A bash and a splash!

Or maybe even a bash and a bath ...

Deadlines behind me, it is unfortunately time to face what we have all dreaded facing for months ... the imminent departure of the Cushings. I liberated Barb from the house on Friday evening for a bit of a send off with a few very good friends at Beef'O'Brady's, where we first started our Friday sessions more than a year ago!

Throughout the evening, many came by to say goodbye to Barb - she's made many friends in Grayson and Snellville who honestly hate to see her go. We'll miss her friendship as well as her many selfless contributions to the community. Friends, business owners, mayors, commissioners - her impact to our neighborhoods and with our kids will probably not be equalled anytime soon.

Here we are at the end of the evening - That's our friend Joan Miller (The Blind Lady), Barb, me and another of the original girls who needed therapy on that Friday afternoon, our friend Michelle Couch.

Sunday's service at Shiloh PB was bittersweet as it was the Cushings last one for a while. We've contemplated putting a web cam over the top of the pulpit so we can all wave to the Cushings on Sunday mornings and they can participate in Ken's teachings. Not sure how that's going to pan out (lol). A bit of lunch at El Ranchero with Barb's daughter, Stephanie, then off to Camp Creek for a good ole Sunday afternoon baptism! Very exciting.

And more exciting than we anticipated! We got a two-fer as Norm decided to join Shiloh, too!

Barb had to be "double-dipped" as Ken missed a bit of her hair and the full emersion part of the baptism is pretty important - it means TOTALLY wet! And totally committed.

So the Cushings begin packing the van this afternoon and leave us on Wednesday with a bit more than our love going with them. I know, the Baptism wasn't necessary for their eternal salvation, and we already loved Barb as a sister ... but there's something very special about going out on this journey with all of us at Shiloh being officially (for lack of a better word) involved in the spiritual part of their journey. The Force (Of Shiloh PB) will certainly be with them! (Go young Luke ...)

Certainly I wish them well. I just wish them well ... in Grayson rather than Tuscon! What kind of friend would I be if I said I was glad they were going? Our hope is that they return to us soon - even if we have to unpack that U-Haul again, it would be done with joyful hands!