Adventures: Fall in Newport RI

Reflections on our wonderful summer home in Newport. 

Ginger worked for Majestic Cruise Company, selling tickets for 1-hour cruises that include narrated tours of the harbor. She also got to give the tours one day when the guides were all out. Some days had fancy lunch and dinner cruises. 

We went swimming in the ocean on a stormy but warm day, and enjoyed rain while being mostly under water already...

We renewed our membership to Newport Mansions and got Tim to join us in some tours. Below, Chateau Sur Mer. 

Our puppy Clementine is now 9 months old, and weighs 33 pounds, probably her full adult size. That's big enough to drive, right?

Our landlord, Paul, let us use his kayaks at the north point of the island.

 

 

Paul and Stephen did a lot of work on the apartment over the summer, including installing a fireplace.

We didn't buy tickets to the Newport Folk Festival this year, but we did listen from the water with Phoebe on her dingy. There was a huge community of people listening from their boats, swimming, and having fun. Phoebe found several people she knew as we drove around.

Stores on the wharf boarded up for hurricane Irene, often with mocking signs:

Newport didn't suffer much building damage, but the storm was hard on the trees, and we lost most of our fall leaves.

 

We lost our electricty right after the news channel downgraded Irene to a tropical storm. We took some steaks out of our freezer and went to Tim's house to use his electric gas stove. We also drove to the shore to see the waves. All beaches were carefully monitered by police. After 36 hours, our power returned.

 

We did some apple-picking at Sweetberry Farm.

 

and took more silly photos!

On Stephen's birthday, we visited Kingscote Mansion.

Adventures: NSO Providence RI

InterVarsity New Student Outreach - Fall 2011

The first month back to classes, Ginger and the InterVarsity chapter at Rhode Island College did several outreachs to new students.

For three Wendesdays, we did "proxé stations" - outdoor walls with questions to inspire curiousity and challenge students. The first week was "Why are you here?" with questions about purpose in college and life, the second proxé dealt with the environment and spiritual implications, and the third was for InterNational Day of Peace.

Below, students were given dot stickers to chose the answers they liked best.

Our International Day of Peace proxé was designed by Lindsey, an art education major. We printed 100 flags from different nations, and invited students to color (with crayons!) the flag of their choice. (We brought an atlas to find the right colors.) We noticed how everyone had a heart for a particular country- either identifying their roots or where they had been. Ireland, Canada, Cambodia, Germany, and others were quickly grabbed. 

The back of each flag had three questions to inspire discussion as we colored: "What is Peace? How do you need peace in your life? Does God care about peace?" 

Over 30 students participated, and we made a cool clothesline of flags and verses from Psalm 34 stretching across the Quad. Left to right, Amelia, Lindsey, Michelle, Jerry, Ginger and Bahji.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

The chapter's weekly "Large Group" meeting has been meeting every Thursday, and has already a higher attendence than last year. Below, president Alexandra (far right) invites students to step over the line and not be held back by fears that have kept them from God's calling for each of them. 

Looking forward to a wonderful school year!

Adventures: Dallas + Austin TX

September 3-10, we traveled to Texas to meet our new baby niece and spend time with family. Michelle picked us up from the airport, and we visited her church, Stonebriar, pastored by Chuck Swindoll. Michelle did some gourmet cooking for us, including stuffed mushrooms and chocolate soufflé.

We spent the rest of the weekend with Ginger's Texas family. Below, we join the family for some much-longed-for Tex-Mex! Left to right- Uncle Bill, Aunt Bid, Uncle Don, Ginger, Stephen, and Zach crouching. 

Stephen's dad Rene drove from New Mexico and picked us up from Dallas. His trip took rather longer than anticipated when, two hours into his drive, he realized he had forgotten to turn on the automatic fish-feeder for their saltwater tank. So, he went back, and spent 16 hours on the road for Labor Day. (We waited until Tuesday morning to drive to Austin.)

Honey had already been staying with the family in Austin for several weeks. Below, "Grampie" meets his newest granddaughter for the first time: Finley Charlotte. 

Baby Finley with her mother, Melanie. 

Right, Grammie & Mommy stamp Finley's footprints into her baby album.

Finley was born August 24, 2011.

Our first night back, we got to see the rest of the family. Our nephew Lukas played with his dad, Markus, and Sophie and Bailey showed us the neat playground equipment.

 

Everybody at Mighty Fine Burgers: (left to right) Markus, Tippy, Ginger, Stephen, Honey, Rene, Adam Melanie. Tippy's sons Bailey & Lukas, Melanie's daughters Sophia and Finley. 

We all went out again our last night for an early celebration of Stephen's birthday. We made a plaid cake and ate outdoors downtown, listening to live music and dancing with the kids.

Due to 90 degree heat, we didn't spend too much time outside, but still got to enjoy Melanie & Adam's lovely backyard.

Ginger made it a goal to get a good photo of the kids. Here's the best efforts:

 

We miss everyone already... but we're glad we got to visit for a little while.