Just so you wouldn't think I've completely gone off the blogosphere...here's a shout out to all you dad's out there. Hope you have a great daddy day!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Grammy Meeker
My close friend from high school, Brooke's, grandmother passed away this week. She was an incredible lady and lived to the ripe age of 102. I remember lots of visits to see Grammy in the years that I too, lived in Bloomington. She would tell us how she used to work for ISU and she used a mimeograph to type things. She played piano from memory after she couldn't see the music anymore...and she was GOOD! She was a spunky lady who lived in her own house until just a few years ago. The good news is that she knows Jesus and her body is renewed in heaven with Him now. Brooke was incredibly close to her. Please keep her and her family in your prayers this week. Much thanks!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Easter festivities
Our neighborhood does an Easter Egg hunt every year. Usually it falls when Dave and I are on spring retreat, and Dave's parents are watching the kids...so they have ended up taking them the last two years. This year, I was actually around for it, but Dave's parents came up for the day, and got to enjoy it too. :-)
Our own little Easter egg hunt at home after church:
The Easter egg hunt that the kids had with their friends. So fun.
Our own little Easter egg hunt at home after church:
The Easter egg hunt that the kids had with their friends. So fun.
Callie turns 3
OK...call it a roll, but I finally just uploaded my camera to my computer.
Although this is almost a month late, Callie turned 3 on April 3rd. She had a tangled, themed birthday party. I realized that I have very few pictures from that day, so I may need some help from the grandparents to fill in some spaces. However, here are a few of the pics that I DO have. My little girl is growing up (sigh).
Some help from her cousin, Katie.
Although this is almost a month late, Callie turned 3 on April 3rd. She had a tangled, themed birthday party. I realized that I have very few pictures from that day, so I may need some help from the grandparents to fill in some spaces. However, here are a few of the pics that I DO have. My little girl is growing up (sigh).
Some help from her cousin, Katie.
You asked for it...
Someone, ahem, I won't name names, has mentioned that I haven't blogged in awhile. :-) It's true. Often I look at the blog and an idea perculates, but either I don't REALLY have the time to expound...or I'm just being lazy.
Even now, I don't have one singular topic to fill an entire post...so you may have the randomness that is floating through my brain...
Weeds- We've successfully weeded the dandelions out of our yard. It has been a major feat, and Dave has taken it quite personally. He has spent the better part of the last week leaned over our yard, popping dandelions out. He comes in each day with a 5 gallon bucket full, feeling vindicated...until the next day when more pop up. The kids and I helped one day, and it is actually quite gratifying. Think of it like popping a zit, without the scarring and redness afterward. I loved ridding the grass of those pesky weeds so that the good stuff can actually grow. It's funny how you can draw so many spiritual parallels to gardening. This was one of those times. It made me ponder what weeds I needed to pluck in my own life, so that the healthy grass could grow.
Gardening- To stay on the theme, we planted some seeds the other day in a "starter kit". This is actually our first experience with this, and already we are seeing the seedlings pop up. It's a neat science experiment for the kids. We have lots of different kinds of flowers and I can't wait until they are blooming in our garden. You may draw your own spiritual paralells here.
P90X- More like P40G for me. I "like" to do the cardio with Dave (mostly Kenpo, CardioX, and Core). After doing Core, I basically can't more for about 4 days. When I say "like", I mean I like the results when I do it consistently. I'm trying to do it 2-3 times a week. That feels a reasonable goal for me. Meanwhile, after two kids...jumping jacks are still not my friends.
Sunshine- I'm SO over the rain. Too much of it makes me grumpy and surly. The fact that the sun is actually shining as I write this, brings me much joy. Unfortunately, it's supposed to rain more today. Grr. A thunderstorm, I like. Incessant rain, I do not.
The Royal Wedding- Um, so NOT over it. I will SO be one of the millions of viewers tuned into watch the wedding of Will and Kate. Yes, I even watched the Lifetime movie. It was terribly made, but I at least caught up on a little of the back story, if it can be believed (I'm not THAT obsessed). I like to think of it as I'm watching a piece of history in the making.
My kids-They're hilarious these days. I love listening to their stories and how they are becoming little big people. I swear Noah is 4 going on 25. It's hard to believe that he turns 5 in a few weeks. Callie still loves playing pretend. She gets this really high-pitched voice when she is in character. It's so cute to listen to.
I will try to do better at keeping this puppy posted...but comments to let me know you're there would probably encourage me to know that someone actually still reads this. :-)
Thanks Tiffany for kicking my butt into gear. :-)
Even now, I don't have one singular topic to fill an entire post...so you may have the randomness that is floating through my brain...
Weeds- We've successfully weeded the dandelions out of our yard. It has been a major feat, and Dave has taken it quite personally. He has spent the better part of the last week leaned over our yard, popping dandelions out. He comes in each day with a 5 gallon bucket full, feeling vindicated...until the next day when more pop up. The kids and I helped one day, and it is actually quite gratifying. Think of it like popping a zit, without the scarring and redness afterward. I loved ridding the grass of those pesky weeds so that the good stuff can actually grow. It's funny how you can draw so many spiritual parallels to gardening. This was one of those times. It made me ponder what weeds I needed to pluck in my own life, so that the healthy grass could grow.
Gardening- To stay on the theme, we planted some seeds the other day in a "starter kit". This is actually our first experience with this, and already we are seeing the seedlings pop up. It's a neat science experiment for the kids. We have lots of different kinds of flowers and I can't wait until they are blooming in our garden. You may draw your own spiritual paralells here.
P90X- More like P40G for me. I "like" to do the cardio with Dave (mostly Kenpo, CardioX, and Core). After doing Core, I basically can't more for about 4 days. When I say "like", I mean I like the results when I do it consistently. I'm trying to do it 2-3 times a week. That feels a reasonable goal for me. Meanwhile, after two kids...jumping jacks are still not my friends.
Sunshine- I'm SO over the rain. Too much of it makes me grumpy and surly. The fact that the sun is actually shining as I write this, brings me much joy. Unfortunately, it's supposed to rain more today. Grr. A thunderstorm, I like. Incessant rain, I do not.
The Royal Wedding- Um, so NOT over it. I will SO be one of the millions of viewers tuned into watch the wedding of Will and Kate. Yes, I even watched the Lifetime movie. It was terribly made, but I at least caught up on a little of the back story, if it can be believed (I'm not THAT obsessed). I like to think of it as I'm watching a piece of history in the making.
My kids-They're hilarious these days. I love listening to their stories and how they are becoming little big people. I swear Noah is 4 going on 25. It's hard to believe that he turns 5 in a few weeks. Callie still loves playing pretend. She gets this really high-pitched voice when she is in character. It's so cute to listen to.
I will try to do better at keeping this puppy posted...but comments to let me know you're there would probably encourage me to know that someone actually still reads this. :-)
Thanks Tiffany for kicking my butt into gear. :-)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Feeling Springy
Dave's brother and sister-in-law came for a visit this week, along with their two adorable kids (who are close in age to our two monkeys). It was a great visit and the weather sure cooperated with us. We spent most of the day outside yesterday. We played, the boys fished, caught frogs and a turtle even, grilled out, and just relaxed. We had such a good time. The kids all did well sharing (for the most part) and got along pretty well with each other too. Now, they're headed back and we're bummed that they had to go. I added some pics below of some of our fun.
Mike and Laura...aren't they cute? :-)
The brothers taking the kids for a paddleboat ride.
I think this is the first turtle we've actually caught. We've seen a few in the pond before though.
Noah and Daddy with their first frog of the season. Dave caught it on his very first hit. They're still moving a little slower this time of year. :-)
Mike and Laura...aren't they cute? :-)
The brothers taking the kids for a paddleboat ride.
I think this is the first turtle we've actually caught. We've seen a few in the pond before though.
Noah and Daddy with their first frog of the season. Dave caught it on his very first hit. They're still moving a little slower this time of year. :-)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Bathroom update
Before
After
I'm in project mode. Big time. I was looking at our bathroom to see what ways I can update it without spending a lot of money (aka new vanity, toilet, bathtub). So, for $30...or $2 out of pocket after using our menards rebates, and a little bit of time, we have a more modern looking bathroom. All I did was paint the cabinets and added some new pulls. I love it and so does Dave. Cheap elegance. :-)
After
I'm in project mode. Big time. I was looking at our bathroom to see what ways I can update it without spending a lot of money (aka new vanity, toilet, bathtub). So, for $30...or $2 out of pocket after using our menards rebates, and a little bit of time, we have a more modern looking bathroom. All I did was paint the cabinets and added some new pulls. I love it and so does Dave. Cheap elegance. :-)
Kid pics
Balloon animals!
I still love catching pics of them sleeping. They're so peaceful and adorable.
Dave is doing P90X. He was taking before pictures...Noah also wanted to take before pictures. :-)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Prayer
This morning Tony talked on prayer. It was a really good sermon. His text was Matthew 6:5-15. As he was talking I was encouraged to pick up my own prayer life. What would it look like to pray fervently? To have my own prayer closet where I can cry out to God? With kids, this can sometimes be complex, but I think that after they go to bed, I can choose to spend more time praying instead of watching tv. Hold me accountable on this, will you?
A lot of people responded for prayer this morning. It was wonderful to see God moving in so many ways. Afterwards, my friend Kristin came up and mentioned that during worship she felt a really strong urge to pray for me. So, she did. It started out so simple, but by the end I was a puddle on the floor with tears and snot all over the place. It was one of those times where you know that the Holy Spirit was in charge and we were just submitting. She prayed for me as leader of prayer team and basically God used her to charge me back up and to give fresh vision. It was also so humbling to be reminded that God has big plans for our church. You don't need to know all the details of what happened...and quite honestly...the most important part for me was just willingly submitting my heart to God. It felt SO good. When we were done, I felt an incredible amount of weight lifted off my shoulders and just immeasurable relief.
I kept thinking over and over. This is why we do this. This is why we listen to the Holy Spirit. Because I didn't really know that I needed prayer...but Kristin was listening to the holy spirit and what resulted was an incredibly encouraging, God driven time, that I really DID need. God knows best. I just love that He allows us to partner with Him in the process.
A lot of people responded for prayer this morning. It was wonderful to see God moving in so many ways. Afterwards, my friend Kristin came up and mentioned that during worship she felt a really strong urge to pray for me. So, she did. It started out so simple, but by the end I was a puddle on the floor with tears and snot all over the place. It was one of those times where you know that the Holy Spirit was in charge and we were just submitting. She prayed for me as leader of prayer team and basically God used her to charge me back up and to give fresh vision. It was also so humbling to be reminded that God has big plans for our church. You don't need to know all the details of what happened...and quite honestly...the most important part for me was just willingly submitting my heart to God. It felt SO good. When we were done, I felt an incredible amount of weight lifted off my shoulders and just immeasurable relief.
I kept thinking over and over. This is why we do this. This is why we listen to the Holy Spirit. Because I didn't really know that I needed prayer...but Kristin was listening to the holy spirit and what resulted was an incredibly encouraging, God driven time, that I really DID need. God knows best. I just love that He allows us to partner with Him in the process.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Callie playing house
I caught Callie playing in her room yesterday and just had to catch it on video. She is so imaginative and hilarious when she's playing. I like the last part too where she is counting some ponytail holders that had fallen on the floor...40, five-ty, 16, etc. Love this kid.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Forsaken
I've been thinking a lot recently about the word "forsaken". When I was prepping lifegroup this last week, the verses we read were about Jesus being forsaken and dying on a cross. As Christians, we have the tendency to throw that word around pretty freely. Jesus was forsaken on a cross and died to save us from our sins. But the truth was, I honestly didn't know what being forsaken truly meant. True, I guessed it was bad, but when I read Matthew 27: 45-54 again...I got it a little more.
Mirriam Webster defines forsake as "to renounce or turn away entirely". So, when Jesus was dying a humiliating, horrible, excruciatingly painful death on a cross with people on the ground mocking him and jeering at him, the worst of it was that God had to turn away. Jesus cries out, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" -Matthew 27:46. I can't imagine the pain that God must have felt to not jump in and save his son. To want to so badly, but know that to do so would doom the rest of us forever.
God had to forsake Jesus so that we might have a chance of life. Had he stepped in and saved Jesus, our lives would be forfeit and the justice we rightly deserve would be done.
This whole thought process has been really churning in me about the intensity that God loves us. I've been a christian for a number of years and sometimes I get numb to the very essence of what I believe.
Reading these verses again and letting them soak in...seeing all that God and Jesus, by his death, did to save me and you overwhelms me. I no longer feel numb. The price Jesus paid is not lost on me...and because of that...I freely accept what God has offered: redemption, freedom, mercy, forgiveness.
Mirriam Webster defines forsake as "to renounce or turn away entirely". So, when Jesus was dying a humiliating, horrible, excruciatingly painful death on a cross with people on the ground mocking him and jeering at him, the worst of it was that God had to turn away. Jesus cries out, "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" -Matthew 27:46. I can't imagine the pain that God must have felt to not jump in and save his son. To want to so badly, but know that to do so would doom the rest of us forever.
God had to forsake Jesus so that we might have a chance of life. Had he stepped in and saved Jesus, our lives would be forfeit and the justice we rightly deserve would be done.
This whole thought process has been really churning in me about the intensity that God loves us. I've been a christian for a number of years and sometimes I get numb to the very essence of what I believe.
Reading these verses again and letting them soak in...seeing all that God and Jesus, by his death, did to save me and you overwhelms me. I no longer feel numb. The price Jesus paid is not lost on me...and because of that...I freely accept what God has offered: redemption, freedom, mercy, forgiveness.
Friday, January 7, 2011
laa-dee-daa
So, it's been a great week here. Kicking it off with our anniversary was definitely a positive. Dave's worked odd hours this week (and has fielded phone calls from the vet school almost every night in the middle of the night). However, tomorrow is his last day. He traded working Tuesday for Sunday (which he now gets off). He's being super secretive because he is taking us on a mini-vacation...somewhere. :-) I truly don't have the foggiest idea where we are going, and I admit...I'm OK with that. It's fun to be surprised. I promise to blog about it next week and tell you all about it, after I know. :-)
Until then, I'm enjoying some cuddle time with the kids, bath, then bed for them...rest time for me.
Until then, I'm enjoying some cuddle time with the kids, bath, then bed for them...rest time for me.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Seven years!
Yesterday marked seven years of being married to my wonderful husband. It was actually a lot of fun yesterday to think back about the day we got married. Taking pictures, the ceremony, the reception. I also thought back to some of our most memorable dates...the top ones include a picnic at the state park, taking me to see Phantom of the Opera (A total surprise and I had REALLY wanted to see it!), and last years get away weekend. Yes, I have a good man.
The funny thing about our anniversary is that SOMETHING always goes wrong...every year, without fail. One year we were in Chicago and Dave's parents had booked a hotel room for us using their points (we were poor and they were generous). When we got to the hotel, the hotel had booked us for the following night..and the hotel was BOOKED for that night. We ended up having to drive home to his parents house. Another year, as we were pulling out of the driveway, Dave accidentaly side-swiped our babysitters car. We felt so horrible about it, that we ended up not going out that evening and Dave spent the rest of the night fixing the damage. Other years have been more minor, but something generally happens to try and thwart our plans. We joke about it now.
This year was no exception. Our babysitters forgot to come and we couldn't get a hold of them. So, after an hour of waiting, we called our friends Kurt and Karissa (whom we love and who love our kids) and literally Karissa was at our house ten minutes later with Kurt (coming from work) right behind her. They stayed with the kids all night so that Dave and I could have our anniverary night. Seriously, I love our church and the community that we belong to. I love doing life with these people.
Dave and I had to alter our plans slightly, but we still went down to Indy, ate at the Castleton grill, and then went shopping. It was so nice to just be with him.
Below is my anniversary present.
My husband did AMAZING. It's so beautiful...the picture doesn't even show it justice. I LOVE it. It's my new favorite piece of jewelry...mostly because it came from him.
Suffice it to say, the evening was wonderful. For me, it was nice to get away from the house and yes, even the kids, for a little bit. I had to remember that I am more than a mom. We had such a good time talking on the way down and back and throughout the whole evening.
Because of that, I was able to really enjoy the kids today. I wasn't feeling run-down or empty. I could really embrace and enjoy the time I had with them. We were all better for it.
I married a great man seven years ago. He keeps me safe, is steady when I am weak, pushes me when I need to be pushed, loves me for me, is incredibly wise, and is a wonderful father. I'm incredibly in love with him.
Bring on year eight!
The funny thing about our anniversary is that SOMETHING always goes wrong...every year, without fail. One year we were in Chicago and Dave's parents had booked a hotel room for us using their points (we were poor and they were generous). When we got to the hotel, the hotel had booked us for the following night..and the hotel was BOOKED for that night. We ended up having to drive home to his parents house. Another year, as we were pulling out of the driveway, Dave accidentaly side-swiped our babysitters car. We felt so horrible about it, that we ended up not going out that evening and Dave spent the rest of the night fixing the damage. Other years have been more minor, but something generally happens to try and thwart our plans. We joke about it now.
This year was no exception. Our babysitters forgot to come and we couldn't get a hold of them. So, after an hour of waiting, we called our friends Kurt and Karissa (whom we love and who love our kids) and literally Karissa was at our house ten minutes later with Kurt (coming from work) right behind her. They stayed with the kids all night so that Dave and I could have our anniverary night. Seriously, I love our church and the community that we belong to. I love doing life with these people.
Dave and I had to alter our plans slightly, but we still went down to Indy, ate at the Castleton grill, and then went shopping. It was so nice to just be with him.
Below is my anniversary present.
My husband did AMAZING. It's so beautiful...the picture doesn't even show it justice. I LOVE it. It's my new favorite piece of jewelry...mostly because it came from him.
Suffice it to say, the evening was wonderful. For me, it was nice to get away from the house and yes, even the kids, for a little bit. I had to remember that I am more than a mom. We had such a good time talking on the way down and back and throughout the whole evening.
Because of that, I was able to really enjoy the kids today. I wasn't feeling run-down or empty. I could really embrace and enjoy the time I had with them. We were all better for it.
I married a great man seven years ago. He keeps me safe, is steady when I am weak, pushes me when I need to be pushed, loves me for me, is incredibly wise, and is a wonderful father. I'm incredibly in love with him.
Bring on year eight!
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