So Very Proud

Good Morning my friends! I hope you are well. I am praying specifically for some of you.♥

Last night our Jacob returned to us from the Kairos retreat he went on with school. This time he was a group leader. This retreat is lead mainly by peers, so it is secretive, you don't really get to know what it is about until you go yourself. Former participants can come back as leaders after over a dozen hours of training and developing.

Last night was the closing ceremony at the chapel at school. The parents are all there to welcome them home. I cannot believe I forgot to bring tissue again!! Each child can come up to the "open podium" to share if they choose. There were at least 5 of those students who bravely shared that they had doubted God existed. They said that God found them and they now believe. Oh geesh! I am crying again. (I cry from everything. No really, EVERYTHING!!)

The parents were asked to write a love letter to their child ahead of time. These were read aloud in front of the group at the retreat. There was one young man last night who told us because of that letter, he knew his family loved him. He said he never knew that. Stop right there friends. Can you imagine that? No, really? This quiet young man was a very troubled young man. You could see it. What is his story? I watched for him to leave later. He left alone. Where were his parents? Who welcomed him back?

So we are very proud that Jacob is moved enough, that he is Christian enough, to share his faith and to help others come to faith.

Well our Emerson has also made us so very proud.  He has won a Gold Key in the Scholastic Art Competition. There were over fifteen hundred entries from our state of Wisconsin. It is for grades 7-12. There were 325 winners of Gold, Silver and Honorable Mentions. The Gold Key winners go on to National Competitions for Gold and Silver Medals. This is Emerson's drawing.

You can click on it for a better look!

It is hanging in the Milwaukee Art Museum. The award ceremony was there as well, in this grand reception hall, The Windhover Hall.
 
 This is located directly below the Calatrava-designed Burke Brise Soleil.



Have you made it this far friends? Well, alrighty then! I made up this little sweetie.

one over one on 28ct ?pink? evenweave

This is a freebie found here. Um, that's not the exact page, but I am not truly sure I have fellow poodle stitchers out there. I may be the only NUT! ;) But if you are interested, have a look around the site. I actually, yes I really did squeal in delight when I found these. My husband doesn't see the charm in the refrigerator bottle cap magnet COLLECTION so much anymore. "Don't we have enough?" ha HA HA! Yes, remember I did say I am a poodle nut!!

I have had this teeny, tiny pom pom trim waiting for it's moment. I did change the chart colors around a bit. I have mentioned before, but I will say it again these are the large 2 inch bottle caps. They are found at JoAnn.

Still stitching on my Valentine project. It is adorable. And no, there are no poodles involved. ;)

If you have not seen, I am having my 200 follower giveaway here.

I hope your day is filled with wonderful, stitchy goodness, and more importantly LOVE!♥

Stitching and praying,
Vickie