Crucified With Christ

New Blog!

2006-12-04T08:02:00.000-06:00

Daniel and I are now happily married! We have changed our blog, and it is danielandchrista.blogspot.com!

Thank you for those who have helped on our journey, and for those who have kept us in your prayers!

Daniel and Christa Blanchard

Two Days!

2006-11-22T06:56:00.000-06:00

7 days!!!!

2006-11-17T13:20:00.000-06:00

Please keep me in your prayers. I am having a hard time as I experience the "little things" of daily life for the last time - the last time I do the dishes in my fathers house, the last time I cook for a large family (at least for a while), cooking in the kitchen with my Mom, the last time my little siblings ask their many questions, the late nights with my three sisters (where most of the time we spend our time giggling, singing, and sometimes sewing), the "good mornings" and good nights" from my dear parents. The hugs, kisses, and pats on the back from my wonderful Dad, and the laughter in the evening when we are all sitting in the living room and just being one large and happy family.

I do have to realize that God is calling me to another role, and that is to be a wife to Daniel Blanchard. So, even though there are the last things in life that make us sad, there are also the first things in life that are joyfull.

Here is an updated photo of Daniel and I

10 Days!!!

2006-11-14T10:32:00.000-06:00

Please keep us in prayer as we busy ourselves with the wedding preperations!

I have Been Tagged!

2006-10-17T14:47:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged so, here it goes:

Five things in my freezer:

Roast
Ground Beef
Ice Cream
Corn
Frozen Strawberries

Five thing in my car:

Cell phone chargers
Shoes
Diaper Bag
Purse
Seats

Five things in my closet:
(this one will not be finished all the way, due to the fact that I am moving in five weeks. So, my stuff is packed getting ready to be shipped to Daniel's place in Texas.)

Clothes
Shoes

Five things in my purse:

Hair brush
Key Chains
Cell phone charger
Linen -n-thins gift card
A picture of Daniel

Five things in my wallet:

Check book
ID
Debit card
Credit card
Change

Three people that I will inflict this torture to...

Noami Valine
Anna Price
Daniel Blanchard

Caleb's 10th Birthday

2006-09-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my little brother!! It is hard to think that I was 11 years old went Caleb Beauchump McDonald was brought into this world. Where did the time go? Now today, Caleb is very athletic, and I enjoy playing all kinds of sports and games with him. I thank God for putting Caleb in our family. Happy 10th birthday little man!

Well, It has been three weeks since we have arrived in Illinois. Things are going pretty well, and the weather is beautiful! I am enjoying going outside and playing basketball with Caleb or ball with the little girls( and William too!) without having to go inside every two the three minutes! And the little ones are enjoying the indoor swimming pool! :-)

James is coming up tomorrow and our family is anxiously awaiting his arrival!!! It has been to long since we have seen him, and we greatly miss him!

We have bought our home,and hopefully we will be moving into it on Thursday(this week)!! I am looking forward to fixing some of the things we want to fix with the house! It has some pretty nice size gardens too! :-) I am looking forward to pulling up some of the plants and replanting a couple of things before the snow hits! The last time that we went to see our house, the Candlers and the Evans, joined us and from our deck in the back, you could see horses by the lake! Illinois has a beautiful sunset too!

Well, it is lunch time, and I do believe the little ones would like something to eat. So, it off to upstairs to fix lunch in the little bitty kitchen space that we have.

An Update

2006-08-30T22:07:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are in Illinois! After a five day garage sale, packing, and cleaning we made it. As for moving, I am dealing with a lot of mixed emotions. I just left a house I grew up in and it holds so many memories. I was not ready to let it go. On top of this, I will be moving back down to Texas in 12 weeks for Daniel's job is located in College Station. Please keep my family in your prayers through our hard time, for living in a hotel is not the easiest thing. Pray that we may find a house just a quickly as our sold.

On Friday(Aug.25th) as the movers were moving our stuff into the moving truck, I was blessed with a surprise Bridal Shower. Thank you Mrs. T and Miss. G for a lovely evening! It is a memory to cherish and thank you for those who attended.

We are now down to 86 days until our wedding. And for those who have asked if the wedding will take place in Illinois, the answer is "yes". Because we are busy looking for a house the wedding plans have been put on hold, but will keep an update when something is new.

The couple.

2006-08-23T19:54:00.000-05:00

Our Date!

2006-08-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

Our date will be November 24th, 2006. More details to follow! :-)

Announcement!

2006-08-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

On August 6th, 2006, Mr. Daniel James Kell Blanchard asked Miss Christa Marie McDonald for her hand in marriage and she accepted! We do not have a date set, so you will have to wait.

Other news, our house sold yesterday and we have to move out by the 25th of August! So, if this blog stops for a little while, it is because we are packing and moving to Illinois!

Back to the Blogging World!

2006-07-24T20:10:00.001-05:00

I am sorry, I have been a little busy of late to bother about this poor blog! To update: We have been busy going through rooms, closets, the kitchen and the garage and putting things in garage sale boxes. We have attempted two garage sales within the last two weeks, and we have failed to have them. Why? We simply are not ready for them, maybe next week?!

Anyway, I need to go and finish what I was doing, just giving an update, the McDonald family is still alive! :-)

We are in Illinois!

2006-07-10T09:15:00.000-05:00

We left at three in the morning on Thursday, July 6th, and made it to Alabama in the evening just in time to set up! Had a nice conference, and than left Saturday night at seven to make it to a city( do not recall the name) at one thirty in the morning on Sunday. Sleeped for a little bit and we left the hotel at eight. Drove four hour to attend church, and we spent a nice relaxing Sunday with families here in Illinois. Mom and Dad did not sleep well, for William was being a pill all night. So, we let Mom and Dad sleep in(just a little bit).

Well, our fourth of July weekend was spent with a delightful family, the Blanchards! We had an enjoyable time. Thank you Blanchards for spending your weekend with us. It was nice to get to know you!

Home, Sweet Home!

2006-06-30T09:25:00.000-05:00

We arrived back home at one thirty this morning! It is so good to be home! :-) Well, I would like to say more, but we have company that is arriving tomorrow, and there is alot that needs to be done. So, I will have to wait for another time!

Life

2006-06-22T16:09:00.000-05:00

I have neglected my blog to long! It continues to call my name , and I keep telling it "later"! I suppose now is a good time to post something new! :-)

Do you know I have the best Father in the world? Yes, I do!! My Father has done so much and cares so much for me! I would never trade my Father for any other Father in the world! I Love You Daddy!!
Well, we are off to Missouri today. We are all packed up and ready to go, but this rain seems to be delaying us! Soon as it stops( if it stops) we will load up. We will be gone for only a week this time and make it back just in time for the Fourth of July!! Than leave for Alabama on the fifth. Than we are home until August when we head off to the Dallas convention. September is the Alliance and HSLDA convention, and October the Film Festival! After October, there is no more traveling.

Work

2006-05-26T20:41:00.000-05:00

Today I worked at our tea room as a waitress. Being gone from it for awhile, I was thrilled to be doing the job again! I had a friend, Laura helping me, and our day was filled with laughter and more laughter! I had a party of 8, two parties of 5, and two parties of 2 all at once! So, I felt for a little bit like a chicken without a head! :-) But I enjoying it thoroughly.

I enjoyed a nice long walk with Melissa, William, my music, and the dying heat. I have been able to take my long walks everyday now. It is funny to see some house that have been on the market three different times now.

Strange

2006-05-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night I was washing our dishes. I went to go dry the remaining dishes, when I heard a small scratching noise coming from the sink. I turned around to see what is was, and coming out of the garbage disposer was a rather large roach!! Can you geuss what I did? Yes, I turned the water on and sprayed him back down the disposer and turned it on!! The roach did not try to come out again!

Well, we have been home now for almost two weeks, and I am enjoying being home. The only thing I miss is the cold weather from the north!!

William

2006-05-09T23:01:00.002-05:00

William in a hotel sink

2006-05-09T23:01:00.001-05:00

William in a hotel sink!

2006-05-09T23:01:00.000-05:00

William and I enjoying a kitten

2006-05-09T23:00:00.001-05:00

Litlle Miss Erber

2006-05-09T23:00:00.000-05:00

Mr. and Mrs. Erber with Dad and Mom

2006-05-09T18:22:00.000-05:00

Caleb, Grace, Emma, and I

2006-05-09T18:21:00.000-05:00

Grace, Mom, and Dad at Niagra Falls

2006-05-09T18:18:00.001-05:00

Jessica and I (Oh, and my Starbucks!:-) )

2006-05-09T18:18:00.000-05:00

Grace and Emma

2006-05-09T18:17:00.001-05:00

Tiffany and William

2006-05-09T18:17:00.000-05:00

Abigail and I

2006-05-09T18:15:00.000-05:00

We are at the Erbers!

2006-05-08T16:36:00.000-05:00

We made it to the Erber's house Sunday afternoon, and we are having a grand time! We have already played nine rounds of volleyball, sang Psalms, enjoyed holding four little kittens ( I think they are only 1 week old.) and feasting! :-) They are wonderful at hospitalilty!

My Mom's foot is not doing to well so we are flying her home tomorrow morning. Tiffany and William will accompany her. Dad and the rest of us will head off to Arlington. As of now, we don't know what we are going to do. My Dad wants to go with my Mom to the hospital, but that would leave either the kids staying at Arlington, or we will not do the Arlington convention.

The INCH Conference went well. I did the Childrens Program (again) with the help of Jessica. We had twenty children, but lost one, due to the boy needing a guy to handle him.

We are in Canada!

2006-05-02T09:32:00.000-05:00

I have always wanted to go to Canada and here we are, in Canada!!!! We plan on staying today and going to see Niagara Falls (we've seen Niagara Falls on the New York side). I heard it was really beautiful on the Canadian side. It is really pretty here.

The Children's program at MassHope went very well. I had 23 children in my group. The first day I had a helper, and the second day I was by myself (still had 23 children). I enjoyed teaching, doing crafts, and games with the children.

We have two more weeks till we are home. I am missing everyone from home, and am looking forward to seeing ya'll soon!

Blessings to all!

Update

2006-04-24T21:11:00.000-05:00

We made it to Connecticut early Sunday morning (1:00 a.m.), and enjoyed a nice but, rainy Sunday with one of our sister churches. The families here are wonderful and have been very hostpitible to us. Though I enjoyed the church and the families, I could not help missing our church and families back home! The weather here has been cold and since I am hot natured I have enjoyed putting on a sweater and going outside.

There was a Mother/Daughter get together today and while my mom, my sisters, and I enjoyed conversing with other likeminded women and young ladies, the Dads did a wonderful job keeping an eye on the boys and little children who were not able to sit still and listen to the discussion. We had an enjoyable lunch and delicious desserts afterward!

We leave for the MassHope Conference Thursday morning. I will be helping with the Denton’s Childrens Program and am looking forward to it. I was told I would be teaching somewhere between 15-25 children (I do not know what age level).

Well, since it is 10:30 pm I should get to bed. I had planned on doing the laundry today, but was busy all day, so I decided to do it first thing tomorrow morning before we go and visit the families again. I am thankful we have Starbucks Coffee!!!

Blessings!

We've Made It!

2006-04-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

After three long days in the car we have finally made it to New Hampshire! It's beautiful and the weather is cold! Atleast we can unload the trailer today in cold weather(Thanks to Dad and Daniel Blanchard for loading the trailer!).

William turned one the day before yesterday!(Tiffany has pictures up on her blog.) He has grown so fast. Last year when we started to travel, he was only two weeks old! Amazing how time flys!

Well , I know this is not much of an undate, but Wiliiam needs my attention and Jessica keeps asking for the computer.

Blessings!

We're Off!

2006-04-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Well, conference season has arrived! We leave today, and will be home in four weeks(we will be at church on Mother's Day.). Please pray for traveling safty. I will try to keep everyone updated as much as possible.

Thoughts

2006-03-28T21:37:00.000-06:00

Our traveling season starts in two and half weeks!! I am looking forward to our traveling season. Sometimes a little bit of change is really good. Our first conference is in NH. The sad thing is that we will be on the road for William Alexander's FIRST Birthday (April 19th). Poor thing! His first birthday party will have to wait until we come back home!

Our tea room is doing great. The kitchen manager has proven to be a great manager, and I have no doubt she will be able to handle everything while we are on our five week trip! :-) Tiffany and I are still working there, but our hours have shortened. We are working from nine to three-thirty (sometimes four).

As I sit here and ponder on all that has been happening in my life for last three months, there has been both joyful times and times of trials. I have found that trials are a good thing! It has strengthened my walk with Christ, to trust that He holds my life and knows what is best for me! I found out that during those hard times, I could not survive on my own strength, but on God's.

I am alive!

2006-03-20T18:14:00.000-06:00

For the past four to five weeks I have been playing waitress at our tea room non-stop! Today Monday 20th, 2006, we finally got our Kitchen Manager and second cook. They have spent most of the morning rearranging the kitchen and putting it in order for tomorrow. Tiffany and I will continue to play waitress until we get a real wait staff. So, today while Dad, Mom, and Tiffany spent their Monday ordering books for our traveling season, I have been helping rearrange the kitchen, polishing silverware, and mopping. This is why it has taken me so long to blog!

I will continue an update later!

Seven Times Seven Minus Four

2006-02-02T21:34:00.000-06:00

This is what I get for not posting on my blog for three months! I get tagged twice! Sorry there has not been much to say. But now there is...here is my 7X7 minus 4:

7 Things I'd like to do before I die:

Become married
Walk(more like hike)the entire Great Wall of China
Hike the Grand Canyon
Compose music for a movie
Have Children
Go Skiing
Get over this cold

7 things that I cannot do well:

Wait tables
Figure out computers
Type
Sleep
Live life without MUSIC ;-)
Meeting new people
Just live life! :-)

7 Favorite Movies

Pride and Prejudice( Both A&E, and 2005)
Narnia
The Village
The Patriot
Shackleton
Henry V
Chariots of Fire

7 Things that I say often

Um
Golly
Hello, My name is Christa
Christa Speaking
Ephesians 1

7 Things that I'd like in a Husband

Fears the Lord
Able to lead his family
Loves as many children as we're blessed with
Protects his family
Works out two to four days a week(after work hours)
Wants to walk the Great Wall of China
Enjoys spending time with his wife and children

7 Favorite Books and Authors:

The Pianist
The Old Fashion Girl
War and Peace
Jane Eyre
Tiger in the Shadows
Tale of Two Cities
Jane Austen

7 People I tag are:

Naomi Valine
Martha Valine
Melissa McDonald
Everybody else is taken!!

Thanksgiving Part I

2005-11-19T14:42:00.000-06:00

Here are some picture that were taken throughout this year. I am thankful to God for blessing me with another year to live to serve Him and enjoy family and friends.

Thanksgiving Part II

2005-11-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

Finally....A new post!!

2005-11-03T10:26:00.000-06:00

Today I needed to bake a cake for the office, in the process of doing this, I decided to call Miss Naomi Valine in whom I have not talked to or written to in a while! It was so wonderful to hear another friendly voice.

We missed the Film Festival again this year due to our Reformation Party which was held the same weekend. We dressed up and served food from the time period of Martin Luther (the reformer, not King Jr. :-).)

Well it is off to the office I go!! Blessings

Jessica's 15th Birthday!

2005-10-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

Today is Jessica's 15th birthday. Happy Birthday Jessica and may God richly bless you!! I can not say much because I need to go into the office.

Prayer Request!

2005-09-21T20:52:00.000-05:00

Hurricane Rita is on her way. We are staying home, and fellowshipping as a family, and with the Townsend family (an evacuated family from LA, who is living with us). We will be spending the next two days filling containers up with water, just in case the electricity goes out, and doing other things that need to be done for this lovely hurricane! So, please keep my family and the Townsend family (our adopted family! :-)) in your prayers.

Blessings!

Pictures of the Tea Shop

2005-09-06T17:38:00.000-05:00

2005-08-23T23:36:00.000-05:00

Tiffany is HOME!!! We are all excited to see that she arrived home from the Chancey's safe and sound. While waiting for her arrival James, Melissa, Jessica, and I played a couple card games. We shortly became bored and deceided to play" Go Fish"! :-)

Last night as I was washing my face, I felt goosebumps on my cheek and thought this was unusual. So I went down to ask my mom if this was some sort of rash. No, it was poision oak!! A little girl whom I hugged before she left church, later found out she had poision oak.

Our tea room is finished and now we are back to serving food. We named it Lords and Ladies Tea Room. It looks very pretty. Thanks to Dad, James, Nathan Huber, the Allison gentlemen, Mr. Oakley, and the Rebsch family, who sacrificed personal time to finish the tea room and have it done by this week.

I went to the tea room yesterday to teach the Rebsch ladies our recipes. We made six Chicken Cordon Bleu Quiches, Chicken Ceaser Salad, Chicken Curry Salad, and Tomatoe Basil Soup. We will be expanding our menu thought. Be sure to come visit.

2005-08-16T19:34:00.000-05:00

I spent my day in the office cleaning glue off windows, answering phones, doing computer stuff, serving scones and tea, and cleaning( bathrooms etc.).

The expansion of the store is almost finished. If I knew how to post pictures I would have them up, but until my father can help me, I will have to wait. But I will get them up soon!

We are all looking forward to seeing you next week Tiffy!! We all miss you and can not wait to be reunited again! I love you, and may God bless you my dear sister. Everyone send their love.

2005-08-11T23:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we threw a surprise birthday party for James and Nathan. Mrs. Huber and the children came from San Antonio and Shayne Bernier took the night off work to join us for the celebration. We had a big feast of Chicken Cordon Bleu, mashed potatoes with mushroom sauce, and salad. I made James a carrot cake and made Nathan a wheat-free carrot cake. James's cake took a bit longer to bake, so for the sake of time, the boys shared Nathan's cake--blowing the candles out together. Little Miss two-year-old Emma Katherine thought it was her birthday, and did not like the fact that Nathan blew out her candles. :-)

The expansion of Books on the Path is still underway. Yesterday, Dad and Nathan had fun with the powertools and created a doorway to connent the two storefronts. From what I hear, it came together beautifully.

We all miss you Tissy!! And everyone sends their love. God Bless!