Here's Isaac and Molly on their day trip from their cruise. This is a live creature

They look like they're having a good time. I of course was having more fun with
5 grandkids and Mark and Marky sick.














These are Molly's parents. Bobbi and I go to
the Cove (Billy Graham's place) every Tuesday
morning to do a women's study on Hopelessness.
We usually get lunch too. They have a great chef.
It's been great getting to know Bobbi. She's been a real friend to us.
John and Bobbi have been traveling to Kenya and other
places in Africa sharing the Word and love of the Lord a couple
times a year.

Scarey sight to behold, but what a guy!!!

The many styles of Marklar. Every mother and grandmother's nightmare - hair in the eyes.
He actually took these pictures himself. He recorded Samuel today making up a song to Marklar's
guitar practice. We will see if we can get it on. You will have to see Sam's Bob Marley outfit too.

Can you see how he can relate to the people in Asheville? I can. It's hard to believe he'll be 15 soon.

More family!!

I am still having a hard time believing it, but Mike, Jo and the girls are moving here Feb 28th. Mike has had a medical discharge and they are getting out of the army and will be relocating to Asheville. They found a nice apartment until they can get to know the area and find a home to buy. I have not had so many relatives around in a long time. What a joy to grow up around cousins and for us to have some good time with the grandkids. This is at Christmas time outside of church.

Our 34th anniversary was yesterday. Marky was away on a retreat with his youth group at the Cove. We had a really nice weekend together. This picture is from our business retreat, but couldn't find another with the two of us.
We drove up to Chimney Rock. We didn't actually go up, but the drive was beautiful. We went to the little shops and had some lunch. Every time we came back to the car there was a little present on the seat, some cough drops, vase, candles, choclates, etc. Mark made it a really fun weekend. We got a gift certificate for the Olive Garden and had a great waitress and really enjoyed ourselves. We never get appetizers or wine so it was a real treat. It's hard to believe that all our kids(except Mark) are so old. I still think we're there age. Of course Mark doesn't age much with his 200 miles of riding a week. It's been a hard season, but is obvious to me that the Lord really has been active in all the changes in our lives and has a good plan for us. It will be interesting to see all that God is doing and will do.
I have been taking a Sunday School class at church on Hearing God's Voice that has really been helpful to me. A couple of tidbits: 1. Honor the flow of the Spirit. After this lesson I recieved what I think is a Bible study for the future for mom's. I know God speaks to me, but I don't always stop and pay attention. Either I dismiss it as me or I don't respond to it. (On occasion I do, but......) I began to write furiously. Now I need to do the work and give it time and prayer and God directed study. I'm looking forward to what develops. I use to have a monthly outlet of seeing the spirit move in our prison ministry where God would show up and love on the women there. This was like that, but in a new form.

Talking Deer

Well Monica has beautiful babies laughing and we have deers that talk. This is from our New Years Business Retreat. Isaac shared with us his vision for the future of Shiloh Painting and roles in it and Molly prepared a really nice spread of food and relaxation in a hot tub. It was a really nice get away for us. We even listened to some CD's on the five love languages while in the hot tub. It was good. Isaac and Mark found much to laugh about with our deer friend.

This is in our living room with our beautiful red coach Mark did a little work for with our little reindeer. It's so interesting to see all that God is doing in each of their lives. They are so unique and wonderful. It's amazing to me how God has taken such pains to make such unique people out of us, with such individual plans for our lives.

2006 is almost gone, how time flies

Well this was a great way to end the year with a fun week of grandkids.

We had Christmas at the Sullivan's (molly's folks). Mark lead us in Christmas carols, John had made a manger bed that we all put our gifts on a piece of paper to Jesus, we ate, we played Apples to Apples, and John read the Christmas story from the Bible. Molly's brother Sean, wife Rebecca, and their two kids Connor and Patrick, GG (John's mom) and great family friend Ms. Pat were all there celebrating the birth of our Lord. What a blessing to be able to come together and remember all He has done for us. Molly and I went to the Nativity movie. We would recommend it. We were commenting on how we kind of overlook how important Joseph's calling was. What an unusual man called to unusual life. God surely has something interesting for each of us.

More fun

Another day we had a big baking fest. We made candy cane cookies Isaac remembers making as a boy and of course chocolate chip and invisible mint peanut butter. Everyone got to pound the candy mints to spitherins with a hammer, unwrap many candies, roll the dough, twist and shout. We also went to see Charlotte's web with Bobbi (the other grandma) and her other two grandboys. We think we might have liked it better than the kids, but it was a sight to see that row of beautiful kids.
Mike and Johanna brought Marky back the next weekend and spent the night with us and we all went to church the next day. It was nice having three of my kids in one place, and five of the grandkids, not to mention 2 in law kids. Mark and I are truly blessed to have such wonderful kids. I forgot to mention we were able to have dinner with Sam and his oldest friend Jason while we were in Virginia.
It has been a little strange not being in our own home this Christmas and we have new relatives, but God has a great plan and purpose for our life and I'm interested to see what will unfold in 2007. Happy New Year.

Christmas Time

Well we had some Christmas fun. We drove Marky up to his big sis and brother in laws house in Virginia and we kidnapped their two gems, Grace and Faith. We had a week of cousin fun. As you can see they built a home that could fit all five of them. There was much debate about how to decorate, but it was a fun time!!!

We then did some crafts one day provided by Aunt Chrissie. The boys made snowman magnets, Grace made a beautiful snowflake and Faith made an angel. It was a lot of fun. On Saturday, Grandpa and daddy took all the kids to the WNC nature center. They seem to get the biggest kick out of an australian cow, called an oreo, because of his coloration. They had some fun with a very friendly otter too.

Crazy

Well I have been very unsuccesful at getting in to the new story blog Joel made. I've been trying and trying. I have sleep deprivation now. We were very sad to hear that Auntie Elsie has gone to be with Jesus. We're happy for Jesus and Elsie, but sad for all who love her. She was such a happy memory of our early years of marriage where we would drop in and have an instant prayer and praise meeting. Mark has had a rich inheritance of faith. I'm glad I also got to be a part of that. 

Mark's been wanting dreds, this is as close as we could deal with it. Many more hairstyles to come. 

Grandma Klepac

Grandma Klepac

Well Mark made it home safe and sound from the cold country we used to call home. He missed his mountains. He's sure in love with them. I had a pretty quiet weekend. Marky was off helping with a Holiday feast for some folks who were in need of some fun and food. They also had a little store for the kids to "buy" christmas presents for their parents. He then spent the night at some new friends house. Friday night once a month they have intercession and praise and worship for the high schoolers. He's really enjoying that. So mom was pretty to herself other than one night of watching the grandboys. I read a whole book, worked in the office and took marky to a movie. While poor Mark worked away on our house. Please keep it's sale in your prayers.

This is one of the logo's marky made for Shiloh Painting. I like it alot. We've had kind of a rough day today. One of the men who foreman's for us fell off a ladder and broke his foot multiple times. He is in a lot of pain. Isaac and Mark have been at the hospital all day.
Marky got invited over to a new friends house from church today. So hopefully this will be the start of a good relationship. Lives far away of course. We love to drive. ha ha.
IT looks like some of us have strep throat. Sam tested positive and I have a sore throat, as does Molly. 

It's hard to imagine how cute these guys are. They are each so unique from the other. Thursdays are grandma's home school day. I'm with Marky in the morning and with the grandboys in the afternoon. We do a Bible study and then do a gym class with the local rec park. Today was 70 and beautiful and a lot of fun. We learned that we are precious in God's eyes today. The older boys sent cards to someone they loved to let them know. What a blessing to be able to be a part of their lives. 

Life in Asheville

Hey, we've finally got my blog going again. Mark and Marky went over night in the mountains. It is hard to ever forget what an awesome God we have if you have your eyes open. Grace and Faith came to visit for a few days and we had a great time. Mark and I took them all to Chuckie Cheese. They really know how to have fun.
Marky went to Dare 2 Share weekend with our church and really got to experience some door to door evangelism with 3000 teenagers. They also collected 7000 lbs of canned goods.
Molly and I will have finished To Live is Christ next week. We are hoping to start a study of Daniel in January. I am also going to the Cove (Billy Graham's retreat center) for a Bible study with Molly's mom in January. Hope I can keep up, but didn't want to miss either one.

I just had a great visit from Karen Knopp. Mark took us up some pretty exciting driveways!!! It was so good to have sweet fellowship with our sister. That's all for now. I'll try to remember how to get in from now on!!

Grand Girls

I unfortunately dont' have any pictures of my two bautiful grand girls, Grace and Faith, but am hoping on taking some while they are visiting

Grand Kids

Here are my wonderful Grand Boys!
Hard to believe we have 5 now. Stay tune for some pics of the girls. Sammy's practicing karate in marky's room, monica of course is loving on abram, and the boys are at sammy's birthday party at a great park. Which simeon and abram were able to come to.