BJU '09

I got back from the Bob Jones University High School Festival in South Carolina a few of days ago and am finally getting around to posting about it. :) We had a wonderful trip and God really blessed our group. The group was lots bigger this year which was great! We had a ton of fun. Here are a few pictures from the trip....

The first picture of the week taken at a rest stop. I almost squashed the poor bug thinking it was a stick. Stick bugs are so neat!!!

North Carolina = Beautiful!
God shows His power and majesty through His creation.

Liesl and Danielle in NC

In the gameroom at BJU playing Dutch Blitz

I played a harp solo....

...violin solo...

...and piano duet (this picture is the me part of it...hehe).

David and Liesl practicing on the stage because.....

...they got 1st place in string ensembles!
If anyone remembers from the BJU post '08, they got second last year.
For BJU, getting 1st is really good-- there are a lot of super talented people there from all over the states.
Good job!

~Sisters in Christ~

Liesl and Danielle

Danielle, Amber and Rachel

Danielle and me

Amber and me

Rachel and Amber

~Friends are amazing!~

The whole group the day before we left.
If anyone remembers from last year... we had 8 people, so this was really neat!

What kept me going on the way home--sugar!!!!!!!!!!
Well.... almost... I didn't stay awake quite the whole way. Driving 16 hours after a week at Bob Jones made me tired.... :)

Thanks for your prayers. It was so exciting for me to see how God worked through this week. It was fun, stretching, short, a great learning experience, somewhat scary, long, tiring.... an awesome week!


~Marissa

Taking a walk

Yesterday we went on a walk looking for good pictures...

Starting out....

This was on the way back home.

Isn't this a cool picture? Andi took it. :D

Elaina smelling the flowers.

We have a lot of pretty wildflowers on our road! :D

Thanks for coming, Erin! We had fun with you! :D

Best Friends

Andi and me

Elaina, Seth, Ian and I making cupcakes.... :D

Seth and Ian frosting the cupcakes

Seth and Elaina playing in the water

Andrea and Ian gardening in the rain

Elaina, Seth, Andrea, Ian and I decorating Easter eggs.

Wow, I am so blessed to have the siblings I do. They are so amazing! We always have tons of fun together and would much rather be together than apart.

We haven't always gotten along as well as we do now, though. God has taught us many lessons and helped us to love each other in a way that we never could have without Him. We've learned that God has placed us together for a reason. He wants each of us to be there for the others. I can truly say now that my brothers and sisters are my very, very best friends.

A great book that we have read is called Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen and Grace Mally. I would really encourage all families to read this book.
Have a great day!
~Marissa

Andrea's birthday party

We tried to make a pyramid... it didn't work so well...

We almost made it!

Liesl provided the music for musical chairs. :D

We had a very intense game of fuseball going on.

I think they were... talking... about what game to play or something.

Say cheese!

Andrea turned 13 on a few days ago! Sorry this post actually should have been before the last one.... Her birthday was on March 4th, she got to go shopping and I think she had a lot of fun. :D Shopping is one of her favorite things to do.. personally I don't see how it is that much fun... but I usually have fun if Andi's with me because.... well I always have fun when she's with me!!! :D

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDI!!!

New Year's Eve and Dad's Birthday

Ian and Talitha

Ian made this "bunk bed" on the couch and got lots of entertainment out of it!

Ian and Seth

Andi, Danielle and me

Sara and Talitha

Seth!!! He loved the jumbo olives. :D haha

Dad opening Ian's present.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!!

BJU Festival

Last week I went with a few people from our homeschool band/orchestra to a music competition in South Carolina. It was SO much fun! We left on Sunday morning, stayed in a hotel Sunday night, and got the Bob Jones University (where the competition was) Monday afternoon. We stayed there through Friday morning.

The drive was 14 hours.... but it was really pretty.

Wendy, David and Cameron

Liesl inside a sign in Tennessee

Stopping for dinner Sunday evening.

Wendy, Joanna and Liesl having breakfast in the hotel.

Joanna, Wendy, Liesl and me under a bridge at a rest stop.

Wendy, Liesl and Joanna... we're almost there!

Finally, at Bob Jones!

Wendy and I just before going in to play our duet.

Heather doing her flute solo.

David and Liesl

They got 2nd place!! Yay!

The gameroom!!!!

Liesl and Wendy crushing David and Cameron. ☺

Wendy found out that Liesl is a pool shark...

Playing Dutch Blitz

On the way home.... Wendy was clueless. ☺

Thanks everyone for your prayers!