AHHHH.... i am soo sorry i have not had time to update you on my time on the road... but I will sit down tomorrow... and write about the end of last week and this week in two posts... so you'll get some of my time.... but right now I must retreat to my air matress.... sleep tight everyone.... :-)
-Katie
June 3, 2009
May 24, 2009
Week 1: Livingston, Louisiana
hey all!!
just writing to tell you about the last few days... we got to Louisiana and our destination @ around 10 P.M. local time.... after sitting in traffic for about 2 hours b/c of a bad accident on the highway... pray for that fam. or person..because from what we could see there may have been a death..
on our way through almost 5 full states (TN, GA, AL MS and LA) .. we made it... we had a late meal at a local joint.... one of the like 2 restaurants in this very very small town....
the church we are staying at is very small and up in age.... the gym is showing its years... but all that matters is the kids that are coming this week...
we have a place to stay and food to eat... so all is good...
today we unloaded the trailer and organized its contents... then I drove the van to the store to pick up a few things... that was an adventure..being as I have NEVER driven a van before.... I got back in one piece.. so all is good...
we then went and picked up two staffers at the airport in New Orleans..about an hour from Livingston... it was an interesting trip....driving over the bayou (i think) is a new experience for me.... but it was amazing to look at the different way a state lives....
so far I am having a wonderful time... learned some of the dance moves tonight for the songs.... and now i'm off to bed... but i will try to keep you updated as the week goes by and if I have time... life on the road is a busy...
that's all for now.. church in the morning...then camp on Monday!!! pray for me and all the staffers as we bring the love of Christ to the kids of Livingston!! :-D
-Katie
just writing to tell you about the last few days... we got to Louisiana and our destination @ around 10 P.M. local time.... after sitting in traffic for about 2 hours b/c of a bad accident on the highway... pray for that fam. or person..because from what we could see there may have been a death..
on our way through almost 5 full states (TN, GA, AL MS and LA) .. we made it... we had a late meal at a local joint.... one of the like 2 restaurants in this very very small town....
the church we are staying at is very small and up in age.... the gym is showing its years... but all that matters is the kids that are coming this week...
we have a place to stay and food to eat... so all is good...
today we unloaded the trailer and organized its contents... then I drove the van to the store to pick up a few things... that was an adventure..being as I have NEVER driven a van before.... I got back in one piece.. so all is good...
we then went and picked up two staffers at the airport in New Orleans..about an hour from Livingston... it was an interesting trip....driving over the bayou (i think) is a new experience for me.... but it was amazing to look at the different way a state lives....
so far I am having a wonderful time... learned some of the dance moves tonight for the songs.... and now i'm off to bed... but i will try to keep you updated as the week goes by and if I have time... life on the road is a busy...
that's all for now.. church in the morning...then camp on Monday!!! pray for me and all the staffers as we bring the love of Christ to the kids of Livingston!! :-D
-Katie
May 21, 2009
Trailers, Vans and Pit Stops...
Hey all!!!
just typing from 30 min outside Chattanooga, TN... on my way to Louisiana :-)
had a very eventful day... left Stafford @ 9:00 in the morning and drove all day... stopped a couple times for lunch and bathroom breaks.. but other than that.. we were on the road all day... just hanging in the van... :-D...
Don't have much more to say... but this time tomorrow i'll be in good 'ol Louisiana... see you then!!!
-Katie
just typing from 30 min outside Chattanooga, TN... on my way to Louisiana :-)
had a very eventful day... left Stafford @ 9:00 in the morning and drove all day... stopped a couple times for lunch and bathroom breaks.. but other than that.. we were on the road all day... just hanging in the van... :-D...
Don't have much more to say... but this time tomorrow i'll be in good 'ol Louisiana... see you then!!!
-Katie
May 20, 2009
Packing, Packing, Packing....
Just sitting here on my computer and thought I'd give an update about the last few days...
We have just been preparing last minute tour stuff.... because...... we pack the trailer tonight... and LEAVE TOMORROW!!!!!!! gosh... I am soo excited... I am a little nervous about driving the van but I know that with God's help and protection everything will be okay.....
So the next time I probably post I will either be in Louisiana or on the way there.... so be prepared for my excitement.... happiness.....sadness....tiredness (word?).....frustrations and so on....
this is my blog.... it's both my physical and emotional journey in children's ministry.... I only know a little of what to expect but I know that with God on my side I will have no problem!!! :-D
thanks again for reading!!!
-Katie
We have just been preparing last minute tour stuff.... because...... we pack the trailer tonight... and LEAVE TOMORROW!!!!!!! gosh... I am soo excited... I am a little nervous about driving the van but I know that with God's help and protection everything will be okay.....
So the next time I probably post I will either be in Louisiana or on the way there.... so be prepared for my excitement.... happiness.....sadness....tiredness (word?).....frustrations and so on....
this is my blog.... it's both my physical and emotional journey in children's ministry.... I only know a little of what to expect but I know that with God on my side I will have no problem!!! :-D
thanks again for reading!!!
-Katie
May 16, 2009
Sewing, Cutting, and Lots of Name Tags
Hello all!!!
I just finished my first full day "on the job"... which was more like prep work for when we actually leave on tour, which is Thursday...
I woke up at around 10:30...having gone to bed pretty late... and decided to try and find Neesa.... after wandering around the house and talking with Neesa's mom, I found Neesa and Christina (a new found friend and crew member :-) ) discussing what we had to do for the day...
so... after some lunch we went out to town to print some stuff and buy some stuff at Michael's that we needed for props and such... (we also went to Bloom's to buy the ingredients for Neesa's moms Strawberry Pie, which I heard is pretty good... looking forward to having some tomorrow.. :-D )
Then we came back to the house to get started on the work... I was given the task of cutting out the circular name tags with each crew members name. I started out cutting with a circular cutter...but just ended up cutting them by hand.... which took pretty much the whole day...but i didn't mind... :-)
Neesa was working on sewing some last min. curtains and shirts and Christina was laminating some luggage tags and as I finished cutting the name tags she laminated those too...
We were just sitting and enjoying the company and talking about some of their past tour experiences..... which I hope to be able to partake in next year... :-)
We then had an excellent dinner made by Neesa's mom... Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Peas, and Applesauce.... boy was it good!!! :-)
Then we went back to work and finished around 10:00 p.m. So all in all the day was a success.
It was actually really fun cutting out the name tags because I got to see the names of all the crew I would be working with this summer.... and I just wondered what all of them were like.... I can't wait to meet them and hopefully have fun and develop great friendships with them this summer!!
5 days til we leave!!! the countdown begins!
thanks again for reading!!!
Katie
I just finished my first full day "on the job"... which was more like prep work for when we actually leave on tour, which is Thursday...
I woke up at around 10:30...having gone to bed pretty late... and decided to try and find Neesa.... after wandering around the house and talking with Neesa's mom, I found Neesa and Christina (a new found friend and crew member :-) ) discussing what we had to do for the day...
so... after some lunch we went out to town to print some stuff and buy some stuff at Michael's that we needed for props and such... (we also went to Bloom's to buy the ingredients for Neesa's moms Strawberry Pie, which I heard is pretty good... looking forward to having some tomorrow.. :-D )
Then we came back to the house to get started on the work... I was given the task of cutting out the circular name tags with each crew members name. I started out cutting with a circular cutter...but just ended up cutting them by hand.... which took pretty much the whole day...but i didn't mind... :-)
Neesa was working on sewing some last min. curtains and shirts and Christina was laminating some luggage tags and as I finished cutting the name tags she laminated those too...
We were just sitting and enjoying the company and talking about some of their past tour experiences..... which I hope to be able to partake in next year... :-)
We then had an excellent dinner made by Neesa's mom... Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Peas, and Applesauce.... boy was it good!!! :-)
Then we went back to work and finished around 10:00 p.m. So all in all the day was a success.
It was actually really fun cutting out the name tags because I got to see the names of all the crew I would be working with this summer.... and I just wondered what all of them were like.... I can't wait to meet them and hopefully have fun and develop great friendships with them this summer!!
5 days til we leave!!! the countdown begins!
thanks again for reading!!!
Katie
First Show Experience of the Summer
Wow... all I can say is that tonight was amazing and a major blessing...
The show was at Stafford Baptist Church in their schools gym.... we had 25 or so kids in the cast and then 10 staff members...
When I first arrived around 5:45... I went to the cafeteria, where all the kids were getting in their costumes and warming up with Phillip (one of the co-owners of the company I am working with)... my first assignment from Neesa (the other owner.. who's house I am graciously staying at) was to help the "Penguins" into their leotard.... mind you these kids are around kindergarten age... so it wasn't the easiest job.... but I successfully helped 4 little penguins into their costumes.... next I was assigned to just help Neesa during the show... I ran and helped with mics and helped the penguins with their costumes and such... but I got to watch most of the show....
The show was called "The Ballad of Bull-Headed Billy" (both music, lyrics and script written by both Neesa and Phillip) and it was based upon the bible parable of the prodigal son (for those who don't know.. the younger of two sons wants his inheritance from his father, to get away from the "farming" business and be on his own... his father grants his request and lets him go... but once the son goes away, he wastes his money and ends up working on a pig farm...he then realizes that the servants that work for his father get treated better than how he is right now.... he ends up going back and asking forgiveness from his father and he is accepted with open arms... just to summarize)
Watching these kids sing and dance their little hearts out was just amazing. They each had their own way of dancing of course.... haha.. :-) But that wasn't what mattered, what mattered was the fact that each and everyone of them meant what they sang and loved every minute of it.
After the show was over, we, the crew, immediately started taking down the set, sound, lights, etc. and loading it on a HUGE trailer. I had the task of putting away the mic chords, snakes and such.. and boy was that a task.... lets see about 150 to 200 individual chords, not counting the two snakes (multiple mic chords altogether)..... wrapping each one and then putting it in the proper box.... I have received a new found appreciation for sound crew... :-).... lets just say that my hands were a different color when I finished.... (yuck...)
I ended up with only a few scratches and sweaty clothes... but it was worth the experience.. :-D...
And now as I sit here with my belly full of IHOP..... I can only imagine what the actual traveling experience is going to be like.... but i am looking forward to it with open arms.... just as the father of the prodigal son.... with my arms open to receive the blessings of the summer from both the kids and the staff....
thanks again for reading! and now I am going to bed :-)
The show was at Stafford Baptist Church in their schools gym.... we had 25 or so kids in the cast and then 10 staff members...
When I first arrived around 5:45... I went to the cafeteria, where all the kids were getting in their costumes and warming up with Phillip (one of the co-owners of the company I am working with)... my first assignment from Neesa (the other owner.. who's house I am graciously staying at) was to help the "Penguins" into their leotard.... mind you these kids are around kindergarten age... so it wasn't the easiest job.... but I successfully helped 4 little penguins into their costumes.... next I was assigned to just help Neesa during the show... I ran and helped with mics and helped the penguins with their costumes and such... but I got to watch most of the show....
The show was called "The Ballad of Bull-Headed Billy" (both music, lyrics and script written by both Neesa and Phillip) and it was based upon the bible parable of the prodigal son (for those who don't know.. the younger of two sons wants his inheritance from his father, to get away from the "farming" business and be on his own... his father grants his request and lets him go... but once the son goes away, he wastes his money and ends up working on a pig farm...he then realizes that the servants that work for his father get treated better than how he is right now.... he ends up going back and asking forgiveness from his father and he is accepted with open arms... just to summarize)
Watching these kids sing and dance their little hearts out was just amazing. They each had their own way of dancing of course.... haha.. :-) But that wasn't what mattered, what mattered was the fact that each and everyone of them meant what they sang and loved every minute of it.
After the show was over, we, the crew, immediately started taking down the set, sound, lights, etc. and loading it on a HUGE trailer. I had the task of putting away the mic chords, snakes and such.. and boy was that a task.... lets see about 150 to 200 individual chords, not counting the two snakes (multiple mic chords altogether)..... wrapping each one and then putting it in the proper box.... I have received a new found appreciation for sound crew... :-).... lets just say that my hands were a different color when I finished.... (yuck...)
I ended up with only a few scratches and sweaty clothes... but it was worth the experience.. :-D...
And now as I sit here with my belly full of IHOP..... I can only imagine what the actual traveling experience is going to be like.... but i am looking forward to it with open arms.... just as the father of the prodigal son.... with my arms open to receive the blessings of the summer from both the kids and the staff....
thanks again for reading! and now I am going to bed :-)
May 14, 2009
The Day is Almost Here!!!
It's Thursday... the day before I leave for the summer.... I have been packing and washing clothes all day... and thinking about all the excitement that is coming in the next week.
I'm going to be meeting TONS of new people...I'm going to get to extend my roots in the ministry and I know God is going to bless this summer.
Sure I'm going to miss spending time with my family, but I know that this is where God is calling me for the summer. My parents are going to visit sometime when I'm in Georgia and North Carolina.... so that will be good to see them.
I leave for Stafford tomorrow around 5:00 and I'm there until next Thursday and then the team is on the road to Louisiana for the first week of ministering to the kids there.
For all of you reading, I just ask for one thing... Prayer and lots of it.... just pray that this summer will be successful for the team and that the kids will be open to the word of God and it will change there lives for the better. They are the future generation and need to know the good news of Christ so that they can grow and spread the word to others.... :-)
thanks again for reading!
-Katie
I'm going to be meeting TONS of new people...I'm going to get to extend my roots in the ministry and I know God is going to bless this summer.
Sure I'm going to miss spending time with my family, but I know that this is where God is calling me for the summer. My parents are going to visit sometime when I'm in Georgia and North Carolina.... so that will be good to see them.
I leave for Stafford tomorrow around 5:00 and I'm there until next Thursday and then the team is on the road to Louisiana for the first week of ministering to the kids there.
For all of you reading, I just ask for one thing... Prayer and lots of it.... just pray that this summer will be successful for the team and that the kids will be open to the word of God and it will change there lives for the better. They are the future generation and need to know the good news of Christ so that they can grow and spread the word to others.... :-)
thanks again for reading!
-Katie
May 10, 2009
hmmmm...
Here I am at 1:30 in the morning... just thinking about traveling this summer... All the kids I'll be ministering to and even the people on the teams..... I guess I'm just nervous.... but I know that God has a plan for this summer and I'm open to all of it!!
Have you ever been nervous, but still super excited at the same time?... that's me.... right now....
wow... I'm just rambling.... okay well I'm going to try and sleep tonight....hopefully...
Tomorrow we celebrate all of our mother's....and the wonderful things they've done for us! Don't forget to tell your mother....how much you appreciate all she's done in the past for you and all she has yet to do for you!
Bye for now!
Have you ever been nervous, but still super excited at the same time?... that's me.... right now....
wow... I'm just rambling.... okay well I'm going to try and sleep tonight....hopefully...
Tomorrow we celebrate all of our mother's....and the wonderful things they've done for us! Don't forget to tell your mother....how much you appreciate all she's done in the past for you and all she has yet to do for you!
Bye for now!
May 9, 2009
Suitecases and T-shirts....
hello all!!!
So I finally got a look at the suitcase I'll be living out of for the summer... you could fit a body in that beast.... hahaha.. I also got to look at the "uniforms" (just shirts) I'll be wearing, they include the vibrant colors of the rainbow, which is always good. I LOVE rainbows :-).... my mother has informed me that I need to set out all my clothes and take only what I need.... and then I responded "yeah right mom....okay..." I AM an almost 20 year old college student..... but I know my mom is going to miss me and doesn't want me to have to worry about any extra stuff.
Mom has already told me that she isn't going to miss me much... but I have to call her ALL the time. Go figure. She is the one that suggested I look into this, but I can see that she has missed me all school year and now I'm going to be gone the entire summer. My mom and I have an interesting relationship.
When I was younger, every weekend we would go to yard sales, auctions, and thrift stores....without dad- she said he was not "fun" enough... haha... But we had great bonding time on those many weekends. She would always tell me, when we spent a bunch of money, not to tell dad (Pops)...which I always never did. But no matter how much we spent or where we went... we always had fun. I'll miss all the random trips to craft sales and auctions... but we have many years in the future to go.
It's always so fun to think back on some of the stories of trips to both good and sketch places.... but it would take forever to tell all the places, so I'll leave that for now....
I leave in less than a week for Stafford to prepare for the summer and I can't wait!!! I'm excited for all the times I'll get to share with you all and the times I'll have to remember for the rest of my life! :-)
Thanks for reading!!
Katie :-D
So I finally got a look at the suitcase I'll be living out of for the summer... you could fit a body in that beast.... hahaha.. I also got to look at the "uniforms" (just shirts) I'll be wearing, they include the vibrant colors of the rainbow, which is always good. I LOVE rainbows :-).... my mother has informed me that I need to set out all my clothes and take only what I need.... and then I responded "yeah right mom....okay..." I AM an almost 20 year old college student..... but I know my mom is going to miss me and doesn't want me to have to worry about any extra stuff.
Mom has already told me that she isn't going to miss me much... but I have to call her ALL the time. Go figure. She is the one that suggested I look into this, but I can see that she has missed me all school year and now I'm going to be gone the entire summer. My mom and I have an interesting relationship.
When I was younger, every weekend we would go to yard sales, auctions, and thrift stores....without dad- she said he was not "fun" enough... haha... But we had great bonding time on those many weekends. She would always tell me, when we spent a bunch of money, not to tell dad (Pops)...which I always never did. But no matter how much we spent or where we went... we always had fun. I'll miss all the random trips to craft sales and auctions... but we have many years in the future to go.
It's always so fun to think back on some of the stories of trips to both good and sketch places.... but it would take forever to tell all the places, so I'll leave that for now....
I leave in less than a week for Stafford to prepare for the summer and I can't wait!!! I'm excited for all the times I'll get to share with you all and the times I'll have to remember for the rest of my life! :-)
Thanks for reading!!
Katie :-D
May 7, 2009
my first year of college comes to a close...
As my first year at Liberty has come to a close, my summer break has just begun. At the beginning of this year, I accepted a position on a traveling children's ministry team called Frick & Frack "Art Is In." The team travels up and down the south having music camps for kids. I am very excited to see what happens this summer. It is the first time that I have done anything like this and I have my expectations, but I know that God has different plans in mind for me. I hope and pray that this summer gives me the opportunity to share my faith with the next generation of life! This blog will be my opportunity to share with you the blessings that I recieve over the summer and of course the fun!!! :-D
