Our Trip- Friday- Sunday

 Where was the first English settlement in America? Keep reading to find out!...

Thursday night after our train and Amish adventures, we headed back to Richmond, Virginia. The next morning we woke up and drove to Williamsburg. On the way, we needed to stop on the side of the road to help encourage a child to honor the Lord. While we were waiting, Katie Faith saw something in the grass. She was so excited! She just had to get it. All the kids wanted it. So, AJ, the good daddy he is, went and picked some up...

                                                   

                                                 Deer Antlers. There were a lot of them but AJ only grabbed a couple to bring home.

                                                         


It has amazed me with all of the places and things we have been and done, the kids will find the tiniest bug, leaf, flower, deer antler, stick more exciting than anything. God's creation.
We went to Colonial Williamsburg but only made it for the last 3 hours. Our plan is to go back before we leave to enjoy the whole experience so I will save my pictures for later.

A blessing this day from our Lord... we checked  into the hotel for the night, the hotel lady heard we had 5 children and she gave us a 2 room suite for the same price as a regular room! We had 2 bathrooms, 2 double beds and a pull out couch. It was a blessing to have this extra room. Especially the bathroom. We were able to get our evening and morning duties done in the half the time!

We all slept good and were ready to go on Saturday!

So do you know what the first English settlement of America is? Did you guess Plymouth? If you did, you were wrong. The first English settlement was Jamestown, Va and that is where we went on Saturday.

                                            John Smith was one of the leaders of the settlement.

                                                      
                                                             This was the first church.
 The rules of the settlement were if you missed church one time you were not allowed to eat for a week


                                                   .
                        If you missed twice...time chained in the field...Third time...sentenced to death.

                                                 Pocahontas- She was considered more on the wild side                                                 because one day she did cartwheels in the towns center.

                                                                     Chesapeake Bay.

                                                             Zechariah was ready for lunch.

                                                     
It was a neat little place but the kids were more interested in running and playing. So we let them. They have been doing so well cooped up without much play and getting energy out. We didn't want to provoke them by making them walk with a huge yard to run around in...and trees to climnb, bugs to see- there were tons of lady bugs!!!

                         After we left Jamestown, we took a ferry across the bay. This was a lot of fun. Except when it was time to drive off the boat and we couldn't find the keys. We were frantically looking knowing cars would be held up because of us...we were the first vehicle in the 3rd row...after much scrambling and panicking, I found them in my pocket. I am famous for losing keys in my pocket. I thought it was funny and couldn't stop laughing, AJ was not as amused. :)
                                                         While waiting for the ferry...sunset...

                                                                     Getting on...

                          This was important because my boys have been wanting to climb everything!

                                                               Daddy with his blessings...

                                                       Mommy with hers ( Cracker Zech's hair is jamming! )
                                   
                                      

                                                                The Love birds!

The whole family....

                                                       

We drove to Waynesboro, Va this night. Another drive almost 3 hrs. long. On our way, we called to make a reservation at a hotel. They were booked. Called another one...booked. I called a number I found and had the man find a room for us. All hotels along our path and at our destination were booked. There was a college football game. I prayed. AJ and I were about to turn around to head back to get a room, but the nice gentleman called me back and saw someone had canceled a reservation. We booked it. When we arrived, the room smelled (the cleaning lady said a couple stayed there a few nights prior and she can't get the smell out). Smell was not good, but we were thankful to have a place to sleep that night.

Sunday was a big and exciting day. AJ and I have been following a blog by a pastor at a small church in Charlottsville, Va for about 2 yrs. AJ often will comment, but I am a silent reader. We were excited to attend his church that morning and meet this godly man and hear him preach.

Pastor Riddle delivered a great message based on Luke 4: 31-44. Spoke about demons. The part that really touched my heart and spirit was when he spoke on verse 33 "there was a man....there is always a man in church. Standing in need." Pastor Riddle was speaking about a lost "man". There is always one around and we should be made aware and reach out to them sharing the Gospel and at one point...we were "that man".

After the message was delivered, we broke for a lunch fellowship followed by
Sunday School. We then headed to a nursing home to sing with the elderly and hear Pastor Riddle give a brief message.

                                                     
When we finished, we had the honor of going back to their house and fellowshipping, getting to know one another. His wife was a blessing to be around and so easy to get a long with. I felt like I knew her for years.

                                             check out Pastor Jeff's blog.../http://www.jeffriddle.net/


The night came  quickly and we had to go. It was a joyous Lord's day. Meeting with the Saints and worshiping our Lord and then sharing how our Lord has brought us to Him. I thank God for this day of rest when we can spend time with Him and pause in our worldly duties for the day.

God does bless us...indeed He does.