Charles first week at school

Charles has wrapped up his first week back in school and what a week it's been!  He is taking four classes - Drawing, 2-dimensional foundations, Art History (since 1400) and Digital Media in the arts.  It will be a challenge, learning a new language (art), but it is still fun to be back on campus again!

Friday & Saturday

We've had a quite busy weekend and Sunday is still to come!  Friday saw Charles leading a study in the morning, providing counseling in the afternoon and participating in the Stevi UMC vision retreat in the evening.  Belinda was hard at work, getting last minute details in place in order to make sure that the retreat participants got the full benefit of the experience!

Today was a 'dawn-to-dusk' whirl!!!  We were at the church at 7am, helping get everything in place for the 8 am kick-off.  Charles ducked out for a spell with several SUMC members to take part in a planning meeting for this year's National Day of Prayer event.

Belinda in the meantime helped coordinate the mission project for this weekend, preparing 120 bottles of laundry detergent for the community food bank.


In addition to the sharing of ideas regarding the Nurture-Outreach-Witness ministries of the congregation, we also had some fun!  We drew names for various donated items, an idea we'd seen at a UMW event.  It was so much fun!  Charles' name was drawn for a model of a horse (which he'll paint as an art major), Belinda got to take home a pretty purse!

All together it was quite a push to make this event such a success, it was worth it - but we're tired tonight!

Where has the week gone?

Charles was on campus in Missoula today, taking part in the orientation for the spring semester at the University of Montana (UMT).  It is going to be a great experience to be sure!

Belinda was at home with Wesley, doing some of the prelim work for this weekend's church retreat.  A lot of work has gone into this weekend, and Belinda has done a great deal of "behind the scenes" prep-work to make it a success.

Our week is in the books!

A pair of Sand Hill cranes in Stevensville

St. Mary's Peak

 We've come to the end of the week and with it came some delightful weather!  Belinda is just happy to have a three-day weekend to rest and recover from her accident!!

Where has the week gone?

Some weeks just seem to whosh past!  We have been busy with church activities nearly every day, there seems to a constant stream of ministries and other church-related activities to keep us occupied!

 

The big news this week took place on Tuesday when Belinda slipped on some black ice at work and the report from the doctor is that there is a small fracture on her right kneecap.  She's adjusting to getting around with a huge brace on her leg. She's already back at work and should  be back to her normal self in a few weeks.

It's back to school for Charles

"Big man on campus"

 Thanks to the Post 9/11 GI Bill, Charles has decided to return to school for another degree!  This time 'round he'll be attending the University of Montana (in Missoula) where he will be working on a BA with a major in Art and a minor in Media Arts.

It was a long process deciding which school to attend (in person or via distance learning) and what to study.  He chose art because he's wanted to explore that aspect of life.  It should be most interesting!

Belinda's Mama's Last Day in the Bitterroot Valley (this trip...)

Today concluded Belinda's mother's five-week visit for the holidays.  We were sad to see her go, but we made some great memories while she was here!  We look forward to seeing her again in May!  Thanks be to God for wonderful family visits!

The first week in January 2014

Rain clouds over the Bitterroots

"Peel-a-boo"

Carole displays her new scarf (made by Belinda's mother)

Epiphany Day and the taking down of
the Christmas decorations

Wesley takes a break from the packing up of the decorations

What a wonderful week it has been!  We love "life in the Bitterroot Valley" of western Montana!  God is so good to have brought us here!  This time last year, we had no idea where He would lead us, but here we are... in a heavenly part of the world!  Thank you, God!!!

First post of the New Year

Volunteers getting the newsletter ready to go on Monday

Swans and ducks at the Refuge on New Year's Eve day

Pre-New Year's Eve nap

First nap of the New Year!

L-R: Jackson, Craig & Tristan Flint
(Tristan is the daughter of a former SUMC pastor)

We want to wish everyone a Safe and Happy New Year. The start of a New Year can be more than just resolutions (that we often start then stop), it can be a new outlook to life and career.  We hope everyone will take up the challenge to make 2014 better than years past.