Feelin' the NC Love and Flat Framily

Well Joe and I made it to North Carolina safely and have had a great week spending time with my family.  We got to spoil my nieces and nephew and spend some great time with our friends and family.  We also had the awesome privilege of sharing our story in the church that I grew up in as well as in the church where my parents now attend.  We were overwhelmed by the love and support that we received from our church families in NC.  It is a huge blessing to have several church families who love and support us.  We would not be who we are without them!  We are very thankful for the love and support of all our church families and friends.  We have been blown away by the ways that God continues to provide for us through our family and friends.

We also wanted to take a few moments to explain a little bit about the Flat Framily pictures you may have seen popping up on our facebook wall.  We stole the idea from a book called "Flat Stanley" by Jeff Brown.

Here is a little synopsis from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley
"Stanley Lambchop and his younger brother Arthur are given a big bulletin board by their father to display pictures and posters. He hangs it on the wall over Stanley's bed. During the night the board falls from the wall, flattening Stanley in his sleep. He survives and makes the best of his altered state, and soon he is entering locked rooms by sliding under the door, and playing with his younger brother by being used as a kite. One special advantage is that Flat Stanley can now visit his friends by being mailed in an envelope. Stanley even helps catch some art museum thieves by posing as a painting on the wall. Eventually, Stanley is tired of being flat and Arthur changes him back to his proper shape with a bicycle pump."   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Stanley

As we were preparing to leave Kansas City I was trying to think of creative ways that we could stay connected with our family and friends (our Framily).  A friend of mine mentioned that she had received a Flat Stanley from a student and that he had gone with them to a Festival.  Which got me to thinking hey what if we could have Flat Heath's and decorate them and leave them here and we could let our framily decorate a flat version of themselves and so the idea was born.  Then another friend of mine and I did some searching and found some Flat "Stanley" templates that we could use to make our own Flat People.  

Unfortunately a bicycle pump will not pump up our flat framily but we did think it was a great way for some of our family and friends to come along with us as we journey to South Africa and begin our lives there.  It is also a way for us to be a part of our friends and families lives here in the states.  While we can't be at all the cookouts, or ball games, and can't be at Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner the Flat Version of ourselves can be there.  It is nowhere near the same but it is small way to be a part of what is going on.

So if you are reading this and say I want to be a part of that you can!  Go to http://bleieracademy.blogspot.com/2012/02/flat-stanley.html to download the Flat template decorate it and then attach a cut picture of your face.  Then take a picture of it and tag us (if you are on facebook) or you can send us an email to find out the best place to mail it to us if it is before June 26th.



Here is a picture of the Flat Heaths hanging out on the Owens' fridge waiting for the next adventure.


Until next time remember to be present in the moment that you are in and enjoy it as much as you can.  Because time keeps marching on and before you know it your baby nephew is getting ready to go to Jr High School.