Swimming Lessons

Tradd is taking swimming lessons. We signed him up with his friend KateLynn (shown in the picture with Tradd). However KateLynn had already taken the first class earlier this year so she was now in class two and Tradd was in class one. After the first day, Tradd was excited. When I came home from work he couldn't wait to tell me about swimming lessons. After the second day, when I was putting him to bed, he told me he didn't want to go back. So I played the good dad and said "why not?" (I was actually thinking, "You don't have a choice, we paid for it and you will enjoy it). He said that he didn't like it when he got out of the water because he was cold. Now remember we live in SC and it is July and the real-feel temps have been over 100, but he was cold. I figured there was more and tried to get it out of him but he stuck to his story. That was Tuesday night and after Wednesday's class he still felt the same way, but this time he told me he wanted to be in KateLynn's class. Well Thursday he got his wish, KateLynn's teacher, Courtney, took him into her class which changed Tradd's whole outlook on swim lessons. He was so excited to be in Ms. Courtney's class, by the way, Ms. Courtney is a blonde high school (or college) student. Tradd has something for blonde's. When he was about two we were eating out and our waitress was a young blond girl. When she came to take our order Tradd chimed in real quick like; "You're Pretty". We had pretty good service that night!

So all weekend long Tradd asked if he could go to swim lessons (which are only Monday - Friday). Yesterday swim lessons started back up again but to Tradd's disappointment Courtney was not there, but not to worry, there was another blonde in her place and Tradd was content, however today Courtney was back and Tradd was overjoyed. I believe he has a little crush on Courtney. We are going to get a picture of the two of them together so we can show it to him later in life.

He's a piece of work, but we love him anyway!

My Friends the Wards

Meghan and I are so blessed to have so many friends and such a huge variety of friends. We met one particular family who have stolen our hearts, and that is Jeff and Cindy Ward, and their kids Abby, Michael and Matthew.

I met Cindy when I started working at Seacoast Church. She was the admin. assistant for our Worship Arts department. Now in all honesty I didn't really get to know Cindy until she gave birth to Michael. (And what a testimony that little guy is - you'll have to ask Cindy about it sometime). Anyway, Michael and I became great buddies. We used to take walks together at lunch and sometimes just hang out in the nursery singing good old fashion Bible School songs.

Michael will always hold a special spot in my heart, he's just an all around great kid. Abby is a special princess too and has developed into a wonderful young lady. (Yet another great story Cindy can tell you later).

Meghan and I had the privilege of being able to baby-sit Abby and Michael while they lived here in Charleston. We like to look at it as our "on the job training" for parenthood.

Anyway, if you don't know the Ward's I am sorry for you, but they are a great family. We love and respect Jeff and Cindy and we had the honor of having lunch with them while they were in town. (Actually, I got to spend every day with Abby and Michael during VBS at the church) but it as great getting to talk with Jeff and Cindy too.

Anyway, Cindy has had the opportunity to speak at her church, Destiny church in VA. It's a great message, she's got a real gift for speaking.

You can check out Cindy's latest speaking gig at http://www.destinychurch.net/ .

Also check out the wards blog and get to know them you can find it under "Blogs I read" at the top.

Cindy and Jeff and kids, we love you and miss you!


(Cindy, Michael and Coleman) (Jeff, Matthew and Coleman)

What you all are not aware of is that I pointed a gun to his head to say those wonderful things. HaHa! Naw! If you know Scott then you know he says wonderful things like that to me everyday! I am blessed!!!!!!!!! It's been like living a fairytale for 8 years and I can't wait to see the wonders of what else God has in store!!

1. I must brag on Scott for a minute. He took the day off and asked friends to watch the kids so we could go to the beach by ourselves and relax. Then, we had a wonderful lunch at a friend's house where we were given the royal treatment. Thanks a million Elise and Gabriel at the "Lakeside Cafe." Thanks also to the ones who made our getaway possible by giving such wonderful care to our children. Thanks Jill and Edward! What a blessing you all were! Scott says there's more time away throughout the week. Yea, for us!! Meghan
2. On Tuesday evening our friends Maria and Myland (sp) came over and watched the kids so that we could go out to dinner. It was very nice eating without kids and having to entertain them. We then got to walk around the shopping center and just have adult conversation.
3. On Friday our friend Betsy came and took Meghan out for a girls day - she will have to tell you what they did when she gets home. Meghan and Betsy are like twins separated at birth. They both love doing home projects and tearing things apart and putting them back together.

8 Wonderful Years

Eight years ago today I became the luckiest man alive. It's the day I got to marry the women God had planned for me. I can't believe we have been married 8 years, it seems like so much longer, in a good way. I can't imagine not being married to Meghan, she's my best friend and a wonderful wife and mother. We still have days when we look at each other and say "we're really married!" And then if you didn't think God had a sense of humor, not only have we been married for eight years, but we have three children!!!! Can you imagine, I'm a dad! Don't get me wrong, I have always wanted to be a dad, and I love being a dad but wow a dad and a husband that's a lot. But the really cool thing is, that God has shared with me the best person to complete me. Through everything I know that God and Meghan are always with me to share in the good times and the bad times and that means a lot.
I love Meghan and I love that God has shared her with me and made her a HUGE part of my life!
So Meghan, Happy Anniversary and may God bless us with MANY MORE!!!!!!!

Updated photos on Extreame Yard makeover

Hey they finished the drive way and the yard yesterday and Meghan and I couldn't be more pleased. We can't stop taking walks around the house looking at everything. I even have enjoyed the yard! Raleigh went out yesterday after the sod was laid and just rolled around in the grass, it was so cute to see. I can't wait till she can just run around in the back yard.

WE have been so blessed!!!!! God is Amazing and such a wonderful provider.

Enjoy the Pictures!

A nice yard for the kids

Before I talk about what's happening in our yard, I want to update about Coleman. She's doing wonderfully!!!!! We have a checkup tomorrow morning where they will do an EKG and an X-ray. She's just amazingly happy, full of smiles and wiggles. She especially enjoys it when her brothers play with her and she can pull their hair. She's a beautiful picture of health!! She will need to be very hearty to keep up with her brothers and to take full advantage of the most incredible yard make-over in history. We have some amaaaaazing friends who offered to landscape our yard and give us a cement driveway. The boys have had a blast seeing the Bobcat move all over the yard and the dump truck loads of dirt and tomorrow the cement truck comes!! What an exciting week for the Kinney's!!! For those who don't know, prior to this make-over our yard, especially in the back, has been a jungle of wisteria vines and old stumps, fire ant hills, very little grass and a partially broken up slab of cement. We were blessed enough to have a wonderful swing set and slide in the midst of the danger zones. (As a mother, I often worried about all the dangers as it was not a very child-friendly place to be. ) Anyway, that is all no longer a worry. Tomorrow the driveway and I think a patio too, goes in and Friday the sod comes. I forgot to mention the fence too. Don't know when that will be done but we're also being given a new playhouse/swing set/ I don't know what all it has. I told Tradd about this all the other day before they began and he declared "I don't want another swing set." I think he's starting to get excited about what might be coming for him cuz' he hasn't whined about the loss of his old swing. Well, Tradd is waiting for me to finish writing so we can read while everyone else sleeps. Oh, how I wish I could sleep too. Tradd's last nap was Sunday. I know he'd still take one but he doesn't fall asleep then until about 9 or 10. Oh, I just remembered that they also put in an irrigation system and several trees and shrubs (like about $1200 worth) were given to the landscape guy to use in our yard. And, (yes there's more) Scott and I knew the grade or slope of the yard went toward the house but we never realized how bad that was until they were done for the day the other day and it poured like buckets and we had a lake, literally, around our foundation. This was before they brought in the dirt. Well, now they've added 10-12" right up by the foundation to help the water drain away. What an incredible blessing not only for aesthetic reasons but for the longevity of our foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow!!!!!!!!!!! Have a blessed day!! Meghan

Vacation Bible School and more...

Good Morning! I have an early start to my day today, because it's the first day of Vacation Bible School. As stressful and time consuming it is to pull off a VBS, and any of you who have ever been involved with putting together a VBS (of any size) knows this, I'm really looking forward to it. Now you won't normally find me writing about my work on this blog, because it is for my family, not my job, but I have to let you know that I have the best job and team ever. For those of you who might be reading this and don't know, I am the children's minister for our church. I have a great staff and they work extremely hard. Usually things slow down for folks in the summer, but our activities pick up. We have four different activities going on this summer for kids from 3 1/2 years - 5th grade. As Meghan recently wrote we just had our camp and that was AWESOME. Throughout the summer we have been doing what we call "Sonshine" which is basically a story time for our preschoolers. And today we kick off two big programs, VBS which we are doing "Take the Plunge" where we will teach kids to Plunge into Obedience, courage, faith, worship and service. We will end the week with a family fun day at one of the water parks down here. We also have a great program lined up for our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders called Nerve 2 Serve Missions Week where we will teach kids how to serve in the church, the community and around the world. I am really excited about all of the programs and ask if you would join me in praying for all those whose lives will be affected by these programs. Not just the kids but the leaders, and the staff, the community and the world.
Thanks for praying and may God bless each of you!

In Him,
Scott

PS. stay tuned for an up date on Coleman and pictures of the kids

July 4th 2007

Hey everyone, sorry it has taken me so long to write again. Thanks so much for your prayers while I was at camp. We had a great time and all the kids and leaders returned home in one piece.

Our Mission focus for the week at camp was on the Roma people, the gypsies of Romania and surrounding areas. Anyway, this was something near and dear to me because for our one year anniversary, Meghan and I got to spend a month in Romania with our missionary friend Michelle. I fell in love with a lot of the folks we worked with and the area. Anyway it got me thinking about the oppression they are under as a country and the way a lot of them live. And I was just in AWE of God that he would allow me to be born in America. If you stop and think about it, any one of us could have been born anywhere in this world, at any time in history. Then I started thinking about today, the day we gather together with family and friends to have parades, picnics and parties, then we pile in cars, fill up parks and watch fireworks...but it is WAY much more than that. I want my children growing up to know that today is more than July 4th, today is Independence Day! I want them to understand and respect all those things so many of us take for granted. Especially our freedom to worship God where, when and how we want. Meghan and I have been so blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who have or are currently serving in the military and I appreciate them so much for giving me my freedom and for keeping us a free country.

So today, when you are out having fun with your family, or tonight while you watch the fireworks light up the sky stop and think about this... you could have been born in a third world country somewhere instead of in America, then take a minute to say thank you to God, and to a veteran and a service man or women.

I leave you with the words from Lee Greenwood:

"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free

And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me

And I proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today

Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

GOD BLESS THE USA!"