Finding My Way

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:17-18

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Sometimes in life we have nothing to rejoice about or in, but we can always rejoice in the Lord. He is always worth rejoicing in.

Coffee Quote

2011-08-10T10:18:00.000-05:00

There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and the best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.

Onward, How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul, Howard Schultz

Morning Coffee

2011-08-10T10:09:00.004-05:00

On a recent evening, I was staring longingly at my Keurig and thinking forward to my morning cup of coffee. And I began to wonder if this was a problem or not. Was my desire for my morning cup just a simple pleasure or was it more then that?

A few days after I read the passage below in The Peach Keeper. I thought it was so true. The smell, the taste, the fact that you drink coffee with other people all ties into memories. Pleasureably moments that stay lodged in the depths our minds and then somehow get gently shaken loose when we smell or taste that drink again. And I thought isn't the workings of the mind a fascinating thing? I've had similar experiences with perfumes and certain food smells as well.

"Coffee, she discovered, was tied to all sorts of memories, different for each person. Sunday mornings, friendly get-togethers, a favorite grandfather long since gone, the AA meeting that saved their life. Coffee meant something to people. Most people found their lives were miserable without it."

The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen

Dream giver or Dream taker?

2011-07-05T08:46:00.000-05:00

I am finishing up Larry Crabb's book, Shattered Dreams. I've had it sitting on my shelf for years and had not read it. For many years I have admitted that my dreams were blocked or taken away from me. I believe that God literally intervened and blocked my path to reaching several of my dreams or goals I had in my life. One in particular was a career goal that had me feeling like I was running into brick walls in my effort to achieve it. Now I readily admit I am not good at persevering. I feel strong and positive, ready for battle, until a point and then I just collapse under the frustrating effort to pursue whatever it is that I am trying to achieve. This can occur over something major like a career goal or something minor like hanging drapes in my house. So there are some who could say that I didn't strive hard enough to achieve my dream and maybe this is true, but my spirit senses that I did all I could and that God did block my path because he had other plans for me.

For many years, I struggled and eventually worked through my anger, bitterness and rage over God being my dream taker instead of my dream giver. People around me in the media, books and even church continuously spoke of living out their dreams, achieving your dreams, being all that you can be and I just fumed (in honesty, I wanted to flip them off and cuss them out) and I questioned, because this is not what happened to me. Was there something wrong with me?

After a number of years, I grew as a person mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I lived and learned. I read and absorbed. I listened and processed. I pondered, reflected and finally opened myself up to what the Holy Spirit had to tell me. My Holy King is a dream giver. I just got confused over what type of dream he wants to give. Reading Crabb's book just affirmed everything I had learned and processed on my journey. He sums it up in the second to last chapter by saying God's highest dream, his abundant life "is about knowing Jesus as the most wonderful person there is, the very best friend anyone could ever have. It is about glorifying God by enjoying Him more then any other source of pleasure." Okay, so I get that. I want that. So what's the hiccup?

He goes on to say that "we do not believe that knowing God could ever provide the joy we're looking for or the fullness our empty souls crave. So we settle for lesser joys, for more manageable pleasures that come with smaller price tags..." He gives several examples of this. One he describes "friends of mine are troubled by their teenage daughter. She's using drugs and sleeping with her boyfriend. Do they really believe that knowing God could bring them more pleasure to their souls than seeing their daughter straighten out?" Ah, yes, and here lies the hiccup. Do we really believe that God can be our everything?

Crabb ends this section with a question, a challenge, something to ponder. "So the question we must squarely face is this: Does knowing God really provide the pleasure our souls were designed to enjoy? Can we enjoy God more than anyone or anything else? IS IT POSSIBLE?"

My spirit and my heart say yes. My mind, however, is reluctant to follow. But that's okay, because life is a journey, transformation is a process and my King has a plan. I can have faith in that.

A poem for Rosemary

2011-06-12T18:29:00.000-05:00

So Long

So long, dear friend
But not farewell.
I send you with my love
To a sunny place
Where God above
Has a plan for you to love.

The day to day, we have no more
But no worries do I have.
Cuz friendships cords do bind us
Heart to heart, and
Hand in hand.

I thank my God,
My King, for you
My heart it does sing.
No matter what does come on earth
I know
Forever means one thing.

And so I say
So long, dear friend,
For this is not farewell.
I send you with my love,
Dear friend
On a story yet to tell.

My Rose

2011-06-12T18:27:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time there was a Mississippi girl who lived in Georgia. Now she liked Georgia quite a lot and was very happy there. But as life goes, her husband got a new job within his company and told her, “We gotta go!” and this made her very unhappy. Now by divine intervention she moved up North to the land of the Bears, the Cubs and the Blackhawks and her husband choose a house in a little suburb west of the City, in a village on a river…and that house was right next door to mine.

The day we met, only a few short days after the moving truck pulled away, is etched in my memory forever. To hear her tell it (and I have, a few hundred times), she had been dropped into a hot, dry, and flat hole in the ground in the middle of the Midwest. This was a foreign land. Her son eager for new friends invited the kids on the other side of the fence over to play. I arrived on her doorstep looking young with a trail of 4 children and a baby on my hip. She admitted later that she was terrified and thought, “My God, where has Jack moved me to?” In reality, I was watching a friend’s brood along with my own two and while I may have looked redneck that day it is she who knows a whole lot more about redneck then me. She, however, in all her terror, gracefully invited us all in and the rest, as they say, is history.

I don’t know if you have ever been so blessed as to have a friend like my Rose. Rosemary Rogers Piedmont is a gift sent by God into my life. A gift that I am forever grateful for. We are so alike and yet so different. Our alikeness allows us to enjoy each other while our differences allow us to learn from each other. With Rosemary I have enjoyed books, food, wine, parties, travel, laughter and talk…lots and lots of real good talk. Visiting, I believe she would call it. From Rosemary I have learned Southern hospitality, graciousness, cooking, y’all, and that dirty feet or fingernails are a sign of a good day. She embraced me and my children. She shared books and recipes. She created the Redneck Pool Party. She would ask, “How are things on y’all’s side of the fence?” We lived the day to day side by side. She is not just my friend, she became my family. She is my sister; she is my “person”. She knows my good and my bad.

Well, we knew it would. The time has come. She and her family are leaving the Midwest bound for a sunnier clime. Apparently, God thinks I don’t need her anymore…at least not right next door. I’m gonna miss her. I know it’s not the end. I know it’s not really goodbye. Now that I’ve got her I’m not letting go. And there is that whole afterlife thing. Anyways, too few of these precious friends enter our lives, if ever for some… They are the ones that you swear God breathed the same breath into on the day of creation; the ones that you swear share the same soul…The friend that makes you whole. In all truth, if not a bit corny, you complete me, Rose. I am a better person because of you.

A marriage song

2011-06-07T07:46:00.000-05:00

My mother will read this and freak out, thinking something horrible has happened. Nothing horrible has happened, mom. It's just life and this poem is a poem of hope. The everyday can wear us down as much as the big traumatic things, but we can always go to our King with the big, the little and the mundane. He cares for it all and loves to hear His children's voices cry out to Him whether it be in pain or in joy. So on my 14th wedding anniversary I write this for the man I love.

A Marriage Song

Father God,
You see my hurt.
You know my pain.
It has driven me to you.
I am broken.
I am maimed.
I cling to you.
Tears run down my face.
Silent tears, unnoticed tears.
I give my pain to you, Lord.
I place it in your hands.
If I should hold it as my own,
I would only grow dry and bitter
Like the desert with no rain.
Forgive me my sin.
Teach me your ways.
May I respect him in new ways.
May I honor him.
May I cherish him.
May I grow more
Each and every day.
Amen.

For Meg

2011-06-06T14:36:00.001-05:00

Future

You stand on the precipice of a brand new life.
It is altogether terrifying and breathtaking.
Like the upper rim of the Grand Canyon,
You can see the vastness of adulthood yawning before you.
Your toes curl into the hard rock beneath your feet.
You are ready to take the leap that will send you falling into adulthood.
You are afraid.

You look back over your shoulder.
Standing behind you are all who love you, care for you
And supported you through the years.
Mother, father, brother, sister.
Grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins.
Friends.
They wave, smile and nod encouragingly.
It is time.

You turn and face the new, the unknown.
They are there, behind you.
You feel them in your spirit.
Your toes curl deeper into the rock.
You open your balled up fists hanging by your sides.
You close your eyes.
Your shoulders lift as you take one final deep breath.
And with all the courage you can find,
You leap!

You have the sensation of falling,
And for a moment you want to panic.
“What have I done?” your heart cries.
You force your eyes open,
And are amazed by what you see.
Colors and faces and new friends.
Life and growing and maturing.
The fall no longer feels so terrifying.
The air blasting you in your face is refreshing.
You drink in the cool air,
And look at what lies ahead.

Suddenly you realize,
You feel them.
They are still there.
In your spirit.
And deeper still, you find peace.
Your Father God is there too.

Uncalled, a bubbly, giddy feeling erupts in your stomach.
For the first time you smile.
It creeps to your chest.
A thrill runs through you
And that giddy feeling bursts out of your mouth
In a scream of delight.

Your adventure has begun.

My Top 2 Book Picks of 2010

2010-12-28T21:30:00.000-06:00

I am scouring Amazon’s 100 Best and the Tribs booklist for the year’s top books. Books I have not read. My appetite for reading always surpasses my ability to find time to read. I have at least a dozen books on my shelves that I have not read and yet I still desire to buy more or at least pick them up from the local library (this is my husband’s preferred method, he does not understand the need to buy books and have them for one’s own).

As we come to the end of the year and I scour for something new, I have to reflect on what I have read this year. It was in fact one of my most successful reading years in many years. The completion of my school nurse certificate program last December and my children getting older has allowed for a little more free time. Time I find myself filling with my “to do” list instead of reading. Something I’m working on…but that’s another story for another time. As I look back at the 18 plus or minus books I read this past year there are two that stand out to me as great books…two that I would say, “Take the time to read these!”

The first, The Help, by Kathryn Stockett is better enjoyed on audiobook to fully experience this Southern delight. It filled me with every emotion known to human kind, not only does the book have depth and history but it is enjoyable to listen to and you grow to care for the women whose stories are being told. If you haven’t heard of this book you have been living under a rock. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to read it, you must. It is currently being made into a movie.

The second is a mouthful. The Guernsey Literary and Sweet Potato Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is a surprise of a story told through letters following World War II. Again, history plays a part in this story of a community whose love of literature helps foster friendships and sustains them through the trails of war.

A Christmas Poem

2010-12-24T15:58:00.000-06:00

The evergreens look lovely tonight,
Dressed in their Christmas finery.
Dressed in white laced,
Long green gowns.
Their boughs heavy with snow,
Weighted down as if in a humble bow
Before a glorious newborn King.

Finding my way...Cooking

2010-12-07T18:32:00.000-06:00

One of the things I have grown in and discovered in the last three years is cooking. This will come as a shock to my mother but I love to cook. I love providing wholesome and tasty meals for my family. My favorite is to have lots of time and create a big meal for my tiny family. This is an annoyance to my husband who delights in eating these creations but typically will comment on there being too much food for four people, one of whom rarely likes what I make. I also delight in trying new dishes and foods I have never made before. This fall, for example, I tried apple pie, which I am still perfecting. Through this process I have found some stellar recipes that my family adores. Some time consuming and special and others simple and satisfying.

Last fall and winter I was on a soup kick and tried several recipes with tortellini in them. I am a huge fan of tortellini and think it makes a soup warm and hearty. Last year I tried three different recipes, each one was delicious. This one was our favorite. It is simple and can be made on a weeknight because it doesn't take a lot of time (something that really counts when you are a mom and have kids in after-school activities). I was happy when the fall chill settled in and I could break out all my soup recipes. I love soup.

Hope you enjoy.

Too Easy Tortellini Soup

Quick Cooking, July/August 2001

4 cups chicken broth

1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini

1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained

1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

Shredded Parmesan cheese and coarsely ground pepper, optional

In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in tortellini. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans, tomatoes and basil. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in vinegar. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and pepper if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Community

2010-08-03T17:50:00.000-05:00

Loneliness is something that happens to us, but I think it is something we can move ourselves out of. I think a person who is lonely should dig into a community, give himself to a community, humble himself before his friends, initiate community, teach people to care for each other, love each other. Jesus does not want us floating through space or sitting in front of our televisions. Jesus wants us interacting, eating together, laughing together, praying together. Loneliness is something that came with the fall.

If loving other people is a bit of heaven then certainly isolation is a bit of hell, and to that degree, here on earth, we decide in which state we would like to live.

Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

I couldn't have said it better myself. Here is to community!

Embellishment

2010-07-22T16:24:00.000-05:00

...Our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance. But the rose is an extra. Its smell and its colour are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extra.
~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Time Out

2010-07-12T17:41:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wish I could call a "Time Out". Can't the world stop long enough for me to get my head together? I just need some time to think, to sort things out...I just want to make sure my family and I are focused on the important things in life, that we're spending our money wisely, that we're spending our time wisely. But life won't stop long enough for me to figure this out...is this a part of the limitations of humanity? Or do I really have the power to make things stop (at least in my world)? Honestly, I don't know.

Feeling the Limitations of Humanity or Sweet Surrender

2010-05-15T10:18:00.000-05:00

I feel like I'm faced with a choice. Well, three different choices. Three different paths on the road of humanity. I can fight, I can give up or I can surrender. To fight is our natural instinct, to control, to be self serving. Giving up and surrendering sound like they could be the same thing, but they are not; one is death, the other life giving. To give up is death, a slow agonizing decent into soulessness. To surrender is against our nature but it is a choice that can be made that leads to life, peace and fulfillment. To surrender involves trust, it involves faith, it involves believing that the One you are surrendering to loves you and has your best interest at heart. It involves believing that He cares for YOUR heart.

Most of the time I fight, not even realizing I'm doing it until something happens to remind me that my fighting is futile. I do not have control, I can not control, control is beyond my humanity. Some people make fighting look easy, they make fighting seem possible. I want to believe that fighting will get me what I want just like it got them what they wanted. At least it appears that they have gotten what they wanted.

At times I have given up. Giving up is death. A rotting away of the very soul, a quenching of the fire. Giving up brings meaninglessness, hopelessness, and apathy.

Sweet surrender. Whoever came up with that one didn't know what they were talking about. Surrender, for me, is a process. I suppose once complete it would be very sweet. But that path is hard. Everything within me wants to fight. Surrendering means laying down my weapons and opening up my hands. Surrendering means following instead of leading they way. Surrendering means trusting that my King really knows what's best for me, trusting that his judgements are the right ones and his plans lead me to a place I want to be. Surrendering is hard but it is also very freeing.

I don't seem to consistently stay on one path. I jump around forgetting that fighting is not the answer, that surrendering feels good and giving up leads only to death. Lately I've been fighting and I'm tired. So tired that I want to give up, but the thought of giving up makes me weep in anticipated grief. Control is futile. But there is still hope. Instead I can lay down my weapons and open my hands and say, "Lead me where you want me to go. Teach me how to love. I will follow you. You are my King."

Ahh, sweet surrender.

A new direction...

2010-04-12T20:17:00.003-05:00

So with Facebook gaining in popularity and everyone and their mothers on FB my family blog seems to have become obselete. I don't think anyone is reading my blog anyways, not even my mother. The whole point was to connect with family and friends and let them know what was going on in my family's life...well, HELLO Facebook.
Anyways, I think I'll take this blogging thing in a new direction and actually, well, blog. I have a head and heart full of thoughts and ideas that I would love to share with others but often they don't even get beyond the four walls I live in.

Many people talk about life as a journey and I agree, except most of the time I have no idea where I am or where I'm going and I am just finding my way, like I'm really lost and each day I get a little more found. I'm finding my way as a mother, I'm finding my way as a wife, I'm finding my way as an adult, I'm finding my way to better health, I'm finding my way to being a better employee, I'm finding my way to deeper friendships and relationships, I'm finding my way as a believer, I'm finding my way to let go...of a lot...resentment, bitterness, desperation, perfection, stress, having my own way...(again with the "being an adult" thing).

It feels like my life right now is all about finding my way somewhere. So this new direction is to explore the different ways I am finding my way and how I hope, in the end, I make it to where I'm supposed to be.

Stolen

2009-11-29T13:56:00.002-06:00

I stole this from my friend's blog without asking. He, He! I liked it and thought it very accurate, and a good reminder...

"Passion gets me out of bed. Being driven makes me want to sleep...forever."
~Charrisa Motley

Tim's blog:
http://searching4theapex.blogspot.com/2009/11/finally-dont-be-driven.html

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-29T13:42:00.003-06:00

Jillian did a writing assignment at school. She brought it home and wouldn't let anyone see it until Thanksgiving day. She then read it to all of us around the dinner table.

Jillian writes:

I am most thankful for...the cozy house I live in. For my helpful sister, my loving mom, and my loving dad. My precious cousins, my creative aunt, and my funny uncle. My grandparents and great-grandparents are indeed special too. For my food, money, water, life and teacher. I have respectful friends also. Those are things I am thankful for.

Powerful and Real...

2009-07-30T17:22:00.003-05:00

One of the 2010 Rebecca Caudill books, Shark Girl is an insightful look into the life of a 15 year old girl who looses her arm following a shark attack.

The story is written in a powerful and real voice of a teenager who is now "different" and struggling with the grief of losing the life she used to have. Also found it to be a revealing look of how person's with "differences" are treated.

A great story!

A little magic...

2009-07-27T13:20:00.002-05:00

"Everyday things are magical, we just take them for granted. Apples. Candy. A good haircut. Books. Community. Family. Friends. A small gift. A letter in the mail. Falling in love."

-Sarah Addison Allen, author of The Sugar Queen

On Love...Mother Teresa

2009-07-17T09:08:00.001-05:00

July 17, 2009
One of the three books I am currently reading (because you know I cannot read just one) is No Greater Love by Mother Teresa. I just finished the chapter titled On Love and wanted to share a few things that touched me while reading.

“God loves us with a tender love.”

“But now, this is what the Lord says- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” Isaiah 43:1

“…I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands…” Isaiah 49: 15-16”

“If we were more willing to see the good and the beautiful things that surround us, we would be able to transform our families. From there, we would change our next door neighbors and then others who live in our neighborhood or city. We would be able to bring peace and love to our world, which hungers so much for these things.”

“We do no need to carry out grand things in order to show a great love for God and for our neighbors. It is the intensity of love we put into out gestures that make them into something beautiful for God.”

“We must love those who are nearest to us, in our own family. From there, love spreads toward whoever may need us. It is easy to love those who live far away. It is not always easy to love those who live right next to us. It is easier to offer a dish of rice to meet the hunger of a needy person than to comfort the loneliness and the anguish of someone in our own home who does not feel loved.”

“True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts, and yet brings us joy.”

“If you are discouraged, it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own powers…The Lord has willed me here where I am. He will offer a solution.”

Exercise

2009-06-30T19:16:00.003-05:00

My friend had this as her Facebook status today. It cracked me up. Especially since I had just been to yoga at 8:30AM and had gotten my butt kicked. Too funny!

"I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing." —Marsha Doble

Book Review

2009-06-27T09:56:00.004-05:00

You gotta love a book that's first sentence is...

"Sometimes extraordinary things begin in ordinary places."

This is a sweet book about a boy named Eben who thinks there is nothing interesting about his little town of Sassafrass Springs, Missouri. A town so small and ordinary it doesn't even have a dot on the map. Set in 1923, in the heat of July, the story unfolds with a challenge from Pa to Eben to see if he can find Seven Wonders in Sassafras Springs...when word gets out the whole town gets involved...each person believing they have a wonder and a story to share.

This book captures the lost art of storytelling and reminds us that you can find wonders anywhere but especially in small things in the people and places around you...it also reminds us that some individuals thirst for adventure. Uncle Alf tells Eben, "...there are two kinds of folks: those who are satisfied right where they are and those with an itch to see the rest of the world. If you're the kind who's got to go, then get going." I, for one, fall into the folks "with an itch" category.

A great read-aloud for the family or a great silent read sitting at dusk on the porch with a glass of sweet tea.

Volleyball Camp 09

2009-06-20T15:45:00.005-05:00

June 15-19, 2009

This has been a difficult week for Jillian and myself. I have had to reach into the deepest parts of myself to look for wisdom and strength to guide my daughter and to be a good mother. Jillian had taken a keen interest in volleyball in first grade when they did it in PE. She would come home and talk about what she was learning and how much fun she was having. Prior to this summer as we discussed summer activities Jillian had asked if she could go to volleyball camp instead of her usual soccer camp. I told her no because I didn't know of anything like that for her age group. Several weeks later, on a fluke, I discovered the Great Lakes Volleyball Center in Aurora. I checked their website and sure enough they had a camp for 1st through 5th graders, Beginning Volleyball. Jill was thrilled. Soccer camp was cancelled and volleyball camp was signed up for and Jilly waited with anticipation. I supposed I should have known based on their website and the monmouth size of their building (think warehouse) that this was serious business...clubs, tournaments, national and international trips...this place makes volleyball players. Jillian's expectations were shattered that first day...not only did she get hit in the face with a ball but she also did drills and skills that would someday make any child a good volleyball player...Jillian had expected something lighter, more fun and games...like PE at school. This was much more intense and as Jillian admitted to our neighbor, Rosemary, "It's hard!" She did not want to return the second day.

I had to use all my mother wisdom to encourage her, to coax her and to help her think positively. I didn't want her to quit because it was to hard or not what she had looked forward too...but I didn't want her to be miserable either. There was much talking and hugging and holding each day to help her do what she needed to do...I had hoped maybe things would change over the passing days and she might actually have some fun but no, each day was a struggle. On Wednesday, we went to Dairy Queen and got ice cream to celebrate the fact that she had made it halfway through the week, that she had completed more days then she had left. At this point all I hoped for was survival.

Friday was particularly difficult as she didn't want to go...so much so that she felt sick to her stomach. I had to remind her that was her nerves, that she was feeling anxious and not really sick. I tried to find words to help her understand why I felt it was so important not to quit, not to skip that last day...I wanted her to feel success and power in the fact that she had made it...she had not given up...she was strong and she had survived. The above picture was taken Friday. She had fun trying to get through the obstacle course with her partner and not drop the ball out of the cone. I think that was the biggest smile out of her the whole week.

Each day at the end of camp the kids and the coaches would do a 1,2,3 Break before heading home. The first day they said, "1,2,3 Champions," other days they said silly things like bananas or ice cream. On Friday, as they stood clustered together trying to decide what to say, Jillian turned to her coach and told him that they should say what was on the back of their camp t-shirts. The t-shirts had printed in small letters "America's Toughest Volleyball Camp" and in big letters "I SURVIVED"...for Jillian this could not have been more true and was fitting way for her to end her camp experience. The coach agreed and that's what they did, "1,2,3, we survived!" Jillian turned and walked to me and said, "I'm done. Now let's get out of this place. I am never coming back." And so we did. I am so proud of her. She may not realize it but the easier thing for both of us would have been to quit...but I couldn't do that to her, to us. I hope someday she will not be in therapy over this but will remember this as being a time when she learned to do a tough thing, a hard thing...and not only survived but grew in strength of character.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2009-06-19T08:43:00.002-05:00

We are two weeks into summer vacation and halfway through June and have only made it to the pool once...GHRRR! The weather stinks! We have had so much rain or it has been overcast and threatening that we have been stuck indoors a lot. The weather is taking a toll on my mental attitude and I'm stressing out that I will miss summer.

We have taken in a movie...Night at the Museum 2...which was very fun and I'd recommend it to everyone.

We have also been reading...Emily has finished the Harry Potter series...she started reading book 7 on the Friday we got out of school and it took her about 5 days to finish it...I have started the Twilight series and am halfway through...have taken a break to read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, which was recommended to me...I also read Water for Elephants which was an excellent story...

Hoping next week brings some sun and we can get some pool time in.

My friend in the Philippines

2009-06-13T14:32:00.002-05:00

My dear friend from church, Tim, is visiting the Philippines right now with students from our church group, StuCo. His blog is powerful and I remember my own experiences through his stories. Please read his and the student's experiences at:

http://searching4theapex.blogspot.com/

Letter to the Editor

2009-06-07T12:07:00.003-05:00

The Chicago Trib ran an essay from Julia Keller, columnist for Lit Life, on Sunday, May 31. She was writing about the Printer's Row Lit Fest (it was renamed this year) and her essay so tickled me I had to send her an email. So even though circmstances prevented me from going this year I still wanted to share the email I sent her...and I am already making my plans for next year. :)

Sunday, May 31, 2009
Dear Julia,
With one week left before the return of the PRLF I am giddy with anticipation for its arrival. This will make the third year my dearest friend and I will attend. Your article today made me smile in recognition of the excitement and energy I feel while attending the Lit Fest. For my friend and I this is a highly anticipated summer opener where we look forward to our train ride from the burbs, our Starbucks from the corner shop, lunch at some divine restaurant, and the throngs of book lovin’ kin who are ‘”geeking out” over their books as much as we are over ours. For a book lover the festival encapsulates everything we love about books from the musty smell of old books to the perfect paperback beach read. I love it. Your alternative names for the PRLF were perfect and right on. You mentioned a rain storm which brings back an amusing memory from last year. While attending an author’s talk on Sunday a storm popped up and nearly lifted the tent right off the ground, we were asked to evacuate immediately and hundreds of bodies dashed to the surrounding buildings for safety in what can only be described as a torrential downpour. While slightly concerned for our safety I don’t think any of us thought dying in middle of the lit festival would have been a bad thing. We were already experiencing a slice of heaven. In the safety of an office building, folks clumped together in little clusters in the foyer talking and pulling out their books from their bags comparing and making note of what others had picked up. After a short while the storm passed the sun came out and we exited our safe haven. The humidity was tremendous as the sun baked our wet bodies, sending my hair into a frizzy mess but, hey, what’s a little frizz among friends? Despite a life-threatening summer storm we went on to have a wonderful afternoon with fond memories of our adventure.
Thank you for your article and the reminder of the delight to come. Maybe we will rub shoulders over one of the book tables.
Sincerely,
Your book lovin’ kin,
Christine Chestnut

Summer Kickoff...

2009-06-07T11:45:00.008-05:00

You are entering Redneck Territory!

The sign says it all. Our neighbors, the Piedmonts, annual Redneck Pool Party. Great fun for all ages and super way to start off our summer. The Piedmont's son, Will, created the sign.

The Grown Up Circle of Adultness (our neighbors)

Pool party

Super Jonathon (one of the neighbor boys)...and water games

Flamingoes were added to the theme this year. There has been talk of a port-o-potty for next year.

My BFF, Rosemary Piedmont...making FB faces for the camera. Luv her!

Spending time with family

2009-05-25T15:07:00.004-05:00

Sunday proved to be a glorious day. Not to hot, a lovely breeze. After stuffing ourselves with hamburgers and hotdogs, macaroni salad, strawberry salad and strawberry-rhubarb crisp, we hung out in Nana and Boppa's backyard.

We hadn't done a family picture in awhile.

Cousins...Jill, Kaylee, Emily

Nana with Emily and Jillian

Alex, Kaylee, Jill and Em

Two great movies...

2009-05-25T14:24:00.003-05:00

I watched two great movies this Memorial weekend.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a fast paced delightful romp of a movie. Kirk and I were smiling at the end and just had fun watching this one.

The Queen was a fascinating movie following Great Britian's royal family and the country's politics following the death of Princess Diana.

2009-05-12T15:43:00.002-05:00

My best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read yet.

~Abraham Lincoln

Love Notes

2009-05-12T15:32:00.006-05:00

For 'twas not into my ear you whispered

But into my heart

'Twas not my lips you kissed

But my soul

~Judy Garland, from her poem "My Love is Lost"

Alive...

2009-04-24T18:12:00.002-05:00

The glory of God is man fully alive.

-Saint Irenaeus

Small things, with great love

2009-04-24T17:45:00.001-05:00

"None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful" ...Mother Teresa

Why I do what I do...

2009-01-15T13:17:00.003-06:00

This was copied from one of my homework assignments that I just completed. It was fun to reflect back on how I got where I am today as a nurse and to remember why I am in school again.

My transition into school nursing was not a difficult one. I had been on a hospital unit following graduation from nursing school and disliked it immensely. I left burned out and thought I would never return to nursing. I took time to have my two girls and as they got older and were entering school I began to think about entering the work force again. I happened across an ad in the local paper for building nurses in our local district. Thinking I would not be qualified for such a job, I gave the health coordinator a call. She was wonderful. Through her and with her I began to sub in the district. It was terrifying at first, but then I discovered I enjoyed it, and was good at it. My time spent as a mom served me well, along with my rusty nursing knowledge. I find it ironic at times that when I entered college at 18, I entered as an elementary education major. I loved kids, but found the classroom wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be. My gradual journey back to the education setting was surprising and yet fit with my values as a person and as a nurse. Some people might call me crazy, but I love what I do and count it a blessing to have a job that I love.

Perspective

2009-01-14T21:20:00.002-06:00

I found this on a school nurse website as I was doing some class work. The woman who manages the site gives encouraging thoughts and words to nurses, as well as, helpful tips. I like this and thought it was a good reminder on keeping perspective in one's life.

The Theory of the Five Balls.

This was presented by James Patterson in his book Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, an outstanding book. Patterson says we have five balls to juggle in life. Four of the five are glass balls and will shatter if dropped. The 5th ball is a rubber one, and it will bounce back if dropped.
The 5 balls are:
Family
Health
Friends
Integrity
Job
You may have guessed that the last one, job, is the rubber one.

Books, books, books...

2009-01-05T18:14:00.004-06:00

I loved this quote from Jack Cella, the general manager of the Seminary Coop bookstore. I found it in an article in the Sunday Trib a couple of weeks ago.

"If you're in a decent bookstore, you can look at any shelf and realize how little you know. I can't imagine life without reading."

For Real

2009-01-04T16:58:00.002-06:00

Emily and Jillian recieved ornaments with their monograms handpainted on them for Christmas. I had picked them up on my trip to Atlanta with my friend, Rosemary. They're beautiful ornaments and very Southern with ribbon and polka-dots. I thought they would be a long-lasting ornament that the girls can take with them when they are grown. In the picture they are showing them off, and yes, Jillian is really crying. At first, I thought she was faking, but she insisted, "Mommy, it's so beautiful!" Nope, she's not faking, she was moved to tears by the beauty of the ornament. Well, that's Jill for ya.

Happy 60th Anniversary!

2009-01-04T16:51:00.002-06:00

My grandparents, Char and Bob Gatenby, celebrated 60 years of marriage on December 4th.

I was so proud and inspired by them. We celebrated with the family from Wisconsin and Illinois.

Love you, Grandma and Grandpa!

Beautiful Moments

2009-01-04T16:45:00.003-06:00

I love these pictures. They capture the sheer delight one moment can hold if you just pay attention.

A whole lot cuter...

2009-01-04T16:22:00.003-06:00

A funny thing happened over break...okay, more then one, but this one, in particular, made Kirk and I laugh.

I was enjoying several holiday treats, peanut butter blossoms, some chocolate fudge, when Kirk walks by...and in true Gatenby fashion I was standing over the counter, probably steeping a cup of tea, instead of sitting down. So Kirk walks by and with my mouth full of holiday delights he says, "Your butt is cute!" I about choked on my cookies and laughed and said back to him, "It's gonna get a whole lot cuter when I'm done here!" And we laughed.

It became our running joke, the rest of the holidays...any time Kirk or I decided to have a treat we would make a comment to each other about our butts getting cuter. So thank you, Melissa Winston, for our delightfully yummy holiday treats and for making our butts a whole lot cuter!

Guess what I learned today...

2008-11-01T13:42:00.003-05:00

Today I learned that Jillian likes to take her peanut butter and grape jelly sandwiches and take the grape jelly sides and the peanut butter sides and stick them together. And then she eats the peanut butter side first.

This week I learned that Emily loves and revels in torturing her sister.

And here's a Treat for you!

2008-11-01T11:58:00.002-05:00

I warned them, I did...Emily was complaining about being hot and I had to record it for posterity, so that next year when we are freezing and there's snow on Halloween we will remember that in 2008 we were hot. I definitly was reveling in not having to even wear a jacket. It was a perfect fall day.

So, Em and Jill are up to their old tricks in this little video. It's ridiculous. Sibling bickering at it's finest... and I caught it all on tape (okay, digital camera, but tape sounds better).

A SIGN of the times...

2008-11-01T11:52:00.002-05:00

This photo is time stamped. This sign is in my neighbor's front yard. We will always be able to look at this and remember what was happening in our world at that time.

Trick or Treat 2008

2008-11-01T11:12:00.010-05:00

We had the most amazing Halloween weather that we have had in a decade. It reached 70 during the day and was probably 67 or so when we Trick or Treated. It was gorgeous. It made a lot of mommy and daddys very happy. On top of that, it was a day off from school for teacher's institute day. Hooray!

Jill and Ghosty Boy

Em and Jill

The Candy Corn witch and Supergirl

Emily is showing Ellen Claire the ropes.

Look how sweet she can be when it's not her own sister. Emily and Ellen Claire are holding hands.

Love it! Our friend and neighbor, Donna, with the girls. Donna kept telling the kids that walked up to her door that she was a princess. The kids thought it was hilarious.

Awww! Aren't they cute?

Atlanta trip, Oct 17-19

2008-11-01T09:54:00.008-05:00

My neighbor, Rosemary, invited me to go with her to Atlanta where she lived for five years prior to moving here. We shopped the Mistletoe Market for Christmas gifts, attended the Bling Fling for dinner on Friday. The Mistletoe Market is a fundraiser for the Junior League down there. Rose chaired it a few years back and loves to return and see her friends.

Two hot mamas! All dressed up for the Bling Fling.

We are standing in front of the prettiest, girliest Christmas tree I have ever seen. It was gorgeous! My camera was acting funny, so it's a little blurry.

The Market

The Big Chicken donated by the Junior League in downtown Marietta. We have cows, carousel horses and wolves...they have the Big Chicken.

Sunday brunch, the most amazing brunch experience ever. The desserts alone made it worth it. Let me say, this was not a low calorie weekend. We ate well...We ate extremely well.

The new Coca-Cola museum. This was unexpectedly fun. I loved it. We sadly had to leave our untasted commemorative complimentary bottled Cokes at the airport.

We had a really great time!

Fright Fest, Oct 12

2008-11-01T09:40:00.003-05:00

These pictures are a little out ouf order. But oh well, I took the girls from my high school small group at church to Fright Fest. They begged me to go and I'd pretty much do anything for them. They are a great group of girls and we have a lot of fun!

This was after the girls waited three hours to get on Vertical Velocity. It was a perfect day, in the 80s and the park was crowded.

Melissa, Kyla, Katlynn, and Tatiana
Posing in front of the pool of blood. They're gorgeous!

Tatiana, me and Melissa

Waiting in line for Raging Bull. This coaster did not sit well with me. I was a little worried how I would do, it had been about 15 years since I'd been on a roller coaster. This one made me a little sick, however I went on Superman later and loved that one. I always wished I could fly.

A fondness for football

2008-09-22T21:02:00.003-05:00

This was written two years ago following my knee surgery in September of 2006. I felt it deserved repeating.

A Fondness for Football
Since my surgery I've spent a lot more time on the couch watching TV. Now you have to understand that we do not have cable or dish and so I am stuck with whatever local or network channel will come in at the moment. FOX typically comes in pretty well and so last weekend when my family took off to visit Grandma Mary (interpret abandoned, but I'm not bitter or anything ) I decided to watch Da Bears versus the Lions, something I have not done in a very long time. Ah, the memories came flooding back... there is something so very nostalgic to me about football and fall. Fall is my favorite time of year, the cool, crisp morning air... the glorious colors on the trees... the crunch of the leaves under my feet...it makes me come alive. Pair that with a great sport like football (the cheering fans, the marching band, the crunch of helmets and shoulder pads and the cool night air) and it's pretty much that best damn time of my life.

This past week I watched the Bears and the Vikings play at the Metrodome. For me it was a huge game. When I think back to being a kid the Bears/Vikings games were "the" game of the year. Every Sunday was a "holy" day because of church and football (in that order) but when the Bears/Vikings game was on our whole world stopped. My dad would always tell me how the Bears struggled at the Metrodome with the noise and the turf and I can't recall watching a game where the Bears won...but this past weekend it all came out right. The only thing that was missing was my dad sitting next to me hollering and making calls and my brothers out in the yard with the neighbor kids playing their own game of football.

I had the great fortune of growing up a mile and a half from Naperville Central high school and probably less than a mile from North Central College in Naperville. On many a Friday night we had the cheers, the announcers and the marching band as the backdrop of our life. This past Friday, as I got ready for bed, I heard it...the sound of the announcer and the marching band less than a mile from my house at Oswego East High School and I smiled and sighed... It was Friday night and it was football...Yes, life is good.

First Day of School

2008-09-01T15:25:00.005-05:00

August 27, 2008 was out first day of school. Both girls were excited to go back and see friends and meet there new teachers. Jillian, our sweet second grader and Emily, our going-on-16 fourth grader.

Emily, me and Jillian hug before I head to work at my own school.

Jillian, Will, and Emily can't wait for the bus to come. The energy these three had that morning was crazy, they were so excited.

The three of us all had a great first day and came home thoroughly exhausted.

The Girls get Dunked!

2008-09-01T14:51:00.007-05:00

August 17, 2008
Emily and Jillian decided to be baptized. Kirk and I had the joy of getting to baptize them at our church with both sets of grandparents watching and our dear friends the Piedmonts present.
Also present was Emily and Jillian's Kid City(the equivalent of Sunday school) teacher and classmates.

Kirk, Emily, Christine and Jillian in the baptismal.

Emily gets baptized.

She wrote in her testimony: I decided to get baptized because I want to follow Jesus. I learned about baptism in our DIVE class through Kid’s City. I learned from the Bible that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I know that God loves me and everyone in the world. I feel special because of that.

Jillian gets baptized.
Jillian wrote in her testimony: I learned about Jesus from Kid’s City and from the Bible that my daddy read to me. I learned how Jesus died on the cross for me and for everyone in the world. I love Him for doing that. I want to be baptized because I love Jesus and want to follow him everyday my whole entire lifetime.

Mom hugs the girls after their baptisms.

Fun at FTC

2008-08-13T08:41:00.005-05:00

Performing the puppet show at FTC.

The FTC kids hold up their crafts(they made bookmarks) for us to see.

Abbey(9), Miranda(10), and Morgan(11) perform their dance/song for the kids at FTC. They did it three times 'cuz they liked it so much. By the third time everyone(and I mean everyone) was dancing and doing the moves. This is the first time through, forgive the poor camera work and fuzzy picture at times.

Playing with BamBam

2008-08-13T08:11:00.005-05:00

Meet the very spirited and delightful BamBam. Her real name is Mirna(I'm not sure how its spelled). She is 5, but looks and behaves very much like a 2 to 3 year old. She is one of the children that lives at the orphanage/refuge. She doesn't speak many words, but communicates very well with pointing, pulling, grunting and showing. She loves to be picked up and held or carried. She has more energy then two kids combined and is such a joy. She loves to dance, blow bubbles and have her picture taken. I know she stole my heart, as well as, others on our team.

One of my personal favorite moments was blowing bubbles with BamBam. She would dip the wand in the bottle and then hold it out for me to blow. At the sight of the bubbles she would squeal and smile and point. And then we'd do it all over again. Oh, how we laughed together. She eventually figured out how to blow the bubbles on her own and she loved that, running around the yard blowing the bubbles everywhere.

Favorite moments-Chuck and the street children

2008-08-13T07:13:00.006-05:00

This little one who lives on the street just stole my heart. She looked about 2, however malnutrition can cause them to be smaller then their actual age. So I really don't know how old she was. At one point I had picked her up for a picture and she was immediately taken from my arms by a boy of about 12 to 14 who said they were leaving. They did not leave, I saw them later on that night. It just shows you how protective they are of each other and how they watch out for the little ones.

San Pablo also suffered a black out that night. About halfway through our time with the street children every light in the city went out and it was dark. Thank goodness for all the trikes, jeepneys and trucks zooming by or we wouldn't have been able to see anything.

This group of children includes Maria(the girl in the middle in the pink shirt), she's 11. She has a couple of siblings she cares for. Her leadership skills were evident as she talked to me and as I watched her with the other kids. Her English was good and she appears to be far older then her 11 years. You can see the closeness between all the children in the picture. This is their family.

Another favorite moment came when we exited the bus and crossed the street to the corner where all the street kids were to get their food. There was a little girl, I'm going to guess around age 8 to 10, who came running out from the crowd and launched herself into the air and straight at Chuck, like a missile heading to its target. She clung to him giving him a big hug. I think he was startled in those first moments and then a big smile broke out on his face and off he went to play with the kids. I don't know if its his size or if the kids could see what a big teddy bear he is but they took to him. In the picture you can see what a blast the little guy is having being lifted up and down in the air. And Chuck got his workout in.

Beauty Among Trash

2008-08-09T05:50:00.007-05:00

The beauty among the trash, the children of Balok

Stepping out of the truck this is what greeted us at Balok. An inactive volcano. This picture does not do it justice. It was amazingly beautiful. At the foot of such beauty lies the garbage dump, full of garbage and people who live there.

We turned around and walked down the path to see piles of garbage and a row of homes made from the trash. Chuck and Becky are carrying juice, suckers and cookies for the children who live at Balok(the city's garbage dump).

A row of homes and the ever-present dogs. I think it was Cliff who said, "In the Philippines, dogs are like squirrels, they're everywhere." And its true.

A group of mostly women and children receive the two volleyballs that our team purchased for them. On the first trip to the dump, our team discovered the people had found a volleyball net and had it set up but had no ball to play with. The balls were received with cheers of delight and a game quickly got underway.

Morgan, Abbey and Miranda play hand games with the children. After overcoming some shyness they found no language barriers in communicating and connecting through play. Children are children no matter where you go in the world.

Philippines, Favorite Moments-Becky

2008-08-09T04:54:00.002-05:00

Becky sings to LanLan.

Most of my favorite moments do not involve me at all. Most of my favorite moments happened to the other team members and I had the joy of watching them unfold before me. One of my most favorites and the most beautiful moments was with Becky and LanLan. LanLan is one of the children that live at FTC (Face the Children), the orphanage and refuge for street children. I have heard LanLan’s story and I forget most of the details, but what I do remember is that LanLan suffered horrific abuse. For many years he was kept locked up in a shack or shed. He was unable to walk, he never learned to speak, and he is blind. He does tap rhythms with his fingers and hums, clicks and chirps with his mouth. He makes the sound of insects, the only sounds he heard for most of his life. On Sunday evening during Frontline Community Becky sat down by LanLan and I don’t know what possessed her but she started to sing to him. As she sang he scooted himself closer and closer to her until he was leaning on her. As she was singing to him he was tapping and chirping, when she would sing a song he particularly liked he would start to rock and start to tap and chirp harder and more excitedly. Finally great big smiles broke out across his face and Becky tipped her head back and just laughed with delight and sang the song over again. I don’t think Becky has probably ever looked as beautiful as she did that night singing and holding LanLan (I know her husband may disagree), but it struck me and I will never forget it. Also precious to me was singing to LanLan myself. Becky was trying to think of songs and had already song Amazing Grace to him. I told her I knew Amazing Grace set to another tune and thought LanLan might like it. As I was singing the first verse and came to the line “I once was blind but now I see” I was struck by what that might mean for LanLan. As I continued to sing and came to the last verse the tears were pouring down my cheeks, “we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise then when we’d first begun”. The realization that one day I would stand in heaven and LanLan would be there with his sight, completely healed, his body, completely restored and together he, Becky and I would sing God’s praises together…I was completely overcome. What a blessing, what joy, what an indescribable moment that was. And one that I will cherish the rest of my life.

Reflections on my Philippines trip

2008-08-06T14:06:00.006-05:00

Jennilyn, Katlyn, Babylene, and Melissa saying goodbye on the night before we left.

As I go through my pictures I am disappointed at how few I took and the quality of them. A lot of them are blurry and I was so busy doing stuff that it was hard to whip out the camera and snap pictures. Most everyone else on the trip had cameras too and I know between the 15 of us we have some good pictures.

The overall trip was good and yes, I would go back again. There were comfort things to overcome, like I am a germaphobe and there wasn't always running water and soap to wash your hands, so the Germ-X came in real handy. The airplane trip (approx 12 hours) from the US to Japan( and on the way back) was long, and the last three hours I would get a little antsy. I wanted off the plane. Bad enough I would have kissed the ground when we landed. It was hot and cramped in the sleeping quarters. And their 13 hours ahead so they are on the opposite day/night schedule then we are. Little things. Little things that were about my comfort and my needs. Little things that were overshadowed by the good and the positive of what I experienced and did there.

Most of the people who work for PFM (Philippines Frontline Ministry) live in a camp together. They eat breakfast and have devotions together in the morning. They are a joy-filled people who love what they do and are so open and giving. Their hospitality was overwhelming in a good way. I felt so welcomed in and morning devotions became one of my favorite times.

The children at FTC (Face the Children) were delightful and such a joy to get to know. The older children help a lot with PFMs ministries. Early in the trip we went to the hospital to pray for the patients there. Jennilyn and Babylene and others led small groups of us around the hospital, their boldness and leadership was staggering; when I thought about their ages in their early teens I reminded that God uses young and old, whoever will open their hearts up to Him and be willing to serve.

The children of Balok(the garbage dump) and the streets were filled with joy even though they have next to nothing. They smiled and tugged our arms and begged to have their pictures taken. Often posing with thumb and forefinger under their chin meaning "pogi" or handsome. They were appreciative of what was given to them and helped to take care of one another. I know these children have it rough and they will have to fight against odds we do not know all their lives but when I see them smile I have hope because within that smile I can see a strong spirit, a spirit that will help them fight their way through. Who knows how knowing PFM will affect their lives. For the better, I am sure. And who knows if someday I return to the Philippines to find one of them leading me through the hospital or handing out food on the streets. And I will praise the name of Jesus for he saves.

More info on Philippines trip

2008-07-18T11:33:00.002-05:00

July 18, 2008
If you are interested in following our trip, we will have a blog running so that various people on the trip can post there experiences and family members can check in and make sure we are all still alive. Because apparently mothers and spouses tend to worry and believe horrible things are going to happen.

Blog-
http://cccpitrips.wordpress.com

The following is the new website for the Philippines Frontline Ministry, which is the organization that we are going to support amd work with on our trip.

www.thefrontline.asia

Philippines missions trip

2008-07-18T11:25:00.002-05:00

July 18, 2008
Hard to believe I leave in less then three days to fly to the other side of the world. If you don't know that I am going on a missions trip I've included my support letter so you can read up on what I will be doing in San Pablo. Jillian is having a hard time with this whole thing. She is going to miss me, even though I think she will be so busy having fun with Nana that she won't realize how fast the time is going. We'll see.

Support letter-
May 18, 2008

Dear Friends and Family,

I’m writing to share my exciting opportunity to go on a mission trip to the Philippines July 21 through July 30 with a group from my church. I attend Community Christian Church (CCC) in Montgomery, Illinois. We will support and minister with Philippines Frontline Ministries (PFM) which has been serving the Filipino people for over 26 years.

I’ll be joining the ministry team located in San Pablo just south of Manila. We will live in tents and campers at PFM while we are there. My ministry opportunities will include:
FTC – Face the Children. This outreach brings shelter, food, hope, and the Word of God to abandoned and dangerously neglected children who live on the streets. This ministry of PFM is what drew me to want to go to the Philippines on this trip. The photos of the children and the stories of tragedy turned to transformation for these kids pulled at my heartstrings and I just had to go and see them myself. And hopefully touch these children’s lives.
FCA – Frontline Christian Academy. This outreach provides housing and education to those who have been forgotten
Hospital visitation
Jail ministries to participate in Bible studies & worship services
Taking food and drink to those who live in local garbage dumps and worshipping with them there.
Youth group activities
Building and repairing

To learn more about Philippines Frontline Ministries please visit their web sites at www.frontlinemissions.com and www.facethechildren.com.

Will you please support me with your prayers? Pray for my safety and that I will be able to share the love of God, and touch the lives of the children living on the streets and help those who don’t know Him to find Him.

Will you also please consider supporting me financially? I need to raise $2,100 to go on this trip. This amount covers my air fare, ground transportation, lodging, and three meals a day for 10 days. If you are able to support me on this trip, please make checks out to PFM – Frontline Ministries and write “Christine Chestnut” in the memo line. Mail checks to PFM c/o Christine Chestnut, 406 Raintree Dr, Oswego, IL 60543.

Thank you for consideration of prayer and support. I am really looking forward to seeing what God has in store for me on this mission trip. Following the trip I will post pictures and thoughts about the trip on my family’s blog http://chestnutroast.blogspot.com/ for those who are interested in seeing what went on there.

God bless,

Christine Chestnut
kcchestnut@wans.net
630-551-3155

The Wedding-the Ceremony

2008-06-21T15:01:00.010-05:00

March 26, 2008The Groom, aka, my brother, Jim

The Bride, Heather, being escorted by her son, Noah

The Bride and Groom

The mothers, Eileen and Kathy, pouring the sand into the vase

I hope you can see the vase in these two pictures above. This was such a great symbol of Jim and Heather's marriage, I just loved it. There is one large empty vase and several small vases filled with sand. The moms went up first and poured sand into the bottom of the large empty vase. This represented the foundation their families had layed. Jim and Heather went next and poured more sand on top of that and then included the kids, Noah and Hannah, to pour more sand on top of that. They continued with the layers of sand, blending together, to form a beautiful piece of art that Jim and Heather can keep as a remembrance of their wedding and as a symbol of two people, two families becoming one. It was really beautiful.

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Gatenby

Our Little Big Rock Adventure

2008-06-13T13:51:00.008-05:00

Jillian thought our picnic, even by the side of a parking lot, was divine. I think she also discovered what I have known for a good long time, peanut butter and jelly just tastes better when eaten outside.

To Emily, all that mattered was getting that sweet tea open.

Jillian is doing a funny little walk. Swinging her arms and walking quickly she actually looked like a speed walker. Emily and I had to join her, it was too much fun. We all laughed at ourselves and each other for such silliness.
This is also the path where we saw the two dead snakes.

The suspension bridge over the creek.

It was windy and with the girls running on the bridge I could feel the thing sway, it was pretty cool. We also had a little rain shower and got a little wet.

Possessed by a need for an adventure, something spontaneous and fun, the girls and I headed to a local nature park for a little walking, adventure hunting and a picnic lunch. Spontaneous is not something I have done well as a mom, maybe even as a person in general. I like being prepared. Spontaneous can cause me stress. The unknown, not having a schedule, can give me hives. I function best with a general outline of events; within that I can be flexible and fun and to look at me you'd never know. I love adventure. Walking, running, hiking, biking, the outdoors, the trees, the leaves, the blue sky. Today I hit the mark. I felt spontaneous and I jumped in. I flung myself over the cliff of spontaneity, into the abyss of the unknown below. And oh, did the wind feel cool and refreshing on my face as I fell. Whee! Forgetting all the things that might hold us back, like the projected rain, or unread library books(A very good excuse to stay home. Of course, like any good book lover Emily and I just brought them with us) or housework that "should" be done. I said, "Girls, we are going on an adventure," and within about 45 minutes we had a picnic lunch ready to go and were loaded into the car and were on our way.

There is something magical that has happened in the last year or two with me and my kids. They grew up. They are at a fantastic age for fun and adventures. With Jillian, just about anywhere you go can be an adventure, her little imagination is constantly working and she expresses it to us through her stories, drawings and crafts. So as we are walking the path their little minds are churning, quietly exploring the flowers, the paths, the butterflies and the rocks. The thing about kids, especially kids in school, is that they are constantly learning. And by encouraging their own interests I have learned and am more attentive to things I would otherwise miss. Jillian, our animal lover(which includes a full-on love affair with birds) pointed out the monarch butterfly, the dragonflies, the pretty white moths(she calls them butterflies) that appeared to dance in the air and the goldfinches flying across the path. Emily, my explorer, ran ahead finding all the tiny single paths the led off of the main gravel one we were on. She also found a way down to the lake and began doing what every child by water never tires of, throwing rocks in to watch them splash. The two of them finding bigger and bigger rocks to see the various size splashes and hear the various plunks and splooshes as they hit the water. Jillian, took a rock in each hand, and told her sister she was going to make fireworks and then threw the rocks in simultaneously. I could see her point. The duel splashes with water flying everywhere could look like fireworks in July if you imagined it. Oh, what joy children bring. On the second path we took, after our picnic lunch, I spotted two dead garter snakes(garter, garden, gartner?-what is the correct way of saying that?) The girls were fascinated because they were dead. Had they been alive, I think, our little adventure would have been over. The first one looked like a child's toy but the flies covering its body told me otherwise. The second one was larger and both had interesting coloring. I guess they were kind of fascinating for dead snakes.

Today reminded me how important the little things are. That joy can be found in a tiny dancing white moth or in the sound of a rock splashing in the water. It showed me how some of the greatest and grandest adventures come out of spontaneity and lack of planning with a little imagination thrown in and that by keeping our hearts and minds and eyes wide open we can find adventures wherever we go, behind the next corner, around the next bend, in a little park in Big Rock, Illinois. And best of all, I am reminded that making memories with my children is probably the best gift of all to myself and to them.

The Wedding-the Happy Couple

2008-05-26T18:19:00.004-05:00

Heather and Jim

This is a great picture, except Jim commented about holding Hannah's basket. Doesn't Heather look beautiful? And yes, Jim looks pretty good too. Look at that dimple! LOL
Love you, Jimmy!

The Wedding-Family

2008-05-26T17:55:00.007-05:00

Hannah

"sitting pretty"

Heather's family

Noah and Jillian
Great friends

Girls cousins

Emily, Hannah and Jillian

The groom's parents(aka, my mom and dad)

Bob and Eileen

The Wedding-Location

2008-05-26T17:39:00.007-05:00

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Castle

It was a beautiful day on the day of the wedding. In the 80s with clear skies. The ceremony was in the evening so it wasn't hot at all. The location was beautiful.

Superstars!

2008-05-26T09:44:00.003-05:00

Back at Jim and Heather's house, the girls were having a blast with Noah and Hannah. Webkinz, computers, air hockey and karaoke reigned supreme.
Here Jillian and Hannah take on High School Musical.

Sedona, AZ

2008-05-26T08:45:00.009-05:00

We loved Sedona. It was magnificently beautiful. You could spend a whole week there and not do all the things that there are to do. Very artsy, touristy and outdoorsy. I loved it. There were trails everywhere for hiking and mountain biking. The rocks were incredible. And from what I hear the art scene is pretty good too, but my family had no interest in art. I would love to go back there and spend some time hanging out, maybe try out one of their world-class spas. Ahhh!

Slide Rock State Park, Sedona, AZ

We visited Slide Rock, which in the summer time is a place folks like to hang out and swim. It was very beautiful there and we had a great time hiking along the river. It started out pretty chilly but warmed up nicely and we shed our coats and sweatshirts and soaked in the sunshine.

This is the swimming area. The rapids in the middle of the picture is what Slide Rock is famous for. Algae combined with a natural channel in the rock bed of the river make a natural waterslide. In the summer you will find people out here with there trash bags sliding down the river. Sounds like fun!!

The remains of something...the girls thought it was cool.

I named this silly putty rock. Doesn't it look like a big glob of silly putty?

Kirk and the girls walking the trail.

The Fam!

Day at the Grand Canyon!

2008-05-25T19:56:00.008-05:00

After breakfast, we returned to the Grand Canyon to walk the path that runs along side the Southern Rim. I don't think it got above 50 degrees that day and there was a cold, still wind. It made for some red noses and cold fingers.

My tree hugger. Sitting on the edge of the Canyon. Don't look Daddy.

Emily, Kirk and Jillian taking it all in.

Wowie! That six hour drive was worth it.

Amazing!!

Emily was my partner on the edge. Kirk is not fond of heights and Jillian would give it a try and then run back to Kirk saying, "Scary, scary, too scary!" But I have to give her credit, she did try more then once. Emily and I, however, found the edge exhilarating and breathtaking and would make our way there often to peer over the side and see what we could see. Sharing that with her was pretty cool. She is definitely adventurous and willing to try things.

Spring Break, March 2008

2008-05-25T19:07:00.008-05:00

We had the joy of traveling to Arizona over spring break this March. My brother, Jim, was getting married, so we turned it into a family vacation extravaganza. For a small fortune, we flew from Rockford to Mesa, stayed one night at Jim and Heather's and then headed for the Grand Canyon.

The six hour drive to the Grand Canyon. We all just about lost it.
But...

Hey, I thought we left all that ugly snow in Illinois.

It was worth it. Sunrise at the Grand Canyon on Easter Sunday morning.

35 degrees.

Gorgeous!!

The sun is risen above the eastern rim of the Canyon. We are on the Southern Rim.

Beautiful things move me. Nature, music, flowers and the dophins at the zoo. We arrived and parked at the Canyon. We were rushing trying to make it before the sun rose. From the parking lot, I could not see the Canyon but as I walked up the slope to the path at the top I could start to see the Northern Rim emerge. I caught my breath. Once I reached the top and could see the depth and width of it, the painted rocks. It was magnificent. I cried at the beauty of it. I cried at the realness of it. I cried at seeing it with my own eyes. It was breathtaking.

Emily writes.

2008-05-25T19:02:00.002-05:00

Emily had a writing assignment at school where they had to choose between the city or the country and write persuasively on why you should live in one place or the other. And why one place was better then the other. I enjoyed her writing so much I had to share.

A Peaceful Place
By Emily Chestnut
March 17, 2008

Imagine hearing a gentle wind swish through the crisp autumn leaves in the country. The country is a wonderful and amazing place to live. It is very peaceful there. Also, you will see many beautiful sights. In the country it is not busy.

Certainly, the country is a peaceful place. You can listen to the swallow, robin, and blue jay sing like they are in the opera. The country is not very noisy. It is as quiet as a mouse. You can go outside and breathe the fresh air; it won’t smell like exhaust like in the city.

Absolutely, you will see beautiful sights. You will see cranes and other birds swooping down quietly like hunters creeping up on a fox. You may see beautiful meadows, also flowers like daisies, violets and buttercups. They will be as beautiful as a dark red sunset.

Without a doubt, the country is not busy. There is absolutely no traffic. If there is no traffic there are not many people. So you won’t be late to work.

A wonderful and amazing place to live is the country. It is peaceful, there are beautiful sights, and it is not busy at all. The country is an amazing place.

Loosing teeth

2008-05-25T18:53:00.003-05:00

Nanny McPhee

If you haven't seen this movie, it is so good. Great for the whole family.

Jill loses her third tooth. She's looking like a real big girl now.

Emily gets her ears pierced.

2008-05-25T18:34:00.003-05:00

February 3, 2008-The day after her birthday Emily got her ears pierced. She had proven that she could be responsible and take care of them herself. She was so worried about how much it would hurt and as you can see in this video she is very brave.

2008-05-25T18:04:00.005-05:00

February 2, 2008
For Emily's birthday we celebrated with some friends from school. We had pizza and cake and then headed over to Justice, which is a clothing store here in Oswego. The girls got their hair and make-up done, played games and posed for pictures. They had a great time. Below Emily is holding one of her gifts, a Webkinz, a duck which she named Wadle. Kirk will tell you that Webkinz are evil and at first I did not agree. I thought they were pretty cute, however I have discovered they are the evil spawn of the devil. The girls are completely obsessed. They come out with new Webkinz all the time and they have a website where the girls visit and find out which Webkinz will be the "Pet of the Month". Pretty much all Jillian talks about is Webkinz and they don't leave her side. She carries one everywhere. She sleeps with them every night(she has five now) even though they are taking over her bed and there is little room left for her. But I digress...

Girls just want to have fun! Watch out Hollywood, here comes the new crop of starlets. Happy 9th Birthday, Em!! We love you!

Mardi Gras

2008-02-24T14:50:00.005-06:00

My dearest, darlingest, bestest friend ever, Rosemary hosted an early Mardi Gras party the last weekend in January and educated us on the Southern Catholic's pre-Lenten tradition. With Jambalaya (don't know if I spelled that right?) and Red Beans and Rice, a King Cake and Rum Punch, we ate like kings and queens. Not pictured was Kirk who found the baby Jesus in the King Cake, which means we must now host the next party according to tradition. Rose went all out with beads and boas, along with some Zydeco music playing in the background.

Rosemary and I, showin' each other the luv

Christine and Kirk

Jillian, dressed for the party

This was a kid-friendly party and the kids loved hanging out in the basement, jumping in the bouncer, watching movies and generally being crazy. Rosemary explained to my girls about the tradition of Mardi Gras(the PG version of course), the crazy costumes and parades, the food, the beads, about the colors purple, gold and green. When they found out they could dress up and wear masks and beads and boas it was all they could do to contain themselves. Why hadn't we celebrated Mardi Gras before? As you can see from the pictures they really got into it and thought it was great.

Emily, Will and Ellen Claire

Who are these masked Crusaders? They look like super heros, don't they?

Snow Day

2008-02-24T13:19:00.003-06:00

Sometime at the end of January we had a bonafide snow day. 12 inches of snow blanketed the lawn and I know cuz my neighbor's son and I measured it ourselves. I can't tell you the exact day of our snow day because February had been a blur and I feel I've been sick for a good part of it. The last 4 days I've been cooped up in my house with the respiratory flu and my head still feels pretty foggy. Anyways we enjoyed our snow day tremedously, playing outside for several hours. Now we are sick of the snow and the cold and are glad to see brown dead grass, anything but more white stuff.

Enjoy the video of the kids early that morning as they headed out to play on a "snow day"!

Fun with Ellen Claire!

2008-01-19T09:13:00.001-06:00

January 4, 2008-Remember the days of preschoolers! Sticky fingers, playing babies, singing songs and taking turns. Those days were exhausting, fun, but definitly exhausting. I recently was reminded of those days when I babysat for Ellen Claire this Christmas break while her mom went to work. Her insistance that it was my turn and "now you sing it" was down right adorable, however after the 253rd time I suggested we play something else. As you can see from the pictures, playing piano, playing castles and ,not pictured, playing babies are her favorite things to do when at my house.

Grand pianist in the making.

Playing castles.

Me and Ellen Claire playing castles together.

Jill Entertains!

2008-01-19T08:53:00.000-06:00

January1, 2008-Jill and Emily had been playing dress ups this day. They had put on make-up and were dancing around being goofy. The night before at our friends house the girls had gotten some sticky face and body gems that they thought were so cool. They pretended to have their ears pierced and to have a nose ring. It was quite funny. Jill wanted to be filmed and this is what we got. I think you might enjoy it and get a good laugh! I know I did!!

It's SNOW fun!!

2008-01-19T08:35:00.000-06:00

December 28, 2007-Kirk and Emily created this snow fort/house. The snow was excellent for packing, very sticky. They pretty much created it by hand. I think it took them about an hour to make. It was pretty cool looking.

Emily sits in her newly created snow house.

Winter Fun

2007-12-28T15:05:00.000-06:00

It's a SNOW day!!

There is something about a winter snowfall that brings out the kid in me. The quietness it brings as it muffles the sounds of life around us. The kids voices and laughter seem brighter and clearer and more alive. There is an energy, an excitement in the air and at the same time a peacefulness that settles over the world like a warm blanket. Emi and I made the snow man. He is a leaf and twig snowman. The snow was so wet and sticky it picked up everything in the grass, making for a very leafy and twiggy snowman. Jill spent a lot of time laying on her back in the sled staring up at the sky. I couldn't figure out why she was doing this until I tried it. It was really quite relaxing and gratifying; watching the snowflakes come down and feeling the cold snow beneath me, and the way the snowflakes melted on my warm cheeks when they landed on me.

Jilz, just chillin'!

Not quite sure what this was about, but it was pretty funny!

Mommy and Jilz play in the snow!

Love to my Grandpa

2007-12-26T18:15:00.000-06:00

While we celebrated the birth of Christ, we also celebrated Meghan's (my sister-in-law) 17 week baby bump, which we are all so excited about. Jill, at 6 and a half, is the baby of our family and I am greatly anticipating having a new baby around, one that does not keep me up at night or demand round-the-clock feedings, yes, its good to be an aunt. Even Jillian is excited, when she saw Meghan and gave her a hug (her head hits right at Meg's tummy) she asked her, "how is your baby doing?" It was very sweet. We also celebrated my dad's 56th birthday and visited with my aunt, uncle, cousins and their spouses and kids from Wisconsin. To my dad's delight, the Bears creamed the Packers and he got to rub it in. But during all this celebration, we had the sobering reality that life doesn't last forever and we cannot keep our loved ones with us always. My grandfather(dad's dad) has been declining quickly in the last year and the reality of his limited time on this earth has been falling on us. It really knocked us Sunday when all the Wisconsin clan was in and my grandparents having stopped briefly at a store across the road from my parents street got lost for two hours trying to find their way. It was frightening and sobering for all, even my grandmother who doesn't drive and relies on grandpa to drive her everywhere (she has her license for emergencies only but really hates to drive) said, "we won't be driving much longer, we just can't." Sunday and again Tuesday, my grandfather complained of the pain in his legs and sat quietly on the couch under a blanket because he was so cold and slept off and on. He wasn't much interested in eating and only did so because that was what everyone else was doing so. I hurt inside to see him like this and I hurt inside to think of him being gone. I know I have been so blessed to have my grandparents for so long and yet it is still so painful to know that they may soon be gone. I don't really think my grandfather will be with us next Christmas and I want to hang on to the moments we have left.

I elicited a smile from Grandpa when I asked him to take a picture with me. He told me no, that I would break the camera. Always a jokester and a prankster, his smiles are fewer and fewer. Not so long ago you had better keep an eye on your dessert or he would have snatched it away when you weren't looking or you might find him with a child's stuffed animal sitting on his head. I will cherish this beautiful picture. I think I see some family resemblance there.

My mother has gone wacky!

2007-12-26T17:17:00.001-06:00

This is my Christmas present from my mother! I don't know what possessed my mother to buy me this pillow. Other than she and I are huge PIRATES fans and even greater Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow fans. He is just so hot! It may have been my trying to steal her PIRATES movie poster this summer, which includes Orlando Bloom on it. It also had Keira Knightley on it but she told me she was going to cut her out of the poster, who needed her around? It is hysterical if you know my mother at all that she would buy me such a thing. Maybe I had to reach my 30s before she and I could joke like this, but whatever her thinking or reasoning, it gave me a huge laugh and I love it. Now I just need me eye patch and sword...ARGH!

Christmas Morning

2007-12-26T16:40:00.001-06:00

The girls recieve their High School Musical Sing It for the PS2! I think Jill is a little excited!

Christmas morning arrived. And the girls posed quickly for a picture before turning around and diving into the gifts. This year we got some cool big gifts and not as many toys as in past years. It seemed so ridiculous to me to buy them things they already had. I mean, how many Bratz dolls and Little Pet Shop toys can a girl have? I was also feeling the need to give more to the community and share with the girls the importance of giving back. We had the joy of donating toys to a toy drive at church, mittens and hats to my school and food to a local food pantry. It has struck me hard this last year or so, that it makes no sense for me to be so blessed and not to bless others in return. I have been given so much and so often fritter it away on useless and perishable things. I am now looking for opportunities to give to those in need and hope to really give more this coming year. Whew, did I ever get reflective and deep there. Well now on with the fun!

Em excitedly unwraps her new rollerblades. She had recently taken skating in PE and really liked it and requested her own pair of rollerblades only a couple weeks before Christmas. The girls also got the High School Musical Sing It for our PS2, as we are HSM fans. How can you not be when you have a 6 and an 8 year old girl in your house? We were also invaded by Webkinz. We had zero in our house prior to Christmas and following Christmas we know have six. Each girl has three. Thanks to Santa and our dear cousin-to-be, Hannah, out in Arizona. They girls love them.

The Invisibility Cloak

2007-12-26T16:23:00.000-06:00

Attention all Harry Potter fans. We have found James Potter's invisibility cloak and apparently my mother owns it. Emily, here, wrapped in the cloak, has thus named my mom's scarf/wrap she had worn to the Nutcracker "the Invisibility Cloak". She said not only did the simmer of the fabric remind her of the cloak but also being underneath it reminded her of what it looked like when Harry used the cloak in the movie. I tried it and she was right.

The girls continued to play with "the cloak" all afternoon. I love having such creative and imaginitive children. They come up with some of the best stuff. I swear I'm going to write it all down one day and become a famous children's author. Yeah, right, maybe when I'm 80...

See... Emily is invisible!

The Nutcracker

2007-12-26T16:03:00.000-06:00

Nana, Emily, Me(Christine) and Jillian

Following the performance of the Nutcracker at Nana and Boppa's house.

All dressed up and smiling pretty!

December 16...Mom and I took the girls to see the Nutcracker at Pfieffer Hall at North Central College. A local dance studio put it on. We had seen it when Emily was 3, almost 4, and Jill was just a baby. Jill was excited to get to do something that Emily had already gotten to do and she had not. Age 6 and 8 are a much better age to take girls to the ballet then 3. They were very attentive and we had a good time.

Jill holds her Nutcracker ornament. Emily had gotten one very similar to this when she was three and it was her first time to the Nutcracker.

Emily, Nana and Jill await the opening act.

HAIRSPRAY

2007-12-26T15:48:00.001-06:00

It's me and m0m! On December 7, we attended HAIRSPRAY at the Paramount in Aurora and had a blast. Last Christmas I had given mom the gift of a show or concert of her choice that I would take her to. She couldn't decide and would say, "Maybe this one, maybe that one," finally she settled on HAIRSPRAY at the Paramount partly, I believe because she did not want to go into the city and neither of us had seen it. The seats were great, the theater is small (I had never been to the Paramount and I've lived here all my life). The music and sound was incredible and the dancing was pretty awesome too. I'm still thinking I will have to take her to WICKED downtown before it closes because she will enjoy that. Kirk and I saw it back in September and it was incredible. It now ranks number 2 on my all time favorite musicals list, with LE MIS still and probably always being number 1.

Family Christmas Photo

2007-12-25T11:05:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Day has become the day that we take the family photo for the Christmas card. There will be no Christmas cards this year as I have run out of time. But it is fun to look at these photos and laugh because it took several shots to get the right one. I had no idea how electronically challenged my mother was until I asked her to take our picture with our digital camera. She must have tried five times and I kept telling her you have to press the button all the way down. Well, she got it as I finally decided to get up and give her further instruction and this above photo was the result. It makes me laugh and think about my mom and how great she is. Love you Mom!!

This photo came after several shots and someone mentioned lighting a fire in the fire place, which I promptly denied stating that our sweaters would all catch fire. Kirk quickly jumped in with "The card could say, 'Have a sizzlin' Christmas!'" and "then we would really be Chestnuts roasting by an open fire" which promptly sent Emily over the edge because she hates when anyone sings that song or makes that joke. However we did get a good laugh and a funny picture.

Ah, the perfect family photo. Aren't we cute? Knew we would get it eventually. I think my mom even took this one. Dad had to to intervene at some point because mom was having trouble, not to mention she couldn't see. I think that woman has three different pairs of glasses to see different things. Boy, its hell getting old. Did I mention that I love my mom!

Merry Christmas everyone!

We send our love to you all!

The Chestnuts

2007-12-22T15:19:00.000-06:00

The first weekend in December we put up the Christmas deorations and attended the annual Christmas Tea with Grandma Mary at the nursing home. The girls (above) are dressed for the tea. They are sitting at our new (to us) piano which we got mid November. The girls have started lessons and are enjoying it. Jill, who begged for her music, has less of an interest then Emily, who wasn't so sure she wanted to take lessons to begin with. They have a very sweet music teacher. Kirk has decided that he wants to learn too and Emily will be his music teacher.

The girls pose in front of the tree following the decorating. I didn't have to do to much this year. The girls were so excited and did most of the tree themselves with Kirk and I helping with the top. The tree had to be moved to the dining room this year since we got the piano. As beautiful as the decorations are, it will be nice to get my house back to normal in the New Year.

Thanksgiving Day

2007-11-30T13:40:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parents house with all the grandparents. From the left and going clockwise is Grandpa Wendell (Kirk's dad), Grandma McLaughlin (my mom's mom), Grandma and Grandpa Gatenby(my dad's parents) and my Dad (aka-Boppa to my kids). Missing from this picture is my mom(aka-Nana) who is off to the left somewhere probably getting the desert ready and Grandma Mary(Kirk's mom) who decided to stay at the nursing home that day. I know my girls don't understand and appreciate how fortunate they are to have grandparents and great grandparents in their lives. I know I feel truly blessed. Over the last year or so I have been cherishing each holiday that I get to spend with them, knowing that it may be our last.

Grandma McLaughlin celebrated her 90th birthday in September. She has been here over a year now(she moved up here from Florida following a stroke) and I know how hard it is on my mom, but it has been a blessing to our whole family to have her here and get to spend time with her before she passes on. But who knows the way she's going she might be here until she's a hundred. There seem to be some good longevity

genes running in this family.

The girls entertained us with some poems and songs that they learned at school. We stuffed ourselves with yummy turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and apple pie. And miracle of miracles, not one football game did we see. Even though we were prepared with our football BINGO cards, somehow it never got turned on. We sat and talked, read the newspaper and studied the sales ads. It was a very relaxing day, enjoyed by all.

For your enjoyment...

2007-11-21T15:40:00.000-06:00

Our sweet Jillian... and a couple of her classmates following their skit at school. I don't know where she get such behavior...maybe from her Uncle Paul. Crazy girl!

Jill's Thanksgiving Skit

2007-11-21T15:24:00.000-06:00

Kirk and I took the day off work last Friday so we could attend Jillian's skit in her classroom at school. It was all about the Pilgrims and Native Americans and the first Thanksgiving. Each child memorized a line and they did great. They then entertained us with some silly Thanksgiving poems/songs which made us laugh. I wish I could share those with you. One involved a turkey with an attitude that insisted, "Gobble, Gobble, you can't catch me!" As you can imagine it was very entertaining. After the skit, we got to hang out for a bit and have cookies, pie and juice. Yummy!

The Woes of a Working Mom

2007-11-04T17:13:00.000-06:00

Em and Jilz at the Halloween parade at school.

These pictures are courtesy of my dear friend and neighbor, Rosemary, who has become like mom #2 to my girls. I truly appreciate her in moments like these when she is at the girl's school taking pictures while I am across town at work at my school.

Many of you know that I went back to work full time this fall as a school nurse at Lakewood Creek Elementary, which is a school in our district, but is in Montgomery about 15 minutes from home. The transition has gone as well as can be expected for starting to work full time in addition to caring for family and home. The home has become sorely neglected, although Kirk has really stepped up to help and keep the house orderly so I don't lose my sanity. The girls have handled it beautifully and Emi even seems proud of her mom who takes care of kids at another school. I have nearly 800 kids, 4 diabetics as well as asthmatics, nut allergies and all the rest. It is crazy most of the time, but for the most part I am enjoying myself and the rest of the staff is really great. There has only been two moments when my mommy heart just broke because of not being able to be with the girls for a school related event. The first was on the first day of school when for the first time I was not walking them to the bus stop because I had to leave and get to work. I totally lost it in the car on the way to work that day. The second was Halloween day. Jillian's class had a song they sang in an assembly that day and I was really heartbroken not to be able to be there for it. I've found as long as I stay positive about it, the girls don't seem to mind. At least, they haven't complained about it yet, of course, they could end up in therapy some day and it will be all my fault because I wasn't at that darn assembly. Ah, well...that's life!

Halloween night 2007

2007-10-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween! It's nurse, Emily, and Indian Princess Jillian. They're so cute! The girls picked out their own costumes. Kirk took them to Party City and gave them a budget and let them choose. They're getting so grown up.

It's the neighborhood gang out for Halloween. Jonathon, Will, Oscar, Emily, Hannah, Jillian, Victoria and Ellen Claire. What fun! The girls had a great time trick or treating with our neighbor friends. It was actually decent weather for Halloween, the best we've had in a few years. We wore jackets, instead of winter coats. Yeah! The wind was still pretty strong. Jillian was mad that she had to wear a jacket at all, because it was messing with her whole look, "But mommy," she says, "its covering my costume!" Ah, well, whatcha gonna do?