Thank you!!

Special thanks to the youth group and leaders at Christian Home FWB. They presented us with 54 Bibles tonight to take back to the boys for Christmas. We appreciate that you guys.

And we're off, again.

It's been a nice visit. But like most things good, it comes to an end. We're headed back this morning. We had a great visit! I'll update as often as I can. Which won't be much but eh, I'll try.

Love you all!

P & V

Busy, busy, busy!

So it's tough being practically disconnected from the real world. With no current reliable phone service, internet and even limited access to television we've felt almost like we've been on Mars the last 2 weeks. But that's o-kay. Because Mars really isn't all that bad!! It's been a great 2 weeks. Sure, there's been a few challenges but all in all I know we made the right decision.

Before we left after church on the 7th we invited everyone back to the fellowship hall to help us celebrate baby Zay's first birthday!










Thank you all for helping us celebrate. With everything happening so quickly it was hard to try and squeeze in a party. I think it went well though!

The drive up wasn't so bad. I have to admit that I was a little nervous traveling so long with a 1 yr old but Zay was trooper. He was great! He slept the majority of the way (just like mom). Thank goodness for Zoie. She talked Vince's head off and likely helped keep him awake! Good girl :) lol

We got in around 3:30 Monday morning, found our room at the Lodge and got ready for bed.



Wouldn't you know Zoie and Zay decided then was the time to be wide awake! It took another hour or so for them to wind down and get back to sleep. Thanks goodness 'cause we needed a few more hours for the busy day ahead.

The week ahead certainly was busy. But it's been fun. It's kind of like... an adventure! We're having a great time as a family. I can't remember the last time Vince and I have been able to spend so much time together. It's nice. And having always been a working mom it's really neat to have my little ones around so much. I love it.

We were able to get everything set up so that Zoie could start school last Friday.



She adores it! The lighting is bad, as it was 6:30 in the morning and still dark out but here she is outside our room on her first day...



Oh, and I can't leave Zay out. He's been having a blast all his own! As you can see...



Most of y'all have wondered about the weather. It's rather cold. But not quite as bad as we thought it would be. We had some fun watching the exterior temperature drop as we got closer and closer to Greeneville. By the time we got there early Monday morning it was 18*. Brrrr!! It hasn't consistently been that cold though. Thankfully it's been pretty mild and bearable at 40* - 55* or so depending on the day. We're managing!

It snowed last weekend in the mountains behind us. Saturday morning we drove up before work and this is what we found...



She had a blast!

Our work week ended on Wednesday. We hadn't planned to visit so soon. But after finding out Dad was sick and back in the hospital we changed our mind. We got Zoie out of school a little early Thursday and started back down. We got in last night a little after 11 and after visiting with mom a bit we headed to bed! This morning we surprised Dad at the hospital. He didn't know we were coming. We went for a visit and ended up bringing him back home with us. They discharged him while we were there! He's home now and he's doing good.

I think that pretty much sums it up. We're planning to be at the Christmas party tomorrow night. And at church on Sunday. If everything goes well we'll leave early Monday morning to be back to work by Tuesday evening.

We love and miss you all! Continue to keep us in your prayers...

~P

Happy Birthday Zavier!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And we're off...

Tomorrow we leave for Tennessee. We may be limited as far as communication goes but I'll try to update as often as possible. Please, keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We love you all!

~ Patti, Vince, Zoie & Zay

Zoie's night in the tub!

We've been working really hard on Zoie's reading skills lately. One of the things I've been doing is to read to her every night from a chapter book. She's able to read some of it herself but for the most part it's just time we can snuggle in bed and listen to stories at night. She loves it. As do I.

Our latest book was Private Lily by Sally Warner. Lily is six and feeling crowded in her small apartment. She wants a space she can call her own. She tries to think of all sorts of creative ways to have her own 'room'. Some of them include sleeping under the dining room tabe, her mom's closet and... the bath tub. Zoie just cracked up when we read that chapter. She promptly asked me if she could sleep in the tub one day. I told her when we finished the book, she could. She was thrilled!

So last night was the night. Check her out....




Private Lily by Sally Warner




There's Lily in the tub.



And Zoie in the tub!



I guess Zay was felling left out. He wanted in the tub too!

Welcome..

Vince and I thought that with all the changes potentially going on in our life it would be nice to have a place to document it all. Mostly for us... but for all of you as well. Our friends, family and loved ones to keep up with us and what we've been doing. Please visit often, show us some comment love :) and most importantly, keep us in your prayers. We're going to need them.

Much love,



The Parkers