Journey to Narnia!

SBTS has a fall festival every year that is a pretty big deal, and is for families of students, staff, etc at the school.  This year, the theme was Narnia, and they went ALL OUT.  Everyone said it was going to be pretty amazing, so we didn’t want to miss it.  Best part- it was all free- the food, the activities, admission, everything.  Pretty sweet, huh?! 

Anyway, Josh worked until 5, so we left Etown about 5:30, and got to the shindig at about 6:30.  When we got there, it was pretty amazing- tons of bounce houses, tents all over the main grassy area, food everywhere, and tons of people.  This picture doesn’t really even begin show how crazy it was!

We started off with dinner (provided by Chick Fil A, of course), which had a ridiculously huge line.  So we had the bright idea for Josh and the girls to go play in the bounce houses for awhile while I waited in line.  Which was a good idea, until it was time for the girls to leave the bounce house… apparently, instead of coming with Daddy, Miss E. decided it was a better idea to start bolting in the opposite direction with no shoes on.  Yeah, Daddy wasn’t happy, and this is what I saw walking towards me:

I guess every time he set her down, she ran off again, so he just picked her up and took her to me, and then went back for the shoes and the stroller.  It was pretty funny, and entertaining to the family behind us in line, too! :)

Mostly, we chalk the issues up to low blood sugar and over excitement, b/c she was fine and happy to eat once we got the food!  Can’t let a Looten (or a Price) get hungry!

After we ate we stopped at the White Witch’s sleigh for a quick photo op:

And then headed to the coronation platform, where they could decorate their own crowns, and then they could be part of a coronation ceremony, where the girls got little wands and the boys got swords.  Here are my beautiful girls in their crowns:

We didn’t actually do the coronation ceremony, b/c the line was long, the show was about to start, and, let’s be honest, the girls didn’t really care anyway.  Laney just wanted her wand!  And, because SOMEONE ELSE in the family (not naming names cough*daddy*cough) wanted a sword, we got Audrey a sword.  Which, to be honest, she was totally happy about and thoroughly enjoyed.  And then I had the bright idea to take a sibling picture with crowns and wands/swords.  Yeah, two girls, two crowns, a sword and a wand… like that was going to happen!  But we gave it the old college try, and actually ended up with this good one: (although I wish I had taken the time to clean the ketchup off of Laney’s face!)

But, lets be honest, most of the shots looked more like this:

Just thought this was a cute shot of Laney… sometimes I forget what a big girl she’s getting to be!

And maybe this is why Audrey enjoyed her sword so much… everything is a teething toy!

After we decorated crowns and got wands/swords, it was time for the show to start!  It was a pretty neat show, it was set up like a joust with guys really on horseback and throwing spears (at hay bales) and such.  Laney watched it from Daddy’s shoulders, and Audrey and I mostly listened from a little farther back!

All a girl needs: a wand, a crown, some cotton candy, and a good seat on Daddy’s shoulders!

Audrey and I had our own cotton candy, of course…

The show was a little long for the girls, so when Laney’s attention span and Daddy’s shoulders were about to give out, we headed off to see what else we could find.  We found funnel cakes (DELICIOUS) and face painting.  Laney hadn’t ever had a face painting done, and she was a little hesitant.  They were painting most people all over their faces to look like tigers or other animals, but Laney wasn’t all about that.  She decided on a blue flower and a pink flower instead.  She was nervous in line and while they were doing it, but happy as a clam afterwards!  Love watching my girls try new things…

And she looked pretty cute with them done!

After face painting, we ended up back by the bounce houses.  Although, they really can’t be called bounce houses since there were slides and games and rock walls and cliff hangers, just about everything you could think of!  We played for a little bit in the little kid ones, and then took Laney to see the bigger ones.  What is it about a kid and a bounce house, they both just LOVED them.  Especially the slides, where you had to climb up this rock wall/ladder part, and then go down a huge slide.  Laney and Audrey both loved it… fearless!

Audrey goofing with Daddy in the toddler bounce house

Laney on the giant slide.  Going up…

…and coming down, with a huge grin!!

Audrey and I made a few trips down the slides, too!

Headed back to the car after the party was over, tired and happy, with crowns, face paint, sodie, and a big smile… oh, and giant Tiana socks!  She didn’t want to put her shoes back on after the  bounce house!

And the sure sign of a good family outing?  Passed out kiddos by the time you make it home!  I’m gonna have a million of these pictures by the time these kids grow up!

After putting the girls to bed, Josh and I made the brilliant discovery that we can stream ESPN on our computer because of our internet provider, so we got to watch the MU game, which didn’t START until 10:30… so we were up until 2, and totally exhausted the next morning!  But, definitely a fun day all around!

Just as a quick update on life in general, I do have a full time job.  It’s not exactly what I wanted; it’s basically a computer tech position at an elementary school.  I actually like the work, and the people, and I am learning tons, which is always fun.  But it is only 25 hours a week, and the pay is not great.  So I was hoping to be able to have a position like that for the next couple of years, but it looks like I will have to be applying to go back in the classroom next summer again.  Hopefully some experience in a local school will help me get a job this time!  In the meantime, things will be a little tight, but God will make the ends meet, and I’ll learn lots in this job, which will be good experience.  With our house fixed, school started, jobs started, and the girls in full time daycare, we are finally starting to feel settled.  Incredibly busy (especially Josh, with school and two part time jobs), but settled, which has done wonders for us!  So, we’re settled in for this adventure!  No telling what God has planned for us…

Josh’s Ordination

Obviously this post is a little past due, since it happened in mid-August… but life is still crazy around here, and since I didn’t take any of these pictures, it kind of slipped my mind to post them!

Anyway, one of the first things that THBC did when Josh started serving was ask if he wanted to be officially ordained.  And, of course, he did.  So they set up his ordination service for August 13th.  Josh’s Mom, Dad, and Grandma came for the service, as did Brother Dave and Nancy from MHBC, which was really cool.  It was a quick and busy trip for his parents, but we had fun showing them a little of Etown, and they got to see our house all (finally) fixed up and put back together!  Which I still owe you pictures of, but, well, it has to be clean to take pictures, so it might be a bit…

But back to the ordination… church that morning was pretty normal, and then Josh had to head back to church for the ordination council, which is basically where any ordained man can come and ask him questions to judge whether he is suited for ordination and ministry.  Since Dave was there, he got to be a part of it, too.  They weren’t too rough on Josh, and they had no trouble seeing that he is definitely called to ministry.  After the ordination council, everyone was invited to his ordination service.  He got to pick out all of the songs, Pastor Nathan spoke, as did the head of missions for the Kentucky Baptist Convention, and then all of the men who had been a part of the ordination council laid their hands on him and prayed for him.  It was a very cool ceremony, very solemn, and very meaningful.  The church historian took pictures, so these are his pictures… he got some good ones!

All off the ordained men, during the laying on of hands.  They all kneeled down and prayed with Josh one at a time.  It was very cool.

Pastor Nathan praying with Josh.

And, of course, my favorite- Bro. Dave praying with Josh.  Dave has been such a huge part of Josh’s spiritual growth that I was thrilled he could come and be a part of the ordination service.  Watching him just wrap Josh in a bear hug and pray with him totally made me cry, though…

And after the ceremony, the party began!  We had an ice cream social to celebrate!  Lots of people, and lots of the youth, came, which was really neat.  We had a good time just hanging out and talking and laughing with everyone.  And it was a good chance for Josh’s family to get to meet some of our new church family.

Josh’s certificate, signed by all of the men who were a part of the ordination council, and the Bible they got for him, with Rev. Joshua Lloyd Looten on it.  Pretty cool!

Grandma Jo & Audrey, enjoying some ice cream

Laney, mooching cookies & ice cream off of Grandma & Grandpa Looten… who were more than happy to share! :)

Audrey and Paige, one of the youth, who has taken a real liking to our girls!

After the ordination service and ice cream, we headed back to Mom & Dad Looten’s hotel, which had a pool.  True to form, our girls were absolutely water babies, despite the fact that the water was pretty cold!  We got Laney a noodle, and she realized she could kind of lay on it and kick her feet and swim around, and she did about a million laps.  Audrey just wouldn’t keep her face out of the water- she’d duck it under, then pull it back up, gasping and grinning like a maniac, and then do it all over again.  She is so crazy when it comes to water.  When it looked like it was going to rain (and the grown ups were pretty much done swimming), we headed inside and ordered pizza from Snappy Tomato, which Josh and I had been wanting to try.  They have a GIANT pizza, which was really good. 

Josh’s Mom, Dad, & Grandma headed back to Missouri Monday morning, so it really was a quick trip for them.  We are excited for them to come back and stay for a more relaxed visit, but are thrilled that they could make it for Josh’s ordination service.  It’s pretty cool that Josh is officially The Reverend Joshua Lloyd Looten!  I’m so proud of him, and I know that God is going to do great things through him. I’m just along for the ride! :)