Rest and Relaxing

Happy Summer! First off, below are pictures from Randy's Grandmother's 70th Birthday Party from the 1st of June. We all met a Ellendale's resturant in Donelson. The food was great and we had an awesome time celebrating with the family!!!

Randy and Grandmother

Grandmother's speech!
Great Grandchild (Austin), Grandchildren (Lyndsay, Taylor, Eric) & Uncle Doug

It has been pretty quiet at the Perry Household. I have been taking vacation days throughout the month of June and Randy actually took the last two weekends off from softball and it has been nice doing family stuff. Austin played a double-header baseball game last Saturday and then his last game of the season is tonight. He has enjoyed playing with this team and has worked on his game. I was happy, he has made some new friends and that is always a bonus.

Oh yeah, speedy (aka Austin) got his first ticket on Tuesday!!! He was going 48 in a 30 in the lovely town of Brentwood, TN. We have been informed by other teenagers and their parent's that I have to go to court with him, he will have to pay the fine, pay to go to traffic school AND lose his license for 3 weeks. Unbelieveable!!! I guess the judge in this county likes to make a statement!!!! Don't get me wrong, he shouldn't have been speeding - I am just upset that now he is again - DEPENDENT (hahaha) on me to drive him everywhere.....

I know everytime I blog I talk about college visits. I guess when you have a rising Senior, that is at the top of the list. He now wants to visit Western KY University. I am going to call schedule the visit. We will make a two day trip out of this, and go to Eastern KY while we are there, save on gas.

Volleyball at school starts on July 7th, we will have two-a-days. Lifting and conditioning from 7am until 9am, then back at 3:30 for workouts at the sand courts. I will be super busy with coaching and games, but I will try and keep up with what is going on around the house. Please continue to pray for our family and please email or call anytime.

Love,

Pat

Honey Do List

Austin was in Arizona visiting my sister last week. He left on Thursday, June 6th and came home on Tuesday of this week. He said he had a great time. He was thinking of going to college at Arizona and I asked him if he thought he could see himself there? He said "NO". I asked why? he said," I need some green in my life, Arizona is brown and boring." Whew!!! I was glad to hear that. Sorry Sis!!!

Still no car for Austin. We have decided with gas prices so high, it is not economical for us to purchase another car at this time. We are going to suffer thru with one car for a few months and see how it goes. He and I go to the same place everyday, so I think we can manage. He isn't happy about the decision, but he understands.

Please continue to pray for the Chapman family. Our hearts are still heavy for this family and they need prayer and more prayer!

"God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdon of heaven! God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort." Matthew 5.3-4

On May 26th we started landscaping our front yard. Below are pictures of the beginning, middle and where we are right now. I still have some planting to do, I want to put some flowers around the cherry tree. Randy, Austin and I have worked hard to get this yard to "look" better. I know it has a long way to go but we are happy with what we have accomplished so far.

Prayer and Questions

Everyone has probably already heard about the tragic accident regarding Steve Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria...Austin is friends with one of the Chapman boys and the children all attend school at CPA and we are struggling to understand why this happened. We know that GOD is good and we are holding tight to that truth. I was just reading my bible and came across this excerpt and wanted to share with everyone...

If God is So Good, Why Do Bad Things Happen to His People?

GOD will allow many events to come into our life - good things, bad things, things that make no sense at all. But everyone one of these incidents in our lives serves as a part of his plan for us. Tragedy in itself is not good. But GOD can take tragedy and hardship and use them for his glory. As GOD's children, we know that everything that happens to us first goes through his screen of protection. And he will never give us more than we can handle (Corinthians 10:13). For that reason we can follow the advice in Romans 5:3 and rejoice. We have the assurance that GOD is working in our lives to strengthen and develop our character. More important, he will never leave our side (Hebrews 13:5)

That is easy to say when things are going smoothly. But when something unexpected comes into the picture, we may wonder if GOD is paying attention. That is when we need to realize that GOD is painting on a large canvas. He is looking at the big picture. We only see what is in front of us at the moment. And he has promised that all things work together for good to those that love GOD (Romans 8:28).

Please pray and pray for the Chapman family. If you are interested in getting to know who Maria, here is a link to their website http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/ and click on the side bar - Meet Maria...

Soli De Gloria (To GOD alone be the Glory)

Finishing Strong

Hi...We are almost done with this school year...and that means that Austin will be a SENIOR in high school...can you believe it? because I can't....sometimes when I say the word "senior", I feel like I am in a dream...It seems like just yesterday he was born...All I can say to all the young mother's out there, cherish your time with your children, they are grown and gone before you can blink an eye!!!

Final exams are this week...He has two exams on Wed and Thurs. and then one on Friday...He worked this past week writing 5 essays for 30% of his English exam...

We did hear back from the insurance company on Friday. Austin's car is "officially" totalled..The adjuster left a message on my cell phone and to be honest I didn't feel like dealing with it on Friday so I will call her tomorrow and get the details..We have been sharing a car/ride for the last two weeks...It doesn't bother me and Austin hasn't complained...I doubt we will replace his car anytime soon...it is saving us money not having to cars (gas and insurance) and the extra money going into SENIOR year is much needed...

Austin is going to Arizona with my mom in two weeks to visit my younger sister and her family ....he is really excited to get to spend time with the family and will get to take a college visit at the University of Arizona while he is there....It will be a short trip for him, but he will have fun...

Randy and I are doing fine...he is busy with softball and I am finally not doing volleyball on a regular basis...at least for the next 6 weeks, then my pre-season with the school team starts and I will be very busy for the next 5 months...not complaining, you all know I love the game!!!! We are going to landscape our yard next weekend (Memorial Day)...Our yard has taken a back seat since we moved in here and needs some TLC...

Please continue to keep us in your prays and we do all of you!! Hugs to everyone!!!

Won't GOD protect his chosen ones who pray to him day and night? Won't he be concerned for them? He will surely hurry and help them. Luke 18.7-8

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY

I want to wish my Mom, and all my family and friends (especially my "peeps") a very HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

I love you!!!

Just call him "CRASH"

First let me say, he is ok!! Perfect, not a scratch on him, thank the lord!!! I don't say those words lightly. Yes, Austin was in another wreck. This time he decided he was going to try and tangle with a tree - and yep the tree won. Randy and I are just thankful that he is ok, it could have been alot worse.

Austin was on his way home from dinner with his baseball coach. He was coming home the "back" way and the roads are very curvy and it had been raining all day. He came up on one curve and realized he needed to slow down so he hit his brakes and the car started to skid - and he lost control, ran off the road and hit the tree. Both airbags deployed and the front end is bad.

So we are back to a one car family. Austin is riding with me to and from school. I am not sure when we will be getting another car. We are looking at our options, if anyone out there has a car they aren't using and would like to donate to the cause, give us a call :-)

The Morning After ......PROM

After bowling everyone went back to The Benton's house. Hayley is one of the girls that plays volleyball for me and is dating Austin's bestfriend, Andy. Hayley's mom told me the kids stayed up until 3:00 am and then the girls came upstairs to sleep and the boys stayed in the basement. Marjo kept watch in the kitchen all night.

I went over to have breakfast with the kids. It was fun to sit back and watch the kids interact together. The guys cooked and the girls enjoyed. Everyone said the food was good, even the Green Eggs. After breakfast everyone went swimming, I don't have any pictures of that, not sure why, just didn't think to take any.