Polishing the Pulpit 2012

Last week, we attended Polishing the Pulpit for our third year in a row.  The first year, we were only able to go for the weekend because I was working and Wesley was in school.  Last year and this year, we were able to stay for the entire week.  It is such an awesome week of Christian learning, fellowship, and fun!  I am so thankful that we decided to use "vacation money" to attend PTP.  It is FAR better than any trip we could have taken to a far away (or not so far away) place by ourselves.  Wesley said the first year we went, "If you don't like going to something like PTP, you really won't like Heaven!"  I can't help but think of that each year because I think it is so true.  This year was a little interesting with Hannah Kate-she wasn't eligible for the child care because it's for 2 years (potty trained) and up, but she did great!  Wesley went to the Early Bird session each morning (one morning was 7:30 and the others were 8:30) and we made it out for the 9:30 session each morning.  She took her nap after lunch and then one of us stayed with her and missed the 1:30 session so she could finish her nap.  I stressed (a little), prayed (a lot), and gathered items to take before we left to try to keep her quietly happy during the sessions.  Hannah Kate was fabulous!  I was really nervous after Wesley had to take her out of the SECOND session on the first night......but she had started crying hysterically (which is not like her) and we think her tummy was bothering her.  You get a free CD if you have to take out your crying baby and we only got three for the whole week (technically we GOT two because I forgot to pick up the last one, oh well).  I consider that pretty awesome.  Last year, we had a whole slew of CDs!  BUT, she was smaller and I was probably more nervous/uneasy about how loud she really was.  I took a variety of books (books with flaps, lots of pictures (word books), her small NT Bible, Busy Bible, the Bible ABCs interactive book that my friend Edy and I made), a small magna doodle, Color Wonder markers and paper (that we never used), iPad with toddler headphones with a few videos loaded (we only used this twice!), a sour cream container with pom poms for her to put the pom poms in the hole in the top of the container-this entertained her for a LONG time, but was best when we were on the floor because she wanted to THROW them all into the floor and yell "uh oh" :), AP Creation cards (but I took out the loud animals because she likes to make animal noises...didn't think of that until the middle of a session....oops!)........I was worried about her wanting me to read the books to her, so I only took in books that we don't normally "read" aloud-ones that she can just look at and she never asked me to read any of them. I also tried to tell Wesley what she had just used and have him tell me if she was switching to stay with the other person. We gave her a "treat" after each session when she obeyed (ONE fruit snack....she's never had fruit snacks, so she loved this-one little pouch of them lasted the whole week). Next year, she will be in the child care and we will have a nine month old Micaiah with us.  Fun times again!  Ha ha. 

We ran into our friend Edy and her little boy James as soon as we arrived-Hannah Kate climbed in OVER the tray and went out UNDER the tray about 5 million times on James' stroller throughout the week.  Thankfully, it's a durable stroller!

 On Sunday night, I went to Sheila Butt's session.  It was packed, so Hannah Kate and I sat in the floor so we could get out easily if needed.  She looked at her little NT Bible forEVER.  What a good girl! (the picture was taken after the session, of course-and it was 9pm so that's why she looks so tired!)

Looks like we might need to talk about how to sit in a stroller modestly :)

There was a full size replica of the tabernacle.  Pretty cool.  This is Hannah Kate and James before we went in to check it out.

Family picture! I LOVE that she's wearing her "I'm a Blessing" button-there is a family with 5 boys under the age of 6 (and they all dress alike and match the dad, it's adorable!) who hands these out.

 Hannah Kate and Gracie were glad to see each other.  :)

 Karlee and Hannah Kate wearing their matching dresses that Ms. Deborah crocheted them.  We had a HARD time getting everyone looking happy and at the right camera.....I think it was the photographers' faults!

 Here we are rubbing elbows with the priest in the tabernacle.

"Party" in our room on Wednesday night! :) Please note what Hannah Kate is doing in the picture below.  Way to impress the boys, Hannah Kate.

Brody, James, and Hannah Kate enjoyed a Signing Time video while we ate yummy desserts Kellee made.

 On Thursday morning (the final morning), Andrew was selected (again) to present his sermon from the Future Preacher Training Camp. He did a great job!

YAY! Edy and I survived PTP with a toddler and a baby in our bellies!

Just hanging out while everyone packed up PTP.

We had LOTS of fun!  This year, we stayed until Friday.  This gave us a day to relax and not be rushed to pack everything up before the first session on Thursday.  DEFINITELY a good idea!
The audio files should be available for download in 2-4 weeks on the PTP website.  I think they're around $2 each.  You can also order individual CDs from the website for another week I think ($3 each).  These were my most favorite lessons that I would recommend and will probably download just so I can listen again!
Cindy Colley: Bless Their Hearts (2 sessions-one on what your children and grandchildren need to know and another about discipline)

Kyle Butt: Church Discipline

Brad Harrub: A Christian Worldview (fabulous!)

Wesley went to all of David Shannon's lessons on Discipleship and loved them.

We had an awesome week and are looking forward to next year! I hope you will join us!

Here are 46 Quotes from PTP 2012.