Shad Point Scotts

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T09:16:00.008-05:00

It seems all the Scott blogs are going by the wayside! It’s been months since we updated. The Shad Point Scotts are still alive and kickin’! It’s been a crazy Fall season and now we’re already into 2010! It all seems a blur!

Our son, Chris came home in September and we’ve all been living as one big happy family. Things are going well and Steve and I can’t even think about the day they’ll move out and take our precious grandsons, Luke and Will. We look forward to every moment we can be together and enjoy them

Steve and I took a little trip to Williamsburg, Va a few weeks ago. It was nice to get away for a short time. Work has been hectic and I really needed a change of scenery. The weather was nasty so we didn’t get to see much but it was relaxing and fun. We bought this time share 18 years ago and really haven’t been able to enjoy it much- it has probably been 10 years since we’d been down there. We were able to get a little shopping done at the outlets.

We hosted about 18 people on Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for this year. I think it was the first time Chris has been home for Thanksgiving since he was in college! Randy, Jamie , and Julianne went to Kansas and Nebraska to be with the Ellis and Stansbury families.

Christmas 2009 was a wonderful time. Our whole family was together for the first time on Christmas in 3 years. We had a great time. On Christmas Eve, we went to Uncle Joe’s and Aunt Marge’s for the extended Andrews Christmas. Then we attended the Christmas Eve service at Cross Pointe and then went to Judy’s brother, David’s house to celebrate with her brothers and families.

Christmas morning was great fun as we watched Luke and Will open their gifts. There was much excitement. Steve and I splurged for a family gift- a Wii- and we’ve been having lots of fun playing various games together. It’s a great tool to bring the family together- well worth the investment!

We are praying for all of our dear ones –friends and family- have a Happy New Year in 2010. God is good and faithful all the time. We are continually enjoying His blessings. May we respond with love and devotion to the One who is the Source of all joy!

For the last 2 years, I have read a devotional book by Kay Arthur. Here is a prayer for all of us as we look toward a new year of God’s work in our lives-

“Holy and righteous God, let us not be deceived by the world’s cheap imitations of happiness. Instead lead us to true blessing and lasting peace as we walk beside You in perfect communion.”

Married for 34 Years!

2009-08-22T09:52:00.007-04:00

Steve and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary this week. It’s been a wonderful 34 years. God has truly blessed us. We met in college and dated for 3 years before our marriage. It was our sophomore year at ENC and my friend told me that a boy named Steve Scott was interested in asking me out but was very shy so she was checking first so he wouldn’t be afraid to ask me. I was touched by his hesitancy and “humility” (more like pride and fear of rejection) and decided this was someone I would like to know better. But when he asked me, I had to work so in order to protect his ego, I told him I would try to rearrange my schedule, so we could go to a concert on campus. The concert was some Christian band called “Shekinah.” The concert was awful but I really liked Steve- I guess he really liked me too, because we pretty much never dated anyone else after our first date. Did I mention the week of our first date, I had 4 different dates that week with other guys. Out of the four, Steve was my favorite. It’s almost like an old version of the “The Bachelorette!”

OK, so here is the real version of the first date. After finding out for sure Judy would go out with me through mutual friends, I made myself vulnerable and asked her for a date. Back in the day, college students didn’t have much money so funds were limited. Since Sigma Society was sponsoring an on campus concert and I was a loyal Sigma member, I decided to ask her to the concert. It was safe, cheap and I was sure I wouldn’t have to talk much. I had a fresh twenty dollar bill just waiting to impress her after the concert. The group, Shikinah, was a Christian rock group, a very new concept in the 70’s. It was loud, not very good but we stayed with it… I didn’t know what else to do! After that fiasco we went to the Dugout, ENC’s snack bar. I asked what she wanted, like a good date and proceeded to order our light snack. Trouble….no change at the register! Needless to say no food was available so back to break the news to Judy. Like a trooper she said she wasn’t hungry and she was tired anyway. So I took her back to the dorm, said goodnight and thought that would be the last time she would go anywhere with me. But as I look back now, she made the right choice by agreeing to go out with me again and again and again!

In the Spring of 1973, we professed our love for one another while we were walking in Boston Commons. Prior to this, we would just say “we were in like with each other.” Steve proposed to Judy on February 13, 1975, the night before Valentines Day. So began the enduring relationship of Steve and Judy. God has truly blessed our lives as we have strived to dedicate our lives to the Lord as individuals and as a married couple. At our wedding, we sang the following hymn as a congregation which truly expresses our commitment to build a Christian marriage and home:

O give us homes built firm upon the Savior,
Where Christ is Head and Counselor and Guide;
Where every child is taught His love and favor,
and gives his heart to Christ, the Crucified.
How sweet to know that, tho’ his footsteps waver,
His faithful Lord is walking by his side!
O give us homes with godly fathers, mothers,
Who always place their hope and trust in Him;
Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers;
Whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim;
A home where each finds joy in serving others,
And love still shines, tho’ days be dark and grim.
O give us homes where Christ is Lord and Master,
The Bible read, the precious hymns still sung;
Where prayer comes first in peace or in disaster,
And praise is natural speech to every tongue;
Where mountains move before a faith that’s vaster,
And Christ sufficient is for old and young.
O Lord, our God, our homes are Thine forever!
We trust to Thee their problems, toil and care.
Their bonds of love no enemy can sever
If Thou art always Lord and Master there.
Be Thou the Center of our least endeavor.
Be Thou our Guest, our hearts and homes to share.”
(Words by Barbara B. Hart, 1965)

For Better

For worse

and Happily ever after!

Summer Vacation!

2009-07-10T20:29:00.009-04:00

Mindy and Will

Enjoying extended family

Enjoying time with my friend Bonnie!

Julianne on vacation

Arriving at Orlando Airport

Jamie and precious daughter, Julianne

Guka and Meme with their 3 grandkids
and Mexican Donald Duck

Mommy Mindy and the birthday boy, Luke!

Guka and Luke blowing out his birthday candles

Guka's masterpiece- Luke's birthday cake

The Three Fathers on Father's Day

Time is moving so fast. I haven't taken time to update the blog in a couple months. I'm not sure who really follows it but I wanted to share some pictures of recent family activities.

The month of June is a blur! It began with planning and celebrating Luke's 3rd birthday and then getting ready for Chris to visit on R&R and our family vacation to Orlando, FL.

We had a great party for Luke. Unfortunately, our central air had been broken since warm weather began and it still wasn't fixed on the day of his birthday. I think it was probably the hottest day we experienced through the whole ordeal. But it couldn't keep us from having a great party and enjoying this little boy's excitement.

Thankfully, the air conditioning was repaired by the following weekend before Chris returned home. He came in on Friday, 6/19. We celebrated Father's day with the whole family on Sunday evening and then Chris and Min and the boys left for a road trip to Orlando. It was great to be together for Father's Day and enjoy Randy's first father's day with Julianne.

Randy, Jamie, Julianne, Steve and I flew to Orlando on Tuesday, June 23. Our church denomination (Church of the Nazarene) was gathering for General Assembly so we had planned the trip around this event. We had rented a condo unit right across the street from the Orange County Conference center and we had great accomodations- over 2000 sq. feet which is larger than our home! We went to Disney several days and felt very blessed to have this time together with our own family and our extended family and friends.

Chris had to return to Germany on 7/2/09 so he was only home for about 12 days and only 3 of those days were actually "at home." It was difficult to see him leave his family- Luke was so attached to him for the whole time he was here and it breaks my heart when they have to be separated. Please continue to pray that the Lord will open the doors for this famiy to reunite and stay that way!

On 7/1/09, Jamie and Julianne travelled to Olathe, KS to be with her mother who has just had major surgery. We are all praying for Deb's healing and speedy recovery.

As you can tell, life is busy at the Scott household. We'll continue to keep posting when we are able to inform you of any interesting events around here!

Thank You to our USA Servicemen!

2009-05-25T12:33:00.005-04:00

Today is Memorial Day and we just want to take a moment to remember those who have been faithful to their country and been willing to service in the US Military in the past and still today.

My dad, (Judy) served during WWII in the South Pacific and was one of the most honorable men ever. He left a legacy that will never be forgotten and I am proud of him. Our son, Chris is serving now and drawing to a close his 2nd deployment in 5 years. He has been separated from his family since April of 2008. We are so proud of him and his willingness to serve his country today and we appreciate the sacrifice he has made to do so. Living with Min and the boys this year has shown us what the cost of serving your country means. It is not only the soldiers but the military spouses and children that are paying the cost. We salute all of you today and say a great big thank you!

Some of the men and women have paid the ultimate sacrifice and we never want to take for granted what they have given so that we might be free.

Guka and Luke went to the local Memorial service this am to pay tribute to those who have given their lives for our great country.

Today we will have a cookout with our neighbors and then go to a Shorebirds baseball game. Yesterday we worshiped with the Body of Christ in a country that still allows religious freedom. The things we value most as Americans, Our God, our country, our families, our friends must never be taken lightly. We enjoy all of these because of the great sacrifice of our military men and women.

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

2009-05-02T13:23:00.008-04:00

We have been thankful this Spring for the rain showers (since Steve's business prospers when it rains!) and then especially for our "flowers" which are our grandkids! They are blossoming more and more every day!

I can't believe it is May already. What happened to April? It flew by! This year better start slowing down or I'll be another year older before I know it. Did I mention I just had a birthday?I did and I've begun the downward or should we say upward slope past 55! Well, I guess the truth is that slope began last year!I think I just need to slow it down a bit!

Steve and I have been enjoying our family with the exception of our son Chris who is still in Iraq. It will still be a few months before we can all be together. Please continue to pray for Chris' safe return to Germany and then hopefully, he will be joining his family in the Fall.

We will be together for vacation in June. We're very excited that all of our kids and grandkids will be joining us in Orlando for General Assembly. This is a special blessing from a loving Father who has made this possible this year. The church has been such a central part of our family's lives and it is only fitting that we have this opportunity to reunite with not only our immediate family but many other brothers and sisters in Christ.

Our precious grandchildren are keeping us young. It is so wonderful to share so many times with them. We usually see Julianne at least 2-3 times a week and of course, every morning bright and early we get to see Luke and Will! The only thing I would trade for this experience would be that they could be with their Daddy and Mommy together anywhere! (except a war zone!)

Work is keeping me busy. I hate to admit it but I think I am working harder than I have in many years. But I enjoy the challenge and hope to grow into this new position soon. It's definitely not easy but I think it will be rewarding.

During April, I had a birthday celebration a few weeks ago and I also had a chance to get together with two very special friends who were matron and maid of honors in our wedding- Denise Bradley and Lois Campbell. We have been close friends for over 45 years and it was great to spend time with them.

Please enjoy some pictures of our "flowers!"

Guka enjoying his little flower, Julianne!

Mommy Jamie and Julianne

"A Rose by any other name"- Julianne, that is!

Meme and her namesake- Julia-nne!

"Julianne Incognito"

Will chillin' on Uncle Dave's bald head!

Two future "execs"!

Pretty boy Luke with Pretty Boy Chris's helmet from a summer job years ago!
Three Best Friends that date back to the 60's!(But aren't 60 yet!)

Lovin' Life as Guka and MeMe!

2009-04-04T21:58:00.005-04:00

It's been 3 weeks since we last shared our news about our precious granddaughter, Julianne. It's been a busy time but we have so enjoyed getting to know her better and we're also enjoying our sweet grandsons, Luke and Will. We are so full of joy and cherish every moment we spend with our family.

Jamie's mom (the other grandma) and her sister, Dawn Marie came for the first week that Jamie and Julianne came home from the hospital. It was great to share our granddaughter with them and I could relate to the feelings they had when they had to leave and go back to Kansas. I remember feeling the same way when I left Luke in Kansas and Will in Germany. It was tough and I'm so grateful right now to be able to enjoy seeing them anytime I want!!

My job is keeping me very busy. I just finished my fourth week as the office supervisor and its been quite an adjustment. I am hoping to hire a new rep this week and look forward to being able to devote more time to my new responsibilities. It's been quite challenging and needless to say, I don't like having to divide my attention between my new job and my grandchildren. But I am thankful, nonetheless.

So, this week the Easter Journey began and Steve and I are both actors. He is involved every night but I am sharing my role with another friend and it makes it much easier to handle. I can't begin to express, however, what a blessing it is to be able to share the Easter story through this venue. My heart is ministered to as I see the expressions of each group, young and old, as they hear the story again, realizing that some may be hearing it for the first time. It brings the love and sacrifice of Jesus alive each time we share.

Well, I know what you are really interested in- is some new pictures of our grandchildren...so here goes:

Proud Guka and Meme with Julianne
Aunt Mindy, Cousin Luke lovin' on Julianne

Julianne today visiting the Easter Bunny!
Isn't she beautiful?

And don't forget that middle grandchild, William Stephen. He is a darling!

Luke David at 3 weeks old!
William Stephen at 3 weeks old!
Julianne Lynne at 3 weeks old!

She is precious!! That's right..SHE!

2009-03-14T12:38:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, March 13, 2009 a precious angel was delivered to our family. Julianne Lynne Scott arrived at 7:02pm, weighing 8lbs. 8oz and is 19 1/2" long. It was great fun to try and guess if the baby would be a boy or girl. Randy and Jamie did not want to know until she was delivered. Knowing Scotts have a tendency to have boys, it was almost a lock that it was going to be a little boy. Randy brought this little bundle into the room and said " meet ........Julianne Lynne Scott"! It was hardly out of his mouth before Judy and Mindy both squealed in joy. She is so precious with her chubby little rosy cheeks. Steve got his turn to hold and love on her today. Luke and Will may get to meet their new cousin later but for now Luke knows he has a new cousin in the "hostable" We wanted to share just a couple of pictures now, but trust us when we say, there will be many more to follow.

Good bye Winter, Come on Spring!

2009-03-07T11:54:00.004-05:00

Since its been awhile since we last blogged, I thought I should bring everyone (all 2-3 of you) up to date. We had a wonderful visit with Chris when he was home for R&R. He enjoyed his time with his Mindy and the boys and we also we were able to spend some great family times together with the whole family!

He's been gone for only 3 weeks and it feels like forever. We just hope the next few months will go quickly so he can be reunited with his family. Please pray for them because there are some tough decisions to be made and they need the Lord's leading.

At the beginning of this week, we had a Eastern Shore snowstorm. We ended up with only 3-6 inches but that usually is enough to shut this area down. We had a day off on Monday because of the snow so we enjoyed some unexpected fun together. Our niece, Michelle and her son, Landon who is 5, came over and Steve, Mindy and Luke went sledding with them over at our neighbor's. Meme stayed inside with Will and kept the home fires burning. It was bitter cold so I made some hot chocolate, grilled cheese and chicken noodle soup for lunch.

Now today its a different story- It's 70 degrees out and all the snow is gone. I love this area of the country! To begin the week with snow storm and end the week with a beautiful day and no trace of the snow and ice!

Steve has been busy preparing for the Easter Journey and some other projects he's involved in at church. It's going to be a busy month for us through Easter.

In the midst of this hectic schedule, yesterday was my boss' last day. He announced a month ago he and his family were moving back to Pittsburgh. I am really sad he is leaving because we have worked together for 13 years and I'm really going to miss him. He has a great sense of humor and he has kept me sane over the years.

After much prayer and consideration, I decided to apply for the supervisor position and yesterday I was offered the job. It will mean a lot more responsibility and challenges but I feel it is the right time to make a change. In a small office setting, there are not a lot of opportunities for advancement so even though it may take added attention and energy, I feel it will be good for me. Of course, I think I would have been more ready 10-15 years ago- I didn't really expect to take this step at my age but I have to remind myself- I'm not that OLD!! I just remember this was the age my Mom retired 25 years ago and it feels sort of weird....I was really hoping to retire and spend more time with my grandchildren but I guess that's not what the Lord wants for us right now.

That's ok, I'm still going to spend as much time as I can with my grandchildren. We are loving our time with Min and the boys and looking forward to a new baby in the next 2 weeks. Jamie is ready- now we just have to wait for the baby to be ready to join us!

Here's some pictures of the last several weeks.

Luke pondering over morning cereal

Luke getting a 4th generation haircut. This barber has cut Great Grandpa Scott,

Guka, Luke's Daddy (Chris) and now Luke. This is the same barber that gave

Chris his first haircut at this age!

August 2008

March 2009

The CareFirst Bunch!

Our Little Christopher!

2009-02-11T15:24:00.004-05:00

Well, 30 odd years ago today, our little Christopher came into the world. If anyone knows Chris, his favorite word is "Wait!" He actually has been making everyone wait for him his whole life! He was due on January 23 and decided to join us almost 3 weeks later on February 11!

Back in those days, expectant mothers did not work until the day they gave birth- so since this was our first baby, I quit work by January 1. I had no idea I would spend most of that time lying on the couch and watching soap operas and diaper commericals!

My mom and dad would have breakfast every morning at the hospital with my obstetrician and they would drive him crazy with asking When is this baby going to be born! The morning they were going to induce labor, Chris decided to cooperate.

After 12 hours of labor, our sweet beautiful baby boy was here. His dad counted his fingers and toes and mentioned something about teaching him to swing a bat. We were so proud of our precious bundle!

Now, years later we are still very proud. It's been great to have him home these few weeks and enjoy seeing him with his family. Luke is a little replica of Chris in so many ways and Steve and I spend quite a few moments commenting on how alike they are!

I was just thinking this is probably the first time we have been with you on your birthday, Chris since you were in high school! We are so happy to celebrate it with you today.

Happy Birthday, Son.

Mama's Cubs are All Home!

2009-01-31T19:06:00.004-05:00

Since our children have grown to adulthood, there is nothing like having them all home at the same time. I cherish every moment we are all together. When your kids live miles apart, it's not always easy to get everybody together.

Of course, these last several months have been special since Mindy and the boys moved in with us and Randy and Jamie live here in Salisbury. We get together at least once or twice a week. The only one missing has been Chris and this week he came home for some R&R from Iraq. It is wonderful to have them together! What a blessing and I praise God for every minute we are able to enjoy each other.

Last weekend was very busy! Jamie's mom came to visit from Kansas for her birthday and baby shower. We celebrated a joint birthday with Cousin Michelle and then had her baby shower on Saturday. Our friends, Wayne and Carol Lynch also came for a visit and it was really special to have Carol at the baby shower since Wayne and Carol were our Youth Pastor when Randy was born!

Chris came in on Monday and several of our friends and all of the family were able to meet him at the airport. We were a little worried how Luke would react when he saw Chris since it had been ten months - but he greeted Daddy with a big hug and hasn't left his side since. On Wednesday, Luke and Mindy got sick so its been a stressful few days but now everyone seems to be feeling better.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate Will's first birthday (which was really last week) but we postponed a real celebration until his Daddy could be here.

Now that everyone is feeling better, we hope to enjoy some of our favorite meals and restaurants. The time is going too quickly but we are thankful for what we have.

Check out our friend, Jeff Scott's blog : http://jeffandjoyscottfamily.blogspot.com/.

He described a lot of our emotions at Chris' homecoming on Monday and was pretty "right on."

Thanks, Jeff for taking the time and thanks to all of you who have left comments on Facebook. We appreciate your well wishes and prayers.

Luke and Will (on his 1st Birthday)

Our special friends- Wayne & Carol and Caleb Lynch

Jamie and Mom (Deb)

Jamie on Birthday

Two Pregant Ladies (Jamie and Janelle Sipes)@ Jamie's Baby Shower

Jamie @ Baby Shower

Riley and Kailee waiting for their Soldier Boy to come home!

Riley greeting Chris after a year and a half!

Christmas Blessings to All!

2008-12-27T13:10:00.006-05:00

Since the last time I blogged was Thanksgiving, I figured I better catch up with the Christmas blog since we've been preparing for this holiday for the last 4 weeks!

We had a wonderful Christmas. We gathered according to our Christmas Eve tradition at Uncle Joe's and Aunt Marge's with all our extended Andrews family which always includes the Willey's who are part of this family! We attended our Christmas Eve candlelight service at church and then went to my brother, David's home to enjoy Christmas gifts with both families of David and Brian. It was a great time as we enjoyed watching our nephew, Landon who is 5 yrs old open his gifts.

Brian and his daughter, Chelsey spent the night with us on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas morning, Randy and Jamie joined us for some more giving of gifts and a scrumptious breakfast casserole which Jamie and Randy baked! We were also able to web cam with Chris in Iraq and watch him open a few gifts. Min and the boys were at her parent's in Illinois.

Then we had 10 join us for Christmas dinner which was also delicious. It was a busy but fun day to be with our dear ones.

On Friday, the day after Christmas, Min, Luke and Will returned home and we had some more Christmas. It was great to be reunited with them after 10 days. Luke was so excited about Christmas and we were just as excited for him. Chris joined us on the web cam and watched everyone open their gifts and we watched as he opened his presents. Since we couldn't have our first wish to be physically together, this was the next best thing!

I wasn't able to send Christmas cards or a letter this year but since I did write one I thought I'd share it (If you follow our blog, none of this is news to you!):

Christmas Blessings from the Shad Point Scotts;

Merry Christmas to all! 2008 has been an eventful year for the Scotts at Shad Point It began in mid January when Judy took her first trip to a foreign country across the Atlantic- Germany. She spent 4 weeks with Chris and Min and the boys in Baumholder, Germany where Chris is stationed in the US Army. Sweet William Stephen was born on January 24 and Guka Steve came over to join in the fun. We had a wonderful time together and celebrated Chris’ 30th birthday before we left on Saturday, February 9.

While Judy was in Germany playing with her grandchildren, Steve remodeled the main bathroom at Shad Point. If you’ve been to our house, you know this was not an easy undertaking. But Judy’s Dad would be very proud of the great job he did. Steve also tried out his carpentry and plumbing skills on Randy and Jamie’s bathroom in early summer.

Chris left for Iraq in April and Judy took a second trip to Germany for 2 ½ weeks to help Mindy and the boys. The weather was beautiful and in between sicknesses, we actually ventured out and enjoyed the countryside together. It was great fun!

When Judy returned from Germany at the end of May, Randy and Jamie moved in for a month while Steve remodeled their bathroom. It was fun to have them living with us for a few weeks but I think Jamie, especially, was happy to return to her own home. She’s not too fond of Randy’s mom spoiling him!

Steve and Judy took a long weekend trip to Colorado Springs, CO to reunite with the Scott brothers and wives. We had a great time, climbed Pike’s Peak by rail, enjoyed the beauty of the Rockies and attending the church where Alan pastors. Alan and Beth were wonderful hosts and we are thinking about making our reunions a must for future years!

In mid August, Randy and Jamie shared their news that they are expecting in March of 2009. Wow, what a great surprise- we can’t wait and its exciting being close to them and watching them as they anticipate this life changing event in their lives.

Through a lot of military red tape, Mindy and the boys finally were released to come back to the states at the end of August. We picked them up at BWI and our home hasn’t been the same since. We love having them with us and are missing them while Min and the boys are visiting her parents for Christmas.

We are praying for Chris’ safe return from Iraq in July 2009 or sooner. (He also will be visiting for a couple weeks at the end of January, 2009). Please continue to pray for him as he has been separated from his family since April.

God has been faithful in all things and we are very thankful for our family and friends. We cherish each and every one of you. We wish you a blessed Christmas season and a year ahead that is filled with the Lord’s presence.

Our Boys spending Christmas together worlds apart!

Dave & Nina's Pride & Joy- My brothers and I

My goddaughter and cousin- Merritt Faye

This son of mine actually found someone to love him!

Luke in this Cars bed from Uncle Randy and Aunt Jamie

The Grown up Table?

The Kids Table at Christmas Dinner

Judy and her two daughters!

Jamie and Will

Luke opening the "Infamous Dinosaur!"

I Thank God For You!

2008-11-27T09:10:00.005-05:00

Today is Thanksgiving 2008! We have such a gracious loving Father and we remember to give Him all the glory and praise today for His goodness

We have celebrated many Thanksgivings in this house over my lifetime (since I live in the same house in which I was raised). I always love to gather together with my dear ones. Many of our loved ones have gone on to be with the Lord and our Christopher is in Iraq this year. But I am thankful today that Min, Luke and Will and Randy and Jamie are with us. My brother, David and his wife, Debbie and my other brother Brian and his daughter, Chelsey will also be here. And of course, Thanksgiving would not be complete without my Uncle Joe and Aunt Marge.

The turkey is in the oven, (thanks to Steve) and the pies are done. Right now, Jamie is rolling out the dough for homemade rolls. So life goes on and once again we realize that the Lord is good and faithful to His children.

I like Paul in Philippians can say, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the the first day until now. being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.... God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus."

We are all a part of this process, the completion of God's good work in each of us. Even in the midst of trying times, God never leaves us and is always shaping us to be more like Him. Praise His name!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to say Thanks for all God's provisions!

Unce Joe, Mom and Dad Scott 2002

Thanksgiving 2006

Thanksgiving 2003

Judy and Jamie busy in the kitchen 2007

Randy's excited about his pumpkin pie (2007)

The dessert table 2007 YUMMY!

Christmas in Less than 6 Weeks- No Way!

2008-11-15T12:35:00.005-05:00

Here we are talking about Christmas and I haven't even organized Thanksgiving yet! We just live from one holiday to the next around here.

Last weekend the Praise Team at church had an overnight retreat neat Ocean City. We had a great time of sharing together- both spiritual and fun times. We talked about our responsibilities as worship leaders and that we need to be in a place where we feel freedom to worship and help others feel the same way.It was a great time and we were able to get to know each other better and understand our purpose. Pastor Jerry did a great job!

This week we've been busy making Christmas lists for Chris since we need to get his gifts off to him in the next couple weeks. If he doesn't update his Amazon account, he'll be out of luck! Steve has made a couple trips already to Toys R Us and if we're not careful, we'll be broke just buying toys for the grandsons. I don't know this man Guka when it comes to shopping anymore! He's out of control! When our kids were young, they didn't even want him to accompany us to the Mall- he was so cheap!

It's been great having our family together except we really miss Chris! We've been able to web cam usually at least once a week and he's been able to see Min and the boys and interact with Luke. We're looking forward to a visit from him after Christmas.

Mindy, Randy and Steve have been busy planning some church video projects. It causes a little stress for Mindy with managing her time especially with the boys every day but I think she's enjoying using her creative skills.

Jamie has been registering for some baby stuff at Babies R Us and Target. I think she and Randy are getting excited but still apprehensive about this new phase in their lives. She's 23 weeks along and into maternity clothes. She is looking great!

Our youngest grandchild- we're really getting curious to see this little one! (and watch the parents Randy and Jamie)

Sweet William

Luke in the jungle!

Guka and Will

Meme and Luke kissing goodbye

Luke and friends

Guka and his boys

October Fun!

2008-10-30T20:45:00.004-04:00

Well, its next to the last day of October and time to update all of our fans around the world of the latest happenings at the Shad Point Scott's!

Life is crazier than ever. With two kids age 2 and under, there's not much time for anything that's not centered around them. And Guka and I are loving every minute!

I must admit this is the longest I've ever celebrated Halloween in my life. It all started on the 10th of October, when Luke went to the "Living Zoo" here in Salisbury. Then last Saturday night he and Will dressed up and went to "Trick or Treat Street. Tonight we had a pumpkin carving party with Luke before he went to bed and tomorrow night we are going to "Trunk or Treat" at our church. Luke has been dressed as a pirate and we think Will is a dinosaur. We certainly have gotten our money's worth out of these costumes!

Last week I(Judy) went to a week of training in Baltimore. I had a 3 night stay in a suite all by myself and caught up on my "quiet time." I couldn't wait to get home to my little munchkins. I missed them terribly.

Randy and Jamie have been able to spend quite a bit of time with us each weekend and we enjoy getting together every Sunday for dinner and then our small group. I love being with my family and cherish every moment.

Two weeks ago, Jamie, Mindy and I went for a "maternity shopping trip" for Jamie. It was such fun to watch her model her clothes and see her start "showing." I never got to be with Mindy when she was at this stage in her pregnancy. Randy and Jamie are due in March and will be having a sonogram next week but they have decided they don't want to find out what they are having until the baby is born. Jamie seems to be doing great but definitely feeling the effects of this little one taking over her body!

Well, here's a picture version of what this month has been like:

Landon and Luke ready to go to the Living Zoo!

Luke the Pirate

Mindy and the boys at the pumpkin patch

Mindy with Will the Dinosaur

Guka & Luke checking out their carved pumpkins!

Mindy carving and Luke helping.

Just so you all know that sometimes "Its still all about ME!

This is the suit I've not been able to get into for the last 2 years!

Luke while I was trying to pack for my trip to Baltimore

Fall is Here!

2008-10-04T15:08:00.004-04:00

Well, the Scotts are not as faithful to their blogging these days. We are enjoying the beautiful Fall weather at Shad Point. Today is Saturday and while Mindy went to a women's "Apples of Gold" mentoring group with Jamie, Guka and Meme were in charge of the grandchildren. The boys were very good and we enjoyed our time together.

Uncle David and his grandson, Landon came to visit. Guka took Luke and Will for a wagon ride and we went up to see the horses. Everybody had a grand time.

Tomorrow is the Centennial Celebration for the Church of the Nazarene. Our own church, Cross Pointe Church of the Nazarene will be celebrating 70 years. I have actually been a member for over 40 years and many at church have been busy getting ready for tomorrow's special events. Mindy has been working diligently on a video presentation. She's doing a great job and we are so proud of her. Maybe we can even post one soon. I'll have to get her permission, of course.

We talked with Chris the other night. We are really missing him and it hurts me that he is missing this time with his boys and Mindy. These are days you can't replace. It's very upsetting when I think of what a difficult road this is for our soldiers and their families.We're just happy that Min and the boys are here and we can help but I think it just makes Chris more homesick. We just pray this time will go by swiftly and he'll be home soon.

Randy and Jamie are doing great! I think they are getting more used to the fact that they will be parents in a few months. We are so looking forward to the arrival of a new grandchild. Things are really going to be buzzing around here for the next year!

Here's some pictures for your enjoyment:

Luke in Guka's shoes

CrossPointe Dedication Day 2002

Steve, Judy, Chris and Mindy at Gen Assembly, Indianapolis 2005

General Assembly 2005

Grandchildren are Such Fun!

2008-09-17T17:44:00.005-04:00

I know its been awhile since I blogged but I'm sure you have figured out life is quite different around here now. But its a great kind of different! Guka and MeMe love having Min, Luke and Will living here with us. We love every minute we are with these precious grandchildren and look forward to coming home every day to see them! Life is good and God is great!

You also probably know that we are going to be grandparents again. Randy and Jamie announced last week to the world that they are expecting a baby in March of 2009. We are very excited and looking forward to welcoming another Scott into the world. We are praising the Lord for His faithfulness and goodness.

A year ago today, Steve's dad went to be with the Lord and 15 years ago yesterday, my Dad went to Heaven. All four of our parents are with the Lord and we miss them terribly but we are trusting God that someday we will be reunited. Losing precious loved ones is the most difficult challenge in our lives but because we have stored our treasures in Heaven, we have the hope of seeing each other and spending eternity together.

Ain't he precious!

Guka and Luke playing ball!

Cousin Landon and Luke

Luke and his new Cars shoes!

Luke in the Pool at Uncle David's

Min and boys talking to Chris on web cam

Randy and Jamie are going to be parents!

Welcome to the Scott Activity Center!

2008-09-01T11:04:00.004-04:00

Well, the long awaited day has come and last Tuesday night, Steve, Jamie and I picked up Min, Luke and Will at the BWI airport. We had a quiet 2 hour drive home while the Min and the boys slept. When we pulled in the driveway, there was a welcoming banner on the window that said- Welcome Mindy, Luke and Will! Uncle Joe had surprised us with a special welcome! Then Min came through the door to see her beloved dog, Riley, who gave her kisses all over her face! It's been a year since Riley was that excited to see anyone- she recognized her Mama Mindy!

We showed Luke his new room and he was wide awake and excited. He loved his "Cars" bed, toy box and table and chairs. Guka had also left a few new toys in the toybox.
Since that time we have been enjoying spoiling our grandchildren. Luke is crazy about his Guka and doesn't like to see him leave for work each day!

Luke has been enjoying having access to the back yard. Guka set up a sandbox and he's been helping Guka rake and clean up. He thinks it is pretty cool to be able to open the back door and immediately be outside!

We've had almost a week of non stop motion! I'm sure our schedule will slow down and we have to convince Mindy she doesn't have to accomplish all her "10 things to do in the USA" all in a week! We have plenty of time!

Uncle Randy and Aunt Jamie are having a good time too. It's been a busy week for Randy but after today, the Shorebirds season is over and he'll be around more!

Here's a few pictures of the last week!

Coming Home to Guka and Meme's House!

2008-08-17T07:18:00.006-04:00

Finally the long awaited day is coming. Min and the boys will be arriving in a week and a half! We have been busy getting our rooms and closets cleaned out to make room for them. It's been a busy week and we are still working hard. Once the ERD approval came, everything fell into place. We are all excited and can't wait.

We never realized how much junk we owned! We've been through boxes upon boxes trying to sort pictures and memories of years gone by. It's funny how grandchildren can put things into perspective! We're much more able to part with things from the past, looking at the present and toward the future!

Last weekend marked a year since our precious niece, Karlee went to be with Jesus. She never woke up on a Saturday morning and it has been a difficult year, especially for my brother, Brian, and her mother and sister, Patty and Chelsey. Life on this earth will never be the same but God has been faithful and thankfully, we have looked to Him for comfort and peace and He is providing. Please continue to keep her family in your prayers.

Please also continue to pray for our son, Chris who is still in Iraq. I know he is feeling better now that Min and the boys are returning to the US but he misses his family very much and it is so tough to be so far away from those he loves. We are missing him and long for the day he will return. He makes us proud as he performs his duty to his country and we all are praying that Iraq will soon be able to secure their own country so our men and women in uniform can come home to their families.

Here's just a few pictures from the past few weeks:

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William Stephen

Luke and his friends, EA and MC

Luke and Will dressed alike!

Randy, Jamie, Steve and I

Getting Min and Will's room ready-Still lots to do!

Luke's "Cars" room

Cousins in July, 2007

Above the Fruited Plains!

2008-07-23T17:11:00.005-04:00

We just returned from a wonderful trip to Colorado Springs. Steve and his other 3 brothers and wives had a mini-family reunion over the weekend. Steve and I arrived on Friday afternoon and spent a long weekend together. We had a great time. Friday night we went to the Flying W ranch for dinner and a cowboy country musical show. Then on Saturday, we travelled on the railway up to Pikes Peak. The scenery was beautiful and well worth the hour and a half trip climbing the mountain.On Saturday evening, we all sat around on the deck and the brothers shared their memories of growing up in the parsonages in Ohio, New York and New England. Sunday we were able to worship together at Steve's brother, Alan's church where he is the pastor. On Monday, we visited the Focus on the Family campus which was very enjoyable. We especially enjoyed the walk around the "Adventures of Odyssey".

Alan and Beth entertained all of us all weekend and were great hosts! The meals and accommodations were awesome! Thanks so much to them.

It has been a busy month with a great 4th of July with Jamie's family visiting from Olathe, KS. The following weekend we travelled to Royersford, Pa. for our cousin Faryl's wedding. It was great to see some of our Andrews relatives.

This weekend we are looking forward to nothing planned. It has been a while since we've been able to just hang out at Shad Point.

Being gone for 6 days, we were unable to "web cam" with Min and the boys until this morning. I missed them so much and it was great to see and talk with them. Mindy said Luke actually asked over the weekend to talk with Guka and MeMe. This morning when Steve began the web cam, Luke asked, "MeMe, wake?" It's so much fun to know he even looks forward to hearing from us!

Well, I need to get ready to go to Praise Team practice. There is so much I could blog about but no time right now. So it will have to wait.

The Military Display at Trinity CoTN- our son Chris!

Steve looking for his golf ball!

Focus on the Family

Adventures at Odyssey

Happy Birthday, USA!

2008-07-04T07:26:00.003-04:00

Today is one of my favorite holidays. We are celebratng the Fourth of July! We will be having a picnic on the river with our neighbors, the Willeys and Uncle Joe and Aunt Marge. Jamie's parents are here, Don and Deb Ellis and her sister Dawn from KS so they will be joining us with Randy and Jamie. Good times, Good Food! YAY!

We will then go over to the Shorebirds stadium for a celebration of our soldiers families and fireworks. Thankfully, the 4th is on a Friday this year so no work tomorrow and we have the whole weekend ahead of us!

Last Sunday,the choir sang a Patriotic musical and there were displays for those soldiers who had fought for our freedom. It was a great service and a beautiful tribute to our military and our country. I actually kept my composure and made it through the program without boohooing. One of the soldiers called from Iraq which was pretty powerful. There are several family members from our church in Iraq and Afganistan. We appreciate and pray for every one of you. You make us proud!

Hopefully Min and the boys are getting closer to coming back.It has been a very frustrating few months for everyone, especially Mindy. One of them has been sick or injured every couple weeks with not much of a break. Mindy is exhausted and we are praying continually that the Lord will open the door to bring her and the boys home.

Last night we went to Randy and Jamie's for a cookout with Jamie's family. It was great fun. Randy cooked on his gas grill and we ate outside in their yard. Once the bugs started biting we went inside and played "Mab Gabs." It was lots of laughs.

Just to bring everyone up to date in case you were wondering, I'm still on my weight loss attempt. I have lost 8 lbs but this week I've not been behaving so I may need to regroup. I would like to at least lose 5 more and maintain. The weight watchers point system is pretty good if you can get past the first few weeks. The exercise routine hasn't been happening, I'm sorry to say!

We still meet with our small group every other week and are still studying the book, "Velvet Elvis." The book has really stimulated some good discussions and is helping us take a look at ourselves and the way we do church. Rob Bell is still way out there for me but he makes some really thought provoking points.

We wish you a Happy 4th of July! Please remember to pray for those who have fought and are fighting for the freedom we enjoy as a nation. Let us all remember the God in Whom we trust and Who has brought us through many struggles. May He continue to bless our nation and remind us to return to the principles on which this nation was built.

Sum--mer- Time and the Livin' Ain't Easy!

2008-06-21T08:50:00.005-04:00

I know all our fans out there have been waiting for our next weekly blog! So here goes!

Steve is still working on remodelling Randy and Jamie's bathroom. Jamie is hoping today is the day that they can move back to their own home. Steve is hoping to have the water hooked up and everything running. It looks great and Randy and Jamie are excited to have a brand new bathroom! I'm sure they will be posting pictures on their blog soon.

This has definitely been a busy spring and summer looks pretty full too. Last week Jamie and Judy travelled to Baltimore for our niece, Chelsey's graduation party. It was a great time. After the party, we found our way to the Annapolis mall and brought home some Chipotle. That's the nearest Chipotle to Salisbury so every chance we get - we make that a stop.

In 2 weeks, Jamie's parents and sister are visiting so there's still plenty of work to be done before their arrival. They will be here over the 4th of July and we are looking forward to their visit.

July's schedule is filling up. The second weekend we will be going to Pennsylvania to a cousin's wedding and then the following weekend Steve and I are travelling to Colorado for a visit with his brothers. We made our reservations this week and we're excited. The only time I have ever been to Colorado was in 1970 for the Nazarene Youth Institute at Estes Park.

We're really hoping by the end of July either Min and the boys will be here or at least have an idea when they'll be able to come. Please continue to pray for all the details to fall into place. Mindy is really being challenged with 24/7 care of the boys with no relief.If you've been reading her blog, you can see she has her hands full. We've been able to communicate with Chris via email and instant messaging. He's really working hard 7 days a week. Keep him in your prayers. As you can imagine, he is really missing his family.

Judy's brother Brian, Chelsey and boyfriend, Ben

Chelsey's Graduation Display

Judy and brother, Brian

Judy, Chelsey and Jamie

Brian, Chelsey and her mom, Patti

The "brudders"

Faithful Fathers

2008-06-15T07:55:00.006-04:00

Today is Father's Day. A day for me that is bittersweet. This is the first Father's Day without Steve's Dad. He passed away last September. My own Daddy has been gone for 15 years as of this September. We really miss our Dads but we realize what a blessing our fathers were and how they still influence our lives.

Both our fathers attended Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Massachusetts and became ministers in the Church of the Nazarene. My dad, David E. Andrews, Sr. pastored small churches for about 10 years in S.C., Pa., and Va. He left the ministry when I was six years old so I really don't think of myself as a preacher's kid. He continued to be involved in the Church all his life as a Sunday School teacher and faithful layperson. He loved the Lord and always taught his children to imitate Jesus. He was a godly example and a kind, compassionate man. There was never a day I didn't feel the depth of his love for his God, his wife and children. He made it easy to believe in a loving Heavenly Father who watched over our lives and guided us each day.

Steve's dad, Rev. John D. Scott pastored for 40 years, 33 in the Church of the Nazarene in Upstate New York, Ohio, and New England. He moved to Maryland in 1986 and pastored 3 Methodist charges in Deal Island, MD. He served the Lord and the church faithfully all his life. He was truly a "devoted pastor" to all who knew him-even his family. He had deep spiritual wisdom and was always willing to give counsel if asked. He was quiet and unassuming and all who knew him respected him. He and his wife, Doris raised 4 sons who are all serving the Lord today. They also have 10 grandchildren, 9 who have graduated from a Nazarene college or university, and the last one entering Northwest Nazarene this Fall as a Freshman.

So both Steve and I have a wonderful legacy and we have always felt the hand of God on our lives. It's unlikely we would be in the relationship we are today with our Heavenly Father, if our fathers had not been faithful followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. We owe them so much and are very thankful that our Lord provided such examples in our lives.

I could also take the time to write complimentary words of the man who is my husband and has been such a wonderful father to our two sons. But I'll give those sons a chance to express their own feelings.(I know that's a change for me but what can I say) I just know they couldn't have a more loving,wise Dad and I'm grateful for the Lord's blessing to me as a mother and wife.

This year on Father's Day, I would have to also include our son, Christopher. It is not his first Father's day, but it is the first one in Iraq. It has been a couple months since he had to leave his wife and 2 sons and I know it was the most difficult thing he's ever done. He is such a good father to his boys and his Dad and I are very proud of him. It's been such a pleasure these last couple years to watch him with his son, Luke, and now Will. Being a father really brings out the best in him.

We send out a Father's Day wish to all of the soldiers who are fathers who are serving our country. We are so grateful.

Judy's Dad- David E. Andrews Sr.

Steve's Dad- John D. Scott Sr.

Grandpa Steve and Luke

Soldiers-Our Heroes- David Andrews Sr; Chris Scott

Chris with sons, Luke and Will

Chris, Luke and Grandpa Steve- Guka

Meme came back to Guka!

2008-06-02T16:59:00.004-04:00

Just so everyone knows, Steve's prayers were answered and I decided to come back and give him one more chance! It was a tough decision between leaving Min and the boys in Germany or coming home to work and Steve but I take my marriage vows very seriously and decided he still needed me and my place was by his side!

So, last Monday I left my poor little sick Luke with his mommy and brother, Will, and caught the train to the Frankfurt airport from Idar Oberstein. Mindy's neighbor, Jean, so graciously drove me to Idar so Mindy would not have to take the boys out so early. I arrived home Monday night at 9:00pm and went back to work on Tuesday morning. I felt terrible leaving Mindy and the boys and in one week's time, Luke was sick again and then Mindy was sick with the stomach flu yesterday. I went back over her blogs since February and one of them has been sick every other week. It's crazy- especially when they don't have adequate health care on their post. They either have to drive to Landstuhl-45 minute drive away and wait for hours in a ER, or go to the German hospital which is about 5 minutes away and usually be seen immediately. The clinics on post can't see anyone without an appointment. Needless to say, this mother is not pleased with how the military is taking care of the families of our deployed soldiers! I won't use this blog to list all my complaints but you can imagine I have a few concerns.

Last week has been very busy. Steve is remodelling Randy and Jamie's bathroom so the kids moved in with us Tuesday night and Steve has been over there working as often as he could. Friday night we had a small party/ cookout to celebrate Randy's birthday. We had a great time!

Not much else is happening at Shad Point- hopefully their bathroom will be completed in the next couple weeks. I am enjoying having them around but I'm sure Jamie doesn't want it to go on too much longer- she doesn't want Randy's mom to spoil him more than he already is!

Please enjoy a few pictures:

Min reading to Luke

Will at the department store in Idar Oberstein

Will wishing he could have a sip of Luke's drink

Randy the birthday boy with his lovely wife, Jamie

But I Don't Want to Go Home!

2008-05-25T15:13:00.004-04:00

Well, the dreaded day has arrived. This is my last day with Min and my precious grandsons, Luke and Will. Yesterday we had a great day. We travelled to Idar Oberstein to buy my train ticket for tomorrow morning. We decided to do a little shopping and Min found all kinds of toys. Luke even found a "Mater" truck from the "Cars" movie. It was in German packaging but when we opened it - he talked in English!

Today was supposed to be a special day. We went to church this morning and came home to eat lunch. The plan was for Min to bake a birthday cake and we were going to have a small celebration for Luke's 2nd birthday which is in 2 weeks. Guka and I had bought him a small DVD player and thought it would be fun to present it to him before I leave tomorrow-however- our little Luke woke up from his nap with an upset stomach. He has not been able to keep any liquids down for the last 7 hours. This has been torture to see him so sick again and have to leave tomorrow. Please pray that Luke will start feeling better soon and neither Min or Will will get this stuff.

I just want to share a few pictures of the last few days. Steve sent a box with "Cars" bed sheets and Min put them on Luke's bed the other day. Ever since whenever its bedtime, Luke can't wait to go lay on his new "Cars" sheets. Its so cute!

The night after Luke opened his car sheets he decided that Guka
deserved a place beside his Daddy on his shelf before he went to bed.
During the night he had both pictures in bed with him and when I went
to get him when he awakened both of these pictures were at the doorway!

Happy Birthday to Guka!

2008-05-20T00:57:00.011-04:00

Some boys never grow up!

We want to wish Guka a Happy, Happy Birthday. When we web cammed with Guka this morning we had our on little birthday party. Luke loved it. Check out the pictures. Even Daddy got to join us via a picture! I'm sorry I am not there to celebrate but it sounds like Randy and Jamie took good care of him while I've been gone. At our small group study on Sunday night, they surprised him with a party. Miss Agnes brought him his favorite coconut banana cake and a good time was had by all!Last night Randy and Jame took him to Outback so I guess Meme is not really missed. Since next week is Randy's birthday, we are planning to check out Ruth Chris steak house in Ocean City when I get home.

Well, the weekend was much better for the Baumholder Scotts. Everyone started feeling better on Saturday but we just took it easy. The weather was cooler and we had some rain but it hasn't been bad at all. The sun has been out every day. Yay!

Monday, Min was able to run a few errands while I watched the children. In the afternoon, we went to the "Play Group." This is when all the mothers get out of the house and come to a play room and let the kids run wild while they visit. Min said the mothers enjoy it as much as the kids.I'm not sure how much grandmothers enjoy it!

We have been having fun every night doing the "Go Luke Dance." We find some "get down" music and take off with some great moves. Luke just runs around in circles saying "dance, dance" over and over. Last night we found the song "Stomp" by Kirk Franklin on youtube and had a blast! Even Min and Will danced with us. Unfortunately, Meme has to stop for awhile so she won't have a heart attack. But I'm sure its great for a few weightwatchers activity points. We find this activity very helpful when Luke goes to bed because he's asleep in seconds.

Now, if we could find some music that would keep him asleep at 6am in the morning, that would be nice. He now wakes up every morning between 5:30 and 6:00. Mommy and Meme are definitely not ready to get out of bed. Luke always wants his Mommy first thing so I haven't been able to help much. I usually get up for about an hour and then go back to bed for a couple-otherwise, I don't think I could keep up. I don't know how Mindy keeps going.

Today we hope to venture a drive to Vogelway. Mindy has the directions but has never driven by herself. We wanted to do some shopping since the the PX there is much nicer then Baumholder. They have a great toy section and electronics dept.

I wanted to share some pictures for the last several days. Enjoy!

Why I'm Here!

2008-05-16T13:51:00.003-04:00

Well its very clear to me today why I came at this particular time to help Min and the boys. Luke was sick earlier in the week but last night Min and Will started with a fever and this morning she drove herself and Will to the local German hospital while I stayed with Luke. They were sick all night and Min said she better go get them started on antibiotics. She came home with all kinds of meds and they've been trying to get better but Min is still pretty weak and sick. I don't know how she would have made it without me. Her other friends all have children and they can't be around other sick kids so who knows what would have happened. Thanks be to God that He ordained that I be here right now. Now if you, Oh Lord will bring in Will's passport in the next couple days, that would be awesome. I don't know how I'm going to leave them in another week. Please pray for us that God will open the doors soon. Pray that tomorrow will be a better day and everyone will be on the road to good health. (Please pray that I won't catch whatever is going around!)

Luke and I had a great time today. Now that he is feeling better, he's really warmed up to me and we are becoming great buddies. He let me put him down for his nap and bedtime today and he ate like a bear at supper! I couldn't fill him up! We went for a long walk with his stroller and then spent some time at the playground. I've got some great pictures but haven't downloaded them yet. I'll try to post tomorrow.

Here's some from the other day to hold you over!

Luke at the bakery in Idar Oberstein

Luke with his blue eyes to match his new blue PJS!

Will in his swing in the kitchen

Our Germany Adventure

2008-05-15T08:50:00.004-04:00

Well, since Mindy is very busy with her boys, and doesn't have time to post, I thought I would share what's been happening over here in Baumholder for the last few days. I shared on the previous post that Luke was sick and she took him to the doctor on Monday. Monday and Tuesday were a little hairy but we all made it through and by Tuesday evening, Luke was feeling much better...so we decided to take a little adventure. We googled some of the train stops between Idar Oberstein and Mainz and decided to visit Bad Kreuznach on Wednesday. It was pretty funny how we decided on a destination. It was pretty much based on the fact that the train ride wasn't too long and what type of attractions were available. Google is a wonderful tool to research places. We downloaded a map, circled a few places of interest, and checked the train schedules.

So Wednesday morning, we set off to Idar Oberstein. This was only Mindy's second attempt to travel off the post and she did a fantastic job. We had a little problem with parking at first but finally found our way into a parking garage, unpacked the stroller and kids and backpacks and began our adventure. We bought a round trip train ticket at the train station and since we had a little time to kill we decided to check out the Idar Oberstein shopping area across the street. It was a beautiful day (as all of the days have been since I arrived). We stopped at a bakery and had a pastry and walked back to the train station. Since the "lifts/elevators" were not working we had to take both boys and the double stroller up several flight of stairs to the train platforms. So many people all day were very helpful to assist us when we were trying to get to the trains and platforms. No escalators or elevators in sight. Actually, on our way back from Bad Kreuznach, the train conductor at the station stopped a train and opened the gate so we could cross to our track for the train we needed. That was a very unexpected blessing!

So, anyway, we got on the train and Luke was so excited. He was in his "Luke Daze" at first but finally warmed up to the idea. He enjoyed watching the many sights as the train flew by. We arrived in Bad Kreuznach around 12:45Pm and after a slight turn in the wrong direction we ended up on the very street we were searching for. It was Mannheimer Str. and there were all kinds of shops and eating places along the way. It was pretty busy- I don't think Mindy nor I expected it to be such a big city. We saw some quaint houses and businesses. We ate pizza at an Italian restaurant outside- I don't think we realized at first it was Italian and we were disappointed when we couldn't find schnitzel on the menu but since we were already seated we decided to stay. It was very pleasant and the the waiter was very helpful.

After lunch, we walked up to the "bridge houses" and looked around some more and then walked back to the train station to catch the 4:02 train back to Idar Oberstein. We arrived home around 6pm and were exhausted! We both went to bed at 10:00pm and have tried to catch up on our rest today.

Unfortunately, that's not easy for Mindy. I tried to let her sleep in this morning but Luke would not allow me to take care of him- he insisted on his Mommy so she had to get up early. Then the maintenance men arrived at 7am and were working outside Luke's window. The other day when he was trying to nap, they were drilling in the hallway by his room. It is getting very frustrating to deal with these worker's schedules. They either work very early in the morning, then they leave and come back at 1pm when it's nap time. I'm not sure where they are in between but it is ridiculous and very inconvenient for families with young children. They've been working on this building since Chris and Mindy moved in. You'd think they could just work until they finish one building and not have to take 8 months to finish a job!

Oh well, the other news of the day is now Will has a fever. He's been lethargic and sleepy all day. I don't know how I'm going to leave Mindy in another week and half. I'm very concerned about how she can handle this much longer-especially when the kids are sick every other week. Please pray that Will's passport comes in soon so they can make a trip to the states! She needs some major support!

We talked to Chris the other night. It was great to hear his voice. I really miss him- there's a definite void in this place without him here. I know Mindy and the boys are missing him terribly and trying to do the best they can.

Here's some pictures of our adventure:

Mindy and the boys as we were leaving

Meme and Will and Luke at the Bakery

One of the beautiful churches in Bad Kreuznach

Side Street in Bad Kreuznach

Cathedral- Bad Krueznach

Train Station

Meme and Luke on train

Will at train station platform

Mindy and the boys on train

Return to Baumholder!

2008-05-12T15:06:00.005-04:00

Well, can you believe it? I am here in Baumholder with Min and the boys. It has been quite the adventure and way out of my comfort zone to travel alone, catch a train and wait at the train station in some town I've never been to before!. I had hoped to arrive in time to catch the bus from Idar Oberstein to Baumholder so Min would not have to drag the kids out to meet me. But unfortunately, I missed my connection and Min decided she would rather come pick me up rather than wait a couple more hours. I think she was afraid I might turn around and go back home- she wasn't taking a chance with me so close!

When I arrived in Frankfurt, I had to wait in line to go through customs and then claim my baggage. I didn't see any signs for a train station or any information counter at first but I just kept following the others and saw some arrows pointing toward a train station- but I was a little confused since the arrows pointed out in front of the airport and all I saw were buses. I went back in and asked someone and she directed me across the street where I finally saw the signs for "Regionalbahnhuf" I knew I was in the right place. Of course, I went toward the "Fernbahnhof, (long distance trains) first but just turned around and went back down the escalator to the regional express trains. It was crazy there but after asking a nice lady at the Information desk she pointed me to the ticket machine and I watched the person in front of me buy his ticket and I just followed the directions and paid with my credit card. It was a lot easier than I thought. My major issue was the weight of my luggage. I only had one suitcase but it was close to 50lbs and my carry on had to be about 20lbs. That was no problem as long as the escalators were working but when I went to the wrong platform and looked to go back up- the escalator was not moving. I sent a quick prayer and said "Lord. how am i going to get all this heavy luggage up the stairs and next thing I knew, the escalator started moving again!! I almost sang the doxology right in the middle of the train station!! I waited an hour until the train arrived, loaded my luggage up the steps of the train, found a seat and was on my way!

It was a beautiful ride through the German countryside and I enjoyed the trip. Once I arrived in Idar Oberstein, I called Mindy and soon we were reunited. What a relief! The weather has been beautiful since I arrived and we have been enjoying our time together.

Friday, we just took it easy and then, Saturday, we went to a luncheon for mothers and children provided by the chapel. It was very nice. Saturday afternoon, we walked to the playground and rented a movie. Sunday, we went to church and then had Min's friend, Monica and her twin daughters and son over for dinner. Everything was going great until Luke started acting really fussy and Min took his temperature and it was 102! Our fun evening quickly came to an end.

Today, Luke has still been running a temp so that began the next adventure. This afternoon, Min decided she better take him to the doctor since the tylenol was not working. So, Monica offered to go with her, if I would come watch her kids. So I found myself warming up dinner for twin girls (age 3) and her little Will who is almost one year old. Things were going great until I closed poor little Will's fingers in the fridge door. He started screaming, the rolls were burning in the oven, and the little girls were looking at me wondering what was going on? Truthfully, they were much calmer than me, but finally Will calmed down and dinner was served and all was well. That was my "taste" of Monica's world and boy, she has all my respect and admiration- and prayers! Her children are precious and I really did enjoy being with them. And all that took place in 45 minutes. Can you believe that fast service in an ER? It was the local German dr. Luke was diagnosed with an ear infection, given an antibiotic and ear drops and sent home- all within 30 minutes!

Well, hopefully, Luke will be on the mend and we'll be able to get out this week and have some fun. Min is very tired and was very happy that I came. I am happy to be here and love being with them and the fact that I can be of help. I do not know how she can handle these children on her own- or any of these military families. We really need to keep them in our prayers and do all we can to lend a hand when possible.

Here's some pictures I wanted to share so far:

A scene from the train

Luke in his new "cars" shirt that talks!

MeMe giving Luke his new Car shoes from Guka

My Precious angels

At the playground

Min and her boys

Isn't he adorable?

She Will Be Back!

2008-05-03T20:07:00.006-04:00

Well, the top news is - I am returning to Germany in a few days. Last Tuesday morning during my devotions I asked the Lord if there was any way I could find reasonable air fare in the next few weeks, I really felt Mindy could use a break and I was more than willing to take a trip to see them. I give praise and honor to the Lord who knows our every need and provides for his children! In June, the air fares more than double for the summer season, but in the next month they are somewhat reasonable. The next hurdle was taking more vacation time at work but I have a very empathetic supervisor and he has agreed I can take the next 2 weeks as vacation even though it makes us understaffed. I am so appreciative of both he and my co-worker's understanding. They can find some solace in I have only one week left for the rest of the year!

I think this visit will definitely help Min and Chris and the boys- giving them a break in the time before they can possibly return to the states. We have a faithful and all powerful God and He is deserving of all our praise.

Yesterday, Friday, I (Judy) went to a scrapbooking retreat in Ocean City, Md with some friends from Cross Pointe. It was a great time and I made some new friends. I really wanted to stay tonight- Saturday- also, but I have a lot to do in the next few days and felt it best that I come on home. Revival begins tomorrow for the next 4 days and I really did not want to miss any of the services. I have been praying for a fresh anointing on our people and specifically myself. I want to be available to the Holy Spirit to continually shape me into the vessel of honor for Him.

I have been doing very well on my Weight Watchers online. As of Friday, I had lost 6 lbs! I really tried to behave this weekend so we'll see how Monday's weigh in goes! Wish me luck and some self control!!

Here's some recent pictures of Will and Luke. The next ones on this blog will be of them with MEME!

Last Sunday dinner with Family & Friends

Some of the Scrapbooking retreat:

My lifelong friend and sister in heart- Lois

My many visits with Scrappy at my workstation!

I won the "Cute as a Button prize- We had to design a page using a button theme!

Steve, not to be outdone received his own award last week! (Remember the "brush fire" in the back yard a couple weeks ago!

Sweatin' Sister

2008-04-22T18:28:00.004-04:00

Well, I just finished a tough workout for a woman of my age! Don't laugh but I actually walked so fast I broke out in a sweat!! Wow, is that what it feels like! I've been trying to add up some "activity points" so I can eat more each day (whoops, that' s probably not weight watchers approved) but seriously, I am really trying to be more active and give my heart and lungs a good run for their money. If you know me at all, you know how much I like to either sit on my butt or lay prostrate on the couch or bed watching tv or reading- so this is definitely a physical challenge! You keep laughing but wait until you see me in that white suit I bought 3 years ago and only wore once!

Now, having a birthday and celebrating it twice does not help keep the points down. Jamie,as a symbol of her great love for her mother in law made me a peanut butter Reese's cup 7 layer cake. I had to find some friends to invite over so there would not be any leftovers! I had 32 points left on Sunday so I figured I could eat whatever I wanted. That was in addition to the 9 points I still had left for the day. Now, if any of you guys are reading this, just skip this part of the blog because I know you are bored to death and are rolling your eyes back into your head!

Now, for more Scott family news, other than Judy's dream of a girlish figure again- Friday, Steve went to Dover, Delaware for the Mid-Atlantic District Assembly. Since the presiding general was Jamie's former pastor, JK Warrick, Randy, Jamie and I drove up to meet Steve and enjoy the Ordination service. During the course of the evening, we went to 2 different Sonic restaurants, neither of which were very impressive! Unfortunately, the Eastern Shore doesn't have the same quality as the Midwest Sonics! I think it has a lot to do with the "service." I think it might be the fact that the waiters are invisible from the customers when you order over the red phones!

Anyway, we had fun and Jamie enjoyed visiting with the Warricks.

You may remember the news about a month ago, when my brother, David burned down his barn by accident. Well, Saturday, Steve, decided he needed to burn a few leaves. Unbeknownst to us, there was a ban on burning. Before he knew it, he started quite the brush fire that got out of hand and he had to call 911! Thankfully, the fire trucks came and put out the fire and all was well. Our barn is still standing.

On Monday afternoon, Steve was sitting in our living room resting, when all of a sudden 2 limbs came through the roof! About 4 years ago, this happened at 4am in the morning. We live under some very large old trees and sometimes they decide they no longer want to stay connected to their tree trunks! We've learned not to sit in that corner of our living room.

Well, our small group did not meet this week hopefully, they'll still come even though some might have to sit in "the corner," but we will be studying Chapter 2 this Sunday of Velvet Elvis. I have to admit, I am really going back and forth on what I think of Rob Bell and some of his ideas. I have to come to the realization I don't have to agree with everything he says, but recognize when he does have a good point. So, if you are reading the book or are familiar with his writings, please share your thoughts with me. That's what is good about the small group-everyone comes with their own perspective. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will give us discernment as we continue to seek Him and allow the Lord to continue to shape us into the people of God we need to be in this world we live in today.

Please continue to pray for Chris, Min and the boys. Chris is "living it up" in Kuwait right now, but that won't last. Min and the boys are making the best of everything but really missing Chris and the United States of America!! And we in the USA are really missing them!

Check out these pictures:

Randy and Jamie with JK Warrick

Steve and Judy at Sonic

Randy and Jamie ordering dinner at Sonic

Our precious angels

Jamie and Judy with the 7 layer cake she so

lovingly made for her mother-in -law!

Our living room ceiling!

Fireman putting out fire

It almost made it to the barn!

Early Retirement! Make Me an Offer!

2008-04-17T21:20:00.005-04:00

Birthday Girl!!

Well, I made it. Today I officially reached the age where I can actually retire if I chose to! What a feeling of freedom. However, since my expenses far outweigh my income, it's not really a choice so I'll keep on doing what I've done for almost 26 years now! Get up and go to work.

Today is my birthday and I can't believe I am this old! Truthfully, I feel great and am so blessed with so many good friends and loving family members. I received so many Happy Birthday wishes today- I really feel loved. Of course, so many of those who called are the ones I always seem to miss when its their birthdays- but they love me anyway! God is Good!

I received a phone message from Chris (who did not have to be reminded-WOW). It was so good to hear from him-made me feel loved and special-hopefully the next time he calls I'll be home!

I also web cammed with Min and the boys and it was neat to hear my little Lukester say Happy Birthday to his MeMe! and also got a sweet sweet smile from Will.

Tonight we had dinner at Old West steakhouse with Randy and Jamie. I love the "Chicken Chesapeake" (grilled chicken with crab imperial on top!)

God has richly blessed me all my life and I am so undeserving. I give Him all my praise for all the good gifts He has given me. I just pray I will find new ways to share His goodness with others.

Thank you to all for making this day so special! I love each of you and you are continually in my prayers. A special birthday greeting also to my cousins, Nancy Jean who was born on my 16th b'day and April. I miss those years we celebrated together!

This guy always makes me feel special!

Randy pretending to offer to buy dinner!

My precious grandsons!

The following people are the ones who bring me such happiness- our kids and grandkids!

Deployment II- April, 2008

2008-04-14T19:13:00.007-04:00

This is Chris and Min in September 2003 the morning of his first deployment.

Most of you know that our son, Chris was deployed last week for 15 months to Iraq. We actually said good bye to Chris in person at the Frankfurt Germany airport a couple months ago. Last Wednesday morning they called via Yahoo telling us he was leaving in less then 18 hours. We knew it was coming but its always hard to let your loved one actually go and know that he may not be able to come home for another year.Just imagining how difficult it was for him to leave Min and the boys just breaks our hearts. We are so proud of him and our love and prayers are with him. We appreciate all our family and friends who are lifting them up in prayer. No matter what people may feel about the war, our soldiers and their families need our support.

It was so difficult when Chris was deployed for a year in 2003-2004 and when he came home it was like a burden was lifted- I didn't have to live and breathe the Iraq war. Although, I still prayed for our troops and leaders, it was very different. Now that he's back there, our hearts and minds are obsessed again with any news. Thankfully, we have a God who takes care of His own and we know that Chris, Min and the boys are in His hands. Whenever, I wake up in the middle of the night, I just quote my bible verse for insomnia- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(PHIL 4:6-7)There's no more comforting words than those and I find myself going back to sleep and trusting God to take care of all the things that would cause me worry.

My Dad used to quote Psalm 121 as the passage that gave him courage and strength during WWII and 5 years ago, Chris called and referred to the same chapter:

I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-He who watches over you will not slumber;

Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

As I write this blog, I am realizing how real God's spirit is at work in our lives and His word and His Presence is where we need to look for our help and strength in the days and months ahead.

Our small group met last night and it was quite a discussion. It was really exciting because the book- Velvet Elvis- has really stimulated a lot of participation. I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead as we wrestle with some challenging and radical material. We have a wide range of ages in our group-every decade is represented from 20's to 60's. As you can imagine, there are a lot of opinions being expressed and I think that's a good thing.

This is my third week with Weight Watchers Online. I've only lost 3 lbs and I've really tried to stick to the "point system" these last couple weeks. I'm not giving up- I realize I need to supplement the food tracking with some "activity"- so I've been trying to work my way up to some regular exercise. Steve even spent some time on the treadmill tonight!

I've gone on enough tonight. Here's some pictures for your perusal!

A picture of a tote bag Steve designed with Uncle Joe's help for those in the Deaf Ministry at church- They are always excited when they have mail in the church mailboxes so Steve thought they needed a tote bag to carry their papers in.

Beautiful Min and Handsome Will

Chris and Luke in the PT garb- So who did the most sit ups

Chris on the night he left for deployment

Judy showing how she really sweats when she exercises!

Steve- Look mom, no hands!

Blogging is TOUGH!

2008-04-08T18:30:00.007-04:00

If you haven't noticed, its tough to blog every week when there isn't much to blog about! Life as usual is happening around the Scott household. Steve is off to Church Board meeting so I thought I would catch up.

Every few days we have been "web cammng" with Chris, Min and the boys. They are growing and finally I think they are all healthy at the same time! Since there is a 6 hour time difference, we try to contact them first thing in the morning so we can see Luke and Will before they take their naps. The only problem with that time is Judy is just getting out of bed and is not quite "with it!" But it's always great to see and talk with them.

Chris is getting ready to deploy at any time so we would appreciate your prayers regarding Min and the boys. Chris' blog on Sunday, April 6 was heartwrenching for us when we realize how difficult it will be to leave his family. Our soldiers and families are paying a high cost and we need to be reminded of that when we go about our own lives with "business as usual."

Last Friday night, we (Steve and Judy) joined Jamie and her friend, Kendra and 7 month old, Elias and went to see a Delmarva Shorebirds game. It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed ourselves-MeMe especially enjoyed holding and playing with Elias. It's that "grandma factor"coming out.

We invited Kendra and Elias for Sunday dinner after church and we had a nice time. Randy and Kendra's husband, Evan came after the ball game was postponed due to rain. It was great to have young people in the house again!

About 3 weeks ago, I (Judy) signed up with "Weight Watchers online." I'm using the Point system and it's taking some adjustment to figure out what I'm doing. I can only have 19 points a day and I'm finding by lunch time I'm all out of points!! What am I doing wrong? Maybe I'm not changing my eating habits! Duh! So anyway this last week I did much better and I think I lost 3 lbs.! I should post a "before" picture so you can see if there is any change but then I'm afraid the "after" picture will show me bigger!

Our small group will begin this next Sunday. We had a great group of people join us last week and we agreed to study the book-"Velvet Elvis." Steve tells me I'm on the verge of "obsession" with this "emerging church" stuff. I'll try to rein it in but truthfully, I think it's important to be aware of trends in the church and the only way we can discuss it and test it will be to learn more about it, right?

Rob Bell writes in the first chapter about those Christians who feel that "the churches, the books, the language, the methods, the beliefs-that there is nothing wrong with it.It works for them and meets their needs, and they gladly invite others to join them in it." But he writes on, "But this book is for those who need a fresh take on Jesus and what it means to live the kind of life he teaches us to live. I'm part of a community , a movement of people who have been living, exploring, discussing sharing and experiencing new understandings of Christian faith."

Well, you know-being part of a traditional church community- we have always been seeking a fresh anointing and greater understanding of who Jesus is and how He wants us to live." I just get nervous when people start telling us that the beliefs we have built our lives upon based on the Bible may not be relevant to today's world. That's when I start asking lots of questions and seriously seeking God to reveal His truth. If anything, it definitely makes me stronger and gets me back into His word and seeking the Lord's guidance.

So, if you have any ideas or comments, feel free to share. I'll try to keep you updated on how the group is doing.

Here's my "before" picture. I figure any future picture has to look better than this one!

Chris and Luke enjoying Spring in Germany!

Will surrounded with Friends!

My new little friend, Elias!

Luke at the Nature Park before the Snow Blizzard!

Will misses MeMe, can't you tell?

Suede Scotts vs Velvet Elvis!

2008-03-29T11:39:00.004-04:00

This week has flown by. I can't believe last Sunday was Easter. It was just too early this year. But according to the calendar, Easter won't be this early for over 200 years from now! Personally, I'm glad I will be in the New Jerusalem celebrating the Resurrection!!

Steve is in the Boston area at the ENC trustee meeting. He'll be home tonight. The puppies and I are missing him! I just need to find someone to meet him at the airport. I'm sure I can find a good friend somewhere out there who'll help me out! We do have lots of great friends and we always enjoy getting together.

Tomorrow night we begin a new small group. I'm not sure who is coming but Steve and I have decided to study the book, Velvet Elvis, by Rob Bell. I have read the book twice now and really am struggling with a lot of his thoughts. I am a 3rd generation Nazarene and Steve is 4th generation if that means anything to anyone. We are very traditional and conservative in a lot of ways probably due to our parents and grandparents influence. However, we consider ourselves "pretty cool" and not really dogmatic when it comes to theology and the Christian lifestyle. Of course, that is comparing us with our parents and grandparents. We've come a long way, baby!

We raised our boys in the CoTN and they are pretty solid when it comes to their relationship with the Lord and Church. We're all still growing and that's a good thing!

But we do hear their generation telling us that we need to grow with the culture and find new ways or methods of reaching the unsaved. That has always been a challenge and we are continually searching for better ways to live out our faith and be a witness to the world. But one thing I am concerned about is watering down the message and not being distinctive enough to tell the difference between those who are walking with the Lord and those who are not.

I realize it's not about external do's and don'ts, it's about where our hearts and treasure are placed. The external will reflect the internal. I'm excited how the Holy Spirit is leading in this endeavor and I pray He will be very clear and give us wisdom and discernment to follow His way, not just the latest theologian's philosophy.

So, what we are attempting to do is- have a "conversation" about these new ideas and wrestle with how they are aligned with the Word of God and what they mean for the Church. (sorry for adapting that new buzz word). For any of you who may be interested, I'll try to post some of our thoughts and summarize our discussion on future blogs. Feel free to comment.

Enough of that, last Easter Sunday, we had my brother David and wife Debbie and Randy and Jamie for dinner. Each holiday we celebrate reminds us of those family members missing. It seems our table is shrinking. We talked with Chris, Min, Luke and Will. They are getting ready for Chris' departure which should be within 2 weeks. Please pray for them as it will be very difficult for Chris to leave his family. Hopefully, things will work out for Min and the kids to come back here. We'll just have to see how God works the details out with the Army!

Here's a couple pictures for your enjoyment:

Who is that young looking couple!

Our puppies Riley and Kailee

Little Big Will

Luke and Will in their Easter outfits

Jesus is Our Risen Lord!

2008-03-22T14:17:00.003-04:00

Easter is my favorite time. Although usually busy in our household, it is always a time to remember Christ's sacrifice and rejoice that He conquered the grave and is our risen Savior and Lord. In years past, we were involved in the annual Easter musical but this year our church concentrated on the Easter Journey and it was amazing. Walking through scenes of Jerusalem after Jesus had lived, died and rose again, was a very powerful event and since this is a unique ministry that our church has offered the last few years ,we really wanted more people to experience this special program. A lot of hard work and commitment was involved and many hearts were moved and awakened to the true meaning of Easter. Steve and I are very grateful to participate in this event. Last night was our final night. We stayed until midnight to clean up all the props. What fun!

Since we last blogged, there has been a little excitement in our family. Last week, my brother David's barn caught on fire and thankfully he was home or his house could have been destroyed. We praise God for limiting this potential disaster.

Last Friday, Steve and I went to Baltimore to see our niece, Chelsey in her high school musical, "Oklahoma." Brian, Steve and I enjoyed ourselves and Chelsey did a wonderful job. We were so proud. She was Ado Annie- we really enjoyed her solo-"I'm Just a Girl Who Cain't Say No! That's what every father wants to hear his daughter say! Just kidding, Chelsey, you were great!

Again, I hope all of you have a Blessed Easter and we pray you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Risen Savior!

Following are some Easter Journey 2008 scenes:
Marketplace

The Apostle John in the Upper Room (Steve) and Mary, (Judy) the mother of Jesus

Judy and her friend Lori, In a "Martha" moment

David and Debbie's barn with house in background still standing- PTL!

Brian and daughter, Chelsey / Ado Annie

Steve with his first beard ever! Now history!

The 2 most precious grandchildren ever!

Check out our new water closet!

2008-03-11T17:25:00.006-04:00

The bathroom is finished! Yah! It's been a long process but its finally completed and it looks great! Thanks to Steve for all his hard work. He's really been working during any spare time(which is tough to find). The house we live in is quite old and any home improvement is not always simple but he perservered and did a great job.

Life at Shad Point has been busy. Steve spent 12 hours at the church on Saturday working on the Easter Journey scenery. I can't believe this Saturday the Easter Journey will begin and go through all of Holy week. Our last one is scheduled on Good Friday. We're hoping to reach a lot more unchurched people this year. This event is truly a meaningful experience and brings the Easter story alive to both adults and children. I am in awe of those who work so hard to bring it all together. Last year was my first year as an actor and I will be doing the same character this year, Mary the mother of Jesus at the empty tomb. I think Steve has been a different character every year for the last 3 years. This year he will be John in the Upper Room explaining the Passover meal.

This morning Steve and I "web cammed" with Luke, Will, and Min. Being able to see and talk to them every few days has been fun and helps a lot. I miss them so much and hate that they are so far away. We're not sure what the future holds, but we are praying the Lord will work out all the details.

Our precious angel, Luke

Our other precious angel, Will

Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mary Magdala

Our finished bathroom/water closet
It reminds me of "Flip that House!"

Well, everyone take care. Keep in touch!

Is it Spring yet!

2008-03-04T18:56:00.004-05:00

Today was a beautiful day on Delmarva! It came very close to reaching 70! I'm sure it is just a tease since winter has not finished yet but it was enough today to give us "Spring Fever." We are looking forward to warm weather and it will be here before we know it. I can't believe its March already.

A year ago today, Steve's mom passed away. Some days it seems like a year but usually it feels like she was just here. Grandma Scott was a special person and we miss her terribly but we know she and Grandpa are together in the presence of Jesus and we will see all of them someday.

Steve's brother, Pete and his wife came to visit this past weekend and we really enjoyed being together. It was really strange for Pete and Amy to come to Salisbury and not go visit Mom and Dad Scott -but their spirits live on in the children and grandchildren. It's really cool to recognize so much of their parents in their kids, especially the Scott sense of humor. That will never die!!

Today is also my brother Brian's birthday and I called to wish him a happy one. It is very difficult for him since the loss of his youngest daughter last August- each of these special life events now can be extra painful with the realization of such a loss. We all miss Karlee so much and long to see her again.

As we are nearing the celebration of Easter, the empty grave has brought new meaning when we have lost loved ones. Every Easter has been special to me with the promise of the resurrection and eternal life with those dear ones who have gone before us. One day we will have a family reunion like no other and we'll never have to say good bye again. Praise the Lord!

So, yes, we are hoping for an early Spring that will refresh our hearts and minds and remind us that there is new life ahead. The birth of William Stephen and Hannah May in the last two months has brought us a new sense of hope, joy and promise.

Whatever we face, we have a loving Saviour who brings us joy and peace and provides all that we need. I pray you are enjoying fellowship with Him today and are experiencing the fresh newness of life Jesus brings each day.

Steve, Randy and Jamie at the Old West restaurant

Judy, Amy, and Pete

Chris and Luke working on converting his crib to toddler bed

Steve, Judy, Mom and Dad Scott at Ryan and Katelynn's wedding (August, 2003)

Our dog, Kailee resting on Randy's foot

Chris, Will and Luke all dressed up and no place to go!

We're in a Mess!

2008-02-23T10:14:00.005-05:00

Well, as you may already know, we have been involved in a home improvement project or shall I say Steve has, since January- remodelling our main bathroom. It's been a slow process since Steve was sick and then left for a week to go to Germany.

As soon as we returned, we were back to our busy schedules- Steve was in meetings the first 3 nights we were back plus going back to work so there has not been a lot of free time to finish the job. As I'm writing right now he has been trying to finish painting and laying the tile floor into the hallway. That meant moving the washer and dryer into our bedroom yesterday so now I have a dryer for a nightstand. And since they are not hooked up, that means no laundry for a few days. I know when it's all finished it will be worth the mess but right now it's not fun!!

Steve is ready for the job to be done- he's quite tired and sore from using muscles he didn't realize he had anymore! I am my usual helpful self by keeping the dogs and myself out of the way! Sometimes I feed him if he really looks weak and in need of sustenance. But he has the dog's water dish nearby, so what's the problem!

We really need to get back to normal since next week starts a very busy time- we're getting ready for the Easter Journey which has become a major outreach for Cross Pointe Church of the Nazarene here in Salisbury. It began about 3-4 years ago and has grown into an all church program this year so that more people will be reached in the community. I'm pretty excited but it does take a lot of time and effort so March will be very busy. Please keep us in your prayers for the next several weeks.

Other news in the Scott family is the arrival of a new great niece- Hannah May Austin who was born Monday, February 18 to our niece, Angela and her husband Jon. Now they are a family of 5, with big brothers, Caleb and Johnny. Congratulations guys-we love you and are rejoicing with this miracle from our Lord.

Continue to keep Chris and Min and boys in your prayers. They have all been sick and hopefully are on the mend. Pray that God will direct their paths these next several weeks as they are facing some tough decisions and times.

We are always enjoying our time with Randy and Jamie each week. (Sorry, Mom and Dad Ellis) Being with them is always fun. We are very proud of them as they are continuing to pursue God's best. Pray for wisdom for them as they make daily decisions regarding the direction of their lives.

Check out these pictures:

Over 50 years of bathroom flooring to cover!

Our new tiled floor! YAY!

The following are 2007 Easter Journey scenes:

The new Scott addition: Hannah May Austin (named after great grandma's middle name May)

The other 2008 Scott Baby! Baby Will

My beautiful family the last time we were all together, July 2007

before Chris and Min andLuke left for Germany. (waiting for Baby Will)

Welcome Home, Shad Point Scotts!

2008-02-16T08:26:00.005-05:00

Well, we made it home a week ago today!It was a very sad good-bye to Luke, Will, and Mindy. Needless to say, I had to get out quick before I(Judy) lost it! Then we get to the airport and another sad goodbye to our son, Chris, who we may not see for almost a year and a half! I'm surprised the airplane could take off from the airport, with the "heaviness"of both Guka and Me-Me's hearts!

Once we landed in Philadelphia, it was a mad rush through customs and 4-5 other checkpoints before we could get to our gate for Salisbury. We just made it but our luggage did not- but a nice man delivered them Sunday morning so all was well! In the meantime, Judy had to try to find some old makeup around the house in order to get ready for church!

The time difference took a little getting used to this week. When we arrived home Saturday night at 5:30pm it was really 11:30pm Germany time. We went to bed by 8 and I woke up at 1:00am thinking it must be time to get up! Finally, after waking every hour, we got up at 5:00am Sunday morning. I went back to work Monday even though I was scheduled off just because I was so wide awake, I decided to save my vacation day for another time! After a few early nights to bed, I think Steve and I finally adjusted to Eastern Standard Time again.

It was great to be back with my church family. I really missed everyone and it felt good to be home. I just wish I could have brought the rest of our family home with us! Although, it is difficult to be so far from Chris and Mindy and the boys, I'd rather they be together and us missing them rather than Chris being far away from his family. I have to keep reminding myself of that perspective to keep going!

It was wonderful to see Randy and Jamie and to spend some time with them this week. I am very thankful they live close by and we can see them. Sunday dinners after church have always been our tradition- a special time of the week for our family to get together and "catch up." Steve and I always look forward to this time.

Last night, we invited Randy and Jamie to dinner because I wanted to try out a new recipe that I ate at Chris and Min's. Some of the other army wives brought dinner one week and this was a favorite- Shrimp and Feta Cheese Bake. You can find the recipe on foodnetwork.com
It was delicious and we had a good time!

We are sorry that it has not been a good week at Chris and Min's since we left. Chris had one more week of leave and with nice weather they were looking forward to getting out, but unfortunately, our Lukester got a stomach flu. Me-Me wanted so badly to hop on a plane and go back to help but it looks like his parents can handle it, so I refrained! But if I can find another excuse, I just might be there!

Here are some pictures for your enjoyment!

Randy & Jamie with their Germany gifts!

Judy serving her Shrimp Bake dish to Steve

Our handsome son tasting Chocolate Covered Strawberry

Will on his first Valentine's Day

The sweet Lukester missing his Me'Me and Gu-ka!

Sad Buh Bye to Baumholder!

2008-02-08T07:21:00.000-05:00

Well, sadly, it's our last day in Baumholder. Guka and Me-me are returning to the states tomorrow and leaving our precious, cute, adorable grandchildren and their parents. It has been a wonderful visit that I'll always cherish. To be with Luke these last several weeks, to hear him call us by name has been awesome. My heart just melts whenever Luke smiles and looks at me.

Today, it is a beautiful sunny day, which has not been the norm while we have been here. Since the day, Guka arrived, it has either snowed or rained. We rented a van on Monday and at least were able to travel around the area a little. On Monday we went to Ramstein Air Base and ate at a Chili's.

On Tuesday we drove to Landstuhl hospital for an appointment and then went over to Kaiserslaurten to shop. On Wednesday, we travelled to Trier, which is a very old German city. It was raining when we first arrived, but we were able to find a nice private dining area at a restaurant and by the time we were finished, the rain had stopped. We checked out some shops and a beautiful cathedral. It was a lot of fun and we were happy Guka was able to experience some of the local culture.

Yesterday, we stayed at home and prepared a special meal since Chris and Mindy had invited their friends, Chaplain Keith Andrews, his wife Monica and their sweet children, Mary Katherine, Elizabeth Anne (twin daughters) and another baby Will. Chris had asked Keith to perform a private dedication service for our Baby Will. It was a wonderful evening as we shared together in fellowship and prayer as Chris and Mindy vowed to teach Will to know and love the Lord.

Today, we are going to walk into Baumholder and walk around the town. Since the sun came out yesterday, we of course, had to return the van and now do not have a vehicle large enough to hold 2 baby seats and 4 adults.

Tonight, we will celebrate Chris' 30th birthday with a steak dinner and some of his favorite dishes. I can't believe it's been 30 years since Steve and I became first time parents!!

Tomorrow, Steve and I leave for the U.S. and back to normal life. There will be a big void but thanks to the internet and web cam we'll keep in touch.

The weather Guka brought!

MeME and Luke for a rare cuddling moment

In front of restaurant in Trier

Cathedral in Trier

Guka with both grandsons

All of us at Will's dedication

Celebration of Chris' 30th birthday

Gu-ka's a Hit!!

2008-02-02T14:07:00.000-05:00

Guka (Grandpa) arrived on Friday, 2/1/08 at 6:00am Germany time. Chris drove through a wicked snow storm (accompanied by Me-Me) at 4:45am- it was about a 2 hour drive. Once we reached the autobahn, it was smooth sailing. It was a little scary at first since there were big trucks all stopping and not even attemping to move and cars sliding down hills backwards right before we were able to get on the autobahn. I must say Chris did a magnificent job driving and I did a lot of praying!

When we arrived on Post, Luke was a little hesitant to meet Guka in person since his only recollection was on the web cam. Once Guka opened his suitcase full of gifts, it wasn't long before Luke was his best friend. He hasn't left his side since. It's so cute- he just looks with adoration with those beautiful blue eyes and repeats "Guka, Guka" over and over. Me-Me has definitely taken a back seat but that's ok.

Every night Chris and Mindy have a routine before bedtime, reading some books with Luke and praying. Last night,(Guka's first night) Luke would not participate until Guka came over and read with them! It was so funny.

During these last weeks, the funniest times were when Lukes has "time-outs." When he gets in trouble, Mindy sits him on the loveseat for 2 minutes, then explains why and makes him say he's sorry. It's all we can do to look at him while he's sitting there. We usually have to leave the room because we can't keep from laughing! I want so badly to take a picture but it would defeat the purpose of the punishment so I have to refrain! It is priceless!

Guka's introduction to Baby Will

Guka & MeMe with their pride and joy

Guka's first intro to Luke since Web Cam Days

Guka and his new best friend!

Guka, Meme and the Lukestar!

Bedtime Routine with Guka and Family

No wonder Luke loves Guka. Looks like

bribery to me!

Hope you enjoyed the pics. We are having a great time!

Guka is Coming!

2008-01-31T07:21:00.001-05:00

This has been my third week here in Baumholder with my son, Chris, his wife Mindy and their beautiful family. It has been one of those interesting weeks with a newborn and experiencing life on an Army post!

Monday morning at 8am sharp, the door buzzer rang and the construction workers had arrived to replace the doors and doorways in the whole building. Of course, their first project was our apartment! It wouldn't be so bad except the bathroom door is right at the door entry way and they had blocked it! Not a good thing for a woman with my size bladder! Needless to say, I had to interrupt them several times to get into the "water closet." Then there was the constant drilling all day and once they replaced the door, they nailed 2X4's across the doorway so we had to bend over to get in and out! It is now Thursday and the drilling and dust have been constant from 8 to 4 every day. A great first week for our baby's adjustment at home.

Luke and Will are doing great. Luke is a sweet big brother and is very proud of the new addition to his family. I'm sure he will be a great helper to his Mommy and Daddy as the days and weeks go by. I've been trying to awaken early each morning this week to give Mindy a break so she can get some much needed rest. It's been great to see firsthand what wonderful parents Chris and Mindy are. They put me to shame! I have so enjoyed being with them and wouldn't trade this experience for anything!

I am so excited that "Guka" is scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning. I can't wait to see him and also to see Luke's reaction to actually meeting "Guka" in person. He's been talking to him every day on the web cam. I also can't wait to see "Guka's" reaction to his two grandsons. I know he will be ecstatic.

Sadly, I only have one more week to be with Chris, Mindy, Luke and Will. I can't even think about what it will be like to leave them so I will try not to think about it and enjoy every moment we have left.

Several of the ladies in Mindy's FRG support group have provided meals and gifts this week. It's been very enlightening and heartwarming to see how supportive the other army wives are here on post. It really touches this mother's heart.

Well I will post a few pictures and count the next 18 hours until I am reunited with "Guka!"

Isn't he beautiful?!

This is monkey and Elmo bonding!

Luke helping Grammy fold the laundry!

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother!"

Side by Side!

I'm the luckiest grandson, ever!

Bright Eyed Will

Chillin' Will

Life on the Other Side of the World

2008-01-28T21:48:00.001-05:00

You have been reading about the life of Gammy or Me-Me ( How did Luke know it is all about Judy? ) while in Germany visiting Chris, Mindy, Luke and Will. If you haven't noticed, Steve has been missing in all the pictures. Are there marital issues,... won't his parole officer let him leave the country, ... what could it be?

Well, here's the well kept secret. Steve has had to stay close to the bathroom for 3 weeks. Wait... before you panic, he does not have some exotic intestinal virus. Actually, Steve and Judy have talked about remodeling the bathroom for several months due to a leak that caused some flooring issues. Steve's job, while Judy gallivants all over Europe, is to paint, tile, and replace anything else that gets in his way. All was going great until the first day....and all the problems of an older home that were hidden were brought to light. Finally last week, just as our precious Will was born, Gu-Ka caught the flu and was knocked down for a few days. Knowing the projects completion came before his health, Steve persevered. Tuesday if all goes according to plan ( yeah, like that will happen! ) he will put the vanity, sink, and toilet back in. Then Wednesday becomes last minute clean-up and the bathroom will be completed.

Thursday, whether the work is done or not, I fly to Germany to finally meet my newest grandson and further spoil Luke. I can hardly wait. I got my International Drivers License today so I can't wait to try the Autobahn. As you can tell I am getting excited now after all these weeks of waiting.

Welcome to our world, Will!

2008-01-25T12:54:00.000-05:00

Just a quick news update which I'm sure is probably not "news" now. Baby Bee came into our world on Thursday morning, at 4:05am, January 24, 2008 and was named William Stephen Scott. We will call him Will! He weighed 9 lbs and was 21 inches long. To say the least, it has been an eventful couple of days.

Mindy went to her dr's appt on Wednesday afternoon. We put Luke down for a nap and Grammy spent time with the Lord. I was in the middle of praying earnestly with the Lord re: when this baby was going to be born. I reminded Him I only had a little over 2 weeks left and prayed that Wednesday would be His day! While I was praying, Mindy comes in the door and asks-"Are you praying? Because I'm leaving in a few moments and will be induced and this baby will be born in a few hours!" Well, I took time to praise the Lord and then helped her pack, prayed some more for them and Luke and I here at home. It was an exciting day waiting for the arrival of Will- and sure enough Chris called at 4:45am Thursday morning (German time). On my time table it was still Wednesday 6 hours earlier! I thought it would be neat that Will was born on Jamie's birthday but also on his dad, Christopher's original due date 30 years ago! But either way the date has meaning since January 24 was my grandfather's birthday! I just love God's timing. There are so many examples of how perfect everything turned out and how all our concerns were taken care of by His wonderful care. I just have to give Him the glory and praise and am so grateful for our Heavenly Father's blessing on our "dear ones."

On Thursday, Chris came home and Luke and I drove back to Landstuhl to meet his baby brother. It was a beautiful, sweet time. I had packed a bag so I could stay with Mindy if necessary and Chris and Luke could return home. So, Chris and Luke had a good night's rest and Mommy Mindy, Grammy, and Baby Will did not! We were up all night taking turns with wide awake and restless Will- but it was still a special time and again I am so grateful.

We are all home tonight, Friday and now its Daddy Chris' turn to "bond" with his son, Will. Mindy and I are hoping for some rest.

Here are some special pictures we want to share. Thank you for all your love and prayers. Be praying for Steve (Guka) who will be joining us a week from today! YAy!

Just a comment on this photo- Wednesday night I was trying to sleep on the couch but try to be near the phone when Chris called. I was so "wound up" and couldn't sleep and this clock in the kitchen was ticking so loud it drove me crazy. I ended up climbing on the counter to take the clock down and put it in Chris and Mindy's bed and closed the door. When I arrived home today, It was on my bed with this note. I just love that Scott humor!

Wie gehts?

2008-01-21T13:07:00.000-05:00

Or in web cam vernacular- Whasssup? This gets Luke giggling and running to the computer every time "Guka" calls us. Various times of the day he will come up to the computer and want to talk with Guka. Even with his "Me Me" here in person. I can't understand it!

Well, just to give everyone an update-we are still waiting for Baby Bee. Every day just brings us closer, right? Mindy just needs to know there will be an end to this pregnancy. We both dreamed last night that she was ready to have the baby but sadly when we awakened, she was still pregnant! One thing we all are learning is to be patient for God's timing. But we can't help thinking- please hurry up! I'm into my second week here in Germany and I want to have time with Baby Bee and be able to help Mindy with her first few weeks.

This last week in our rendezvous study we've dealt with our personal relationship with Christ- realizing that it takes a concentrated effort on our part to prioritize our time to spend seeking the presence of Christ- we just don't wake up close to the Lord. It takes our desire and action to begin each day coming to him in prayer, listening to his voice and hearing what he ways to us through his Word. The enemy would have us too busy to reflect on what God is saying to us. I am really determined to use this study to refresh my sacred romance with the Lord. Even to use the experience of these days waiting for our Baby Bee, He is teaching me to depend on Him and trust that He is in control and will work out all the details.

Chris, Mindy and Luke and I went to the chapel on base yesterday. Chris had to stay with Luke in the nursery while Mindy and I went to the service. It made me miss my home church in Salisbury but I was happy to be in the Lord's house on the Sabbath. It just doesn't begin the week for me if I miss an opportunity for corporate worship.

Here's some pics for your enjoyment. Talk to you later!

At the Castle near Kusel

My brother Brian and Chris acting silly!

Luke and MeMe at the playground

Guten Tag!

2008-01-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

Good afternoon.

Today is Saturday in Baumholder Germany- I'm sure its Saturday where you are too! It's been a lazy day-The weather in Baumholder is quite depressing-very wet and dreary-every day! The sun might shine for a few minutes around 3pm each day and then its gone. I can't imagine spending the entire winter here, however, if I could I would just to be with my precious grandson, Luke and his mommy and daddy.

I had my Guka "fix" this morning. Every morning around 6am EST and 12pm Germany time we see and talk with Guka- Steve. While he's having his morning coffee and toast with Kailee and Riley (our dogs) I am eating lunch with the Germany Scotts. It's really weird to think about the time of day difference between the US and here.

Yesterday we went to K-town to the PX and and shopped for the new baby and some toys for Luke to make him feel better when he has to share the spotlight with Baby Bee. I bought him some new shoes and he was so cute pointing to them while he walked around the store. On our way home on the very fast AUTOBAHN we sang songs- I tried to teach him "Running Over" with the hand motions. I'm sure there will be a video in the near future once he learns it.

It's been fun this week to plan the evening dinner meals. Usually at home Steve cooks during the week so its a challenge for me to come up with different meals. I must say it is rewarding though to see Chris so excited that someone is cooking instead of him lately. Understandably, Mindy has not felt like cooking so I am more than happy to be able to help.

At night, when I can't get to sleep I've been reading my devotional book rendezvous by Frank Moore. This is the book we are reading for our small group study at Cross Pointe Church of the Nazarene in Salisbury, MD. It makes me feel still a part of the church while I'm away and I'm really interested in growing in my relationship with the Lord. Last night, the chapter was on journalling so I thought this blog might even be a way to write out my reflections from the study. I'm really hoping this time away from my spiritual family I'll have some real times of growth- spiritual that is.

Well, I know you would like to see some pictures from this week- so with Chris' help, I'll try to post some:

Luke in his cute outfit and shoes from Grammy Mom (ME-ME)

Luke and "Me-Me"

Me-Me in her cute outfit with Luke

Luke with the monkey from Uncle Brian

Gluckliches Neujahr!

2008-01-18T16:19:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Steve and I are ready for 2008! This past year has been a year of many heartaches and losses for our family and we are looking forward to a new fresh year to experience all that our Lord has planned for us and our "dear ones."Right now Judy is in Germany with Chris, Mindy and Luke awaiting the arrival of our second grandchild. The actual due date was yesterday, January 17, however, our newest "dear one" is not quite ready to enter our world yet! Judy arrived in Germany last Saturday morning with her brother, Brian. It was a long 8 hour plane ride but well worth it when she saw her precious grandson, Luke David (19 months old) at the Frankfurt airport to greet her! Of course, it was also good to see our son, Christopher and sweet wife, Mindy! Judy came to stay for 4 weeks to help Chris and Mindy with Luke and the new baby.

We've had a wonderful week together so far. Just to be with Luke and hear him call me "me-me" has been so sweet- I just love him sooo much and cherish every moment- Every day he does something new- Being a grandma rocks! It's also pretty cool to talk with Steve every day via web cam although I will be very happy to see him here in Germany in person in 3 weeks. I've even listened to Randy live on Froggy 99.9. Also want to send a "shout out" to my other sweet daughter-in-law Jamie ( who I really miss too)

The one difficulty I am experiencing is adapting to the time change. I'm having trouble sleeping at night. During the daytime I seem to be fine, but when bedtime comes its very tough to get to sleep.. My mind just won't slow down- which usually is not a problem for me! Oh well, hopefully I will get used to it!

Since this is my first attempt at blogging, I'll try not to get too wordy - I'm sure there will be plenty to share in the days ahead, I promise! What I really want to share is the news that our baby will soon be here- you can be sure Mindy wants that news more than anyone!