Making Strides Walk

This past weekend family and friends got together to support our sista Sonia at the Making Strides against breast cancer walk event at Mount Trashmore.

Some of the family and friends gathered before the walk!

 My Sister cousins who came to walk with me.

This is Sonia's youngest daughter and I. Not sure what I was talking about! lol

The start of the walk! 

We have had several family and friends effected by cancer so this cause is very dear to my heart.

Some of the WIT wives along with my cousins after the walk.

I love these ladies to life! They drove over and hour that morning just to support and walk  with me!  

The entire group of Sisters in The Fight!

Are You Ready For The Weekend Baby??

Last week we received a ton of invites for graduation!

Friday I went to class with Marc. He's only taking one class this summer which allows us to spend some time together on Saturday! 

This allowed us to go to Davids graduation. We've known him since he was born and when he was small my daughters baby set him and his siblings. They are kind of freaking out now because so many of the kids they knew as babies are in college! Imagine how we feel? lol

My girlfriend and her husband are very proud of him! 

His siblings ( all of which the girls have baby set for)!

Nicki was able to attend as well.

We had a great time! It was a perfect way to start the weekend. This coming weekend we have two graduation parties! Oh boy! 

WIT Renewed!

Its been to many years to count since our Women's group got together to fellowship and have bible study. Two weeks ago we decided it had been long enough!

We had a great time sharing our favorite bible scriptures and getting caught up on what has happened in our lives over the past 14 years.

There were some tears shed but a whole lot of laughter.

Of course no WIT get together would be complete without food! LOL

This year has been challenging to say the least. One of our WIT wives went home to be with Jesus. And our WIT wife Sonia is a cancer overcomer (I like that better then surviving because she is living life after fighting and overcoming this dreaded disease).

Sonia lighting a bag in memory of another WIT wife Gail.

When I first moved back to VA after Marc got out of the military these two ladies were my first real friends. Sonia is my youngest daughters godmother and Teresa is one of those friends that you can call in the midnight hours if needed. I'm so grateful for the renewing of this group of women. It has filled a much needed void in my life!

End of Month Ministry Wrap Up!

This month marked my 6th year at WABC doing our Women's Day services.

It was great honoring the Women of The Year for 2014. I've known Mrs. Madeline since I was a child. She just happens to be my aunts cousin. Marc said we must have really surprised her because she was actually speechless. LOL

This year we had a special Women's Day choir with women from different churches participating. It was awesome seeing so many women in the choir stands!

Our guest speaker was Rev. Anna Copeland. Who just happens to be a fellow classmate of Marc's.

Both her and her husband have been a blessing to Marc. Going to school, working his own business and pastoring (not to mention squeezing in family time when he can) is very demanding. I love that he has found friends who check on him and even call to remind him when an assignment is due. LOL

For the first time we had an afternoon service to accompany our usual celebration. Both of my daughters were there to support me. 

I'm very proud of these two young ladies for the contributions they make to God.

Speaking of proud. I was very happy to have my young friend Raven and her friend who agreed to come and render a praise dance for the program. Raven is the young lady who's sweet sixteen party I decorated for a few weeks ago.

This is Quisha along with other women from her church who came to sing a few praise songs. Quisha even debut her own song which she wrote and has had put to music. I wish I could share it but it hasn't been copyrighted yet.

We also invited back my daughters friend Elizabeth and her praise team. They were our special guest last year for our women's workshop. I am pretty sure our paths will cross again in the near future.

My girlfriend Teresa who I can always call on came out and did a spoken word using the poem Phenomenal Women by Maya Angelou. How ironic considering the fact that a week later Dr. Angelou would pass away.

The following weekend I got to hear my cousin Shelly speak at a prayer breakfast for the deaconess at WABC. I'm so very proud of her. Just this month she was named the Principal at one of our local schools.

Michelle and I are more like sisters then cousins. We've had each others back since the old days. We are truly ride or die sista's! I wouldn't suggest anyone bad mouth me in front of this girl. She's been known to fight (in the street) on my behalf back when we were kids. Her daughter and my youngest are the same way. Funny how history repeats itself. LOL

Sunday was bittersweet for us at WABC. Our longtime friends and Marc's assistant are retiring and moving out of the area. So our church got together to do a special service in their honor. We go back almost 20 plus years to our early days in ministry at a church in VA Beach. Our kids have grown up together, we've taken vacations together and have done ministry together at WABC for almost 5 years.

Several people from our old church showed up to surprise them, including WIT. An organization Dianne and I are a part of. Marc and I presented them with flowers and certificates on behalf of the church for their many years of dedicated service to us and the WABC family. 

I know these two are going to miss each other. The next coming weeks will feel just a bit more empty without them. Especially our trips to Ihop for late night dinner or to Brewster's for ice cream! 

I wish I could say life is about to slow down with the approach of summer. And although I get a slight reprieve from planning anything I can't say that our calendar is any lighter. VBS starts in a few weeks.

And in August we host our 5th Women's Workshop. After that we have two weeks of vacation and then its right back to work (and class for Marc who will be wrapping up his senior year at VUU). 

Next week though we get to sit among some great speakers and just hang out with other ministry leaders at the 100th Hampton University Ministers Conference. I don't know if I'm more excited about hearing TD Jakes speak in person or the fact that for a week I get to hang out with Marc and just chill (I think I'm more excited about hanging with Marc...lol). My mom will be there as well and this year we don't just help her settle in for the week we get to spend it with her!