Beautiful Offerings Tour

This past weekend, Big Daddy Weave, Chris August, Dara Maclean, and Group 1 Crew were in Fort Wayne for their Beautiful Offerings tour. I worked the concert to be able to spend time with a contest winner...who got to be the official WBCL photographer for the evening! It was a pretty cool thing for her to win, and she was FUN to hang out with for the night!

First time I've ever had an official all-access pass from the artists. {I had to give it back.} So of course...a photo.

Our guest got all kinds of really fun moments that we don't usually get to see, and I had the chance to tag along with her while she photographed. For example...

...the tour buses!

We actually got to peek inside, which was pretty cool! I could NOT handle those little bunks they sleep in. Three of them stacked on top of each other. I would be too claustrophobic! Ryan asked if the bus was smelly. LOL! Logical question with a bunch of guys on tour! Nope! Not smelly!

We also had a chance to stand in the back while all the artists and band members gathered for prayer and "church" prior to the concert. I have to say, I was REALLY impressed with their heart and passion to not only experience the presence of the Lord, but to help those in attendance to do the same. They were passionate about it and it was an incredible conversation to witness. Thankful for that moment.

We went to the Q&A session before the concert as well...took some pictures while guests had a chance to ask questions of the artists.

 This was my favorite sight though, from my tour of the sanctuary during the Q&A.

He seriously deserves an award for all his hard work that night. He gave up an entire Saturday {after getting up early and going to work, himself} and helped haul in stuff from the van, helped set up the table, ran out and got dinner for a bunch of us so we didn't have to wait until 11 p.m. to eat, helped me take pictures, and fended for himself for much of the night while I was busy running around with our contest winner. I appreciate him so much!!

Our table was busy throughout the night!!

Ron was the emcee and he asked me to go with him, so we went backstage to wait. I'm not sure what we are all so focused on, but Ryan caught this and it just cracks me up!

 Onstage...where I forgot 50% of what I was supposed to say. This is why I need NOTES.

And then it was time for the concert! A few photos from throughout...

The concert was a long one - but so worship-filled! We didn't get home until about midnight, but it was a good day and a fun experience!!

92 County Tour: Wells County

This past Thursday, as you know, Ryan came to work with me and was a guest on BLT. We drove up together to save gas, but I hated for him to just sit in my office the rest of the day after the show was over, so I took the afternoon off work, and we squeezed in a county tour! I wanted to choose a county that we could fit into just part of a day and also one that was nearby so we didn't have to spend part-of-the-part-of-the-day driving there.

Enter Wells County. It was named for Captain William A. Wells, who was captured {as a boy} by Native Americans and adopted by them. He was killed by the Potawatomi in the War of 1812. There aren't a ton of cities in this county, but we still had a GREAT day visiting.

We went a bit out of our way to work that morning to swing through the tiny {and darling} town of Ossian to visit Heyerly's bakery, which opened back in 1931. It isn't a huge place...somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 people. And I'm pretty sure Heyerly's had a donut for each of them inside. I have seriously never seen this many donuts in one store: especially a little hometown place!

We bought some for the office and continued on our merry way. {Note to self: if ever moving to Ossian, move in next door to THIS place!}

{Enter the break in the date for us to actually go to work. After eating lunch in Fort Wayne, we headed back to Wells County for part 2 of the date, which was to find a coffee shop.}

I almost thought this would be the first county to break the coffee shop part of the adventure. I'd been told there was a coffee shop inside the public library, which, for the record, sounded like a BRILLIANT plan. But when I called to check on it, they said it had closed. But they mentioned a little shop downtown in Bluffton, so I hunted until I found Grounds and Grains!

 It was in a storefront in downtown Bluffton, right by the courthouse. Cute little shop with some fun things unique to it:

They had maps of the US and world so you could put a pin where you were from. LOVED IT. Also could not find the pins, so our visit is not reflected. Sadness. But it was pretty cool to see pins from all over!!

 A menu inside a window? Yes, please! So Pinteresty!!!

 Ryan and his coffee, which I tasted, and I'm not gonna lie: it was good. It was called the Nutty Zebra.

 Mine was a cinnamon caramel roll. You can't go wrong with that. And it was nonfat, just to make me feel better. :)

 They had an area with items made by local artists. See the row of blue books? That is a devo book written by Zach Bertsch and his brothers. Zach died of colon cancer not too many months ago, and prior to that, he was a guest on Mid-Morning. One of the most memorable guests/stories we've had. I was so glad to see they are still sharing his book!

After we loaded up on coffee, we headed out to Ouabache State Park for the rest of the afternoon. {Per the internet, it's pronounced "Wabash," though you will also hear a lot of people call it "Wa-bach-ee."}

It was THE perfect day to visit a park. Perfect temp, sunny, slight breeze...let's go hiking! {After surviving the bathroom I will NEVER use again.}

Our first stop was to see the bison. There's a 20-acre enclosure in the park that serves as a bison exhibit. Bison used to roam free in Indiana - especially in southern Indiana, where they congregated around the salt licks. The bison were pretty much gone from the state in the 1800's, but they are on our state seal, so it's kind of a cool part of Indiana history. The enclosure had less than a dozen bison in it, but MAN are they ever huge. Glad I got to experience them from the other side of a fence and not roaming free!

After visiting the bison {one of which Ryan named Brutus}, we headed out on a hike - a little over 3 miles. GORGEOUS.

 Leaves were JUST starting to turn. So lovely.

 We only saw one other person out on the trails. So lovely to have the place to ourselves and get to walk and talk!

 Our hike ended around this big lake, which was beautiful!!

 Photo opp!!!!

 Perfect way to end a hike.

Before we left, we stopped by the fire tower, which was open to the public for climbing. We both climbed the one in Brown County the day after we got engaged, and even though I am PETRIFIED of heights - specifically open heights - I did it! So I gathered my courage and started up this one as well.

It was WAY up there. 

 Scared out of my mind and I've barely left the ground.

 Yep! That's where I got stuck! The top of the third flight. Literally froze and could not move anymore. I wanted Ryan to enjoy the tower, though, so I stayed fixed in this position while he climbed to the top and then back to me.

 The view at the top.

 And the spectacular view FROM the top.

 I was disappointed I didn't get to enjoy that. And then a picture like THIS reminds me why.

 Sad girl back on solid ground.

 One more look at that massive thing.

And that was Wells County, my friends! A very fun day - and could not have asked for better weather!!

Shafferland Shuffle

* Last Sunday, Ryan had a great afternoon because the COLTS WON!!! He watched, and I scrapped, and together we were a happy couple. {And Braeya slept. But then that's like 98% of her existence}. We spent most of the day just resting - and I reveled in the fall decorations and fireplace and all that. Welcome, fall!! {And we experienced our first football-driven separation when I ceased to be able to handle the Broncos/Seahawks game.}

* Monday was my second full-length Mid-Morning interview, and I spent it talking with Josh and Shelly Buck. How I wish I could have had a whole second hour with them to hear even more of their story! So powerful. That evening, Ryan and I went for a run - and I loved going past all the trees that were half green and half blazing red with fall! We spent the rest of the night cleaning, cleaning, cleaning the house - because it was going to be shown the next day!

* Tuesday morning's commute was STUNNING. These half foggy/half sunny mornings are amazing. Also amazing, as you know by now, was the news I received at my follow-up dental appointment that morning. So thankful that is progressing well! And it was FUN to get a package that evening, which contained TWO NEW SCRAPBOOKS! We now own evidence of our engagement season and the second quarter of 2014. Love them. 

* Wednesday evening, Ryan and I went to the dinner that is served before church. Enjoyed spending time with a family from our Sunday School class and chowing down on chicken! Later that night, it's possible I had an urgent need for ice cream, so we took an impromptu trip {with a coupon!} to Culver's for treats! And when we were done...Braeya had her share. Little piggy.

* Thursday was Ryan's big visit to Mid-Morning! He did such a great job and I simply adored spending the day with him. We both had that afternoon off work, so we did another county tour. This time, we visited Wells County and enjoyed a perfect afternoon at Ouabache State Park. This was one of the most perfect days we've had in a longtime.

* Friday evening, Ryan had to mow the yards at all the houses {not like all the houses in the universe, but the ones we own}, so I went for a run with the specific goal of beating my time from earlier in the week. Mission accomplished. I was so thankful! And sweaty! Had a little extra time left over, so I figured it was only appropriate to visit Hobby Lobby and swoon over the Christmas aisles. :) And I loved my fun package of treats from bloggy buddy Leslie!!

* Yesterday, Ryan worked in the morning, and Braeya and I worked hard on chores at home. She played with the dryer sheets. That's the extent of the work she does. As soon as Ryan got home, we hopped in the car and drove to Fort Wayne to work the Big Daddy Weave concert! It was a long night, and we got home really late, but we had fun! Can't wait to tell you more about it!