Fearless Love (and not so fearless parking?)

February 12, 2022 | Stacy

It was my delight to transport this group of girls to Easley tonight to attend the Fearless Love conference. We left our side of town at 4PM and got to that side of town in time to grab some Firehouse Subs.

They had some photo ops for the girls.

It was my first time driving on the Southern Connector Toll Road, and THAT was heavenly! I’m told that most people in the area don’t like to pay to drive on toll roads, so it is barely used. It was the nicest driving experience I have had since I arrived here!

Our new house has such a small driveway for the four cars we now need to park.

Oh–that the whole New Year would be this fun!

January 1, 2022 | Stacy

What a thrill to start 2022 with so much fellowship!

Mid-day, Stewart got a text from Dustyn that he and his fiancé Abby would be driving through Greenville. We were tickled that they could join us for dinner. Meanwhile, we had been looking forward to the Magins joining us for NYDay for weeks.

Weather nice enough to eat outdoors is for SURE delightful in January!

These two in particular really warmed my mommy-heart. They’ve always gotten along so sweetly.

Christmas Eve 2021

December 25, 2021 | Stacy

I’ve spent the better part of the last three days shopping or cooking.
Kelly and I broke for a few minutes this morning to be at the mall when it opened.

Marie worked til 2PM, then played some games with her sisters.

Both Kelly and Noelle are here for the holiday.

Church was at 5PM and we were some of the last to leave as we took some photos and visited with our new church family. One of the ladies in our church asked where in NY Noelle was from and wouldn’t you know she has a niece in the area Noelle may have met when they visited her church. God’s world is both BIG and small.

We went home for dinner of amazing snacks.
Veggie tray, shrimp, carmelized pigs in a blanket, spinach artichoke dip, taco dip and beef and turnkey sliders.

And for dessert we had a new recipe. It didn’t look like much and we had our doubts. It ended up being amazing.

Marie and Noelle sang for us.

Operation Christmas Child Processing Center and AHG

December 11, 2021 | Stacy

Nan helped yesterday by getting Marie and Tab to the drop off for their overnight trip to Charlotte, NC. They had a 3-hour shift at the OCC Processing Center there. From 7PM to 10PM the girls helped inspect boxes to verify that the contents met requirements to be sent overseas. They then sealed them and placed in larger boxes for distribution. Each hour they took a small break and heard updates about the ministry in general and the overall progress for OCC this year. The time went quickly and both girls enjoyed the experience immensely.

From there the girls went to a church in the area for the other AHG group they worked with to sleep overnight. They had pizza and chatted late into the night.

They came home Saturday afternoon, tired, but happy.

And they had time to clean up before the Amplify Youth Group Progressive Dinner.

South Carolina Thanksgiving

November 25, 2021 | Stacy

Not a cloud in the sky.

So grateful for the Hoyt’s hosting us as they also had guests from New Jersey.

Stewart was at Noelle’s, and Nan was in Webster.

NY weekend

October 23, 2021 | Stacy

The hardest part of going back for a weekend is trying to fit a lot in.

We were at Hobby Lobby when it opened so Marie could say hi to friends there. After that, we picked Tabitha up at Ava’s, and the plan was then to pick up Johanna’s friend Libby and then get Asher. Oh – and I had to stop off at the jeweler in Brighton to pick up my wedding band. Tab was going to meet up with friends at Long Acres farms. Tab’s friend got sick. Libby got sick. Thankfully, Asher was feeling fine and we got to his house by 11AM. The Butler’s had been missing NY pizza so we made a quick stop at Marks!

It is a good deal chillier here than it was in Fountain Inn yesterday! Good thing I brought multiple coat options.

We had some fall fun. Fall hasn’t arrived in SC just yet.

After we dropped Asher back off later, we grabbed a fast dinner and then Marie and Tabitha went to a birthday party for Ellie in Henrietta. Johanna, Katriel and I watched a movie and went back to get the girls at 10PM.

New friends and New places

September 25, 2021 | Stacy

I “met” Mary online on my Disney message forum. Though our on-line banter was not copious, we had exchanged posts enough that her screen name was clearly on my radar as “someone special” that day when I saw a little map someone made up with everyone’s avatar and geographic location.

Wait – SHE lives near ME?

WELL – turns out that the Butlers aren’t the only people to take advantage of a pandemic to pull up roots and start over somewhere new.

She had been here a lot last summer as she and her family weathered the remote/lockdown life with her SIL and family. They asked Jesus to show them the way and here she is.

With me.

At Steam Coffee – where we ate yummy food, shared testimonies, and prayed together as only people who have had their world shaken up can pray together.

I look forward to more visits with her.

Busy day–Fun day. Soccer and night out in FI.

September 12, 2021 | Stacy

Johanna had a full day. She had a soccer game at noon. (Noon in South Carolina . ) And then had Adopt-A-Road clean up with her American Heritage Girls troop at 3PM.

Village night out rounded out the day.

I love being busy again! But I bet she sleeps tonight!!

After an early dinner, we headed down to Fountain Inn Main Street.

There was a tribute to Fountain Inn Fire Fighters tonight in our little town as a local furniture and electronics retailer hosted “Bike Night.” The Hoyts met us there and Marguerite and I made up for missing our annual 4th of July photo. We were dressed for Patriot Day – so it worked out.

Blursday Chronicles–Drop and GO!

July 27, 2021 | Stacy

I had a list of things to do today.
Marie was starting her job at Hobby Lobby, and I had a lot of computer things to do to register for this, that, and some other thing.

But Tab got a text from her friend Lauren who was in town with her family to visit another ex-Perinton family who lives 45 minutes west of where we will live.

Lauren shared that the Magins and Georges were going hiking downtown and we were welcome to join them.

We didn’t need to be asked twice.

There was a little confusion in a new city on a hot day. But it was worth the mental stretching.

The little girls quickly remembered their old friends and we all enjoyed the visit and the ice cream treat afterward.

And I only cried a little.

It was good to talk to Shannon… she and her family relocated to Anderson, SC last August. Starting life over again has a lot of components to it. I appreciate her wisdom. ♥