Our Story ~ Chapter 2

Click HERE for Chapter 1

Okay, here we are in “Chapter 2” of the story of our meeting. Let’s keep the same format as last time – you in bold italics and me in regular text. In chapter one, I told my story, then you got to write in your interjections and your side. We’ll flip-flop it this time. Go for it, Babe.

This is the part of the story I like to call, “my future wife, the stalker”.

Haaaaahahahahah!!! Oh, this better be good!

Evidently, my macho attitude and suave approach had quite the impact on you. I remember this was about the second year that email existed, but somehow you found a way to email me invitations to an engineering group meeting frequently.

(Note to self, “macho” and “suave” = totally ignoring a girl. Okay.)

You must have been passionate about the group and recruiting new members, because I remember frequent emails from you on this subject. I even remember one of those meetings happening in the pizza shop I worked at on a night I worked. I can only assume it was by chance and not that you bribed the manager who made the schedule to find out when I worked.

It was more like I’d invited you, you said you had to work, and I was (ahem) looking for a good place to hold the meeting. Oh geez – I’m totally pitiful.

As you now know, I was equally infatuated with you. My handicap was that I was engaged to be married at the time. So, I was doing all I could to resist you, without completely stopping the communication. I liked talking (emailing) with you, but always felt a little guilty. I probably should have been more up front with you.

What?! Really? “Resist” me? I didn’t know!

You had no idea I was engaged, until that one fateful email.

You wrote to me with the typical ‘please come to the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers – Student Chapter’ email. (very romantic, by the way) I was on my way out the apartment door to work when I checked the email, so I stopped halfway through, assuming it was the typical stalking email.

I found out a couple days later there was a proposition at the end of the email - when you wrote to me again. You poured your heart out in apology about asking me out on a date and how you were sorry for being so unprofessional about it, since your email excuse was a ‘professional’ society.

I had to look back at the emails at the time to see what you were talking about. As it turns out, you did ask me out. Sorry for not reading the whole email.

That’s okay, you had to concentrate on “resisting” me, remember ;-)

So, my only choice was to tell you the absolute truth; I was engaged and had no time for professional societies between my budding pizza career, my failing coursework and my fiancée.

It was such a shame. In the time you had been stalking me, I had begun to refer to you as ‘dream-girl’ to my buddies. I had never met anyone so smart, beautiful or persistent and determined as you.

So persistent and determined means “stalker” huh?

That reminds me – remember the real stalker – that creepy guy? He seemed so shy and lonely, that I invited him to work on a team project in one of my classes. Yikes, that was a bad idea. Next thing I knew, he was writing me letters once a week, sending me cards, and just showing up in all sorts of strange places. He was full of things to say on paper, but he couldn’t even look me in the eye or speak when we were face to face. After you and I were together for a while, his communications took a scary turn – telling me that I deserved better than you, and asking if he would have a chance with me if you were “out of the picture”. I was terrified!

Anyway – didn’t mean to turn Our Story into that ugly thing. It’s all this remembering – so much happened in those couple short years!

Back on track now…

So after that first “meeting”, I had to fight to keep from turning around to look at you every 5 minutes in class. I didn’t even know your name! But you wore that dark green UI sweatshirt as your jacket all fall, so I started calling you “green sweatshirt guy” to my friends (not nearly as sweet as “dream girl”). I talked to all my friends – who had you in their class? Did anyone see you with a girl? You know – girl talk.

I think you were in Differential Equations with Tara, so we compared notes every few days ;-)

It was the highlight of my day to quickly turn around and watch you prepare to leave ME340 at the end of class. You had that green sweatshirt on, that black ball cap, and then you’d put lift the strap of your bag over your head and cross it over your chest to sort of carry the bag behind you. Oh Lord. Your broad shoulders. You in that hat. Your hands. Seriously…

…I’ll stop now out of respect for my parents who will probably read this.

You know I was fantasizing about kissing THAT spot on your neck during class, too.

In the mean time, one of my friends asked me to join him in starting up ISPE, student chapter. To be perfectly honest, I only did it because I thought it would look good on my resume. Man, I lived way too much of my life for my resume in those days.

It turned out to be the perfect reason to stalk talk to you though. I was very, um…thorough…in making sure you were informed of all our meetings. It was my duty, you know.

Finally, after inviting you to many meetings (you even went to one or two, if I remember right), I worked up the courage to actually ASK YOU OUT.

In fact, I didn’t really “work up courage” at all. It was more like I was inspired. One of the people I’d been hanging out with didn’t return to school after a weekend of going home to visit his folks. He finally called to let us know that he wouldn’t be returning. He’d been to the doctor to have a few things checked out while he was home…and his doctor informed him that he had a very advanced cancer. They only gave him months to live. He pleaded… “live your life like you’re gonna be dead in a few months. Don’t have regrets.”

I immediately thought of you. That friend inspired me to more courage than I thought I had in me.

But still, it was painful. I’d NEVER asked a guy out. EVER. I vividly remember sitting in the computer lab in the basement of the building I lived in, and going over and over and over that dumb email. I even had a friend come down to read it. Does it sound okay? Too desperate? Too vauge?” I eventually closed my eyes, counted to 3, and pressed the SEND button…oh, the horror.

I must have checked my email 50 times in the next 3 hours, hoping for your response (which was no small thing since I had to dial up to check email back then). But not only did you not respond immediately, but you didn’t respond at ALL. I felt like such a massive loser!

And then I started feeling bad. After all, I’d used a “professional” society as a front to ask you out. Not very professional. In an effort to salvage some pride, I shot off a quick apology email… and heard from you almost immediately.

You should feel bad. I think it was in the bylaws to not ask out other members.

When I read your response, I almost fell off my chair.

You told me that you hadn’t even READ the part where I’d so meekly asked you “out sometime”. And then you explained that the reason you didn’t go to many meetings was because you were busy with school and work and that you were otherwise spending time with your fiancée.

Oi. My face turns red even now as I think of it. I was SO embarrassed!

Was your face as red my ears when Chris poked me in the shoulder and told me to get lost?

I responded with “Oh, oops! Didn’t know you were attached.” And then I got really brave and said something like “she’s a lucky girl.”

The lucky girl comment got me through some tough times, whether you knew it, or not. You inspired me to look for more in a woman.

Then I headed up to my room to pour my broken little heart out to my journal. I used to journal everything (see, I was meant to blog). I remember writing “I thought for sure that there was something different about him”.

I was different, I was engaged.

I get the last word this time, punk.


***********************

Here's that photo again...see my Green Sweatshirt Guy?


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More Fix It Fun

We're fixin' photos over at I ♥ Faces again this Friday.  Have I mentioned how much I love this?  Yeah, only about 50 times :)

Here's the awesome before shot:
 

Here's my fix:


It didn't need much, that's for sure!  I did everything in Lightroom 2 - crop, straighten, white balance, brighten.  Done.

I had a conversation with "my" camera guy the other day.  He likes to show me his album of recent shots - he's good.  Really good.  Every now and then he mentions something he'd do differently, and I say something like "You could tweak that in processing".  He rolls his eyes and clicks his tongue at me.  "No processing for me.  Photography isn't about the computer."

I feel a bit like I've been scolded.

There are the purists, to be sure ("get it right the first time, and NO processing") - they often even express a feeling that we're somehow "cheating" by messing with images the way we do these days.  I wonder...why do they shoot digital then?  Why not stick with film?

 I don't see the difference between doing the magic in the dark room (film days) versus doing it on the computer now.  

What do you think?



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A Lesson In Grace

Our little Ben has been working hard to try and earn his way to the water park.


It started at the end of last school year.  There was a reading program - if they logged a certain amount of time reading, then they'd earn a pass to the water park.  We tried and encouraged and cajoled.  He just didn't do the job necessary to get the water park pass.

Tears.  Disappointment.  Frustration.  A second chance.

We made a deal with him - if he could stop chewing his fingernails for a long enough time that we actually had to clip them because they were so long...then we'd take him to the water park this summer.

Well, we're down to the last few days of summer vacation....and those fingers are chewed raw.  

He tried - he really did.  There were a couple of fingers that needed to be clipped, but he just couldn't stop completely.

What to do?  The water park is sort of an annual tradition around here (admittedly, it was not wise to gamble like this).  And the other kids...should they suffer because Ben didn't live up to his end of the bargain?  And ME!  What about me?  I want to go to the water park!  :-)

Instead of taking a hard line, we decided that this would be a good opportunity to teach a lesson in grace.

"Hey Ben, what was our deal this summer?"

Slumping shoulders.  No eye contact.  A little tear in the corner of his eye.  "That we could go to the water park if I could stop chewing my nails."

"So, how's it going?  Do we need to clip those nails yet?  Summer's pretty much over, you know."

"I KNOW.  I tried my best, but I just couldn't.  I don't know why - sometimes I chewed my nails when I didn't even think about it!"

"Okay, well since you didn't do your part, what does that mean?"

"We can't go to the water park."

"That was the deal."

Silence.  Pain.  Hurt.  Frustration - he really DID try.

"Do you know what justice is, Ben?"

"What?"

"Justice is getting what you deserve.  If justice is the rule, then what does that mean for our deal?"

"I KNOW - I can't go to the water park!" 

"Do you know what mercy is?"

"What."  Flat response, he doesn't want to talk anymore.  He doesn't want the reminder...the pressure.

"Mercy is NOT getting the punishment you deserve.  If you break a law and you're supposed to go to jail for it, mercy would be that you wouldn't have to go to jail."

Silence ...okay, I guess that doesn't really apply to our situation here.  I'm still trying to form these thoughts myself...

"One last one, Ben.  Do you know what grace is?"

"Yeah, like peace and gentleness.  Like an eagle with it's wings out and just floating in the sky."

"Sort of - you're thinking of the word 'graceful'.  I'm talking about something different.  I'm talking about grace like what God has for us.  Grace is getting something good that you don't deserve."

A cock of the head...thinking, thinking.

"You know we get to go to Heaven, right?  But why?  Why do we get to go to Heaven?"

"Because we love God?"

"Partly, yes.  But also because Jesus did something wonderful for us.  He took our punishment so we don't have to have it.  He took our punishment because he loves us, because he's merciful and just at the same time."

"Okay"

This is getting deep.  I'm losing him...

"So if grace is getting something good - like being able to go to Heaven even though we didn't earn it - how do you think grace might work with our situation?  You get to do something even though you didn't earn it."

A sparkle in the eye.  A cautious grin.  An anxious wiggle of the leg.  He's getting it...

"The water park?"

"Yep, Mommy and Daddy decided to show you how good grace feels.  We're going to take you to the water park even though you didn't earn it."

"WE'RE GOING TO THE WATER PARK!!!! YAHOOOOO!!!"

Well...If he's this excited about the water park, I can't wait to see his reaction when Jesus himself opens the gates of Heaven for him :-)

PS.  Sure this was a good lesson in grace...but now I get to go to the water park!  Can't wait to go on the "Avalanche".  YAHOOOOOOO!

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Craft Idea: Recycle Fabric

I cleaned out the kids' closets a few days ago - had them try things on so I could know what we still need for this school year.  The stuff that didn't fit and was still in good shape, I set aside for my little ones.  The stuff that didn't fit and was stained or had holes, I brought to my craft room.

I spent about an hour cutting the largest possible sections of fabric from those worn out pants.  Jeans, corduroy, cotton, knits - such great fabric.  Before I knew it, this purse/bag was an idea in my mind's eye: 


For the past 3 days, the housework and makeup have seriously suffered!  This project was SO fun, and now I have a new purse!  Well...it's bigger than a purse and smaller than a suitcase.  So what does that make it?  A bag?  

I spent less than $5 at JoAnn's to buy these magnetic snaps and a purse zipper, but otherwise I didn't spend a dime - it was all fabric that I had.


I'm such a bag junkie, it was fun to design my own.  Pockets, pockets galore!  I especially love the inside zipper section for the stuff that I want to be extra secure.




This was my first bag, but I think there will be more.  I'm thinking my next bag will be a custom camera bag - sort of my very own "shoot sac".  I might even spring for some fabrics that I REALLY love, instead of limiting myself to the stuff I have on hand.  There's some super cute fabrics out there these days - this project would look a bit less old-lady-bag-ish with some funky fabrics.

What sorts of left-over fabrics do you have lying around?  Why not try making yourself a new bag?

Stuff I used and don't think I could have done without for this project:
-  invisible quilter's thread
- walking foot for my machine
- iron and ironing board
- stick-on fabric stabilizer 
- rotary cutter with cutting mat and ruler
- sewing "gloves" - they're lightweight gloves with an almost sticky fingertips - really makes it easy to handle and move fabric without having to work so hard (really came to love sewing more after finding these gems!)

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Recipe: Cranberry Chicken


I got this recipe from my friend, Becky.  It's become a family favorite around here, and it's SUPER easy and fast to make.

Here's what you'll need:
1.  chicken
2.  french dressing - one bottle
3.  dry onion soup mix - one packet
4.  canned cranberries - I like the whole cranberries best, but the jellied makes a smoother sauce that the kids prefer.

- Toss 3-4 frozen or fresh (I always do frozen) chicken breasts into an oven safe pan.
- Combine all the other three ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined
- Pour mixture over chicken
- Bake in a 350 oven until the chicken is cooked through (takes around an hour and 15 minutes for frozen chicken)
-  You can leave the chicken in large pieces, but I like to chop it into roughly 1" squares for easier serving.
-  Serve with parmesan couscous and veggies.  
- Watch in amazement as your normally picky eaters gobble this up!

*If I'm in a hurry because I didn't start dinner until 5 (which hardly EVER happens, ahem), I'll turn the oven up to 375, and it works just fine.

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Our Story ~ Chapter 1

Okay Luke, you ready for this? I’ve been promising the bloggy world (you know, like all 4 people who stop by on a regular basis) that you and I would tell the story of how we met. It's our anniversary...a good time to start, I think.


I'll type in regular text, and your words will be in italicized bold letters.

I’m trying to remember the very first time I laid my eyes on you. I can’t be certain, but I’m willing to bet that it was the summer before I even started up at UI. My mom and I drove up there to do a “preview” trip – check out the dorms, meet the dean of engineering, and to see what the town was like.

Oh…I have to digress for a second! How could I forget this story?! Oh, never mind. It’s a really long story. Hey, y’all – remind me to tell you the story of “the dream with the golden wheat fields” – I’ll know what you’re talking about.

So anyway, one night mom and I went out for pizza…I’ll bet you can guess where we ended up going.

I remember walking in the front door, looking to my right, and seeing a very attractive guy making pizzas. My heart…it went pitter patter, and my mom and I exchanged a very meaningful glance. Um yeah, can we get HIM to deliver the pizza to our table? We’re classy gals. I swear, it must have been you.

Please tell me you were working there, or I just made a fool of myself.

I was working there, just like I did for the next three years.

Oh good!

Okay, well…I know that I saw you FOR SURE in ME340 that fateful day. I’d been going to Mechanics of Materials (I know, super hot) every day since it started that day. On the first day of class, Dr. Odom told us to sit wherever we wanted, but to please keep sitting in that seat for the first few weeks so he could learn our names. Once we got settled, he had us fill in a seating chart so he could start putting names with faces. I sat the second row (maybe the 3rd), on the isle. A nice and very skinny Asian kid named Chris sat on my right.

That’s one thing about being in an engineering program (especially mechanical engineering), I got used to being surrounded by guys. In this class, I think there were two of us women in a class of 40 or so guys. My entire graduating class had only 3 women in it, I think.

A week or so into the semester, I showed up to class a bit early because my class before that one had been canceled. I walked in the door, and guess what I saw? I saw someone sitting in Chris’s seat. The entire rest of the classroom was empty…except for that one seat. The one you were sitting in. The one seat that was right next to mine.

Naturally, I thought you’d come early to try and, I don’t know, bully your way into sitting next to me? You must have really wanted to get to know me.

Oooo- totally hunky AND guts. I like!

So I gathered up my courage, and sat in my seat. The one right next to the one you were sitting in even though the rest of the room was empty. I didn’t think it was at all strange or bold. After all, it was MY seat.

As I pulled out the chair and got settled in, you glanced me over (stared at you) with your left eyeball (both eyeballs).

“Hi”

“Hi”

And then we sat. Silently. For what seemed like forever.

And then the rest of the class started filing in. One by one the other seats filled, and we just sat there quietly. Until Chris came in.

He shuffled over to you, sort of poked you in the shoulder with his bony finger

“Hey man, you’re in my seat.”

“Oh, sorry.”

You gathered up things…but I swear there was something going on with your skin. Your face turned red, and your ears…your ears practically glowed red…sort of like they do now when you have that strange allergic reaction to beer? Yeah, THAT red.

Not much of a fight, my friend. I sort of expected more ;-)

You found your way to the back row where there were seats available, and that’s where you stayed for the semester.

OK, my version is a little different.

I re-register late for Mechanics of Materials since I failed the first time. Since I was a couple days late starting the class, I wanted to be early to class so I didn’t stick out any more than I already did.

I took a seat a few rows back and pretty close to the door, and I was the first one in class. The second person in class was a very attractive woman.

I had never seen an attractive engineering student, so I was not sure I was in the right class.

Awww

I was even less sure when you sat right next to me in the open classroom. I immediately assumed you were as impressed with me as I was you. As the rest of the people piled into class, two things became apparent. First, I was in the right class…the rest of the students were the propeller-heads I was used to seeing in class. Second, they had assigned seats on the first day of class and this hot student was sitting next to me because you had to.

So, after the owner of the seat tapped me on the shoulder and told me I was in his seat, I crept to the back of the class to my new assigned seat, next to a buddy who worked in the pizza shop with me.


Oh, boy. That’s all I have in me for now. I’m going to dream ME340 now, and be plagued by the question of why Odom gave me a B in my senior design class even though I totally earned an A. Let’s do “chapter 2” another night, okay?

If you dream about ME340 and Ed Odom on our anniversary, I clearly have not treated you well enough the last 12 years.

Well, one thing is clear…I talk a LOT more than you do. You’re a good sport doing this with me. I appreciate it.

I know it is your blog, but do you always have to get the last word?

Um, yeah. You can have the last word next chapter (maybe). The end (for now). Oh, now I feel bad. Type a word, will ya?

No.


********************************************
Here we are at at after graduation party in 1997.  This is about 2 years after we started dating - just months away from our wedding day:


Another graduation shot:


Here we are - all three of us women who graduated the UI Mechanical Engineering program in 1997:

We had a great big graduation part with all of our friends at (where else but) Branegans:


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12 Years


This picture was taken in 1996 - we had been dating for about a year, and weren't engaged yet (based on my ringless finger).  

And here we are...13 years from the time of that photo.  We've been together for 14 years, married for 12.  Wow!

I remember when we first started dating - I simply could NOT get enough of this guy.  We were together every single waking moment...and driving my friends positively BONKERS.

A couple of my friends even did a sort of "intervention"...

Daiquiri, you're spending way too much time with him.  He's going to get sick of you.  Play more hard to get.  Please...take a bit of a break from time to time!

Ha!  They had no idea what they were asking!  This man...he made me laugh.  I felt safe with him.  I loved talking with him.  I loved being quiet with him.  I loved the rhythm of his breathing and the way that tingly feeling raced up my arm when he grabbed my hand.

He wasn't just some guy.  He was the rest of ME.  

And twelve years and four babies later....he still is.  He still makes me laugh like no other.  I still feel impossibly safe with him.  I still love our talks, our quiet times.  He knows me even better than I do some days.  
 
He still asks me from time to time, "Will you marry me?"

And my answer is always the same, "A million times over."

And I mean it.

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More Fix it Friday Fun

I do believe I'm hooked.  The before and after...it sucks me in every time!  Here's the Fix it Friday image for this week (go se I ♥ Faces for more info):


It's a nice image - a little too close for my taste (cut off his chin a bit) and underexposed...or at least too dark in the face, but pop it into a program, and you can do magic.

I went with the BW because as I was playing, it seemed the best method for getting his amazing eyes to pop.  I did everything in Light Room 2 (LOVE this program!).  Here's my "Fix":


I've been playing with PhotoShop - did you know that you can "liquify" a face, and turn a frown into a slight smile?  Incredible!  If I didn't have a pizza in the oven as I type, I might take the time and play with that (maybe after the kids go to bed?).

Thanks for stopping by!

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Excuse Me?

So my hubby went on a backpacking trip today.  He and our brother in law loaded up their packs, and they're headed to the Idaho mountains.  I heard them talking, and it sounds like they'll get up over 10,000 feet!  Praying for a safe return...


As they were leaving, my brother in law turned to Ben and said, "You gonna take care of your family while your Dad's away?"

"Yep, I'll be the man of the house."

"Okay, well take good care of them."

"I will."

THEN...as if I was caught in the Twilight Zone or some strange body-snatching movie...my first born son turned to me and said...

"Go do the dishes."

PARDON?

He delivered his whopper of a line with a straight face, but a moment later he was  laughing, and honestly...so was I.  It was just so unexpected!  I was thankful that he was laughing because it showed me that he was only teasing.  He was probably thinking of the occasional teasing ("woman, go do the dishes") that goes on between Luke and myself.  

But it certainly made me really think hard about what sort of example and expectations Ben is growing up with.  Are we raising a young man who will make a good husband and father?

It was clear that he was kidding, but it warranted a discussion anyway (that'll teach him to tease me like that!).  We talked about all the work Daddy does to take care of us around here, and how lots of that work even includes work that some might think of as "work for girls" like the laundry and dishes and diaper changing.  I also reminded Ben that Daddy spoils me rotten...rubbing my feet while we watch TV at night, letting me sleep in on the weekends, praying for and with me, surprising me with flowers from time to time, etc.

And then we talked about what it means to be in charge...more specifically, what it means to be a GOOD boss.  

Yes, Daddy's the boss around here...but he has a boss too.  Who is it?  Do you think that some daddies and husbands boss their wives and kids around by telling them what to do all the time?  You're right, they do.  Do you think the wives and children feel loved when they're bossed around?  Me either.  What kind of boss do you want to be some day?  Oh good...I want your wife and children to be happy too.  And honey, I'll guarantee you one thing...if you're wife isn't happy, it won't be easy for you to be happy either.  You're going to be a great husband and daddy some day.   

A wise friend of mine said "I'm not raising children, I'm raising adults".  Isn't that a great point?  It's one that I've been reminded of a lot lately - how what I'm doing right NOW effects the type of adults these children will grow into (gulp).  I'm so thankful that I have a husband who loves and follows the Lord....and I'm so thankful that our ultimate "boss" loves us so much.

Now, excuse me please.  I really do have to go do the dishes!

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The God of Children and Their Mommies




We've been going to "Family of Promise" meetings at our church recently.  It's a once a month thing - the first one was about the role of a husband in the family, the second about the role of a wife, and the third was about the role of parents.

Honestly, I was tempted to skip the third one (which was just this last Monday).  It's not that I feel we have the parenting thing down pat...it's just that I felt like sitting home and reading my book instead.

Boy, would I have missed out.

I was touched to the very core.  Unfortunately for me, getting touched to the core means bawling my eyes out like a blubbering baby.  Embarrassing.  But unavoidable.

I want to raise our kids to be individuals with their own passions, personalities, and little quirks.  The problem is that most days I treat them more like I want them to be my perfect little robot-children doing what I say and doing it NOW, thank you very much.  Not good.

When I think of the experience my children have with me many days....who is their mommy?  Hard.  Demanding.  Angry.  Impatient.  I just can't help but cry.

The problem is that their mommy is...ME.  Daiquiri Rose.  I'm passionate and outspoken and tend to have a rather tough attitude.  Deal with it.  Or don't.  I don't much care.

But with my kids, I care.

And I don't know how to change who my kids' mommy is.  Sigh.

Thankfully, there is One who knows how to soften hearts and attitudes.  I've been begging him to do His thing in me for the past couple of days.  For the sake of my babies.

I'll tell you, yesterday was eye opening.  By the grace of God, we had a very different day around here.  I saw my kids in a different light - in light of the truth that these children do not belong to me at all.  They're God's people...I've just been blessed with the incredible privilege of helping to raise them.

More discussing, less ordering.

More enjoying their company, less trying how to get my stuff done despite their interruptions.
 
More helping and molding, less punishment.

I'm not gonna do it perfectly.  I just can't.  My main goal is to teach my kids about Him (and to not bite each other), so that they can call on the great Healer and Prince of Peace during those times when I screw it up.  I am deeply thankful that I have a God who can more than make up for my shortcomings and fill in any holes I might leave in their little hearts.  


*FOR SUBSCRIBERS:  Sorry for all the updates - trying to resolve some technical difficulties with photo uploading.

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Our Week In Pictures


My husband's brothers were both in town this past week -we've had such a great time!  This first shot is of all the "boys" - from left, Nick, Matt, Jim (their dad), and my Luke.  What a good lookin' bunch!


There was no shortage of baby snuggles - Little Stella and Zachary are 3 and 2 months old respectively.  Ahh...baby fix!

Ben said it best, "It's been nice...I can hold a cute baby pretty much whenever I want!" :-)  And yes, I'm pretty sure it IS necessary to wear your super cool spy gloves while holding babies! 




We took one day and went swimming at Great Grandma's place.  Fun!


The boys' mom snuggling little Zachary:


How's this for a picture of peace and contentment?


And here's little Stella again - that kid can smile!

...and make my heart pitter-patter:


We tried to get a big group shot with all the cousins in one shot.  Most were cooperative...

Some didn't mind since they really didn't know what was going on anyway...

And one little one (not naming names), just was not interested...


But that's okay.  We're crazy about him anyway ♥


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But Why?...

My little Ben is quite the thinker...but if you read this blog, then you already knew that :)


Lately, he's been asking questions that are tough for me to answer.  Heck, they're hard for me to just think about, never mind give a reasonable answer to!  

"Mommy, nothing is perfect, right?  So why do we even have the word 'perfect'?"

"Mommy, nothing is really exact.  It's impossible.  So why do we have the word 'exact'?"

Ahh, absolutes.   How to describe to a 7 year old that sometimes the absence of something can be just as descriptive as something that is?  How do you explain that some words are more of a concept or an idea...than something literal?

See...my brain hurts.  My eyes cross and my straight hair thinks about curling. This kid...he doesn't even have front teeth...how can he be thinking about this stuff?! 

But then, I was vacuuming the other day.  It's always amazing to me how I have the best talks with God during the most mundane times of my day (taking a shower, washing dishes, folding laundry, etc.).  I guess it's because my brain can check out, focus on the task at hand, and just listen.  

Suddenly, I was reminded of a time in my life when I was so confused about God and His LAW.  Have you read the Old Testament - really gone through all those intricate and laborious laws?  Holy moly!  It's IMPOSSIBLE to follow the law perfectly (there's that word again).

So why on earth would a loving God give us a law that is impossible to follow?  Why...to set us up for failure?  To force us into sin merely by making the law too heavy a burden to carry?  Does He want us feeling like failures our whole lives?  

Eventually, I had to set the issue aside and just accept that some things are beyond my understanding.  There's God.  There's His Law.  And there's me.  And, thank our good and merciful God...there is His grace.  I don't have to carry the burden of the law because he carried it for me, and that's good enough.  

But still...it's sort of been sitting in the back of my brain all these years.  Until just lately...while I was vacuuming.

It was then that I realized that my questions were a lot like the ones Ben has been asking me.  

Nothing is perfect or exact, yet we have words for thing that are impossible.  The concept or idea is real...but it cannot be literally true for humanity.  So why the concept or idea?  Maybe, just maybe, it's because perfection and precision really DOES exist.  Not in us, but in HIM.

And maybe God's law is much more than just the impossible burden it seems to be.  Maybe it's an expression of God's nature.  Exact.  Perfect.  Unchanging.  And when we felt the guilt and the burden of our imperfection...our tendency to reject God and do it our way...our sinfulness...ONLY then can we truly comprehend and really feel what mercy and grace are about.

So thank God for the impossible little words we use every day without really contemplating.  And thank God for my 7 year old who God unwittingly uses to school his old mom :-)

Some more food for thought:

~"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Jesus, Matthew 5:17)  Who could fulfill the law but God himself?

~"It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law", Jesus replied. (Mark 10:5) If our hearts were soft toward God and His ways, the law would not have been necessary to reveal the nature of God and His ways.

~ "But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, 'this man welcomes sinners and eats with them.'" (Luke 15:2) We can have the law or we can have Jesus.  

~ "It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law." (Jesus, Luke 16:17)  The law is still in place.  Jesus' coming did not nullify the law.  Again, we can choose the law or we can choose Jesus.

~ "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17)

~"Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39)  We could not be justified because we could not follow the letter of the law exactly.

~ "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (Romans 3:20)  YES!  That's what I was trying to say :)

~ "The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where sin increased, grace increased all the more" (Romans 5:20)  We didn't sin because of the law, rather the law revealed where we were already sinning.  And as we became aware of our sin, we could also comprehend the great grace and mercy of God.

~ "For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:14) Thank God!

~ "the sinful mind is hostile to God.  It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so." (Romans 8:7)

~ "Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (Romans 10:4)  Righteousness not for everyone...for everyone who believes.  Big difference.  If a person doesn't believe in Jesus, then he is still under the law.

~ "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) "All" means...all.  Everyone has/will sin.  Thankfully, Jesus is for everyone and no one has to be condemned for their sinfulness.  If only they would believe...

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Sweet Stella


Oh my.

This is my neice, Stella.  Could she be any prettier? 

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Homemade French Bread


We're having a blast with my hubby's brothers and their families here this week.  At times, it's been chaotic and loud and stressful....but not nearly as often as it's been pure joy to see our children playing and giggling together, and just flat out FUN chatting and laughing in to the night with these wonderful people who I call "family".  Truly - this is the stuff that memories are made of!

One night, I decided to keep it simple and just make spaghetti for dinner.  My mom makes a mean homemade spaghetti sauce, and that's what was on my menu (I'll see if she minds me sharing that recipe with you).  To my dismay, I realized that I had everything I needed for dinner...except the french bread.

No problem...I'll just make some!  Ahem - so much for my simple dinner plans!  I had no idea how time consuming it was to make bread.

As it turns out though, I also had no idea how FUN it would be (and how lousy the store-bought stuff is by comparison!).

Look at those beautiful loaves of crusty french bread!  I MADE those! Yahoo!  Felt like a major miracle :-)

I lucked out with the recipe, I think. I sat down and Googled "french bread recipe", and landed HERE.  Click on over, grab the recipe, and try it yourself.  You won't be disappointed!

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Full House

We have a super-duper full house this week. Both of Luke's brothers and their families are here for a fun and kid-packed week. Let's see...that's 6 adults, 8 kids (4 of them under 2 years old), and two dogs. I'm not even counting the other family members who are coming and going to get their visiting in while the "boys" are in for a visit.


FUN!  Especially the two littlest ones - 2 months and 3 months old.  

Oh, my achin' ovaries!  I'm having serious baby fever here.

I'll just have to compensate by taking 400 pictures :-)

I can't wait to share a new french bread recipe I tried tonight - it was so yummy!  Oh, and that leads me to my final point for today...

Proof positive that God exists and that He loves us very very much?  Elastic waist-band pants.

Amen.

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My (Run Up The) Mountaintop Experience

I went for a run this morning.  Well, technically  it was the afternoon...but when a girl's married to a guy like the one I'm married to....the kind that lets her sleep in until 10, then wakes her with gentle kisses AND breakfast in bed?  Well, sometimes time just seems to turn on itself and gets all mixed up.  I'm not complaining in the least.  Are you kidding?  Stop the clock right now and let me spend eternity with my amazing man.  Time - you matter not one bit when I'm with him.


Whew.  I digress.  I'm a blessed woman, to be sure.

So...I ran.

And the second song on my playlist this morningnoon?  It was this:


Great Things - Matt Maher

Before you play it, you'll need some instructions:  
1.  Get out of your chair and get your singing voice on
2.  TURN IT UP LOUD
3.  Repeat until you just can't take it anymore

It was just the perfect song to get and keep me going.  And boy oh boy, did I have a great talk with God.  There's just nothing like spending time with Him when I'm really focusing on HIM and how incredible he is.  I spend the first half of my run just rattling off all the blessings in my life and saying "thank you".  

It reminded me of running the 1/2 marathon I did this past spring.  I didn't have music with me, but I spend the bulk of my time on that hill praying.

"Wow, I can't believe I'm doing this!"

"Oh, Lord.  This hurts."

"What was I thinking? Yesterday would have been a good time to let me sprain an ankle or something."

"Is it me, or is that little brook over there singing your praises?"

"Thank you for this healthy body."

"Lord...mountains?  Were they really necessary?"

"Wow - look at those flowers and look at that hawk soaring up there.  You're awesome."

"Um, Lord...this is embarrassing, but that guy I just passed is snickering and doesn't think I can hear him talking to his buddy.  You hear the crude things he's saying about me.  Would you mind striking him with lightening or something.  Like now, maybe?"

"Okay.  Pretty sure I'm dying here.  Glad I know where I'm headed."

"I can't do this anymore.  You said I can do all things through you.  I'm just gonna hang out here and do my best to breathe and lift my feet.  I'll count on you to keep my heart beating and my feet landing where they should."

It was that last prayer that really stuck with me as a lesson for life.  

Do you ever get to the point where you just feel like you can't "do it" (whatever your "it" is) anymore?  Do you feel like you're lost, frustrated, overwhelmed, lonely, hurt?

I do.  And I'm a child of the King.  My life has value and purpose and I'm never alone.  But still, I feel like I've had it....daily.

But you know, there's a strange joy and peace in those moments.  Life is hard, no doubt.  Even as His kid, life can seem downright crappy (pardon the language).  In fact, the more I know Him, the more I want to just be with him and leave this life behind.  

It's in those moments of "Lord, I've HAD it!" that I finally come to the end of whatever I'm capable of doing on my own.  I turn to Him and say something like I did on that run - Lord, I'm just gonna keep on breathing, and I'll count on you to keep me going and guided in the right direction.

And it's painful...this giving up of myself and my control.  There's something at the heart of our human nature that really just wants to do it ourselves.  But would I want it any other way?

There was a time when my "I've had it" moments came around 3:00 PM.  Then it was around lunch time.  These days, it comes closer to breakfast time.

You'd think that as I grow and mature, that I'd more easily be able to handle the ups and downs and just ride them out with a little grace.  You'd think my endurance would increase...that those "I'm done" moments would start happening LATER in the day instead of the opposite.  When I realized the trend, it irritated me to no end.

But then I realized that I had it all wrong!

Now, I pray that my "Lord, take over for me" moments will start happening in that quiet, fuzzy moment during which I start to drift out of dream world, but still haven't opened my eyes for the day.  My first mostly alert thought for the day...I want it to be one of handing my day over to the One who holds me together by his very word...who knows me...who loves me.

And considering the fact that it's past 1 AM right now?  I sure hope that the first time I get to try and remember to do this as I'm waking up (tomorrow morning) happens at about 10:30 AM ;-)


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More Fix it Friday Fun

I just love "Fix it Friday" over at I ♥ Faces. I just can't resist a good "before and after". Here's the sweet little before shot:


Beautiful little guy in beautiful surroundings - love this. I especially love his chubby little fingers and sweet curls.

I started in Lightroom where I cropped, and adjusted the levels (blacks and contrast were too low for my taste). I also decided to add a slight vignette and to desaturate the entire image a bit to give it more of an antique look. I like how his features pop just a little bit more now:


Then I went to PS Elements, where I added a pattern layer to give it a little bit of a textured canvas look - I'm so into textures lately. I also added a couple of different frames. Which version do you like better? What would you have done differently?



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New Picture


The picture I had of me over there on the left was starting to bug me.  It just didn't look like me anymore - I don't know what it was...a year or so since that picture?  I look (feel?) older now.  My hair is longer.  


Just tryin' to keep it real (and show you a cute picture of my wonderful baby boy ♥).

I'm also lovin' knowing how to make this little heart: ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

PS.  To make one you type & hearts ; (without spaces) right in the text.  Cool eh?

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This or the Lotto Please, Lord

My mom-in-law is good enough to come over once a week each Tuesday to watch the kids for me while I go do....stuff.  Sometimes I grocery shop all by my big girl self.  Sometimes I grab a book and head to the park.  Sometimes I work out.  Sometimes I get an ice cream cone, sit on a bench by the greenbelt and watch other people work out (unfortunately for my backside, I do this more often than working out).  


This past Tuesday?  I returned a pair of flip flops that blew out the second time they were worn...I exchanged them for a bag of Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolates and a lotto ticket.  

I'm not a buy in bulk lotto player.  Heck, I'm not really even a regular player.  I just buy a ticket every now and then.  I figure if the Lord wants to bless me with winning the lotto, one ticket will do it.

So far He hasn't really felt like blessing me that way :)

Along those lines...I'm hoping to be blessed with one of THESE.  Oooo baby!  A Tamron 18-270 mm lens is being GIVEN AWAY right here.  Go check it out.  And sign up to win.  And win it.  And then give it to me.  Your favorite blogger and best friend in the whole wide world.  Thank you.

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Ben & Alanna are Engaged!


I met this sweet couple and their adorable pup at my favorite park. We hit it off right away - what a fun and sweet couple! And their baby, sweet Gabby, had a great time exploring the park and kicking up birds. Good girl!




There was no shortage of laughter with these two...I was hard pressed to sort through the shots to find some where I could see their faces - there were bunches of fun throw-your-head-back with a good belly laugh shots. It was fun to spend time with a couple who enjoyed each other's company so much :-)



When we'd had enough of the park, we headed down town for a little more of a funky look. Alanna emerged from their truck dressed to the 9's - surprised me with her gorgeous brown dress (I got the scoop on where she got it...headed there this weekend!).





What can I say, I have a thing for feet...






These two...they have a bright and joyful future ahead of them. And guess what? They surprised me my asking them to photograph their wedding! I almost cried, I was so touched! Now....just to work up the courage...

Thanks, Ben and Alanna. I had a great time doing your engagement photos!

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