TFC Benefit Dinner

On Thursday, September 13th I had the opportunity to attend The Forsaken Children Benefit Dinner, an annual event to celebrate and advocate for the ministry with local friends, family, and extended networks. 

TFC is stateside organization that advocates for Ethiopia’s children and families by walking closely with Christ-centered Ethiopian partners to help them implement three long-lasting interventions: Christ-centered mentoring, Ethiopian family building and strengthening, and Project sustaining techniques. 

To say that Mr. McGoo and I are passionate about this organization is an understatement. Our journey in 2010 to work with the Ethiopian ministry TFC partners with changed our lives. God used the children and people of Ethiopia to turn our lives in a new direction, or like Mr. McGoo likes to say - we were ruined for the ordinary (coined by a dear friend of ours). 

Although Mr. McGoo was out of town the night of the benefit dinner, I had an opportunity to go. I had friends from my Connecting Point class from Central Church come with me, a few coworkers, and a sweet friend I met in nursing school. 

I thought the event was fabulous - wonderful dinner by Jason's Deli, awesome speaker(s) sharing the call of believers to care for widows and orphan,  how the ministry of TFC works, and how folks can be a part of the team. We also had an art auction at the event, thanks to the donated talent of so many - I bid on numerous pieces, competitively, and somehow walked away with nothing (probably best when I think of my max bid for each, had I won them all, Mr. McGoo would have likely been none too happy)!

Overall the night left me excited for next year's annual TFC event and the opportunity to invite others to join! It was also reminded why I support and advocate for The Forsaken Children - - - the Lord is using the ministry to change lives for the temporary and the eternal!

Some of my Connecting Point class friends!

Beautiful Keysha and Me

If you want to learn more about The Forsaken Children organization and how you can help, go to www.theforsakenchildren.org. Even $5 per month makes an incredible impact through this ministry!

Quote from the past

A really cool post popped up on my Facebook page the other day... a friend wrote the following quote on my wall stating that she found "an old note [from me]... dated May 2003". Here is what I wrote to her over 9 years ago...

"The Bible is an armory of heavenly weapons, a laboratory of infallible medicines, a mine of exhuastless wealth. It is the guidebook for every road, a chart for every sea, a medicine for every malady, a balm for every wound. Rob us of our Bible and our sky has lots its sun." 

- Thomas Guthrie

Cincy Vaca - Continued...

Other Adventures in Cincinnati, OH

Following Friday's full day at King's Island with my man and taking some time to clean ourselves up after our adventures, we had the awesome opportunity to meet up with some dear friends that moved to Columbus, OH several years ago from Memphis. The Armstrongs are special folks, and we rarely have a chance to connect with them, so this was an especially awesome night! Not to mention we were able to celebrate Brent and Kelly's birthdays together - Brent's birthday is August 24 (that night) and Kelly is the day after, August 25. We had a fun birthday celebration complete with good food, quality conversation, lots of smiles, and many laughs.

The Armstrongs - Brent and Kim

Me and Mr. McGoo - he got a little sun at King's Island

Downtown Cincinnati had a music festival type atmosphere all weekend just a short walk from our hotel in their "square". Each night another genre was represented with a few bands, so following dinner, the four of us walked across the street to people watch and listen together.

The birthday boys! Regardless of their age, some things never change: GOOFY!

After our full day Friday with King's Island and visiting with the Armstrongs until very late into the night, we enjoyed a slower pace morning on Saturday. We slept in - me, more than Mr. McGoo and leisurely prepared ourselves for Saturday's adventures.

Around lunch, we made our way from our hotel to the river, crossing the bridge into Newport, KY to meet some friends at Hofbrauhaus. It was a beautiful day, although we definitely worked up a sweat during our more than 2 mile walk with pace. We passed by The Great American Ball Park on our way...

We met the Bergers - Scott and Summer at the Hofbrauhaus. I've heard Mr. McGoo talk about this place, but it was my first experience. What a fun environment! Good ole German vibe and laid back. We enjoyed some food, good company, and delicious brew. It being Mr. McGoo's birthday, Scott got the accordion player to wish him a happy birthday - check that off the bucket list: hearing "happy birthday" accordion style! In addition, Summer and I had a chance to participate in the world renowned "chicken dance". Ha. It's a Hofbrauhaus tradition to stand on the tables, so we joined our fellow guests and took that dance to town. Scott and Mr. McGoo did not join us, but instead made fun of us, I'm sure.

Image from their website: http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com/

The fab Bergers -  Scott and Summer

The McGoos sharing a German brew

After lunch we caught a ride from the Bergers back over the river to The Great American Ball Park - GO REDS! There we enjoyed a Reds game against the Cardinals (Reds won). It was a perfect day for baseball and we had seats nicely tucked in the shade a little off first base.

If you didn't' know, Mr. McGoo is a REDS fan - he grew up in Lexington, KY so Cincinnati is a mere hop skip and a jump from Kentucky, so he grew up saying "go reds". It was fun to celebrate his birthday with a good game!

Sunday morning we got a wild hair and decided to make our way back home through Lexington, leaving Cincinnati earlier than planned to stop and enjoy some of Gram's famous waffles. It was a perfect completion to our trip getting to spend some quality time with Grams and Granddaddy. We even had the opportunity to visit with Mr. McGoo's sister, Jess. A great morning in Lexington.

Granddaddy and Mr. McGoo - love these guys! GREAT men!

Mr. McGoo and his beautiful sister, Jessica

Jessica, Mr. McGoo, Grams, and Granddaddy

The McGoos with Grams and Granddaddy

Last, but not least, we stopped in Nashville for a couple hours on our final leg home. We definitely made the best of our journey to Cincinnati, getting to enjoy family time along the way and seeing friends while having quality time with each other all weekend! It was great!

In Nashville we were able to see my parents (who were also there visiting), my middle sis, brother-in-law, and our handsome, nephew. Even though it was a short visit, it was worth the time. My sister caught this photo during our time there... I love it!

Fisher enjoying his reflection - happy baby!

If you cannot tell, we had a blast on our Cincy Vaca! I'm certainly looking forward to the next adventure with Mr. McGoo!

Cincy Vaca - King's Island

My handsome hubs and I had an opportunity during my short nursing school break to get away for a long weekend. We enjoyed Mr. McGoo's birthday weekend in Cincinnati, OH. I took a Friday from work, an actual "ME" day to do something fun, unlike when I usually take time off these days (for school). It was great!

We left Thursday night and made our way to downtown Cincy. Our official Cincinnati Adventure began Friday morning. We work and made our way to King's Island. Mr. McGoo grew up in Kentucky, so he has many childhood memories of King's Island. In over 5.5 years of marriage, we had never spent time together at an amusement park, so we were pumped to experience this together. We had a blast!

The weather could not have been ANY any better! Gorgeous day! The park had minimal visitors, so we were able to ride rides repetitively and with ease - taking advantage of each ride 2-3 times each over the course of the 8.5 hour day. We couldn't have asked for a better day in general, if you ask me!

The Diamondback was the best roller coaster I've ever been on. The 2nd and 3rd peak were AS BIG as the highest peaks in other roller coasters. The first peak was worthy of making Mr. McGoo and I question why we got on the ride (or again) when we rode it, panic spurred and the "get me out of here" feeling rose quickly! Once we were halfway down the opening peak, everything else was pure joy - AWESOMENESS!!! There is a pic below with an overview of part of the King's Island grounds - the Diamondback is on the right - see what I mean?! Best roller coaster I've ever had the chance to enjoy - it actually scared me!

Here are the Diamondback details from the King's Island website:

At a Glance

Location:	Rivertown
Duration:	3 minutes
Height Requirement:	54 inches
Manufacturer:	Bolliger and Mabillard
Speed:	80 mph

---

• One of the top-ranked steel roller coasters in the world as voted on by Amusement Today readers and other Industry publications and polls. 
  
• The tallest and fastest roller coaster at Kings Island, standing 230 feet at its highest point with a first drop of 215 feet at a 74-degree angle and reaching speeds up to 80 miles per hour. 
  
• Diamondback features six drops of more than 100 feet along its 5,282-foot-long course ((215', 193', 131', 129', 110', 106') and a spectacular splashdown ending. 
  
• The ride's steep hills and drops provide riders with an abundance of airtime.
  
• Adding to the ride experience is the use of unique, open-air, stadium-style seating on the trains which provide all riders with an unobstructed view of all the thrills this steel monster offers.

 

 

Mr. McGoo's favorite coaster as a kid

 

 

We actually got stock in a tunnel for 20min on the Adventure Express

Stuck in the dark in the Adventure Express tunnel - scary!

  

View from the Eiffel Tower - see the Diamondback on the right - wow!

Of course, we enjoyed some Soak City time while at the park!

We definitely had a blast on Friday, enjoying the fun that King's Island provided for 8.5 hours of our day. I asked to call it quits at the 8.5 hour mark, choosing to scoot out before we planned. We could have stayed longer to see their firework show, but this lady wanted to get off my feet for the day. It was fun taking this adventure with my handsome man!

In addition to King's Island, our Cincy Vaca included other activities... more updates to come...

As for me, Psalm 71

I was reading the Word yesterday and came upon this awesome nugget... my heart began to cry out with excitement, "I want that to be me!" But then conviction set in about how far from this I really am on a daily hourly basis... oh, how thankful I am for God's grace, because I fall so short!

Lord help me, that I may praise, tell, proclaim, and declare for You each day!

As for me, I will always have hope;
    I will praise you more and more.

My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds,
    of your saving acts all day long—
    though I know not how to relate them all.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, Sovereign Lord;
    I will proclaim your righteous deeds, yours alone.
Since my youth, God, you have taught me,
    and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.

Even when I am old and gray,
    do not forsake me, my God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
    your mighty acts to all who are to come.

Psalm 71:14-18