I love the things they say....

We were on the way home last night, when the following took place. Barnabas who is 4 announced loud and clear, "Mommy, you passed gas." ☺

Mordecai was in the front seat and we just looked at each other and cracked up! Then, Mordecai realized what Barnabas was saying. On the way to church I told the children to remind me to stop at the gas station on the way home to fill up. Well, I had just driven past a gas station when Barnabas made his little announcement! He was reminding me to stop and wondered why I passed gas! It was even funnier when we realized what he was saying!!!!

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22

Good-bye to Piper

I think this post should've come before the previous one, but I digress.

We found a new home for Piper because he was growling and snapping at our children. He did it when we first got him, but we thought he would get used to us. He was very attached to me, and only tolerated the children (and Chris). And, the whole reason we got a dog was for the children!

It was hard for me to get rid of him, but the family that has him now is really nice. Hopefully he is loving his new home! ♥

So, that is why we have a new dog! We told the children that we would start looking for a dog that would love them and play with them. Little did we know it would be so soon! ☺

I know that all of you have strong opinions when it comes to children and pets, especially then they relate. So, I'm curious. What do you think? Should we have kept Piper or were we right to find him a new home?

I know it's possible that you're thinking he looks so cute and sweet in the pictures with the children. Well, watch the video....and then we'll talk!

We have a new addition to the family!

Meet.......Geneva, the Beagle! She is two years old, and a really sweet dog. Our children are so excited to have her!

What's hot with Tupperware

I signed up as a Tupperware consultant back in August, so I thought I would update what's been going on. I have a website that you can check out. You can view an online catalog there and also see what sales and specials are going on.

My very first party was a HUGE success because of the host(s)! She sent out an e-mail to her co-workers that she had a Tupperware catalog if anyone was interested. Over a week's time she collected $$$ worth of orders! She was surprised, but obviously pleased. Tupperware rewards their hosts, so she was able to get everything that she wanted plus some for FREE! It also helped me to qualify for a small leather make-up bag and a 5% cash bonus! Yay :0)!

Since we took off most of September on our R.V. trip, I didn't do any parties in September.

I had another party a couple of weeks ago with an old friend and it was a lot of fun. And, it's so much fun to meet new people! This host was also surprised what she was able to get for FREE and 1/2 price.

I have several parties lined up for November and I'm looking forward to those! If you would like to host a party with me, let me know! This is a great time with the holidays coming up! Just for booking a party, I will give you one of those cute little Tupperware key chains! :0)

Happy Birthday to Priscilla

♫Happy 1st Birthday to Priscilla♫

On October 3rd, Priscilla turned one year old! Wow! Time has really flown by! (I think I say that with every child's birthday)

Here are a couple of pictures of Priscilla the day she was born. Such a little beauty!

I made Priscilla a little cake just for her to make a mess with. As you can see in the picture, she was hesitant! She touched, tasted, smiled, and was done! The other children were disappointed to say the least! They wanted her to rip it apart and really make a mess of herself!!! So, we ended up helping her a little! She LOVED all the attention and singing; that was her favorite part!

♥ We are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with Priscilla. She is such a sweet addition to our family. ♥

Update since we've been home

We haven't "tied up all the loose ends" from our trip as far as reporting about it here. Several of you have told us that...multiple times. So this post is for you! Sorry it's taken me so long to get it published on here!

The Friday after returning, Jennifer went to see our family doctor to get her foot checked. The P.A. took one look and decided to refer her to an Orthapedic Surgeon named Dr. Morgan. He was able to see Jennifer the same day, so off she went. After waiting for about an hour and a half, she was taken back for a x-ray of her foot and ankle. Dr. Morgan showed Jennifer the x-ray and explained that she had broken two bones in her foot. He also assured her that surgery would not be needed, and that she should continue to wear the big, black boot for a few more weeks. He also fitted her for a smaller brace that can be worn after that to give some support to her ankle. Jennifer will return in 3 weeks (which will be Oct. 9) for a follow up to see if the bones have healed.

After we got home, the rain came and came. The dealership where the tow truck took the R.V. was right in the midst of lots of flooding. Thankfully, they didn't get flooded, but they closed for 4 or 5 days. When they were able to get back to work they fixed the fuel pump and a few other things attached to it. They called to tell us they also found a small pinhole in one of the hoses to the transmission! SO, they also repaired that! We finally went to pick it up and bring it home! Once back home we unpacked everything and cleaned up the R.V. It sure is nice to be home!

Thanks for following us on this great adventure! And, thank you for praying for our family!

Thirsties diaper covers giveaway

If you would like the chance to win a free Thirsties diaper cover, head on over to Life in a Shoe to enter. Below is her review.

Review: Thirsties diaper covers

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Day #19 of Our RV Adventure

Thursday, September 18, 2009. Waking up just south of Little Rock, we were experiencing a light rain. We were all excited with the thoughts of being home by the end of the day. We also knew that we had one more NEW sticker to place on the side of the motorhome. Though we would only be passing through for a short stretch, we were able to add our 11th and final state sticker for this trip. Slipping through Memphis allowed us to place Tennessee on our map.

It rained nearly the entire way back to Georgia, finally breaking up just past Birmingham, Alabama. We were making good time the entire way.

As we crossed the Georgia state line, the entire family was screaming with joy and excitement! We were home (or would be soon we thought!).

Around 3:30pm we were 23 miles into Georgia, when all of a sudden the engine shut off. There had been no warning signals on the dash and the RV had been running great. I knew it couldn't be the transmisison because this was an entirely different feel. I coasted over to the right shoulder and turned off the key. I attempted to start it again, but it would not start. So we sat there a little while allowing the engine to cool. I tried once more and it started. I slowly pulled back onto I-20. It was able to get up to speed and went a few miles. Then the engine shut down again. After pulling it over to the side, the engine would not restart. We waited as before, but nothing changed. What do we do this time? We are near Villa Rica, GA and some 65 miles from our home. There were different reactions from everyone in the RV, but most were just laughing and having a great time. They knew that we were safe, but would need to hang out for a while to before we would be rescued. So everyone got some drinks and played some games. Priscilla was the funniest. She was extremely happy during this time. Not sure why, but was glad. She helped us all keep things in perspective.

Now knowing how costly a taxi is to transport the family AND knowing that most people do not have a vehicle that would hold everyone, we thought if only we could get to our van, then we could go from there. Our friend Andy Stringer (and deacon at CCMA) had a key to our house. We figured he could get our van and bring it down to us. Therefore, I called Andy but found out he was working in Cleveland, GA about 120 miles away. Andy was willing to come, but it would be a few hours before he could arrive. I thanked him and asked him to come, but not to bring the van.

From there Jennifer called our good friends Bruce and Sherri Frick who own a 15-passenger van. In an act of love and grace, Bruce drove out to rescue the family. YEAH BRUCE and SHERRI!

Reluctantly, I called the Good Sam/Camping World Road Care again. I feared that they would say, "Mr. Jordan, you have already met your quota a few days ago. You have only had the membership a month and already you are calling again?!?!" But my fears vanished when the nice lady on the phone said they would gladly help me again. This time, after explaining what had happened, they would send a "Mobile Mechanic" to solve our problem right where we were. This sounded promising. Maybe we really could be back on the road within the hour and make it home by supper time.

Andy arrived first, which leads me to believe that he drives very fast! Then the "Mobile Mechanic" arrived. The first thing out of this mechanic mouth was, "I only work on diesel engines. I can't work on your RV." This was becoming par for the course for our return home. I smiled and asked what I should do. He recommend a Chevy dealership up the road and offered to call the Good Sam/Camping World Road Care service and have them send a tow truck. I thanked him for his help.

Just then Bruce Frick arrived with his 15-passenger rescue taxi willing and able to whisk my family away to the safety of their own home! We loaded them up with some personal items and away they went. YEAH BRUCE!

Andy and I stayed back and waiting for the tow truck. It was getting darker, so we stepped into the motorhome and chatted. This gave us a great time to catch up on his newly married life. Andy and his bride Caitlin have now been married 5 months! Life is great for them as they fall more in love with each other and God every day! YEAH ANDY and CAITLIN!

Later, Jennifer called to tell me she had arrived home safely, but did not have the key to get in. She had given her copy to Andy before we left for vacation and I still had my key. We laughed and wondered what to do. Then Andy mentioned that the key he was given was at his house. Since he lives near us, Caitlin could bring it right over. He called Caitlin, and within minutes, she rescued the family from the outdoor rain and Jennifer was able to open the door. YEAH CAITLIN!

Finally around 9:00pm and a few more phone calls to the tow company, the tow truck finally arrived. The man got out and asked what happened. I explained what took place. He took a hammer, went and beat on the gas tank, and said I was out of gas. He was confident that was the problem. This was not reassuring to me since I had only driven 240 miles since the last fill up and the gauge showed 1/2 a tank. Then he tells me I should take the RV to a mechanic in Union City, some 35 miles away and in the WRONG direction. I declined and asked where the Good Sam/Camping World Road Care told him to take it. He showed me the paper work and sure enough, it indicated John Thornton Chevrolet Dealership on Thornton Rd in Lithia Springs (a little closer in the direction of my home). At this point the tow truck driver hooked up the RV, while Andy and I followed behind in his truck.

We arrived at the back lot of the dealership, where the security guard was supposed to be waiting to check us in. He was not there, so we honked and waited. The tow truck driver walked over to the the Sheriff's office which was next to the dealership. They told him that if we couldn't get in, we could park the RV in their parking lot behind the building.

The only problem with this is that I wouldn't be able to leave my key to the RV, requiring my return to this area before it could be worked on. We honked a few more times and waited, but no security guard could be found. I'm sure he was busy somewhere securing a sofa or something since it was nearly 10pm. So we left the RV in the back of the Sheriff's office all locked up. Before departing, I left a Presidential Trillion Dollar Bill tract with the driver. I did not get a chance to discuss it with him, but I trust he will read it more closely later.

Andy then graciously drove me home. YEAH ANDY! It was around 11pm when we arrived home. We had planned to stop and get something to eat, but both of us were so tired that we had forgotten.

The good news is that all 9 of the Jordans are now home. It was a very welcome treat to sleep in our own beds. We thank the Lord for the opportunity to travel and see such natural beauty across the country. We also enjoyed greatly the family and friends that we shared time with. Though we wish the time could have been extended, we are grateful for every minute we had.

And yes, the RV had troubles coming home, but it did not spoil our vacation. God allowed us to do everything we desired before making our way home and having troubles. Though it is costly to repair, we do not regret taking the RV. We will always have great memories of our time together. God is good! The opportunities He has offered us, both good and difficult, has shaped our perspective and expanded our character. He has protected us from collisions and major injuries. He has allowed our children to watch their parents navigate through the blessings and hardships. God guides and He provides! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

If you have been following us on our trip, we thank you for your prayers, thoughtful words, and encouragement. We hope this trip has been a pleasure for you to read about and experience at a distance. May God bless you also as you live your life for Him. And let us know if you are broadcasting your life somewhere in order that we we can follow and pray for your journey.

Day #18 of Our RV Adventure

Wednesday, September 16, 2009. We drove through the rest of Arizona, all of New Mexico, and finally arrived in Amarillo, TX before stopping to rest at the Texas Welcome Center. It was early in the morning before the sun had risen. Everyone was sound asleep, so I joined them.

In a few hours, most of us were awake again. Not wanting to waste any time, we filled with gas once again and pressed on. Jennifer and the children were able to eat breakfast as we drove. We drove through the rest of Texas and entered Oklahoma. Here we also picked up some grocery items for lunch and diner. About half way through Oklahoma, just past OK City, we pulled over at a rest stop. I took an hour nap, while Jennifer and the children played outside. Just as I woke up, it began to ran. Everyone came in. The timing was perfect. We started the engine and drove on. The tired "are we there yet?" attitudes also began to appear.

We finally made it to Arkansas. Late that night we stopped for a good nights rest somewhere past Little Rock.

Another day was complete and we were getting closer to home. Thankfully our motorhome transmission was working fantastic.

Day #17 of Our RV Adventure

Tuesday, September 15, 2009. Our RV was still in the shop waiting for the rebuilt transmission to arrive from Phoenix. There was not much for us to do. We had no vehicle and Jennifer couldn't walk very far. So we turned on the TV to see if there was anything good on (you never know when it is cable). The Cartoon Network and Disney Channel filled a good part of the morning.

Since check-out time in the motel was 11am, I called the Transmission shop and asked them an when they thought the RV would be ready. They confirmed that it would be 5pm at the earliest. That left us with 6 hours of time with nothing to do and no where to go. The motel clerk came by and asked if we needed to stay another night. I had no desire to pay for an additional night, especially at the rate we were being charged. So I told her I would get back with her shortly. From there I called a local car rental place thinking we could rent a car for a cheap price and drive to the mall or a local park. I called and told them our situation and asked for the daily specials. They had a $29.99 daily rate for cars. Then I told her how many people. After a pause (why does having 7 children always make people pause?!?!), she said we would need to get the 12 passenger van. That was fine with me, so I asked her how much that would be for the 5 hours we needed it. She replied, "$135.99 per day." What!? I could get nearly 5 rental cars for that price. "Why so much?" I asked. "That's just our rate." Since this was MORE than the motel rate for the night, and Jennifer was in no condition to drive a car, I declined the rental van. Then I mozied down to the front office and paid for an additional night in the motel. I think they were willing to grant me an additional night since I told them I would be out by 6pm that same evening.

At lunch time, we reheated our leftover pizza that we had stored in the little in-room refrigerator. We had thought ahead and brought some drinks from the RV in our cooler.

After a while, we felt like our brains were turning to mush watching so much TV. So, in order to get our bodies moving and to give Jennifer some quiet rest, I gathered up the six oldest children and the dog to go on a walking adventure. You never know what you may find on a walking adventure, but I told them to "keep your eyes peeled."

At the motel there was a little park with a few benches. There were also several wild flowers. We took notice of the various colors on display.

Across the way from the motel was a Nursery for plants, flowers and trees called Viola's Flower Garden. We explored all the various types of plants for this region of the country.

From there we traveled down the road until we came to the Super Pawn Shop. The children have never been in a pawn shop, so this would be an educational experience of seeing what people are selling and buying in these places. From jewelry, clothes, computers, guns, video games, DVD movies, power tools, etc. there was a wide collection of items. One of the first things we noticed was the high prices for these used items. Not sure who is going to buy a used computer for $600 or a used, worn out leather jacket for $125. The DVD's were $6.99 with no guarantee that it works. We decided there was nothing we couldn't live without, so we continued on in our walking adventure.

Down the road a ways, we saw an old car parked outside of a shop. No one was around, so we admired the car and then took a picture. If you know what type of car this is, let us know.

As we continued, some little feet and legs were getting tired. There was also a few requests for a rest room and for a drink of water. We stopped at a Circle K (Strange things are afoot at the Circle K) and purchased a couple of Gatorades. We asked to use the rest room, but it was closed at the time. So we pressed on, now in search of a rest room. We were near a strip mall, so we figured someone would have a rest room that we could use. Unfortunately, most said that their rest rooms were not for the public. But God shed His grace on us at the Book Nest and Teacher Supply Store. The shop clerks welcomed us in and pointed the children to the rest room. The rest of the children began to explore the millions of games, puzzles and books throughout the store. This was a children's paradise. We stayed for a while here, while the children played. Thank you Lord for a FREE, air conditioned, play place for children of all ages. Upon leaving, Deborah said, "This is the best place to come when you are stuck in Flagstaff." I agreed.

The time had flown by, so we headed back to the motel. Shortly after arriving, the Transmission shop called and said the RV was ready to go. I quickly ran over there, not wanting to waste any time. Painfully, I paid the bill and took the keys. Then I drove back to the motel to pick everyone up. We then stopped to fill up with gas and get some food to go from the Burger King. To save a few bucks, we took advantage of the $1 menu. I ordered 12 Whooper Jr's. You should have seen the look on the cashier's face when she repeated the number back to me.

Then we were off! Not sure how long we would drive, but nothing was holding us back! We pressed on into the night thankful to have a working RV.