Grillin' & Chillin'

This is the name of our new Small Group at church.  With something like 14,000 members, it's easier to get to know people through small groups.  (I have a post brewing- if only in my head- about the whole mega-church thing.  Wait and see.)  There are small groups ranging from basketball to basket weaving to Bible study.  We found the perfect group for us- because we are all about both grilling and chilling.

But some of the people we have met through small groups have no doubt changed our life.  They have welcomed us into their homes as we have opened our home as well.  These people have supported us, prayed for us, even calling at 6:00am to check on me before Claire's tubes surgery.  They love us and we love them more than we could ever express.

We are creatures of habit, so it's pretty predictable that we are in Blake and Lindsey Lindsey's small group again.  (Yes, her name is Lindsey Lindsey- spelled the same way both times.  She laughs it off as God's way of telling her who she was supposed to marry.  I called her Lindsey Squared.  But I digress.) 

Blake is the campus pastor of our church.  (We have six, going on seven, campuses throughout Alabama.  Our "home campus" is in Riverchase but we do go to Wednesday night services at the main campus, which is about 20 minutes away.  Again, post on mega-churches coming soon.)

Their oldest daughter Hadyn is eleven months younger than Bella, and even though she only sees her once or twice a year, Hadyn always makes Bella feel like she is her best friend.  And that is something I will be forever grateful for in this tiny little blond five-year old.  She makes my girl feel like she does have friends in Alabama, and friends are hard to make when you're only in the state less than eight weeks a year. 

And their youngest, Liam, is three months older than Claire, and I am pushing for an arranged marriage between the two.  They love playing & stealing toys from one another in the church nursery (and since Lindsey serves in the Nursery/ Preschool with me, they spend a lot of time in there together).  And there's also sweet Harper, and she'll be three next month.  But again, I digress.

So we've been out of small groups since last Summer since we had Claire in the Fall and were adjusting to my life as a working wife and mom in the Spring, we are more than pumped about this season of small groups.  We were back with our old gang from last Summer.  This is Luke's "why are you taking this picture of me" face...

It was the perfect combination of great grilling, great desserts (as you can see we demolished all of the brownies and left only a sliver of red velvet cake) and great friends (who brought these beautiful hydrangeas from their garden).

While we missed the girls during their slumber party at Grandmomma's, we were able to reconnect and enjoy some adult time.  And every parent needs some adult time, right?  You should be nodding your head yes.  After I pick up the girls from Alabama Adventure this afternoon, we'll grab a quick bite to eat and head to the Wednesday night service. 

Bella loves going to the main campus- as she calls it "the big church"- (I mean, they have an indoor play place, who wouldn't love that kind of church) and is really excited about being in Highlands Kids for the first time.  See you tomorrow!