Alex

Alex is my oldest son - he is 14 years old. Now - I did not give birth to Alex but I am the mother in his life - I think of his mom as his friend. Alex has always lived with his father and when we got married he was 5 years old and has always been with us!! He calls me Julie and I am his favorite stepmom!!!

Anyways....Alex left for Mexico today on his first Missions trip!! He graduated from 8th grade at his Christian School(pictures below - ain't he a cutie???) this year and the big thing about this year at his school is the Mexico Missions trip the whole 8th grade class goes on.

Now - this year was a huge disappointment for Alex and us(his dad was going with him) because the original trip - that these kids have planned for all year long and have been anticipating for years before that was Cancelled......Swine Flu!!!! They were supposed to leave a week after the big swine flu breakout in Mexico and because of the concerns and everything being shut down they had to cancel the trip!!! This is the first time anything like this has ever happened at the school and so there really wasn't a back up plan - the kids did some local mission work with some local charities and got to go white water rafting for a day!!!! Nothing in comparison to the Big Trip!!! Praise God for his goodness and Mercy because an awesome parent who has gone on the trip since the beginning(11 years) and has a relationship with the church in Mexico said he would be more than happy to take a group if they wanted to go!! Of course Alex wanted to go - so after much prayer we decided this was an oppurtunity we didn't want him to miss - so he went!!! He is with another parent watching over him because his dad couldn't go and 2 other classmates(there was only 9 in his class) and their parents! They will be working with a local church doing whatever they need done to help out, they will be doing some group activities with the kids sunday school and an after school care group that the church holds and they might do some sightseeing!! I am so Blessed that Alex has the heart and the desire to want to do this work and wants to go and share the love of the Lord with others around him!!! We are praying for many Blessings on this community and on Alex from this trip!!! He will be back next Monday night!!! I hope I will be able to share lots of pics!!!!

Graduation Pics (Mommy missed the whole thing because I was in the ER with Thomas)

These boys decided - on their own - to go all out!!! Alex borrowed his Dad's tuxedo!!

The whole crew!!! An amazing group of kids that have the Lord's fingerprints all over them!!!!

A gift from us and the school - a cross necklace that has our favorite verse for Alex on it.......

1 Timothy 4:12

Getting the official 8th Grade Diploma


Always gotta take a pic with the brothers!!!