Going to Carolina

 "I'm going to Carolina in my mind."  -James Taylor

"And in my truck."  -Us

This weekend began Phase One of the 

Barnette Family Relocation Project.  

We are exhausted.  

But we tried to have a little fun in the midst of all the work...

Sometimes a $7 dolly rental is more fun than a day at an amusement park.  :)

 

We can't forget the really important things.

I have no idea how my husband moved all the heavy boxes all by himself.
He's apparently a pretty strong fellow.

Seriously.  It never gets old. 

Going-Away Party

 We threw a going away party for the kids Friday.

They were allowed to invite their best friends: 

Elijah, Aryan, Gabe, Blaze, Matthew, and Chloe.

To my friends in North Carolina, please accept my sincerest apologies for massacring the shape of your state so poorly with my cake.  Lest anyone think it's easy to make the state of North Carolina with a 9x11" sheetcake and some icing, I assure you it is NOT.  I'd like to note that if God had called us to a church in a different state, it would have been much easier to make a cake look like Wyoming.  :)

John and his best buddy Aryan, who shares John's affinity for camouflage.

Happy Mother's Day

 Just got home from a great trip to West Virginia, where I had the rare pleasure of spending Mother's Day with my mom.  If you're reading this Mom, WE LOVE YOU!

The kids enjoyed their time with Mamaw Barnette, too.  And if you're reading this, Mamaw, WE LOVE YOU!

I visited my 92 year old grandmother in her nursing home.  Mamaw Rita has Alzheimer's.  I spoon-fed her lunch.  Humbling.

On Sunday morning, I was able to attend church with Mom and Dad.  They still go to the church I attended as a child: Dunbar First Baptist.  I had a great time catching-up with people there.  How do people who taught me to sing "I'm In the Lord's Army" when I was a kid still look EXACTLY the same when I'm 39????

I snapped a shot of this special place in my life.  These are the stairs where I was led to the Lord by a Junior Church (that's what we called it back in the day) teacher when I was ten years old.  I consider this spot Holy Ground.  :)

On Saturday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a baby shower for my dear friend, Alison Clemans.  I had a fun afternoon catching-up with old friends from our last church, Good Shepherd Baptist in Scott Depot, West Virginia.  

I MISS YOU GOOD SHEPHERD!

I also was able to watch my sweet niece Lindsay play in the State High School Tennis Tournament while I was in town.  Lindsay, who is only a freshman, made it all the way to the finals, where she lost in a nail-biting 3rd set tie-breaker.  

We are so proud of you, Lindsay!

Oh, the Places We'll Go.

In 24 days, our family will be moving to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where Tim has accepted a call to be the Senior Pastor of a wonderful congregation called Oakdale Baptist Church:  WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!  In anticipation of our relocation, I bought a copy of the classic Dr. Seuss book for my kids as a moving gift.  We love reading it together and dreaming of the fabulous plans the Lord has in store for the five of us.

Here are a few of our favorite parts...

Congratulations!  Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

It's opener there in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen and frequently do

to people as brainy and footsy as you.

And when things start to happen, don't worry.  Don't stew.

Just go right along.  You'll start happening too.

You'll be on your way up!  You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

On and on you will hike.  And I know you'll hike far 

and face up to your problems whatever they are. 

And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

Kid, you'll move mountains!

So...be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

you're off to great Places!  Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.  So...get on your way! 

Tar River Trail, Rocky Mount

Psalm 100...by Anna Jean Barnette

Goodbye, Leo

Leo Waggal, a wonderful friend to everyone at Clough Pike Baptist Church, went home to be with Jesus last week.  Although we are all sad to lose him, Heaven will be a little sweeter knowing that we'll get to see Leo again when we get there!

Since Leo was known for his signature bow ties, yesterday there was a group of men who wore bow ties in Leo's memory.  I'm sure Leo would be smiling about that... 

 I want to especially thank Leo's daughter June for gifting our family with one of Leo's amazing clocks that he made all by himself.  It's unbelievable that a man who only had vision in one eye could work a scroll saw like that!  Since June says that this clock is both a "thank you" and a "going away" gift, we've promised to give it a special place in our new house in Rocky Mount.  We will think of Leo every 15 minutes when the clock chimes.  

We love you, Leo.  See you soon....  

8 Great Years of Memories in Cincinnati, Ohio

As we prepare to say goodbye to Cincinnati, 

here were a few of our favorite places

 in the Queen City

of the Buckeye State...

(in no particular order)

GREAT AMERICAN BALLPARK

SNOWED IN!

Few things are as exciting as a 

good, old-fashioned blizzard...

      

THE  CINCINNATI  ZOO  

&  BOTANICAL  GARDENS

 

We started a tradition of taking a picture infront of the Butterfly Garden each time we went to the zoo. 

It's amazing now to be able to see my kids grow-up infront of that sign... 

THE CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER

MIKE AND KATHY GEERS' POOL

NEWPORT ON THE LEVEE

THE WITHROW NATURE PRESERVE

MILFORD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

CHRIST HOSPITAL
(Where we got our favorite souvenier from Ohio...)

LARRY HARRELL'S CHICKEN COOP 

CONEY ISLAND

 KINGS ISLAND

CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL
home of
THE CINCINNATI POPS

HAMILTON COUNTY PARKS &
CLERMONT COUNTY PARKS

THE CREATION MUSEUM

SHAW FARMS

And of course, Clough Pike Baptist Church.

But that's another post for another day...