Launch Week

Life has been busy.  A good busy.  A crazy, no-time-to-blog busy.  We concluded our second Sunday service at Sunnybrae this morning, so I figure it's fine time to finish documenting the first.

And the amazing week that led up to it.

On Tuesday night, October 5th we met at our house to finalize the schedule for the Masters Team who were due to arrive the next day.

And of course there was no question as to the fine cuisine that would be served.

That's Ashlyn's little mit.  Stealing someone else's burrito.  She loves her Chipotle.

We then went to the school and performed a signage trial run.  Late at night.  For no good reason.  Because we are weird like that.

Then, on Wednesday night, the sweet angels arrived.  We had dinner at Grandma Jean's (no pics... sorry).  And some of us (me, not being one) were up super early the next day for worship and prayer at an awesome San Mateo overlook.  Kim documented, as usual and sent pics.  So I got to pretend I was there.  But sleep in.  Win.  Win.

Later that day, we handed out postcards to our neighbors.  We invited them to our first service on the 10th and to a Kids Club and BBQ we were having the Saturday before.  Which scared me to death.  Not a fan of the door-to-door thing.  But I felt it wrong to ask them to do something that I wasn't willing to do.  So I went.  And secretly prayed no one would be home.  And left lots of cards under windshield wipers.  And ran if I heard voices.  Sad, sad excuse for a pastor's wife, I know.

After we were all out of postcards, Dave took the kids into the city for the afternoon.  Some had never been before.  Here is the team at the top of Twin Peaks.  It was windy.

The next day they went into Oakland to serve at City Team Ministries.  They painted a large portion of the shelter which, I know, was a huge blessing for that organization.  Poor Janell, the ASL queen, still had paint in her hair when they left on Sunday.

Later that night, we headed back to our house for tacos and to watch the Giants game.  A very ugly game, indeed.   Mid-ugliness, Dave, a few Hope peeps and the Masters kids went out into the streets of downtown San Mateo to talk with people and invite them to church on Sunday.  I stayed home with my sleeping children and watched the Giants blow a 4-0 lead.

On Saturday, the 9th, we had our Kids Club and BBQ at Sunnybrae Park.  Beautiful, perfect weather.  And another great time of fellowship and getting to know one another.  And those in our neighborhood.  Those we would soon be ministering to.  And I'm just realizing now that my pictures are kind of sad.  And I'm not exactly sure why.  It think it was also a too-crazy-to-take-great pictures kind of week.

Later than night, back to our house for pizza and a sign-making extravaganza.  We printed programs, letterhead, kids' coloring pages, statements of faith, etc.  My Cricut was taken out of semi-retirement and burned some serious midnight oil.  For those of you who are not scrapbooking geeks, a Cricut is a dye-cut machine.  For those of you who still have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm afraid we can no longer be friends.  We also spent time in worship, prayer and read through the Sermon on the Mount.

Precious, sweet time together.  And definitely the calm before the beautiful storm.