so much. We also were hired on to paint a couple rooms in the Replogle household on Tuesday. With two youngsters running around (well, one runs the other just eats/sleeps a lot) they haven't found much time to color the walls. Megan and I were glad to lend a hand. After the paint dried we left on the final leg of the trip.

Stage 5: Home Sweet Home
We finally arrived back in Marion on Tuesday night, a full week after we had departed. The odometer read 915 miles. 3 states had been visited. The luggage was unpacked. And a good night sleep was had by all...

A little map showing our route around the midwest.

A week before Mark and Lyndsay's wedding we planned a bike trip with our church friends for the Sunday after the wedding. If I knew how tired I was going to be, I would have wanted to make it another day. We four married couples wanted to take a little bike trip since we all have bikes. We decided to ride to Jay and Kelly Hochstetler's house Sunday afternoon. We rode our bikes to church that morning and then rode to their house after church. The ride there wasn't too bad and I was pretty proud of myself because there were a lot of hills. When we got there we ate our packed lunches and then swam in their pond. The boys threw the frisbee, of course, and tried catching it off the raft. We sat and talked, played Farkel, and swam some more. We also played on this blow up trampoline in the water and had a few wrestling matches. Aaron and I wrestled a few times while Nathan gave a play-by-play, but I never won. I had a few sweet moves but could never push him off. So finally right before we left I asked him to not put up much of a fight so I could just push him off. I needed to have that little bit of satisfaction! On our ride back to church I realized we shouldn't have wrestled because I had absolutely no strength. I felt like the biggest whimp ever! The hills were killing me and my legs were burning like crazy! We finally made it back to the church and my face was beet red. We went to the church service and then rode our bikes back home. We went out to eat at Fazolis with everyone because we didn't feel like cooking.


If you look closely you can see Aaron making an amazing catch!

The 16-wheelers!

This past weekend my favorite roommate, Lyndsay, got married and I was one of her bridemaids. It was a wonderful weekend but wow am I tired! The wedding festivities started on Thursday. My friend Angela picked me up and we went to Fort Wayne to get nails done. I didn't get mine done but I wanted to be there anyway. That night we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse and then went back to the hotel. It was so great to be able to talk with all the girls! After we left the hotel Friday morning we went to Starbucks and ran a few errands. We went back to Lyndsay's house and got ready for the rehearsal. The dinner was first and then had the rehearsal. After the rehearsal Aaron and I went back to Lyndsay's and helped with the programs for the wedding and then drove home around 11:00. Saturday morning I left the apartment at about 7:45 to go back to Lyndsay's. I watched her get her hair done and then we all got ready for the wedding. It was a little crazy trying to get 4 girls ready with minimal mirror space. I decided that when Aaron and I have a house and kids we are going to have a huge mirror in the bathroom for when our daughter has friends over. :) We got to the church at 11:30 and did some finishing touches before putting our dresses on. Lyndsay looked absolutely gorgeous. They chose to take pictures before the wedding so that took a little while. The wedding finally began at 3:30. The ceremony was nice and they looked so happy. The reception was beautiful and a lot of fun. We enjoyed being able to see and talk to our college friends. We stayed to see the happy couple off. I'm so happy for them and I will miss them so much as they will be moving to Minnesota after they return from the honeymoon. The weekend was so much fun but I am so tired. But the weekend was not over...continue reading in the post above.

Aaron and I made a weekend trip up to New Paris for the ever so famous garage sales!! I couldn't wait to go and I was excited about it for weeks! We wanted to help out with our family sale, but we also wanted to do a little shopping ourselves! Our number one item to find was a window air conditioner. I let mom know and she found one and got it for us right away on Friday morning before we even got there. We were so excited!! Our apartment has been so hot and it was much needed! Aaron and I rode Grandpa and Grandma Juday's tandom bike around town from sale to sale. : ) Friday is a pretty busy day around town but Saturday is the biggest day. Over 120 sales plus lots of food!! Our sale is open both days but Saturday we always have our things 1/2 price because mom just wants to get rid of it. In order to advertise the sale we make lots of signs to put around. This year we decided to make one for Jarrett to wear around and say, "Half price!" He was so adorable! Aaron and I made $70 at the sale. That's the most I've ever made and I don't even know what I sold, except that it was quality of course. : )

Jett wearing his sandwich sign

Two of our cashiers

Last Friday was the last day with my students. Since it was the last day of groups and a Friday I told the students they could choose what to do. Most of the groups wanted to play games. I gave each of them a packet of all the work they had done in our group and a bag with some goodies. They were pretty excited. I got the best compliment that day. As I was about to go home, one of the teachers I work with thanked me for all that I had done with her students. She said that they loved being with me. She said the other day some of them were talking about coming to school and they were so excited. She asked them if it was because of the party they were having. They said, "No, it's because we get to go to Mrs. Zehr's group." I was so happy! I love those kids and I will miss them. Here are the pictures of my groups, however, some students were absent. Aren't they just adorable?!